lOMoARcPSD|45016283

Japanese

Bachelor of architecture (Cochin University of Science and Technology)

Scan to open on Studocu

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

Downloaded by chanchal modi ([email protected])
lOMoARcPSD|45016283

HOA- NOTES

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE

GEOGRAPHY: The country lies in the earthquake area that has a great influence in the building
development. A major portion of Japan is covered by forest. Hence wood was used abundantly.

JOMON CULTURE (around 11,000 B.C. to around 500 B.C)

• The Jomon period is the earliest era of Japanese history.

• It is a pottery-using culture, a characteristic associated with early farming
cultures.
• The name Jomon comes from the pottery of that time, which had decorative
patterns .The word Jomon means straw –rope pattern. All Jomon pots were
made by hand, without the aid of a wheel.
• SUBSISTENCE STRATEGY: focused on hunting, fishing and gathering,
including, intensive shell fishing.
Jomon pot
Main type of construction
• Lived in pit dwellings arranged around central open spaces.
• It consisted of structures built out of wood.
• Timber was used as inner posts to support the roof, which
was made with several layers of straw or other dry
vegetation.
• They used chestnut trees for the framework of these pit
houses because chestnut was hard and durable.
• Kaya (miscanthus) grass was used as a roofing grass and
the walls were built similarly.
• Some houses were circular and then became square or
rectangle and the size was between 10ft – 20 ft long, and
they were often partly dug into the ground, to keep the
interior warmer. Base was initially circular. Some
constructions had floors paved with stones.
• Pits houses had smoking
ditches for smoking meats and
storage pitches to store nuts.
• The houses were mainly
used as dwellings, but also for
cooking and storing small
quantities of goods.
• There were usually
openings on the upper part of the
roof for the smoke to come out.
• The average settlement
was oval in shape and the
dwellings were often built close to
each other were arranged in a
horse shoe shape. That created a
common outdoor space that was
Pit house

Downloaded by chanchal modi ([email protected])

lOMoARcPSD|45016283

probably used for ceremonies and for producing different craft objects. In some communities, it
was also used for burials.

Jomon period was divided into the following

Incipient Jomon (10,500 – 8000BC)
• Transition between Paleolithic and Neolithic ways of life .Deep pottery cooking containers with
pointed bottoms and rudimentary (basic) cord markings. People lived in simple surface dwellings
and fed themselves through hunting and gathering.
Initial Jomon (8000-5000 BC)
• Rise in water level due to global warming .Rise in temperature increased food supply from sea
Early Jomon (5000BC-2500 BC)
• The inhabitants lived in square-shaped pit houses that were clustered
in small villages .A variety of handicrafts, including cord-marked
earthenware cooking and storage vessels, woven baskets, bone
needles, and stone tools, were produced for daily use.
Middle Jomon (2500–1500 B.C.)
• Increase in population & increase in production of handicrafts. The warming of climate cause the
people to move to the mountains .Early attempts in plant cultivation .The increased production of
female figurines, as well as the practice of burying the deceased in shell mounds.
Late Jomon (1500 BC -1000BC)
• As the climate began to cool, the population migrated out of the mountains and settled closer to
the coast. Greater reliance on seafood inspired innovations in fishing technology. Circular
ceremonial sites comprised of assembled stones and larger numbers of figurines show a continued
increase in the importance and enactment of rituals.
Final Jomon (1000–300 B.C.)
• As the climate cooled and food became less abundant, the population declined dramatically.
Transition to the Yayoi culture, domesticated rice was introduced.

The Yayoi period (300 BC–300 AD): the Japanese people began to interact
with the Chinese whose knowledge and technical skills began to influence
them.
• The Japanese began to build raised-floor storehouses as granaries
which were constructed.
• Some villages had watchtowers. These were tall structures built with
timber frames. They featured one or more raised platforms, which
were used to guard the village and the surroundings either from wild
animals or from potential enemies.
Yayoi architectural styles-400 B.C. to A.D. 300

RELIGION: Shintoism and Buddhism were the religions followed. Shintoism is worshiping nature.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE

• Temples are characterized by “Torii”.

• It is constructed on platforms supported by stilts.
• Gateways formed by two up-right posts connected to two
or more horizontal rails.
• Japanese didn’t use the metal screws or wood fastening
until the 18th century.
• Pillars were made of cypress for beauty and durability.

ITSUKUSHIMA SHRINE- TORI located on myajima island

Downloaded by chanchal modi ([email protected])

lOMoARcPSD|45016283

Interior walls of these temples were made of mud stone and bamboo. In times of earthquakes these walls
cracked and it could easily be fixed.

Japanese Pagoda

• Pagoda –is a Buddhist/Hindu temple,

typically in the form of a many-tiered
tower.
• These are additions of temples;
• square in plan,
• Generally 5 storied
• Rises to a height of 45m.
• It is suspended around a central timber post
(Shinbashira) to resist the shocks of
earthquake

5- storey pagoda at Horyuji temple

The counter movement of the “shinbashira” to nullify the earthquake waves

• Similar to shaft of an umbrella it is built around a central pillar. It is connected to supporting

beams with intricate joints. Influenced by Shinto the carpenters incorporated the natural shape of
wood into the design.
• It moves, so that it could withstand an earthquake.
• They were flexible and durable.

Downloaded by chanchal modi ([email protected])

lOMoARcPSD|45016283

The main features of Japanese Architecture

• Skillful use of various woods;

• post-and-lintel structure;
• large and gently curved roof;
• Arches and barrel roofs are
completely absent.
• Preference of the straight line
over the curved;
• Paper-thin, often movable
and never load-bearing walls.
• The roofs had steep pitches to
drain of rainwater.
• Maximum flexibility was a
feature of the Japanese house.
• The large, single inner space can be divided according to the need, through the use of screens or
movable paper walls.
• Wood was predominantly used in the construction. Wood was used in various forms (planks,
straw, tree bark, paper) etc.
• The roof is the most visually impressive component, often constituting half the size of the whole
edifice. Tile is a common roofing material; it may be fired clay or concrete. Clay tiles often bear a
color and a glaze.
• The slightly curved eaves extend far beyond the walls, covering verandas. The oversize eaves
give the interior a characteristic dimness, which contributes to the building's atmosphere.

• Size of the Japanese rooms

were related to floor mats
/”Tatami” -Traditionally
made of rice straw to form
the core with a covering of
woven soft rush (igusa)
straw .
• Size of Tatami mats 6ft by
3ft .
• House were constructed of
wood framework with paper
fillings to avoid causalities
at the time of an earthquake.
• Shoji walls: Sliding doors
consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or
bamboo. Shoji walls let in light/
• Fusuma: Opaque paper sliding doors .It does not allow the passage of light. Used as doors in
toilets and closets. Measured about 90cm wide and 1.8m tall. Lattice-like wooden understructure
covered in cardboard and a layer of paper or cloth on both side. Interiors often have drywall,
painted or with a wall covering.

Downloaded by chanchal modi ([email protected])

lOMoARcPSD|45016283

The interior of the building normally-Consists of a single

room at the center called moya, from which depart any other
less important spaces.
Inner space divisions are fluid, and room size can be
modified through the use of screens or movable paper walls.
The large, single space offered by the main hall can
therefore be divided according to the need.

The engawa, is a typical element of the traditional Japanese house.

• made of hardwood
• surrounding the house that represents a filter between the inside and
the outside.
• The engawa rebuild and reinforce the connection with nature as
Japanese people give a lot of importance to nature and their life-
styles usually aim to harmonize with the natural world.
• It is an in-between space, it also transforms as the climate changes,
because it can be kept open or it can be closed according to
temperature.
• During the winter, it becomes something like a loggia(architectural
feature which is a covered exterior gallery) where you can benefit
from the view of the outside; in summer it’s a porch-like structure
that you can walk on, enjoying the breeze and the sunlight.
engawa

• Tokonoma -An alcove (niche);

several items are placed such as
Kakejiku (Hanging scrolls) Ikebana
(Flower arrangements).
• Seating arrangement-Guest of
honor sits in front of tokonoma.
Other guest sits facing away from
the tokonoma .Host sits facing
tokonoma.

Traditional Japanese house layout

layout

Downloaded by chanchal modi ([email protected])