Traditional Japanese rooms

Traditional Japanese room

Traditional Japanese rooms are very simple without any excess ornamentation.　There is usually only a law table and zabuton cushions on the tatami (in the photo, there are low chair with cushion)

As a decorative feature, there is the alcove in which a simple flower arrangement and hanging scroll is set.

Japanese style houses are open to nature. - instead of curtains completely covering the windows, there are shoji sliding doors.

(shoji is made of thin Japanese washi paper)

Thanks to shoji, the soft sunlight can come through to the room. Light and shadow change the atmosphere of the room.

Seiza 

We can feel the stream of time when we sit in the room.

Cross-legged position

When entering a tatami room, we take off our slippers.　In the room, the formal sitting position is "seiza" like the right photo. This position is very uncomfortable, We feel go to sleep if we sit in that position for a long time! So it is OK to sit in a more comfortable position.

Sometimes, foreigners sit in a cross legged-position even women. (this sitting style for

men in Japan) Women's style is to sit with their legs folded on one side.