Close to the alcove

In the japanese house you have an alcove (tokonoma) where art pieces, flowers, a paper roll or other objects of art are arranged. I read that the most important person in a meeting is sitting most closely to the alcove with his back towards it. Than I realized that the first day I arrived this has happened in the house: I got this place. Later when I went to a lunchroom to meet someone, I got the same place, although they changed the interior. I was curious if it would happen again in the welcome party and to see if we were considered as the most important people. The meeting was very traditional, so it happened!

In the center the director of the KCCC, he's sitting with his back towards the garden. On the right the alcove.

at the back you see the alcove, Elly, Alex and Birgit in front