The traditional Japanese house is characterized by simple construction with multifunctional rooms and minimalist furnishings. It is made entirely of wood, paper and reeds or tiles for the roof. Wide window and door openings replace classic windows and doors and provide cross ventilation in summer, but poor thermal insulation in winter. Japanese houses therefore have a flexible interior design that attempts to integrate everyday life with nature - a concept that is closely linked to the Buddhist religion. You can find out more about traditional Japanese architecture and house construction in the article.
What do you call Japanese houses?
Traditional Japanese houses are known as “Minka”. This is a term used for the traditional Japanese style buildings and includes the different types of houses. The farmhouses are called “Noka” and the typical town houses are called “Machiya”.
The construction method
The peculiarities of Japanese architecture are in accordance with earthquake resistance, which plays an important role in the construction method. The load-bearing structure of the houses is a wooden framework that is relatively flexible. The walls, on the other hand, are made of the lightest possible material and can be moved for optimal use of space.
Foundation and floor
The houses have a supporting structure that is separated from the ground and raised about 50-80 cm above it. This enables air circulation, which ensures fresh air in the apartment. The living spaces are built on piles that are anchored in the ground and ensure the lateral stability of the house. The rest of the structure is built on stone slabs. Because of this foundation, the house will move in the event of an earthquake, but will not fall down.
Building material
The traditional houses are typically built using natural wood and paper as building materials that enable flexible interior design. The houses are built with either a gable roof or a hipped roof that is placed on the framework. Bricks or reeds are usually used for this. However, building with such materials also has some disadvantages. On the one hand, houses made of wood and paper can easily burn and, on the other hand, they do not have good thermal insulation.
The interior: a flexible room design
In Japanese architecture, homes are designed with neutral rooms in different sizes, so they are completely flexible. With a seat cushion on the floor, the room is converted into a living room. On the other hand, if a futon is placed on the floor, the same room turns into a cozy bedroom.
Due to the lack of space, the residential buildings are designed to be multifunctional and furnished in a minimalist manner. Throughout the day, the few pieces of furniture are used for different purposes as needed. Even the wooden panels, which are covered with translucent paper, do not remain fixed, but slide through the house, connecting the different rooms with each other and with the garden. So they serve as sliding doors that are used for an open living concept.
The interior design
Inside there is a fireplace, which forms the focal point of the room and is used for heating and as a cooking area. The tables in the traditional Japanese house are heated and built low so that you kneel on the floor when sitting. In the visitor room is the “Tokonoma” – a niche decorated with flowers, plants, pottery and pictures. This picture niche also serves as a visual centerpiece in this room.
The tatamis as features of Japanese interior design
The rooms in the traditional house are decorated with wooden paneled ceilings and tatami mat floors. Depending on the region, a lying person is represented on average by a rectangle measuring 190×90 cm. This resulted in a national unit of measurement – the tatami. The Japanese therefore do not talk about square meters as an area measurement, but rather about six, eight, ten tatamis.
Typically, the tatami is a mat made of rice straw that is used as a floor in Japanese houses. The tatamis are not only practical, but they also create a pleasant ambience in the room. That is why they are now also used in the furnishing of many modern European apartments.
The buffer zones
Many of the traditional houses in Japan feature an area called an “engawa,” which literally means a side edge but is actually difficult to characterize. It is a kind of veranda, but at the same time it is also a hallway that runs around the house. Sometimes the hallway is also designed inside the house to surround a terrace.
The buffer zone is considered a transition between the indoor and outdoor areas, but also a relaxation and meditation zone because it offers a view of the garden. The veranda has a roof that protects from both the sun and the rain.
Traditional homes are designed with a sequence of indoor and outdoor areas, creating a demarcation between rooms. The inner courtyard, for example, separates the public from the private part of the apartment and is considered a transition zone. Rain or shine, the courtyard allows residents to live in close connection with nature.
A traditional house is almost unthinkable without a garden, because they are closely connected to each other. There is hardly a border between the two - the house merges with the garden via the veranda. The Japanese garden is a staging of nature in a narrow setting. It is designed to introduce the living character to the world. Simplicity and temporality are the basis of the Zen style, which is central to the traditional Japanese garden.
Japanese houses are usually not built on the street, but in the garden, so they are surrounded by a green area. The garden wall is in most cases a hedge or a bamboo fence that can even “hide” the house from prying eyes.
Curved garden paths with stepping stones connect the garden gate to the front door. By and large, traditional Japanese gardens look like landscape pictures and have a decorative rather than practical function.
Plants and nature are an essential part of Japanese culture and cutting them off is tantamount to a crime. Although the garden in the courtyard of the Japanese house is an ancient culture, it still lives on among the younger generations. Even today, as available living space becomes increasingly limited, the Japanese do not forego their gardens and their connection with nature.
Partial shade as part of the interior
Japanese houses have a special wall design that consists of opaque, translucent and striped parts. This creates a kind of partial shade in the interior, which has a positive effect on the atmosphere in the house.
