By: Maximilian Lim

Muhammad Naim

The Traditional Japanese House

History of Japan

The Feudal Era

(12th-19th century)

n New ruling class of warriors

n The SAMURAI

n ODA NOBUNAGA

n TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI

TOKUGAWA IEYASU

n Battle of Sekigahara (1600)

n Appointed SHOGUN (ruler of japan)

n ISOLATIONIST SAKOKU (locked

country)

n EDO PERIOD

Meiji Restoration

In 1854 US Navy forced the

opening of japan to the outside

world

BOSHIN WAR

Establishment of a CENTRALIZED

STATE under the name of emperor

Transformed Japan into an

industrialized world power.

PEARL HARBOR

On the 7th December 1941 Japan attacked the US naval base in PEARL HARBOR

Brought USA into WWll

8th December, USA, UK and Netherlands declared war on Japan

Japan surrended on 15 August after the atomic boming of HIROSHIMA and NAGASAKI.

Successful Japan

August 2009, Japan achieved exceptional growth to become one of the world’s most powerful economies.

Yukio Hatoyama led the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) to victory and become Prime Minister.

Defeating the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which had been in power almost continually since 1955.

Traditional architectural styles

Shinden-Zukuri (Aristocratic Mansions)

Shoin-Zukuri (Mansions of the Military)

Sukiya-Zukuri (Tea Ceremony)

Structure

Ground is elevated to prevent moisture from the

ground

Places where people sit are covered with tatami

mats

Frame of the house supports the weight of roof

Styles of traditional roofing

Irimoya

Used as Buddist temple roof

Castles and Shinto shrines

Kirizuma

Few castles

Used in houses

Hogyo

Used in Buddist construction

Yosemune

Used in houses

Traditional Japanese house

layout

Tokonoma

An alcove

Several items are placed such as

Kakejiku (Hanging scrolls)

Ikebana (Flower arrangements)

Kakejiku Ikebana

Components of Tokonoma

Tokobashira – Alcove pillar or post

-In a tea hut, it is made of trunk of a tree

Scrolls placed at the center

Flower arranged on the dais

Beside the tokonoma…

Desk (Tsukeshoin)

Set of shelves (Chigai-dana)

Seating arrangement

Guest of honor sits in front of tokonoma

Other guests sits facing away the tokonoma

Host sits facing tokonoma

Fusuma

Opaque sliding doors in a traditional Japanese

house

Measured about 90cm wide and 1.8m tall

Lattice-like wooden understructure covered in

cardboard and a layer of paper or cloth on both

side

Before, it was painted on with scenes from

nature.

Ramma

Transom – A small window above a door

Decoratively carved above fusuma sliding doors.

Function – to allow ventilation and light to enter

the room

Carved using slatted wood or small sliding shoji

panels

Traditional Japanese elements like bamboo, washi paper and lacquer are used

to soften the visual impact of interior design

Types of materials used in traditional Japanese houses

Built by wooden columns

With foundation made of

earth and stone

Frame of the house is made

of plywood

Roof is made out of tiles

called Kawara

Tatami Mats

Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core

with a covering of woven soft rush (igusa) straw

Fusuma/Shoji (Sliding door)

Made of translucent paper over a frame of wood

which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo.

Traditional paper called Washi used for sliding

door

References Elements of a Traditional Japanese Interior (n.p.).

Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://yoshino.truecompassdesigns.net/newsletter-traditional-interiors/

Traditional culture and festivals (n.p.). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/cultural/experience/a.html

Tokonoma and the art of the focal point (n.p.). Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2009/10/tokonoma-and-the-art-of-the-focal-point.html

The Structure of a Japanese House (n.p). Retrieved January 26 2015, from http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/house/house01.html

Shoin-Zukuri (n.p). Retrieved January 26 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoin-zukuri