日本語

Japanese
style
ID: JM-MARATON PRESENTATION
Copyright 2019 jmmaraton ® USC SAFAD
 Japanese
Historical
background
• Principal island Honshu; Smaller islands
at the north and south; off the eastern
coast of Asian Mainland.

• Prevalence of Earthquakes

• Hilly and Forested country

• Un-Stratified volcanic stone- granites &

porphyries

Geography & Geology

 Climate
• Winter and Summer.

• Heavy Rainfall
• Chinese influence

• For 200 years, closed to the

outside world and isolation from
foreign influence.

Culture
 JŌMON CULTURE

YAYOI PERIOD

KOFUN PERIOD

ASUKA PERIOD
Japanese Periods

THE NARA PERIOD

 THE HEIAN PERIOD

FUJIWARA PERIOD/LATE HEIAN

KAMAKURA PERIOD

KENMU RESTORATION
Japanese Periods

MUROMACHI PERIOD
 SENGOKU PERIOD

AZUCHI-MOMOYAMA PERIOD

EDO PERIOD

MEIJI PERIOD
Japanese Periods

TAISHO PERIOD
SHOWA PERIOD
Japanese Periods
 Japanese Periods
About 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, the Jomon era

started and lasted for a thousand years. The

temperature got warmer and the ice began to melt.
JŌMON CULTURE

Therefore, the sea level got higher and the Japanese

island was formed during this time. However, Japan is
not established yet as a country; people were still
hunting animals and gathering wild plants in the early
jomon period. They built simple houses of wood and
thatch set into shallow pits to provide warmth from the
soil and crafted pottery storage vessels and clay figures
called DOGU. Jomon pots, often handcrafted in
elaborate flame-like shapes, are the world’s oldest
surviving ceramic art.
 Japanese Periods These people, arriving in
Japan about 350BC,
brought with them
knowledge of wetland rice
cultivation, metalworking

YAYOI PERIOD techniques for the

manufacture of copper
weapons and bronze bells
(dotaku) and wheel-thrown,
kiln-fired ceramics.

The cultural effect from

Korea was reflected in the
shape of earthenware
vessels, tools, technology
and society in Yayoi period.
 Japanese Periods A notable contribution
The 3rd stage in Japanese prehistory, the Kofun or
to pottery is the Sueki
tumulus, period (c. AD 250-552) named after the
ware first produced in
tomb mounds that were built for the members of the
the mid- 5th century.
ruling class during this time. In this period diverse
Sueki pottery is usually

KOFUN PERIOD
groups of people formed political alliances and
made of blue-gray clay
coalesced into a nation. Typical artifacts are bronze
and is often thin bodied
mirror (symbol of political alliances) and clay
and hard, having bee
cylinders called HANIWA erected outside tombs.
fired at very high
temperatures, similar to
that used to produce
modern stoneware and
porcelain. The potter’s
wheel was used for the
first time during this
period.
 Japanese Periods
During the Asuka period, so named because the seat of Japanese
government was located in Asuka valley from 552 to 710, the first
significant influx of culture from the Asian continent took place in Japan.
The transmission of Buddhism provided the initial impetus for contacts

ASUKA PERIOD
between Korea, China and Japan and the Japanese recognized facets of the
Chinese culture that could probably be incorporated into their own system
for expressing ideas and sounds by written symbols; historiography;
complex theories of government such as an effective bureaucracy and most
important for the arts, advanced technology-new building techniques, more
advanced methods of casting in bronze, and new techniques and mediums
for painting. The Asuka period is also distinguished by the change in the
name of the country from Wa to Nippon. Artistically, the term Tori style is
often used to describe arts of the Asuka period, and is named after sculptor
Kuratsuluri Tori.
 Japanese Periods
This period is named after its capital city of Nara , occupied in 710, which was planned

and built according to the Chinese architectural principles. During this period, the

THE NARA PERIOD

Japanese imperial central government was unified, strengthen and developed through
religious ritual and the importation of Chinese bureaucratic methods. Drawing from the
classical Chinese texts, the penal and administrative codes known as RITSURYO allowed
the central government to control the capital and outlying districts through taxation and a
network of officials. Central authority was further legitimized through Japan’s two major
religions: Shinto, the native religion, traced the imperial lineage back to the sun Goddess
Amaterasu. But in was Buddhism, imported through China and Korea, that received the
blessings and support of the state.. Just as important, temple building was undertaken with
great fervor. The most impressive of these temples is the Todaiji completed in 752, which
houses the massive Universal Buddha Rushan.
 Japanese Periods
In 794 the capital of Japan was officially transferred to Heian-Kyo

(present day Kyoto), where it remained until 1868. In artistic terms, the
period can be further divided into the Early Heian and the late Heian or
THE HEIAN PERIOD

Fujiwara era, the year imperial embassies to China officially ceased. The
latter period is named after the fujiwara family, then the most powerful in
the country who governed as regents for the emperor.
Early Heian period. In reaction to the growing wealth and power of
organized Buddhism in Nara, the priests Kukai journeyed to China to
study Shingon, a more rigorous form of Buddhism which he introduced
into Japan in 806. At the core of Shingon worship are the Mandala,
diagrams of spiritual universe; the Kongokai a chart of the myriad
worlds of Buddhism; and the Taizokai, a pictorial representation of the
realms of the Buddhist universe. The temples erected for this new sect
were built in the mountains, far away from the court and the laity in the
capital.
 Japanese Periods
On roofs, cypress bark was used in place of ceramic tile,

wooden planks replaced earthen floors, and a separate area

where the laity could worship was added in front of the main
THE HEIAN PERIOD

sanctuary. During the Heian period, the color red was strictly for
the rich. The samurai rose from the warrior bands formed to
protect the Japanese imperial capital in Kyoto. They gained
political importance and power through Heian period and
institute the military government (Shogunate) in the Kamakura
period.
The wooden image of Shaka the historic Buddha, enshrined in a
secondary building at the Muro-ji is typical of early Heian
sculpture, with its ponderous body, covered by thick folds of
drapery and its austere, withdrawn facial expression.
In the Fujiwara period, Pure
Japanese Periods

FUJIWARA PERIOD/LATE HEIAN

Land Buddhism, which
offered easy salvation through
belief in Amida (the Buddha
of the western paradise),
became popular. The Amida
Hall, blending the secular In the last century of this period, the

with the religious, houses one horizontal, illustrated narrative

or more images of Buddha handscroll, the Emaki came to therefore.

within a structure resembling The illustrated Tale of Genji, represents

the mansions of nobility. one of the high points of Japanese

painting. It was written about the year
1000 by Murisaki Shikibu, a lady in
waiting to the Empress Akiko and deals
with the life and loves of Prince Genji and
the world of the Heian court after his
death.
 Japanese Periods
With the shift of power from the nobility to the
warrior class, the arts had a new audience to
satisfy: Soldiers, men devoted to the skills of

KAMAKURA PERIOD
warfare; priests committed to spreading
Buddhism among illiterate commoners; and
conservatives-the nobility and some members of
the priesthood who regretted the declining power
of the court. Thus, realism, a popularizing trend,
and a classical revival characterize the art of the
Kamakura. Kamakura daibutsu- cast in bronze;
the statue is 11.4m high and weighs 93 tons. The
figure depicts Amitabha (also known as Amida
Buddha) in a state perfect repose and passionless
calm.
 Japanese Periods
This is the 3 year period of Japanese history between the

KENMU RESTORATION
Kamakura and the Muromachi periods and the political events
that took place in it. The restoration period was an effort of
Emperor Go-Daigo to bring the imperial House and the nobility
it represented back into power, thus restoring a civilian
government after almost a century and a half of military rule.
The attempted restoration ultimately failed and was replaced by
the Ashikaga shogunate. This was to be the last time the
emperor had any power until the Meiji restoration.
 Japanese Periods
During this period, also called as the Ashikaga period, a profound

MUROMACHI PERIOD
change took place in Japanese culture. The Ashikaga military clan
took control of the shogunate and moved its headquarters back to
Kyoto, to the Muromachi district of the city. With the return of
government to the capital, the popularizing trends of the Kamakura
period came to an end, and cultural expression took on a more
aristocratic, elitist character. Zen Buddhism, the Ch’an sect
traditionally thought to have been founded in China in the 6th century
AD was introduced for a second time into Japan and took root.
 Japanese Periods
This is the warring states period. As trade with China grew,
the economy developed and the use of money became
widespread as markets and commercial cities appeared. This,
SENGOKU PERIOD

combined with the developments in agriculture and small

scale trading, led to desire for greater local autonomy through
out all levels of the social hierarchy. This period best
understood by comparison to the “Dark Ages” of Europe
which was transition period transferring power from rome to
what would become the kings of Europe. In Japan, it was a
decentralization of the Japanese government from Kyoto to
the many daimyo that would come to power during the
period of unrest.
 Japanese Periods
This period, named after

AZUCHI-MOMOYAMA PERIOD
Nobunaga’s castle, Azuchi
Castle, came at the end of
the warring states period.
After having united Japan,
Hideyoshi invaded Korea in
an attempt to conquer
Korea, China and Even
India. However, after two
unsuccessful campaigns
toward the allied forces of
Korea and China and his
death, his forces retreated
from the Korean peninsula
in 1598.
 Japanese Periods
This is also known as the
tokugawa period; this marks the
governance of the Edo period or
Tokugawa Shogunate and ended

EDO PERIOD
the Meiji restoration. This is also
known as the start of the early
modern period of Japan. The Edo
period was much more stable than
other time periods in Japan.
 Japanese Periods
This period started with the enthronement of the
Meiji emperor and ended with his death. It was a time

MEIJI PERIOD
of rapid modernization and westernization.

Feudal domains were abolished and replaced with

prefecture.
 Japanese Periods
This period started with the reign of the Taisho
emperor, Yoshihito.

TAISHO PERIOD
 Japanese Periods
This period in Japanese history which corresponds to the
reign of Hirohito, the Showa emperor. This period was
marked by the rise of militarism in the 1930s and by
SHOWA PERIOD

Japan’s disastrous participation in World war II. Other

social changes during the Showa period included more
people living in nuclear complete collapse and ultimate
surrender.
The Japanese economy became one of the world’s
largest. There were love marriages rather than arranged
marriages, fewer children per family and more
opportunities for women.
 • National symbols of Japan are the
symbols that are used in Japan to
represent what is unique about the
nation, reflecting different aspects of its
cultural life and history.

National Symbols
of Japan
 Kimigayo
The National Anthem
• Kimigayo has been Japan’s official
anthem since 1888.
Cherry blossom
The national Tree
• Cherry blossom (Prunus serrulata) is
the national tree and flower of Japan
Green Pheasant
The national Bird
• Green Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus
versicolor) is the national bird
 Koi
The national Fish
• Koi (Cyprinus carpio) is the national
fish of Japan
 Mt. Fuji
TheNational mount
• Mount Fuji (Fujisan) de facto national
mountain
 Japanese Yen
The national currency
• Japanese yen is the monetary currency
 Nihongo
The national language
• Japanese, or Nihongo, is spoken by
about 128 million people worldwide.
The Japanese language is complex, but
there are no singular and plural forms
and there is no gender form (as in
French, Spanish or German) and no
articles are used.
 Japanese
Politics
politics
 Japanese Flag
• national flag consisting of a white field bearing a central
red disk (a stylized sun). The flag has a width-to-length
ratio of 2 to 3.

• popular name for the country is “Land of the Rising

Sun.” The first concrete evidence that testifies to use of
a sun flag for Japan.
 Three Great Unifiers of Japan

Three great men led Japan out of its 100 years of war during the latter half of the
sixteenth century: Oda Nobunaga (1534–82), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–98) and
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542–1616).
Convention of Kanagawa
• 1854 AD, commercial treaties
with America and Europe entered
into war with China and Russia

• "Japan and US Treaty of Peace

and Amity“ or Kanagawa Treaty
became the first treaty between the
United States and the Tokugawa
shogunate.
 Japanese Government
Today
Japan’s constitution was promulgated in 1946 and came
into force in 1947, superseding the Meiji Constitution of
1889. The emperor, rather than being the embodiment of
all sovereign authority (as he was previously), is the
symbol of the state and of the unity of the people, while
sovereign power rests with the people (whose fundamental
human rights are explicitly guaranteed).

The government is now based on a constitution that

stipulates the separation of powers between the legislative,
executive, and judicial branches. The emperor’s major role
now consists of such formalities as appointing the prime
and appointing the chief justice of the Supreme Court,
convoking sessions of the Diet, promulgating laws and
treaties, and awarding state honours—all with the advice
and approval of the cabinet (naikaku).
 Shinzo
Abe
• Abe Shinzo, (born September 21, 1954, Tokyo, Japan),
Japanese politician, who twice was prime minister
of Japan (2006–07 and 2012– ).

• Abe was a member of a prominent political family. His

grandfather Kishi Nobusuke served as Japan’s prime
minister from 1957 to 1960, and his great-uncle Sato
Eisaku held the same post from 1964 to 1972. After
graduating from Seikei University in Tokyo (1977), Abe
moved to the United States, where he studied political
science at the University of Southern California, Los
Angeles.
 Japanese
Fashion
Fashion
 Yukata Kimono Hakama
Yukata, Hakama are a type
comfortable of traditional
cotton kimono Japanese clothing.
decorated with Trousers were used
stencil-dyed by the Chinese
patterns usually imperial court in
in shades of the Sui and Tang
indigo, worn by dynasties, and this
Japanese men style was adopted
and women. by the Japanese in
The yukata was the form of hakama
originally beginning in the
designed as a sixth century.
nightgown and Hakama are tied at
for wear in the the waist and fall
home after a approximately to
bath. the ankles.

Kimono, garment worn by Japanese men and women derived from the Chinese pao-style robe, the essential kimono is
an ankle-length gown with long, expansive sleeves and a V-neck. It has neither buttons nor ties, being lapped left over
right across the chest and secured at the waist by a broad sash known as an obi.
Kimono
 Japanese
Religion
Religion
Japanese
Religions

01-Shintoism 02- Buddhism

 Shintoism
Shintō, indigenous religious beliefs and practices of
Japan. The word Shintō, which literally means “the
way of kami” (generally sacred or divine power,
specifically the various gods or deities), came into
use in order to distinguish indigenous Japanese
beliefs from Buddhism, which had been introduced
into Japan in the 6th century CE. Shintō has no
founder, no official sacred scriptures in the strict
sense, and no fixed dogmas, but it has preserved its
guiding beliefs throughout the ages.
Shintoism
• The Ise shrine, which has been
called the National Cathedral
of Japan. Its plain wooden
buildings, rustic and
unpretentious by most
standards, dominate a lonely
site near the Pacific Ocean
some 225 miles south of
Tokyo, 50 from Nagoya, and
not much farther from Kyoto
and Nara.
Shinto
Shrine
The torii or gate to the shrine, with its
distinctive curved crossbeam, seems all the
more like the portal to another world, as
we pass through it from the this-worldly
street into a precinct of grass, shrubs, a
huge old evergreen tree, and in the midst
of it all an unusual building fronted by a
porch bearing drums, upright sticks from
which fall peculiar zigzag strips of paper
(gohei), a mirror, and a table with eight
legs, four on each side.
Buddhism
The Buddha discovered a way to live that
radically transformed people’s lives, starting

01
with his own. His revolutionary insights have
withstood the test of time and his methods
can still transform lives as they did in ancient
India. The Buddha taught mindfulness,
kindness, and compassion.

The origins of Zen are found in China .

02
In Japan it was called Zen, all meaning
“meditation.” Zen offers a fresh interpretation
of the Buddha’s teachings and forms of
practice that are straightforward and
profound.
 Myōshin-ji Hōryū-ji

Buddhist temples
Tōdai-ji Tofukuji
 Art
Art

Japanese
 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings 02- Ceramics 03- Lacquerwork 04- Weaponry

• Paintings drew direct • The new craze for tea • Layer upon layer added to
ceremony created a base material then polished
inspiration from China to a smooth brilliant surface.
demand of pottery vessels
 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
inspiration from China A. Calligraphic Script
 Types Japanese
of Art

• Yamato-e, literally meaning “Japanese painting,” was coined during this period.
01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
YAMATO At the time, the term was meant to distinguish paintings concerned with
Japanese subject matter from those featuring themes imported from China,
which were known as kara-e, literally “Tang painting,”

inspiration from China B. Pictorial Representation of genre scenes

 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
KAKEMONO • Painting executed on vertical silk rolls

inspiration from China B. Pictorial Representation of genre scenes Detroit Institute of Arts
 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
KAKEMONO • Painting executed on vertical silk rolls

inspiration from China B. Pictorial Representation of genre scenes Detroit Institute of Arts
 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
MAKIMONO • Painting execute in horizontal silk rolls

inspiration from China B. Pictorial Representation of genre scenes

metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

• (scenes of the “Floating world”)

• A Genre of Japanese wood block prints (or woodcuts) and paintings
01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
UKIYO-E produced between the 17th and 20th centuries, featuring motifs of
landscapes, tales from history, the theatre and pleasure quarters. It is
the main artistic genre of woodblock painting in japan.
inspiration from China C. WOOD BLOCK PRINTS
metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
UKIYO-E • Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known
as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

inspiration from China C. WOOD BLOCK PRINTS

metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

01- Paintings
• Paintings drew direct
UKIYO-E • Kabuki Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Yakko Edobei in the Play
The Colored Reins of a Loving Wife
inspiration from China C. WOOD BLOCK PRINTS
metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

02- Ceramics
• The new craze for tea KAKIEMON-DE-PATTERN
ceremony created a • Delicate angular flowering branches painted with iron red,
demand of pottery vessels two tones of green and blue and subtle touches of gold. metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

02- Ceramics
• The new craze for tea IMARI PATTERN
ceremony created a • Employed strong floral and brocade design painted in heavily
demand of pottery vessels saturated colors. metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

02- Ceramics
• The new craze for tea IMARI PATTERN metmuseum.org/

ceremony created a • Dish in Shape of Japanese Court Woman. The court women of the Heian period,
demand of pottery vessels characterized by their long flowing hair and multilayered clothing with elaborate
and brilliantly juxtaposed patterns, play an important role in Japanese visual arts.
 Types Japanese
of Art

03- Lacquerwork
• Layer upon layer added to
base material then polished
to a smooth brilliant surface.
• Gold and silver dust or particles were introduced into the top
layer of the lacquer before finishing.
metmuseum.org/
 Types Japanese
of Art

04- Weaponry KATANA (SWORD)

• Sword of the Samurai
 Types Japanese
of Art

04- Weaponry TSUBA KASHIRA

(SWORD GUARDS) (POMMELS)
 Types Japanese
of Art
FUCHI
(RING BANDS)

MENUKI
(ORNATE PEGS)

KOZUKA
04- Weaponry (DAGGER)
Japanese Arts and Crafts
Tea Ceremony
• Chanoyu, Sado or Ocha in Japanese
- A choreographic ritual of preparing and
serving Japanese green tea.
• Utensils:
A. Chai-re or Tea Caddy
B. Chakin or Hemp cloth
C. Chasen or whisk – made from one bamboo
D. Chasaku or tea scoop
E. Chawan or Tea bowl
Japanese Arts and Crafts

Bonsai
• The art of cultivating
miniature trees.
Japanese Arts and Crafts

Ikebana
• Flower arrangement
Japanese Arts and Crafts

Origami
• Art of Folding paper
Japanese Arts and Crafts

Furoshiki
• Gift wrapping Scarf
Japanese Philosophy

Wabi-Sabi
• concepts of wabi (deliberate simplicity in
daily living) and sabi (appreciation of the
old and faded) as its aesthetic ideals.
• In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi
is a world view centered on the acceptance
of transience and imperfection. The
aesthetic is sometimes described as one of
beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent,
and incomplete".
Japanese Arts and Crafts

Noh
• Japanese theater with
actors wearing masks.
Japanese Arts and Crafts

Kabuki
• Traditional Japanese theater
with all actors ensemble wearing
heavy make up
 Japanese
Architecture
Architecture
• Japanese architecture is the architecture of that
civilization that emerged off the east coast of
Asia.
• It is characterized by a synthesis of seminal ideas
from China and native conditions producing a
distinctive style characterized by lightness,
delicacy and refinement.

Japanese Architecture
• Shinto “ the way of the gods”
• “Shinto Gods” are called Kami
• No founder
• To keep away evil spirits by purification,
prayers and offerings to the kami.

Shintoism
 ArchitecturalForms

01- Pagoda 02- Temples 03-Palaces

• Square plan
• Mostly 5 storeys, 45m in height • Shinto temple (Jinja) • Were fortresses composed
• Virtually suspended around a central timber ( stable primarily of wood and stone.
against earthquake shocks)
• Buddhist temple
• Upper storeys are beldeveres
• Wide projecting roofs to each storey, subtly curved
 Architectural
Forms

04- Tea houses 05- Bath houses

• Also known as Cha-Shitsu • Also known as Sento
• Public bath houses were community meeting
places where people gather to gossip
 Architectural Forms
• Honden- building that contains the
body of the goshintai ( “Sacred body
of the kami”

• Haiden- hall of worship of the

Shinto shrine, usually infront of
the honden, open to the laity

• The main purpose is for the

enshrinement and worship of a kami.

• Torii gateways:
upright posts supporting 2 or
more horizontal beams; worshippers
have to pass under this for prayers to be
effective
02- Temples
SHINTO TEMPLE (JINJA)
 Architectural
Forms

• Complex group of
02- Temples monastic buildings,
• 2 storey gateway, surmounted pagodas (reliquary), kodo

•
by a room under an ornate roof
Columned loggia at facade
BUDDHIST TEMPLE (lecture hall), and kondo
(image hall)
 ArchitecturalForms
• Kodo – an assembly hall for
monks in Japanese Buddhist
temple, where sacred texts are
read. (lecture hall)
• Kondo – Golden Hall; here the
main image of worship is kept in
a Japanese Buddhist temple.
(Image hall)
• Nandaimon- the principal south
gateway to a Japanese Buddhist
temple

• Chumon – the inner gateway / 2

storey
• To – a Japanese Buddhist
pagoda
02- Temples
• 2 storey gateway, surmounted

•
by a room under an ornate roof
Columned loggia at facade
BUDDHIST TEMPLE PARTS
 Architectural
Forms

03-Palaces
• Were fortresses composed primarily of wood • Sometimes protected by concave batter walls and a moat
and stone. They evolved from the wooden
stockades of earlier centuries and came into
their most well known form in the 16h century. PALACE PARTS
 Architectural
Forms

03-Palaces
• Were fortresses composed primarily of wood • Principal hall
and stone. They evolved from the wooden
stockades of earlier centuries and came into
their most well known form in the 16h century.
PALACE PARTS
 Architectural
Forms

03-Palaces
• 6 corridors to 3 different pavilions for the Emperor’s family
• Were fortresses composed primarily of wood
and stone. They evolved from the wooden
stockades of earlier centuries and came into
their most well known form in the 16h century.
PALACE PARTS
 ArchitecturalForms

04- Tea houses

• Also known as Cha-Shitsu • Measured between 2 x 4 ½ tatami ( a traditional
rice straw mat measuring 6 ft x 3 ft) to
accommodate the cha-no-yu or tea ceremony
Architectural Ise Shrine
Sites • The most famous and
the oldest Shinto temple
on Japan; it enshrines
the sun goddess
Amaterasu Omikami,
who is believed to be the
ancestor of the Japanese
imperial family.
• For this reason, the
emperor visits this shrine
when he assumes office,
and on other important
occasions.
Architectural Ise Shrine
Sites Like ancient Japanese
dwellings and granaries, Ise’s
edifices are set off the ground
on posts, the roofs are
thatched, and the timber
unpainted, save for gold tips on
the roof beams. They are
surrounded by four wooden
palisades, which block easy
viewing and access.
Architectural
Sites
Himeji Castle
• The most impressive of the
fortified residences, it has 6
storeys with pent roofs and
curving eaves. Created by
the Samurai under
shogunate.
Architectural
Sites
Himeji Castle

• Nicknamed the White Egret, Himeji

Castle soars above the town of Himeji.
Known today for its awe-inspiring size
and ninja-defying layout, the castle once
held the significant responsibility of
guarding the gateway between the
western and eastern provinces of Japan.
Architectural
Sites
Himeji Castle
• One of eleven shachihoko on theroof ridges at Himeji
Castle. The mythical creature hasthe head of a tiger
and the body of a fish. The raised tail symbolizes the
creature throwing up water as ‘protection’ against fire.
Architectural Sites
Himeji Castle
ArchitecturalSites
Himeji Castle
ArchitecturalSites
Himeji Castle

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ArchitecturalSites
Himeji Castle

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ArchitecturalSites
Himeji Castle

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ArchitecturalSites
Himeji Castle
• Audience hall, Himeji
Castle, Himeji City, Japan,
1601–14. The floors are
tatami mats turned in two
directions, so that differing
textures produce the
lighter and darker tones
visible in the illustration.
Walls are painted with
conventional outdoor
scenes.
Architectural
Sites

Nagoya Castle
• In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the
construction of Nagoya Castle to secure this
strategic position and ward off attacks from
Osaka.
 Honmaru residential area
• Honmaru
Palace, or
Honmaru
Goten, was
constructed
in 1615 as
the
residential
building for
the feudal
lords of
Owari.

matcha-jp.com
 Honmaru residential area
• Many of the interior
rooms were
decorated with
elaborate imagery for
entertaining guests,
and the various
sliding doorways help
enforce the image of
ruling-class opulence
with the security
concerns of the
Tokugawa period
underlying such
jpninfo.com designs.
Honmaru residential area
• It was called
the best
modern castle
residence and
was
designated a
national
treasure.
Honmaru residential area
• However, the
original
building was
lost in the
Second World
War. It was
reconstructed
to a nearly-
original form
in 2018.
Honmaru residential area
Honmaru residential area
Honmaru residential area
• This is the
interior of the
Omote Shoin,
or main hall.
Almost
everywhere
you look,
from the walls
to the fusuma
, is decorated
with gold leaf.
Architectural Sites
The Imperial Palace in Kyoto
• The Imperial Palace
in Kyoto (first built
804, most recently
rebuilt 1854) is made
up of a wide forecourt
surrounded by
covered galleries.
Although it has been
rebuilt many times
over the centuries, it
has always been
recreated with strict
adherence to the
original design.
Architectural Sites
The Imperial Palace in Kyoto
• At the center is the great hall,
or Shishinden, the location of
the imperial throne. The space
is open to the courtyard, but
can be closed off by hinged
screen walls.
ArchitecturalSites
Ginkakuji
• Ginkakuji (Temple of the
Golden Pavilion), Kyoto, Japan,
1399. This structure was
completed in 1399, and was the
private retreat of the shogun
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358–
1409). It was burnt down in
1950 by a crazed monk, but was
quickly rebuilt.
DecorativeGables
Shachihoko Nokihiragawara
• Dolphin like tile • Decorative flat tile
Mythical lining the roof
creatures with a edge between the
tiger’s head and round eave and
body of a fish tiles.

Nokimarugawara Roof end tile

• Round eave tile
• Displayed the
family crest
 DecorativeGables

Gengyo
Onigawara
• Decoration at the apex for a gable to
• Gargoyle like monster tile conceal the tip of the ridge beam and
rafters.
 Japanese
Interior Design
Interior design
• It is important to understand the evolution of
architectural styles in order to understand how the
interiors evolved as well. From the Heian period
through mid Edo period (792-1750) there were
major residential architectural styles which
evolved: Shinden-Zukuri; Shoin-Zukuri; and
Sukiya-Zukuri

Evolution of Architecture
and Interior Styles
 Shinden
Zukuri
• The halls are connected to one another by roofed
passageways. The interior of the shinden style was also like
worship halls which were open except for round pillars. The
center of the main hall was called moya and was surrounded
by two sets of pillars. The interior space was partitioned
through the clever use of folding screens, Byobu, reed
curtains, sundare and curtain stands, kicho. The flooring was
wooden planks. There were cushions and rush mats used for
sitting and sleeping. There was small room called the
nurigome used for sleeping or storage. This style was used by
the nobility and high rankings samurai through the mid 15th
century. When you see paintings of Tale of Genji you are
seeing the shinden-zukuri style of architecture.
ShoinZukuri
• Shoin means library or study. The
shoin style eventually became a grand
and large setting meant for the pomp
of the feudal warlords. It was a larger,
massive feeling with much
ornamentation.
• mansions of the military
Sukiya
Zukuri
• The sukiya style came from the tea
ceremony, infact the word sukiya refers to
the building in which the tea ceremony is
performed.
• Sukiya style combined a smaller, simpler
setting with the features of a more
delicate, natural and unornamented style.
• (Cha no yu)
• Four principles: harmony,
reverence, purity, silence.
• Feeling of self abandonment is
the essence of tea drinking.

Tea Ceremony
Interior of a Japanese
Tea house
• Designed and built for entertaining
personal and business guests.
• Materials used are paper, wood
(maple, bamboo, and cedar) , natural
colored clay, stone and woven wicker

• Ma
- a consciousness of place, not in the
sense of an enclosed three-dimensional
entity, but rather the simultaneous
awareness of form and non form deriving
from an intensification of vision.
 Components of Japanese
a room
01 - Fusuma
• Sliding doors covered with a thick paper used to
separate tatami rooms; has painted natural
sceneries on it unlike the shoji screen. Usually 6ft
high. It is used for internal divisions.
02-Ramma
• Transom detail
• Made of wood and carved on both sides
• Placed between the ceiling and shoji
• They also serve the practical purpose of allowing
ventilation and light into the interior of the house.
 Components of Japanese
a room

03-Shoji Screen 04- Tatami Mats

• Usually three by six ft made of tightly woven rice straw pads (1 ¾” to
• Sliding doors covered with thin paper posted over wood 2 ½” thk.) and 15-20 lbs. heavy. Covered by a finely woven mat on
grid and frame door. Wood is normally unfinished. It is top edged with cloth. The size of the room is referred by the number
used to divide the interior and exterior. Translucent paper of mats. A formal Japanese tea room is usually 4 ½ mats. The word
made from mulberry bark (rice paper is misnomer). tatami comes from the vern tatamu, which means to fold or pile.
 Components of Japanese
a room

05- Doma 06- Genkan

• Important feature of the house. • Entrance
• The fireplace • Lower than the home
• Slipper are left
 Interior of a
02
JapaneseRoom .

TOKOBASHIRA.
Decorative posts/ poles
that are part of the tea
03 room alcove. The alcove
04 pillar made of an attractive
wood pole.

03
TOKONOMA SHELVES.
Placed on bottom or inside
of alcove/copper. Made of
natural wood, the lower
01
04 shelves are generally raised
slightly above the tatami;
while the upper shelves are
staggeredly arranged.

TOKONOMA. Meditative altar; a thick TOKONOMA ALCOVE. Usually contains a scroll or

panel of wood with a scroll hanging picture of a flower arrangement. Reserved for treasured
01 (kakemono) over. It evolved into a
02 items like a piece of fine ceramic or an iron work. The scroll
display of valued possessions. placed depend on the season.
 Interior of aJapaneseRoom

01- REED DOORS 02- WOODEN DOORS

Sliding doors made of reeds, they are Heavy slatted doors from Japanese store houses,
they can be used as main entrance doors of a house
used in the summer instead of the shoji.
or transformed into dining tables.
 Interior of aJapaneseRoom

03- JODAN 04- SHITAJI-MADO

Raised area or platform within a room on Bamboo window lattices; often seen in Japanese garden
structures/ tea houses as a visual way of separating spaces
which the tokonama is usually located. while maintaining an airy quality.
 Interior of aJapanese Room
Typically, ceilings in traditional Japanese
homes are lower than what we experience in
the west. The tendency in Japan was to lower
the ceiling height as the floor space became
smaller, in the west we generally do the
opposite. There are several reasons for this.
1.) First is that the living style was at floor level
so perception of the ceiling height was different
from that chair levels.
2.) The other reason has always been that “high
ceiling make for cold winters and dim
06- CEILING lighting”.
 Color
Japanese interiors generally use neutral, natural colors, to
provide a simple background. Interiors emphasize
architecture, and as a result, provide a sense of geometric
order.
Texture
Some Japanese textures and materials that immediately
come to mind are cedar, rice paper, maple, bamboo,
stone, woven wicker. One might also think of texture
silk, tatami floor mats and elaborate needlework of
kimonos and obi’s
What is a
Japanese House?
Floor plan of Zan Yu So
Organic organization of a Japanese House
 Japanese Terms
English Term Japanese Term English Term Japanese Term
bedroom Shinshitsu workplace Shokuba
living room Omotezashiki Library Toshokan
dining room Shokudō Classroom Kyōshitsu
kitchen Kuriya Restaurant Inshoku-ten
bathroom Yokushitsu Bakery Pan-ya
attic Yaneura Pharmacy Yakkyoku
basement Chika Hospital Byōin
garage Shako museum Hakubutsukan
Rooms Heya Cafe Chamise
Shop Tentō
Kondaya Genbei Residence
Kondaya Genbei Residence
Kondaya Genbei Residence
Kondaya Genbei Residence
Sato Residence, Osaka
Sato Residence, Osaka
Sato Residence, Osaka
Sato Residence, Osaka
Sato Residence, Osaka
Sato Residence, Osaka
Kusume Residence, Kanagawa
Kusume Residence, Kanagawa
Kusume Residence, Kanagawa
Nakamuro house, Wajima
Nakamuro house, Wajima
Nakamuro house, Wajima
Yamamoto Farmhouse, Keihoku
Yamamoto Farmhouse, Keihoku
Yamamoto Farmhouse, Keihoku
Yamamoto Farmhouse, Keihoku
Kawabata house, Fujioka
Kawabata house, Fujioka
Kawabata house, Fujioka
Kawabata house, Fujioka
Kawabata house, Fujioka
Andrea Hikone’s living room
• Andrea Hikone’s
living room in the
Casa Kimua, Tokyo,
Japan, c. 1995. In this
living space in a
modern house in
Tokyo, old and new
combine. Seating
cushions are arranged
on a fl oor of tatami
mats around a
traditional sunken
hearth for cooking, all
contrasting with the
twentiethcentury
technology of the
television and the up-
lighting.
• Furniture (other than some built-in elements)
was not important in traditional Japanese
interiors, where simple mats on the floor
served for seating and sleeping.

• Furnishings tend to be minimal and multi

functional. For example, a futon is used for
sitting and sleeping or serving trays double as

Furniture
place settings.
 Hibachi
Hearth
• A Japanese hearth found at the center of the
house where the family gatherings occur.
• a container for a charcoal fire that could be
placed wherever needed, was a common
convenience in the somewhat cold and damp
Japanese climate.
• It is a finely crafted, portable fireplace, used in
old homes and shops to provide heat, warm
sake, and boil water for tea.
 Chest
Tansu

• Box / step / stairway

 Kamidana
Altar

• Buddhist altar for Japanese gods; placed near

the ceiling (“god-shelf ”) are miniature
household altars provided to enshrine a Shinto
kami.
 Butsudan
Altar

• Buddhist altars
• A wooden cabinet with doors that enclose and
protect a Gobonzon or religious icon;
• The doors are opened to display the icon during
religious observances, and closed before sunset.
 Japanese
Futon

• Japanese roll up mattress

 Todana

• Shelving inside
 Chadansu

• To store tea
• shelving
 Zataku

• Low table
• Used in guest room
 Zabuton

• Seat cushion
 Kotatsu

• Heated table
• Used during winter
 JapaneseAccessories

• Oil lamps and candles were the sources of artificial light before electricity. Lanterns and lamps, both
functional and decorative, were common.
 JapaneseAccessories

• Obis – these are wide sashes worn with the • Tenigui – these are rectangular cloths, which
kimonos These make excellent table runners or
were once used as headbands, now function as
can be hung in a group, behind a bed to create a
placemats.
headboard.
 Japanese
Accessories

• Sake kegs – double as planters, end • Japanese clothing strands can be used as
tables, lamp bases, depending on their size. towel racks.
• A representation
in miniature, as
part of a picture or
even a painting

Japanese Garden
Japanese Garden
Symbolism
• Hill with bushes and waterfall
- mountain landscape
• Flat Garden – lake landscape
• Cherry trees – spring
Japanese Garden
Symbolism
• Maple – Autumn
• Pond or white sand – water
• Rocks – islands
• Rock paths
• During the course of the twentieth century, traditional Japanese design
became merged with influences from Western European and
American practice. Increased ease of travel and communications made
it possible for many Japanese designers to receive their education
in Western countries, while some Western architects produced work in
Japan. Frank Lloyd Wright was responsible for the Imperial Hotel of
1916–20 in Tokyo (since demolished), and indeed lived there for
several years. Le Corbusier produced work in Japan and exerted
influence there through his writing.

Japanese influence
 Sources:
MAIN AND SUPPORT REFERENCE

• Pile, J. F., & Gura, J. (2014). A history of interior design. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
• Archer, P. (2014). Religion 101: From Allah to Zen Buddhism: An exploration of the
key people, practices, and beliefs that have shaped the religions of the world.
Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation.
• Ellwood, R. S. (2016). Introducing Japanese religion.
• Milhaupt, T. S. (2016). Kimono: a modern history. London: Reaktion Books.
• Mitchelhill, J., & Green, D. (2018). Samurai kyassuruzu: Hisutori akitekucha vijitazu
gaizu. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing.
• The Metropolitain Museum of Art. (1975). Momoyama: Japanese Art in the Age of
Grandeur. New York.
• Murase, M. (2002). The written image: Japanese calligraphy and painting from the
Sylvan Barnet and William Burto Collection. New York: Metropolitan Museum of
Art.
• Sun, M.-J. (1999). Japanese fashions. Mineola: Dover Publications.
• Tada, K., Mehta, G. K., & Murata, N. (2005). Japan style: architecture , interiors,
design. Singapore: Tuttle.

INTERNET SOURCE

• Explore Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/
• (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/
• The Digital Encyclopedia. (2020, April 4). Retrieved from https://theencarta.com/
 日本語
Japanese
style
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