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Black wooden table and cushions in the Japanese-style living room

Traditional Japanese-Style Rooms: Washitsu

Traditional Japanese-style rooms, known as washitsu (和室), feature a distinctive interior design centered around tatami mats, which serve as flooring. These rooms, also called tatami rooms, date back to the Muromachi Period when they were initially study rooms for the wealthy before becoming more common as reception and living quarters.Shiga, Japan- AUG 4 2016: Japanese style room keeping shoji open in the old residence at Hikone

Today, washitsu remain prevalent across Japan. Tourists can experience staying in a traditional Japanese-style room by lodging at a ryokan, minshuku, or temple lodging. Additionally, beautifully preserved tatami rooms can be viewed at temples, villas, and tea houses.

Common Elements

Tatami Tatami mats are thick, woven straw mats measuring about one by two meters. Initially a luxury for the wealthy, tatami became more common and are now integral to traditional Japanese homes. The size of rooms in Japan is often measured by the number of tatami mats they can hold, such as an 8-mat room. Footwear, including slippers, should be removed before stepping onto tatami.

Sliding Doors (Fusuma) Fusuma are sliding doors with wooden frames covered in thick, opaque paper, used between adjoining rooms to create large, removable partitions. Historically, they have served as canvases for famous painters. In temples and palaces, elaborately painted fusuma can be seen, while those in regular homes and ryokan are more simply adorned.

Shoji , Traditional Japanese door made of rise paperTranslucent Sliding Doors (Shoji) Shoji are sliding doors or partitions made of wooden lattices covered in translucent paper. They are typically found along the perimeter of buildings, allowing light to filter in. Some shoji doors include sliding panels that move up and down like small windows to let in more light or air, and occasionally, they may have a sheet of glass on one side.

Transom (Ranma) Ranma are wooden transoms typically found above fusuma in washitsu. They are often intricately designed and carved, allowing air and light to move between rooms.

Alcove (Tokonoma) A tokonoma is a recessed alcove decorated with a hanging scroll and often a vase or flower arrangement, with decorations typically changing to reflect the season. Traditionally, the most important guest is seated in front of the tokonoma.

Ceiling (Tenjo) Washitsu feature various ceiling types. Regular rooms usually have flat, simple ceilings, while important rooms like a lord’s reception hall or a temple’s worship hall may have raised, coffered ceilings decorated with paintings.

Built-In Shelves (Chigaidana) Chigaidana are built-in, staggered wall shelves typically found beside the tokonoma, used for displaying decorations such as vases and incense burners.

Built-In Desk (Tsukeshoin) A tsukeshoin is a built-in study desk located below a window, with the amount of light usually adjusted using shoji.

Common Furniture

Partitions (Byobu/Tsuitate) Byobu are portable folding partitions arranged in a zigzag pattern, allowing the panels to stand without extra support. Tsuitate are free-standing partitions supported by legs. Both types of partitions are used to divide rooms, enhance privacy, or block drafts. They come in various designs, from simple to highly decorative collector items.Traditional japanese machiya house or ryokan restaurant with black lacquered wooden table, cushion pillows and sliding paper doors with natural bright lightLow Tables Low tables are common in washitsu, as sitting on the floor is traditional. During colder months, heated low tables (kotatsu) are popular, covered by a blanket and heated underneath.

Cushions (Zabuton) Large cushions are used for floor seating in tatami rooms. In some cases, cushions are placed on low chairs without legs (zaisu), which provide back support. It is considered impolite to step on cushions other than your own.

Futon Futon are traditional Japanese mattresses laid directly on tatami flooring. They are stored in the closet during the day and set out in the evening after dinner. Visitors can experience sleeping on futon at accommodations like ryokan and minshuku.

History

In early times, tatami was used only by nobility who sat on single, stand-alone mats. During the Muromachi Period (1333-1573), tatami became more widespread, though still a luxury for covering entire rooms. Over centuries, tatami mats became common in nearly all Japanese homes until modern wooden and carpeted floors began to replace them.

Traditional Japanese rooms today mostly follow two styles: shoin and sukiya. Shoin-style rooms, originating as study rooms in temples, typically feature a built-in desk, alcove, and built-in shelves. They became popular in Muromachi Period residences, incorporating entire tatami-covered floors, fusuma, and shoji doors for receiving and entertaining guests.

Sukiya-style, a variation of shoin-style, is influenced by the tea ceremony and commonly seen in tea rooms. Sukiya-style rooms are more rustic and understated, featuring unadorned clay walls, woven straw or bamboo ceilings, undecorated fusuma, and unfinished wood to reflect the simplicity of the tea ceremony.

 

 

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