Japanese House by Ian D. Keating is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Japan is perhaps the country that epitomizes more than any other the concept of “old meets new.” Long a country which has looked to the future – being for well over a century a country which has vigorously pursued modernization. It is the land of the bullet train, the teeming metropolis, and the world’s most spectacular post-war economic “miracle.” Yet Japan is also a country of uniquely long and unbroken tradition: Japan’s monarchy is the oldest in the world, its world-famous Noh theatre is the oldest theatrical tradition still performed, and many Japanese daily practice the rituals and observances, be they Shinto or Buddhist, which have their roots in the country’s earliest history.
Truly, Japan combines the futuristic with ancient, though a first glance at Tokyo or Kyoto might suggest the traditional lies somewhere hidden beneath shining glass and steel. This is indeed the case. In any of these places, you’ll find many traditional homes sprinkled amongst the skyscrapers and the flat blocks – in various degrees of authenticity.
The influence of western-style homes has undoubtedly been strong in Japan, but very many traditional elements, and some fully traditional homes, persist. A traditional Japanese home is known as minka and includes several elements that are incorporated into other types of homes across Japan. So what are the stylistic and practical elements of a traditional Japanese Home?
Flooring
Tatami Flooring by Martyn Jones is licensed under CC BY 2.0
One of the most famous elements of the traditional Japanese home, and an element which is commonly incorporated into Western-style homes, is the traditional matted floor, or tatami. Tatami is a fabric made from woven rushes, which is soft yet firm and very pleasant to lie or sit on. In a properly traditional Japanese home, tatami will be a feature of most rooms whilst in more western-style homes; it might be incorporated into a particular room.
Tatami is such an integral part of Japanese life that Japanese estate agents use the tatami mat – standardized at 1.62m squared – as a unit of measurement, called jō, for all Japanese properties.
Partitions
Partitions by Martyn Jones is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Another element of Japanese homes which many are familiar with is the famous sliding and detachable partitions which break up the living space of a Japanese house. These come in two varieties, fusuma and shōji. The distinction here is that fusuma is a more opaque and heavier partition, whereas shōji is thinner and let in more light. They are both, however, made from washi, a distinctive type of Japanese paper.
Both operate by sliding along wooden rails and can be detached and rearranged to change the general layout of a Japanese home, which is a very attractive feature.
Entrances
Japanese slippers by Allan LEONARD is licensed under CC BY 2.0
One of the major ground rules of a traditional Japanese home is the prohibition on footwear. With the light-colored and soft-textured tatami flooring, dirty shoes are a serious no-no. True to their famously practical spirit, most Japanese homes have this accounted for with their innovative entrances.
The traditional entrance to a Japanese home is called the genkan, and is like a small vestibule for people to remove footwear. Most genkan will also include a getabako, a distinctive cabinet where people can neatly store their footwear.
In a certain sense, it’ no surprise that all of these features of the traditional Japanese home should happen to be so practical. The combination of old and new isn’t such a contradiction when you consider that these features of the traditional Japanese home have persisted because they are practical, useful, and, in some cases, ingenious.
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