Brenthurst Estate, located in Houghton, Johannesburg, is set on 16 acres of parklike grounds. This exquisite woodland has various styles of gardens ranging from formal, informal to wild. In 1969 the then owner of the property, Bridget Oppenheimer received a gift of an ancient waterwheel which made an interesting feature on the rocky slopes behind the house. Kitayama Yasou, the master designer of Japanese gardens was commissioned to establish an authentic Japanese garden, a project which took more than four years to complete. This garden is known as a Chisen Kaiyushiki garden, which loosely translated means a stroll-around-the-pond, and in this garden visitors walk along a prescribed path and end up at the starting point. This walk is ideal for clearing the mind in preparation of a traditional tea ceremony. The teahouse was designed by Seno Masaharu, a master architect, and depicts a typical retreat of a Buddhist hermit. A Tsukubai or traditional stone water basin, is placed at the entrance to the teahouse, and everyone must wash their hands as a final cleansing before partaking in a tea ceremony. The various style of gardens at Brenthurst Estate are classed as being amongst the most beautiful and finest in South Africa and can compare favourably with the great gardens of the world.