Traditional Japanese House Features

Have you ever wondered what is in a traditional Japanese house? In this article, we will look at some classic features that you can only find in Japanese houses. From architecture, interiors, objects, and other things unique to Japan.

Many of the architectural and interior features of Japanese houses are unique; they are considered an important part of Japan’s history and culture. Even though they are old, they are still present in many houses today.

Table of Contents

Shoji, Fusuma, and Ranma – Sliding doors

Let’s start by talking about the sliding doors and walls found in many Japanese houses, including modern apartments and homes. At least the living room or one room in the house has a door or wall that allows for expanding or dividing a room into two.

Shoji are panels or sliding doors structured in 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.

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

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

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

Genkan, Engawa, and Tokonoma – Japanese veranda

Genkan is the entrance of a traditional Japanese house where people usually take off their shoes. It can be a small hall, porch, or room, with a mat or space where shoes should be removed. Also, it is avoided to step on the genkan barefoot or in socks.

The main function of the genkan is to prevent dirt from the street that remains on shoes from entering the house or any building. Therefore, the genkan is usually built at a different level than the house’s floor to contain dirt coming from the street.

After being removed, shoes are usually placed with the front facing the door, to be put on more easily when leaving, and another shoe, Uwabaki, or slipper, Surippa, is worn to walk in the interior spaces of the building.

Also read: 10 traditional Japanese footwear

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 from the sun, rain, and storms.

In some traditional and wealthy houses, we also have the Tokonoma, which is an area intended to receive guests. It is a place where art such as paintings, shodo, scrolls, bonsai, okimono, or ikebana is usually displayed.

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There are several 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 – Nail-less roof

Japanese carpenters developed advanced woodworking techniques, allowing the construction of large buildings without the use of nails. These nail-less frameworks have their advantages; they are more suitable for earthquakes.

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

Tatami – Japanese floor

Tatami are floors or mats traditionally made of rice straw. They have a standard size that varies according to the 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 sitting and sleeping on the floor. Tatami have a soft and natural feel underfoot and have a pleasant smell when they are new. They are associated with a wide range of uses and customs, such as sitting in seiza (photo in the image).

Kotatsu, Chabudai, and Zabuton

Kotatsu is a low table with a built-in electric heater covered by a heavy blanket called futon. People sit with their legs under the kotatsu to relax, have a meal, study, or watch television.

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

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

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

Ofuro – Japanese Bathtub

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

Until the Meiji era, Ofuro began to become a more common feature in houses. Japanese baths are usually in a room separate from the bathroom. Thus, almost every house in Japan has a bathtub and a small shower.

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

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Irori – Japanese Fireplace

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

Few modern houses include an irori, and they are becoming increasingly rare. Old restaurants in rural Japan have one. Wherever they are found, they are popular in winter.

Sudare – Traditional Curtains

Sudare are traditional window curtains made with horizontal ropes of wood, bamboo, or other natural materials. They are usually used in spring and summer.

They allow a cool breeze and are effective at blocking the sun. Sudare are often created using ancient techniques and may have iron hooks that seem large by today’s standards.

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