Introduction :

- old name ; Nihon or Nippon

- Japan is known as the “Land of the rising sun”
- ranking tenth on the most populous country
- mountainous country - 7/10 of the land being
covered by mountains, with only 15% of its
land cultivable.
- It has many volcanoes - 692 volcanoes - 52
are active within the historic times
MAP OF ASIA
GEOGRAPHICAL
Its archipelago consists of four big
islands and smaller ones :

a. Honshu - principal island

b. Hokkaido
c. Shikoku
d. Kyushu
Mount Fuji.

This sacred mountain, the

highest in Japan, is a traditional
place of pilgrimage.

Mt. Fuji is named for the Buddhist fire goddess Fuchi, whose shrine is
found at the summit. It is the holiest of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains."
Every summer, thousands of pilgrims climb o the summit
Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is 3776 meters
high making it Japan's highest
mountain.

Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano,

which most recently erupted in 1708.
Capital city.
The capital city of Japan is Tokyo. It is on the island
of Honshu. It is one of the largest cities in the world.
Tokyo street at night
A modern city.
Not all the
buildings in
Kyoto are ancient
there are many
modern
buildings too.
Kyoto
Kyoto is a city in Japan,
which has a population
close to 1.5 million.
Kyoto is located island
of Honshu. It was the
capital city when the
Emperor was in
charge. It has many
beautiful buildings
and temples.
Currency.
The Yen is the unit of currency.
1 Philippine Peso is worth 2.17
Japanese Yen.
The Table
 Zen
 Traditional, personal table
 Box with tray, individual sets of bowls, chopsticks,
spoons
 20-30 cm per side 15-20 cm high
 Cleaned 3x a month
 Location from kitchen indicated status
 Men > Women, Elderly > Junior
The Table
 Chabudai
 Low dining table
 Adapted from Western dining tables
 30 cm high
 More convenient than zen
●Fewer plates set
●Cleaner
 Indicative of culture change
Zen and Chabudai
Weather.
There are distinct seasons in Japan. Even
though it is in Asia it has a Winter,
Spring, Summer and an Autumn.

It is in the
Northern
Hemisphere
so Winter is
in December.
CLIMATE
The islands of Japan receive copious
amounts of rain, with the highest amounts of
percipitation occuring in summer through
early fall.

Effects:
- Houses face south and deeply projecting eaves are
provided to give protection against the sun
- High courtyard walls screen
- Windows and partitions were designed movable
GEOLOGICAL
Bamboo - extensively used for light
house construction

Stone - used for foundation work

Lava Stone - used for decoration

RELIGION
A. Shintoism - state religion of Japan, based on
ancestor and nature worship
Deities :
Amaterazu - sun-god
Sukiyomi - moon-god
Susanowo - god of storm

- animals, plants, trees and rocks were often times

considered sacred or “Maki”
Shinto Shrines
The jinja, or shrine, is where
believers in Japan's indigenous religion,
Shintô, go to worship. Shintô originated in
ancient peoples' fears of demons and
supernatural powers, and their worship of
these. It has no written body of doctrine,
but it is Japan's main religion and is
practised widely through ceremonies and
festivals.
Shrine architecture
The main sanctuary of a shrine is called the
Shinden or Honden. There are also ancillary buildings
such as the Haiden, or outer hall, and the Hômotsuden,
or treasury, but these are not arranged according to
any particular specified layout.
 The chief priest of a shrine is called the Kannushi.
He is responsible for all the religious observances and
the running of the shrine. The young girl assistants in
a shrine are called Miko.
 Three sacred treasures in Japan
1. jewel - symbolizing knowledge
2. sword - symbolizing authority
3. mirror - by the beauty of its reflection,
symbolizes justice

B. Buddhism - introduced by Buddhist priests from

China and Korea
- encourage erection of temples
- does not permit many decorations

C. Christianity - introduced in 1549 by St. Francis Xavier

SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC
- Inhabited by a strong race of aborigines called
Yemishi (marginal barbarian)
- Japanese empire was established by divine edict in
the year 660 BC (order of a ruler or a king)
- Jimmu Tenno - first ruler

- Originally heavily influenced by Chinese architecture

from the Tang Dynasty, as well as by Korea,
 Benefits derived from contact with China
a. Adoption of the Chinese calendar
b. Study of Chinese literature
c. Painting
d. Music and dancing
e. Drama and philosophy

Japans evolved many things of her own such as :

a. Landscape gardening
b. Tea ceremony ( chan-no-yu)
c. Flower arrangement (ikebana)
d. “Bushido” - taught that the only way to vindicate one’s
honor is to commit self –destruction, that is “Hari-Hiri”

- end of 12th century the emperor appointed powerful

lords to be his military dictators known as “Shoguns”
LANDSCAPING

dry garden in Kyoto Garden of Tenryū-ji in Kyoto

Tea Ceremony (Cha-no-yu)

also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving

the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha,
powdered green tea.
Typical winter tearoom layout in Interior view of a large tea room with
a 4.5 mat tearoom, showing tatami and tokonoma. Seen in the
position of tatami, tokonoma, tokonoma is a hanging scroll, flower
mizuya dōkō, hearth, guests and arrangement (not chabana style),
host. and incense burner.
Ikebana

Ikebana evolved from the Buddhist ritual of offering flowers to

the spirits of the dead.
JAPANESE PERIODS
Jomon, Yayoi, Kofun, Asuka, and Nara
Jomon and Yayoi
Japanese Architecture
 The first settlers of Japan, the
Jōmon people (10,000?-300? BC),
named for the cord markings that
decorated the surfaces of their clay
vessels, were nomadic hunter-
gatherers.

They built simple houses of wood

and thatch set into shallow earthen
pits to provide warmth from the
soil, and crafted pottery storage
vessels and clay figurines called
dōgu.
 PALEOLITHIC JAPANESE
- lived in caves or rock shelters
- dwelt in the open on the slopes of mountains or
on river banks
Koropok – guru - signifying the inhabitants of
underground dwellings
Primitive types of dwellings : (hut architecture)
1. Pit dwelling - for cold climate
- sunk in the ground, with the floor dug
to a depth that varies between 16 and 40
inches
- square or circular in plan
2. Types of huts appeared in which the floor was at ground
level
3. Types of huts with floors raised on posts - that is with
platforms elevated above ground level
Pit House Reconstruction,
A reconstruction shows the pit
dug below grade, four
supporting posts, roof
structure as a layers of wood
and mud, and entry through
the roof;
“Gusho” system of construction
- an early system of construction
against earthquake, consisted of inclined
rafters, built directly on the ground and with
a horizontal beam supported by such rafters
formed a triangle.

- buildings were erected in the form of

dwelling houses made of wood
raised-floor building in Yoshinogari
Barn on a
wooden cellar –
Traces in the
ground would
appear as a "pit-
house", too
 Second, was the Yayoi people,
named for the district in Tokyo
where remnants of their
settlements first were found.
These people, arriving in Japan
about 350 BC, brought their
knowledge of wetland rice
cultivation, the manufacture of
copper weapons and bronze bells
(dōtaku), and wheel-thrown, kiln-
fired ceramics.
 Kofun
Japanese Architecture
The third stage in Japanese
prehistory, the Kofun (literally means
"old mounds") , or Tumulus, period
(AD 300?-552), represents a
modification of Yayoi culture,
attributable either to internal
development or external force.

In this period diverse groups of people

formed political alliances and coalesced
into a nation. Typical artifacts are bronze
mirrors—symbols of political alliances—
and clay sculptures called haniwa,
erected outside tombs.
They are called Kofun ( 古墳 ) and
are tombs built between 250–538
AD (an era known as the Kofun
period).

The biggest tomb, Daisen Kofun, is

486 meters long and is surrounded
by 3 moats. It was built in 16 years,
using a huge workforce of 2000
workers per day, totaling almost 7
million people.
 Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early
3rd century and ... The largest, which has been attributed to Emperor Nintoku,
is Daisen kofun in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture.
Japan’s largest kofun (burial mound) and one of
the grandest mausoleums in the world.
Asuka and Nara Period
Japanese Architecture
 The introduction into Japan of Buddhism.

 Kami (is the Japanese word for the spirits,

natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith –
God or Diety) worship the idea of permanent
shrines and gave to Shinto architecture much
of its present vocabulary.
 Heijō-kyō (former name of Nara) as the first
permanent capital of state of Japan.

 The city soon became an important centre of

Buddhist worship in Japan.
Buddhist and Shinto Architecture
Japanese Architecture
 The oldest surviving wooden buildings in
the world found in southwest of Nara.

First built in the early 7th century as the

private temple of Crown Prince Shōtoku, it
consists of 41 independent buildings; the
most important ones, the main worship
hall, or Kon-dō (Golden Hall), and the five-
story pagoda), stand in the centre of an
open area surrounded by a roofed cloister
(kairō).

Horyuji Temple was built in 607 under the influence of Buddhism, and was
registered in 1993 as a UNESCO World Heritage property.
Example :
Horyu-Ji - a group of temple buildings within
the following structures:
a. “Nundai-mon” – front gate on southern side
Chumon – inner gateway
b. Kondo or main hall - also called golden hall
c. To - Five storeyed pagoda or stupa
d. The Kodo (lecture hall)
e. Gallery surrounds the area
f. Decorative feature is the “Tokyo” or the
bracket system
g. Kairo - covered gallery
Todaiji Temple is a Buddhist temple complex
located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great
Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden), the
largest wooden building in the world, houses the
world's largest bronze statue of the
Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply
as Daibutsu (大仏).

The temple also serves as the Japanese

headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism.

The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage

Site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara",
The general blueprint of a Shinto shrine is
Buddhist in origin.

Before Buddhism, shrines were just temporary

structures erected to a particular purpose.

Buddhism brought to Japan the idea of

permanent shrines and much of Shinto
architecture's vocabulary.

The presence of verandas, stone lantern, and

elaborate gates is an example of this influence.
1. Torii - Shinto gate

The torii is a gate which marks the entrance to a

sacred area, usually but not necessarily a shrine.

A shrine may have any number of torii (Fushimi

Inari Taisha has thousands) made of wood,
stone, metal, concrete or any other material.

They can be found in different places within a

shrine's precincts to signify an increased level of
holiness.
2.Stone stairs

3.Sandō - the approach to the shrine or pathway

The sandō is the road approaching either

a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple.

Its point of origin is usually straddled in the first

case by a Shinto torii, in the second by a
Buddhist sanmon, gates which mark the
beginning of the shrine's or temple territory.

There can also be stone lanterns and other

decorations at any point along its course. There
can be more than one sandō, in which case the
main one is called omote-sandō, or
front sandō, ura-sandō, or rear sandō, etc.
4.Chōzuya or temizuya - fountain to cleanse
one's hands and face

Before entering the shrine, visitors are

supposed to wash their hands and mouths at a
fountain built to the purpose
called temizuya or chōzuya
5.Tōrō - decorative stone lanterns

Tōrō can be classified in two main types,

the tsuri-dōrō lit. hanging lamp, which usually
hang from the eaves of a roof, and the dai-
dōrō lit. platform lamp) used in gardens and
along the approach (sandō) of a shrine or
temple.
6. Kagura-den - building dedicated to Noh or the
sacred kagura dance

7. Shamusho - the shrine's administrative office

8. Ema - wooden plaques bearing prayers or

wishes
9. Sessha / massha - small auxiliary shrines

Sessha(auxiliaryshrine) and massha (branch

shrine), also called eda-miya (branch
shrines) are small or miniature shrines having
a deep historical relationship with a more
important shrine or with the kami it
enshrines, and fall under that shrine's
jurisdiction.

The two terms used to have different

meanings, but must be today considered
synonyms. For this reason, this kind of shrine
is now sometimes called setsumatsusha
10. Komainu - the so-called "lion dogs",
guardians of the shrine.

The two "lions" in front of a shrine are in effect warden

dogs called komainu (korean dogs).

They were so called because they were thought to have

been brought to Japan from China via Korea, and their
name derives from "Koma" , the Japanese term for the
Korean kingdom of Koguryo.

They are almost identical, but one has the mouth open,
the other closed. This is a very common pattern in statue
pairs at both temples and shrines, and has an important
symbolic meaning. The open mouth is pronouncing the
first letter of the sanskrit alphabet ("a"), the closed one
the last ("um"), representing the beginning and the end of
all things.

The one with the open mouth is called shishi, the other
komainu, a name that in time came to be used for both
animals.
11. Haiden - oratory

The haiden is the hall of worship or oratory of

the shrine.

It is generally placed in front of the shrine's main

sanctuary (honden) and often built on a larger
scale than the latter.

The haiden is often connected to the honden by

a heiden, or hall of offerings.

The heiden is the part of a shrine used to house

offerings, and normally consists of a section
linking the honden and the haiden . It can also be
called chūden or in other ways, and its position
can sometimes vary. In spite of its name,
nowadays it is used mostly for rituals.
12. Tamagaki - fence surrounding the honden

13. Honden - main hall, enshrining the kami. On

the roof of the haiden and honden are visible
chigi (forked roof finials) and katsuogi (short
horizontal logs), both common shrine
ornamentations.

The honden, also called shinden is the most

sacred building of shrine, intended purely for
the use of the enshrined kami. The kami, in itself
incorporeal, is usually represented physically by
a mirror or sometimes by a statue. The building
is normally in the rear of the shrine and closed
to the general public.
OTHER ELEMENTS:

A hokora or hokura is a very small Shinto

shrine either found on the precincts of a larger
shrine and dedicated to folk kami, or on a street
side, enshrining kami not under the jurisdiction
of any large shrine.

Dōsojin, minor kami protecting travelers from

evil spirits, can for example enshrined in
a hokora.
1.Torii - Shinto gate
2.Stone stairs
3.Sandō - the approach to the shrine
4.Chōzuya or temizuya - fountain to cleanse one's
hands and face
5.Tōrō - decorative stone lanterns
6. Kagura-den - building dedicated to Noh or the
sacred kagura dance
7. Shamusho - the shrine's administrative office
8. Ema - wooden plaques bearing prayers or wishes
9. Sessha/massha - small auxiliary shrines
10. Kumauni - the so-called "lion dogs", guardians of
the shrine
11. Haiden - oratory
12. Tamagaki - fence surrounding the honden
13. Honden - main hall, enshrining the kami. On the
roof of the haiden and honden are visible chigi (forked
roof finials) and katsuogi (short horizontal logs), both
common shrine ornamentations.
Shrine buildings can have many different basic layouts, usually named either
after a famous shrine's honden (e.g. hiyoshi-zukuri, named after Hiyoshi Taisha),
or a structural characteristic (e.g. irimoya-zukuri, after the hip-and gable roof it
adopts.)

The suffix -zukuri in this case means "structure“

The honden's roof is always gabled, and some styles also have a veranda-like aisle
called hisashi (a 1-ken wide corridor surrounding one or more sides of the core of a
shrine or temple). Among the factors involved in the classification, important are the
presence or absence of:

• hirairi or hirairi-zukuri

A style of construction in which the building has its main entrance on the
side which runs parallel to the roof's ridge (non gabled-side). The shinmei-zukuri,
nagare-zukuri, hachiman-zukuri, and hie-zukuri belong to this type.

• tsumairi or tsumairi-zukuri

A style of construction in which the building has its main entrance on the
side which runs perpendicular to the roof's ridge (gabled side). The taisha-zukuri,
sumiyoshi-zukuri, ōtori-zukuri and kasuga-zukuri belong to this type.
1. SHINMEI-ZUKURI

A style of Shinto shrine embodying the

original style of Japanese building, before
the introduction of Buddhism.

Characterized by:

• A small unpainted rectangular structures

raised above ground level on a posts inserted
directly into the earth.
• A railed veranda surrounds the structure at
floor level
• A freestanding post at each gable end
supports the ridge
• The badge boards extend outward from the
thickly thatched roof, forming CHIGI at each
end.
2. NAGARE-ZUKURI

A style of Shinto shrine, based on the Ise

prototype, but with the front slope of the
roof extending to form a canopy over the
entrance stair, this space eventually
developed into a prayer room for
worshippers.

Ise Grand Shrine is the holiest of Shinto

Shrines.
3. KASUGA-ZUKURI

A style of Shinto shrine, characterized by a

hipped roof extending from the main roof,
over a centrally placed entrance stair at one
gable end.
- the time for transition and Japan became
engrossed in assimilating imported
culture.
- four style of Shinto architecture were
fixed
- “ shinden-zuri” an architectural style of this
period where existence of the mansions of the
nobility were built, with pond connected to the
mansion
- “kaku” - intricately and elaborately
decorated garden pavilion
dry garden in Kyoto Garden of Tenryū-ji in Kyoto
- Buddhist altars as part of their
mansion
- buildings were fragile in
appearance
 During this period, Japanese architecture made
technological advances that somewhat diverged
from and Chinese counterparts.

 (Daibutsu-Style and Zen-Style) In response to native

requirements such as earthquake resistance and
shelter against heavy rainfall and the summer heat
and sun, the master carpenters of this time
responded with a unique type of architecture.
- buildings continued to be highly bracketed
- beams were circular instead of square in
section
- five-storey pagoda were common
feature of the monastery
- introduction of tea- house known as
“chashitsu”
 Remarkable event in Muromachi period, another major
development of the period was the tea ceremony and
the tea house in which it was held.

 The purpose of the ceremony is to spend time with friends who

enjoy the arts, to cleanse the mind of the concerns of daily life,
and to receive a bowl of tea served in a gracious and tasteful
manner.
also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity
involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of
matcha, powdered green tea.
 The rustic style of the
rural cottage was
adopted for the tea
house, emphasizing such
natural materials as bark-
covered logs and woven
straw. In addition, a
traditional Japanese style
culture such
as tatami, shōji,
and fusuma was stylized
in Muromachi period.
 In Japan a tea house can also refer to a place of
entertainment with geisha. These kinds of tea houses, called
ochaya , are typically very exclusive establishments.

 The most notable ochaya is the Ichiriki Ochaya.

Ichiriki Ochaya
During the Azuchi–Momoyama period 1568–
1600) Japan underwent a process of
unification after a long period of civil war.

It was marked by the rule of Oda Nobunaga

and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, men who built
castles as symbols of their power; Nobunaga
in Azuchi, the seat of his government, and
Hideyoshi in Momoyama.
 Two new forms of architecture were
developed in response to the militaristic
climate of the times:

 Castle, a defensive structure built to house a feudal

lord and his soldiers in times of trouble;

 Shoin, a reception hall and private study area

designed to reflect the relationships of lord and
vassal within a feudal society.
 The shoin style that had its origins with the chashitsu of the
Muromachi period continued to be refined.

 Verandas linked the interiors of residential buildings with highly

cultivated exterior gardens. Fusuma and byōbu became highly
decorated with paintings and often an interior room with shelving
and alcove (tokonoma) were used to display art work (typically a
hanging scroll).
 HIMEJI CASTLE
 Built in its present form
1609, popularly known as
White Heron Castle or
White Egret Castle, with its
gracefully curving roofs and
its complex of three
subsidiary towers around
the main tenshu (or keep), is
considered to be one of the
most beautiful structures of
the Momoyama period.
Himeji Castle
 The Ohiroma (the most formal room in the castle
as for meetings) of Nijo Castle (17th century)
in Kyoto is one of the classic examples of the
shoin, with its tokonoma (alcove), shoin window
(overlooking a carefully landscaped garden), and
clearly differentiated areas for the Tokugawa Nijo Castle
lords and their vassals.
- the birth of new style
- architectural interest was transferred from
religious structures to secular structures
- development of palace and public buildings
 Fusuma

Tenshu
Byobu
- In the years after 1867, when Emperor Meiji
ascended the throne, Japan was once again
invaded by new and alien forms of culture. By
the early 20th century, European art forms
were well introduced.
 - In early 1920s, modernists and
expressionists emerged and began to form their
own groups. Kunio Maekawa and Junzo Sakakura
joined Le Corbusier's studio in France, came back
to Japan in early 1930s, and designed several
buildings.
- Influence of modernism spread to many
company and government buildings. In 1933
Bruno Taut fled to Japan, and his positive opinion
of Japanese architecture (especially Katsura
Imperial Villa) encouraged Japanese modernists.
 The clean lines of the civil
architecture in Edo
influenced the sukiya style
of residential architecture.
Katsura Detached Palace
and Shugaku-in Imperial
Villa on the outskirts of
Kyōto are good examples of
this style. Their architecture Katsura Detached Palace
has simple lines and decor and Shugaku-in Imperial Villa
and uses wood in its natural
state.
Inside the Shokintei at Katsura Imperial Villa, Kyoto.
Kantei - the official residence of the Prime Minister
Nagakin Capsule Tower, Tōkyō Museum of Modern Art, Gunma
Built in 1972 by Kisho Kurokawa Built between 1971 and 1974- Arata
Isozaki – postwar architect
 Tama Art University Library, Tōkyō
Sendai Mediatheque,
Built in 2007 by Toyo Ito and Associates
Sendai, 2001 by Toyo Ito
and Associates
Tallest building in Kanagawa
Prefecture; Yokohama 2nd-tallest building in Japan by pinnacle
Landmark Tower Tallest height (including antenna),
Docomo Yoyogi Building (ranked 10 at pesent)
building completed in Japan in
the 1990 by (ranked 2nd)
Midtown Tower, 6thTallest Cocoon Tower, 25th tallest educational
building in Tokyo; Tallest building in the world by Paul Noritaka
building completed in Japan Tange
in the 2000 by Skidmore,
Owings & Merrill
References:
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER
- The architecture in Japan was largely derived
from China, from Tang Dynasty as well as by Korea.

- at all times maintained its own special

characteristic of lightness and delicacy.

- refinement in Japanese architecture, combined

with minutes in curving and decorations are
particularly noticeable to timber construction.
Dominant Roofs
Characterized by their exquisite curvature. They
are supported upon a succession of simple or
compound brackets.

Irimoya Gable - the upper part of the roof

terminated by a gable placed vertically above the end
walls. While lower part of the main roof is carried
round the ends of building in a hipped form.
Characterized:

LIGHTNESS,
DELICACY, and
REFINEMENT.
History of Architecture 03
Different forms of
roof construction
ROOF COVERINGS
a. Kirizuma -
gabled
thatch
b. Hogyo -
pyramidal
c. Yosemune -
hipped
d. Irimoya - hip Shingles/tiles
and gable
Roof Coverings :

a. Thatch - have a prominent at ridge of tiles with an

exaggerated cresting

b. Shingle / tiles - have flattish and roll tiles

alternately often decorative form are used to mark
joints at eaves
A butsuden's floor plan
The Butsuden or Butsu-dō (仏殿・仏堂?), literally
"Buddha Hall", is the main hall of Zen temples.

The core of the
building (moya) is 3 x 3
ken and is surrounded
on four sides by a 1-ken
wide hisashi, bringing
the external dimensions
of the edifice to a total
of 5 x 5 ken.
Hisashi - lower roof sometimes projected below gable
ends often have cusped large boards with pendants
- secondary roofed veranda
- eaves of roof
- The core of the building (moya) is 3 x 3 ken and is
surrounded on four sides by a 1-ken wide hisashi,
bringing the external dimensions of the edifice to a
total of 5 x 5 ken.
IRIMOYA GABLE
ROOF CONSTRUCTION

-The Frames were lashed together with twisted or

plainted ropes, no metal connections
- hollowed bamboos are used to form roof gutters and
pipes. Gables ends often have cusped large-boards with
pendants.
Wooden roof beam
 Curved brackets – Kumo Hijiki
- adorn the underside of overhanging eaves
- The tokyō alsocalled kumimono or masugumi
is a system of supporting blocks and brackets.
- The complex bracket systems that supports the
roof's weight
An example
of mutesaki
tokyō (six brackets,
enlarge to see
numbers)
Tokyō components (block,
bracket, kobushibana/kibana).
COLUMNS- followed Chinese forms
Measurement “Ken” - intercolumniation is
regulated by the standard of measurements

- when square, are paneled

- when round or octagonal are reeded and often richy
lacquered
- when plain- timber was split by wedges and smoothed with
yariganna

Yariganna - spear shaped plane used to smoothed timber which left a beautiful
finish

- columns receive the main load from the roof

- Cyma and ovolo - introduced in column bases, there are no capital to
decorate the column.
- Trabeated - the beam forms the constructive feature
YARIGANNA
 Windows - Openings
- In Japanese architecture,
the role of windows is
not only for lighting or
ventilation, but also for
enjoying the view from
them.

- Filled with timber trellis

and provided with
wooden shutters
externally, and paper-
usually rice paper in
light sashes, internally.
-
Doors - Openings

Japanese room with sliding shōji doors and

tatami flooring
Walls
- Temple walling - strictly trabeated arrangement of
timber posts and rails dividing surfaces into regular
oblong spaces, filled in with plaster, boarding or
carved and painted panels.
- Exterior walling – extremely thin, wall panels are
entirely non- structural
- Wall painting – appear open a gold ground; usually
depict animal forms, birds, insects and flowers
- Supporting pillars are usually black, red and gold
- Lacquering is extensively employed
DECORATIONS
 birds, trees attended by idealistic mountain,
cloud and water forms
 beams, carvings and flat surfaces are picked
out in gilding and bright color
 brackets (tokyo)
 kamon (家紋 ?), are Japanese emblems
Japanese Unique Emblem System
The term "Kamon" refers to a crest used in Japan to indicate
one's origins; that is, one's family lineage, blood line, ancestry
and status from ancient times.
ORNAMENTS
 ornamental brass caps, usually gilded for
preservation , are frequently fixed to the ends of
projecting timber
 embossed gilded metal work is also freely applied to
gable and pendants.
The Imperial Seal of
Japan.

The symbol is a yellow or

orange chrysanthemum with
black or red outlines and
background. A central disc is
surrounded by a front set of 16
petals. A rear set of 16 petals
are half staggered in relation to
the front set and are visible at
the edges of the flower. An
example of the
chrysanthemum being used is
in the badge for the Order of
the Chrysanthemum.
Imperial seal of Japan

Kamon in Japan.
kamon (家紋 ?), are Japanese emblems used to
decorate and identify an individual or family.
BUILDING TYPES
A. TEMPLES

1. Torii - gateway of a temple formed by upright

posts supporting 2 or more horizontal beams.

Types :
a. Sanno d. Myojin
b. Miwa e. Kashima
c. Shimmei f. Hachiman
Torii parts and ornamentations
Torii styles

Myōjin torii Sannō torii

Daiwa torii.
The Sumiyoshi torii has pillars
with a square cross-section.
Nakayama torii Ryōbu torii
Miwa Torii The hizen torii has a
rounded kasagi and thick
flared pillars.
2. LOGGIA - an arcaded or roofed gallery built
into or projecting from the side of a building
particularly one over looking an open court.

3. PAGODA
- square in plan
- mostly 5-storey and about 45 m (150ft) in height
- suspended around a central timber post,
providing a measure of stability against
earthquake shock
- ground floor contains images and shrines
- upper storey serves as belvederes

belvederes - open roofed gallery in an upper storey

built for giving a view of the scenery
kodo - teaching hall
JAPANESE PAGODAS
4. PALACES - the imperial palaces were simple
type, consisting of a principal hall, joined by
corridors to three separate pavilion for the family
of the emperor.

5. TRADITIONAL JAPANESE HOUSES - with a

maximum flexibility in planning .
- Houses in areas of high temperature
and humidity had wooden floors. With the
spread of rice cultivation from China,
communities became increasingly larger
and more complex, and large scale buildings
for the local ruling family or rice storage
houses are seen
PALACES

Imperial Palace Tokyo Japan

Houses with thatch
TRADITIONAL JAPANESE HOUSE

Japanese interiors
TYPICAL JAPANESE STRUCTURE
Typical Japanese house
Futton - the 3 fold mattress and thick quilt

Tatami - floor mats used as floor coverings and

measuring one “KEN” about 1.8m by half a Ken.

Daidokoro - kitchen (scullery)

Shoin - a reception hall and private study area

Tokonomas - 2 alcoves (recess wall), a special

feature of traditional Japanese house, used to display
a flower arrangement or a selected art treasure

Ikebana - a flower arrangement

Bonsai - plant or dwarf tree is an almost perfect
reflection of Japanese culture
Hakoniwa - box garden, suffices to separate the
house from outside
Genkan - entrance room or foyer with floor of
concrete or cement or pebble
Zashiki - reception room
Toko - floor, straw under part
Muso-mado - type of window found commonly in
traditional domestic architecture in Japan
Chanoma - family room
budsundan - Buddhist altar
kotatsu - a low Japanese table placed over a sunken
square
6. TEA HOUSE - developed in Kamakura Period

Chasitsu - tea room/tea house

Chanima - a stepping stones through a
pleasure garden

7. BATH HOUSE - ofuro - the bath

8. CASTLE - built to house feudal Lord

Himeji Castle
World Cultural Heritage
Himeji Castle is representative of
all the castles found in
Japan. Well-preserved, Himeji
Castle's traditional wooden
architecture, stone walls and
white-plastered walls are in their
original forms since it was never
destroyed as a result of war.
Matsumoto Castle
in Matsumoto,
Nagano,
Completed in 1600.
CASTLE

Inuyama Castle Kumamoto Castle