Japanese Architecture

JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
A. INFLUENCE
GEOGRAPHICAL INFLUENCE
GEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE
Materials used:
CLIMATIC INFLUENCE
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE
Religious Holidays
Religious Temples
SOCIAL & POLITICAL INFLUENCE
HISTORICAL INFLUENCE
B. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
CHARACTERISTICS
Building representative of Japan are castles, shrines, and temples. There are various
buildings that have high earthquake resistance and of exterior beauty that are made by combining
wood as pillars and beams. The walls exist as mere partitions and feature a wooden frame that
expresses the beauty of Japan.
PRINCIPAL MATERIALS
 Wood
 Tiled or Thatched Roof
 Bamboo
 Bricks
PRINCIPAL STRUCTURES
 Castles
 Shrines
 Temples
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS (FEATURES)
 Roofs
Roofs are one of the most distinctive features of Japanese architecture. Depending on when,
where and what for the building was constructed, the roofs’ structure, design, and materials can
vary.
There are basically four types of roofs for Japanese traditional architecture; Kirizuma (gable
roof), Yosemune (hip roof), Irimoya (hip-and-gable roof) and Hōgyō (pyramidal roof).
a. Kirizuma- is a roof made simply from two sides connected at the ridge. This is the
simplest and most common of the Japanese traditional architectural styles even today.
b. Yosemune- If the roof slopes down 4 sides and connects with the ridge at the top, it is
called Yosemune. Yosemune is the second most common form of roof for Japanese
houses after Kirizuma. Example of Yosemune roofs is Todaiji Temple in Nara.
c. Irimoya- is Kirizuma roof on top of Yosemune roof. It is used for the buildings with
highest status and commonly seen in castles and temples, although there are a few
private residences with Irimoya roofs.
d. Hōgyō- is similar to Kirizuma with all four sides of the roof slope down, although
there is no ridge, and the roof forms a peak. Hōgyō roof is used mostly for the
Buddhist constructions and can be built over hexagonal and octagonal buildings.　
The materials of roofs for traditional Japanese buildings are mostly thatch, tiles, bamboo,
metal, and stone. Tiles used for traditional roofs are called kawara. There are several types of
kawara in Japan. For traditional Japanese constructions such as castles, temples, and
shrines, Hiragawara and Marugawara are arranged neatly along the slope of the roof. In
addition, kawara that are used in specific parts of the roof and have decorative, religious, and/or
spiritual purposes are called Yakugawara.
 Shoji and Fusuma
Old Japanese houses relied on movable screens (shoji) and sliding doors (fusuma) to
divide and re-divide rooms as needed. The screens tend to be light and papered, allowing
some natural light (and shadows) into the rooms. Heavier shutters were sometimes used to
close off the outside of the house. Glass windows were not a feature.
The screens and sliding doors, still used in houses today, were some of the first
architectural exports from Japan to gain popularity in the West.
 Tatami
While it arguably enters the realms of interior design and decorating, tatami is a big
part of traditional Japanese architecture. Typically made of rice straw at the centre, with a
covering of soft rush straw, tatami mats were used for a large part of the flooring in houses,
providing a soft surface on which to sit and sleep (cushions and futons were used in lieu of
chairs and beds).
The subtle scent of tatami blends with the wood to create a unique smell that defines
traditional Japanese houses. Wander around one and you’ll see what we mean.
Tatami mats remain popular today, with many new flats and houses having at least one
tatami room.
 Irori
Irori is an open, sunken hearth set within a timber or tatami floor. Irori used to be a standard
fixture in Japanese farmhouses for heating the home, cooking, and boiling water. Irori is usually
square and located in the middle of a room where people would gather for warmth and
conversation.
In a tea house where Japanese tea ceremony is taking place, a similar hearth can be found to
heat up the water for making tea. The hearth in the tea house is called Ro and smaller than Irori
which is often found in a farmhouse.
 Engawa
Older Japanese houses tend to have a raised wooden veranda that runs around the outside
edge of the house. This is called an engawa and is like an outdoor corridor. In days gone by
it was sometimes sealed off by the heavy (storm) shutters. You’ll see engawa in anime and
Japanese movies; characters often sit on the veranda and look out into the garden (which is a
whole other conversation).
 Genkan
Japanese houses, even today, always have a sunken space between the front door and the
rest of the house. This area, which is considered dirty (and actually is), separates the home
from the outside and is where shoes are placed (usually on a rack or in a shoebox) before
entering. A genkan has long been a practical way of keeping the family living space clean.
 Tokonoma
It is the recessed space in a Japanese-style reception room, in which items for artistic
appreciation are displayed, often present in living rooms. This is the focus of the room and
displays Japanese art, usually a painting or calligraphy. The items typically displayed in
a tokonoma are calligraphic or pictorial scrolls and an ikebana flower
arrangement. Bonsai and okimono are also common—although traditionally, bonsai were not
considered worthy for a place of such respect. The tokonoma and its contents are essential
elements of traditional Japanese interior decoration.
Relationship with nature
Japan’s Shinto and Buddhist beliefs influenced architecture right down to the
residential level, with buildings reflecting a strong emphasis on humans’ relationship with
nature. This is evident in the focus on natural light in old houses, as well as the use of wood
in its raw form. It also comes through in the strategic design of houses to offer good views
into the natural world and the change of seasons therein.
C. PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENTS
D. SAMPLE STRUCTURES
E. DISTINCT TERMINOLOGIES

Japanese Architecture

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Japanese Architecture

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JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE

SOCIAL & POLITICAL INFLUENCE

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS (FEATURES)

 Shoji and Fusuma

Relationship with nature

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