Lit. pouch or pocket alcove. An alcove, *tokonoma 床の間, characterized by a semi-enclosed section used to protect a scroll from strong, damaging light. The space is usually found at the front left or right side of the alcove, and is created by a narrow wall affixed to a post reaching from the underside of the alcove's top frame to the floor. A vine-laced, latticed reed window, *shitajimado下地窓, is sometimes provided on the outer wall to cast light on the rear wall where a scroll usually hangs. The nail for the scroll, *jikukakekugi 軸掛釘, is placed in the center of the rear wall. The alcove flooring material varies, and can include a raised board floor, *tatami 畳 mat, a floor with a kick space, or a step-in type floor. The inside of the alcove is entirely plastered but the post and lintel which frame the opening are not.