What's in a traditional Japanese home?

Ever wondered what's in a traditional Japanese home? In this article, we are going to look at some classic features that you only find in Japanese homes. From architectures, interiors, objects and other things unique to Japan.

Many of the architectural and interior features of Japanese homes are unique, they are considered an important part of Japan's history and culture. Even ancient, they are still present in many homes today.

Shoji, Fusuma and Ranma- Sliding doors

Let's start by talking about the sliding doors and walls present in many Japanese homes, including apartments and modern houses. At least the living room or room in the house has a door or wall that allows you to expand or divide a room in 2.

Shoji They are s or sliding doors made of wood and filled with translucent paper. They are used for both interior and exterior walls of the house, allowing natural light to enter the interior of the house.

Sliding doors they are sliding s that act as doors and walls which, unlike shoji, do not have a translucent paper; they are just walls that can be decorated and can even be used to create ages and secret rooms.

One of the advantages of sliding doors found in Japan is the transformation of a living room into a private bedroom. Many houses are modular thanks to sliding walls and doors.

Ranma they are s found above Shoji or Fusuma designed to let light into the rooms. Most of the time they are made of ornate wood or are similar to the Shoji.

Genkan, Engawa and Tokonoma - Japanese Veranda

Genkan is the entrance of a traditional Japanese house where shoes are usually removed. It can be a small hall, porch, or room, with a mat or space where shoes should be taken off. Additionally, stepping on genkan barefoot or in socks.

The main function of the genkan is to prevent dirt from the street that gets on shoes from entering the house or any building. That’s why the genkan is usually built at a level below the floor of the house to contain the dirt coming from the street.

Once removed, the shoes are usually placed with the front facing the door, to be put on more easily when going out, and another shoe, Uwabaki, or slipper, Surippa, is worn to walk inside the building.

Read also: 10 traditional japanese shoes

While the Genkan is at the entrance of the house, outside on the porch of old houses we have the Engawa, an external corridor that surrounds a Japanese house. The engawa are traditionally used to protect the doors and shoji walls against the sun, rains, and storms. 

In some traditional and rich houses we also have the Tokonoma, it is an area destined to receive the guests. It is a place where art such as painting, shodo, scrolls, bonsai, okimono or ikebana is usually placed.

We also recommend reading:

• Bonsai - The Japanese Art of Miniature Trees
• Ikebana - The Japanese art of floral arrangements
• Shodo - The art of Japanese calligraphy

There are various etiquette rules regarding the tokonoma. One of them is that when accommodating guests, one should have their back facing the tokonoma. This is due to modesty; the host should not be seen showing the contents of the tokonoma to the guest, thus they should avoid pointing to the tokonoma.

Wagoya - Nailless roof

Japanese carpenters developed advanced woodworking techniques, allowing the construction of large buildings without the use of nails. These nailless frames have their advantages, they are more suitable for earthquakes.

Some of these woods are fitted together or tied with rope, and can be seen in old Japanese homes. Nowadays, despite a different architecture, many houses are built with fitted roofs instead of nailed ones.

Tatami - Japanese flooring

Tatami are floors or mats. traditionally made of rice straw. They have a standard size that varies by region. Tatami are so common in Japan that houses and apartments are often measured using the size of a tatami as a unit.

They represent a traditional lifestyle that involves rolling out and sleeping on the floor. Tatami have a soft, natural feel on your feet and smell nice when they are new. They are associated with a wide range of uses and customs, such as sitting in seiza (picture).

Kotatsu, Chabudai and Zabuton

futonPeople sit with their legs under the kotatsu to relax, have a meal, study, or watch television.

Chabudai These are tables with short legs that are used when sitting on the floor, typically the same type of table as a kotatsu. They can come in different sizes.

They are typically used on tatami floors, but can be placed on harder floors as well. It is common for families to have a meal or meeting at a Chabudai while sitting on the Zabuton.

Zabuton are thin pillows used for sitting on tatami floors. They are the equivalent of a chair. In sumo matches, crowds are known to throw their zabuton to the ring to protest against an unpopular result.

Ofuro - Japanese Bathtub

Ofuro is the Japanese word for bath, but it can refer to the bathtub that is present in most homes in Japan. In ancient Japan, houses did not have toilets and people visited public baths every night, known as sento.

By the Meiji era, Ofuro started to become a more common feature in homes. Japanese baths are usually in a separate room from the bathroom. So basically almost every house in Japan has a bathtub and a small shower.

The Japanese use hot tubs as a leisure activity and tend to take long baths. Wooden baths are a luxury feature of some homes and Ryokan. It is customary and part of the culture to take a bath in Japan.

We also recommend reading:

• History of Imperial Japan – Meiji Restoration and Wars
• Onsen - Natural Hot Springs of Japan
• Ryokan - The charming Japanese inns

Irori - Japanese Fireplace

An Irori is a fireplace used for heating the house and cooking, it consists of a square hole in the floor covered by a hook or “Jizaikagi” that hangs from the ceiling above the pit and can be used to suspend a pot over the fire.

Few modern homes include an irori and they are increasingly rare. Old restaurants in the Japanese countryside have one. Wherever they are found they are popular in winter.

Sudare - Traditional curtains

Sudare are traditional window blinds that are made with horizontal strings of wood, bamboo or other natural materials. They are normally used in spring and summer.

They permitem a fresh breeze and are effective in blocking the sun. Sudare are often created using ancient techniques and may have iron hooks that look large by today's standards.

While most have a basic design, some are created with silk, gold thread, and other expensive materials.

Watch in the video below the main classic features of Japanese houses: