Characteristics

Whereas most houses in Europe or America are made of solid stone construction, a traditional Japanese house is made of simple wood structures. This, they say, is borne out of the Japanese love for nature and the necessity to be able to avoid the dangers of an earthquake, as well as adapt to climate changes.

Wooden houses are found anywhere in the world. But what makes a Japanese house different from all these?

Traditional Japanese houses are built several centimeters elevated off the ground. The purpose of this is to keep ground moisture from seeping through the wooden structures making them last through years. Horizontal wooden floor beams are neatly laid out and except for the kitchen, the floors are usually covered with tatami or woven straw mats.  The Japanese don’t generally use chairs so these straw mats also serve as seating areas.

The weight of the structure of a Japanese house is supported by vertical columns, horizontal beams and diagonal braces. A particular characteristic of a traditional Japanese house is its large roof. This roof is covered with tiles to protect the house from the scorching sun. To allow rain to fall easily, roofs are sloped instead of flat.

Another interesting characteristic of a Japanese home is its paper thin walls called shoji or fusuma. These walls are made of rice paper.  In ancient times, Japanese houses have wooden bamboo walls plastered on both sides. These days however, many Japanese homes use plywood on their walls to keep it sturdier.

Today, even as some Japanese homes have a bit of Western influence, particularly in a modernized Japanese kitchen, most rooms in the house remain true to tradition.