House in Traditional Japanese Style
If you look at Japanese writing (which is based on Chinese script borrowed many centuries ago), you will notice that almost all characters representing a house or other structures include an upper element – a “roof.” This reflects the Japanese approach to construction. In a traditional Japanese house, several wooden columns are first erected, followed by the roof, and only then are the inner walls installed. The importance of the roof as an element of the building can be explained by Japan’s climatic conditions. The roof of a house in traditional Japanese style must provide reliable protection from rain during the rainy season and typhoons.
At the same time, Japan’s hot and humid summers require good ventilation. Because of this, the physical division of space in a traditional Japanese house is very different from that in European homes. In European and Russian houses—whether stone or wooden—the first thing built is sturdy internal and external walls, which define the number of rooms and their size. The home is securely isolated from the outside world, with only a few doors and windows connecting the two. In contrast, traditional wooden Japanese houses have no permanent walls between the supporting columns. The partitions can be fully opened at any time, merging the interior space with the surrounding environment. Additionally, the space inside the house is very flexible: fusuma partitions divide the rooms, which can be combined into one when needed.
The only permanent wall in a traditional Japanese house is located in the center. Surrounding it are the bedrooms, which are encircled by more flexible rooms. A veranda, called engawa, runs around the perimeter of the house, and it can be separated from the outside by wooden lattices. The eaves of the roof extend far beyond the walls in traditional Japanese houses, creating an intermediate space between the house and the garden.
Country Houses: Minka
The houses most similar to those we are familiar with are minka (literally “houses of common people”). These were the homes of peasants, fishermen, and small artisans, ranging from the larger homes of village elders to the huts of poor farmers. The appearance of minka and the materials used in their construction vary significantly depending on the region. In the north, minka were built to withstand freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall; all windows and doors were covered with wooden amado shutters to keep the cold out. In southern prefectures, minka homes featured low roofs with large overhangs to shade the interior and direct airflow into the building.
In all regions, construction utilized the most readily available materials. Bamboo stalks, often coated with clay, served as exterior walls, and the roof was covered with tightly woven rice straw, providing protection from rain. Inside, minka homes were divided into two separate areas. One part had a dirt floor, used for cooking, work, and keeping poultry or small livestock. The living quarters, including the living room and bedrooms, were elevated on a raised floor.

Historically, minka homes were built by villagers along with traveling carpenters. These craftsmen traveled throughout the region, designing the house structure and setting up the key elements—the pillars and roof—while the remaining work was completed by the farmers and fishermen themselves. Some minka homes have survived to this day and now serve as fascinating sources of information about the daily lives of ordinary Japanese people 200-300 years ago.
Urban Houses: Machiya
Machiya (“townhouses”) are small, Japanese-style homes that began to appear during the Heian period, reaching their full form during the Edo period. Their owners were typically merchants or artisans, so machiya served both as homes and as shops or workshops. These Japanese houses are characterized by their elongated shape: rent was determined by the size of the street frontage, so the façade of a machiya was often quite narrow. In the room closest to the entrance, goods were displayed or orders were taken from customers. Next came a utility area, while the living quarters were located in the part of the house furthest from the entrance. The largest room was the living room, or zashiki, which the head of the family used as his office, and where guests or important clients were received. A garden always adjoined the living room, even if it was very small. The garden served not only to beautify the home and reflect the refined tastes of the owner, but also to provide light and fresh air to the house. In small Japanese houses, *tsuboniwa* gardens, measuring about 3 square meters, were commonly used.

Residences of Japanese Aristocracy
At the end of the 16th century, under the influence of Buddhism, a style emerged that later became the embodiment of Japanese architecture—sukiya-zukuri. It represents a less formal version of shoin-zukuri, a style of Buddhist temples and warlord castles. “Sukiya” means “elegant house”: the architecture and interiors of these residences reflected the social status and refinement of their inhabitants.
Externally, they were not distinguished by lavish decoration or bright finishes. A large sukiya-zukuri house was built from natural materials in their original colors. The space between wooden pillars was filled with sliding partitions made of rice paper, while the gabled or hipped roof was covered with tiles. Inside, the house was divided into small rooms, usually the size of 4.5 tatami (about 8.2 square meters). The beauty and luxury of such houses lay in the delicate use of natural wood, fine finishes, and the careful selection of a few decorations. Each room’s *tokonoma* alcove was adorned with a calligraphic scroll or ikebana flower arrangement, chosen according to the season, emphasizing the hosts’ erudition. However, the most important element was the carefully designed garden surrounding the house. The garden could be admired from the living room or while strolling. It was not uncommon for the garden to include a separate teahouse for tea ceremonies.