Getting to know the style of Traditional Japanese Architecture House (Minka)

Home style Gassho-zukuri Minka in Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture

Minka "民家", is the common name for a traditional Japanese house and a shelter for ordinary people. These houses had been there before the end of 1800. These houses can be found all over Japan with a distinctive style between regions.
Minka architectural stylistic differences in each region due to adjustments to the geographical location / local climate, and industrial purposes. For example, Minka in northern Japan region, the building is designed to be able to adapt to the long winter and snowfall. A thatched roof with a steep ridge allows the air in the room is warm enough. Openings form only a small window in the ridge to avoid a number of wind into the house. Besides, it is also designed specifically for the purpose of maintaining silkworms.
Whereas in Japan's southern region, consists of a group of houses that are relatively small, with low houses on stilts in order to obtain the maximum ventilation and reduce the dangers of typhoon winds. The stage house is designed to dampen gunjangan earthquake.
In addition to adjustments to the geographical location, climate and lifestyle, Minka can also be divided into two types, namely farmhouses (Nouka) and houses in urban areas (machiya).
Homes Farms (Nouka)
Arrangement of space in the house called madori Japanese. Standard floor plan home Japanese farmers from the beginning of the 19th century consists of four chambers, in addition to the main room that has a fireplace (doma). This division is called with Yamadori (setting four spaces). In the house of this kind there is a large sliding wooden doors called odo, to enter the main room. This is the main entrance door to enter the house of the farmer.
Doma
Doma is a main room in Nouka. Doma take one third of house plans. Doma is a function of agricultural activities and cooking, so that the land available oven and washing areas made of wood that was set behind doma.There is also a fireplace measuring one square meter. The wood burned in the fireplace to heat the room, as well as illumination. The whole family gathered around the fireplace, especially at meal times.Besides doma, four spaces in Nouka are:

    Two rooms are located closest to doma, used as a place to carry out the daily activities of the residents.

    Decorative small space is called tokonoma. The room is attached to the wall of the front room which serves as a showcase of paintings or flowers.

    The front room serves as a place to receive guests on the circumstances - formal circumstances. The living room is called the Zashiki or dei. In front of the living room, there are long and narrow foyer called Engawa.
Urban house (Machiya)
The limited area of ​​land in urban areas to make houses erected there tend to be rectangular.

    On the back of the main room (Omoya) located space to store (turtle / dozou) property owned by the family. In addition to storing property can also be used Zashiki family, which is separate from the main room. To be able to enter this room, the door to the room doma made toward the backyard.

    Doma around the room, there are three lines of space. Room closest to the road called mise. This is where the merchandise on display and trade transactions carried out. The space is located in the center, used as offices, and also a member of the family to receive guests. The space is located at the very rear facing enclosed garden. This space made to resemble Zashiki, complete with tokonoma, which serves as a place to perform daily activities of members of the household.

    The existence of space in the attic called zushi. This space consists of two parts, the part closest to the road has a low ceiling serves as a warehouse. The second part is the rear that is used as a bedroom.

Minka historyIn ancient Japan, there are two types of houses, namely the underground house and houses on stilts (the influence of Southeast Asia).
In the Heian period through the mid-Edo Period (792 - 1750) there are three types of residential architectural style that evolved: shinden-zukuri, shoin-zukuri, and Sukiya-zukuri.

Shinden-zukuri

The karamon main gate to Ninomaru Palace

Shinden-zukuri (寝殿 造) refers to a style of domestic architecture developed for stately homes or aristocrats built in Heian-kyo (平安 京, Kyoto today) in the Heian period (794-1185), especially in the 10th century.
Shinden-zukuri developed into shoin-zukuri and Sukiya-zukuri (regardless type of architecture tea). During the Kamakura era, developed into Buke-zukuri (武 家 造 housing for military families).
Shinden-zukuri style first emerged in the Heian period is the abode of the nobles. This style cues from the worship space of the Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple watrical bisymme structure. The hallways are connected to each other by alleys roofed. Shinden style interior as well as worship space that is open except for round columns. The main space center called Moya and surrounded by two sets of pillars. This space contains byobu, reed blinds, and curtains Sudare, Kicho. wood plank flooring. There is a small room called nurigome used for sleeping or storage space. This style is used by the nobles and high-ranking samurai through the mid-15th century shinden-zukuri style can be seen in the painting Tale of Genji. Currently there are no older examples of this style, can be found only 19th-century version of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.
Shoin-zukuri

The Karamon main gate to Ninomaru PalaceShoin is the name of the abbot residence in a Zen temple. Shoin means library or study. The oldest example zukuri is Dojinsai space in Togudo at Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion). This small room was built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa in 1486. ​​The style evolved from style shinden shoin for 2 centuries. Shoin style eventually becomes large and the setting is intended for the greatness of the feudal warlords. Utilization pillar square cut (as opposed to the round style shinden) that point to put sills and lintels. This, in turn, expand the way the interior space with partitions disebutn shoji and fusuma panels. Tatami is used to cover the entire floor area and some more than one hundred tatami rooms in various sizes. An example is a Hall Ninomaru shoin style of Nijo Castle in Kyoto. Shoin mature style combines all the elements. Japanese traditional interior elements include: shoji, fusuma, tatami as floor covering, tokomona, chigaidana, and tsukeshoin.
Sukiya-zukuri

Villa Katsura Imperial Villa
in the spring

fusuma

Sukiya-zukuri style of architecture is the last house. Sukiya-zukuri (数 寄 屋 造 り) is one of the Japanese style of residential architecture. Suki means smooth, elegant sense of fun activities and refers to the pleasures and beauty of tea. The word originally denoted a building where a tea ceremony performed is known as Chashitsu and associated with ikebana flower arranging and other traditional Japanese arts. He has come to show you how to design of public facilities and private homes based "tea house aesthetics".
Villa Katsura Imperial Villain the springSukiya style that developed from the Azuchi-Momoyama period and style shoin, it is in direct contrast and a superb setting of-shoin zukuri. In Sukiya, the smaller and simpler regarded as the best design. Some tea cottage consists of six tatami. Merger of Sukiya with shoin developed into Sukiya-zukuri. This style is a style that is popular with citizens who live in the mid to late Edo period (1750 -1867). It is also a style that has contributed to the Japanese life space. The classic example is a Sukiya-zukuri Katsura Imperial Villa was built in the mid 1600s.
Edo period took place around the year 1600-1868 when Japan under the influence and relationship Sogun closing of the Western world. The decision was reflected in the pattern of development of a small town along the Nakasendo, one of which can be seen in the ancient village of Tsumago are building their home was evident dominated style of traditional Japanese architectural style of the Edo. Several small street gang also be very interesting to follow because of the way we can see the small Japanese style garden in the backyard and the front area of ​​the house. The park is equipped with a natural stone pool is equipped bonsai, water fountain of bamboo and other bamboo crafts add to the appeal of this region.
Among the paths, there are many houses that show the exterior of the Japanese-style garden. Parks not only in front but also behind the house. These gardens decorated many natural rock pools along with bonsai, water fountain of bamboo and bamboo crafts. Stepping inside, we will see the main building made of wood / board. If we look further, board houses is synonymous with the activities of Japanese citizens ages eyed Shogun searches farming, trade, and business services.
Japanese roofs are generally crushed stone in order not to fly in the wind. The roof is equipped with gutters on the side, which serves to channel water to the ground. Gutters are made from bamboo that show ingenuity and technical elements builders thought the Edo period. Room with a dirt floor, tatami, and natural stone foundations were crushed wood building materials is also one special characteristic. Construction is simple, by applying the principle of "the fewer, the better". This principle has been absorbed in the art of modern architecture.
The walls of Japanese homes tend to be plain with haris geometric lines. The walls are built of thin, almost immaterial. Even the paper was still used for the walls of the room. Unsafe indeed and very cold in winter, but it was made to make the occupants remain at one with nature. The walls, floors, and ceilings left plain without any frills. The only decoration is just game stripes and plaid straight. In the main room where the reception, made a small stage walled retreat as a place of worship. This section is a place for psychological self-orientation of the house owner, called tokonoma. There are several paintings of landscapes or flowers, but sometimes painting was replaced with a beautiful display of the art of calligraphy, contains poems or poetry mengandug wisdom or knowledge of cultural values.
Traditional Japanese house plans are divided into spaces as simple as a box-shaped or square. This simplicity is reflected in the minimalist design, which now also influence Minimalist Style Architecture. But in reality, the famous architectural culture has actually been done for centuries by architects Shinto era.
Housing continues to grow in the Meiji era (1868-1912), several houses in the city built in the style tortoise-zukuri, which features Japanese exterior made of fireproof material, usually have a long corridor through the middle of the house with rooms on each side, is said to combine foreign culture house style favored by samurai.


JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE KARAKTERISTAIK
Construction systems in buildings in Japan are made light and fluffy. Buildings in Japan are symmetric with wear slidding door to door, penggunaa paper on the walls of the house makes the house seem mild, the size of the room wearing a tatami / shoku, dominant roof with curved shapes that aresimple, mostly in Japanese homes do not use paint, but it is natural.
Minka Building MaterialsBuilding materials were used, among others, large wooden beams to the main mast home and skeletons important from the frame of the house. Wood is also used for walls, floors, ceilings, and roof ridge. Wood used in Minka can last 200 to 300 years old and is very valuable as a building product because it can be reused in other houses.
Bamboo is used to coat the empty spaces between the wooden wall and then coated with clay to be used as a flat wall. The clay was also burnt into the tile.
Certain types of grass used as a roof, while the rice crop straw is used for coarse woven into mats called Mushiro, and fine mats called tatami, which was held over a rough mat.Limited boulders used for foundations of houses, was never used as a wall.SpatialGenkan
One characteristic of Japanese homes is genkan, or entrance. This is a small area, the same level as on the outside, where people come off his shoes. When they took off his shoes, people step up to the higher floors 40-50 cm. Adjacent to the lower floor there is a rack or cabinet is called getabako (geta box) where people would put their shoes. Slippers for indoor use are usually placed there.


Washitsu
Washitsu is a tatami room in traditional Japanese buildings. There are several streams in preparing the tatami as flooring. Of the amount used may be known tatami square footage of the room. Washitsu of a number that is in the building (house), there is one major washitsu. Each room can be a living room, dining room, study or bedroom. This is possible because all the furniture is portable, which is stored in oshiire (a small part of the house used for storage).
Washitsu functions change depending on the household appliance that is used. Washitsu turned into a study room table when placed. Washitsu into the bedroom when placed futon (mattresses to sleep). Washitsu issued when a large table to be used for banquets.

fusuma

shoji

There are two kinds of objects that can be used to provide barriers to washitsu, the fusuma and shoji. Fusuma is rectangular shaped panels are mounted vertically on the rails of wood, can be opened or closed by means of driven or shifted. Its usefulness as a sliding door or room divider in washitsu. As with shoji, fusuma installed between the rails of wood, called kamoi upper rail and bottom rail called shikii. The framework is made of wood and both side surfaces coated with washi, cloth (natural fibers or synthetic fibers), or vinyl. When the paper coating is damaged or simply want to change the atmosphere, the old paper can be removed and replaced with new paper. Both sides fitted hikite fusuma surface that serves as a door handle while pushing fusuma. The difference between the fusuma and shoji is impermeable fusuma shoji light while impenetrable to light. House slippers must be removed before entering washitsu.

The rooms with tatami flooring and Shōji

Traditional kitchen with hanging system

Washitsu form of tatami floor. Tatami is a kind of mat that comes from the Japanese traditionally made. Tatami is made of straw that has been woven, but today many tatami made of synthetic materials, usually of styrofoam. Tatami have a variety of shapes and sizes, and all around sewn with brocade cloth or plain green cloth. In the beginning, Tatami is a luxury item that can be owned by the rich. At that time most of the homes of the poor do not have the floor, but the mat. Tatami became popular 17th century.


Washiki (Toilet)
Toilets in Japan housing is usually located away from the bathrooms and separate from the main house. However, in-room apartments often use the toilet and shower are in one unit. Toilets are usually in small spaces, when entering this room, one of the traditional replace them with a house slipper sandals, then switch back when it came out of the bathroom. Traditionally, the Japanese toilet has had the image of "unclean" and thus separated, but later on more modern toilets tend to counteract the traditional image of the "illegitimate" was.

Traditional Japanese toilet (washiki) is also known as a squat toilet toilet Asia. Most squat toilets in Japan are made of porcelain. The toilet users in Japan the reverse of Indonesia where they face the wall behind the toilet in the picture seen on the right. Squat toilets are divided into two types: toilet located on the surface of the floor, and toilet are located on the floor is elevated approximately 30 cm.
Daidokoro (kitchen)

Traditional kitchen with hanging system

Traditional kitchen with a furnace system

kitchen, the first furnace and the second by hanging. Both ways are equally using firewood.
In the Jomon period, from 10,000 BC to 300 BC, people flocked to the villages, where they live in shallow holes residence. This simple hut is between 10 to 30 square meters and has a fireplace in the middle. Stove beginning nothing more than a shallow hole (jikaro 地 床 炉), which is surrounded by stone to catch sparks. then they replaced with a clay vase or furnace. Type of stove called umigamero (埋 瓮 炉,. Lit "buried vase stove"). Such as stoves become more secure, it was moved from the center to the home side and, by the end of the Kofun period (6th century), almost every house has a stove at one end of the house. Some wealthy families in the Kofun period to build a detached house where the cooking is done.



Roka
On the edge of the house there is Roka, usually wooden floor, which is similar to the halls.
Minka roof
The roof is a dominant feature in traditional Japanese architecture. Minka roofs often made steep, and usually made of thatch (Kayabuki Yane), shingles (itabuki Yane), or tile (kawarabuki Yane).Minka roof can be grouped into three forms, namely:
    Kirizuma, is the simplest type of roof that is triangular (gabled roof). This type of roof has two sides that go down from the main ridge beam (mune).

   Yosumune, is a type of roof that has a waist (hipped roofs). This type of roof is an outgrowth of kirizuma, because on both sides that the other side coupled with a sloping roof, and a taper-shaped ridge, but not flat.
    Irimoya, is a kind of roof-shaped three terms, with additional roof shaped slightly tilted in the vicinity, so that the space inside the house became widespread. In the house roof made of ceramic tile, tile is also fitted to the ends of the ridge, and to decorate the summit ridge tile installed a giant head-shaped end, called onigawara. At the grass-roofed house was also mounted on both corners decoration called munekazari.

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