The Traditional Japanese Home Design

The traditional Japanese house made of wood is expected to last about twenty years before having to be repaired or rebuilt. Each year it is depreciated, unlike homes here in the United States.

The interior design is what really sets the traditional Japanese house apart from European or American designs. With the exception of the entry way (genkan), the kitchen (daidokoro), the bathing room (sento) and the toilet (benjo), the rooms in a traditional Japanese house does not have a designated use.

A room can easily be a living area, a bedroom, a dining room or any combination. Large rooms are partitioned by fusuma, sliding doors made of wood and thick paper. The paper used for fusuma is called washi. These sliding doors can be removed whenever a larger space is needed.

In large traditional houses, there was one large room, or ima (living space) that could be divided as needed. The smaller rooms like kitchen, bath and toilet were small extensions to one side. Rouka, or wooden-floored hallways, follow the edge of the home. Windows are made of wood and shoji paper, which is thin enough to let the light shine through.

Even modern Japanese houses tend to have one traditional Japanese room, called a washitsu. This room is sparsely if at all furnished, and has tatami mats on the floor. In a traditional Japanese house, this style may be reflected throughout the home. Tatami are thick straw mats covered with stitched, woven rushes. Tatami are smooth and firm enough to walk on, while making a sleeping surface more comfortable than wood or stone.