#81 - my japanese house

i lived in japan for five years and have been back a few times since then. i was only a kid but i soaked in a lot of experiences while living there. we lived in modest off-base housing for a couple years and then lived on-base for a few after that. the one thing about japan is that there are many people with little space. so, the houses are relatively smaller and simpler.

i have been quite interested in house design and architecture for awhile now. while i'm not going to go back to school to pursue this interest, i love reading about it and designing my own house. someday if i have the means to, i'm going to build this amazing japanese style house. what is a japanese house? well, it's like any other house but has certain qualities and elements. my ideas, while using modern tools and style, is heavily influenced by traditional style and building. so when you're watching a samurai movie, the castles and buildings back then...that's what i'm talking about!

i'm not going to build a castle anytime soon but so many of the features are a MUST in my dream home. lots of people in japan actually live in tiny cramped apartments because they can't afford houses, which are ridiculously expensive. japan in general is expensive.

so i will start off with the genkan. this is where you enter into the house. it's like a foyer. in japan (and hawaii) you take your shoes off here. no shoes in the house! so here are three examples of genkan. first is a very simple, bare bones genkan using light woods. the second one seems to be a hotel or business, pretty fancy and shiny. the last one is a more decorative one with stone and sliding door entry.

some things that might be included in this area are a shoe rack, umbrella rack (for those who use those things) and closet. one thing that a genkan must have is a step up onto the main floor. i like the idea of a giant stone step, either onto the main floor or outside (up to the main door). maybe both.

washitsu - japanese room
so after taking off your shoes you leave them face out towards the door, or put them away on a shoe rack. next thing i must have in my japanese house is a japanese style tatami room, or washitsu. this room could be a multiple purpose room. in the past, rooms were all tatami but in modern times usually a japanese home has one that they use for anything from studying to eating to sleeping. the thing about most japanese is they are very aware of using and saving space. so traditionally you sleep on futon that is put away in the morning and taken out before bedtime. they did't have futon frames and that is how i slept for many years, it was wonderful! so there is usually a little closet that everything gets folded up and put into for the day. in japanese style, you sit on the floor on zabuton cushions. they can be stacked up in a corner like in the photo. there are two types of futon, shikibuton (the mattress) and kakefuton (the comforter) and they both fold nicely into thirds. i really prefer sleeping this way but i don't have the luxury of a closet to store such things. and most futon here in the states come with a frame so why not use it? it is also a bit awkward that we are always seated on chairs. although sitting on the floor is not for everyone, when in japan you get used to it. my house in hawaii has sofas but we're usually seated on the floor on zabuton because we have these low tables. i'm just so used to it. one of the coolest things that makes the most sense is the kotatsu. it's this low table with a blanket around it and a heater underneath. it is so nice in the winter! you can be doing anything - studying, eating, watching tv, relaxing or just sitting - and this is the place to do it. i can just imagine it right now since it's a bit chilly and my feet (sockless) are frozen. and with all good furniture, it's small and moves around quite easily. so when you are ready to go to bed just push this baby to the side and lay out your futon. oh man life could be so simple if i could just build this house!

there are a few other main parts of a washitsu which are tatami mats, shoji doors, fusuma doors, the tokonoma and the engawa. i will briefly explain each part, as they are essential. some japanese restaurants have these rooms.

tatami mats
these are made of woven straw and packed. they measure 90cm x 180cm, which is about 3'x6'. rooms that have tatami mats are measured in mats (or in increments of 90cm) and can be ordered by the number of mats. there are a number of layouts of tatami rooms but mostly they are square or rectangular. tatami are a good reason to take off your shoes.

shoji and fusuma doors
these are used to separate rooms and spaces. they are on sliding tracks that allow a room to be closed or open. shoji doors are lightweight and use thin translucent rice paper. the paper is laid over a wooden frame and light shines through the paper, which really adds ambiance. fusuma doors are made with a heavier paper and sometimes are decorated with flowers, animals or scenery. there is typically a small, round indented handle and black lacquered border. they used to be the same size as tatami mats but have since become bigger.

tokonoma
the tokonoma is the featured area of the washitsu. it is a "small raised alcove" that is used to display things. this is an essential part of the room. you can hold different things here but the idea is simplicity in the design. common things are ikebana (art of japanese flower arranging, which is another post entirely), scrolls and bonsai. this is also where you can hang your favorite art, hopefully it has some kind of japanese style or art. when having guests over, it is important that the guest be seated with his/her back towards the tokonoma because this is a sign of respect for your guest by being modest.

engawa - the veranda, terrace, patio
one of my favorite parts of this house/room is the engawa. it is an area of transition between the inside and outside of the house. it comes off the tatami room and looks onto a garden, definitely a must. not sure how it would work for places like oregon where it's always raining but a great idea. i guess it's basically a porch but it's a narrow area, kind of like an outside hallway. i've seen different designs, some have doors on the outside that slide (left), others just open to the air like a porch. it just seems like a great place to reflect and connect to nature, while still in your own home. even if you are in the city, you need to find that inner peace somehow. i am reminded of that scene in kill bill where they have a sword fight in the garden, in the snow. or the last samurai, under the sakura (cherry blossom) tree. it would be awesome to have a garden in the middle of my house. you always see these in samurai movies. i think this whole scheme is an inner desire to become or live like samurai. hahaha i really like the big rock in the picture to the right, as a step into the garden.

while i don't see myself totally getting rid of all things western and building the whole house into a japanese style, i love the idea of a room i can escape to when i want to be whisked off to japan. other parts of the house include a kitchen (miniature sized) and bath. my house is going to have a modern, western kitchen since i spend so much time there. i mean, how am i supposed to cook a meal in that small a kitchen?!!! impossible! that is one area i'm going western. but the bath is definitely going to be japanese.

ofuro - japanese bath
here in the western world we usually have one room for toilet, sink, bath/shower and changing area. this is the full sized bathroom. in japan there are three separate rooms: toilet with attached sink, changing area, and bath/shower. the toilet is nothing special but is in a little room with a window and at the top where normally is nothing but the big heavy porcelain top there is a sink! it is amazing and smart. yet it's toilet water but it's clean. also many toilets have two different flushes for #1 and #2. genius really. portland airport toilets have that too now. as for the changing room, it's not a big deal. it can be whatever you want really. typically it has a sink with mirror (maybe), some shelves, and a place to put your clothes. now for best part, the ofuro. it is a deep hot bath to relax in. first, you sit on a stool outside the tub, either plastic or wooden, and soap & wash yourself. get clean! once you're done and well rinsed off you can get into the ofuro. it's a hot (100-108F) bath you can just soak in. take the cover off and get right in. after a hard day this is where it's at. since you are clean when you get in, the water can be left for a few days before draining and cleaning.

now that i've spent hours on this blog i need to go. i'm getting hungry for tempura, oden, sushi, wakame, kare raisu and domburi! blog on japanese food to come i guess!