Traditional Japanese homes are wooden frame houses made up of zashiki or washitsu - traditional tatami (grass mat) mat rooms. Tokonoma (an alcove used for decoration), fusuma (sliding doors) and shoji (paper screens) are traditional architectural elements found in every home. The Japanese genkan is one of the most important parts of the home. It is where guests are greeted and shoes are removed before going inside.

In contemporary homes, there is usually a kitchen/dining room, sometimes a separate living room and almost always a traditional Japanese-style room (washitsu) which has a tatami mat floor and a tokonoma.

Each room in the home has a closet which is outfitted with shelves to store Japanese bedding (futons) when not in use. Today many Japanese people prefer to sleep in beds, so often times the tatami mats are covered with carpet and all the fittings of a western-style bedroom are present.

The Japanese bath (ofuro) is more than just a bath – it is a cultural tradition. Kitchens are always equipped with a rice-cooker , a hot-pot for tea and a hutch where Japanese dishes are stored. The hot water used in both the kitchen and the bath is heated by small, gas water heaters which are only turned on when in use.

Because of the population density, Japanese homes are relatively smaller than their American counterparts. Also, over the years, the traditional Japanese-style wooden frame houses located in the cities have given way to apartment buildings.

Both traditional and modern-day Japanese homes have a garden however small.

Featured in this section are the following:

Apartment Buildings
Bamboo
Futon
Genkan / entrance or foyer
Kotatsu / table
Lanterns / chouchin
Ofuro / Japanese-style bath
Paper Doors / fusuma
Shoji / sliding screens
Tatami
Tokonoma / decorative alcove
Washitsu / Japanese-style room
Zabuton / floor cushion
Zashiki / Japanese-style room

Apartment Buildings
Japanese apartment buildings are typically five to eight stories high and have been designed to accommodate Japanese lifestyle. A typical modern-day apartment will have one room which serves as a living/dining/kitchen area and one or two other small rooms which are separated by sliding screen doors. These extra rooms are versatile and can be used for sleeping or even as an additional living area. The floors are usually covered with tatami mats (woven grass mats app. 6' x 3' each) and are 6 or 8 tatami mats in size. Each room has a closet which is outfitted with shelves to store Japanese bedding (futons and covers) when not in use. Today many Japanese people prefer to sleep in beds, so often times the tatami mats are covered with carpet and all the fittings of a western-style bedroom are present. Futons are then used to accommodate guests. Another interesting architectural feature of Japanese apartment buildings is the fact that each apartment almost always has a balcony. These balconies are typically used to air futons and dry clothes making apartment buildings a colorful site in the morning. An apartment building which is a condominium or coop is called a “mansion.”

Bamboo / take
It is believed that bamboo was introduced to China and Japan from India. All together there are more than 600 varieties of bamboo however, only about 12 of these are used in daily life. Bamboo is an essential part of the Japanese aesthetic and it is widely used in the creation decorative objects especially for the home. One type is also a popular ingredient in Japanese food. Some common uses for bamboo include: flower vases, garden fences, wind chimes, furniture, chopsticks, baskets, ladles, spoons, dinnerware, fencing swords, flutes, umbrellas and handbags.

Futon
Futon are traditional Japanese sleeping mattresses which are made from cotton batting and covered in fine cloth. A traditional Japanese bed consists of two futon – ‘shikibuton’ which is the base mattress on which one sleeps and ‘kakebuton’ which is the comforter. Today most Japanese use beds, however many homes are equipped with “guest futons” which are stored in closets in tatami mat rooms.

Genkan / entrance or foyer of the home
The Japanese ‘genkan’ is one of the most important parts of the Japanese home. It is a foyer in which visitors remove their shoes before going inside. Most genkans have a rack where shoes and slippers are stored. From the genkan, one steps up into the home. Slippers are typically placed conveniently on the step for easy access by visitors. Once a visitor has entered the home, the host or hostess turns the shoes of the guest around so they will be easy to put on upon leaving. This is also the custom in traditional Japanese restaurants. The genkan may also feature a corner or shelf reserved for seasonal decorations including ikebana and hanging scrolls.

Kotatsu is a low table with a quilted skirt extending to the floor and an electric heater underneath in the center. Since many Japanese homes do not have central heat, it is customary for family members to sit under the quilted skirt while relaxing, writing or eating in order to keep warm during the winter.

Lanterns / chouchin
Chouchin have been used in Japan as the primary source of lighting for over 1,200 years. However with the introduction of electricity, paper lanterns have become decorative elements which are hung from the eaves of houses or carried through the streets in festive processions. The traditional chouchin is made by stretching course rice-paper over bamboo hoops, then fastened with thread. The lanterns are individually painted with Japanese characters, family crests and festive patterns and protected with several coats of linseed oil. Altogether it can take up to 2 weeks to make a single lantern. Chibhibu Yo-matsuri is one festival which features floats decorated with hundreds of chouchin. Continued…

Ofuro / Japanese bath
The Japanese bath is more than just a place to get clean, it is a cultural tradition. The ofuro consists of room with a drain in the middle of the floor which has a washing or showering area and a tub. The washing area can contain a shower or faucet, a sitting stool and sponges, body brushes and wash cloths. It is here where one washes and rinses thoroughly. The bath tub itself, much like a jacuzzi or spa, is exclusively for soaking. The tub is filled to the brim with water which is made very hot by a heating mechanism which is locally controlled. Traditional baths are made of Japanese cedar but today, most are made of porcelain or molded synthetic material. To read about Japanese public baths (osento), click here.

Paper Doors / fusuma
Fusuma are either sliding doors or wall panels which are made of wood covered with rice paper. They are typically decorated with sumi paintings depicting natural subjects and scenes such as bamboo, flowers and landscapes. Continued…

Shoji /Japanese sliding screens
Japanese screens or shoji are typically made of lightweight wood or bamboo and rice paper. They are used in tea ceremonies, as backgrounds for dances and performances, as enclosures for Buddhist rites and as an architectural element in the home, restaurants and a variety of interior spaces. The typical shoji serves as a door or window and its paper is translucent. The byobu or folding screen is used as a room divider or decoration and is usually painted in sumi-e. Fusuma is a sliding door which is typically made of wood which has been covered in Japanese rice paper.


Tatami / grass mats
Tatami mats are the traditional floor covering in Japan and are made of tightly woven rice straw bordered with sturdy fabric. Each tatami mat is approximately two inches thick, three feet wide and six feet long. Tatami mats are considered a unit for measuring the size of a room. For example, a room may be a 4.5 tatami room or a 6 tatami room, etc. While slippers may be worn in rooms with wood or tile flooring, only bare or stocking feet are permitted in a tatami room. Today many Japanese homes are Western in style, however, most still have a tatami room which is used for special get-togethers or as a guest room. Continued…

Tokonoma
The tokonoma is a recessed alcove in the main room of Japanese homes, tea houses and traditional inns where seasonal works of art are displayed such as ikebana (flower arrangement) and hanging scrolls. Continued…

Washitsu / Japanese-style room
The wa in washitsu means ‘Japan’ and shitsu means room. A traditional Japanese-style room always has a tatami mat floor and usually other architectural elements such as shoji screens, fusuma and a tokonoma.

Zabuton are Japanese floor cushions about 2 feet by 2 feet square which are used in tatami rooms for sitting.

Zashiki are traditional Japanese-style rooms, washitsu, where tatami mats are used for the flooring.