The document discusses the history and architecture of traditional Japanese houses. It describes the major periods in Japanese history from the Feudal Era to the post-WWII period. It then focuses on the architectural styles, construction materials, and common layout elements of traditional Japanese homes, such as tatami mat flooring, sliding fusuma doors, and the tokonoma alcove. Key traditional building techniques and materials like wooden frames, paper doors and walls, and thatched roofs are also outlined.

1. By: Maximilian Lim
Muhammad Naim
The Traditional Japanese House

2. History of Japan

3. The Feudal Era
(12th-19th century)
n New ruling class of warriors
n The SAMURAI
n ODA NOBUNAGA
n TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI

4. TOKUGAWA IEYASU
n Battle of Sekigahara (1600)
n Appointed SHOGUN (ruler of japan)
n ISOLATIONIST SAKOKU (locked
country)
n EDO PERIOD

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Traditional architectural styles
 Shinden-Zukuri (Aristocratic Mansions)
 Shoin-Zukuri (Mansions of the Military)
 Sukiya-Zukuri (Tea Ceremony)

9. 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

10. 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

11. Traditional Japanese house
layout

14. Tokonoma
 An alcove
 Several items are placed such as
 Kakejiku (Hanging scrolls)
 Ikebana (Flower arrangements)
Kakejiku Ikebana

15. 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

16. Beside the tokonoma…
 Desk (Tsukeshoin)
 Set of shelves (Chigai-dana)

17. Seating arrangement
 Guest of honor sits in front of tokonoma
 Other guests sits facing away the tokonoma
 Host sits facing tokonoma

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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

21.  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

22. Tatami Mats
 Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core
 with a covering of woven soft rush (igusa) straw

23. 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

24. 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/t
okonoma-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