Traditional Japanese Houses

Traditional Japanese houses are built to give good air circulation, because summer in Japan is very hot and humid.

The rooms are divided by fusuma(or sliding doors) which are made from "washi" paper.

Japanese washi paper is strong and adjusts to the humidity.

Since the fusuma doors aren't nailed down, they can be removed if more space is needed.

For example, when many guests or family gather together, the doors can be removed.

With the fusuma door, we can use the space freely.

Tatami mats may be well known in foreign countries. Tatami mats are used for flooring.

The size of tatami is fixed: 180 cm long x 90 cm wide.

fusuma(sliding door) and tatami (mat)

With Tatami, the size of room can be measured.

(ex. 6 mat room or 8 mat room etc: the standard size is 6 mat room in Japan)

Tatami is made from rice straw and rush plants.

As well as fusuma doors, Tatami is suitable for Japanese houses - because Tatami absorbs humidity. That's why Tatami is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Both Tatami and washi suit the humid Japanese climate.

Japanese houses well incorporate many natural things like rice straw, wood, and papers.