Traditional Japanese Houses

Table of Contents


Online Resources

Websites

Kawara

Youtube

Culture, Tourism

Architects & Carpenters

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Personal Blogs & Photographers

Houses

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Construction Companies & Architects

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Non-japanese Houses, Architects, Interior Design


Books

[ ] Japan. Its Architecture, Art, and Art Manufactures (1887, Christopher Dresser)

  • Part I
    • Chapter 1
      • Yokohama
      • The Grand Hotel
      • Sights in the Streets
      • Jinrikishas
      • Japanese Hospitality
      • Sachi
      • Yedo, or Tokio
      • Letter writing
      • The Castle
      • Winter in Japan
      • Temple of Shiba
      • Tombs of the Shoguns
    • Chapter 2
      • Yokohama
      • A fire in the hotel
      • A Japanese banquet
      • Japanese dancing girls
      • Music
      • Eating a live fish
      • Hara-kiri
      • The Mikado
      • The New Year
      • Tokio firemen
      • Japanese matting
      • The Hamagoten palace
    • Chapter 3
      • Preparation for a long journey
      • By water to Kobe
      • Entrance of the Mikado into Kobe
      • Awadji, Sanda, Arima, Nara
      • The Mikado's Antiquities
    • Chapter 4
      • The sacred dance
      • A feast night
      • Kioto
      • The royal collections
      • Osaka
    • Chapter 5
      • The Japanese Calendar
      • Wakayama
      • Japanese cold and Japanese vegetation
      • Koya-zan
      • Splendour of shrines and of scenery
      • Sakai
      • News of revolt in Satsuma
    • Chapter 6
      • Temple of Kioto
      • Japanese estimate of Christianity
      • Picnics
      • Honest Workmanship
      • Lacquer-work
      • Value of Corean ware
      • Tea-drinking ceremony
      • Otsu
      • Futami-gaura
      • Kamiji-yama
    • Chapter 7
      • Tidings of rebellion
      • Ise
      • Yokkaichi
      • Manufactures of Nagoya
      • Comparative estimates of wealth and skill
      • Castle of Nagoya
      • Sidsuoka
      • Fujiyama
      • Return to Yokohama
    • Chapter 8
      • A Shinto festival
      • Nikko
      • The great sanctuary
      • Arrival at Tokio
      • Japanese reports and police supervision
    • Chapter 9
      • A Japanese blue book
      • Object of my visit
      • Exportation of ginger
      • Manufacture of carpets, etc
  • Part II
    • Chapter 1 Religion and Architecture
    • Chapter 2 Analogies and Symbols
    • Chapter 3 The Lacquer Manufactures
    • Chapter 4 The Pottery Manufactures
    • Chapter 5 The Metal Manufactures
    • Chapter 6 On the means by which fabrics receive pattern
    • Chapter 7 Minor manufactures of Japan

Fundamentals of Japanese Architecture (1936, Bruno Taut)

⚠️ The Japanese House. Its Interior and Exterior (1963, Ishimoto Tatsui, Ishimoto Kiyoko)

  • Contents
    • Introduction
    • A look at Japanese houses
    • In today's Japan
    • Now let's visit some japanese houses
    • The vocabulary of a japanese house
    • The entry gate leads first to a garden, then to the house
    • At the genkan you take of your shoes
    • The floor is resilient tatami mat
    • The interior walls are sliding panels (fusuma)
    • In the zashiki (principal room) the focus is the tokonoma
    • Exterior wall panels (shoji) slide away to reveal the garden
    • The engawa invites you into the garden
    • From the front gate to the front door
    • Where to leave your shoes
    • The floor plan is flexible
    • The Japanese room has many functions
    • This modern house simplifies traditional ideas
    • The modern house: the entry blends the new with the old
    • Modern houseÑ the parlor and the family room
    • The Japanese inn: houses in miniature
    • The Japanese inn: magic with sliding panels
    • You can open the wall in different ways
    • In the center of the room, a table over a floor recess
    • A walk through a Japanese house
    • Through a Japanese house: past an interior garden
    • Through a Japanese house: achieving airy space
    • Here is a modern Japanese house
    • Japanse and Western ideas come together in a single room
    • In a Japanese room you can select your garden view
    • How the fusuma partitions work in a bedroom-dressing room
    • Just three rooms, but what a variety of space
    • Three rooms. Variety out of simplicity
    • This modern house has western-style rooms downstairs, Japanese-style rooms upstairs
    • Japanese rooms upstairs
    • The Japanese house in transition
    • Japanese and Western, side by side
    • Innovations: Kitchen, bath, laundry
    • The garden has varied aspects
    • Japanese-style garden, and a tea room
    • The Japanese screen has many uses
    • An island garden screens this entry
    • Isecho: the gante and the entry
    • Tsuitate: the single-panel screen
    • The tokonoma is sized to the room
    • Nine-mat room with a low folding screen
    • A special house for the tea ceremony
    • The traditional tea-house entry
    • A place for brewing tea
    • A touch of old Japan
    • A room for the tea ceremony, modern and simple
    • American adaptations: using shoji panels over windows
    • American adaptations: shoji as room dividers
    • Just a few Japanese touches indoors, and a garden outdoors
    • The garden creates the view from indoors
    • Adaptations inside the house
    • Adaptations in the garden and on the street
    • Decorating with screen, scroll, tansu, and bonsai
    • More ways Americans use the tansu
    • In America, the fun of a Japanese room
    • Glossary

⚠️ The Japanese House. A Tradition for Contemporary Architecture (1964, Heinrich Engel)

  • Contents
    • Part One: Structure
      • 1 Fabric
        • Definition
        • Stone
        • Glass
        • Bamboo
        • Clay
        • Paper
        • Roof tiles
        • Floor mat
        • Wood
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 2 Measure
        • Definition
        • Building measures
        • Early measures and shaku
        • Ken measure and module
        • Order of kiwari
        • Traditional standards
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 3 Design
        • Definition
        • Kyo-ma method
        • Inaka-ma method
        • Process of design
        • Present building regulations
        • Distintions
        • Superstition
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 4 Construction
        • Definition
        • Process
        • Foundations
        • Wall framework
        • Roof
        • Japanese wall
        • Floor
        • Ceiling
        • Fittings
        • Translucent paper panel
        • Windows
        • Picture recess
        • Shelving recess
        • Study place
        • Wooden shutters
        • Shutter compartment
        • Doors
        • For contemporary architecture
    • Part Two: Organism
      • 5 Family
        • Definition
        • Moral principles
        • Manners of living
        • Influence on house
        • Influence from house
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 6 Space
        • Definition
        • Measure of man
        • Planimetric-functional space
        • Space relationship
        • Physique of space
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 7 Garden
        • Definition
        • Attitude toward nature
        • House-garden relationship
        • Standarization
        • Standard features
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 8 Seclusion
        • Definition
        • Necessity of tea
        • Philosophy of tea
        • Physique of the tearoom
        • Art of living
        • Tea garden
        • Standarization
        • For contemporary architecture
    • Part Three: Environment
      • 9 Geo-relationship
        • Definition
        • Racial migration
        • Closeness to the continent
        • Insular isolation
        • Imitation
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 10 Climate
        • Definition
        • Characteristics
        • Earthquakes
        • Climatic architecture
        • Climatic adaptation
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 11 Philosophy
        • Definition
        • Zen Buddhism
        • Buddhist features
        • Religious expressions
        • Zen and house
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 12 Society
        • Definition
        • Policy
        • Social order
        • City community
        • Prohibition
        • For contemporary architecture
    • Part Four: Aesthetics
      • 13 Taste
        • Definition
        • Theory of genesis
        • Zen aestheticism
        • Traditional trait
        • Taste of the townspeople
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 14 Order
        • Definition
        • Theory of genesis
        • Physical order
        • Spiritual order
        • For contemporary architecture
      • 15 Expression
        • Definition
        • Interior
        • Contrast
        • Individuality
        • Association
        • Exterior
        • For contemporary architecture

⚠️ Space in Japanese Architecture (1985, Mitsuo Inoue)

  • Contents
    • Introduction
    • 1 The Preeminence of Material Objects
      • The Pillar
      • Shared Space
    • 2 Plastic Composition
      • The Space Reserved for the Subject
      • The Kairo as a Fence
      • The Function of the Gate
      • A Pantheistic World View
    • 3 Pictorial Composition
      • The Courtyard for the Object
      • The Development of Frontality
      • The Hoodo-type Plan
      • A Dualistic World View
    • 4 The Development of Interior Space
      • Aisles and Partitions in the Development of Interior Space
      • Interior Space for the Object
      • Complex Interior Spaces
      • The Autonomy of Interior Space - Extrusions
      • The Idea of Vacancy
    • 5 From Geometrical Space to Movement Space
      • Geometrical Space and Movement Space
      • The Expression of Movement
      • Bending and Rotation
      • The World as Flux

Japan. The Art of Living (1990, Katoh Amy Sylvester, Kimura Shin)

  • Contents
    • Foreword
    • Intruduction
    • Light and Space
    • Traditional Furniture
    • Table Settings
    • Japanese Textiles
    • Flowers and Seasons
    • Fine and Folk Art
    • Collections
    • Beautiful Rooms
    • Sources
    • Bibliography
    • Glossary Index

⚠️ Form & Space in Japanese Architecture (1993, Norman F. Carver)

  • Contents
    • Preface
    • Japanese Architecture
    • Prologue
      • Photographs
    • Form
      • Commentary
      • Photographs
        • Structure & Form
        • The Roof
        • Miyajima
        • Castle Forms
    • Space
      • Commentary
      • Photographs
        • Space & Structure
        • Planes in Space
        • Space & Site
        • Gardens & Paths
        • Katsura, Form & Space
    • Bibliography

Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan. (1993, Kevin Nute)

The Role of Traditional Japanese Art and Architecture in the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright

Japan Country Living (1993, Amy Sylvester Katoh)

  • Contents
    • Introduction
    • Heritage
    • Country Ways
    • The Art of Everyday
    • The Indigo Tradition
    • Sources

⚠️ What is Japanese Architecture. A Survey of Traditional Japanese Architecture (1996, Kazuo Nishi, Kazuo Hozumi)

  • Contents
    • Introduction
    • Worship: The Architecture of Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines
      • Horyuji Temple and Its Symbol, the Pagoda
      • The Great Eigth-Century Temples
      • Architecture of Pure Land Sect
      • New Medieval Forms: The Great Buddha Style
      • New Medieval Forms: The Zen Style
      • Details of the Great Buddha Style
      • Details of the Zen Style
      • The Medieval Japanes Style
      • The Golden and Silver Pavilions
      • Medieval Construction Methods
      • Temple Architecture in the Early Modern Period
      • Buddhist Architecture: Structure and Detail
      • Shinto Shrines
      • Common Shrine Styles
      • The Yomeimon Gate: Nikko Toshugu Shrine
      • Japanese Baroque
      • The Neiborhood Shrine
      • The World of the Craftsmen
      • Construction Techniques of the Edo Period
    • Daily Life
      • Houses of the Jomon and Yayoi Periods
      • Reconstructing Yayoi and Tumulus-Period Dwellings
      • The Ancient Capitals
      • The Heijo and Heian Capitals
      • Heijo: First of the Great Capitals
      • Residences of the Nara Period
      • The Heian Capital
      • The Shinden Style
      • Daily Life in a Shinden Mansion
      • Commoners' Dwellings
      • Residences of the Samurai
      • A Forma] Audience in a Warrior Residence
      • The Shoin Style: Early Modern Residential Architecture
      • The Design System of the Shoin
      • Katsura Detached Palace and the Sukiya Style
      • Sukiya-Style Decor
      • Minka: Dwellings of the Common People
      • Minka Diversity
      • Provincial Towns in the Edo Period
      • Japan's Premodern Cities
      • The Edo Metropolis
      • Schools in the Edo Period
    • Battle
      • Himeji: The Grandest of the Surviving Castles
      • The Historical Development of Castles
      • Castles in Wartime
      • Castle Defense
      • The Twelve Surviving Donjons
      • Castle Towns
      • Castle Palaces
    • Entertainment: Architecture in the Sukiya Spirit
      • The Architecture of the Tea Ceremony
      • Designing the Teahouse
      • Soan Teahouses
      • The Tea Garden
      • Staging the No Drama
      • The Structure of the No Stage
      • The Architecture of the Kabuki Theater
      • Improvements in Kabuki Theater Design
      • The Architecture of the Pleasure Quarters
      • Design in the Pleasure Quarters
      • Gracious Pastimes at a Sukiya Complex
      • Entertainment Fit for an Emperor

Traditional Japanese architecture-whether Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, residences, castles, or teahouses-has become increasingly familiar around the world. Through the media of motion pictures, art books, T.V. documentaries and dramas such as Shogun, as well as through personal experience, more and more people have gained an acquaintance and appreciation of the architecture of premodern Japan. Some may even be able to name or recognize the oldest and the largest wooden structures in existence, which are to be found in Japan at Horyuji and Todaiji respectively.

⚠️ Japan Style. Architecture Interiors Design (2005, Geeta Mehta, Kimie Tada, Noboru Murata)

  • Contents
    • What is Japanese about a Japanese House?
    • A Tea Master's Dream Lives On
    • Summer Style in a Kyoto Machiya
    • Exuberant Spontaneity in an Interior in Osaka
    • House of Ikebana
    • A Kaga-style Teahouse to Sooth the Soul
    • A Celebration of Lacquer Craft
    • Coming Home to an Old Machiya
    • Antiques Find a New Home in an Old Minka
    • A House with a Cosmopolitan Interior
    • A Potter Meets His Minka
    • An Old Famrhouse Gears up for the Future
    • A Home in Snow Country
    • A Sukiya-style Setting for an Art Gallery
    • An Old Parlor with an Old Tree
    • The Evolution of a Modern Home
    • A Cottage Shaped by Old Memories
    • A Room for Viewing Light and Shadows of Life
    • A Tribute to Masters of Modernism
    • A House with a View of Mount Asama
    • A New House and a Tree
    • Acknowledgments and Bibliography

Japanese homes speak to the soul and provide a contemplative environment from which to experience the world. Japan Style offers rare glimpses into twenty exquisite traditional homes in Japan. The lavish photographs in this volume demonstrate how Japanese design achieves a timeless tranquility using a few very simple, natural elements. Wood is the preferred building material since it is considered a "living" material; the country's Shinto and Zen Buddhist roots have inculcated a deep respect for nature. The houses in this book are a wonderful reminder that there are alternatives to "big is beautiful"--and that neither timelessness nor modernity has to be about using cold steel, glass and concrete. The wabi-sabi ideal, translated loosely by Frank Lloyd Wright as a "rusticity and simplicity that borders on loneliness," is considered the epitome of sophistication in Japanese interior design. The houses in this book invite us to rethink the wisdom of our hurried modern lifestyle and return to a simpler, slower life. The quintessential Japanese aesthetic can be seen in a 100-year-old minka farmhouse, an old merchant's machiya townhouse in Kyoto, a sprawling country Samurai villa, and in a modern seaside cottage. This book offers insights for architects and homeowners alike by providing inspiring and surprising alternatives, relevant to the design of homes anywhere in the world today.

Japan-ness in Architecture (2006, Arata Isozaki)

  • Contents
    • Part I Japan-ness in Architecture
      • 1 Japanese Taste and Its Recent Historical Construction
      • 2 Western Structure versus Japanese Space
      • 3 Yayoi and Jomon
      • 4 Nature and Artifice
      • 5 Ka (Hypothesis) and Hi (Spirit)
      • 6 Ma (Interstice) and Rubble
      • 7 Fall and Mimicry: A Case Study of the Year 1942 in Japan
    • Part II A Mimicry of Origin: Emperor Tenmu's Ise Jingu
      • 8 The Problematic Called "lse"
      • 9 Identity over Time
      • 10 Archetype of Veiling
      • 11 A Fabricated Origin: lse and the Jinshin Disturbance
    • Part III Construction of the Pure Land (Jodo): Chogen's Rebuilding of Todai-ji
      • 12 The Modern Fate of Pure Geometric Form
      • 13 Chogen's Constructivism
      • 14 The Five-Ring Pagoda in Historical Turmoil
      • 15 Mandala and Site Plan at Jodo-ji
      • 16 The Architectonics of the Jodo-do (Pure Land Pavilion) at Jodo-ji
      • 17 Big Buddha Pavilion (Daibutsu-den) at Todai-ji
      • 18 Chogen's Archi-vision
      • 19 A Multifaceted Performance
      • 20 Brunelleschi versus Chogen
      • 21 Chogen/Daibutsu-yo and Eisai/Zenshu-yo
      • 22 Three Kinds of Hierophany
      • 23 Raigo Materialized
      • 24 A Non-Japanesque Japanese Architecture
    • Part IV A Diagonal Strategy: Katsura as Envisioned by "Enshu Taste"
      • 25 Katsura and Its Space of Ambiguity
      • 26 Architectonic Polysemy
      • 27 Authorship of Katsura: The Diagonal Line

⚠️ The Japanese House. In Space, Memory, and Language (2006, Nakagawa Takeshi)

  • Contents
    • Introduction to the English Edition
    • Introduction
    • Boundary Spaces
      • 1 The Earthen Floor (tataki)
      • 2 The Entrance Sill (aqarikamachi)
      • 3 The Shoe-removing Stone (kutsunugi-ishi)
      • 4 The Veranda (engawa)
      • 5 The Covered Earthen Terrace (dobisashi)
    • Partitions
      • 6 Latticework (koshi)
      • 7 Reed Blinds (yoshisu)
      • 8 Opaque Sliding Screens (fusuma)
      • 9 Snow-viewing Shoji (yukimishoji)
    • Settings
      • The Sunken Hearth (irori)
      • The bath (furo)
      • The Family Living Room (chanoma)
      • The Kitchen (katte)
    • Components
      • 14 The Central Pillar (daikokubashira)
      • 15 The Head Band (nageshi)
      • 16 The Decorative Recess (oshi-ita)
      • 17 The Ceiling (tenjo)
    • Fittings
      • 18 Straw Floor Matting (tatami)
      • 19 The Box Staircase (hakokaidan)
      • 20 The Chest of Drawers (tansu)
    • Materials
      • 21 Lacquer (urushi)
      • 22 Tiles (kawara)
    • Symbols
      • 23 The Buddhist Household Altar (butsudan)
      • 24 The Nameplate (hyosatsu)
      • 25 The Groundbreaking Ceremony (jichinsai)

Minka. My farmhouse in Japan (2007, John Roderick)

  • Contents
    • Book One
      • A breakfast to remember
      • Chaucer, Yochan, and me
      • Year of the tiger
      • The Great Peak
      • A bad oyster
      • Tin!
      • Honorable Daiku-san
      • Spider men
      • Orgies and chamber music
      • A loveable american
    • Book Two
      • Feel poor!
      • White ants
      • The evil eye
      • The spoons
      • Yochan
      • Fences
      • Life of the party
      • Minkas domestics
      • Gardens, stones, and buddhas
      • Minkas foreign
      • The east gallery
      • Poppy and the queens
      • Hillary and the abbot

The Four Great Temples. Buddhist Archaeology, Architecture, and Icons of Seventh-Century Japan (2008, Donald F. McCallum)

⚠️ Japanese Architecture. A Short History (2009, A.L. Sadler, Mira Locher)

  • Contents
    • 1 Introduction
    • 2 Early Period (660bc - 540ad)
    • 3 The Introduction of Buddhism. Asuka Period (540 - 640ad)
    • 4 Hakuho Period (640 - 720ad)
    • 5 Tempyo Period (720 - 780ad)
    • 6 Heian Period (780 - 1190ad)
    • 7 Kamakura Period (1190 - 1340ad)
    • 8 Muromachi Period (1340 - 1570ad)
    • 9 Momoyama Period (1570 - 1616ad)
    • 10 Edo Period (1616 - 1869ad)
    • 11 The Shogun's Reception of the Emperor
    • 12 Building Regulations in the Tokugawa Period
    • 13 Shoji, Fusuma, and Ceilings
    • 14 Privy and Bathroom
    • 15 The Kitchen
    • 16 The Architect

Impressions of Japanese Architecture (2011, Ralph Adams Cram)

  • Contents
    • 1 The Early Architecture of Japan
    • 2 The Later Architecture of Japan
    • 3 Temples and Shrines
    • 4 Temples and Gardens
    • 5 Domestic Interiors
    • 6 The Minor Arts
    • 7 A Color Print of Yeizan
    • 8 A Note on Japanese Sculpture
    • 9 The Future of Japanese Art

⚠️ Traditional Japanese Architecture. An Exploration of Elements and Forms (2012, Mira Locher, Ben Simmons)

  • Contents
    • Part 1 Context
      • Chapter 1 Environment and Culture
      • Chapter 2 The Evolution of Japanese Architecture
      • Chapter 3 The Role of Tradition
    • Part 2 Forms and Materials
      • Chapter 4 Basic Principles
      • Chapter 5 Regional Variations
      • Chapter 6 Tools and Techniques
      • Chapter 7 Materials
    • Part 3 Architecture
      • Chapter 8 Roofs
      • Chapter 9 Foundations
      • Chapter 10 Walls
      • Chapter 11 Floors
      • Chapter 12 Ceilings
      • Chapter 13 Built-ins
      • Chapter 14 Furniture
      • Chapter 15 Decorative Objects
      • Chapter 16 Interior Ornamentation
      • Chapter 17 Exterior Ornamentation
    • Part 4 Gardens and Courtyards
      • Chapter 18 Shaping the Land
      • Chapter 19 Entrance Gates
      • Chapter 20 Garden Walls
      • Chapter 21 Fences
      • Chapter 22 Paths
      • Chapter 23 Bridges
      • Chapter 24 Gravel Courtyards
      • Chapter 25 Raked Gravel Beds and Mounds
      • Chapter 26 Stone Borders
      • Chapter 27 Rocks and Stones
      • Chapter 28 Plants
      • Chapter 29 Water
      • Chapter 30 Garden Objects
      • Chapter 31 Temporary and Seasonal Elements

Just Enough. Lessons in Living Green from Traditional Japan (2013, Azby Brown)

  • Contents
    • Part I Field and Forest
      • The Farmer from Kai Province
      • Rice Cultivation
      • Rice Production and Its Byproducts
      • Thatching a Roof
      • Building Materials and Their Virtues
      • Learning from Field and Forest
    • Part II The Sustainable City
      • The Carpenter of Edo
      • Ground Transportation
      • Learning from a Sustainable City
    • Part III A Life of Restraint
      • The Samurai of Edo
      • Daimyo Estates
      • Learning from a Life of Restraint

How the mindset of traditional Japanese society can guide our own efforts to lead a green lifestyle today. If we want to live sustainably, how should we feel about nature? About waste? About our forests and rivers? About food? Just Enough is a book of stories and sketches that give valuable insight into what it is like to live in a sustainable society by describing life in Japan some two hundred years ago, during the late Edo period, when cities and villages faced many of the same environmental challenges we do today and met them beautifully and inventively.

⚠️ From Castle to Teahouse. Japanese Architecture of the Momoyama Period (2015, John B. Kirby)

  • Contents
    • Part 1 The Forms
      • 1 The Castle
      • 2 The Shoin Mansion
      • 3 The Sukiya Teahouse
      • 4 The Paintings, Gardens, and Gate
    • Part 2 Representative Examples
      • 5 Azuchi Castle
      • 6 Osaka Castle
      • 7 Fushimi Castle
      • 8 Nijo Castle
      • 9 Nagoya Castle
      • 10 Imperial Palaces
      • 11 Jurakudai
      • 12 Independent Structures
      • 13 Other Forms

Japanese Inns and Hot Springs. A Guide to Japan's Best Ryokan & Onsen (2017, Rob Goss)

  • Contents
    • The Ryokan Experience
    • A Tradition of Fine Hospitality
    • A Guide to Ryokan Etiquette
    • AROUND TOKYO
      • HAKONE AND MT. FUJI AREA
        • Gora kadan – Hakone
        • kai Hakone – Hakone
        • kikkaso inn – Hakone
        • Shuhoukaku kogetsu – Lake kawaguchi
      • IZU PENINSULA
        • Asaba – Shuzen-ji onsen
        • kai Atami – Atami onsen
        • Yagyu-no-Sho – Shuzen-ji onsen
        • Seiryuso – Shimoda
      • OTHER AREAS AROUND TOKYO
        • Tokiwa Hotel – kofu
        • kai nikko –Lake Chuzenji, nikko
        • Honke Bankyu – Yunishigawa onsen, nikko
    • KYOTO & NARA
      • KYOTO
        • Yoshida Sanso – northeastern kyoto
        • Aoi kamagowa-Tei – Central kyoto
        • Gion Hatanaka – Central kyoto
        • Hiiragiya – Central kyoto
        • kinmata – Central kyoto
        • kinpyo – Central kyoto
        • Seikoro inn – Central kyoto
        • Hoshinoya kyoto – Arashiyama, Western kyoto
        • Suisen – Yunohana onsen, kyoto
      • NARA
        • Shikitei – Central nara
        • Wakasa Bettei – Central nara
    • CENTRAL JAPAN
      • Bettei Senjuan – Minakami onsen, Gunma
      • Ryugon – Minami-uonuma, niigata
      • Hoshinoya karuizawa, nagano
      • Houshi – Awazu onsen, ishikawa
      • Araya Totoan – Yamashiro onsen, ishikawa
      • kayotei inn – Yamanaka onsen, ishikawa
      • Wa-no-Sato – Miya Mura, Gifu
    • WESTERN & SOUTHERN JAPAN
      • nishimuraya Honkan – kinosaki onsen, Toyooka
      • Tosen Goshobo – Arima onsen, kobe
      • Sekitei – Miyahama onsen, Hiroshima
      • Sansou Murata – Yufuin, kyushu
      • Tenku-no-Mori – kagoshima, kyushu
    • HOKKAIDO & NORTHERN JAPAN
      • HOKKAIDO
        • Ginrinsou – otaru
        • kuramure – otaru
        • zaborin – niseko
        • Hina-no-za – Lake Akan
      • NORTHERN HONSHU
        • Saryo Soen – Akiu onsen, Sendai
        • Tsuru-no-Yu – nyuto onsen, Akita
        • Travel Tips

This material may be protected by copyright. Winner of The North American Travel Journalists Association's Excellence in Travel Journalism Award Richly illustrated and exhaustively researched, Japanese Inns & Hot Springs is the definitive guide to Japanese spas and hot springs known as ryokans. It presents the finest ryokans in Japan, from historic properties like Hiiragiya in Kyoto and Kikkaso in Hakone to luxury retreats like Zaborin in Hokkaido and Tenku-no-Mori in Kyushu. In this Japan travel guide you will find:

  • The 40 best Japanese ryokan and onsens for English-speaking visitors (including 13 in the Tokyo area and 11 in and around Kyoto and Nara)
  • A description of the special features of each ryokan and what is included in your stay
  • Tips on how to choose the right ryokan for you
  • Practical advice on how to book a stay and a detailed etiquette guide
  • Above all else this ryokan guide reveals the enduring traditions of Japanese hospitality, a rich heritage reaching back a thousand years to the time when Japan's hot spring bathing culture took root. The beautiful properties in this book also illustrate the unique design sensibility for which Japan is so justly renowned.
  • Indispensable tips on booking a Japanese ryokan that is right for you and reaching each property by train, bus and taxi are provided along with a detailed etiquette guide to staying at a ryokan and bathing in an onsen, as well as descriptions of the special features of each of the inns featured.

⚠️ The Art of Japanese Architecture. History, Culture, Design (2019, David E. Young, Michiko Young, Tan Hong Yew)

  • Contents
    • JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE: AN OVERVIEW
      • Basic Principles
      • Pre-Buddhist Cultures
      • Reconstructed Jōmon and Yayoi Settlements
      • The Grand Shrines at Ise
      • Ainu Buildings
    • EARLY INFLUENCES FROM KOREA AND CHINA
      • Heijōkyō: An Early Capital
      • Hōryūji: The Oldest Extant Temple
      • Nara Period Temples
      • Post-Buddhist Shinto Shrines
    • THE HEIAN PERIOD: DEVELOPING A CULTURAL IDENTITY
      • Heian Style Palaces and Mansions
      • Mountain Temples
      • Buddhist Paradise Halls
      • Shinto and Buddhist Architecture Merge
    • UNDER SAMURAI RULE: THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR 1185–1600
      • New Principles in Residential Architecture
      • Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji Temples
      • The Way of Tea
      • Feudal Period Temples
      • The Ichijōdani Historical Site
      • Castles and Castle Culture
    • CENTRALIZED FEUDALISM: THE EDO PERIOD 1600–1868
      • Edo: The Feudal Capital
      • Takayama: An Old Administrative Town
      • Kanazawa: An Important Castle Town
      • Ogimachi: A Remote Farm Village
      • Minka: Rustic Rural Houses
      • Kurashiki: A Rice Merchant Town in Western Japan
      • The Important Role of Kura Storehouses
      • The Mausoleums at Nikkō
      • Sukiya Style Villas and Palaces
      • Theaters and Sumo Rings
    • THE MEIJI PERIOD: JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE IN TRANSITION
      • Pseudo-Western and Blended Styles
      • New Residential Architecture in a Traditional Style
      • Inns in the Traditional Style
      • Temples and Shrines in the Traditional Style
    • MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Simplicity, asymmetry, sensitivity to the natural environment, and the use of natural materials are the hallmarks of Japanese architecture. This book provides an overview of Japanese architecture in its historical and cultural context. It begins with a discussion of prehistoric dwelling and concludes with a description of important modern buildings.

The Art of Japanese Architecture presents a complete overview of Japanese architecture in its historical and cultural context. The book begins with a discussion of early prehistoric dwellings and concludes with a description of works by important modern Japanese architects. Along the way it discusses the iconic buildings and architectural styles for which Japan is so justly famous-from elegant Shinden and Sukiya aristocratic villas like the Kinkakuji "Golden Pavilion" in Kyoto, to imposing Samurai castles like Himeji and Matsumoto, and tranquil Zen Buddhist gardens and tea houses to rural Minka thatched-roof farmhouses and Shinto shrines. Each period in the development of Japan's architecture is described in detail and the most important structures are shown and discussed-including dozens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The aesthetic trends in each period are presented within the context of Japanese society at the time, providing a unique in-depth understanding of the way Japanese architectural styles and buildings have developed over time and the great variety that is visible today. The book is profusely illustrated with hundreds of hand-drawn 3D watercolor illustrations and color photos as well as prints, maps and diagrams. The new edition features dozens of new photographs and a handy hardcover format that is perfect for travelers.

Machiya (2020)

  • Contents
    • Introduction
    • Chapter 0 Kyoto house, machiya
    • Chapter 1 Passing Down
      • 1 Sugimotoke Jutaku
      • 2 Mumeisha
      • 3 Takizawake Jutaku
      • 4 Nagaeke Jutaku
      • 5 Hatake Jutaku
      • 6 Teradaya
      • Machiya Collection 1 Lattice
      • Machiya Collection 2 Mushikomado
      • Machiya Collection 3 Komayose
      • Machiya Collection 4 Battarishogi
      • Machiya Collection 5 Inuyarai
      • Machiya Collection 6 Udatsu
      • Column: Kyoto's reservoir of groundwater
    • Chapter 2 Conserving
      • 7 Noguchike Jutaku
      • 8 Segawake Jutaku
      • 9 Ikutanike Jutaku
      • 10 Uedake Jutaku
      • 11 Sasakike Jutaku
      • Machiya Collection 7 Toriniwa
      • Machiya Collection 8 Okudo-san
      • Machiya Collection 9 Kamado
      • Machiya Collection 10 Hibukuro
      • Column: Atago-san
    • Chapter 3 Operating a business
      • 12 Fushimi Yumehyakushu / Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
      • 13 Yamanaka Aburaten
      • 14 Tondaya Tanakake
      • 15 Onishitsune Shoten
      • 16 Kotaro-no-su
      • 17 Sawai Shoyu Honten
      • 18 Kyoto Moyashi House
      • 19 Rakuyo Orimono
      • 20 Tambaya
      • 21 Naito
      • 22 Shioyoshiken
      • 23 Fuka
      • 24 Kurama Tsujii
      • 25 Yubahan
      • 26 Chikueidou
      • 27 Kyomachiya Hiyori
      • 28 Kyokukan Mayuko
      • Machiya Collection 11 Beam
      • Machiya Collection 12 Stairs
      • Machiya Collection 13 Garden
      • Machiya Collection 14 Chashitsu
      • Machiya Collection 15 Kura
      • Column: Hotei-san
    • Chapter 4 Entertaining guests
      • 29 Rakutabi Kyomachiya
      • 30 Toshiharu
      • 31 Kinmata
      • 32 Toriyasa
      • 33 Kamishichiken Kurosuke
      • 34 Wachigaiya
      • 35 Gion Kinpyo
      • 36 Wakuden
      • 37 Kaden
      • 38 Xeumeihua Saikontan
      • 39 Cafe Marble Bukkoii
      • 40 Kissako Wazuka
      • Machiya Collection 16 Shoki-san
      • Column: Bath in Kyoto
    • Chapter 5 Background and knowledge
      • 1 History of Kyoto
      • 2 Nature in Kyoto
      • 3 Seasonal items in Kyoto
      • 4 A year in Kyoto
      • 5 Calendar in Kyoto
      • 6 Machiya Map Kyoto
      • 7 Glossary

Measure and Construction of the Japanese House (2020, Heino Engel)

  • Contents
    • Introduction
    • Definitions
      • measure
      • construction
    • 1 Measuring System and Module
      • measure of man
      • building measures
      • ken measure and module
      • traditional standards
    • 2 System of Plan Layout
      • floor mat
      • kyo-ma method
      • inaka-ma method
      • planimetric-functional space
    • 3 Examples of Floor Plans
      • typical floor plans
      • distinctions
      • superstition
      • physique of the tearoom
    • 4 Structural Framework
      • process
      • foundation
      • wall framework
      • roof
    • 5 Space Enclosures
      • japanese wall
      • floor
      • ceiling
    • 6 Movable Space Controls
      • fittings
      • translucent paper panel
      • opaque paper panel
      • windows
    • 7 Constructions for spiritual spaces
      • picture recess
      • shelving recess
      • study place
    • 8 House Enclosures
      • wooden shutters
      • shutter compartment
      • doors
    • Conclusion
      • for contemporary architecture

A remarkable classic work on traditional Japanese architecture, and how the style and features can serve as a model for contemporary residential buildings. With incredible detail (as well as numerous architectural plans and drawings), author and architect Heino Engel describes everything from room functions and the flexibility of partitions to the influence of human anatomy on Japanese units of measure. Rather than exploring why the traditional Japanese house is built the way it is, Engel delves into the practical information: what the Japanese house is and how it is built. This book is not simply a description of the features of the Japanese house, but "an invitation to probe the possibilities of utilizing this architectural achievement of the Japanese...in modern living and building," according to the author, who further believes that the unique details of the Japanese house are better suited as a pattern for contemporary housing than any other form of residential structure. With a new foreword by architect and professor Mira Locher, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, this updated hardcover edition brings this popular work to modern readers--in hopes that they may find ideas to adopt into their own home.


Notes

  • akiya: abandoned/empty house
  • machiya: townhouse
  • minka: house
  • kominka: old folk house
EnglishRomajiJapanese
traditionalDentō-teki伝統的
architectureKenchiku建築
traditional architectureDentō-tekina kenchiku伝統的な建築

Minka, or traditional Japanese houses, are characterized by tatami mat flooring, sliding doors, and wooden engawa verandas. Another aspect that persists even in Western-style homes in Japan is the genkan, an entrance hall where people remove footwear. The flooring for the house proper is raised a little off the ground to prevent dampness from entering and to keep the living area from flooding in the case of heavy rain. The lower level is known as the tataki, and was traditionally made of packed earth, although concrete is common today. After removal, shoes are put in the getabako—a cabinet that derives its name from geta, or wooden clogs, that Japanese people once commonly wore.

Tiled roofs (hongawarabuki) are a distinguishing feature of most Japanese homes, as well as Buddhist temples, Shinto (native religion of Japan) shrines and many other types of old buildings. Kawara is the word the Japanese use to describe roof tiles in general, though there are in fact many styles and types of tiles with regional variations, and a large and specialized vocabulary is used to describe these. The convex marugawara-style (aka ogawara) tile is normally used in conjunction with the concave hiragawara tile to cover the open surface of a roof. When used together, these two types of tiles provide a strong and weather-resistant barrier which easily channels heavy rainfall. Japanese roof tiles are typically very well made and often outlive their intended function protecting structures from the elements. As a result, old roof tiles can sometimes be spotted in Japan being reused for unique and interesting purposes. Old roof tiles are sometimes used to reinforce earthen retaining walls, or stacked one next to another to make garden borders. Roof tiles are also buried vertically along dirt walkways with just the tips exposed a fraction of an inch above the surface to create artistic patterns and to act as paving surfaces. Decorative end caps called onigawara (ogre tiles) look especially nice as accent pieces within the home or on patios and especially when positioned amidst garden foliage.

Kabi (mold) is a big problem in Japan and so is gokiburi (cockroach).

Funny thing is most of the sceneries shown in this video are popular tourist destinations. The cute triangle traditional houses are in Shirakawa-go, which is designated as World Heritage, and the houses on the water is in Ine, Kyoto, which is called “Venice of Japan.” Real rural areas in middle of nowhere are not like these attractive places.

Woodworking

3.895,56    Scott Wynn - Discovering Japanese Handplanes 
            Fast, efficient, and effective, Japanese handplanes are attracting increasing notice among Western cabinetmakers, carpenters, and woodworkers. 
            These tools are meant to be used, used hard, and produce rapid, excellent results. 
            Author and woodworking instructor Scott Wynn shows you how to choose, set up, maintain, and use these versatile tools to achieve stunning results. 
            Japanese blades are arguably the best in the world, and Scott shares his methods for keeping those blades sharp. 
            Japanese-style planes are also quick to build, and Scott shows how to make your own custom plane in a special section. 
            Discover why this traditional tool has a home in your modern workshop, with step-by-step instructions, full-color photos, detailed illustrations, and clear diagrams.
5.526,42    Toshio Odate - Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit & Use
            The classic work on the tools and spirit of the Japanese master craftsman.
            In Japan, a woodworker spends years learning to use his tools with great speed and skill. Only after he has proved his mastery can he proudly call himself a shokunin, a master craftsman.
            Japanese Woodworking Tools brings the traditions and training of the shokunin to the Western world. Calling on his own apprenticeship as a tategu-shi (sliding-door maker), and on 40 years of woodworking experience, Toshio Odate here offers a complete guide to Japanese tools: thin saws that cut on the pull stroke, laminated chisels with hollowed backs, marking tools, waterstones, axes, hammers, and almost 50 different planes.
            Odate shows shows how each tool works, how it should be cared for and how it is meant to be used. He also shares stories and reminiscences that help bring home the traditions and spirit associated with each tool.
            Whether you're a curious beginner or an adventurous professional, Japanese Woodworking Tools will show you a whole new world of exciting craftsmanship.
3.055,93    Kip Mesirow , Ron Herman - The Care and Use of Japanese Woodworking Tools 
            Japanese tools are manufactured to perform at the high level top craftspeople demand, but they work differently from Western tools-saws cut on the pull, not the push-and need to be properly maintained to provide decades of useful service. 
            Covering four major tool categories-plus sharpening stones-the authors guide the woodworker or hobbyist step by step, using detailed line drawings and concise how-to explanations.
4.312,33    Azby Brown , Mira Locher - The Genius of Japanese Carpentry
            The Genius of Japanese Carpentry tells the story of the 1200-year-old Yakushiji monastery in Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the dedicated modern-day craftsmen who are working to restore what has been lost to the depredations of time, fire and warfare.
            Although the monastery's reconstruction will not be fully completed until 2030, one of the primary temples, the Picture Hall, has been wholly restored employing the same materials, tools and techniques originally used in its creation over a millennium ago. Featuring intricate, puzzle-like joinery and the integration of timber pieces to orient them in the same direction as when it was a growing tree, this book skillfully documents the stunning craftsmanship of the ancient Japanese, which is still alive today.
            First published more than thirty years ago, this book has become a classic. Author Azby Brown, one of the world's leading experts on Japanese architecture, chronicles the painstaking restoration of the Yakushiji monastery through:
            Extensive interviews with carpenters and woodworkers
            Original drawings based on the plans of master carpenter Tsunekazu Nishioka
            Detailed photographs and diagrams showing the woodworking techniques, tools and materials used
            This revised edition of the book contains a new foreword by Mira Locher, one of the world's leading experts on vernacular and modern Japanese architecture.
            An inspiring testament to the dedication of these craftsmen and their philosophy of carpentry work as a form of personal fulfillment, The Genius of Japanese Carpentry offers detailed documentation of the restoration of this historic building and a moving reminder of the unique cultural continuity found in Japan.
4.553,70    Kiyosi Seike - The Art of Japanese Joinery 
            This lively introduction to Japanese joinery not only delves lovingly into the unique history and development of Japanese carpentry, but also reveals many secrets of Japanese joinery. Presenting 48 joints, selected from among the several hundred known and used today, this visually exciting book will please anyone who has ever been moved by the sheer beauty of wood.
            With the clear isometric projections complementing the 64 pages of stunning photographs, even the weekend carpenter can duplicate these bequests from the traditional Japanese carpenter, which can be applied to projects as large as the buildings for which most of them were originally devised or to projects as small as a sewing box.
xxxxxxxx    Jin Izuhara - Beginner's Guide to Japanese Joinery
            A powerful way to construct Japanese joints using simple tools
            Are you a weekend hobby carpenter with a passion for creating high-quality pieces, but not quite the equipment or budget to match?
            Do you want to apply Japanese ingenuity of design to everyday furniture and give them a special character?
            Japanese joinery is an ancient carpentry skill developed in a time before mass production, when ingenuity and character of design still mattered.
            Now, you can revive this ancient art and introduce it to your own carpentry designs.
            The tools used inside this book are likely sitting in your toolbox right now, and if they aren't, they are definitely affordable for everyone.
            Note: This book has 2 parts:
            Part 1: Beginner's Guide to Japanese Joinery: Make Japanese Joints in 8 Steps With Minimal Tools
            Part 2: Intermediate Guide to Japanese Joinery: The Secret to Making Complex Japanese Joints and Furniture Using Affordable Tools
            Inside this book you'll discover:
            How to make your first Japanese joint in 8 steps
            16 traditional joints and 7 furniture projects that take you from beginner to intermediate level Japanese craftsman
            The #1 Japanese wood you should use to make joints
            The top 5 tools you need to get started with Japanese joinery
            The top tools required to fashion complex Japanese joints and their usefulness in recording studios and earthquake-prone areas
            The innovation behind metal-free joints that are necessary for areas where high-powered magnets exist including nuclear medicine or particle physics labs
            Joints that don't need specialized tools
            Here are the answers to some questions you might have about this book:
            Q: I'm just a woodworker with a wood shop in my garage, and I don't want to splurge on expensive tools just for making Japanese joints. Can I still make the joints given inside your book?
            A: Absolutely, this book is designed for the weekend woodworker and enthusiast!
            While we still recommend a few tools that are cheap but absolutely key when making Japanese joints, we have omitted the joints that require expensive tools from this guide.
            There also certain joints that don't require any specialized tools. So, you don't need to spend extra if you don't really want to.
            Q: Can Japanese joints really improve regular objects (like chairs and other furniture) that I already know how to make?
            A: Yes. The special characteristics of Japanese joints are diverse.
            Their utility can be found in making flexible yet strong houses in earthquake-prone Japan.
            They are also useful in building recording-studios where sound-transmission must be minimized.
            The addition of Japanese joints in your own designs will incorporate one or more of these characteristics to your furniture.
            We also have short guide on adapting these joints into your own designs, so you never get lost trying to make sense of it all.
            Q: Are the pictures in your book color or b/w?
            A: The pictures inside this book are b/w and meant to show clearly the intricacies of the joints.
            Every day you delay is another day you miss the opportunity to use this magnificent Japanese craft to make your woodworking projects a notch above everything else.
            Take action now.
            Scroll up and click the 'Add to Cart' button, to receive this book at your doorstep!
3.466,33    Jin Izuhara - Intermediate Guide to Japanese Joinery 
            Are you a weekend hobby carpenter with a passion for creating high-quality pieces, but not quite the equipment budget to match?
            Would you like to know how to create Japanese joints using common tools?
            Japanese joinery is an ancient carpentry skill developed in a time before mass production when ingenuity and character of design still mattered. Now, you can revive this ancient art and introduce it to your own carpentry designs.
            Whether you are making a living off your carpentry, or simply performing a labor of love in your garage on weekends, there is nothing holding you back from using the Intermediate Guide to Japanese Joinery to introduce this art to your wood designs.
            The tools used are likely sitting in your toolbox right now, and if they aren't, they are definitely affordable for everyone.
            Japanese joinery is not just about trying something new in your designs. The skill actually improves the design of ordinary objects with special characteristics that are not found in any other method of joining. These include earthquake-proofing furniture as well as improved sound conduction for studios or recording booths.
            If you have been wanting to take your carpentry to the next level, Japanese joinery is the way to do exactly that. All you need is this helpful guide and your existing tools to get started right away.
            The Intermediate Guide to Japanese Joinery provides some joining methods that don't even use any nails! The opportunities to use that skill and incorporate these unique joints into your own designs are endless.
            Japanese joinery has been used for hundreds of years to build structures that stand the test of time as well as almost everything that Mother Nature can throw at them.
            Inside the Intermediate Guide to Japanese Joinery, you will discover:
            Eight traditional Japanese joints and projects along with the specifications required to build themHow to select the correct types of wood for these joints as well as the reasons these wood types are idealThe top tools required to fashion Japanese joints and their usefulness in recording studios and earthquake-prone areasThe innovation behind metal-free joints that are necessary for areas where high-powered magnets exist including nuclear medicine or particle physics labsThe specialized characteristics behind Japanese joinery and why, in certain cases, no other type of joint will do
            And so much more helpful and practical advice!
            Easy-to-understand black and white illustrations will bring instructions to life and ensure that you always know exactly what you should be doing.
            Japanese joinery is the most affordable and easiest way to level-up your carpentry work and start producing unique pieces that are stronger and more beautiful than ever before. There is a reason that Japanese carpentry is one of the most revered in the world, and you are about to find out why.
            Don't delay learning this ancient craft and get started on your Japanese joinery journey by adding this book to your cart now!
3.797,28    Jay Van Arsdale - Shoji: How To Design, Build, And Install Japanese Screens
            Japanese-style shoji screens are translucent, wooden-lattice panels that subtly transform light and space and add an elegant touch to any decor. 
            This book contains all the information you need to design and make shoji for your own home or apartment. 
            Features* Notes on aesthetics and design fundamentals* Complete how-to guide covering basic construction methods, screen materials, and wood selection* Home projects, including window inserts, sliding and hanging screens, glass panel shoji, double- and single-sided shoji, skylight shoji, decorative
3.706,63    Toshio Odate - Making Shoji
            Learn to make traditional Japanese sliding doors and screens for your home!
            The construction of shoji--Japanese sliding doors and screens--requires great skill and attention to detail. However, the task is within the reach of amateur woodworkers, and the results will add grace and serenity to any interior. With Toshio Odate's help, woodworkers can tackle this traditional craft with confidence.
            Odate, who served a craftsman's apprenticeship during his youth, unites traditional insight and technical mastery in a way that anyone can understand. Making Shoji includes step-by-step instructions, illustrated by photos taken at every stage of the work, give detailed information on how to prepare materials, lay out joints, cut the parts, and assemble two shoji projects: the common sliding screen with hipboard, plus an intricate transom featuring the beautiful asanoha pattern. Building on this foundation, Odate gives construction details and notes on eight shoji variations. Technical chapters cover the Japanese mortise-and-tenon joint, shoji paper, and homemade rice glue.
            Drawing upon his unusual life, Odate includes richly moving stories of his sometimes harsh apprenticeship in post-War Japan, an era almost incomprehensibly far from our own. These revelations help put traditional Japanese woodworking techniques and attitudes into their cultural context. Odate's authentic account thus will enhance every woodworker's library.

Architecture & Interior Design

6.297,89    Inge Daniels - The Japanese House : Material Culture in the Modern Home
            In the West the Japanese house has reached iconic status in its architecture, decoration and style. 
            Is this neat, carefully constructed version of Japanese life in fact a myth? 
            Inge Daniels goes behind the doors of real Japanese homes to find out how highly private domestic lives are lived in Japan. 
            The book examines every aspect of the home and daily life-from decoration, display, furniture and the tatami mat, to eating, sleeping, gift-giving, recycling and worship. 
            For students and researchers in anthropology and architecture, The Japanese House re-evaluates contemporary Japanese life through an ethnographic lens, examining key topics of consumption, domesticity and the family. 
            Highly illustrated throughout, the book will appeal to all those who are interested in Japanese culture, and in how and why people live the way they do in modern Japan.
5.528,72    Mira Locher , Kengo Kuma , Ben Simmons - Japanese Architecture
            Thick thatched roofs and rough mud plaster walls. An intricately carved wood transom and a precisely woven tatami mat--each element of traditional Japanese architecture tells a story.
            In Japanese Architecture, author Mira Locher explores how each of these stories encompasses the particular development, construction, function and symbolism inherent in historic architectural elements. From roofs, walls and floors to door pulls and kettle hangers, Japanese Architecture situates these elements firmly within the natural environment and traditional Japanese culture.
            Japanese architecture developed with influences from abroad and particular socio-political situations at home. The resulting forms and construction materials--soaring roofs with long eaves, heavy timber structures of stout columns supporting thick beams, mud plaster walls flecked with straw and sand and the refined paper-covered lattice shoji screen--are recognizable as being of distinctly Japanese design. These constructed forms, designed with strong connections to the surrounding environment, utilize natural construction materials in ways that are both practical and inventive.
            This fascinating architecture book provides a comprehensive perspective of traditional Japanese architecture, relating the historical development and context of buildings and the Japanese garden while examining the stories of the individual architectural elements, from foundation to roof.

Other

4.418,58    Ari Seligmann - Japanese Modern Architecture 1920-2015
            Japanese Modern Architecture 1920-2015 uses a series of thematic lenses to explain the rich history of Japanese architectural developments from the 1920s foundation of modern architecture to contemporary permutations of modern and post-modern architecture. The book introduces the diversity of Japanese architecture and traces the evolution of Japanese architecture in the context of domestic and international developments. 
            It examines the relationship between architecture and nature, and explores various approaches to craft and material. 
            Finally, this new book considers tensions between refinement and ostentation in architectural expression.
5.896,08    Oliver Statler - Japanese Inn 
            The beguiling story of the Minaguchi-ya, an ancient inn on the Tokaido Road, founded on the eve of the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate. 
            Travelers and guests flow into and past the inn warriors on the march, lovers fleeing to a new life, pilgrims on their merry expeditions, great men going to and from the capital. 
            The story of the Minaguchi-ya is a social history of Japan through 400 years, a ringside seat to some of the most stirring events of a stirring period.
4.883,45    Naomi Pollock - Jutaku, Japanese Houses
            Quirky, surprising and entertaining - with more than 400 houses, Jutaku is architecture at the speed of Japan.
            Frenetic. Pulsating. Disorienting. Japan's contemporary culture is constantly in flux. In stark contrast to the centuries old imperial architecture of Kyoto, recent Japanese architectural practices have ushered in an era of continuous experimentation.
            With 500 houses, one house per page, one image per house, Jutaku: Japanese Houses is a fast-paced, "quick hit" shock to the system that shines a Harajuku-bright neon light on the sheer volume, variety and novelty of contemporary Japanese residential architecture.
            Featuring the work of many of Japan's most famous architects including Shigeru Ban, Sou Fujimoto, Toyo Ito, Kengo Kuma, Jun Igarishi, Shuhei Endo and dozens of up and coming and completely unknown young architects, Jutaku is organized geographically taking readers on a bullet train journey across Japan's architectural landscape. Essential reading for architects, designers and fans of contemporary Japanese culture.