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PEABODY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE.
MEMOIRS. —VOL. H.
JAPANESE HOMES
AND
THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
BY
EDWARD S. MORSE,
DIRECTOR OF THE ACADEMY.
SALEM, MASS.:
PEABODY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE.
1886.
PREFATORY NOTE.
THE Trustees of the PEABODY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE,
deeming the following work on Japanese Homes and
their Surroundings of important ethnological value, have
been enabled, through the courtesy of Messrs. Ticknor
and Co., publishers, and of the University Press, to issue
the work as a publication of the Academy, forming the
second volume of its Memoirs.
In justice to its author, it should be stated that the
work was prepared as one of a series of popular books
on Japan, and consequently was written in a more familiar
style than if it had been prepared strictly as a scientific
memoir.
PEABODY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE,
SALEM, MASS., U.S.A., January, 1880.
JAPANESE HOMES
AND
THEIR SURROUNDINGS
BY
EDWARD S. MORSE
DIRECTOR OF THE PEABODY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ;
LATE PROFESSOR OF ZO8LOGY, UNIVERSITY OF TOKIO, JAPAN; MEMBFR OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE;
FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES ; ETC.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
BY THE AUTHOR
BOSTON
TICKNOR AND COMPANY
1886
Copyright, ISS5.
liv Kii\v.\Kr> S. MORSK.
Ail rights
Jonii WIUOK AND Son, CAHKIDCK
TO
WILLIAM STURGIS BIGELOW, M.D.
IN MEMORY OF THE DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCES IN THE
t of Japan"
THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED
BY THE
AUTHOR
PREFACE.
T N an exceedingly interesting article on the early study of the
Dutch in Japan, by Professor K. Mitsukuri,1 the author has
occasion to refer to the uncle of one of the three famous .Jap-
anese scholars who translated into Japanese a Dutch book on
anatomy. He says this uncle •• Miyada was almost eccentric
in his disposition. He held it to be a solemn duty to learn
any art or accomplishment that might be going out of the
world, and then describe it so fully that it might be preserved
to posterity." The nephew was faithful to his uncle's instruc-
tions, and " though following medicine for his profession, he took
it upon himself to learn ' hitoyogiri,' — a certain kind of music
which was well-nigh forgotten, — and even went so far as to
study a kind of dramatic acting."
Though not animated by Miyada' s spirit when I set about
the task of collecting the material embodied in this work, I
feel now that the labor has not been altogether in vain, as it
may result in preserving many details of the Japanese house, —
some of them trivial, perhaps, — which in a few decades of
years may be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain. Whether
this has been accomplished or not, the praiseworthy ambition
of the old Japanese scholar might well be imitated by the
ethnological student in his investigations, — since nothing can
be of greater importance than the study of those nations and
1 Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. v. part i. p. 207.
viii PREFACE.
peoples who are passing through profound changes and readjust-
ments as a result of their compulsory contact with the vigorous,
seltMi. and mercantile nations of the West, accompanied on
tlu-ir part by a propagandism in some respects equally mercenary
and selfish.
Thanks to the activity of a number of students of various
nationalities in tin- employ of the Japanese government, and
more rspcially to the scholarly utfftcht'x of the English legation
in Japan, much information has been obtained concerning this
interesting people which might otherwise have been lost. If
investigators and students would bear in mind the precept of
Miyada. and sei/.e upon those features in social life — forms of
etiquette, games, ceremonies, and other manners and customs —
which are the lir.-t to change in any contact with alien races, a
very important work would he accomplished for the future soci-
ologjxt. The native Japanese student might render the great-
est service in this work by noting down from the older per-
sons, before it is too late, the social features and habits of his
own people as they were before the late Revolution. Profound
changes have already taken place in Japan, and other changes
an- still in progres; As an indication of the rapidity of some
of these changes, reference might be made to an interesting me-
moir, by Mr. McCLttcliie. on "The Feudal Mansions of Yedo ; "
and though this was written but ten years after the revolution
of ISf.S. he speaks of the i/nsfiikl. or fortified mansions where
dwelt the feudal nobles of Japan, as in '"many cases deserted,
ruined, and fallen into decay;' and he describes observances
and manners connected with the t/ashiki. such as "etiquette of
"exchange of yashiki," " rules relating to fires," etc.,
which were then obsolete at the time of his writing, though in
full force but a few years before.
I shall be particularly grateful for any facts concerning the
Japanese house beyond those recorded in this book, or which
PREFACE. ix
may be already in my possession, as also for the correction of
any errors which may have unavoidably been made in the text.
Should a second edition of this work be called for, such new
information and corrections will be incorporated therein, with
due acknowledgments.
I wish to express my gratitude to Dr. W. S. Bigelow, whose
delightful companionship I enjoyed during the collection of
many of the facts and sketches contained in this volume, and
whose hearty sympathy and judicious advice were of the great-
est service to me. To Professor and Mrs. E. F. Fenollosa, also,
my thanks are especially due for unnumbered kindnesses during
my last visit to Japan.
I would also here return my thanks to a host of Japanese
friends who have at various times, in season and out of season,
granted me the privilege of sketching their homes and examining
their dwellings from top to bottom in quest of material furl his
volume ; who furthermore have answered questions, translated
terms, hunted up information, and in many ways aided me, — so
that it may be truly said, that had this assistance been withheld.
but little of my special work could have been accomplished.
Any effort to recall the names of all these friends would lead
to the unavoidable omission of some ; nevertheless. 1 must spe-
cially mention Mr. H. Takamine. Director of the Tokio Normal
School ; Dr. Seiken Takenaka ; Mr. Tsunejiro Miyaoka ; Mr. S.
Tejima, Director of the Tokio Educational Museum ; Professors
Toyama, Yatabe, Kikuchi, Mitsukuri. Sasaki, and Kozima, and
Mr. Ishikawa and others, of the University of Tokio ; Mr. Isawa
and Mr. Kodzu, Mr. Fukuzawa, the distinguished teacher and
author ; Mr. Kashiwagi, Mr. Kohitsu. and Mr. Masuda. I must
also acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. H. Kato. Director
of the University of Tokio, to Mr. Hattori. Vice-director, and to
Mr. Hamao and other officers of the Educational Department,
for many courtesies, and for special accommodations during my
x PREFACE.
last visit to Japan. Nor must I omit to mention Mr. Tachibana,
Director of the nobles' school ; Mr. Kikkawa, Mr. Tahara, Mr.
Kineko, Mr. Ariga, Mr. Tanada, Mr. Nakawara, Mr. Yamaguchi,
Mr. Negishi of Kabutoyama, and many others, who supplied
me with various notes of interest. In this country I have been
specially indebted to Mr. A. S. Mihara and Mr. S. Fukuzawa, for
valuable assistance during the preparation of the text; and to
Mr. Arakawa. Mr. Shiraishi. Mr. Shugio, and Mr. Yamada of
New York, for timely aid.
T<> sin- Hoard of Trustees of the Peabody Academy of Science,
who. recognizing the ethnological value of the work I had in
band, granted me a release from my duties as Director until I
rould complete it : and to Professor John Robinson. Treasurer of
tlie Academy, and Mr. T. F. Hunt, for friendly suggestions and
helpful interest, as al>o to Mr. Percival Lowell for numerous
courte.-ie<. — my thanks are due. I must not forget to record
here my indebtedness to Mr. A. W. Stevens, chief proof-reader
of tlie I Diversity Press, for his invaluable assistance in the
literary part of my labors, and for his faithful scrutiny of the
proof-sheet s. At the same time 1 desire to thank Miss Mar-
garet te W. Brooks for much aid given to me in my work; my
daughter. Miss Kdith (I Morse, for the preliminary tracings of
tbe drawings from my journals; Mr. L. S. Ipsen. who drew
the imique and beautiful design for the cover of this book;
Mr. A. V. S. Anthony for judicious supervision of the process-
work in the illustrations: the University Press for its excellent
workmanship in tlie printing of the book ; and the Publishers
for the generous manner in which they have supported the
undertaking. 1 will only add, that the excellent Index to be
found at the end of this book was prepared by Mr. Charles
H. Stevens.
EDWARD S. MORSE.
SALEM. MASH., r. 8. A.
T, 1886.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xv
INTRODUCTION • xxv
CHAPTER I.
THE HOUSE.
APPEARANCE OF CITY AND VILLAGE. — GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF
HOUSE. — HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. — FRAME-WORK AND FOUNDA-
TION. — BRACING. — SELECTION OF STOCK. — JAPANESE CARPEN-
TERS. — CARPENTERS' TOOLS AND APPLIANCES. — CONSTRUCTION
OF CEILING. — PARTITIONS AND WALLS. — STRUCTURE OF KURA . 1
CHAPTER II.
TYPES OF HOUSES.
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. — FISHERMEN'S HOUSES. — KURA. — A
STUDY OF EOOFS. — SHINGLED ROOFS. — TILED ROOFS. — STONE
ROOFS. — THATCHED ROOKS 45
CHAPTER III.
INTERIORS.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION. — PLANS. — MATS. — SLIDING SCREENS. —
FUSUMA. — HlKITE. — SHOJI. — TOKONOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA. —
TEA-ROOMS. — KURA. — CEILINGS. — WALLS. — RAMMA. — WIN-
DOWS.— PORTABLE SCREENS . 108
xii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IV.
INTERIORS — (Continued).
PACK
K ITCIIEX. — FLOORS. — CLOSETS. — STAIRWAYS. — PUBLIC BATHING. —
K v I lllNi. CoXVEXIENCES. — TOWEL-RACKS. — BEDDING AND PlL-
LOW.H. — liuiAi HI AND TAHAKO-HON. — CANDLES AND CANDLE-
STICKS. — LAMPS AND LAXTKK.NS. — HOUSEHOLD SHRINES. — BIRDS'
NESTS ix HOUSES. — I'RIVIES ............. 185
CHAPTER V.
ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES.
Yr.sTiiii -I.E AXD HAI.I.. - - VKRANDAII AMI BALCONY. — AMADO. — To-
rn KUKO. — CHODZU-BACHI. — (!ATE\VAVS. — FENCES ...... 234
CHAPTER VI.
GARDENS.
STONE TABLETS. — ISIII-DORO. — BRIDUEM. — SI-MMER-HOI-SES. — PONDS.
-PATHWAY*. - DWARF-THKES AND FLOWER-POTS ...... 273
CHAPTER VII.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
WELLS AXD WATER-ST-I-I-LV. — FLOWERS. — INTERIOR ADORNMENTS.—
A.IAIXST FII:E. — HOUSES OF FOREIGN STYLE. —
ABSENCE OK MONUMENTS . 90^
••••.. _,"!
CHAPTER VHT.
THE ANCIENT HOUSE.
TO THE HOUSE IN ANCIENT JAPANESE RECORDS . 323
CONTENTS. xiii
CHAPTER IX.
THE NEIGHBORING HOUSE.
HOUSE OP THE AINO. — OF THE Boxix ISLANDER. — OF THE Loo-
CHOOAN. — OF TIIE KOKEA.V. — OF THE CHINESE. — CONCLUDIXI;
REMARKS 330
GLOSSARY 349
INDEX . 357
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
VIEWS OF CITY AND VILLAGE.
PAGE
FIG. 1. A VIEW IN TOK.IO, SHOWING SHOPS AND HOUSES. (COPIED IRO.U A PHO-
TOGRAPH.) 3
" 2. A VIEW IN TOKIO, SHOWING TEMPLES AND GARDENS. (COPIED FROM A
PHOTOGRAPH.) 3
" 3. VIEW op ENOSUIMA. (COPIED FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.) 5
HOUSE CONSTRUCTION.
FIG. 4. SIDE-FRAMING 14
" 5. POUNDING DOWN FOUNDATION STONES 15
" 6. FOUNDATION STONE 10
" 7. SECTION OP FRAMING 17
" 8. FRAMING 17
" 9. END-FBAMING OF LARGE BUILDING 18
" 10. ROOF-FRAME OP LARGE BUILDING ... 19
" 11. ROOF-FRAMING OF KURA 20
" 12. FRAMING op AN ORDINARY TWO-STORIED HOUSE. (FROM A JAPANESE
DRAWING) 22
" 13. OUTSIDE BRACES 23
" 14. OUTSIDE BRACE 24
" 15. ORNAMENTAL BRACE 25
" 16. METHOD OF CUTTING TIMBER FOR HOUSE-FINISH 25
" 17. SECTION OF POST GROOVED FOR PARTITION 2f>
" 18. BUNDLE oy BOARDS 26
•' 19. SECTION OF CEILING 27
" 20. CEILING-RAFTERS SUPPORTED TEMPORARILY 28
" 21. METHOD OF SUSPENDING CEILING AS SEEN FROM ABOVE 29
" 22. CEILING-BOARD WEIGHTED WITH STONES 30
" 23. CEILING-BOABD IN CLOSET 30
xvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAOB
FIG. 24. METHOD OF REMOVING BOARDS FROM BUNDLE TO PRESERVE UNIFORMITY
OF GRAIN 81
25. ARRANGEMENT 07 SQUARE TILES ON SIDE OF HOUSE 33
CARPENTERS' TOOLS, ETC.
Fie. 26. A JAPANESE CARPENTER'S VISE ... 38
27. CARPENTER'S TOOLS is COMMON USB 39
2S A JAPANESE NAIL-BASKET 41
29. A CARPENTER'S MARKING-BRUSH MADE OF WOOD 41
30. THE SUMI-TSUBO . 42
31. Tin. JAPANESE I'I.UMH-LINF. . . 42
32 ANI IENT CARPENTER (COPIED FROM AN OLD PAINTING) 43
CITY AM) COUNTRY HOUSES.
Kn. .'!3 STREET IN KANDI Ku, THKIO ...... 51
31 STREET IN KANIH Kr. TOKIO ... . 52
35. KI.OI K UK CHKAP TENEMENTS IN TOKIO ...... 53
30. STREIT VIEW OF ])«KI.LIN<; is TOKIO ..... 54
3T VIEW UK DWELLING FROM (IAKDEN, IN TOKIO ... . 55
Dwp.Ll.lNii NEAR KUDAS, ToKIO. . 5fi
I'lUNTRV I.NN IN KlKUZEN 57
t" <',,|-STI;V INN IN KlKUZES. . . r,g
41 Hoi SE NEAR MoROKAN. YE/.O .... 59
'•o-wisMiw, VILLAGE OF OD/.TKA, HIKIV.IN 60
43. THREE-STORIED HorsE IN ItiKrcuiu . . . . .61
41 STREET IN THE Smi'iuis OF MORIOKA . . . (;i
4"> OLD FAKM-IIOCSE is KAHI'TOYAMA ... . r>2
I!\THA\(E To CorRT-V\HD OF Ol.l) Hof.SE IN KlOTO . . . 64
47 Oi.n Jim SE IN KIOTO. COI-RT-YARD VIEW . 65
4v OLD HOI-SB is KIOTO. HARDEN VIEW . . 66
49 HOI-SE IN TOKIO . ,;8
VIEW FROM SECOND STORY OF DWELLING IN I si A DO, TOKIO 70
51 OLD INN is MISIIIJU, SI-RUGA . . 71
52 VILLAGE STREET is NAGAIKE, YAMASIIIRO 72
53 SHORE op Osmi -3
FARMERS' HOUSES is MOTOTARUMIDSU. OSUMI 73
FISHERMEN'S HIT, iN HAKODATE 74
56 FISIIERMES'S Horses AT ESOSIIIMA . 74
57 Ki RA is TOKIO r-5
KURA, OR FIRE-PROOF BUILDINGS ra TOKIO (FROM SKETCH BY S. KOYAMA) 75
59 OLD HOUSE is HAKODATE 76
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xvii
SHINGLED ROOFS, ETC.
PAGE
Fiu. 60. HISASHI 79
" 61. BUNCH OP SHINGLES, NAILS, AND HAMMER 80
" 62. SHINGLEK'S HAND 80
1)3. BAMBOO STRIPS ON SHINGLE-ROOK 81
64. ROOF WITH SHINGLES PARTLY LAID . 82
•• 65. RIDGE or SHINGLE-ROOF IN MUSASHI 83
'' 66. WATER^CONDUCTOR 83
TILED ROOFS, ETC.
FIG. 67. RIDGE OF TILED ROOF 85
" 68. ORNAMENTAL COPING OF TILES 86
" 69. ORNAMENTAL COPING OF TILES 86
70. ORNAMENTAL COPING OF TILES . . 86
" 71. EAVES OF TILED ROOF 87
" 72. NAGASAKI TILED ROOF 88
" 73. HON-GAWARA, OR TRUE TlLE 88
'• 74. YEDC-GAWABA, OR YEDO-TILE EAVES 89
75. FRENCH-TILE EAVES 89
76. IWAMI TILE FOR RIDGE 89
" 77. STONE ROOF 90
THATCHED ROOFS, ETC.
Fio. 78. THATCH AND THATCHERS' IMPLEMENTS 92
" 79. END OF ROOF IN FUJITA, IWAKI 93
" 80. TILED RIDGE OF THATCHED ROOF IN IWAKI 94
" 81. TILED RIDGE OF THATCHED ROOF IN MUSASHI 94
" 82. BAMBOO RIDGE OF THATCHED ROOF IN MUSASHI 95
" 81. THATCHED ROOF, NEAR TOKIO 96
" 84. THATCHED ROOF, NEAR TOKIO. (FEOM PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY PEHCI-
VAL LOWELL, Esq) 97
" 85. RIDGK OF THATCHED ROOF AT KABUTOYAMA, MUSASHI 98
" 86. CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN OMI 99
" 87. TILE AND BAMBOO RIDGE OF THATCHED ROOF, TAKATSUKI, SETSU . . 100
'• 88. CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN MIKAWA 101
" 89. CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN KIOTO 101
" 90. CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN MIKAWA 102
" 91. CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN Kn 102
" 92. THATCHED ROOF IN YAMATO 103
xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
FIG. »3. CRIST or THATCBID ROOF is TOTOMI 104
• 91 CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN ISK . . 105
" 95. PAVED SFACR CNDEK EAVES OF THATCHED ROOF 106
INTERIORS, 1'LANS, MATS, SLIDING SCREENS, ETC.
FIG 96. (jresT-RooM AT HACIII-ISUI 10'J
97. PLAN or DwKLi.iSG-norsE is TOKIO 113
98. PLAN OF DWELLING-HOI SE is TOKIO 116
99. Pi.\s UK A PORTION OF A DAIMIO'S RESIDENCE 121
If HI MAT 122
lol ARRANGEMENT OF MATS IN DIFFERENT-SIZED ROOMS 123
•• 1'|J ATTITIDK OK WOMAN IN SITTING 124
•• IM.-J. SEITION THROVGU VERANDAH AND GUEST-ROOM 126
I'll Ui.KH-siUF.KN 128
" In;, SLIMING PANEL . . 129
HI. HIKITK 130
• l»r HIKITE . . 130
ins HIKITK . . 130
in'j. HIKITK . 131
110. IflKlTF. WITH CMRII . . 131
111 SlIUIGim NINi. SlloJI-IUAMF. 132
" 111!. MI..JI WITH UlCNAMKXTM. KllAME . . 132
I [.'!. I'uRTIoN (JF ToKO-BASHIRA . 134
11." niiNAMKXTAi.-iiKAiirn NAILS .... 134
IIS SHELVES (.'IINTRASTED WITH CIIXVEXTIONAL |)UAUI.NG OK MIST, OR CLOUDS 137
INTERIORS SHOWING ToKoNOMA AND CHIGAI-DANA.
FIG
11 '.(.
fifF.-T-ROOM
138
••
1-20
(ii rsT-HooM, WITH RECESSES IN CORNER . . .
139
••
121
GCEST-ROOM, SHOWING ClRCl'LAR WlNDOW . . . .
140
••
Hi
(ii KST-IKKiM, SHOWING WRITING-PLACE
.... 141
"
123
GfMT-ROOM, WITH WIDE ToKONOMA
142
••
121
SMALL GCEST-RIMIM . . .
.... 143
.»
125
GrMTHROOM OF Dwi.l.LINO IN ToKIO
144
120 fiCEXT-ROOM IN KlYOMIIiZr, K IOTO . ........ 145
127. GrrsT-RooM op UWF.LI.ING IN TOKIO ........... 146
1»S. GI-E.IT-ROOM OF A COUSTRT Horse . .......... 147
129 CORNER OF GUEST-ROOM ..... ..... 148
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xix
TEA-KOOMS.
PACK
FIG. 130. TEA-ROOM IN NAJI-EN-JI TEMPLE, KIOTO 152
" 131. TEA-EOOM IN FUJIMI POTTERY, NAGOYA 153
" 132. TEA-ROOM IN MIYAJIMA 154 ^
" 133. KITCHEN FOE TEA-UTENSILS 155 \^
" 134. TEA-ROOM IN IMADO, TOKIO 156
" 135. CORNER OF TEA-UOOM SHOWN is FIG. 134 157
KURA INTERIORS, DOORS, ETC.
FIG. 136. ROOM IN SECOND STOEY OP OLD BUILDING IN KAWAGOYE, MUSASIII . 159
" 137. ROOM IN KURA FITTED UP AS A LIBRARY, TOKIO 160
" 138. FRAMEWORK FOR DRAPING ROOM IN KURA. (COPIED FROM A JAPANESE
WORK) 161
" 139. SPACE BETWEEN DWELLING AND KURA, ROOFED OVER AND UTILIZED AS
A KITCHEN IN TOKIO 162
" 140. DOORWAY OF AN OLD KURA IN KIOTO 163
" 141. KEY TO KURA, AND BUNCU OF KEYS 164
" 142. PADLOCK TO KURA 164
CEILING, EAMMA, WINDOWS.
FIG. 143. PANELLED CEILING 166
" 144. RAMMA IN HAKONE VILLAGE 169
" 145. BAMBOO RAMMA 170
" 146. PORCKLAIN RAMMA IN TOKIO 170
" 147. RAMMA OF BAMBOO AND PERFORATED PANEL 171
" 148. CARVED-WOOD RAMMA IN Go.no VILLAGE, YAMATO 173
" 149. CARVED-WOOD RAMMA IN TOWN OF YATSUSHIRO, HIGO 173
" 150. RAMMA, COMPOSED OF TWO THIN BOARDS, IN NAGOTA, OWARI . . . 174
" 151. SHOJI FOR WINDOW 175
" 152. SlIOJI-FRAME FOR WINDOW 175
" 153. SHOJI-FRA.ME FOR WINDOW 176
" 154. WINDOW 176
PORTABLE SCREENS, CURTAINS, ETC.
FIG. 155. BIYD-BU, OR FOLDING SCREEN 178
" 156. WEOUGHT METALLIC MOUNTING OF SCREEN FRAME 179
" 157. SCREEN-BOX 180
" 153. FOOT-WEIGHT FOE SCREEN ' 180
XX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Fio. 159. FrmosAH BIT&-BU 181
" 160. MODEL or TSUI-TATE IK POTTERY 181
" 161. Tsri-TATB I82
" 16J. BAMBOO CURTAINS 182
" 163. BAMBOO CURTAIN I83
" 104. Ct -RTAIN-SI REEN 183
" 165. FRINGED CURTAIN I83
" 166. SLASHED CURTAIN 184
KITCHENS, STAIRWAYS, ETC.
FIG. Id?. KITCHEN IN <>u> FARMHOUSE AT KABUTOYAMA 186
1GS. KITCHEN KANC.E 187
" Ki'J. Km HEN HANOE WITH SMOKE-CONDUCTOR 189
" 170 Km MEN IN Cm HOUSE 190
•• Kl BRWIER* . 191
" 17:?. BxMii'-o IU< K AND KNIKE-CASK 192
17:t Ji-7M 192
" 171 FlREI'I.\i t IN CnrSTRV llofSF. 193
" 17 j. Till. HI >T FlIlEI-I.MK 19-1
•• 171', Av ADJI sTAiu.K Di.xni. 1011 M rponTiN<. A KETTLE 195
" 177 KIT. IIIN CLOM.T, I >u \V\EKS, Ci TBOAIUI, AND STAIRS COMBINED . . . 190
17*. STAIR-IIUI 198
" 17'.' STI:I"« 10 VERANDAH 199
HATHIN<; CONVENIENCES.
FIG. lyn IUTII-TIII, MITII SIHK O\i:s 203
1H IUTII-TI II. «1T1I ISMIIE Fl.t E 203
" l">i BATII-TMI IN SECTION, WITH O\i:s IH'TSIDE THE KOOM 204
" 1--3 IUTII Till. WITH dl'TSIDK II EATINI.-; HAM11ER 204
" 1*4 H\TII-TI ii, WITH IRON BASE 205
" KV I, \\ATOHV i\ Cot NTHV INN 206
" !>>r, I,»\ATORT IN PRIX ATE Hoi SE 207
" 1S7. I.AVATORT COPIED FROM JAPANESE BOOK 208
" 1<^'-192 FORMS OF TOWEI.-RACKS 209
PILLOWS. HIBACHI, AND TABAKO-BON.
PIG. 193. FORMS OF PILLOW IN COMMON USE 211
" 194. SHOWING POSITION OF HEAD IK RESTING ON PILLOW 212
14 195. Mi ATINO ARRANGEMENT IN FLOOR . 213
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xxi
PAGE
Fie. 196. ELBOW-REST 214
" 197. COMMON HIBA.CHI 215
" 198. HIBACHI 215
" 199. HIBACUI 216
" 200. HIBACHI AKEANOED FOR COMPANY 217
" 201. TABAKO-BON 217
" 202. TABAKO-BON 218
" 203. TAIIAKO-BON 218
" 204. PAN FOR HOLDING BUKNING CHARCOAL 219
CANDLESTICKS, L AMI'S, SHRINES, ETC.
FIG. 205. IRON CANDLESTICK 220
" 206. LAMP .221
" 207. LAMP 221
" 208. LAMP AND LACQUERED STAND. (COPIED FROM A JAPANESE WOKK.) . 222
" 209. WALL-LAMP 223
" 210. LAMP 223
" 211. POTTERY LAMP 223
" 212. POTTERY LAMP 224
" 213. POTTERY CANDLESTICK 224
" 214. FIXED STREET-LANTERN 225
" 215. HOUSEHOLD SHRINE 226
" 216. SWALLOWS' NESTS IN PRIVATE HOUSE 227
PRIVIES.
FIG. 217. INTERIOR OF PRIVY 228
" 218. PRIVY OF INN IN HACIII-ISIII VILLAGE, NIKKO 229
" 219. PRIVY CONNECTED WITH A MERCHANT'S HOUSD IN ASAKUSA .... 230
" 220. INTERIOR OF A PRIVY IN ASAKUSA 231
ENTRANCE AND HALL.
FIG. 221. MAIN ENTRANCE rn HOUSE 236
" 222. PLAN OF VESTIBULE AND HALL 237
" 223. SHOE-CLOSET 238
" 224. LANTEUN-SIIELF IN HALL 240
" 225. GRATED ENTRANCE WITH SLIDING DOOR - 241
VERANDAH AND BALCONY.
FIG. 226. VERANDAH FLOOR 243
" 227. VERANDAH OF AN OLD KIOTO HOUSE 244
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
RMI
Fio. iJS. BALCONY RAIL - 245
" iiO. BALCONY KAIL AND PERFORATED PANELS 245
230. BALCONY RAIL 846
Ml. BALCONY KAIL 246
- i3i. BAU.OXY RAIL 247
AM ADO.
Fi<;. 233. RAIN-BOOB LOCK UNBOLTED 249
•• }tf*. RAIN-DOOR LOCK HOLTKD 219
" i33. KNOB roil RAIN-IXK>K . 250
" 23G. CORNER-ROLLER FOR RAIN-DOOR 251
" J.'t7. VERANDAH SHOWING SWI.MJIXO CLOSLT FOR RAIX-DOOBS AND ALSO
CiiOi«f-BA( in 252
CHoDZr-HACHI.
Fio. 23S. CitoD7.f-iiA( MI . . 253
23'J. CiiOuzc-iiAi'iii . . 254
" 2W. Ci\fn<f\ --iuf HI 255
241. CIIOD/.I --HA< in AND HISASIK-U v 256
GATEWAYS.
Km. ili. (IATFW \v IN YASIIIKI I'.rn.Dixi; 257
i\'.\. (IATI.WU' or f'uv Ilorsr. FROM WITHIN 258
• ^'U (i^i i -u \TTI.I: 259
ilJ. I5<H.T l"K I.ITTI.F. Sl.lDINC Doole IV (lATKWAY 259
iW. (iATKW\Y TO ClTV Kt.SIDF.NI K 260
" il". (i»Tt«tv TO CITY KF.MDKXCE . 2G1
2tS (iATFWAY XI:AR TOKIH • 202
" i»'J. (i\TKUAY 203
2 JO. RlsTII (ivTKWAY 264
iJl. Rt STIC CiATKWAY 265
•2Ji RI-STIC riARiiEs fi*TE 266
253. GARDKN GATEWAY . . 267
FENCES.
Fio 954. ORDINARY WOODEN FENCE 268
" 235. STAKE FENCE 268
" 250. BAMBOO FEXCE 209
" K7 FlNCE IN ITAKONE VlLLAOE . . 270
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xxiii
PAGE
fc'lG. 258. RUSTIC GARDEN-FENCE 270
" 259. SODE-GAKI 271
" 260. SODE-GAKI 271
" 261. SODE-GAKI 272
" 262. BARRED OPENING IN FENCE 272
STONE LANTERNS, ETC.
FIG. 263. GARDEN- TABLET 276
'• 264. ISIII-DORO IN TOKIO 277
" 205. Ism-nORo IN MIYAJIMA 277
" 206. ISIII-DORO ix SIIIHAKO, MrsAsni 277
" 267. Ism-DOaO ix L'TSUXOMIVA 27S
GARDEN BRIDGES.
FIG. 268. STONE FOOT-BRIDGE 278
" 209. STONE FOOT-IHUDGK 27'J
" 270. GARDEN BKOOK AND FOOT-BRIDGE 279
SUMMER-HOUSES, WINDOWS, AND PATHS.
FIG. 271. SUMMER-IIOUSK IN PRIVATE GARDEN, TOKIO 28]
" 272. SUMMER-HOUSE IN IMPERIAL GARDEN, TOKIO 2S2
" 273. RUSTIC OPENING IN SUMMER-HOUSE, KOUE 283
" 274. RUSTIC OPENING IN SUMMEU-IIOUSK, OKAZAKI 283
" 275. VARIOUS FORMS OF GARDEN PATHS 285
FLOWER-POTS, DWARF-TREES, ETC.
FIG. 276. WOODEN TROUGH FOR PLANTS 280
" 277- PLANT-POT OF OLD PLANK 2S7
" 278. DWARF PLUM 288
" 279. DWARF PINE 2S8
" 280 CURIOUSLY TRAINED PINK-TREE 288
" 281. DWARFED PINE 2S9
" 282. SHRUBS WRAPPED IN STRAW FOR WINTER 290
GARDEN VIEWS.
FIG. 283. SHOWING APPROACHES TO IIorsK (REPRODUCED FROM " CHIKUSAN
TEIZODEN," A JAPANESE WORK.) 291
" 284. LITTLE GARDEN BELONGING TO TIIE PRIESTS OF A BUDDHIST TEMPLE.
(REPRODUCED FROM " CHIKUSAN TEIZODEN," A JAPANESE WORK.) . 292
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
FIG. *85. GARDEN or A MEBCHAXT. (REPBODUCED FROM " CHIKUSAN TEIZO-
DE.N," A JAPAKESE WOIIK.) 293
" 886. GARDEN OF A DAIMIO. (REPRODUCED FROM "CmsusAS TEIZODEN,"
A JAPANESE WORK.) . 294
WELLS AND WATER-SUPPLY.
FIG. 2S7. ANTIKNT FOHU OF WELL-CURB 297
28S. STOSE WELL-CURB IN PRIVATE GARDEN IN TOKIO 298
iS'J. WOODEN WELL-FRAME . . 299
i'JO Ri STK WKU.-KKAME 299
i'Jl AVUEUI i T RESERVOIR AT MIYAJIMA, AKI 300
i'Ji. Ao,fEi>t<Ts AT MIYAJIMA, AKI 301
i'J.'} WKLL IN KAGA YAMIIKI, TOKIO 301
F L< >WEKS.
Fit;. 294. HAM;I.V(; FLOWER-HOLDER OK BAMBOO 305
2'.ij. HANGING FLOWKR-IIOI.DEK OK BASKET-WORK 306
20fi ClIF.AI' ItllAlKIT lull I-'l.oWEH-l'OTS 307
•207. Cruioi s COMIIIX.ITION or BUCKETS KOII FLOWERS 308
MISCELLANEOUS.
FlG. 2'J8. FllAMEl) 1'lCTl'HE, WITH SUPPORTS 312
29'.i. HASIIIBA-KAKUSIII . . . . 313
'• :iO). WBITIXU-DESI . 317
3ul STAI.IM; ON HOUSE-HOOF, WITH BUCKET AND BIIUSII 318
30-2. Box roil Tiuxsi'oiiTiNc. ARTK LES 319
OTHER HOUSES.
FIG. 303. MALAY HOUSE SEAR SINUAPORI: 329
304. RU»GE OF ROOF is CHOLOS, ANAM 330
305. INTERIOR OF MALAY HOUSE, SHOWING BED-PLACE. SINGAPORE . . . 330
306. Also HOUSE, YK/.O 337
307 AINO HOUSE, YEZO 338
INTRODUCTION,
"\ 1 7ITHIN twenty years there has gradually appeared in our
country a variety of Japanese objects conspicuous for
their novelty and beauty. — lacquers, pottery and porcelain, forms
in wood and metal, curious shaped boxes, quaint ivory carvings,
fabrics in cloth and paper, and a number of other objects as
perplexing in their purpose as the inscriptions which they often
bore. Most of these presented technicalities in their work us
enigmatical as were their designs, strange caprices in their
ornamentation which, though violating our hitherto recognized
proprieties of decoration, surprised and yet delighted us. The
utility of many of the objects we were at loss to understand ;
yet somehow they gradually found lodgment in our rooms, even
displacing certain other objects which we had been wont to
regard as decorative, and our rooms looked all the prettier for
their substitution. We found it difficult to formulate the prin-
ciples upon which such art was based, and yet were compelled
to recognize its merit. Violations of perspective, and colors in
juxtaposition or coalescing that before we had regarded as in-
harmonious, were continually reminding us of Japan and her
curious people. Slowly our methods of decoration became im-
bued with these ways so new to us, and yet so many cen-
turies old to the people among whom these arts had originated.
Gradually yet surely, these arts, at first so little understood,
xxvi INTRODUCTION.
modified our own methods of ornamentation, until frescos and
wall-papers, wood-work and carpets, dishes and table-cloths,
metal work and book-covers, Christmas cards and even railroad
advertisements were decorated, modelled, and designed after the
Japanese style.
It was not to be wondered at that many of our best artists, —
men like Coleman, Vedder, Lafarge. and others, — had long be-
fore recognized the transcendent merit of Japanese decorative art.
It was however somewhat remarkable that the public at large
should come so universally to recognize it, and in so short a time.
'Not onlv our own commercial nation, but art-loving France,
musical Germany, and even conservative England yielded to this
invasion. Not that new designs were evolved by us; on the con-
trarv. we were content to adopt Japanese designs outright, often-
times with a mixture of incongruities that would have driven a
Japanese decorator stark mad. Designs appropriate for the metal
mounting of a sword bla/ed out on our ceilings ; motives from
a heavy bron/c formed the theme for the decoration of friable
pottery ; and suggestions from light crape were woven into hot
carpets to be trodden upon. Even with this mongrel admixture,
it was a relief by any means to have driven out of our dwelling
the nightmares and horrors of design we had before endured so
meekly, — such objects, for example, as a child in dead brass,
kneeling in perpetual supplication on a dead brass cushion, while
adroitly balancing on its head a receptacle for kerosene oil ; and
a whole regiment of shapes equally monstrous. Our walls no
longer assailed us with designs that wearied our eyes and exas-
perated our brains by their inanities. We were no longer doomed
to wij>e our feet on cupids, horns of plenty, restless tigers, or
scrolls of architectural magnitudes. Under the benign influence
of this new spirit it came to be realized that it was not always
necessary to tear a flower in bits to recognize its decorative
value; and that the simplest objects in Nature — a spray of
INTRODUCTION. xxvii
bamboo, a pine cone, a cherry blossom — in the right place were
quite sufficient to satisfy our craving for the beautiful.
The Japanese exhibit at the Centennial exposition in Phila-
delphia came to us as a new revelation ; and the charming on-
slaught of that unrivalled display completed the victory. It was
then that the Japanese craze took firm hold of us. Books on
Japan rapidly multiplied, especially books on decorative art ; but
it was found that such rare art could be properly represented
only in the most costly fashion, and with plates of marvellous
elaboration. What the Japanese were able to do with their
primitive methods of block-printing and a few colors, required
the highest genius of our artists and chromo-lithographers ; and
even then the subtile spirit which the artist sought for could
not be caught.
The more intelligent among our collectors soon recognized
that the objects from Japan divided themselves into two groups,
— the one represented by a few objects having great intrinsic
merit, with a refinement and reserve of decoration ; the other
group, characterized by a more florid display and less delicacy
of treatment, forming by far the larger number, consisting
chiefly of forms in pottery, porcelain, lacquer and metal work.
These last were made by the Japanese expressly for the foreign
market, many of them having no place in their economy, and
with few exceptions being altogether too gaudy and violent to
suit the Japanese taste. Our country became flooded with them ;
even the village grocery displayed them side by side with articles
manufactured at home for the same class of customers, and
equally out of place in the greater marts of the country. To
us, however, these objects were always pretty, and were more-
over so much cheaper, with all their high duties and importer's
profits, than the stuff to which we had been accustomed, that
they helped us out amazingly at every recurring Christmas.
Of the better class of objects, nearly all of them were originally
xxviii INTRODUCTION.
intended either for personal use or adornment, — such as metal
clasps, little ivory carvings, sectional lacquer-boxes, fans, etc. ;
or mere objects of household use, such as hanging flower-holders,
bronze and pottery vases, incense burners, lacquer cabinets,
dishes, etc.
Naturally <m>at curiosity was awakened to know more about
t. O M
the social lifr of this remarkable people ; and particularly was
it de.-irahle to know tho nature of the house that sheltered such
singular ami beautiful works of art. In response to the popular
demand, hook after book appeared: but with some noteworthy
except it uis they repeated the same information, usually prefaced
by an account of the more than special privileges accorded
to their authors by the Japanese government, followed by a
hi.-t»ry of the .lapaiic>e empire from its lirst emperor down to
the pre-eiit time. — apparently concise enough, but interminable
with it- mythologies, wars, decays, restorations, etc. Then we
had the ivn.nl "I an itinerary of a few weeks at some treaty
port, or of a brie) sojourn in the country, where, to illustrate
the IHM very of the author, imaginary dangers were conjured
up: a wild giies-* at the ethnical enigma, erroneous conceptions
oi Japanese character and customs, — the whole illustrated by
rtcho derived troin previous works on the same subject, or
from Japanese sources, often without due credit being given;
and finally we wne given a forecast of the future of Japan,
with an account oi the progress its public were making in
adopting outside customs, with no warning of the acts of hara-
km their arts would be compelled to perform in the presence
of so many influences alien to their nature. As an illustration
of this, could the force of absurdity go further than the at-
tempt to introduce the Italian school of painting, — and this in
the land of a Kano ; or the melancholy act of a foreign employ 6
of one of the colleges in Tokio, in inducing or compelling all its
pupils to wear hot woollen Scotch caps, — converting a lot of
INTRODUCTION. xxix
handsome dark-haired boys, with graceful and picturesque dress,
into a mob of ridiculous monkeys?
In these books on Japan we look in vain for any but the
most general description of what a Japanese home really is ;
even Rein's work, so apparently monographic, dismisses the
house and garden in a few pages.1 The present work is an
attempt to fill this deficiency, by describing not only the variety
of dwellings seen in Japan, but by specializing more in detail
the variety of structure seen within the building.
In the following pages occasion has often led to criticism and
comparison. Aside from any question of justice, it would seem
as if criticism, to be of any value, should be comparative ; that
is to say, in any running commentary on Japanese ways and
conditions the parallel ways and conditions of one's own people
should be as frankly pointed out, or at least recognized. When
1 It may be well to state here that most of the good and reliable contributions
upon Japan are to be found in tho Transactions of the English and German Asiatic
Societies published in Yokohama; also in the pages of the Japan "Mail," in the now
extinct Tokio " Times," and in a most excellent but now defunct magazine called the
"Chrysanthemum," whose circulation becoming vitiated by the theological sup in its
tissues, finally broke down altogether from the dead weight of its dogmatic leaves.
Among the many valuable papers published in these Transactions of the Asiatic
Society of Japan, is one by Thomas R. II. McClatchie, Esq., on " The Feudal Mansions
of Yedo," vol. vii. part iii. p. 157, which gives many important facts concerning a class
of buildings that is rapidly disappearing, ami to which only the slightest allusion has
been made in the present work. Tho reader is also referred to a Paper in the same
publication by George Cawley, Esq., entitled " Some Remarks on Constructions in Brick
and Wood, and their Relative Suitability for Japan." vol. vi. part ii. p. 201 ; and also
to a Paper by 11. II. Bruntou, Esq., on "Constructive Art in Japan," vol. ii. p. 64;
vol. iii. part ii. p. 20.
Professor Huxley has said in one of his lectures, that if all the books in the world were
destroyed, with the exception of the Philosophical Transactions, " it is safe to say that
the foundations of Physical Science would remain unshaken, and that the vast intellectual
progress of the last two centuries would be largely though incompletely recorded." In a
similar way it might almost bo said of the Japan " Mail," that if all tho books which
have been written by foreigners upon Japan were destroyed, and files of the Japan
" Mail " alono preserved, we should possess about all of value that has been recorded by
foreigners concerning that country. This journal not only includes the scholarly pro-
ductions ot its editor, Capt. F. Brinkley, as well as an immense mass of material from
its correspondents, but has also published the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of
Japan in advance oi the Society's own publications.
XXX INTRODUCTION.
one enters your city, — which is fairly clean and tidy, — and
complains of its filthy streets, the assumption is that the streets
of his own city are clean ; and when these are found to be
dirty beyond measure, the value of the complaint or criticism is
at once lost, and the author immediately set down as a wilful
maligner. Either wo should follow the dictum of the great
mural Teacher, and hesitate to behold the mote in others' eyes,
or else in so doing we should consider the beam in our own.
This duty, however, even to fair and unprejudiced minds,
becomes a matter of great difficulty. It is extraordinary how
blind one may be to the faults and crimes of his own people,
and how reluctant to admit them. We sing heroic soldier-songs
with energy and enthusiasm, and are amazed to find numbers
in a Japanese audience disapproving, because of the bloody
deeds celebrated in such an exultant way. We read daily in
uiir papers the details of the most blood-curdling crimes, and
often of the most abhorrent and unnatural ones; and yet we
make no special reflections on the conditions of society where
siieh things are possible, or put ourselves much out of the way to
aroiis,. tin- people to a due sense of the degradation and stain on
the community at large because of such things. But we go
to another country and perhaps find a new species of vice; its
novelty at once arrests our attention, and forthwith we howl
at the enormity of the crime and the degradation of the nation
in which such a crime could originate, send home the most
exaggerated accounts, malign the people without stint, and then
prate to them about Christian charity !
In the study of another people one should if possible look
through colorless glasses ; though if one is to err in this res-
pect, it were better that his spectacles should be rose-colored than
grimed with the smoke of prejudice. The student of Ethnology
as a matter of policy, if he can put himself in no more gen-
erous attitude, had better err in looking kindly and favorably
INTRODUCTION. xxxi
at a people whose habits and customs he is about to study.
It is human nature the world over to resist adverse criticism;
and when one is prowling about with his eyes darkened by the
opaquest of uncorrected provincial glasses, he is repelled on all
sides ; nothing is accessible to him ; he can rarely get more than
a superficial glance at matters. Whereas, if he tries honestly
to seek out the better attributes of a people, he is only too
welcome to proceed with any investigation he wishes to make ;
even customs and ways that appear offensive are freely re-
pealed to him, knowing that he will not wilfully distort and
render more painful what is at the outset admitted on all hands
to be bad.
We repeat that such investigation must be approached in a
spirit of sympathy, otherwise much is lost or misunderstood.
This is not only true as to social customs, but also as to studies in
other lines of research as well. Professor Fenollosa, the greatest
authority on Japanese pictorial art, says most truthfully that
" it is not enough to approach these delicate children of the spirit
with the eye of mere curiosity, or the cold rigid standard of
an alien school. One's heart must be large enough to learn
to love, as the Japanese artist loves, before the veil can be
lifted to the full splendor of their hidden beauties."
In this spirit I have endeavored to give an account of Jap-
anese homes and their surroundings. I might have dealt only
with the huts of the poorest, with the squalor of their inmates,
and given a meagre picture of Japanese life ; or a study might
have been made of the homes of the wealthy exclusively, which
would have been equally one-sided. It seemed to me, however,
that a description of the homes of the middle classes, with occa-
sional reference to those of the higher and lower types, would
perhaps give a fairer picture of the character and structure of
Japanese homes and houses, than had I pursued either of the
other courses. I may have erred in looking through spectacles
INTRODUCTION.
tinted with rose ; but if so, I have no apology to make. Living
for some time among a people with whom I have had only the
most friendly relations, and to whom I still owe a thousand debts
of gratitude, it would be only a contemptible and jaundiced
temperament that could under such circumstances write other-
wise than kindly, or fail to make generous allowance for what
apjxjar to others as grave faults and omissions.
In regard to Japanese houses, there are many features not
to my liking : and in the ordinary language of travellers I
might speak of these houses as huts and hovels, cold and cheer-
less, etc.. and give such a generic description of them as would
include under one category all the houses on the Pacific coast
from Kamtchatka to Java. Faults these houses have ; and in
criticising them I have endeavored to make my reflections com-
parative ; and I have held up for comparison much that is ob-
jectionable in our own houses, as well as the work done by
our own artisans. I5ut judging from the rage and disgust ex-
pressed in certain English publications, where one writer speaks
of "much of the work for wage as positively despicable," and
another of the miseries entailed by the unscientific builder, my
comparison may legitimately extend to England also.1
In the present volume the attempt has been made to de-
scribe the .Japanese house and its immediate surroundings in
general and in detail. No one realizes better than the author
the meagreuess in certain portions of this work. It is believed,
however, that with the many illustrations, and the classification
of the subject-matter, much will be made clear that before was
vague. The figures are in every case fac-similes by one of the
1 Still another English writer says: "It is unpleasant to live within ugly walls;
it is Mill more unpleasant tu live within unstable walls: but to be obliged to live in
n tenement which is both unstable ami ugly is disagreeable in a tenfold degree." He
think* it is quite time to evoke legislation to remedy these evils, and says: "An
Englbhman'i house was formerly said to be his castle; but in the hands of the spec-
ulating builder and advertising tradesman, we may be grateful that it does not oftcner
become hu tomb."
INTRODUCTION. xxxiii
relief processes of the author's pen-and-ink drawings, and with
few exceptions are from his own sketches made on the spot ;
so that whatever they lack in artistic merit, they make up in
being more or less accurate drawings of the objects and features
depicted. The material has been gleaned from an illustrated
daily journal, kept by the author during three successive resi-
dences in that delightful country, embracing travels by land
from the northwest coast of Yezo to the southernmost parts of
Satsuma.
The openness and accessibility of the Japanese house are a
distinguishing feature of Japan ; and no foreigner visits that
country without bringing away delightful memories of the pecu-
liarly characteristic dwellings of the Japanese.
On the occasion of the author's last visit to Japan he also
visited China, Anam, Singapore, and Java, and made studies of
the houses of these various countries, with special reference to
the Japanese house and its possible affinities elsewhere.
JAPANESE HOMES
AND
THEIR SURROUNDINGS
CHAPTER I.
THE HOUSE.
APPEARANCE or CITY AND VILLAGK. — GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF HOUSE. — HOUSE
CONSTRUCTION. — FRAMEWORK AND FOUNDATION. — BRACING. — SELECTION OF STOCK.
— CONSTRUCTION OP CEILING. — PARTITIONS AND WALLS. — STRUCTURE OF K.URA. -
JAPANESE CARPENTERS. — CARPENTERS' TOOLS AND APPLIANCES.
A BIRD'S-EYE view of a largo city in Japan presents an
appearance quite unlike that presented by any large as-
semblage of buildings at home. A view of Tokio. for example,
from some elevated point reveals a vast sea of roofs, — the gray of
the shingles and dark slate-color of the tiles, with dull reflections
from their surfaces, giving a sombre effect to the whole. The
even expanse is broken here and there by the fire-proof build-
ings, with their ponderous tiled roofs and ridges and pure white
or jet-black walls. These, though in color adding to the sombre
appearance, form, with the exception of the temples, one of the
most conspicuous features in the general monotony. The temples
are indeed conspicuous, as they tower far above the pigmy dwell-
ings which surround them. Their great black roofs, with massive
ridges and ribs, and grand sweeps and white or red gables, render
them striking objects from whatever point they are viewed. Green
2 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
masses of tree-foliage springing from the numerous gardens add
some life to this gray sea of domiciles.
It is a curious sight to look over a vast city of nearly a
million inhabitants, and detect no chimney with its home-like
streak of blue smoke. There is of course no church spire, with
its usual architectural inanities. With the absence of chimneys
and the almost universal use of charcoal for heating purposes,
the cities have an atmosphere of remarkable clearness and
puritv : so clear, indeed, is the atmosphere that one may look
over the citv and see distinctly revealed the minuter details of
the landscape beyond. The great sun-obscuring canopy of smoke
and fumes that forever shroud some of our great cities is a
feature happily unknown in Japan.
Having got such a bird's-eye view of one city, we have seen
them all. — the minor variations consisting, for the most part,
iu tin' inequalities of the sites upon which they rest. A view
of Kioto, for example, as seen from some high point, is remark-
ably beautiful and varied, as the houses creep out between the
hills that hem it in. In Nagasaki the houses literally rise in
tiers from the water's edge to the hills immediately back, there
to heroine blended with the city of the dead which caps their
summits. A view of Nagasaki from the harbor is one of sur-
passing interest and beauty. Other large cities, such as Sendai,
Osaka, Hiroshima, and Nagoya present the same uniform level
of roofs.
The compact way in which in the cities and towns the
houses are crowded together, barely separated by the narrow
streets and lanes which cross like threads in every direction,
and the peculiarly inflammable material of which most of the
buildings are composed, explains the lightning-like rapidity with
which a conflagration spreads when once fairly under way.
In the smaller villages the houses are stretched along the
sides of a single road, nearly all being arranged in this way,
APPEARANCE OF CITY AND VILLAGE.
M
o
5
a
g
i
O
o
as
55
o
a
4 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
sometimes extending for a mile or more. Rarely ever does one
see a cross street or lane, or evidences of compactness, save that
near the centre of this long street the houses and shops often
almt, while those at the end of the streets have ample space
between them. Some villages, which from their situation have
u<> chance of expanding, become densely crowded: such for
example is the ease of Knoshima, near Yokohama, wherein the
main street runs directly from the shore, by means of a series
of steps at intervals, to a flight of stone steps, which lead to
tin- temples and shrines at the summit of the island. This
Mrcct is flanked on both sides by hills; and the ravine, of
which the street forms the central axis, is densely crowded
with houses, the narrowest of alley-ways leading to the houses
in the rear. A lire once started would inevitably result in the
destruction of every house in the village.
Il i> a cimi'ii- fact that one may ride long distances in the
country without pa->ing a single dwelling, and then abruptly
enter a village. The entrance to a village is often marked by
a high mound of earth on each side of the road, generally sur-
mounted by a tree; or perhaps the evidences of an old barrier
an- seen in the remains of gate-posts or a stone-wall. Having
passed through the village one enters the country again, with
its rice-fields and cultivated tracts, as abruptly as he had left
it. The villages vary greatly iu their appearance: some are
extremely trim and pretty, with neat flower-plats in front of the
houses, and an air of taste and comfort everywhere apparent ;
other villages present marked evidences of poverty, squalid
houses with dirty children swarming about them. Indeed, the
most striking contrasts are seen between the various villages
one passes through in a long overland trip in Japan.
It is difficult to imagine a more dreary and dismal sight
than the appearance of some of these village streets on a rainy
night. No brightly-lighted window cheers the traveller; only
APPEARANCE OF CITY AND VILLAGE. 5
dim lines of light glimmer through the chinks of the wooden
shutters with which every house is closed at night. On pleasant
•
evenings when the paper screens alone are closed, a ride through
a village street is often rendered highly amusing by the grotesque
shadow-pictures which the inmates are unconsciously projecting
in their movements to and fro.
1 ~f^- ,k ~\
"•-
FIG. 3. — VIEW OF ENOSIIIMA. (CoriKD PROM A PIIOTOGIIAIMI.)
In the cities the quarters for the wealthier classes are not
so sharply defined as with us, though the love for pleasant
outlooks and beautiful scenery tends to enhance the value of
certain districts, and consequently to bring together the wealthier
classes. In nearly all the cities, however, you will find the
houses of the wealthy in the immediate vicinity of the habita-
tions of the poorest. In Tokio one may find streets, or narrow
6 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
alleys, lined with a continuous row of the cheapest shelters ;
and here dwell the poorest people. Though squalid and dirty
as such places appear to the Japanese, they are immaculate
in comparison with the unutterable filth and misery of similar
c|iiarters in nearly all the great cities of Christendom. Certainly
a rich man in Japan would not, as a general thing, buy up the
land about his house to keep the poorer classes at a distance,
for the reason that their presence would not be objectionable,
since poverty in Japan is not associated with the impossible
manners of a similar class at home.
Before proceeding with a special description of Japanese
homes, a general description of the house may render the
chapters that are to follow a little more intelligible.
The fir.-t sight of a Japanese house. — that is. a house of the
penplc. — is certainly disappointing. From the infinite variety
and charming character of their various works of art, as we had
seen them at home, we were anticipating new delights and sur-
prises in the character of the house; nor were we on more
intimate acquaintance to be disappointed. As an American
familiar with houses of certain types, with conditions among
them Mgnifying poverty and shiftlessness, and other conditions
signifying refinement and wealth, we were not competent to
judge the relative merits of a Japanese house.
The first sight, then, of a Japanese house is disappointing;
it is unsubstantial in appearance, and there is a meagreness of
color. Being unpainted. it suggests poverty ; and this absence
of paint, with the gray and often rain-stained color of the
boards, leads one to compare it with similar unpainted buildings
at home, — and these are usually barns and sheds in the country,
and the houses of the poorer people in the city. With one's eye
accustomed to the bright contrasts of American houses with
their white, or light, painted surfaces ; rectangular windows.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF HOUSE. 7
black from the shadows within, with glints of light reflected from
the glass ; front door with its pretentious steps and portico ;
warm red chimneys surmounting all, and a general trimness of
appearance outside, which is by no means always correlated with
like conditions within, — one is too apt at the outset to form
a low estimate of a Japanese house. An American finds it
difficult indeed to consider such a structure as a dwelling, when
so many features are absent that go to make up a dwelling at
home, — no doors or windows such as he had been familiar
with ; no attic or cellar ; no chimneys, and within no fire-place,
and of course no customary mantle ; no permanently enclosed
rooms ; and as for furniture, no beds or tables, chairs or similar
articles, — at least, so it appears at first sight.
One of the chief points of difference in a Japanese house
as compared with ours lies in the treatment of partitions and
outside walls. In our houses these are solid and permanent ; and
when the frame is built, the partitions form part of the frame-
work. In the Japanese house, on the contrary, there arc two or
more sides that have no permanent walls. Within, also, there
are but few partitions which have similar stability ; in their
stead are slight sliding screens which run in appropriate grooves
in the floor and overhead. These grooves mark the limit of
each room. The screens may be opened by sliding them back,
or they may be entirely removed, thus throwing a number of
rooms into one great apartment. In the same way the whole
side of a house may be flung open to sunlight and air. For
communication between the rooms, therefore, swinging doors
are not necessary. As a substitute for windows, the outside
screens, or shoji, are covered with white paper, allowing the
light to be diffused through the house.
Where external walls appear they are of wood unpainted, or
painted black ; and if of plaster, white or dark slate colored. In
certain classes of buildings the outside wall, to a height of several
8 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
feet from the ground, and sometimes even the entire wall, may be
tiled, the interspaces being pointed with white plaster. The roof
may be either lightly shingled, heavily tiled, or thickly thatched.
It has a moderate pitch, and as a general thing the slope is not so
steep as in our roofs. Nearly all the houses have a verandah,
which is protected by the widely-overhanging eaves of the roof,
or by a light supplementary roof projecting from beneath the
wives.
While most houses of the better class have a definite porch and
vestibule, or ijinhn. in houses of the poorer class this entrance is
not separate from tin- living room; and since the interior of the
lnni.-e i> accessible from t wo or three1 sides, one may enter it from
am point. The floor is raised a foot and a half or more from the
ground, and is covered with thick straw mats, rectangular in
.-hape. of uniform si/.e. with sharp square edges, and so closely
lilted that, the floor upon which they rest is completely hidden.
The rooms are either square or rectangular, and are made with
ul>-"lute reference to the number of mats they are to contain.
With the except ion of the guest-room few rooms have projections
or ha\>. In the guest-room there is at one side a more or less
deep recess divided into two bays by a slight partition; the one
nearest the verandah is called the tnknnomn. In this place hang
one or more pictures, and upon its floor, which is slightly raised
alxive the mats, rests a flower vase, incense burner, or some other
object. The companion bay has shelves and a low closet. Other
rooms also may have recesses to accommodate a case of drawers
or shelves. Where closets and cupboards occur, they are finished
with sliding screens instead of swinging doors. In tea-houses of
two stories the stairs, which often ascend from the vicinity of
the kitchen, have beneath them a closet; and this is usually
closed by a swinging door.
The privy is at one corner of the house, at the end of the
verandah; sometimes there are two at diagonal corners of the
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF HOUSE. 9
house. In the poorer class of country houses the privy is an
isolated building witli low swinging door, the upper half of the
door-space being open.
In city houses the kitchen is at one side or corner of the house ;
generally in an L, covered with a pent roof. This apartment is
often towards the street, its yard separated from other areas by
a high fence. In the country the kitchen is nearly always under
the main roof. In the city few out-buildings such as sheds and
barns are seen. Accompanying the houses of the better class are
solid, thick-walled, one or two storied, fire-proof buildings called
kura, in which the goods and chattels are stored away at the
time of a conflagration. These buildings, which are known to
the foreigners as " godowns," have one or two small windows
and one door, closed by thick and ponderous shutters. Such a
building usually stands isolated from the dwelling, though often
in juxtaposition ; and sometimes, though rarely, it is used as a
domicile.
In the gardens of the better classes summer-houses and shelters
of rustic appearance and diminutive proportions are often seen.
Rustic arbors are also to be seen in the larger gardens. Specially
constructed houses of quaint design and small size are not uncom-
mon ; in these the ceremonial tea-parties take place. High fences,
either of board or bamboo, or solid walls of mud or tile with stone
foundations, surround the house or enclose it from the street. Low
rustic fences border the gardens in the suburbs. Gateways of
various styles, some of imposing design, form the entrances ; as
a general thing they are either rustic and light, or formal and
massive.
Whatever is commonplace in the appearance of the house is
towards the street, while the artistic and picturesque face is turned
towards the garden, which may be at one side or in the rear of the
house, — usually in the rear. Within these plain and unpreten-
tious houses there is often to be seen marvels of exquisite carving.
10 JAPANESE HUMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
and the perfection of cabinet work ; and surprise follows surprise,
as one becomes more fully acquainted witli the interior finish of
these curious and remarkable dwellings.
In the sections which are to follow, an attempt will be made
by description and sketches to convey some idea of the details
connected with the structure and inside finish of the Japanese
house.
There is no object in Japan that seems to excite more
diverse and adverse criticism among foreigners than does the
Japanese, house ; it is a constant source of perplexity and an-
novance to most of them. An Englishman particularly, whom
Emerson says lie finds " to be him of all men who stands
tirmest in his shoes." recogni/.es but little merit in the apparently
frail and perishable nature of these; structures. He naturally
dislikes the anomaly of a house of the lightest description often-
times sustaining a roof of the most ponderous character, and
fairly loathes a structure that has no king-post, or at least a
queen-post, tru.-s: while the glaring absurdity of a house that
jK-rsists in remaining upright without a foundation, or at least
without hi.- kind of a foundation, makes him furious. The
mistake made by most writers in criticising Japanese house-
structure, and indeed many other matters connected with that
country, is that these writers do not regard such matters from
a Japanese stand-point. They do not consider that the nation
is poor, and that the masses are in poverty; nor do they con-
sider that for this reason a Japanese builds such a house as he
can afford, and one that after all is as thoroughly adapted to
his habits and wants as ours is to our habits and wants.
The observation of a Japanese has shown him that from gen-
eration to generation the houses of his people have managed to
sustain themselves ; and if in his travels abroad he has chanced
to visit England, he will probably recall the fact that he saw
HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. . H
more dilapidated tenements, tumble-down shanties, broken-backed
farm-houses, cracked walls, and toppling fences in a single day
in that virtuous country where there are no typhoons or earth-
quakes, than he would see in a year's travel in his own country.
When one of these foreign critical writers contemplates the
framework of a Japanese house, and particularly the cross-beams
of the roof, and finds no attempt at trussing and bracing, he is
seized with an eager desire to go among these people as a mis-
sionary of trusses and braces, — it is so obvious that much wood
might be saved ! In regard to the Japanese house-frame, how-
ever, it is probable that the extra labor of constructing braces
and trusses would not compensate for the difference saved in
the wood.
Rein, in his really admirable book on Japan, says " the
Japanese house lacks chiefly solidity and comfort." If he means
comfort for himself and his people, one can understand him ;
if he means comfort for the Japanese, then he has not the
faintest conception of the solid comfort a Japanese gets out
of his house. Rein also complains of the evil odors of the
closet arrangements, though his complaints refer more parti-
cularly to the crowded inns, which are often in an exceedingly
filthy condition as regards these necessary conveniences, — and
one is led to inquire what the Japanese would think of similar
features in Germany, where in the larger cities the closet may
be seen opening directly into the front hall, and in some cases
even from the dining-room ! Bad as some of these conditions
are in Japan, they are mild in comparison with like features in
Germany. The filthy state of the larger cities, in this respect,
may be indicated by the fact that the death-rate of Munich a
few years ago was forty-four, and Kaulbach died of cholera in
that city in mid-winter ! Indeed, the presence of certain feat-
ures in every bed-chamber at home and abroad are looked upon
as surpassingly filthy by every Japanese, — as they truly are.
12 JAPANESE HOMES AXD THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Rein and other writers speak of the want of privacy in
Japanese dwellings, forgetting that privacy is only necessary in
the midst of vulgar and impertinent people, — a class of which
Japan has the minimum, and the so-called civilized races — the
English and American particularly — have the maximum.
For my part, I find much to admire in a Japanese house, and
some things not to my comfort. The sitting posture on the floor
is painful until one gets accustomed to it ; and, naturally, I find
that our chairs are painful to the Japanese, until they become
accustomed to them. I found the Japanese house in winter
extremely cold and uncomfortable; but I question whether their
cnld rooms in winter are not more conducive to health than
arc our apartments with our blistering stoves, hot furnaces or
steam-heaters ; and as to the odors arising from the closet
in certain country inns, who does not recall similar offensive
features in many of our country inns at home, with the addi-
tion of slovenly yards and reeking piggeries? I question, too,
whether these odors are more injurious to the health than is
the Milling air from a damp and noisome cellar, which not
only filters through our lloors. but is often served to us hot
through scorching furnaces. Whittier's description of the coun-
t ry house, —
" The liost room
Stiflinir with ccllar-duui|>, shut from the air
In hot midsummer," -
is only too true of many of our American houses both in the
country and city.
W hether the Japanese house is right or wrong in its plan
and construction, it answers admirably the purposes for which
it was intended. A fire-proof building is certainly beyond the
means of a majority of this people, as, indeed, it is with us;
and not being able to build such a dwelling, they have from
necessity gone to the other extreme, and built a house whose
very structure enables it to be rapidly demolished in the path
HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. 13
of a conflagration. Mats, screen-partitions, and even the board
ceilings can be quickly packed up and carried away. The roof
is rapidly denuded of its tiles and boards, and the skeleton frame-
work left makes but slow fuel for the flames. The efforts of the
firemen in checking the progress of a conflagration consist mainly
in tearing down these adjustable structures ; and in this con-
nection it may be interesting to record the curious fact that
oftentimes at a fire the streams are turned, not upon the flames,
but upon the men engaged in tearing down the building !
The improvements, however, that are imperatively demanded
in Japanese house*structure are such modifications as shall render
the building less inflammable. While these inflammable houses
may be well enough in the suburbs or in country villages, they
are certainly quite out of place in cities; and here, indeed, the
authorities are justified in imposing such restrictions as shall not
bear too heavily upon the people.
The Japanese should clearly understand that insuperable difli-
culties are to be encountered in any attempt to modify their style
of ' dwellings, and that many of such proposed modifications are
neither judicious nor desirable. That slight changes for safety
may be effected, however, there can be no doubt. Through the
agency of science, means may be found by which outside wood-
work may be rendered less inflammable, — either by fire-proof
paint or other devices.
The mean path of Tokio conflagrations has- been ingeniously
worked out by Professor Yamakawa. from data extending back
two hundred years ; and in this path certain areas might be left
open with advantage. Fire-proof blocks in foreign style, such as
now exist on the Ginza, may be ultimately constructed in this
path. Since the last great conflagration, the Tokio authorities
have specified certain districts within which shingled roofs shall
not be made ; and where such roofs existed, the authorities have
compelled the substitution of tin, zinc, or tiled roofs. Above all,
14 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
let there be a reorganization, under Government," of the present
corrupt fire-brigades. Such changes will certainly lead to good
results ; but as to altering the present plan of house-building and
present modes of living, it is not only impracticable but well-nigh
iinjxissible. If such changes are effected, then will perish many of
the l>est features of true Japanese art, which has been the sur-
prise and admiration of Western nations, and of which in the
past they have been the unwitting cause of the modification and
degradation it has already undergone.
FK, 4. — SIDK FRAMING.
The frame-work of an ordinary Japanese dwelling is simple
and primitive in structure; it consists of a number of upright
beams which run from the ground to the transverse beams and
inclines of the roof above. The vertical framing is held together
either by short strips which are let in to appropriate notches
in the uprights to which the bamboo lathing is fixed, or by
FRAME-WORK AND FOUNDATION.
15
longer strips of wood which pass through mortises in the uprights
and are firmly keyed or pinned into place (fig. 4). In larger
houses these uprights are held in position by a frame-work near
the ground. There is no cellar or excavation beneath the house,
nor is there a continuous stone foundation as with us. The up-
rights rest directly, and without attachment, upon single uncut or
rough-hewn stones, these in turn resting upon others which have
FIG. 5. — FOUNDING DOWN FOUNDATION STONKS.
been solidly pounded into the earth by means of a huge wooden
maul worked by a number of men (fig. 5). In this way the house
is perched upon these stones, with the floor elevated at least a foot
and a half or two feet above the ground. In some cases the space
between the uprights is boarded up ; this is generally seen in
Kioto houses. In others the wind has free play beneath ; and
while this exposed condition renders the house much colder and
more uncomfortable in winter, the inmates are never troubled by
the noisome air of the cellar, which, as we have said, too often
16 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
infects our houses at home. Closed wooden fences of a more
solid character are elevated in this way ; that is, the lower rail
or sill of the fence rests directly upon stones placed at intervals
apart of six or eight feet. The ravages of numerous ground-
inseets, as well as larvae, and the excessive dampness of the
ground at certain seasons of the year, render this method of
liuilding a necessity.
The accurate way in which the base of the uprights is
wrought to lit, the inequalities of the stones upon which they
rest, is worthy of notice. In the
Emperor's garden we saw a two-
storied house finished in the most
simple and exquisite manner. It
was, indeed, like a beautiful cab-
inet, though disfigured by a
bright-colored foreign carpet up-
on its lower lloor. The uprights
of this structure rested on large
oval beach-worn stones buried
endwise in the ground; and up-
on the smooth rounded portions
of the stones, which projected
above the level of the ground
to a height of ten inches or more,
the uprights had been most accur-
ately fitted (fig. (i). The effect was extremely light and buoyant,
though apparently insecure to the last degree; yet this building
had not only withstood a number of earthquake shocks, but also
the strain of severe typhoons, which during the summer months
sweep over Japan with such violence. If the building be very
small, then the frame consists of four corner-posts running to
the roof. In dwellings having a frontage of two or more rooms,
other uprights occur between the corner-posts. As the rooms
Fn. 0. — FOUNDATION STONI:.
FRAME-WORK AND FOUNDATION.
17
increase in number through the house, uprights come in the cor-
ners of the rooms, against which the sliding-screens, or fusuma,
abut. The passage of these uprights through the room to the
FIG. 7- — SECTION OF FRAMING.
roof above gives a solid constructive appearance to the house.
When a house has a verandah, — and nearly every house possesses
this feature on one or more of its sides, — another row of up-
rights starts in a line with
the outer edge of the ve-
randah. Unless the ve-
randah be very long, an
upright at each end is
sufficient to support the
supplementary roof which
shelters it. These up-
rights support a cross-
beam, upon which the
slight rafters of the sup-
plementary roof rests.
This cross-beam is often a straight unhewn stick of timber
from which the bark has been removed (fig. 49). Indeed,
most of the horizontal framing-timbers, as well as the rafters,
2
FIG. 8. — FRAMING.
18 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINQS.
are usually unhewn. — the rafters often having the bark on, or
perhaps being accurately squared sticks; but in either case they
are always visible as they project from the sides of the house,
and run out to support the overhanging caves. The larger beams
and girders an- but slightly hewn ; and it is not unusual to see
Fir.. '.(. — KMI-FHAUINC; OF LARGK
irregular-shaped beams worked into the construction of a frame,
often for their quaint effects (fig. 7), and in many cases as a
matter of economy (fig. 39).
For a narrow house, if the roof be a gable, a central upright
at each end of the building gives support to the ridge-pole from
which the rafters run to the eaves (fig. 8). If the building
be wide, a transverse beam traverses the end of the building
on a level with the eaves, supported at intervals by uprights
from the ground ; and upon this short uprights rest, supporting
FRAME-WORK AND FOUNDATION.
19
another transverse beam above, and often three or more tiers
are carried nearly to the ridge. Upon these supports rest the
horizontal beams which run parallel with the ridge-pole, and
which are intended to give support to the rafters (fig. 9).
In the case of a wide gable-roof there are many ways to
support the frame, one of which is illustrated in the following
outline (fig. 10). Here a stout stick of timber runs from one
end of the house to the other on a vertical line with the
ridge-pole, and on a level with the eaves. This stick is always
crowning, in order to give additional strength. A few thick
uprights start from this to support the ridge-pole above ; from
FlG. 10. — ROOF-FRAMK OF LARGE BUILDING.
these uprights beams run to the eaves ; these are mortised into
the uprights, but at different levels on either side in order
not to weaken the uprights by the mortises. From these beams
run short supports to the horizontal rafters above.
The roof, if it be of tile or thatch, represents a massive
weight, — the tiles being thick and quite heavy, and always
bedded in a thick layer of mud. The thatch, though not so
heavy, often becomes so after a long rain. The roof-framing
consequently has oftentimes to support a great weight; and
though in its structure looking weak, or at least primitive in
design, yet experience must have taught the Japanese carpenter
that their methods were not only the simplest and most economi-
cal, but that they answered all requirements. One is amazed
20 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
to see how many firemen can gather upon such a roof without
its yielding. I have seen massive house-roofs over two hundred
years old, and other frame structures of a larger size and of
far greater age, which presented no visible signs of weakness.
Indeed, it is a very unus\ial sight to see a broken-backed roof
in Japan.
The beams that support the roofs of the fire-proof buildings, or
knra, are usually rough-hewn and of ponderous dimensions. It
!'[(,. II. l!(l"K 1 IUM1NO OF KURA.
would seem that here, at least, the foreign method of trussing
might be an economy of material, besides giving much greater
strength; and yet the expense of reducing these beams to
proper dimensions, in the absence of saw-mills and other labor-
saving machinery, with the added expense of iron rods, bolts, etc.,
would more than counterbalance the saving of material (fig. 11).
In Fig. 11 is shown the universal method of roof support;
namely, horizontal beams resting upon perpendicular walls, these
in turn supporting vertical beams, which again give support to
horizontal beams. That the Japanese have been familiar with the
arch is seen in some of their old stone bridges ; but they seem as
FRAME-WORK AND FOUNDATION. 21
averse to using this principle in their house-architecture as were
the Egyptians and Hindus. Furgusson, in his illustrated Hand-
book of Architecture, page xxxv, says : " So convinced were the
Egyptians and Greeks of this principle, that they never used any
other construction-expedient than a perpendicular wall or prop,
supporting a horizontal beam ; and half the satisfactory effect of
their buildings arises from their adhering to this simple though
expensive mode of construction. They wore perfectly acquainted
with the use of the arch and its properties, but they knew that its
employment would introduce complexity and confusion into their
designs, and therefore they wisely rejected it. Even to the pres-
ent day the Hindus refuse to use the arch, though it has long
been employed in their country by the Mahometans. As they
quaintly express it, ' an arch never sleeps ; ' and it is true that by
its thrusting and pressure it is always tending to tear a building
to pieces. In spite of all counterpoises, whenever the smallest
damage is done it hastens the ruin of a building which, if more
simply constructed, might last for ages."
When the frame is mortised, the carpenter employs the most
elaborate methods of mortising, of which there are many different
formulas ; yet I was informed by an American architect that their
ways had no advantage as regards strength over those employed
by our carpenters in doing the same work. There certainly seems
to be much unnecessary work about many of their framing-joints.
This same gentleman greatly admired the way in which the
Japanese carpenter used the adze, and regretted that more of this
kind of work was not done in America. In scarfing beams a com-
mon form of joint is made, precisely similar to that made by our
carpenters (fig. 4). This joint is called a Samisen tsugi, it being
similar to the joint in the handle of a guitar-like instrument
called a samisen.1
1 Fig. 12 represents the frame-work of an ordinary two-storied honso. It is copied
from a Japanese carpenter's drawing, kindly furnished the writer by Mr. Fukusawa, of
Tokio, proper corrections in perspective having been made. The various parts have been
JAPANESE HUMES AND T11E1R SURROUNDINGS.
BRACING.
23
Diagonal bracing in the frame-work of a building is never
seen. Sometimes, however, the uprights in a weak frame are
supported by braces running from
the ground at an acute angle,
and held in place by wooden pins
(tig. 13). Outside diagonal braces
are sometimes met with as an
ornamental feature. In the pro-
vince of Ise one often sees a brace
or bracket made out of an un-
hewn piece of timber, generally
the proximal portion of some big
branch. This is fastened to an
upright, and appears to be a
brace to hold up the end of a
horizontal beam that projects be-
yond the eaves. These braces,
however, are not even notched
FIG. 13. — OnsiDK BRACES.
lettered, and the dimensions given in Japanese feet and indies. The Japanese foot is,
within the fraction of an inch, the same as ours, and is divided into ten parts, called aiin.
The wood employed in the frame is usually cedar or pine. The corner posts, as well as
the other large upright posts, called hnshirn (//), are square, and five niiit in thickness
these are tenoned into the plate upon which they rest. This plate is called (lo-flai >!)):
it is made of cedar, and sometimes of chestnut. The do-dai is six sun square, and rests
directly on a. number of stones, which are called do-dai-ishi (D, 1). Between the Jiaxhirn
come smaller uprights, called ma-bnshirn (M) (lirmhira changed to liasliira for euphony);
these are two siin square. Through these pass the cross-pieces called miki : these are
four sun wide and one siin thick. To these are attached the bamboo slats as substitutes
for laths. The horizontal beam to support the second-story floor is called the nikniliari
(Ni); this is of pine, with a vertical thickness of one foot two sfm, and a width of six
tenths of a siin. The rafters of the roof, called yane-xltitii ( Yn) , in this frame are nine feet
long, three sun wide, and eight tenths of a sun in thickness. Cross-beams (7"), from the
upper plate from which spring posts to support the ridge-pole, are called taruki. The
first floor is sustained by posts that rest on stones embedded in the ground, as well as by
a beam called yuka-shita (Yu) ; this is secured to the upright beams at the height of
one and one-half or two feet above the do-dai. The upper floor-joists are of pine, two
inches square; the flooring boards are six tenths of a sun in thickness, and one foot wide.
The lower floor-joists, called neda-maruta (Ne), are rough round sticks, three sun in
diameter, hewn on opposite sides. On top of these rest pine boards six tenths of a siin
in thickness.
24 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
into the upright, but held in place by square wooden pins, and are
of little use as a support for the building, though answering well
to hold fishing-rods and other long poles, which find here con-
venient lodgment ( lig. 14).
In the village of Narnge, in Yamato, I noticed in an old inu
a diagonal bract- which made a pleasing ornamental feature to a
solid frame-work, upon which
rested a ponderous supplement-
ary roof, heavily tiled. As the
horizontal beams were supported
by uprights beyond the ends
of the I (rackets, no additional
strength was gained by these
braces in question, except as they
might prevent fore and aft dis-
placement. They were placed
here solely for their ornamental
appearance; oral least that was
all the function they appeared to
perform ( fig. lo).
The frame-work of a building
is often revealed in the room in
a way that would delight the heart of an Eastlake. Irregulari-
ties in the form of a stick are not looked upon as a hindrance in
the construction of a building. From the -way such crooked
beams are brought into use. one is led to believe that the builder
prefers them. The desire for rustic effects leads to the selection
of odd-shaped timber. Fig. 7 represents the end of a room,
wherein is seen a crooked cross-piece passing through a central
upright, which sustains the ridge-pole.
In the finish of the rooms great care is shown in the selection
and preparation of the wood. For the better rooms the wood is
Fid. 14. < )i 1MHK HM< i .
SELECTION OF STOCK.
25
selected as follows : First, a stick of timber is sawed (fig. 16), —
the central piece (A) being rejected as liable to split. Second,
in the round upright post
that in most instances
forms the front of the
shallow partition that di-
vides one end of the best
room into two bays or re-
cesses, a deep groove is
cut, to admit the edge of
the partition (fig. 17). By
this treatment the wood is
not so apt to check or
split.
Special details of the
room will be described in
other chapters. It may
be well to state here, how-
ever, that in the finish of
the interior the daiku, or carpenter, has finished his work, and a
new set of workmen, the
sashimono ya, or cabinet-
makers, come in, — the
rough framing and similar
work being done by the
carpenter proper. Great
care is taken to secure-
wood that matches in
gram and color ; and this-
can be done only by get-
ting material that has come from the same log. In the lumber-
yard one notices boards of uniform lengths tied up in bundles, —
in fact tied up in precisely the same position that the wood
FIG. 15. — OK.NAMENTAL BKA.CE.
Fio. 16. — METHOD or CUTTING TIMBER FOK
HOUSE-FINISH.
JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Fio. 17 -SKCTIIIX or TOST (IKOOVED
FOR I'AHTITIOX.
occupied in the trunk before it was sawed into boards (fig. 18).
So with other wood material, — the pieces are kept together in
the same manner. One never sees in a lumber-yard a promis-
cuous pile of boards, but each log
having been cut into boards is se-
curely tied without displacement.
As the rooms are made in sizes
corresponding to the number of
mats they are to contain, the
beams, uprights, rafters, flooring-
boards, boards for the ceiling, and
all strips are got out in sizes to accommodate these various
dimensions. The dimensions of the mats from one end of the
Kmpire to the other are approximately three feet wide and six
tr.'t long; and thoe are fitted compactly on the floor. The
architect marks on
his plan the number
of mats each room
is to contain. • — this
number defining the
size of the room ;
hence the lumber
used must he of defi-
nite lengths, and the
carpenter is sure to
FIG. 18. — BUSDLK OP
find these lengths at
the lumber-yard. It
follows from this that but little waste occurs in the construc-
tion of a Japanese house. Far different is it with us in our
extravagant and senseless methods of house-building. In our
country, a man after building a wooden house finds his cellar
and shed choked to repletion with the waste of his new house,
and for a year or more at least has the grim comfort of feeding
CONSTRUCTION OF CEILING.
27
his fireplaces and kitchen stove with rough and finished woods
which have cost him at the rate of four to eight cents per square
foot!
The ordinary ceiling in a Japanese house consists of wide
thin boards, with their edges slightly overlapping. These boards
at first sight appear to be supported by narrow strips of wood
like slender beams, upon which the boards rest (fig. 90). On
reflection, however, it soon becomes apparent that these diminu-
-<*'<
FIG. 19. — SECTION- OF CKILING.
tive cross-beams, measuring in section an inch square or less,
are altogether inadequate to support the ceiling, thin and light
as the boards composing it really are. As one examines the
ceiling, he finds no trace of pin or nail, and finally comes
to wonder how the strips and boards are held in place, and
why the whole ceiling does not sag.1 The explanation is that
the strips upon which the boards are to rest are first stretched
across the room at distances apart varying from ten to eighteen
1 The accompanying sketches will illustrate the various stages in the construction of
the ceiling.
28 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINOS.
inches. The ends of these strips are supported by a moulding
which is secured to the uprights of the wall. In cheap houses
this moulding in section is angular; notches are cut in the up-
rights, and into these notches the sharp edge of the angular
moulding rests and is secured (fig. 19). The moulding is cut in
this way to economize material. The strips having been adjusted,
Kir;. 20. — CKILING-RAFTEHS SLPPORTKD TKMPORARILY.
they arc brought to a uniform level, but crowning slightly, —
that is. the centre is a little higher than the sides, — and are
held in place either by a long board being placed temporarily
beneath them, and propped up from the floor below ; or else
a long stick is placed beneath them, which is supported by
a stout string from the rafters above (fig. 20). A low staging
is then erected on the floor (the stud of the room rarely
being over seven or eight feet) ; and the carpenter standing
between the cross-strips, while elevated upon the staging, adjusts
CONSTRUCTION OF CEILING.
29
the boards, one after the other, as they are passed up to him.
The first board is placed against the wall, its edge fitting into
a groove in the uprights; the next board is placed with its
edge on the first board, and then nailed from above, with
wooden or bamboo pegs, to the cross-strips. Thus it is that
no nail or peg holes appear in the ceiling from below. Board
after board is thus placed in position, each board lapping slightly
over the one before it, and each in turn being slightly nailed
to the strips. Each board has a deep wide groove ploughed out
near its lapping edge, so that it bends very readily, and is thus
FIG. 21. — METHOD OF SUSPENDING CEILING AS SKEN FROM ABOVE.
brought down on the strip below. When the boards are carried
in this manner half way across the room, a long, narrow, and
thick piece of wood, say six feet in length, is placed on the last
board laid, within an inch of its free edge and parallel to it.
This piece is firmly nailed to the board upon which it rests, and
into the cross-strips below. To the edge of this piece two or
three long strips of wood are nailed vertically, the upper ends
being nailed to the nearest rafters above. In this way is the
ceiling suspended (fig. 21). After this has been done, the remain-
ing boards of the ceiling are placed in position and secured, one
30 JAPAXESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
after another, until the last is reached. To secure the last
one in position the carpenter gets down from his position and
adopts other methods. One method is to place this board on
the last one secured and
weight it with a few
heavy stones, and then it
is moved along from be-
low and placed in position,
where it remains quite as
firm as if it had been
lightly nailed (fig. 22). In
case there is a closet in
KII. •.'.'. - CKILISO-BOARU WK.H;IITKI> WITH
STMM-. the room or a recess, the
last board is sawed into
two or three lengths, and these are placed in position, one after
another, and nailed from above, to the cross-strips, — care being
taken to have these sections come directly over the cross-strips,
su that from In-low the appearance is that of a continuous board.
'1 be ,-ect ions are so
arranged, as to f ' s- -- . <Sf7A
length, that the last
piece conies in the
closet : and this may
either be Weighted
with stones or left
out altogether (fig. FK,. 23.- CK.UM.-BOARD ,x CLOSET.
23).
We have been thus explicit in describing the ceiling, because
so few even among the Japanese seem to understand precisely
the manner in which it is suspended.
In long rooms one is oftentimes surprised to see boards of
great width coiujM^sing the ceiling, and apparently continuous
from one end of the room to the other. What appears to be a
PARTITIONS AND WALLS.
31
single board is in fact composed of a number of short lengths.
The matching of the grain and color is accomplished by taking
two adjacent boards in a bundle of boards, as previously figured
and described, and placing them so that the same ends come
together (fig. 24), — care being taken, of course, to have the
joints come directly over the cross-pieces. The graining of the
wood becomes continuous,
each line of the grain and
the color being of course
duplicated and matched in
the other board. Some-
times a number of lengths
of board may be continued
in this way, and yet from
below the appearance is
that of a single long piece.
The advantage of keeping all the boards of a given log in juxta-
position will be readily understood. In our country a carpenter
has to ransack a lumber-yard to find wood of a similar grain
and color; and even then he generally fails to get wood of
precisely the same kind.
Fl(i. 2\- — METHOD OK REMOVING 15OAK[IS FUOM
BUNDLE TO PRESERVE UNIFORMITY or GRAIN.
The permanent partitions within the house are made in vari-
ous ways. In one method, bamboo strips of various lengths take
the place of laths. Small bamboos are first nailed in a vertical
position to the wooden strips, which are fastened from one up-
right to another ; narrow strips of bamboo are then secured across
these bamboos by means of coarse cords of straw, or bark fibre
(fig. 4). This partition is not unlike our own plaster-and-lath par-
tition. Another kind of partition may be of boards ; and against
these small bamboo rods are nailed quite close together, and upon
this the plaster is put. Considerable pains are taken as to the
plastering. The plasterer brings to the house samples of various-
32 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
colored sands and clays, so that one may select from these the
color of his wall. A good coat of plaster comprises three layers.
The first layer, called shita-nuri, is composed of mud, in which
chopped straw is mixed ; a second layer, called chu-nuri, of rough
lime, mixed with mud ; the third layer, called uwa-nun, has the
colored clay or sand mixed with lime, — and this last layer is
always applied l>y a skilful workman. Other methods of treating
this surface will be given in the chapter on interiors.
Many of the partitions between the rooms consist entirely of
light sliding screens, which will be specially described farther on.
Often two or more sides of the house are composed entirely of
these simple and frail devices. The outside permanent walls of a
buu.-e. it of wood, are made of thin boards nailed to the frame
liori/.ontally. — as we lay clapboards on our houses. These may
lie more firmly held to the house by long strips nailed against
the board- vertically. The boards may also be secured to the
bouse vertically, and weather-strips nailed over the seams, — as is
commonly the \vav with certain of our bouses. In the southern
provinces a rough house-wall is made of wide slabs of bark, placed
vertically, and held in place by thin strips of bamboo nailed
cro->-\\ ise. Tbis style is common among the poorer houses in
Japan : and. indeed, in the better class of bouses it is often used
as an ornamental feature, placed at the height of a few feet
from the ground.
Outside plastered walls are also very common, though not of a
durable nature. This kind of wall is frequently seen in a dilapi-
dated condition. In Japanese picture-books this broken condition
is often shown, with the bamboo slats exposed, as a suggestion of
poverty.
In the cities, the outside walls of more durable structures, such
as warehouses, are not infrequently covered with square tiles, a
board -wall being first made, to which the tiles are secured by
being nailed at their corners. These may he placed in diagonal
STRUCTURE OF KURA.
33
or horizontal rows, — in either case an interspace of a quarter of
an inch being left between the tiles, and the seams closed with
white plaster, spreading on each side to the width of an inch or
more, and finished with a rounded surface. This work is done
in a very tasteful and artistic manner, and the effect of the dark-
gray tiles crossed by
these white bars of
plaster is very strik-
ing (fig. 25).
As the fire-proof
buildings, or kura,
are often used as
dwelling - places, a
brief mention of
their structure may
be proper here.
These buildings are
specially designed
for fire-proof store-
houses. They are
generally two stories
in height, with walls
eighteen inches to
two feet or more in
thickness, composed
of mud plastered on
to a frame-work of great strength and solidity. The beams are
closely notched, and bound with a coarse-fibred rope ; and small
bamboos are closely secured to the beams. Short coarse-fibred
ropes, a foot in length, are secured in close rows to the cross-
beams and uprights. All these preparations are made for the
purpose of more securely holding the successive layers of mud
FIG. 25. — ARRANGEMENT OF SQUARE TILES ON SIDE OF
HOUSE.
34 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
to be applied. As a preliminary to this work a huge and ample
staging is erected to completely envelop the building. The staging,
indeed, forms a huge cage, and upon this straw mattings are hung
so that the mud plastering shall not dry too quickly. This cage
is sufficiently ample to allow the men to work freely around
and beneath it. Layer after layer is applied, and a long time
elapses between these applications, in order that each layer may
dry properly. Two years or more are required iu the proper
construction <>f one of these fire-proof buildings. The walls
having been finished, a coat of plaster, or a plaster mixed with
lampblack, is applied, and a line polished surface, like black
lacquer, is produced. This polished black surface is made by
first rubbing with a cloth, then with silk, and finally with
the hand.
A newly-finished burn presents a remarkably solid and im-
iHising appearance. The root's are of immense thickness, with
enormous ridges ornamented with artistic designs in stucco, and
the ridirt's terminating with ornamental tiles in high-relief. The
line polish of these buildings soon becomes impaired, and they
linallv assume a dull black or slaty color ; sometimes a coat of
white plaMer is applied. I'pon the outside of the wall a series of
luiii: iron hook> are >eeii : these are to hold an adjustable wooden
casing which is often used to cover the walls, and thus to protect
them from the eroding action of the elements. These wooden
casings are placed against the buildings, proper openings being
left through which the iron hooks project, and long slender bars
of wood stretch across the wall, held in place by the upturned
ends of the iron hooks, and in turn holding the wooden casing
in place.
The windows of the buildings are small, and each is closed
either by a sliding-door of great thickness and solidity, or by
double-shutters swinging together. The edges of these shutters
have a series of rabbets, or steps, precisely like those seen
JAPANESE CARPENTERS. 35
in the heavy doors of a bank-safe. At the time of a fire,
additional precautions are taken by stopping up the chinks of
these closed shutters with mud, which is always at hand, ready
mixed for such an emergency. These buildings, when properly
constructed, seem to answer their purpose admirably ; and after
a conflagration, when all the surrounding territory is absolutely
flat, — for there are no tottering chimneys or cavernous cellars
and walls to be seen, as with us, — these black, grimy kura stand
conspicuous in the general ruin. They do not all survive,
however, as smoke is often seen issuing from some of them,
indicating that, as in our own country, safes are not always
lire-proof.
A somewhat extended experience with the common every-
day carpenter at home leads me to say, without fear of con-
tradiction, that in matters pertaining to their craft the Japanese
carpenters are superior to American. Not only do they show
their superiority in their work, but in their versatile ability in
making new things. One is amazed to see how patiently a Japan-
ese carpenter or cabinet-maker will struggle over plans, not only
drawn in ways new and strange to him, but of objects equally
new, — and struggle successfully. It is a notorious fact that most
of the carpenters in our smaller towns and villages are utterly
incompetent to carry out any special demand made upon them,
outside the building of the conventional two-storied house and
ordinary roof. They stand bewildered in the presence of a
window-projection or cornice1 outside the prescribed ruts with
which they and their fathers were familiar. Indeed, in most
cases their fathers were not carpenters, nor will their children
be ; and herein alone the Japanese carpenter has an immense
advantage over the American, for his trade, as well as other
trades, have been perpetuated through generations of families.
The little children have been brought up amidst the odor of
36 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
fragrant shavings, — have with childish hands performed the
duties of an adjustable vise or clamp ; and with the same tools
which when children they have handed to their fathers, they
have in later days earned their daily rice.
When I see one of our carpenters' ponderous tool-chests,
made uf polished woods, inlaid with brass decorations, and
filled to repletion with several hundred dollars' worth of highly
l>olished and elaborate machine-made implements, and contem-
plate the work often done with them, — with everything binding
that should go loose, and everything rattling that should be
tight, ami much work that has to he done twice over, with an
indication everywhere of a povert}7 of ideas, — and then recall
the Japanese carpenter with his ridiculously light and flimsy
tool-box containing a meagre assortment of rude and primitive
tooN. — considering the carpe-ntry of the two people, I am
fuivrd tn the conviction that civilization and modern appliances
count as nothing unless accompanied with a moiety of brains
and some little taste and wit.
It is a very serious fact that now-a-days no one in our country
is aci|uiring faithfully the carpenter's trade. Much of this la-
nientalile condition of tilings is no doubt due to the fact that
machine-work lias supplanted the hand-work of former times.1
Doors. Minds, sashes, mouldings are now turned out by the cord
and mile, and all done in such greedy haste, and with the green-
est of lumber, that if it does not tumble to pieces in transporta-
tion it i.s sure to do so very soon after entering into the house-
structure. Nevertheless, the miserable truth yet remains that any
man who has nailed up a few boxes, or stood in front of a circular
1 General Francis A. W.ilkcr. in liis Lowell Lectures on the United States Census
fur 1H80, shows that car|«ent<-rs constitute the largest single body of artisans working for
the supply of IrK-al want*. Hi- allows that the increase of this body from decade to decade
i» far behind what it nhould IK- if it mcreas^l in the ratio of the population ; and though
thin fact might ex.-ite surprise, he shows that it is due to the enormous increase in machine-
mad.' material, such as doors, sashes, blinds, etc. ; in other words, to the making of those
part* which in former times trained a man in delicate work and accurate joinery.
CARPENTERS' TOOLS AND APPLIANCES. 37
saw for a few months, feels competent to exercise all the duties of
that most honorable craft, — the building of a house.1
It may be interesting, in this connection, to mention a few of
the principal tools one commonly sees in use among the Japanese
carpenters. After having seen the good and serviceable carpen-
try, the perfect joints and complex mortises, done by good Jap-
anese workmen, one is astonished to find that they do their work
without the aid of certain appliances considered indispensable by
similar craftsmen in our country. They have no bench, no vise,
no spirit-level, and no bit-stock ; and as for labor-saving ma-
chinery, they have absolutely nothing. With many places which
could be utilized for water-power, the old country saw-mill has
not occurred to them.2 Their tools appear to be roughly made,
and of primitive design, though evidently of the best-tempered
steel. The only substitute for the carpenter's bench is a plank
1 There is no question but that in England apprentices serve their time at trades
more faithfully than with us; nevertheless, the complaints that go up in the English
press in regard to poor and slovenly work show the existence of a similar class of im-
postors, who defraud the public by claiming to bo what they are not. The erratic Charles
Keade, in a series of letters addressed to the " Pall Mall Gazette," on builders' blunders,
inveighs against the British workmen as follows: "When last seen, I was standing on
the first floor of the thing they call a house, with a blunder under my feet, — unvarnished,
unjoined boards ; and a blunder over my bead, — the oppressive, glaring plaster-coiling,
full of the inevitable cracks, and foul with the smoke of only three months' gas."
In regard to sash windows, lie says : " This room is lighted by what may be defined
' the unscientific window.' Here, in this single structure, you may see* most of the intel-
lectual vices that mark the unscientific mind. The scientific way is always the simple
way ; so here you have complication on complication, — one half the window is to go up,
the other half is to come down. The maker of it goes out of his way to struggle with
Nature's laws; ho grapples insanely with gravitation, and therefore he must use cords
and weights and pulleys, and build boxes to hide them in. He is a great hider. His
wooden frames move up and down wooden grooves, open to atmospheric influence.
What is the consequence? The atmosphere becomes humid; tho wooden frame sticks in
the wooden box, and the unscientific window is jammed. What, ho ! Send for the
CURSE OF FAMILIES, the British workman ! On one of the cords breaking (they are
always breaking), send for the CURSE OF FAMILIES to patch the blunder of the
unscientific builder."
3 A Government bureau called the Kaitakushi, now fortunately extinct, established
in Yezo, the seat of its labors, one or two saw-mills; but whether they are still at work
I do not know.
38 JAPANESE HOMES ASL> THEM SURROUNDINGS.
on the floor, or on two horses; a square, firm, upright post is
the nearest approach to a bench and vise, for to this beam a
block of wood to be sawed into pieces is firmly held (fig. 26).
A big wooden wedge is bound firmly to the post with a stout
rojw, and this driven down with vig-
orous blows till it pinches the block
which is to be cut into the desired pro-
portions.
In using many of the tools, the Jap-
anese carpenter handles them quite dif-
ferently from (tin- workman ; for instance,
he draws the plane towards him instead
of pushing it from him. The planes are
very rude-looking implements. Their
bodies, instead of being thick blocks
of \vood. are quite wide and thin
i tig. -!7. It, K}. and the blades are
inclined at a greater angle than the
blade in our plane.
In some planes, how-
ever, the blade stands
vert ical ; this is used
in lieu of the steel
scrapers in giving
wood a smooth fin-
ish. and might be
used with advantage
by our carpenters as a substitute for the piece of glass or thin
plate of steel with which they usually scrape the surface of the
wood. A huge plane is often seen, five or six feet long. This
plane, however, is fixed in an inclined position, upside down ;
that is. with the blade uppermost. The board, or piece to be
planed, is moved back and forth upon it.
FIG. 26. — A JA.PANKSK CARPHNTEK'S VISK.
CARPENTERS' TOOLS AND APPLIANCES.
39
Draw-shaves are in common use. The saws are of various
kinds, with teeth much longer than those of our saws, and
cut in different ways. Some of these forms reminded me of
the teeth seen in certain recently patented saws in the United
States. Some saws have teeth on the back as well as on
the front, one edge being used as a cross-cut saw (fig. 27 B, C).
The hand-saw, instead of having the curious loop-shaped handle
made to accommodate only one hand as with us, has a simple
FIG. 27- — CARPENTERS' TOOLS IN COMMON USE.
straight cylindrical handle as long as the saw itself, and some-
times longer. Our carpenters engage one hand in holding
the stick to be sawed, while driving the saw with the other
hand ; the Japanese carpenter, on the contrary, holds the piece
with his foot, and stooping over, with his two hands drives
the saw by quick and rapid cuts through the wood. This style
of working and doing many other things could never be adopted
in this country without an importation of Japanese backs. It
Was an extraordinary sight to see the attitudes these people
40 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
assumed in doing work of various kinds. A servant girl, for
example, in wiping up the floor or verandah with a wet cloth,
does not get down on her knees to do her work, but bending
over while still on her feet, she pushes the cloth back and forth,
and thus in this trying position performs her task.
The adze is provided with a rough handle bending consider-
ably at the lower end, not unlike a hockey-stick (fig. 27, A).
In summer tin- carpenters work with the scantiest clothing
possible, and nearly always barefooted. It is a startling sight
to a nervous man to see a carpenter standing on a stick of
timber, hacking away in a furious manner with this crooked-
handled instrument having an edge as sharp as a razor, and
taking <>tl' mvat ehips of the wood within an inch of his naked
toes. Never having ourselves seen a toeless carpenter, or one
wlio.M- feet showed the slightest indication of his ever having
missed the mark, we regarded as good evidence of the unerring
accuracy with which they use this serviceable tool.
For drilling holes a very long-handled awl is used. The
carpenter seizing the handle at the end, between the palms of
his hands, and moving his hands rapidly back and forth, pushing
down at the same time, the awl is made rapidly to rotate back
and forth : as his hands gradually slip down on the handle he
ijiiickly M'i/.es it at the upper end again, continuing the motion
as before. One is astonished to see how rapidly holes are drilled
in this simple, yet effective way. For large holes, augers similar
to ours are used. Their chisel is also much like ours in shape.
For nailing in places above the easy reach of both hands they use
a hammer, one end of which is prolonged to a point ; holding,
then, a nail between the thumb and finger with the hammer
grasped in the same hand, a hole is made in the wood with the
pointed end of the hammer, the nail inserted and driven in.
A portable nail-box is used in the shape of a round basket,
to which is attached, a short cord with a button of wood or
CARPENTERS1 TOOLS AND APPLIANCES.
41
FIG. 28. — A JAPANESE
NAIL-BASKET.
bamboo at the end ; this is suspended irom a sash or cord that
encircles the waist (fig. 28). The ' slangier' s nail-box has the
bottom prolonged and perforated, so that
it may be temporarily nailed to the roof
(% 64).
There are three implements of the
Japanese carpenter which are inseparable
companions ; these are the magari-gane,
sumi-sashi, and sumi-tsubo. The magari-
gane is an iron square rather narrower
than our square. The sumi-sashi is a
double-ended brush made out of fibrous
wood, rounded at one end, and having
a wide sharp edge at the other (fig. 29). The carpenter always
has with him a box containing cotton saturated with ink ; by
means of the sumi-sashi and
ink the carpenter can mark
characters and signs with the
rounded end, or fine black
lines with the sharp edge.
One advantage attending
this kind of a brush is that the carpenter can make one at
a moment's notice. The sumi-tsubo (fig. 30, A, B) is the
substitute for our carpenter's chalk-line ; it is made of wood,
often curiously wrought, having at one end a cavity scooped
out and filled with cotton saturated with ink, and the other
end has a reel with a little crank. Upon the reel is wound
a long cord, the free end of which passes through the cotton
and out through a hole at the end of the instrument. To
the end of the cord is secured an object resembling an awl.
To make a line on a plank or board the. awl is driven into
the wood, the cord is unreeled, and in this act it becomes
blackened with ink ; by snapping the cord in the usual way,
FIG. 29. — A CARPENTER'S MARKING-BRUSH
MADE OF WOOD.
42 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Fi(i. HO. — TIIK ScMi-Tsriio.
a clear black line is left upon the surface of the wood. It
is then quickly reeled up again by means of a little crank.
This instrument is an improvement in every way over the
chalk-line, as it is more convenient,
and by its use a clear black line is
left upon the wood, instead of the
dim chalk-line which is so easily
_ effaced. This implement is often
\J" -"VC^0^; used as a plumb-line by giving a
turn to the cord about the handle,
thus holding it firmly, and suspend-
ing the instrument by means of the
awl.
A plumb-line is made with a
strip of wood four or five feet in
length, to eacli end of which is
nailed, at right angles, a strip of wood four or five
inches long, projecting an inch on one side. These
two transverse strips are of exactly the same length,
and arc so adjusted to the longer strip as to
project the same distance. From the longer arm
of one of these pieces is suspended a cord with a
Wright at the lower end. In plumbing a wall, the
short ends of the transverse pieces are brought
against the wall or portion to be levelled, and an
adjustment is made till the cord just touches the
edge of the lower arm. The accompanying sketch
(fig. 31) will make clear the appearance and method
of using this simple device.
In gluing pieces of wood together, more espe-
cially veneers, the Japanese resort to a device which THE JAPANESE
is common with American cabinet-makers, — of
bringing into play a number of elastic or bamboo rods, one end
FIG. 31.
CARPENTERS' TOOLS AND APPLIANCES.
43
coming against a firm ceiling or support, and the other end
pressing on the wood to be united. In polishing and grinding,
the same device is used in getting pressure.
This necessarily brief description is not to be regarded in any
• way as a catalogue of Japanese carpenters' tools, but is intended
simply to describe those more commonly seen as one watches
them at their work. The chief merit of many of these tools
is that they can easily be made by the users ; indeed, with
the exception of the iron part, every Japanese carpenter can
and often does make his own tools.
By an examination of old books and pictures one gets an idea
of the antiquity of many objects still in use in Japan. I was
shown, at the house of a Jap-
anese antiquary, a copy of a
very old maki-mono (a long scroll
of paper rolled up like a roll of
wall-paper, on which continuous
stories or historical events are
written or painted). This maki-
mono in question was painted by
Takakana, of Kioto, five hundred
and seventy years ago, and rep-
resented the building of a temple,
from the preliminary exercises
to its completion. One sketch
showed the carpenters at work
hewing out the wood and making the frame. There were many
men at work ; a few were eating and drinking ; tools were lying
about. In all the tools represented in the picture, — of which
there were chisels, mallets, hatchets, adzes, squares, and saws, -
there was no plane or long saw. A piece of timber was being
cut longitudinal!}7 with a chisel. The square was the same as
that in use to-day. The tool which seemed to take the place of a
FIG. 32. — ANCIENT CARPENTER. (COP-
IED FROM AN OLD PAINTING.)
44 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
plane was similar to a tool still used by coopers, but I believe by
no other class of workmen, though I remember to have seen a
man and a boy engaged in stripping bark from a long pole with
a tool similar to the one seen in the sketch (fig. 32).
The fiiimi-tsitbo was much more simple and primitive in form
in those times, judging from the sketch given on page 42
(fig. 30, C). A carpenter's tool-box is shown quite as small
and light as similar boxes in use to-day. To the cover of this
IHJX (fig. 32) is attached a curious hand-saw with a curved edge.
Large saws with curved edges, having handles at both ends,
to l>e worked by two men, are in common use; but I have never
seen a hand-saw of this shape. All the saws represented in the
picture had the same curved edge.
Nothing is more to be commended than the strong, durable,
and sensible way in which the Japanese carpenter erects his
staging. The various parts of a staging are never nailed to-
irether. as this would not only weaken the pieces through which
spikes and nails have been driven, but gradually impair its in-
tegrity. All the pieces, upright and transverse, are firmly tied
together with tough, strong rope. The rope is wound about,
again and again, in the tightest possible manner. Buddhist tem-
jiles of lufty proportions are reared and finished, and yet one
never hears of the frightful accidents that so often occur at home
as the results of stagings giving way in the erection of similar
lofty structures. How exceedingly dull and stupid it must appear
to a Japanese carpenter when he learns that his Christian brother
constructs a staging that is liable, sooner or later, to precipitate
him to the ground.
CHAPTER II.
TYPES OF HOUSES.
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. — FISHERMEN'S HOUSES — Kuu.v — .V STUDY OF ROOFS -
SHINGLED ROOFS. — TILED HOOFS. — STONE ROOFS. — THATCHED ROOKS.
\ \ 7RITERS on Japan have often commented upon the absence
of any grand or imposing architectural edifices in that
country; and they have offered in explanation, that in a country
shaken by frequent earthquakes no stately structures or build-
ings of lofty proportions can endure. Nevertheless, many such
structures do exist, and have existed for centuries. — as witness
the old temples and lofty pagodas, and also the castles of the
Daimios, notably the ones at Kumamoto and Nagoya. If the
truth were known, it would be found that revolution and re-
bellion have been among the principal destructive agencies in
nearly obliterating whatever may have once existed of grand
architectural structures in Japan.
Aime Humbert finds much to admire in the castles of the
Daimios, and says, with truth : " In general, richness of detail is
less aimed at than the general effect resulting from the grandeur
and harmony of the proportions of the buildings. In this respect
some of the seigniorial residences of Japan deserve to figure
among the architectural monuments of Eastern Asia."
In regard to the architecture of Japan, as to other matters,
one must put himself in an attitude of sympathy with her peo-
ple, or at least he must become awakened to a sympathetic
appreciation of their work and the conditions under which it
46 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
has arisen. Above all, he must rid himself of all preconceived
ideas as to what a house should be, and judge the work of
a Japanese builder solely from the Japanese stand-point. Archi-
tectural edifice's, such as we recognize as architectural, do not
exist outside her temples and castles. Some reason for this
condition of things may be looked for in the fact that the vast
majority of the Japanese are poor. — very poor; and further, in
tlie fact that the idea of co-operative buildings, with the exception
of the Yashiki barracks, has never entered a Japanese mind, —
each family, with few exceptions, managing to have a house of its
own. As a result of this, a vast number of the houses are shel-
ti-rs merely, and are such from necessity ; though even among
these poorer shelters little bits of temple architecture creep in, —
quite as scanty, however, in that respect as are similar features in
niir two-storied wooden boxes at home, which may have a bit of
ilivcian suggestion in the window caps, or of Doric in the front
HI M ir-pi i.-t >.
In considering the temples of the Japanese, moreover, one
should take into account their methods of worship, and precisely
what use- the worshippers make of these remarkable edifices. And
si i with intelligent .-ympathy finally aroused in all these matters,
they begin to \\ear a new aspect : and what appeared grotesque
and unmeaning before, now becomes full of significance and beauty.
\\ c see that there is something truly majestic in the appearance
of the broad and massive temples, with the grand upward sweep
of th<ir heavily-tiled roofs and deep-shaded eaves, with intricate
maze of supports and carvings beneath; the whole sustained on
colossal round posts locked and tied together by equally massive
timbers. Certainly, to a Japanese the effect must be inspiring
beyond description ; and the contrast between these structures
'and the tiny and perishable dwellings that surround them ren-
ders the former all the more grand and impressive. Foreigners,
though familiar with the cathedral architecture of Europe, must
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. 47
yet see much to admire in these buildings. Even in the smaller
towns and villages, where one might least expect to find such
structures, the traveller sometimes encounters these stately edi-
fices. Their surroundings are invariably picturesque ; no sterile
lot, or worthless sand-hill outside the village, will suit these sim-
ple people, but the most charming and beautiful place is always
selected as a site for their temples of worship.
Whatever may be said regarding the architecture of Japan,
the foreigner, at least, finds it ditlicult to recognize any distinct
types of architecture among the bouses, or to distinguish any
radical differences in the various kinds of dwellings he sees
in his travels through the country. It may be possible that
these exist, for one soon gets to recognize the differences between
the ancient and modern house. There are also marked differences
between the compact house of the merchant in the city and the
country house ; but as for special types of architecture that would
parallel the different styles found in our country, there are none.
Everywhere one notices minor details of finish and ornament
which he sees more fully developed in the temple architecture.
and which is evidently derived from this source ; and if it can be
shown, as it unquestionably can, that these features were brought
into the country by the priests who brought one of the two
great religions, then we can trace many features of architectural
detail to their home, and to the avenues through which they
came.
In connection with the statement just made, that it is diffi-
cult to recognize any special types of architecture in Japanese
dwellings, it may be interesting to mention that we found it
impossible to get books in their language treating of house
architecture. Doubtless books of this nature exist, — indeed,
they must exist ; but though the writer had a Japanese book-
seller, and a number of intelligent friends among the Japanese,
looking for such books, he never had the good fortune to
48 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
secure any. Books in abundance can begot treating of temple
architecture, from the plans of the framing to the completed
structure ; also of kura, or go-downs, gateway, tori-i, etc. Plans
of buildings for their tea-ceremonies, and endless designs for
the inside finish of a house, — the recesses, book-shelves, screens,
and indeed all the delicate cabinet-work, — are easily obtain-
able ; but a l)oo k which shall show the plans and elevations
of the ordinary dwelling the writer has never yet seen. A
number of friends have given him the plans of their houses
as made by the carpenter, but there were no elevations or
details of outside finish represented. It would seem as if, for •
the ordinary hon.-es at least, it were only necessary to detail
in plan the number and size of the rooms, leaving the rest of
the structure to be completed in any way by the carpenter, so
lung as lie contrived to keep the rain out.
If there is no attempt at architectural display in the dwelling-
hoii-cs of .Japan the traveller is at least spared those miserable
experiences he so often encounters in his own country, where
to a few houses of p»od taste he is' sure to pass hundreds of
perforated wooden boxes with angular roofs and red chimneys
unrelieved by a single moulding; and now and then to meet
with one of those cupola-crowned, broad-brimmed, Corinthian-
columned abominations, as well as with other forms equally gro-
tesque and equally offending good taste.
Owing to the former somewhat isolated life of the different
provinces, the style of building in Japan varies considerably ;
and this is more particularly marked in the design of the
roof and ridge. Though the Japanese are conservative in many
tilings concerning the house, it is worthy of note that changes
have taken place in the house architecture within two hundred
and fifty years ; at all events, houses of the olden times have
much heavier beams in their frame and wider planks in their
structure, than have the houses of more recent times. A prob-
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. 49
able reason is that wood was much cheaper in past times ; or it
is possible that experience has taught them that sufficiently
strong houses can be made with lighter material.
The Japanese dwellings are always of wood, usually of one
story and unpainted. Rarely does a house strike one as being
specially marked or better looking than its neighbors ; more sub-
stantial, certainly, some of them are, and yet there is a same-
ness about them which becomes wearisome. Particularly is this
the case with the long, uninteresting row of houses that border
a village street ; their picturesque roofs alone save them from
becoming monotonous. A closer study, however, reveals some
marked differences between the country and city houses, as
well as between those of different provinces.
The country house, if anything more than a shelter from the
elements, is larger and more substantial than the city house, and
with its ponderous thatched roof and elaborate ridge is always
picturesque. One sees much larger houses in the north, — roofs
of grand proportions and an amplitude of space beneath, that
farther south occurs only under the roofs of temples. We speak
now of the houses of the better classes, for the poor farm-laborer
and fisherman, as well as their prototypes in the city, possess
houses that are little better than shanties, built, as a friend
has forcibly expressed it, of u chips, paper, and straw." But
even these huts, clustered together as they oftentimes are in
the larger cities, are palatial in contrast to the shattered and
filthy condition of a like class of tenements in many of the
cities of Christian countries.
In travelling through the country the absence of a middle
class, as indicated by the dwellings, is painfully apparent. It
is true that you pass, now and then, large comfortable houses
with their broad thatched roofs, showing evidences of wealth and
abundance in the numerous kura and outbuildings surrounding
them ; but where you find one of these you pass hundreds
i
50 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
which are barely more than shelters for their inmates ; and
within, the few necessary articles render the evidences of poverty
all the more apparent.
Though the people that inhabit such shelters are very poor,
they appear contented and cheerful notwithstanding their poverty.
Other classes, who though not poverty-stricken are yet poor in
everv sense of the word, occupy dwellings of the simplest char-
acter. Many of the dwellings are often diminutive in size;
and as one looks in at a tiny cottage containing two or three
rooms at the most, the entire house hardly bigger than a good-
sizcd room at home, and observes a family of three or four
persons living quietly and in a cleanly manner in this limited
space, lie learns that in Japan, at least, poverty and constricted
quarters are not always correlated with coarse manners, filth,
and crime.
Country and city houses of the better class vary as greatly
as with us. — the one with its ponderous thatched roof and
smoke-blackened interior, the other with low roof neatly tiled,
or shingled, and the perfection of cleanliness within.
In Tokio. the houses that abut directly on the street have
a close and prison-like aspect. The walls are composed of boards
or plaster, and perforated with one or two small windows lightly
barred with bamboo, or heavily barred with square wood-gratings.
The entrance to one of these houses is generally at one corner,
or at the side. The back of the house and one side, at least,
have a verandah. I speak now of the better class of houses
in the city, but not of the best houses, which almost invariably
stand back from the street and are surrounded by gardens.
The accompanying sketch (fig. 33) represents a group of
houses bordering a street in Kanda Ku, Tokio. The windows
are in some cases projecting or hanging bays, and are barred with
bamboo or square bars of wood. A si id ing-screen covered with
stout white paper takes the place of our glass-windows. Through
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
51
these gratings the inmates of the house do their bargaining with
the street venders. The entrance to these houses is usually
by means of a gate common to a number. This entrance con-
sists of a large gate used for vehicles and heavy loads, and by
the side of this is a smaller gate used by the people. Sometimes
the big gate has a large square opening in it, closed by a
sliding-door or grating, — and through this the inmates have
ingress and egi'ess.
The houses, if of wood, are painted black ; or else, as is
more usually the case, the wood is left in its natural state,
FIG. 33. — STKKET IN KANDA Ku, TOKIO.
and this gradually turns to a darker shade by exposure. When
painted, a dead black is used ; and this color is certainly agree-
able to the eyes, though the heat-rays caused by this black
surface become almost unendurable on hot days, and must add
greatly to the heat and discomfort within the house. With
a plastered outside wall the surface is often left white, while
the frame-work of the building is painted black, — and this
treatment gives it a decidedly funereal aspect.
62 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
In fig. 34 two other houses in the same street are shown,
one having a two-storied addition in the rear. The entrance
to this house is by means of a gate, which in the sketch is open.
The farther house has the door on the street.
It is not often that the streets are bordered by such well-
constructed ditches on the side, as is represented in the last
two ligures ; in these cases the ditches are three or four feet
FK,. !U. — STIU.KT is KAXIU Ki , TDKIO.
wide, witli well-built stone-walls and stone or wooden bridges
spanning them at the doors and gateways. Through these
ditches the water is running, and though vitiated by the water
from the kitchen and baths is yet sufficiently pure to support
quite a number of creatures, such as snails, frogs, and even
fishes. In the older city dwellings of the poorer classes a num-
ber of tenements often occur in a block, and the entrance is
by means of a gateway common to all.
Since the revolution of 1868 there has appeared a new style
of building in Tokio, in which a continuous row of tenements
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
53
is under one roof, and each tenement has its own separate
entrance directly upon the street. Fig. 35 gives a sketch of
a row of these tenements. These blocks, nearly always of
one story, are now quite common in various parts of Tokio. In
the rear is provided a small plot for each tenement, which
may be used for a garden. People of small means, but by
no means the poorer classes, generally occupy these dwellings.
I was informed by an old resident of Tokio that only since
FIG. 35. — BLOCK OF CHEAP TENEMENTS is TOKIO.
the revolution have houses been built with their doors or main
entrances opening directly on the street. This form of house
is certainly convenient and economical, and is destined to be
a common feature of house-building in the future.
On the business streets similar rows of buildings are seen,
though generally each shop is an independent building, abutting
directly to the next ; and in the case of all the smaller shops,
and indeed of many of the larger ones, the dwelling and shop
are one, the goods being displayed in the room on the street,
while the family occupy the back rooms. While one is bartering
at a shop, the whole front being open, he may often catch a
glimpse of the family in the back room at dinner, and may look
54
JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
entirely through a building to a garden beyond. It is a source
of amazement to a foreigner to find in the rear of a row of dull
and sombre business-houses independent dwellings, with rooms of
exquisite taste and cleanliness. I remember, in one of the busiest
streets of Tokio, passing through a lithographer's establishment,
with tin- inky presses and inky workmen in full activity, and
coming upon the choicest of tiny gardens and, after crossing a
miniature foot-bridge, to a house of rare beauty and finish.
: '
Fio. 3C> — STREET VIEW OK DWELLING is TOKIO.
It is customary for the common merchant to live under the same
roof with tin- >hop. or in ;i closely contiguous building; though in
Tokio. more than elsewhere. I was informed it is the custom
among the wealthy merchants to have their houses in the suburbs
of the city, at some distance from their place of business.
The sketch shown in Fig. .% is a city house of one of the
better classes. Tin- house stands on a new street, and the lot
on one side is vacant ; nevertheless, the house is surrounded on
all sides by a high board-fence, — since, with the open character of
a Japanese house, privacy, if desired, can be secured only by high
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
55
fences or thick hedges. The house is shown as it appears from
the street. The front-door is near the gate, which is shown on the
left of the sketch. There is here no display of an architec-
tural front ; indeed, there is no display anywhere. The largest
and best rooms are in the back of the house ; and what might
be called a back-yard, upon which the kitchen opens, is parallel
with the area in front of the main entrance to the house, and
FIG. 37- — VIEW OF DWELLING FROM GARDEN, is TOKIO.
separated from it by a high fence. The second story contains
one room, and this may be regarded as a guest-chamber. Access
to this chamber is by means of a steep flight of steps, made out
of thick plank, and unguarded by hand-rail of any kind- The
roof is heavily tiled, while the walls of the house are outwardly
composed of broad thin boards, put on vertically, and having
strips of wood to cover the joints. A back view of this house
is shown in Fig. 37. Here all the rooms open directly on the
garden. Along the verandah are three rooms en suite. The
56
JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
balcony of the second story is covered by a light supplementary
roof, from which hangs a bamboo screen to shade the room from
the sun's rays. Similar screens are also seen hanging below.
The verandah is quite spacious ; and in line with the division
between the rooms is a groove for the adjustment of a wooden
screen or shutter when it is desired to separate the house into
two portions temporarily. At the end of the verandah to the
Fl(,. 3S. — DWKLLIXC; NEAR Kl'DAN, ToKIO.
left of the sketch is the latrine. The house is quite open be-
neath, and the air has free circulation.
Another type of a Tokio house is shown in Fig. 38. This is a
low, one-storied house, standing directly upon the street, its tiled
roof cut up into curious gables. The entrance is protected by
a barred sliding door. A large hanging bay-window is also
barred. Just over the fence a bamboo curtain may be seen,
which shades the verandah. The back of the house was open,
and probably looked out on a pretty garden, — though this I did
CITY AXD COUNTRY HOUSES.
57
not see, as this sketch, like many others, was taken somewhat
hastily.
From this example some idea may be got of the diminutive
character of many of the Japanese dwellings, in which, never-
theless, families live in all cleanliness and comfort.
In the northern part of Japan houses are often seen which
possess features suggestive of the picturesque architecture of
FIG. 39. — COUNTRY INN IN KIKUZEN.
Switzerland, — the gable ends showing, in their exterior, massive
timbers roughly hewn, with all the irregularities of the tree-trunk
preserved, the interstices between these beams being filled with
clay or plaster. The eaves are widely overhanging, with pro-
jecting rafters. Oftentimes delicately-carved wood is seen about
the gable-ends and projecting balcony. As a still further sug-
gestion of this resemblance, the main roof, if shingled, as well
as the roof that shelters the verandah, is weighted with stones
of various sizes to prevent its being blown away by the high
JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
winds that often prevail. This feature is particularly common
in the Island of Yezo.
Fig. 39 gives a house of this description near Matsushima, in
Rikuzen. An opening for the egress of smoke occurs on the
side of the roof, in shape not unlike that of a round-topped
dormer window. This opening in almost every instance is found
on the gable end, directly beneath the angle formed at the peak
of the roof.
Another house of this kind, seen in the same province, is
shown in lig. -Hi. liure the smoke-outlet is on the ridge in
FIG. -tO. — CorxTBY Ixs IN KIKUZEH.
the shape of an angular roof, with its ridge running at right
angles to the main ridge ; in this is a latticed window. This
ventilator, as well as the main roof, is heavily thatched, while
the supplementary ridge is of boards and weighted with stones.
A good example of a heavily-tiled and plastered wooden fence
is seen on the left of the sketch. In the road a number
of laborers are shown in the act of moving a heavy block
of stone.
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
59
Another house, shown in fig. 41, was seen on the road to
Mororan, in Yezo. Here the smoke-outlet was in the form of
a low supplementary structure on the ridge. The ridge itself
was flat, and upon it grew a luxuriant mass of lilies. This roof
was unusually large and capacious.
At the place where the river Kitakami empties into the
Bay of Sendai, and where we left our boat in which we had
FIG. 41. — HOUSE XEAR MOHORAX, YEZO.
come down the river from Morioka, the houses were all of
the olden style, — a number of these presenting some good
examples of projecting windows. Fig. 42 represents the front
of a house in this place. This shows a large gable-roof, with
broad overhanging eaves in front, — the ends of the rafters
projecting to support the eaves and the transverse-beams of
the gable ends being equally in sight. The projecting win-
dow, which might perhaps be called a bay, runs nearly the en-
tire length of the gable. The panels in the frieze were of
60 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
dark wood, and bore perforated designs of pine and bamboo
alternating.
The larger houses of this description are always inns. They
usually abut directly upon the road, and have an open appearance
and an air of hospitality about them which at once indicates
their character. One encounters such places so frequently in
Japan, that travelling in the interior is rendered a matter of
ease and comfort as compared with similar experiences in neigh-
' F
Fie.. 42. — BAY-WINDOW. VILLAGK or ODZVKA, KIKVZEN
boring countries. The larger number of these inns in the north
a iv of one-story, though many may be seen that are two-storied.
Very rarely does a three-storied building occur. Fig. 43 repre-
sents one of this nature, that was seen in a small village north
of Sendai.
Houses of the better classes stand back from the road, and
have bordering the road high and oftentimes ponderous ridged
walls, with gateways of similar proportions and character, or
fences of various kinds with rustic gateways. Long, low out-
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
61
buildings, for servants' quarters, also often form portions of the
boundary wall. In the denser part of larger cities it is rare
to find an old house, — the de-
vastating conflagrations that so
often sweep across the cities
rendering the survival of old
houses almost an impossibility.
In the suburbs of cities and in
the country, however, it is not
difficult to find houses one hun-
dred, and even two or three hun-
dred years old. The houses age
as rapidly as the people, and new
houses very soon turn gray from
the weather ; the poorer class of
houses in particular appear much older than they really are.
In entering Morioka, at the head of navigation on the Kita-
kami River, the long street presents a remarkably pretty appear-
ance, with its odd
low - roofed houses
(fig. 44). eacli stand-
ing with its end
to the street. — the
peak of the thatched
roof overhanging the
smoke-outlet like a
hood. The street is
Fid. 4H. — TlIRKE-STORIEl) Hol'SE IX
RlKCCHIU.
FIG. 44. — STREET IN THE SUBURBS OF MORIOKA.
bordered by a high,
rustic, bamboo fence ;
and between the
houses are little plats filled with bright-colored flowers, and shrub-
bery clustering within the fences, even sending its sprays into
the footpath bordering the road.
62 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
The country house of an independent samurai, or rich farmer,
is large, roomy, and thoroughly comfortable. I recall with the
keenest pleasure tin- delightful days enjoyed under the roof
of one of these typical mansions in Kabutoyaina, in the western
part of the province of Musasbi. The residence consisted of a
group df buildings shut in from the road by a high wall.
1'as^ing through a ponderous gateway, one enters a spacious
court-yard, flanked mi either side by long, low buildings used
KH,. l.i. - i)i.n
sK IN KAIHJTIHAMA.
as store-houses and servants' quarters. At the farther end of
the yard, and facing the entrance, was a comfortable old farm-
house. having a projecting gable-wing to its right (fig. 45). The
roof was a thatched one of unusual thickness. At the end of
the wing was a triangular latticed opening, from which thin blue
wreaths of smoke were curling. This building contained a few
rooms, including an unusually spacious kitchen, — a sketch of
which is given farther on. The kitchen opened directly into
a larger and unfinished jwrtion of the house, having the earth
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. 63
for its floor, and used as a wood-shed. The owner informed
me that the farm-house was nearly three hundred years old.
To the left of the building was a high wooden fence, and passing
through a gateway one came into a smaller yard and garden.
In this area was another house quite independent of the farm-
house ; this was the house for guests. Its conspicuous feature con-
sisted of a newly-thatched roof, surmounted by an elaborate and
picturesque ridge, — its design derived from temple architecture.
Within were two large rooms opening upon a narrow verandah.
These rooms were unusually high in stud, and the mats and all
the appointments were most scrupulously clean. Communication
with the old house was by means of a covered passage. Back of
this dwelling, and some distance from it, was still another house,
two stories in height, and built in the most perfect taste ; and
here lived the grandfather of the family, — a fine old gentleman,
dignified and courtly in his manners.
The farm-house yard presented all the features of similar areas
at home. A huge pile of wood cut for the winter's supply was
piled up against the L. Basket-like coops, rakes, and the cus-
tomary utensils of a farmer's occupation were scattered about.
The sketch of this old bouse gives but a faint idea of the massive
and top-heavy appearance of the roof, or of the large si/e of the
building. The barred windows below, covered by a narrow tiled
roof, were much later additions to the structure.
In the city houses of the better class much care is often taken
to make the surroundings appear as rural as possible, by putting
here and there* quaint old wells, primitive and rustic arbors, fences,
and gateways. The gateways receive special attention in this
way, and the oddest of entrances are often seen in thickly-settled
parts of large cities.
Houses with thatched roofs, belonging to the wealthiest classes,
are frequently seen in the suburbs of Tokio and Kioto, and, strange
as it may appear, even within the city proper. One might be led
64 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS,
to suppose that such roofs would quickly fall a prey to the sparks
of a conflagration ; but an old thatched roof gets compacted with
dust and soot to such an extent that plants and weeds of various
kinds, and large dumps of mosses, are often seen flourishing in
luxuriance upon such surfaces, offering a good protection against
(lying sparks. In Kioto we recall a house of this description
which was nearly three centuries old ; and since we made sketches
I'll,. 10. — K.MIIAXI K Til ('ill Itl-YMIM lip ()[.!> HoUSK IN KlOTO.
of its appearance from the street, from just within the gateway,
and from the rear, we will describe these views in sequence.
The first view, then (fig. -1(1). is from the street, and represents
a heavily-roofed gateway, with a smaller gateway at the side. The
big gates had been removed, and the little gateway was perma-
nently closed. This ponderous structure was flanked on one side
by a low stretch of buildings, plastered on the outside, having
small barred windows on the street, and a barred look-out com-
manding the gateway both outside and within. On the other
aide of the gateway was a high, thick wall, also furnished with a
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
65
window or lookout. The outer walls rose directly from the wall
forming the gutter, or, more properly speaking, a diminutive
moat that ran along the side of the street. Blocks of worked
stone formed a bridge across this moat, by which access was
gained to the enclosure. The old dwelling, with its sharp-ridged
roof, may be seen above the buildings just described.
FIG. 47- — OLD HOUSE IN KIOTO. COURT-YARD VIEW.
Fig. 47 represents the appearance of this old house from just
within the gateway. The barred window to the right of the
sketch may be seen through the open gateway in fig. 46, and the
tree which showed over the top of the gateway in that sketch is
now in full view. The old house has a thatched roof with a
remarkably steep pitch, surmounted by a ridge of tiles ; a narrow
tiled roof runs about the house directly below the eaves of the
thatched roof. Suspended below this roof is seen a ladder and
fire-engine, to be ready in case of emergency. The truth must be
66 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
told, however, that these domestic engines are never ready ; for
when they are wanted, it is found that the square cylinders are
so warped and cracked by the hot summers that when they are
brought into action their chief accomplishment consists in squirt-
ing water through numerous crevices upon the men who are fran-
tically endeavoring to make these engines do their duty properly.
FK;. 4S. - OLD HorsK IN KIOTO OAKIIKN VIKW.
The yard was well swept, and quite free from weeds, though at
iino side a number of shrubs and a banana tree were growing in a
luxuriant tangle. A single tree, of considerable age, rose directly
in a line with the entrance to the yard.
The house, like all such houses, had its uninteresting end
toward the street ; and here, attached to the house, was a
"lean-to," or shed, with a small circular window. This was
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. 67
probably a kitchen, as a gateway is seen in the sketch, which
led to the kitchen-garden.
In Fig. 48 a sketch of this house is given from the garden in
the rear. The house is quite open behind, and looks out on the
garden and fish-pond, which is seen in the foreground. The tiled
roof which covers the verandah, and the out-buildings as well,
was a subsequent addition to the old house. The sole occupants
consisted of the mother and maiden sister of the famous antiqua-
rian Ninagawa Noritani. The garden, with its shrubs, plats of
flowers, stepping-stones leading to the fish-pond filled with lotus
and lilies, and the bamboo trellis, is a good specimen of an old
garden upon which but little care has been bestowed.
In the cities nothing is more surprising to a foreigner than
to go from the dust and turmoil of a busy street directly into
a rustic yard and the felicity of quiet country life. On one
of the busy streets of Toldo I had often passed a low shop,
the barred front of which was never opened to traffic, nor was
there ever any one present Avith whom to deal. I used often
to peer between the bars ; and from the form of the wooden
boxes on the step-like shelves within, I knew that the occupant
was a dealer in old pottery. One day I called through the
bars several times, and finally a man pushed back the screen
in the rear of the shop and bade me come in by way of a narrow
alley a little way up the street. This I did, and soon came to
a gate that led me into one of the neatest and cleanest little
gardens it is possible to imagine. The man was evidently just
getting ready for a tea-party, and, as is customary in winter, the
garden had been liberally strewn with pine-needles, which had
then been neatly swept from the few paths and formed in thick
mats around some of the shrubs and trees. The master had
already accosted me from the verandah, and after bringing the
customary hibachi, over which I warmed my hands, and tea and
cake, he brought forth some rare old pottery.
68 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Flli. 4'J — IIOVSE IN TOKIO.
The verandah and a portion of this house as it appeared
from the garden are given in fig. 49. At the end of the verandah
is seen a narrow partition, made out of the planks of an old
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES. 69
ship ; it' is secured to the side of the house by a huge piece
of bamboo. One is greatly interested to see how curiously, and
oftentimes artistically, the old worm-eaten and blackened frag-
ments of a shipwreck are worked into the various parts of a
house, — this being an odd fancy of the Japanese house-builder.
Huge and irregular shaped logs will often form the cross-piece
to a gateway ; rudder-posts fixed in the ground form the sup-
port of bronze or pottery vessels to hold water. But fragments
of a shipwreck are most commonly seen. This wood is always
rich in color, and has an antique appearance. — these qualities
commending it at once to the Japanese eye, and rendering it,
with its associations, an attractive object for their purposes.
In the house above mentioned a portion of a vessel's side
or bottom had been used bodily for a screen at the end of the
verandah, — for just beyond was the latrine, from the side of
which is seen jutting another wing, consisting of a single weather-
worn plank bordered by a bamboo-post. This was a screen to
shut out the kitchen-yard beyond. Various stepping-stones of
irregular shape, as well as blackened planks, were arranged
around the yard in picturesque disorder. The sketch conveys.
with more or less accuracy, one of the many phases of Japanese
taste in these matters.
The wood-work from the rafters of the verandah roof above,
to the planks below, was undefiled by oil, paint, wood-filling,
or varnish of any kind. The carpentry was light, yet durable
and thoroughly constructive ; while outside and inside every
feature was as neat and clean as a cabinet. The room bordering
this verandah is shown in fig. 125.
Fig. 50 gives a view from the L of a gentleman's house
in Tokio, from which was seen the houses and gardens of the
neighborhood. The high and close fence borders a roadway
which runs along the bank of the Sumida-gawa. A short fence
of brush juts out obliquely from the latrine, and forms a screen
70 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
between the house and the little gate. From this sketch some
idea may be formed of the appearance of the balcony and ve-
randah, and how well they are protected by the overhanging
roofs.
Fie. 50.— VIEW FROM SECOND STOHY OF DWELLING i.\ IMADO, Touo.
The inns, particularly the country inns, have a most coscy
and comfortable air about them. Oru- always has the freedom
of the entire place; at least a foreigner generally makes himself
at home everywhere about the public houses, and in this respect
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
71
must impress a Japanese with his boorish ways, since the native
guests usually keep to their own rooms. The big, capacious
kitchen, with its smoke-blackened rafters overhead, its ruddy
glow of wood-fire (a sight rarely seen in the cities, where char-
coal is the principal fuel), and the family busy with their various
domestic duties, is a most cosey and agreeable region.
FIG. 51. — OLD Ixs IN MISIIIMA, SI-RUGA.
On the ride across Yezo, from Otarunai to Mororan, one passes
a number of inns of the most ample proportions ; and their present
deserted appearance contrasts strangely with their former gran-
deur, when the Daimio of the province, accompanied by swarms
of samurai and other attendants, made his annual pilgrimage to
the capital.
At Mishima, in the province of Suruga, a curious old inn was
seen (fig. 51). The second story overhung the first story in front,
72 JAPANESE HOMES AND TllElli SURROUNDINGS.
and the eaves were very widely-projecting. At the sides of the
building a conspicuous feature was the verge boards, which were
very large, with their lower margins cut in curious sweeps. This
may have been intended for an architectural adornment, or pos-
sibly for a wind or sun screen ; at all events it was, as we saw
it. associated with buildings of considerable antiquity. In the
middle and southern provinces of Japan the feature of an over-
hanging second story is by no means uncommon.
Kii. .:,•>. — Yin M, i STUIIT i\ NVJAIKK. Y\M\MHUO.
A group of houses in a village street is shown in fig. 52. The
nearest house is a resting-place for travellers; the next is a
candle-shop, where the traveller and jhirikixhn man may replenish
their lanterns; the third is a jiiirikittlid stand, and beyond this is
a light board-structure of some kind. All of these are dwellings
This street was in the village of Xagaike, between Nara
and Kioto.
The country houses on the east coast of Kagoshima Gulf, in
the province of Osumi. as well as in the province of Satsuma,
have thatched roofs of ponderous proportions, while the walls
sup^rting them are very low. These little villages along the
CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
73
coast present a singular aspect, as one distinguishes only the
high and thick roofs. Fig. 53 is a sketch of Mototaru-midsu as
seen from the water,
and fig. 54 repre-
sents the appearance
of a group of houses
seen in the same vil-
lage, which is on the
road running along FIG. 53. — SHORE or OSUMI.
the gulf coast of Osu-
mi. The ridge is covered by a layer of bamboo ; and the ends
of the ridge, where it juins the hip of the roof, are guarded by
FIG. 54. — FARMERS' HOUSES IN MOTOTARUMIDSU, OSUMI.
a stout matting of bamboo and straw. In this sketch a regular
New England well-sweep is seen, though it is by no means an
uncommon object in other parts of Japan. Where the well is
74 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
under cover, the well-sweep is so arranged that the well-pole
goes through a hole in the roof.
The fishermen's houses are oftentimes nothing more than the
roughest shelters from the elements, and being more closed than
the peasants' houses are consequently darker and dirtier. In
the neighborhood of
_J \±2L^r- larger towns, where
the fishermen are
more prosperous,
their houses com-
pare favorably with
those of the peas-
ant class. Fig. •>•) shows a group of fishermen's huts on the neck
of sand which connects Hakodate with the main island. The high
stockade tences act a> barriers to the winds which blow so furi-
ously across the liar at certain seasons. Fig. HO represents a few
fishermen's huts at Knoshiina. a famous resort a little south of
Fii.. Jj. — FIMIEHMEN'S Hi i> IN HAKODATE.
Fll,. ill. — FlSllKHMKN's HOUSES AT EXOSIIIMA.
Yokohama. Here the houses are comparatively large and com-
fortable, though poor and dirty at best. The huge baskets seen
in the sketch are used to hold and transport Bsh from the
boat to the shore.
KURA.
75
In the city no outbuildings, such as sheds and barns, are seen.
Accompanying the houses of the better class are solid, thick-
walled, fire-proof buildings called kura, in which the goods and
chattels are stowed away in times of danger from conflagrations.
These buildings, which are known to the foreigner as " go-downs,"
FIG. 57. — KURA IN TOKIO.
are usually two stories in height, and have one or two small
windows, and one door, closed by thick and ponderous shutters.
Such a building usually stands isolated from the dwelling, and
sometimes, though rarely, they are converted into domiciles. Of
such a character is the group of buildings in Tokio represented
in fig. 57, belonging
to a genial antiqua-
ry, in which he has
stored a rare collec-
tion of old books,
^JSH fi,.'.r
manuscripts, paint- Si^t^J "
ings, and other an-
tique objects.
Fig. 58, copied
from a sketch made by Mr. S. Koyama, represents another group
of these buildings in Tokio. These kura belonged to the famous
FIG. 58. — KURA, OR FIRE-PROOF BUILDINGS is TOKIO.
70 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
antiquarian Ninagawa Noritane. In these buildings were stored
his treasures of pottery and painting. Often light wooden exten-
sions are built around the kitra, and in such cases the family live
in the outside apartments. An example of this kind is shown
in fig. 5l>. which is an uld house in a poor quarter of the city
of Hakodate. The central portion represents the two-storied
I; urn. and around it is built an additional shelter having a tiled
roof. In case of lire the contents of the outer rooms are hur-
riedly stowed within the fire-proof portion, the door closed, and
the m- vices chinked with mud. These buildings usually survive
Fn.. ;V.i. — OLD llorst IN HAKODATE.
iii the midst of a wide-spread conflagration, while all the outer
wooden additions are consumed. Further reference will be made
to these structures in other portions of the work. It may be
proper to state, however, that nearly every shop has connected
with it a fire-proof building of this nature.
It hardly comes within the province of this work to describe or
figure buildings which are not strictly speaking homes ; for this
reason no reference will he made to the monotonous rows of build-
ings so common in Tokio, which form portions of the boundary-
A STUDY OF ROOFS. 77
wall of the yashiki ; and, indeed, had this been desirable, it would
have been somewhat difficult to find the material, in their original
condition, for study. Many of the yashikis have been destroyed
by fire; others have been greatly modified, and are now occupied
by various Government departments. In Tokio, for example, the
yashiki of the Daimio of Kaga is used by the educational depart-
ment, the Mito yashiki for the manufacture of war material, and
still others are used for barracks and other Government purposes.
As one rides through the city he often passes these yashikis,
showing from the street as long monotonous rows of buildings,
generally two stories in height, with heavy tiled roofs. The wall
of the first story is generally tiled or plastered. The second-story
wall may be of wood or plaster. This wall is perforated at inter-
vals with small heavily-barred windows or hanging bays. The
entrance, composed of stout beams, is closed by ponderous gates
thickly studded with what appear to be massive-headed bolts, but
which are, however, of fictitious solidity. The buildings rest on
stone foundations abutting directly on the street, or interrupted
by a ditch which often assumes the dignity of a castle moat.
These buildings in long stretches formed a portion of the outer
walls of the yashikis within which were the separate residences
of the Daimios and officers, while the buildings just alluded to
were used by the soldiers for barracks.
The great elaboration and variety in the form and structure
of the house-roof almost merits the dignity of a separate section.
For it is mainly to the roof that the Japanese house owes
its picturesque appearance ; it is the roof which gives to the
houses that novelty and variety which is so noticeable among
them in different parts of the country. The lines of a well-made
thatched roof are something quite remarkable in their propor-
tions. A great deal of taste and skill is displayed in the proper
trimming of the eaves; and the graceful way in which the
78 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
eaves of the gable are made to join the side eaves is always
attractive and a noticeable feature in Japanese architecture,
and the admirable way in which a variety of gables are made
to unite with the main roof would excite praise from the most
critical architect.
The elaborate structure of the thatched and tiled roofs, and
the great variety in the design and structure of the ridges
show what might be done by a Japanese architect if other
portions of the house-exterior received an equal amount of
ingenuity and attention.
.lapane.-e roofs are cither shingled, thatched, or tiled. In
the country, tiled roofs are the exception, the roofs being almost
cxelu.-ively thatched. -- though iu the smaller houses, especially
in the larger country villages, the shingled and tiled roofs are
often M-fii. In the larger towns and cities the houses are usually
tiled; yet even here shingled roofs are not uncommon, and
though cheaper than the tiled roofs, are by no means confined
to the poorer houses. In the suburbs, and even in the outskirts
of the cities, thatched roofs are common: in such cases the
thatched roof indicates either the presence of what was at one
time an old farm-house to which the city has extended, or
else it is the lions,, of a gentleman who prefers such a roof
on account ol its picturesqueness and the suggestions of rural
life that go with it.
The usual form of the roof is generally that of a hip or
gable. In the thatched roof, the portion coming directly below
the ridge-pole is in the form of a gable, and this blends into
a hip-roof. A curb-roof is never seen. Among the poorer
classes a simple pent roof is common ; and additions or attach-
ments to the main building are generally covered with a pent
roof. A light, narrow, supplementary roof is often seen project-
ing just below the eaves of the main roof ; it is generally
made of wide thin boards (fig. 60). This roof is called hisashi.
SHINGLED ROOFS. 79
It commonly shelters from the sun and rain an open portion
of the house or a verandah. It is either supported by uprights
from the ground, or by slender brackets which are framed at
right angles to the
main uprights of the
building proper.
Weak and even flim-
sy as this structure
often appears to be,
FIG. 00. — HISASHI.
it manages to sup-
port itself, in violation of all known laws of structure and
gravitation. After a heavy fall of damp snow one may see
thick accumulations covering these slight roofs, and yet a ride
through the city reveals no evidences of their breaking down.
One recalls similar structures at home yielding under like pres-
sure, and wonders whether gravitation behaves differently in
this land of anomalies.
In the ordinary shingled roof a light boarding is first nailed
to the rafters, and upon this the shingles are secured in close
courses. The shingles are always split, and are very thin, -
being about the thickness of an ordinary octavo book-cover,
and not much larger in size, and having the same thickness
throughout. They come in square bundles (fig. 61, A), each
bunch containing about two hundred and twenty shingles, and
costing about forty cents.
Bamboo pins, resembling attenuated shoe-pegs, arc used as
shingle-nails. The shingler takes a mouthful of these pegs,
and with quick motions works precisely and in the same rapid
manner as a similar class of workmen do at home. The
shingler's hammer is a curious implement (fig. 61, B, C). The
iron portion is in the shape of a square block, with its roughened
face nearly on a level with its handle. Near the end of the
80 JAPANESE UOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
handle, and below, is inserted an indented strip of brass (fig. 61, 6).
The shingler in grasping the handle brings the thumb and fore-
p, ill. lii M ii i IK iSiiiM,i.i;s. NAILS, AXD HAMMER.
hand with \vliidi he holds the hammer,
iiul 1'oreiinger holding the peg against
oppo>ite the strip of brass; ho takes a peg from his
with the .sum
and with the thumb
the brass strip (fig. G2), he forces
it into the shingle by a pushing
blow. By this movement the peg
is furred half-way down ; an ob-
lique blow is then given it with
the hammer-head, which bends the
protruding portion of the peg
against the shingle, — this broken-
down portion representing the
head of our shingle-nail. The
bamboo being tough and fibrous
can easily be broken down with-
out separating. In this way is the shingle held to the roof.
The hammer-handle has marked upon it the smaller divisions
FIG. 02. — SHINOLKK'S HAND.
SHINGLED ROOFS.
81
FIG. ?>A. — BAMBOO STRIPS ON SHINGLE-ROOF.
of a carpenter's measure, so that the courses of shingles may
be properly aligned. The work is done very rapidly, — for with
one hand the shingle is adjusted, while the other hand is busily
driving the pegs.
That the shingles
are not always held
firmly to the roof by
this method of shin-
gling is seen in the
fact that oftentimes
long narrow strips of
bamboo are nailed
obliquely across the
roof, from the ridge-pole to the eaves (fig. (]'•'>). These strips are
placed at the distance of eighteen inches or two feet apart.
Yet even in spite of this added precaution, in violent gales the
roof is often rapidly denuded of its shingles, which fill the air
at such times like autumn leaves.
Fig. 64, A, represents a portion of a shingled roof with
courses of shingles partially laid, and a shingler's nail-box held
to the roof. The box has two compartments, -- the larger
compartment holding the bamboo pegs ; and the smaller con-
taining iron nails, used for nailing down the boards and for
other purposes.
There are other methods of shingling, in which the courses
of shingles are laid very closely together, and also in many
layers. Remarkable examples of this method may be seen in
some of the temple roofs, and particularly in the roofs of certain
temple gateways in Kioto, where layers of the thinnest shingles,
forming a mass a foot or more in thickness, are compactly laid,
with the many graceful contours of the roof delicately preserved.
The edges of the roof are beautifully rounded, and the eaves
squarely and accurately trimmed. On seeing one of these roofs
M' JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
one is reminded of a thatched roof, which this style seems
evidently intended to imitate. The rich brown bark of the
hinoke tree is also used in a similar way ; and a very compact
and durable roof it appears to make. In better shingled house-
roofs it is customary to secure a wedge-shaped piece of wood
parallel to the eaves, to which the iirst three or four rows
of shingles are nailed ; other courses of shingles are then laid
I K.. tit. — HOOF WITH SHINGLES PARTLY LAID
on very closely, and thus a thicker layer nf shingles is secured
i fig. Cl. /;>.
I>ut little variety of treatment of the ridge is seen in a
shingled roof. Two narrow weather-strips of wood nailed over
the ridge answer the purpose of a joint, as is customary in
our shingled roofs. A more thorough way is to nail thin strips
of wood of a uniform length directly over the ridge and at
right angles to it. These strips are thin enough to bend readily.
Five or six layers are fastened in this way, and then, more
firmly to secure them to the roof, two long narrow strips of
wood or bamboo are nailed near the two edges of this mass,
parallel to the ridge (fig. 05).
SHINGLED HOOFS.
83
The shingled roof is the most dangerous element of house-
structure in the cities. The shingles are nothing more than
thick shavings, and
curved and warped
by the sun are ready
to spring into a blaze
by the contact of the
first spark that falls
upon them, and then
to be sent flying by
a high wind to scat- j-I0. fis. _KII)OK ,,K SHINGI.K-ROOF IN MCSASIII.
ter the fire for miles.
A very stringent law should be passed, prohibiting the use of such
material for roofing in cities and large villages.
The usual form of gutter for
conveying water from the roof
consists of a large bamboo split
lengthwise, with the natural par-
titions broken away. This is
held to the eaves by iron hooks,
or by long pieces of wood nailed
to the rafters, — their upper edges
being notched, in which the
bamboo rests. This leads to a
conductor, consisting also of a
bamboo, in which the natural
partitions have likewise been
broken through. The upper end
of this bamboo is cut away in
such a manner as to leave four
long spurs ; between these spurs
a square and tapering tunnel of thin wood is forced, — the
elasticity of the bamboo holding the tunnel in place (fig. 66).
FIG. 66. — WATER-CONDUCTOR.
84 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Attention has so often been drawn, in books of travels,
to the infinite variety of ways in which Eastern nations use
the bamboo, that any reference to the subject here would be
sujKTmious. I can only say that the importance of this wonder-
ful plant in their domestic economy has never been exaggerated.
The more one studies the ethnographical peculiarities of the
Japanese, as displayed in their houses, utensils, and countless
other fabrications, the more fully is lit! persuaded that they
could more easily surrender the many devices and appliances
adopted from European nations, than to abandon the ubiquitous
bamboo.
In tiling a roof, the boarded roof is first roughly and thinly
shingled, and upon this surface is then spread a thick layer
of mud. into which the tiles are firmly bedded. The mud is
-'•"»]>f<l up from some ditch or moat, and is also got from
the canals. In the city one often sees men getting the mud
tor this purpose from the deep gutters -which border many of
the streets. This is kneaded and worked with hoc and spade
till it acquires the consistency of thick dough. In conveying
this mass to the roof no hod is used. The material is worked
into large lumps by the laborer, and these are tossed, one after
another, to a man who stands on a staging or ladder, who
in turn pitches it to the man on the roof, or. if the roof be
high, to another man on a still higher staging. The mud
having been got to the roof, is then spread over it in a thick
and even layer. Into this the tiles are then bedded, row after
row. There seems to IK; no special adhesion of the tiles to
this substratum of mud, and high gales often cause great havoc
to a roof of this nature. In the case of a conflagration, when
it becomes necessary to tear down buildings in its path, the
fin-men apjx>ar to have no difficulty in shovelling the tiles off
a roof with ease and rapidity.
TILED ROOFS.
85
The ridge-pole often presents an imposing combination of
tiles and plaster piled up in square ridges and in many orna-
mental ways. In a hip-roof the four ridges are also made thick
and ponderous by successive layers of tiles being built up, and
forming great square ribs. In large fire-proof buildings the
ridge may be carried up to a height of three or four feet.
In such ridges white plaster is freely used, not only as a cement,
but as a medium in which the artist works out various designs
in high-relief. One of the most favorite subjects selected is
that of dashing and foaming waves. A great deal of art and
Fiu. 67. — RIDGE OF TILED ROOF.
skill is often displayed in the working out of this design, —
which is generally very conventional, though at times great
freedom of expression is shown in the work. It certainly seems
an extraordinary design for the crest of a roof, though giving
a very light and buoyant appearance to what would otherwise
appear top-heavy. Fig. 67 is a very poor sketch of the appear-
ance of this kind of a ridge. From the common occurrence
of this design, it would seem as if some sentiment or super-
stition led to using this watery subject as suggesting a protection
from fire ; whether this be so or not, one may often notice
at the end of the ridge in the thatched roofs in the country
86 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
the Chinese character for water deeply cut in the straw and
blackened (fig. 82), — and this custom, I was told, originated in
a superstition that the character for water afforded a protection
against tire.
Kn,. (is. — ORNAMKNTAI. COPING OK TII.ES
I'll., li'.l. OllNAMI .NiAl, (,'uIMNIi OK TlI.KS.
Fio. "0 . — ORNAMENTAL COPIX<; OK TILKS.
The tiled ridges always terminate in a shouldered mass of
tiles specially designed for the purpose. The smaller rihs of tiles
that nm down to the eaves, along the ridges in a hip-roof,
ur border the verge in a gable-roof, often terminate in some
ornamental tile in high-relief. The design may be that of a
TILED ROOFS.
87
mask, the head of a devil, or some such form. In the heavier
ridges much ingenuity and art is shown in the arrangement
of semi-cylindrical or other shaped tile.s in conventional pat-
tern. Figs. 68, 69, 70 will illustrate some of the designs made
in this way. These figures, however, represent copings of walls
in Yamato.
Many of the heavier ridges are deceptive, the main bodv
consisting of a frame of wood plastered over, and having the
appearance externally of being a solid mass of tile and plaster.
The tiles that border the eaves are specially designed for the
purpose. The tile has the form of the ordinary tile, but its
free edge is turned down at right angles and ornamented with
some conventional de-
sign. Fig. 71 illus-
trates this form of tile.
In the long panel a
design of flowers or
conventional scrolls in
relief is often seen.
The circular portion
generally contains the
crest of some family : the crest of the Tokugawa family is rarely
seen on tiles (see lig. 73).
In the better class of tiled roof it is common to point off
with white mortar the joints between the rows of tiles near
the eaves, and also next the ridge; and oftentimes the entire
roof is treated in this manner. In some photographs of Korean
houses taken by Pereival Lowell. Esq., the same method of
closing the seams of the bordering rows of tiles with white
plaster is shown.
The older a tile is, the better it is considered for roofing
purposes. My attention was called to this fact by a friend
stating to me with some pride that the tiles used in his house,
FIG. 71- — KAVES OF TILKD ROOF.
88 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
just constructed, were over forty years old. Second-hand tiles
therefore are always in greater demand. A new tile, being very
porous and absorbent, is not considered so good as one in which
time has allowed the
dust and dirt to fill
the minute interstices,
thus rendering it a
better material for
shedding water.
A tiled roof cannot
be very expensive, as
one finds it very com-
mon in the cities and
larger villages. The
price of good tiles for
roofing purposes is live yen for one hundred (one yen at par
ct|u;ils one dollar). Cheap ones can lie got for from two and
out-half i/cn to three //< n for one hundred. In another measure-
l'n.. 72. — NU.ASMU 'I'll. K.I) KOOK.
FlO. 73. — HoN-liAWARA, OR TRUK TlLK.
ment. a /x?/fto of tiles, which covers an area of six feet square,
can be laid for from two and one-half to three yen.
The form of tile varies in different parts of Japan. The
tile in common use in Nagasaki (fig. 72, A) is similar in form
TILED ROOFS.
89
1'iG. 1 i. — YKUO-GAWARA, OK V EDO— TILE
EAVES.
to those used in China, Korea, Singapore, and Europe. These
tiles are slightly curved, and are laid with their convex surface
downwards. Another form of tile, narrower and semi-cylindrical
in section, is laid with its convex
side upwards, covering the seams
between the lower rows of tiles.
This is evidently the most ancient
form of tile in the East, and in
Japan is known by the name of hon-gawara, or true tile. Fig.
73 represents the form of the hon-gawara used in Tokio.
The most common form
of tile used in Tokio is rep-
resented in fig. 71, called the
yedo-gawara, or ijcdo tile.
With this tile tlie upper con-
vex tile is dispensed with,
as the tile is constructed in
such a way as to lap over
the edge of the one next to
it. Fig. 74 illustrates the
eaves of a roof in which a
yedo tile is used, having the
bordering tiles differing in
form from those shown in fig. 71. A modification of this form
is seen farther south in Japan (fig. 72, B), and also in Java.
A new form of
tile, called the French
tile, has been intro-
duced into Tokio
within a few years
J
(fig. 75). It is not
in common use, however ; and I can recall only a few build-
ings roofed with this tile. These are the warehouses of the
FIG. 75. — FRENCH TILE EAVES
FIG. , 0. — IWAMI TILE FOR RIDGE.
90
JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Mitsu Bishi Steamship Company near the post-office, a building
back of the Art Museum at Uyeno, and a few private houses.
Other forms of tiles are made for special purposes. In the
province of Iwaini, for example, a roof-shaped tile is made spe-
cially for covering the ridge of thatched roofs (fig. 76, A).
The true tile is also used for the same purpose (fig. 76, B).
In this province the tiles are glazed, — the common tiles be-
ing covered with a brown glaze, while the best tiles are glazed
with iron sand. In digging the foundations for a library building
at I'veno Park, a number of large glazed tiles were dug up which
were supposed to have been brought from the province of Bizen
two hundred years ago. These were of the kon-gawarct pattern.
Fid. 77 — S.TOXK HOOK.
Iii the province of Shimotsuke, and doubtless in adjacent
provinces, .-tune hura (fire-proof store-houses) are seen; and these
buildings often have roofs of the same material. The stone
appears to he a light-gray volcanic tufa, and is easily wrought.
The slabs of stone covering the roof are wrought into definite
shapes, so that the successive rows overlap and interlock in
a way that gives the appearance of great solidity and strength.
Fig. 77 illustrates a portion of a roof of this description seen
on the road to Nikko. I was told by a Korean friend that
stone roofs were also to be found in the northern part of Korea,
though whether made in this form could not be ascertained.
THATCHED ROOFS. 91
The thatched roof is by far the most common form of roof
in Japan, outside the cities. The slopes of the roof vary but
little ; but in the design and structure of the ridge the greatest
variety of treatment is seen. South of Tokio each province
seems to have its own peculiar style of ridge; at least, as the
observant traveller passes from one province to another his
attention is attracted by a new form of ridge, which though
occasionally seen in other provinces appears to be characteristic
of that particular province. This is probably due to the partially
isolated life of the provinces in feudal times ; for the same may
be said also in regard to the pottery and many other products
of the provinces.
For thatching, various materials are employed. For the
commonest thatching, straw is used ; better kinds of thatch are
made of a grass called Kaya. A kind of reed called yoshi
is used for this purpose, and also certain species of rush. The
roof requires no special preparation to receive the thatch, save
that the rafters and frame-work shall be close enough together
properly to secure and support it. If the roof be small, a
bamboo frame-work is sufficient for the purpose.
The thatch is formed in suitable masses, combed with the
fingers and otherwise arranged so that the straws all point in
the same direction. These masses are then secured to the
rafters and bound down to the roof by bamboo poles (fig. 78, A),
which are afterwards removed. While the thatch is bound
down in this way it is beaten into place by a wooden mallet
of peculiar shape (fig. 78, B). The thatch is then trimmed
into shape by a pair of long-handled shears (fig. 78, C) similar
to the shears used for trimming grass in our country.
This is only the barest outline of the process of thatching;
there are doubtless many other processes which I did not see.
Suffice it to say, however, that when a roof is finished it presents
a clean, trim, and symmetrical appearance, which seems sur-
92 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
prising when the nature of the material is considered. The
eaves are trimmed off square or slightly rounding, and are
often very thick, — being sometimes two feet or more in thick-
ness. This does not indicate, however, that the thatch is of
the same thickness throughout. The thatch trimmed in these
various ways is thus seen in section, and one will often notice at
this section successive layers of light, and dark thatch. Whether
FIG 78 — THATCH, AND THATCHER'S IMPLEMENTS.
it is old thatch worked in with the new for the sake of
economy, or different kinds of thatching material, I did not
ascertain.
In old roofs the thatch becomes densely filled with soot and
dust, and workmen engaged in repairing such roofs have the
appearance of coal-heavers. While a good deal of skill and
patience is required to thatch a roof evenly and properly, vastly
more skill must be required to finish the ridge, which is often
very intricate in its structure ; and of these peculiar ridges there
THATCHED ROOFS.
93
are a number of prominent types. In presenting these types,
more reliance will be placed on the sketches to convey a general
idea of their appearance than on descriptions.
In that portion of Japan lying north of Tokio the rklge is
much more simple in its construction than arc; those found in
the southern part of the Empire. The roofs are larger, hut their
ridges, with some exceptions, do not show the artistic features,
or that variety in form and appearance, that one sees in the
ridges of the southern thatched roof. In many cases the ridge
is flat, and this area is made to support a luxuriant growth
of iris, or the red lily (fig. 41). A most striking feature is
often seen in the appearance of a brown sombre-colored village,
wherein all the ridges are aflame with the bright-red blossoms
of the lily ; or farther south, near Tokio, where the purer
colors of the blue and white iris form floral crests of exceeding
beauty.
In some cases veri-
table ridge-poles, with
their ends freely pro-
jecting beyond the ga-
ble and wrought in a
gentle upward curve,
are seen (fig. 39).
This treatment of the
free ends of beams in
ridge-poles, gateways, and other structures, notably in certain
forms of tori-i,1 is a common feature hi Japanese architecture,
and is effective in giving a light and buoyant appearance to
what might otherwise appear heavy and commonplace.
At Fujita, in Iwaki, and other places in that region, a
roof is often seen which shows the end of a round ridge-pole
1 A structure of stone or wood, not unlike the naked frame-work of a gate, erected
in front of shriues and temples.
FIG. 79. — Exn OF ROOF IN FUJITA, IWA.KI.
94 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
projecting through the thatch at the gable-peak ; and at this
point a flat spur of wood springs up from the ridge, to which is
attached, 'at right angles, a structure made of plank and painted
black, which projects two feet or more beyond the gable. This
appears to be a survival of an exterior ridge-pole, and is retained
from custom. Its appear-
ance, however, is decid-
edly flimsy and insecure,
and from its weak mode
f^^^w <* attachment must be at
the mercy of every high
Fl(,. Si I — TlLKI" RlIKiE or TllATCIIKI) ROOF IX -i ,r _n, ....
IWAK.. 8ale (fig- 79)' After get-
ting south of Sendai,
ridges composed of tile are often to be seen, — becoming more
common as one approaches Tokio. The construction of this
kind of ridge is very simple and effective; semi-cylindrical
tiles, or the wider forms of hon-yawara, are used for the crest,
and tho.-c in turn cap a row of similar tiles placed on either
side of the ridge (fig. SO). The tiles appear to be bedded in
a layer of clay or
mud and chopped
straw, which is first
piled on to the
thatched ridge. In
some cases a large
bamboo holds the
lower row of tiles in F>(i- 81. — TII.KD RIDGE OF THATCHED ROOK IN MUSASHI.
place (fig. 81). What
other means there are of holding the tiles I did not learn.
They must be fairly secure, however, as it is rare to see them
displaced, even in old roofs.
A very neat and durable ridge (fig. 82) is common in Musashi
and neighboring provinces. This ridge is widely rounded. It
THATCHED ROOFS. 95
is first covered with a layer of small bamboos ; then narrow
bands of bamboo or bark are bent over the ridge at short
intervals, and these are kept in place by long bamboo-strips
or entire bamboos, which run at intervals parallel to the ridge.
These are firmly bound down to the thatch. In some cases
these outer bamboos form a continuous layer. The ends of
the ridge, showing a mass of projecting thatch in section, is
abruptly cut vertically, and the free border is rounded in
a bead-like moulding and closely bound by bamboo, appearing
like the edge of a thick basket. This finish is done in the
FIG. 82. — BAMBOO-RIDGE OF THATCUED ROOF IN MUSASIII.
most thorough and workman-like manner. It is upon the trun-
cate end of this kind of a ridge that the Chinese character
for water is often seen, allusion to which has already been
made.
When there is no window at the end of the roof for the
egress of smoke, the roof comes under the class of hip-roofs.
In the northern province; the opening for the smoke is built
in various ways upon the ridge or side of the roof. By referring
to figs. 39, 40, 41, various methods of providing for this window
may be seen.
Smoke-outlets do occur at the ends of the roof in the north,
as may be seen by referring to fig. 44. The triangular opening
for the outlet of smoke is a characteristic feature of the thatched
% JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
t
:
roofs south of To-
kio; on some of
them a great deal
of study and skill
is bestowed by
the architect and
builder. Some-
times an addition-
al gable is seen,
with its triangu-
lar window (fig.
83). This sketch
represents the
roof of a gentle-
man's house near
Tokio, and is a
most beautiful ex-
ample of the best
form of thatched
roof in Musashi.
Another grand
old roof of a dif-
ferent type is
shown in fig. 81.
Where these tri-
angular windows
occur the opening
is protected by a
lattice of wood.
The roof partakes
of the double na-
ture of a gable
and hip roof com-
bined. — the win-
THATCHED ROOFS.
97
dow being in the gable part, from the base of which runs the
slope of the hip-roof.
Great attention is given to the proper and symmetrical trim-
ming of the thatch at the eaves and at the edges of the
gable. By referring to figs. 83 and 84 some idea may be got
of the clever way in which this is managed. Oftentimes, at the
peak of the gable, a cone-like enlargement with a circular de-
pression is curiously shaped out of the thatch (fig. 84). A good
deal of skill is also shown in bringing the thick edges of the
I Wfv- --
it
FIG. 84. — THATCHED ROOF, NEAR ToKio.1
eaves, which are on different levels, together in graceful curves.
An example of this kind may be seen in fig. 30.
In Musashi a not uncommon form of ridge is seen, in which
there is an external ridge-pole wrought like the upper transverse
beam of a tori-i. This beam has a vertical thickness of twice
or three times its width ; resting transversely upon it, and at
short intervals, are a number of wooden structures shaped like
the letter X, — the lower ends of these pieces resting on the
1 This sketch was made from a photograph taken for this work, at the suggestion
of Dr. W. S. Bigelow, by Percival Lowell, Esq.
7
98 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
slopes of the roof, the upper ends projecting above the ridge-
pole. The ridge at this point is matted with bark ; and running
parallel with the ridge a few bamboos are fastened, upon which
these cross-beams rest, and to which they are secured (fig. 45).
Modifications of this form of ridge occur in a number of south-
ern provinces, and ridges very similar to this I saw in Saigon and
Cholon, in Anain. The curious Shin-to temple, at Kamijiyama, in
Ise. said to be modelled after very ancient types of roof, has
the end-rafters of the gable continuing through the roof and
Fu;. 85. — RIDGE OF THATCHED Hoop AT KABUTOTAMA, MUSASIII.
liryoml the peak to a considerable distance. It was interesting
to sec precisely the same features in some of the Malay houses
in the neighborhood of Singapore. In Musashi, and farther
south, a ridge is seen of very complex structure, — the entire
ridge forming a kind of supplementary roof, its edges thick and
squarely trimmed, and presenting the appearance of a smaller
roof having been made independently and dropped upon the
large roof like a saddle. This style of roof, with many modifi-
cations, is very common in Yamashiro, Mikawa, and neighboring
provinces. A very elaborate roof of this description is shown in
THATCHED ROOFS.
99
fig. 85. This roof was sketched in Kabutoyaina, a village nearly
fifty miles west of Tokio. In this ridge the appearance of a sup-
plementary roof is rendered more apparent by the projection
beneath of what appears to be a ridge-pole, and also parallel
sticks of the roof proper. This roof had a remarkably picturesque
and substantial appearance. This style of roof is derived from
temple architecture.
A very simple form of ridge is common in the province of
Omi ; this is made of thin pieces of board, three feet or more in
length, secured on each (slope of the roof and at right angles to
the ridge ; and these are bound down by long strips of wood, two
FIG. 86. — CREST or THATCHED Roor ix OMI.
resting across the ridge, and another strip resting on the lower
edge of the boards (fig. 86). In the provinces of Omi and Owari
tiled ridges are often seen, and some ridges in which wood and
tile are combined. At Takatsuki-mura, in Setsu, a curious ridge
prevails. The ridge is very steep, and is covered by a close mat
of bamboo, with saddles of tiles placed at intervals along the
ridge (fig- 87). A very picturesque form of ridge occurs in the
province of Mikawa ; the roof is a hip-roof, with the ridge-roof
having a steep slope trimmed off squarely at the eaves. On this
portion strips of brown bark are placed across the ridge, resting
on the slopes of the roof ; a number of bamboos rest on the bark,
parallel to the ridge ; on the top of these, stout, semi-cylindrical
saddles, sometimes sheathed with bark, rest across the ridge, with
100 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
an interspace of three or four feet between them. Fig. 88 repre-
sents a roof with three of these saddles, which is the usual number.
These saddles are firmly bound to the roof, and on their crests
and directly over the ridge a long bamboo is secured by a black-
libred cord, which is tied to the ridge between each saddle. The
smoke-outlet at the end of the ridge-gable is protected by a mass
of straw hanging down from the apex of the window, in shape
FK, ^7 — TILL AMI BAMIIUO KIDUI: OK THATCHED HOOF, TAKATSUKI, SETSU.
and appearance very much like a Japanese straw rain-coat. The
smoke filters out through this curtain, though the rain cannot
beat in.
Hoofs of a somewhat similar construction may be seen in
other provinces. In the suburbs of Kioto a form of roof
and ridge, after a similar design, may be often seen. In this
form the supplementary roof is more sharply defined ; the
corners of it are slightly turned up as in the temple-roof. To
be more definite, the main roof, which is a hip-roof, has built
upon it a low upper-roof, which is a gable; and upon this
rests, like a separate structure, a continuous saddle of thatch,
having upon its back a few bamboos running longitudinally,
THATCHED ROOFS.
101
and across the whole a number of thick narrow saddles of thatch
sheathed with bark, and over all a long bamboo bound to the
ridge with cords (fig. 89). These roofs, broad and thick eaved.
I'iG. SS. — CHEST OF THATCHED Root' IN MIKAWA.
with their deep-set, heavily latticed smoke-windows, and the
warm brown thatch, form a pleasing contrast to the thin-shingled
roofs of the poorer neighboring houses.
FIG. 89. — CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN KIOTO.
Another form of Mikawa roof, very simple and plain in
structure, is shown in fig. 90. Here the ridge-roof is covered
with a continuous sheathing of large bamboos, with rafter-poles
at the ends coming through the thatch and projecting beyond
the peak.
In the provinces of Kii and Yamato the forms of ridges
102 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINOS.
are generally very simple. In one form, common in the province
of Kii, the ridge-roof, which has a much sharper incline than
the roof proper, is
covered with bark,
this being bound
down by parallel
strips, or whole
rods of bamboo ;
and spanning the
ridge at intervals
I'n.. 'jo. — Ciit.ii <IF TiuTtuu) KUUF IN MIKAWA. are straw saddles
sheathed with bark.
These are very narrow at the ridge, but widen at their extremities.
The smoke-outlet is a small triangular opening (fig. 91). In
the province of Vaniato there are two forms of roof very common.
In one of these the root is a gable, the end-walls, plastered
Fio. 91. —CREST OF TUATCHKD ROOP is KII.
with clay and chopped straw, projecting above the roof a foot
or more, and capped with a simple row of tiles (fig. 02), — the
ridge in this roof being made as in the last one described. In
another form of roof with a similar ridge, the thatch on the
THATCHED ROOFS.
103
slopes of the roof is trimmed in such a way as to present
the appearance of a series of thick layers, resting one upon
another like shingles, only each lap being eighteen inches to
two feet apart, with thick edges. It was interesting and curious
to find in the ancient province of Yamato this peculiar treat-
ment of the slopes of a thatched roof, precisely like certain
roofs seen among the houses of the Ainos of Ye/o.
In the provinces of Totomi and Suruga a form of ridge
was observed, unlike any encountered elsewhere in Japan. The
FIG. 92. — THATCHED ROOF ix YAMATO.
ridge-roof was large and sharply angular. Resting upon the
thatch, from the ridge-pole half way down to the main roof,
were bamboos placed side by side, parallel to the ridge. Upon
this layer of bamboos were wide saddles of bark a foot or
more in length, with an interspace of nearly two feet between
each saddle, these reaching down to the main roof. On each
side of the ridge-roof, and running parallel to the ridge, were
large bamboo poles resting on the saddles, and bound down
firmly with cords. On the sharp crest of the roof rested a
long round ridge-pole. This pole was kept in place by wide
104 JAl'ANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
bamboo slats, bent abruptly into a yoke, in shape not unlike
a pair of sugar-tongs, and these spanning the pole were thrust
obliquely into the thatch. These were placed in pairs and cross-
wise in the interspaces between the bark saddles. On the ends
of the ridge there were two bamboo yokes together. The sketch
of this roof (fig. 03) will give a much clearer idea of its appear-
ance and structure than any description. This style of roof was
unique, and appeared to be very strong and durable.
KKI. 9:! — CIIF.ST OF THATCHED ROOF IN TOTOMI.
In the province of Ise a simple typo of roof was seen (fig. 94).
The ridge roof was quite low, sheathed with bark and bound
down with a number of bamboos. At the gable were round
masses of th;itcli covered with bark, which formed an ornamental
moulding at the verge.1
In the province of Osumi, on the eastern side of Kagoshima
Gulf, the vertical walls of the buildings are very low; but these
support thatched roofs of ponderous proportions. These roofs
1 We have- characterized as a ridgo-roof that portion which has truncate ends, — in
other words, the form of u gable, — and which receives special methods of treatment.
The line of demarcation between the long reach of thatch of the roof proper and the
ridj5«-roof is very distinct.
THATCHED ROOFS. 105
are somewhat steeper than the northern roof, and their -ridges
are wide and bluntly rounded. The ends of the ridge are fin-
ished with a wide matting of bamboo, and this material is used
in binding down the ridge itself (fig. 54).
There are doubtless many other forms of thatched roof, but it
is believed that the examples given present the leading types.
As one becomes familiar with the picturesqueneas and diversity
in the Japanese roof and ridge, he wonders why the architects
of our own country have not seen fit to extend their taste
and ingenuity to the roof, as well as to the sides of the house.
FIG. 94. — CREST OF THATCHED ROOF IN ISE
•
There is no reason why the ridge of an ordinary wooden house
should invariably be composed of two narrow weather-strips,
or why the roof itself should always be stiff, straight, and
angular. Certainly our rigorous climate can be no excuse for
this, for on the upper St. Johns, and in the northern part of
Maine, one sees the wooden houses of the French Canadians
having roofs widely projecting, with the eaves gracefully turn-
ing upward, presenting a much prettier appearance than does
the stiff angular roof of the New England house.
It is indeed a matter of wonder that some one in building a
house in this country does not revert to a thatched roof. Our
architectural history shows an infinite number of reversions, and
if a thatched roof were again brought into vogue, a new charm
would be added to our landscape. The thatched roof is pictur-
esque and warm, and makes a good rain-shed. In Japan an
106 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
ordinary thatched roof will remain in good condition from fif-
teen to twenty years ; and I have been told that the best kinds
of thatched roof will endure for fifty years, though this seems
incredible. As they get weather-worn they are often patched
and repaired, and finally have to be entirely renewed. Old
roofs become filled with dust, assume a d<;rk color, and get
matted down ; plants, weeds, and mosses of various kinds grow
upon them, as well as masses of gray lichen. When properly
constructed they shed water very promptly, and do not get water-
soaked, as one might suppose.
Fie,, '.i.'i — |'A\H> SI-AC K i M>KK EAVES OF THATCHED Roop.
It is customary in the bettor class of houses having thatched
roofs to pave the ground with small cobble-stones, for a breadth
of two feet or more immediately below the eaves, to catch the
drip, as in a thatched roof it is difficult to adjust any sort of a
gutter or water-conductor. Fig. 95 illustrates the appearance of
the paved space about a house, the roof of which is shown in
fig. SO.
The translation of the terms applied to many parts of the house
are quit* curious and interesting. The word mune, signifying the
THATCHED ROOFS. 107
ridge of the house, has the same meaning as with us ; the same
word is applied to the back of a sword and to the ridge of a moun-
tain. In Korea the ridge of the thatched roof is braided, or at
least the thatch seems to be knotted or braided at this point ; and
the Korean word for the ridge means literally back-bone, from its
resemblance to the back-bone of a fish.
In Japan the roof of a house is called ijane. Now, yane liter-
ally means house-root; but how such a term could be applied to the
roof is a mystery. I have questioned many intelligent Japanese
in regard to this word, and have never received any satisfactory
answer as to the reason of its application to the roof of a house.
A Korean friend has suggested that the name might have been
applied through association : a tree without a root die*, and a
house without a roof decays. He also told me that the Chinese
character ne meant origin.
In Korea the foundation of a house is called the foot of the
house, and the foundation stones are called shoe-stones.
The Japanese word for ceiling is ten-jo, — literally, " heaven's
well." It is an interesting fact that the root of both words,
ceiling and ten-jo, means " heaven."
CHAPTER III.
INTERIORS.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION. — PLANS. — MATS. — SLIDING SCREENS. — FUSUMA. — HIK.ITE. —
Sllfijl. — TOKONOMA. — ClIIGAI-DAXA. — TEA-ROOMS. — KURA. — CEILINGS. — WALLS.
- KAXMA. — WINDOWS. — PORTABLE SCREENS.
" I "HE interior of a Japanese house is so simple in its con-
struction, and so unlike anything to which we are accus-
tomed in the arrangement of details of interiors in this country.
that it is dillicult to find terms of comparison in attempting to
drscrihe it. Indeed, without the assistance of sketches it would
he almost impossible to give a clear idea of the general appear-
ance, and more especially the details, of Japanese house-interiors.
A\e shall therefore mainly rely on the various figures, with such
aid as description may render.
The first thing that impresses one on entering a Japanese
house is the small size and low stud of the rooms. The ceilings
are so low that in many cases one can easily touch them, and
in going from one room to another one is apt to strike his
head against the kamoi, or lintel. He notices also the con-
structive features everywhere apparent, — in the stout wooden
posts, supports, cross-ties, etc. The rectangular shape of the
rooms, and the general absence of all jogs and recesses save
the tokonoma and companion recess in the best room are notice-
able features. These recesses vary in depth from two to three
feet or more, depending on the size of the room, and are almost
invariably in that side of the room which runs at a right angle
with the verandah (fig. 90) ; or if in the second story, at a right
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
109
110 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
angle with the balcony. The division between the recesses con-
sists of a light partition, partly or wholly closed, which generally
separates the recesses into two equal bays. The bay nearest
the verandah is called the tokonoma. In this recess hangs one
or two pictures, usually one ; and on its floor, which is slightly
raised above the level of the mats of the main floor, stands a
vase or some other ornament. The companion bay has usually
a little closet or cupboard rlosed by sliding screens, and one or
two shelves above, and also another long shelf near its ceiling,
all closed by sliding screens. At the risk of some repetition,
more special reference will be made farther on to these peculiar
and eminently characteristic features of the Japanese house.
In my remarks <m Japanese house-construction, in Chapter I.,
allusion was made to the movable partitions dividing the rooms,
i •nn.-istiii'.r lit' light frames of wood covered with paper. These
are nearh six teet in height, and about three feet in width. The
frame-work of a house, as we have already said, is arranged with
special reference to the sliding screens, as well as to the number
of mats which are to cover the floor. In each corner of the room
is a square post, and within eighteen inches or two feet of the
ceiling cross-beams run from post to post. These cross-beams
have graves mi their under side in which the screens are to
run. Not only are most of the partitions between the rooms
made up of sliding screens, but a large portion of the exterior
partitions as well are composed of these light and adjustable de-
vices. A house may have a suite of three or four rooms in a line,
and the outside partitions be made up entirely of these movable
screens and the necessary posts to support the roof, — these posts
coming in the corners of the rooms and marking the divisions
between the rooms. The outer screens are covered with white
paper, and when closed, a subdued and diffused light enters the
room. They may be quickly removed, leaving the entire front of
the house open to the air and sunshine. The screens between
PLANS. HI
the rooms are covered with a thick paper, which may be left
plain, or ornamented with sketchy or elaborate drawings.
The almost entire absence of swinging doors is at once no-
ticeable, though now and then one sees them in other portions
of the house. The absence of all paint, varnish, oil, or filling,
which too often defaces our rooms at home, is at once remarked ;
and the ridiculous absurdity of covering a good grained wood-
surface with paint, and then with brush and comb trying to
imitate Nature by scratching in a series of lines, the Japanese
are never guilty of. On the contrary, the wood is left in just
the condition in which it leaves the cabinet-maker's plane, with a
simple surface, smooth but not polished, — though polished sur-
faces occur, however, which will be referred to in the proper
place. Oftentimes in some of the parts the original surface
of the wood is left, sometimes with the bark retained. When-
ever the Japanese workman can leave a bit of Nature in this
way he is delighted to do so. He is sure to avail himself
of all curious features in wood : it may be the effect of some
fungoid growth which marks a bamboo curiously ; or the sinuous
tracks produced by the larva? of some beetle that oftentimes
traces the surface of wood, just below the bark, with curious
designs ; or a knot or burl. His eye never misses these features
in finishing a room.
The floors are often roughly made, for the reason that straw
mats, two or three inches in thickness, cover them completely.
In our remarks on house-construction, allusion has already been
made to the dimensions of these mats.
Before proceeding further into the details of the rooms, it will
be well to examine the plans of a few dwellings copied directly
from the architect's drawings. The first plan given (fig. 97) is
that of a house built in Tokio a few years ago, in which the
writer has spent many pleasant hours. The main house measures
112 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
twenty-one by thirty-one feet ; the L measures fifteen by twenty-
four feet. The solid black squares represent the heavier upright
beams which support the roof. The solid black circles represent
the support for the L as well as for the verandah roof. The areas
markrd with close parallel lines indicate the verandah, while
the double parallel lines indicate the sliding screens, — the solid
black lines showing the permanent partitions. The kitchen, bath-
room, and certain platforms are indicated by parallel lines some-
what wider apart than those that indicate the verandah. The
lines running obliquely indicate an area where the boards run to-
wards a central gutter slightly depressed below the common level
of the floor. Here stands the large earthen water-jar or the
\\- 1m bath-tub; and water spilled upon the floor linds its way
out of tlic house by the gutter. The small areas on the outside
of the house, shaded in section, represent the closets or cases in
which the storm-blinds or wooden shutters, which so effectually
close the house at night, are stowed away in the day-time. The
hmise contains a vestibule, a hall, seven rooms, not including the
kitchen, and nine closets. These rooms, if named after our no-
menclature, would be as follows: study, library, parlor, sitting-
room, dining-room, bed-room, servant s'-room, and kitchen. As
no room contains any article of furniture like a bedstead. — the
lied consisting of wadded comforters, being made up temporarily
upon the soft mats. — it is obvious that the bedding can be placed
in any room in the house. The absence of nearly all furniture
gives one an uninterrupted sweep of the floor, so that the entire
lloor can lie covered with sleepers if necessary, — a great conven-
ience certainly when one has to entertain unexpectedly a crowd of
guests over-night. Certain closets are used as receptacles for the
comforters, where they are stowed away during the day-time.
The absence of all barns, wood-sheds, and other out-houses is
particularly noticeable, and as the house has no cellar, one won-
ders where the fuel is stowed. In certain areas of the kitchen
PLANS.
113
!S
o
,*
5' ta
a •* OQ
- a '
I 3 f
2. -
N
K
s°
<!
O9 ^.
II
114 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
floor the planks are removable, the edges of special planks being
notched to admit the finger, so that they can be lifted up one by
one; and beneath them a large space is revealed, in which wood
and charcoal are kept. In the vestibule, which has an earth floor,
is a narrow area of wood flush with the floor within, and in this
also the boards may be lifted up in a similar way, disclosing a
space below, wherein the wooden clogs and umbrellas may be
stowed out of sight. These arrangements in the hall are seen
in the houses of the moderately well-to-do people, but not, so
far as 1 know, in the houses of the wealthy.
In tliis house the dining-room and library are six-mat rooms,
tin- parlor is an eight-mat room, and the sitting-room a four
and one-half mat room; that is. the floor of each room accom-
modates the number of mats mentioned. The last three named
rooms are bordered by the verandah.
The expense of this house complete was about one thousand
dollars. The land upon which it stood contained about 10,800
square feet, and was valued at three hundred and thirty dollars,
rpon this the (Government demanded a tax of five dollars.
The house furnished with these mats, requires little else with
which to begin house-keeping.
A comfortable house, fit for the habitation of a family of
four or live, may be built for a far less sum of money, and
the fewness and cheapness of the articles necessary to furnish
it surpass belief. In mentioning such a modest house and
furnishing, the reader must not imagine that the family are
constrained for want of room, or stinted in the necessary fur-
niture; on the contrary, they are enabled to live in the most
comfortable manner. Their wants are few, and their tastes are
simple and refined. They live without the slightest ostentation ;
no false display leads them into criminal debt. The monstrous
bills for carpets, curtains, furniture, silver, dishes, etc., often
entailed by young house-keepers at home in any attempt at
PLANS. 115
house-keeping, — the premonition even of such bills often pre-
venting marriage, — are social miseries that the Japanese happily
know but little about.
Simple as the house just given appears to be, there is quite
as much variety in the arrangement of their rooms as with us.
There are cheap types of houses in Japan, as in our country,
1 where room follows room in a certain sequence ; but the slight-
est attention to these matters will not only show great variety
in their plans, but equally great variety in the ornamental fin-
ishing of their apartments.
The plan shown in fig. 98 is that of the house represented
in figs. 36 and 37. The details arc figured as in the previous
plan. This house has on the ground-floor seven rooms beside
the kitchen, hall, and bath-room. The kitchen and bath-room
are indicated, as in the former plan, by their floors being ruled
in wide parallel lines, — the lines running obliquely, as in the
former case, indicating the bath-room or wash-rooms.
The owner of this house has often welcomed me to its soft
mats and quiet atmosphere, and in the enjoyment of them I have
often wondered as to the impressions one would get if he could
be suddenly transferred from his own home to this unpretentious
house, with its quaint and pleasant surroundings. The general
nakedness, or rather emptiness, of the apartments would be the
first thing noticed ; then gradually the perfect harmony of the
tinted walls with the wood finish would be observed. The orderly
adjusted screens, with their curious free-hand ink-drawings, or
conventional designs on the paper of so subdued and intangible
a character that special attention must be directed to them to
perceive their nature ; the clean and comfortable mats every-
where smoothly covering the floor ; the natural woods composing
the ceiling and the structural finishing of the room everywhere
apparent ; the customary recesses with their cupboard and shelves,
and the room-wide lintel with its elaborate lattice or carving
116 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
above, — all these would leave lasting
quisite taste and true refinement of the
1 noticed that a pecu-
liarly agreeable odor of the
wood used in the structure
of this house seemed to fill
the air of the rooms with
a di-licaU- perfume ; l and
impressions of the ex-
Japanese.
1 An nAtir which at hotnr wo rmipnizu as " Japancsy," arising from the wood-boxes
iu which Japuurhc articles arc packed.
PLANS. 117
in this connection I was led to think of the rooms I had seen in
America encumbered with chairs, bureaus, tables, bedsteads, wash-
stands, etc., and of the dusty carpets and suffocating wall-paper,
hot with some frantic design, and perforated with a pair of quad-
rangular openings, wholly or partially closed against light and air.
Recalling this labyrinth of varnished furniture, I could but remem-
ber how much work is entailed upon some one properly to attend
to such a room ; and enjoying by contrast the fresh air and broad
flood of light, limited only by the dimensions of the room, which
this Japanese house afforded, I could not recall with any pleasure
the stifling apartments with which I had been familiar at home.
If a foreigner is not satisfied with the severe simplicity,
and what might at first strike him as a meagreness, in the
appointments of a Japanese house, and is nevertheless a man
of taste, he is compelled to admit that its paucity of furniture
and carpets spares one the misery of certain painful feelings
that incongruities always produce. He recalls with satisfaction
certain works on household art, in which it is maintained that
a table with carved cherubs beneath, against whose absurd con-
tours one knocks his legs, is an abomination ; and that carpets
which have depicted upon them winged angels, lions, or tigers,
— or, worse still, a simpering and reddened maiden being made
love to by an equally ruddy shepherd, — are hardly the proper
surfaces to tread upon with comfort, though one may take a
certain grim delight in wiping his soiled boots upon them. In
the Japanese house the traveller is at least not exasperated
with such a medley of dreadful things ; he is certainly spared
the pains that " civilized " styles of appointing and furnishing
often produce. Mr. Lowell truthfully remarks on " the waste
and aimlessness of our American luxury, which is an abject
enslavement to tawdry upholstery."
We are digressing, however. In the plan referred to, an
idea of the size of the rooms may be formed by observing the
118 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
number of mats in each room, and recalling the size of the mats,
which is about three feet by six. It will be seen that the
rooms are small, much smaller than those of a similar class of
American houses, though appearing more roomy from the absence
of furniture. The three rooms bordering the verandah and
facing the garden are readily thrown into one, and thus a con-
tinuous apartment is secured, measuring thirty-six feet in length
by twelve in width : and this is uninterrupted, with the exception
of one small partition.1
In the manner of building, one recognizes the propriety of
constructive art as being in better taste; and in a Japanese
house one sees this principle carried out to perfection. The ceil-
ing of boards, the corner posts and middle posts and transverse
ties are in plain sight. The corner posts which support the
roof play their part as a decorative feature, as they pass stoutly
upward from the ground beneath. A fringe of rafters rib the
lower surface of the wide overhanging eaves, and these in turn
rest firmly on an unhewn beam which runs as a girder from
one side of the verandah to the other. The house is simply
charming in all its appointments, and as a summer-house dur-
ing the many long hot months it is incomparable. In the raw
and rainy days of winter, however, it is not so pleasant, at
least to a foreigner. — though 1 question whether to a Japanese
it is more unpleasant than the ordinary houses at home are with
us. with some of the apartments hot and stilling, and things
cracking with the furnace heat, while other parts are splitting
with the cold; with gas from the furnace, and chimneys that
often refuse to draw, and an impalpable though tangible soot
and coal-dust settling on every object, and many other abomi-
1 In tin- plan (fit. W) P is an right-mat room ; D and L are nix-mat rooms ; S is a
four and one-half mat room ; B, H, and St. arc three-mat rooms ; ."? P, and V are two-
mat riN.ins.
Iii the plan (fig. W) P, P, nnd B are eight-mat rmuiw ; B \a a six-mat room ; W Ji,
:md S, are four and one-half mat rooms ; H, and S R, are three-mat rooms.
PLANS. 119
nations that are too well known. The Japanese do not suffer
from the cold as we do. Moreover, when in the house they clothe
themselves much more warmly; and for what little artificial
warmth they desire, small receptacles containing charcoal are
provided, over which they warm themselves, at the same time
keeping their feet warm, as a hen does her eggs, by sitting on
them. Their indifference to cold is seen in the fact that in
their winter-parties the rooms will often be entirely open to
the garden, which may be glistening with a fresh snowfall.
Their winters are of course much milder than our Northern
winters. At such seasons, however, an American misses in
Japan the cheerful open fireplace around which the family in
his own country is wont to gather ; indeed, with the social
character of our family life a Japanese house to us would be
in winter comfortless to the last degree.
The differences between the houses of the nobles and the
samurai are quite as great as the differences between these
latter houses and the rude shelters of the peasant class. The
differences between the interior finish of the houses of the first
two mentioned classes are perhaps not so marked, as in both
cases clean wood-work, simplicity of style, and purity of finish
are aimed at ; but the house of the noble is marked by a
grander entrance, a far greater extent of rooms and passages,
and a modification in the arrangement of certain rooms and
passages not seen in the ordinary house.
The accompanying plan of a Daimio's house (fig. 99) is from a
drawing made by Mr. Miyasaki, a student in the Kaikoshia, a pri-
vate school of architecture in Tokio, and exhibited with other plans
at the late International Health and Education Exhibition held in
London. Through the kindness of Mr. S. Tejima the Japanese com-
missioner, I have been enabled to examine and study these plans.
The punctilious way in which guests or official callers were
received by the Daimio is indicated by a curious modification
120 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
of the floor of one of a suite of rooms, which is raised a few
inches above the level of the other floors, forming a sort of dais.
These rooms are bordered by a sort of passage-way, or interme-
diate portion, called the iri-kawa, which comes between the room
and the verandah. To be more explicit: within the boundary
of tlu- principal guest-room there appears to be a suite of
.smaller rooms marked off by shuji ; one of these rooms called
the ge-iliin has its Hour on a level with the other floors of the
luju.se. The other room, called the jo-dan, has its floor raised
to a height of three or four inches above that of the ge-dan,
it.- boundary or bonier being marked by a polished plank form-
ing a frame, so to speak, for the mats. On that side of the
/('i-ilmt away from the iji-tlnn is the tokonuma and ch'ujcti-dana.
On entering Mich a room from the verandah one passes through
the usual */«">//. and then across a matted area called the iri-
kniCH. the width of one mat or more; here he comes to an-
other line of sliding screens, which open into the apartments
just de-eribcd. When the Daimio receives the calls from those
who come to congratulate him on New Year's day. and other
important occasions, he sits in great dignity in the jo-dan ; his
chief minister and other attendants occupy the iri-kawa, while
the visitors enter the iji-ilun, and there make their obeisance
to the Wor>hipful Daimio Sama. In the same plan there is an-
other Miite of rooms called the kami-nonia and tsugi-noma sur-
rounded by irl-kmrn, probably used for similar purposes.
In this plan the close parallel lines indicate the verandahs;
the thick lines, permanent partitions; and the small black squares,
the upright jxists. The lines of shoji and fusuma are shown
by the thin lines, which with the thick lines represent the
boundaries of the rooms, passage-ways, etc.
A more minute description of the mats may be given at this
point. A brief allusion has already beer, made to them in the
MATS.
121
remarks on house-construction. These mats, or tatami, are made
very carefully of straw, matted and bound together with stout
Iri-kawa
Oshi-ire [ Oski-ire ]pahi-ire[O-i
Nan -do
Keshn-iio-ma
Ju-dun
Ge-dan
Iri-kaira
Yen-zashiki
Iri-kawa
Tamari
Cha-dokorv
Sunoko
Ttunari
D
1
Nnka-tsubn
Knitn nii-nn
Tsuyi-no-ma
Rr,-kn
Afjuri-bn
Tamari
FIG. 99. — Pr.AN OF A PORTION OF A DAIMIO'S RESIDENCE.1
1 The following is a brief explanation of tho names of the rooms given in plan
fig. 99: Agari-ba (Agari, "to go up;" la, "place"), Platform, or place to stand
on in coming out of the Bath. Cha-dokoro, Tea-place; Ge-dan, Lower Step; Jo-dan,
Upper Step ; Iri-kawa, Space between verandah and room ; Kami-no-ma, Upper place
or room ; Tsiigi-no-ma, Next place or room : Kesho-no-ma, Dressing-room (Keslto, —
"adorning the face with powder"). Nan-do, Store-room ; Xal;a-tsul>o, Middle space;
Oshi-ire, Closet (literally, " push," " put in ") ; Ro-ka, Corridor, Covered way ; Tamari,
Ante-chamber; Tsume-sho, Waiting-room for servants; Yu-dono, Bath-room; Yen-
Uci, End parlor; Watari, — " to cross over; " Sitnoko, Bamboo shelf or platform.
122 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
string to the thickness of two inches or more, — the upper surface
being covered with a straw-matting precisely like the Canton
matting we are familiar with, though in the better class of
mats of a little finer quality. The edges are trimmed true
and square, and the two longer sides are bordered on the upper
surface and edge with a strip of black linen an inch or more
in width (fig. 100).
The making of mats is quite a separate trade from that of
making the straw-matting with which they are covered. The
mat-maker may often be seen at work in front of his door,
crouching down to a low frame upon which the mat rests.
KM;. 100. — MAT.
As we have before remarked, the architect invariably plans
his rooms to accommodate a certain number of mats ; and since
these mats have a definite size, any indication on the plan of
the number of mats a room is to contain gives at once its di-
mensions also. The mats are laid in the following numbers, —
two, three, four and one-half, six, eight, ten. twelve, fourteen,
sixteen, and so on. In the two-mat room the mats are laid side
by side. In the three-mat room the mats may be laid side by
side, or two mats in one way and the third mat crosswise
at the end. In the four and one-half mat room the mats are
laid with the half-mat in one corner. The six and eight mat
rooms are the most, common-sized rooms ; and this gives some
MATS.
123
indication of the small size of the ordinary Japanese room and
house, — the six-mat room being about nine feet by twelve ; the
eight-mat room being twelve by twelve ; and the ten-mat room
being twelve by fifteen. The accom-
panying sketch (fig. 101) shows the
usual arrangements for these mats.
In adjusting mats to the floor, the
corners of four mats are never allowed
to come together, but are arranged so
that the corners of two mats abut against
the side of a third. They are supposed
to be arranged in the direction of a
closely-wound spiral (see dotted line in
fig. 101). The edges of the longer sides
of the ordinary mats are bound with a
narrow strip of black linen, as before
remarked. In the houses of the nobles
this border strip has figures worked into
it in black and white, as may be seen
by reference to Japanese illustrated books
showing interiors. These mats fit tight-
ly, and the floor upon which they rest,
never being in sight, is generally made
of rough boards with open joints. The
mat, as you step upon it, yields slightly
to the pressure of the foot ; and old mats get to be slightly
uneven and somewhat hard from continual use. From the
nature of this soft-matted floor shoes are never worn upon it,
— the Japanese invariably leaving their wooden clogs outside
the house, either on the stepping-stones or on the earth-floor
at the entrance. The wearing of one's shoes in the house is
one of the many coarse and rude ways in which a foreigner
is likely to offend these people. The hard heels of a boot or
FIG. 101. — AKKAXGEMENT or
MATS IN DUTEKENT- SIZED
KOOMS.
124 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
shoe not only leave deep indentations in the upper matting,
but oftentimes break through. Happily, however, the act of
removing one's shoes on entering the house is one of the very
few customs that foreigners recognize, — the necessity of com-
pliance being too obvious to dispute. In spring-time, or during
a rain of lung duration, the mats become damp and musty ; and
when a day »>f sunshine comes they are taken up and stacked,
like cards, in front of the house to dry. They are also re-
moved at times and well beaten. Their very nature affords
abundant hiding-places for (leas, which are the unmitigated
misery of foreigners who travel in Japan ; though even this
annoyance is generally absent in private houses of the better
tla>ses. as is the case with similar pests in our country.
Upon these mats the people eat,
sleep, and die ; they represent the
bed, chair, lounge, and sometimes
table, combined. In resting upon
them the Japanese assume a kneel-
ing position, — the legs turned be-
neath, and the haunches resting
upon the calves of the legs and the
inner sides of the heels ; the toes
K,,,. ma. — ATTITI-I.K OK WOMAN ,x I)C'nK turned in so that the upper
and outer part of the instep bears
directly on the mats. Fig. 102 rep-
resents a woman in the attitude of sitting. In old people one
often notices a callosity on that part of the foot which comes in
contact with the mat. and but for a knowledge of the customs
of the people in this matter might well wonder how such a
hardening of the flesh could occur in such an odd place. This
position is so painful to a foreigner that it is only with a great
deal of practice he can become accustomed to it. Even the
Japanese who have been abroad for several years find it exces-
*---
SLIDING SCREENS. 125
sively difficult and painful to resume this habit. In this attitude
the Japanese receive their company. Hand-shaking is unknown,
but bows of various degrees of profundity are made by placing
the hands together upon the mats and bowing until the head
oftentimes touches the hands. In this ceremony the back is
kept parallel with the floor, or nearly so.
At meal-times the food is served in lacquer and porcelain
dishes on lacquer trays, placed upon the floor in front of the
kneeling family; and in this position the repast is taken.
At night a heavily wadded comforter is placed upon the floor ;
another equally thick is provided for a blanket, a pillow of di-
minutive proportions for a head-support, — and the bed is made.
In the morning these articles are stowed away in a large closet.
Further reference will be made to bedding in the proper place.
A good quality of mats can be made for one dollar and a half
a-piece ; though they sometimes cost three or four dollars, and
even a higher price. The poorest mats cost from sixty to eighty
cents a-piece. The matting for the entire house represented in
plan fig. 97 cost fifty-two dollars and fifty cents.
Reference has already been made to the sliding screens, and as
they form so important and distinct a feature in the Japanese
house, a more special description of them is necessary. In our
American houses a lintel is the horizontal beam placed over the
door; this is cased with wood, and has a jamb or recess corre-
sponding to the vertical recesses into which the door shuts. For
the sake of clearness, we may imagine a lintel running entirely
across the room from one corner to the other, and this is the kamoi
of the Japanese room. The beam is not cased. On its under sur-
face run two deep and closely parallel grooves, and directly be-
neath this kamoi on the floor a surface of wood shows in which
are two exceedingly shallow grooves. This surface is level with
the mats; and in these grooves the screens run. The grooves in
126 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
the kamoi are made deep, in order that the screens may be lifted
out of the floor-grooves and then dropped from the upper ones,
and thus removed. In this way a suite of rooms can be quickly
turned into one, by the removal of the screens. The grooves are
sufficiently wide apart to permit the screens being pushed by each
other. From the adjustable nature of these sliding partitions
FK.. lo.'i — SHTIOX
Ciii YKKANDAH AND GUEST-ROOM.
one may have the opening between the rooms of any width he
desires.
There are two forms of these sliding screens, — the one kind,
called fusii ma, forming the partitions between rooms; the other
kind, called .<*/<«//. coming on the outer sides of the rooms next
to the verandah, and forming the substitutes for windows (fig.
103).
The fiisuma forming the movable partitions between the
rooms are covered on both sides with thick paper; and as it was
FUSUMA. 127
customary in past times to use Chinese paper for this purpose,
these devices are also called kara-kami, — "China-paper." The
frame is not unlike the frame used for the outside screens, con-
sisting of thin vertical and horizontal strips of wood forming a
grating, with the meshes four or five inches in width, and two
inches in height. The outside frame or border is usually left
plain, as is the case with most of their wood-work. It is not
uncommon, however, to see these frames lacquered. The material
used for covering them consists of a stout, thick, and durable
paper; and this is often richly decorated. Sometimes a continuous
scene will stretch like a panorama across the whole side of a room.
The old castles contain some celebrated paintings on these fusuma,
by famous artists. The use of heavy gold-leaf in combination
with the paintings produces a decorative effect rich beyond de-
scription. In the commoner houses the fusuma are often undeco-
rated save by the paper which covers them ; and the material for
this purpose is infinite in its variety, — some kinds being curiously
wrinkled, other kinds seeming to have interwoven in their texture
the delicate green threads of some sea-weed ; while other kinds
still will have the rich brown sheaths of bamboo shoots worked
into the paper, producing a quaint and pleasing effect, Often the
paper is perfectly plain ; and if by chance an artist friend comes to
the house, he is asked to leave some little sketch upon these sur-
faces as a memento of his visit : others perhaps may have already
covered portions of the surface with some landscape or spray of
flowers. In old inns one has often pointed out to him the work
of some famous artist, who probably paid his score in this way.
While the fusuma are almost invariably covered with thick
and opaque paper, it occurs sometimes that light is required in a
back-room; in that case, while the upper and lower third of the
fusuma retains its usual character, the central third has a shoji
inserted, — that is, a slight frame-work covered with white paper,
through which light enters as in the outside screens. This frame
128 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
is removable, so that it can be re-covered with paper when
required. This trame-work is often made in ornamental patterns,
geometrical or natural designs being common. In summer
another kind of frame may be substituted in ihefusuma, termed a
yoshi-tlo, in which a kind of rush called yoshi takes the place of
paper ; the yoshi is arranged in a
close grating through which the
air has free access and a little light
may enter. The fusuma may be
entirely composed of yoshi and the
appropriate frame-work to hold it.
One of this kind is represented in
fig. 104. The lower portion con-
sists of a panel of dark cedar, in
which are cut or perforated the
figures of bats ; above this panel
are transverse bars of light cedar,
and filling up the border of the
frame is a close grating of brown
reeds or rushes placed vertically;
at the top is a wide interspace
crossed by a single root of bam-
boo. The yoshi resembles minia-
ture bamboo, the rods being the
size of an ordinary wheat-straw, and
having a warm brown tint. This
is employed in many ways in the decoration of interiors, and the
use of so fragile and delicate a material in house-finish is one
of the many indications of the quiet and gentle manners of the
Japanese.
Oftentimes a narrow permanent partition occurs in which is
an opening, - - the width of one fusuma, - - which takes the
place of our swinging and slamming door. In this case the
Fid. lot.— REED-SCREEN.
FUSUMA.— 111K1TE.
129
fusuma is a more solid and durable structure. The one shown in
fig. 105 is of the nature of a door, since it guards the opening
which leads from the hall to the other apartments of the house.
A rich and varied effect is produced by the use and arrangement
of light and dark bamboo and heavily-grained wood, the central
panels being of dark cedar. In
the vestibule one often sees sliding
screens consisting of a single panel
of richly-grained cedar.
Conveniences for pushing back
the fusuma are secured in a va-
riety of ways ; the usual form con-
sists of an oval or circular plate
of thin metal, having a depressed
area, inserted in the faauma in
about the same position a door-
knob would be with us. These
are called hikite, and often pre-
sent beautiful examples of metal-
work, being elaborately carved and
sometimes enamelled. The same
caprices and delights in ornamen-
tation seen elsewhere in their work find full play in the designs
of the hikite. Fig. 106 shows one from the house of a noble ;
its design represents an inkstone and two brushes, — the brushes
being silvered and tipped with lacquer, while in the recessed
portion is engraved a dragon. Fig. 107 represents one made of
copper, in which the leaves and 1 terries are enamelled; the
leaves green, and the berries red and white. Figs. 108 and 109
show more pretentious as well as cheaper forms, the designs
being stamped and not cut by hand. Sometimes hikite are made
of porcelain. Tn the cheaper forms of fusuma, the hikite consists
9
FIG. 105. - SLIDING PANEL.
130 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
of a depressed area in the paper formed by a modification of
the frame itself. In illustrations of fine interiors one often noti-
ces a form of hikite from which
hang two short cords of silk tied
'n ct'rt<am formal ways, on the
ends of which are tassels. From
the almost universal presence of
these in old illustrated books, one
is led to believe that formerly the
cord was the usual handle by
which tiiefusuma was pulled back
and forth, and that these gradu-
ally fell into disuse, the recessed
plate of metal nlnne remaining. This form
dt lul./ti is rarely seen to-day, though a few
of the old Daimio's houses still possess it.
Fig. IK) represents two forms copied from
a hook entitled
Fin. 10*;. HIKITE.
l'l(i. 107. — IIlKITK.
Tategu llinagata."
The outside screens, or xlinji, which take
the place of our windows, are those screens
which border the verandah, or come on
that side of the room towards the exte-
rior wall of the house. These consist of
a light frame-work made of thin bars
of wood crossing and matched into each
other, leaving small rectangular inter-
spaces. The lower portion of the shoji,
to the height of a foot from the floor,
is usually a wood-panel, as a protection
against careless feet as well as to
strengthen the frame. The shoji are covered on the outside
with white paper. The only light the room receives when the
FIG. 108. —
SHOJI.
131
FIG. 109. — HIKITE.
shdji are closed comes through this paper, and the room is
flooded with a soft diffused light which is very agreeable. The
hikite for pushing the shoji back
is arranged by one of the rectan-
gular spaces being papered on the
opposite side, thus leaving a con-
venient recess for the fingers.
Sometimes little holes or rents
are accidentally made in this paper-
covering of the shoji • and in the
mending of these places the Japan-
ese, ever true in their artistic feel-
ing, repair the damage, not by
square bits of paper as we should
probably, but by cutting out pretty
designs of cherry or plum blossoms
and patching the rents with these. When observing this artistic
device I have often wondered how the broken panes of some
of our country houses
must look to a Japan-
ese, — the repairs be-
ing effected by the use
of dirty bags stuffed
with straw, or more
commonly by battered
hats jammed into the
gaps. Sometimes the
frame of a shoji gets
sprung or thrown out
of its true rectangular
shape ; this is remedied by inserting at intervals in the meshes
of the frame-work' elastic strips of bamboo, and the constant
pressure of these strips in one direction tends to bring the
FIG. 110. — HIKITE WITH CORD.
132 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
111. - STHU<;IITESIX<; Kiifiji FRAMK.
frame straight again. Fig. Ill illustrates the appearance of
this ; the curved lines representing the elastic strips.
There are innumer-
able designs employed
in the nhoji ; and in
this, as in many other
parts of the interior, the
Japanese show an infi-
nite amount of taste and
ingenuity. Fig. 112 il-
lustrates one of these
ornamental forms. At
present in the cities it is common to see a narrow strip of window
gla>- in-' r:«-il across the xliHJl about two feet from the floor. It
seems odil ;ii lirM sight to see it
placed so low. until one recalls the
tact that the inmates sit on the
mats, ami the gl.-iss in this position
is on a level with their line of
vi>i»n. A- a general rule the de-
>ign» tor the x/ii~i/t are more simple
than those employed for certain
exterior opening.- which may be
regarded as windows, while those
which cover the openings between
the rooms are most complex and
elaborate. Further reference, how-
ever, will be made to these in the
projxT place.
It has been necessary to antici- v 110
•' rie. 112. — SnOJi WITH ORNAMENTAL
pate the special description of the FRAME.
details of a room in so far as a description of the mats and
screens were concerned, since a general idea of the interior
TOKONOMA.— CHIGAI-DANA. 133
could not be well understood without clearly understanding the
nature of those objects which form inseparable elements of
every Japanese room, and which are so unlike anything to
which we are accustomed. Having given these features, it may
be well to glance at a general view of the few typical rooms
before examining farther into the details of their finish.
The room shown in fig. 96 gives a fair idea of the appear-
ance of the guest-room with its two bays or recesses, the
tokonoma and chigai-dana, — one of which, the tokonoma, is a
clear recess, in which usually hangs a picture; and in the other
is a small closet and shelf, and an additional shelf above,
closed by sliding doors. The sketch was taken from the ad-
joining room, the fusuma between the two having been re-
moved. The grooves for the fusuma may be seen in the floor
and in the kamoi overhead. The farther recess is called the
tokonoma, which means literally, •' bed-space." This recess, or
at least its raised platform, is supposed to have been anciently
used for the bed-place.1
Let us pause for a moment to consider the peculiar features
of this room. The partition separating the two recesses has
for its post a stick of timber, from which the bark only has
been removed ; and this post, or toko-bashira as it is called,
is almost invariably a stick of wood in its natural state, or
with the bark only removed ; and if it is gnarled, or tortuous
in grain, or if it presents knots or burls, it is all the more
desirable. Sometimes the post may be hewn in such a way
that in section it has an octagonal form, — the cutting being
done in broad scarfs, giving it a peculiar appearance as shown
in fig. 113. Sometimes the post may have one or two branches
above, which are worked into the structure as an ornamental
feature. The ceiling of the tokonoma is usually, if not always,
1 See chapter viii. for further considerations regarding the matter.
134 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
flush with the ceiling of the room, while that of the chigai-
dana is much lower. The floor of the tokonoma is higher
than that of the chigai-dana, and its sill may be rough or
finished ; and even when finished squarely, some
natural surface may be left through the curvature
of the stick from which it has been hewn, and which
had been selected fur this very peculiarity, — a fea-
ture, by the way, that our
carpenters would regard as
a blemish. The Hour of
the tnkunnma is in near-
ly every case a polished
plunk ; the floor of the
chiyai-dana is also of pol-
ished wood. A large and
I'dRTlllN UK
TCJKO-UA.SHIKA. deep (vkono)iui may have
a mat, or iutiuni, fitted
into the floor; and this is generally
htinli;red with a white strip, and not
with black as in the floor tfttami.
The (atnntt in this place is found in
the houses of the Daimios.
Spanning the tokonoma above is a
finished beam a foot or more below
the ceiling, the interspace above being
plastered, as are the walls of both
recesses. A similar beam spans the
chigai-dana at a somewhat lower level.
When the cross-beam of the c/iii/ai-
dana connects with the toko-banlira,
as well as in the joining of other horizontal beams with the up-
rights, ornamental-headed nails are used. These are often of
elaborately-wrought metal, representing a variety of natural or
FIGS. 114, 115, 116, AND 117-
OK.NAMESTAI^IIEADED NAILS.
TOKONOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA. 135
conventional forms. Figs. 114, 115, 116, and 117 present a few
of the cheaper forms used ; these being of cast metal, the finer
lines only having been cut by hand. These nails, or kazari-kugi,
are strictly ornamental, having only a spur behind to hold them
into the wood.
The partition dividing these two recesses often has an orna-
mental opening, either in the form of a small window barred with
bamboo, or left open ; or this opening may be near the floor, with
its border made of a curved stick of wood, as in the figure we are
now describing.
In the chigai-dana there are always one or more shelves
ranged in an alternating manner, with usually a continuous
shelf above closed by sliding doors. A little closet on the floor
in the corner of the recess is also closed by screens, as shown
in the figure. The wood-work of this may be quaintly-shaped
sticks or highly-polished wood.
This room illustrates very clearly a peculiar feature in Jap-
anese decoration, — that of avoiding, as far as possible, bi-lateral
symmetry. Here are two rooms of the same size and shape,
the only difference consisting in the farther room having two
recesses, while the room nearest has a large closet closed by
sliding screens. It will be observed, however, that in the far-
ther room the narrow strips of wood, upon which the boards of
the ceiling rest, run parallel to the tokonoma, while in the nearest
room the strips run at right angles. The mats in the two rooms,
while arranged in the usual manner for an eight-mat room, are
placed in opposite ways ; that is to say, as the mats in front of
the tokonoma and cltiyai-dana are always parallel to these recesses,
the other mats are arranged in accordance with these. In the
room coming next, the arrangement of mats, while being the
same, have the two mats running parallel to the line dividing
the rooms, and of course the other mats in accordance with
these. This asymmetry is carried out, of course, in the two
136 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
recesses, which are unlike in every detail, — their floors as well
as the lower borders of their hanging partitions being at differ-
ent levels. And in the details of the chigai-dana symmetrical ar-
rangement is almost invariably avoided, the little closet on the
floor being at one side, while a shelf supported on a single prop
runs from the corner of this closet to the other side of the re-
cess ; and if another shelf is added, this is arranged in an equally
unsymmi'trical manner. In fact everywhere, in mats, ceiling,
and other details, a two-sided symmetry is carefully avoided.
How different has been the treatment of similar features in the
finish of American rooms! Everywhere in our apartments, halls,
school-houses, inside, and out. a monotonous bi-lateral symmetry
is elaborated to the minutest particular, even to bracket and
notch in pair-. The fireplace is in the middle of the room, the
mantel, and all the work about this opening, duplicated with
painful accuracy on each side of a median line; every orna-
ment on the mantel-shelf is in pairs, and these are arranged in
the same way : a single object, like a French clock, is adjusted
in the dead centre of thi> shelf, so that each half of the mantel
shall get its half of a clock; a pair of andirons below, and por-
traits of ancestral progenitors on each side above keep up this
intolerable monotony; and opposite, two windows \\ith draped
curtains parted riyht and left, and a svmmetrical table or cabinet
~ t.
between the two. are in rigid adherence to this senseless scheme.
And outside the monotony is still more dreadful, even to the
fences, carriage-way and flower-beds ; indeed, false windows are
introduced in adherence to this inane persistency in traditional
methods. Within ten years some progress has been made
among the better class of American houses in breaking away
from this false and tiresome idea, and our houses look all the
prettier for these changes. In decoration, as well, we have
made great strides in the same direction, thanks to the influ-
ence of Japanese methods.
TOKOXOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA. 137
While the general description just given of the tokonoma and
chigai-dana may be regarded as typical of the prevailing features
of these recesses, nevertheless their forms and peculiarities are
infinitely varied. It is indeed rare to find the ai-rangement of the
shelves and cupboards in the chigai-dana alike in any two houses,
as will be seen by a study of the figures which are to follow.
Usually these two recesses are side by side, and run at right angles
with the verandah, the tokonoma almost invariably coming next to
the verandah. Sometimes, however, these two recesses may stand
at right angles to one another, coming in a corner of the room
away from the verandah. The tokonoma may be seen also with-
out its companion recess, and sometimes it may occupy an entire
side of the room, in which case ;
it not infrequently accommo-
dates a set of two or three
pictures. When these recesses
come side by side, it is usual to
have an entire mat in front of
each recess. The guest of honor
is seated on the mat in front of
the tokonoma, while the tniest
lio. lls. — SHELVES CONTRASTED WITH
next in honor occupies a mat CONVENTIONAL DRAWING OF MIST, on
in front of the chiyai-drtna.
This recess has a variety of names, according to the form and
arrangement of the shelves. It is usually called chigai-dana, — the
word chiyai meaning "different," and dana, "shelf," as the shelves
are arranged alternately. It is also called usu-kasuini-dana, which
means '• thin mist-shelf," — the shelves in this case being arranged
in a way in which they often conventionally represent mist or
clouds, as shown in their formal designs of these objects (fig. 118,
in which the upper outline shows the form of shelf, and the lower
outline the conventional drawing of cloud). When only one shelf
is seen it may be called ichi-yo-dana ; the form of the shelf
138 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
suggests such names as willow-leaf shelf, fish-shelf, etc. In this
recess, as we have seen, are usually shelves and a cupboard ;
and the arrangements of these are almost as numberless as the
houses containing them, — at least it is rare to see two alike. A
shelf in the chiyai-dana, having a rib or raised portion on its free
end, is called a makimono-dana. On this shelf the long picture-
scrolls called makimono are placed ; the ceremonial -hat was also
placed on one of the shelves. It was customary to place on
Fl(,. 110. — GfKST-KOOM.
top of the cupboard a lacquer-box, in which was contained an ink-
stone, brushes, and paper. This box was usually very rich in its
gold lacquer and design. In the houses of the nobles the top of
the cupboard was also used to bold a wooden tablet called a
shdkii, — an object carried by the nobles in former times, when in
the presence of the Emperor. It was anciently used to make mem-
oranda upon, but in later days is carried only as a form of court
etiquette. The sword-rack might also be placed on the cupboard.
Tn honor of distinguished guests the sword-rack was placed in the
TOKONOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA.
139
tokonoma in the place of honor ; that is, in the middle of its floor,
or toko, in front of the hanging picture, — though if an incense-
burner occupied this position, then the sword-rack was placed at
one side. While these recesses were usually finished with wood
in its natural state or simply planed, in the houses of the nobles
this finish was often richly lacquered.
Resuming our description of interiors, a peculiar form of room
is shown in the house of a gentle-man of high rank (fig. 119).
FIG. 120. -GUKST-ROOM, WITH RECESSES IN CORNKR.
Here the tokonoma was much larger than its companion recess,
which in this case was next to the verandah. The chigai-dana
was small and low, and the spaces beneath the shelves were
enclosed by sliding screens forming cupboards. The tokonoma
was large and deep, and its floor was covered by a mat or tatami ;
the flower-vase was at one side.
The depth of the tokonoma is generally governed by the size of
the room. The appointments of this recess are also always in
140 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
proportion, — the pictures and flower^vase being of large size in
the one just described.
In a spacious hall in Tokio is a tokonoma six feet in depth, and
very wide. The flower-vases and pictures in this recess were
colossal. In an adjoining room to the one last figured the toko-
nonxi came in one corner of the room, and the chigai-dana was at
right angles with it. To the right of the tokonoma was a perma-
FlO. 121. - Ul'KsT-HOOH M10WINO CIRCULAR WlNDOW.
nent partition, in tho mitre of which was a circular window
closed by xlioji which parted right and left. The ftJioji may
have run within the partition, or rested in a grooved frame
on the other side of the wall. Above this circular window and
near the ceiling was a long rectangular window, also having
shoji, which could l>e open for ventilation. To the left of the
chigai-dana was a row of deep cupboards enclosed by a set of
TOKONOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA.
141
sliding screens ; above was a broad shelf, upon the upper surface
of which ran shoji, which when opened revealed another room
beyond. The frieze of this recess had a perforated design of
waves (fig. 120).
Severe and simple as a Japanese room appears to be, it may be
seen by this figure how many features for decorative display come
FIG. 122. — GUEST-KOOII SHOWING WRITING-PLACE.
in. The ornamental openings or windows with their varied
lattices, the sliding screens and the cupboards with their rich
sketches of landscapes and trees, the natural woods, indeed
many of these features might plainly be adopted without modi-
fication for our rooms.
In another room (fig. 121) of a gentleman famous for his
invention of silk-reeling machinery the tokonoma, instead of
being open to the verandah, was protected by a permanent
142 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
partition filling half the side of the room bordering the veran-
dah. In this partition was a large circular window, having a
graceful bamboo frame-work. This opening was closed on the
outside by a shoji, which hung on hooks and could be removed
when required. In this case the honored guest, when seated
in front of the tokonoma, is protected from the wind and sun
while the rest of the room may be open. In the place of this
l-H.. 12:S. - (ilF.ST-IKKIM WITH Wlt)K. ToKONOMA.
partition there is often seen, in houses of the better class, a
recess having a low shelf, with cupboards beneath and an orna-
mental window above. This is the writing-place (fig. 122);
and upon the shelf is placed the ink-stone, water-bottle, brush-
rest and brushes, paper-weight, and other conveniences of a
literary man. Above is often suspended a bell and wooden
hammer, to call the servants when required. A hanging vase
of flowers is often suspended from the partition above. For
TOKONOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA. 143
want of an original sketch showing this recess I have adapted
one from a Japanese book, entitled "Daiku Tana Hihagata," Vol.
II. Those who have chanced to see the club rooms of the
Koyokuan will recall the elaborate and beautiful panel of geo-
metric work that fills the window of a recess of this nature.
FIG. 124. — SMALL GUEST-ROOM.
In Fig. 123 the tokonoma occupies almost the entire side
of the room, the chigai-dana being reduced to an angular cup-
board placed in the corner and a small hooded partition hang-
ing down from above ; the small window near by, with bamboo
lattice, opened into another room beyond. A tokonoma of this
kind is available for the display of sets of three or four pic-
tures. This room was in the house of a former Daimio.
144 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
In the next figure (fig. 124) we have the sketch of a small
room with the tokonoma facing the verandah, and with no com-
panion recess. The little window near the floor opened into
the tokonoma, which extended behind the partition as far as
Fio. 125. — GUEST-ROOM OP DWELLING is TOKIO.
the upright beam. The post which formed one side of the to-
kunoma was a rough and irregular-shaped stick. The treat-
ment of cutting away a larger portion of it, though hardly
constructive, yet added a quaint effect to the room ; while the
cross-beam of the tokonoma. usually a square and finished
TOKONOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA.
145
beam, in this case was in a natural state, the bark only being
removed.
In lig. 125 is shown a room of the plainest description ; it
was severe in its simplicity. Here the tokonoma, though on
that side of the room running at right angles with the veran-
dah, was in the corner of the room, while the chigai-dana
was next to the verandah. The recesses were quite deep, — the
chifjai-dana having a single broad shelf, as broad as the depth
>JL
TV,. 126. — GrEST-RooM IN KIYOMIDZU, KIOTO.
of the recess, this forming the top of a spacious closet be-
neath. In the partition dividing these two recesses was a long
narrow rectangular opening. The little bamboo flower-holder
hanging to the post of the toko-bashira had, besides a few flowers,
two long twigs of willow, which were made to bend gracefully
in front of the tokonoma. The character of this room indicated
that its owner was a lover of the tea-ceremonies.
The next figure (fig. 126) is that of a room in the second
story of the house of a famous potter in Kioto. This room
10
146 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
was remarkable for the purity of its finish. The toko-bashira
consisted of an unusually twisted stick of some kind of hard
wood, the hark having been removed, exposing a surface of
singular smoothness. The hooded partition over the chigai-dana
had for its lower border a rich dark-brown bamboo ; the ver- '
KM;. 1-27- - (ii'KST-KooM OF DWKM.IM; is TOKIO.
tieal piece forming the other side of the cliif/ai-dana was a black
post hewn in an octagonal shape, with curious irregular cross-
cuts on the faces. The sliding doors closing the shelf in this
recess were covered with gold paper. The Mkite consisted of
sections of bamboo let in to the surface. The plaster of both
jfH-e«8es was a rich, warm, .umber color. The ceiling consisted
TOKOXOMA. — CHIGAI-DANA.
147
of large square panels of old cedar richly grained. This room
was comparatively modern, having been built in 1868.
Fig. 127 represents a room in the second story of a, house
in Tokio. The recesses were remarkably rich and effective.
The entire end of the room formed a recess, having a plaited
ceiling; and within this recess were the toknnoma and chif/ai-
dana, each having its own hooded partition at a different level
FIG. 128. — Gn-.sT-iiooM <u; A CUINTKY HorsK.
and depth, — the vertical partition usually dividing these reces-
ses being represented only by a square beam against the wall.
A reference, however, to the figure will convey a clearer idea
of these features than any description. The ceiling, which was
quite, remarkable in its way, will be described later.
The next interior (fig. 128) represents a room in a country
house of the poorer class. The recesses were of the plainest
description. The tokonoma was modified in a curious way by
a break in the partition above, and beneath this modification
was a shelf wrought out of a black, worm-eaten plank from
148 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
some old shipwreck. The chigai-dana had an angular-shaped
shelf in one of its corners, and in the other corner two little
shelves supported by a post. The floor of this recess was on
a level with the mats, while the floor of the tokonoma was only
slightly raised above this level.
The figures of interiors thus far given present some idea
of the infinite variety of design seen in the two recesses which
characterize the best room in the house. The typical form
having been shown in
fig. 90, it will be seen
how far these bays
may vary in form and
structure while still
possessing the distin-
guishing features of
the tokonoma and
rhigai-dana. In the
first recess hangs the
ever present scroll,
upon which may be
t^v,
KM.. li'J.-CoHNKH ,„. ff.-KST-HOOM.
present a number of
Chinese characters which convey some moral precept, or lines
from some classical poem. On its floor rests the vase for flowers,
a figure in pottery, an incense burner, a fragment of quartz, or
other object, these being often supported by a lacquer stand.
In the chigai-dana convenient shelves and closets are arranged
in a variety of ways, to be used for a variety of purposes.
The arrangement of the cross-ties in relation to the tokonoma
and shoji is illustrated in fig. 129, which shows the corner of
a room with the upper portion of the tokonoma and shoji
showing. The use made of the ornamental-headed nail is seen
where the kamoi joins the corner post.
TEA-BOOMS. 149
In houses of two stories greater latitude is shown in the
arrangement of these recesses. They may come opposite the
balcony, and the chigai-dana may have in its back wall an
opening either circular, crescent-shaped, or of some other form,
from which a pleasing view is obtained either of the garden
below or some distant range beyond.
Thus far we have examined the room which would parallel
our drawing-room or parlor ; the other rooms vary from this in
being smaller, and having, of course, no recesses such aw have
been described. By an examination of the plans given in the
first part of this chapter, it will be seen how very simple many
of the rooms are, — sometimes having a recess for a case of
drawers or shelves ; a closet, possibly, but nothing else to break
the rectangular outline, which may be bounded on all sides by
the sliding fusuma, or have one or more permanent partitions.
Another class of rooms may here be considered, the details of
which are more severely simple even than those of the rooms just
described. These apartin^nt.s « reconstructed expressly for cere-
monial^tearpaxties. A volume might be filled with a description
of the various forms of buildings connected with these observ-
ances ; and indeed another volume might be tilled with the
minor details associated with their different schools.
In brief^the party comesjibout by the_host inviting a com-
pany of four to attend the tea-ceremoivvj and _in ...their presence
in a
offering it_to the guests. To be more explicit as to the mode
of conducting this ceremony, — the tea is first prepared by grind-
ing it to a fine, almost, impalpable, powder. This may be done
by a servant before the assemblage of the guests, or may be
ordered ground from a tea shop ; indeed, the host may grind it
himself. This material, always freshly ground for each party, is
usually kept in a little earthen jar, having an ivory cover, — the
150 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
well-known cha-ire of the collector. Lacquer-boxes may also be
used for this purpose. The principal utensils used in the cere-
mony consist of a furo, or fire-pot, made of pottery (or use may
be made of a depression in the floor partially filled with ashes,
in which the charcoal may be placed) ; an iron kettle to boil
the water in ; a bamboo dipper of the most delicate construc-
tion, to dip out the water ; a wide-mouthed jar, from which to
replenish the water in the kettle ; a bowl, in which the tea is
made ; a bamboo spoon, to dip out the powdered tea ; a bam-
boo stinvr. not unlike certain forms of egg-beaters, by which
the tea is briskly stirred after the hot water has been added;
a square silk cloth, with which to wipe the jar and spoon
properly; a little rest for the tea-kettle cover, made of pottery
or bron/e or section of bamboo; a shallow vessel, in which
the rinsings of the tea-bowl are poured after washing ; a brush,
consisting of three feathers of the eagle or some other large
bird, to dust the edge of the fire-vessel ; and finally a shallow
basket, in which is not only charcoal to replenish the fire, but
a pair of metal rods or hibashi to handle the coal, two inter-
rupted metal rings by which the kettle is lifted off the fire,
a circular mat upon which the kettle is placed, and a small
box containing incense, or bits of wood that give out a peculiar
fragrance when burned. With the exception of the fire-vessel
and an iron kettle, all these utensils have to be brought in
by the host with great formality and in a certain sequence,
and placed with great precision upon the mats after the pre-
scribed rules of certain schools. In the making of the tea, the
utensils are used in a most exact and formal manner.
To watch the making of the tea, knowing nothing about
the ceremony, seems as grotesque a performance as one can
well imagine. Many of the forms connected with it seem use-
lessly absurd ; and yet having taken many lessons in the art
of tea-making. I found that with few exceptions it was natural
TEA-ROOMS. 151
and easy ; and the guests assembled on such an occasion, though
at first sight appearing stiff, are always perfectly at their ease.
The proper placing of the utensils, and the sequence in handling
them and making the tea are all natural and easy movements,
as I have said. The light wiping of the tea-jar, and the wash-
ing of the bowl and its wiping with so many peripheral jerks,
the dropping of the stirrer against the side of the bowl with
a click in rinsing, and a few of the other usual movements
are certainly grotesquely formal enough ; but I question whether
the etiquette of a ceremonious dinner-party at home, with the
decorum observed in the proper use of each utensil, does not
strike a Japanese as equally odd and incomprehensible when
experienced by him for the first time.
This very brief and imperfect allusion has been made in order
to explain, that so highly do the Japanese regard this ceremony
that little-isQlatfid_hous«s-arc specially7 constructed_far the express
purpose of entertaining tea-parties. If no house is allotted for
the purpose, therT~a special room is fitted for it. Many books
are devoted to the exposition of the different schools of tea-
ceremonies, illustrated with diagrams showing the various ways
of placing the utensils, plans of the tea-rooms, and all the details
involved in the observances.
The tea-ceremonies have had a profound influence on many
Japanese arts. Particularly have they affected the pottery of
Japan ; for the rigid simplicity, approaching an affected rough-
ness and poverty, which characterizes the tea-room and many
of the utensils used in the ceremony, has left its impress upon
many forms of pottery. _It has also had an influence on
even the few rustic and simple adornments allowed^ in the
room, and has held its sway over_thega,rdens. gateways, and
fences surrounding the house. Indeed, it has had an effect on
the Japanese almost equal to that of Calvinistic doctrines on
the early Puritans. The one suppressed the exuberance of an
152 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
art-loving people, and brought many of their decorative impulses
down to a restful purity and simplicity ; but in the case of the
Puritans and their immediate descendants, who had but little
of the art-spirit to spare, their sombre dogmas crushed the little
love for art that might have dawned, and rendered intolerably
woful and sepulchral the lives and homes of our ancestors ; and
ic;. l.'iO. — TKA-UOOM IN NAX-KX-JI TEMPLE, KIOTO.
when some faint groping for art and adornment here and there
appeared, it manifested itself only in wretched samplers and
hideous tomb-stones, with tearful willow or death-bed scenes
dnni- in cold steel. Whittier gives a good picture of such a
home, in his poem "Among the Hills": —
" bookless, piettireless,
Save the inevitable sampler hung
Over the. fireplace; or a mourning-piece, —
A green-haired woman, peotiy-oheeked, beneath
Impossible willows; the wide-throated hearth
IlristliiiK with faded pine-boughs, half eoiicealini;
The. piled-np rubbish at the chimney's back."
TEA-ROOMS.
153
But we are digressing. Having given some idea of the formal
character of the tea-ceremonies, it is not to be wondered at that
special rooms, and even special buildings, should be designed and
built expressly for those observances. We give a few illustra-
tions of the interiors of rooms used for this purpose.
Fig. 130 is that of a room in Nan-en-ji temple, in Kioto, said to
have been specially designed, in the early part of the seventeenth
FIG. 131. — TEA-ROOM IN FUJIMI POTTKRT, NAGOYA.
century, by Kobori Yenshiu, — a famous master of tea-ceremonies,
and a founder of one of its schools. The room was exceedingly
small, a four and a half mat room I believe, which is the usual
size. The drawing, from necessity of perspective, makes it appear
much larger. The ceiling was of rush and bamboo ; the walls
were roughly plastered with bluish-gray clay ; the cross-ties
and uprights were of pine, with the bark retained. The room
had eight small windows of various sizes, placed at various
154 JAl'AXKSK JIOMKS ./A'/> THEIR SURROUS1UXGS.
heights in different parts of the room; and this was in accord-
ance with Yeushiu's taste. Only one recess, the tokonoma, is
seen in the room. — in which may hang at the time of a party
a- picture, to IK- replaced, at a certain period of the ceremony,
bv a hanging basket of llowers. The ro. or fireplace, is a de-
pressed area in the
tloor, deep enough to
hold a considerable
amount of ashes, .as
well as a tripod up-
on which the kettle
rests.
Fig. 131 represents
an odd-looking tea-
room, at the Fujimi
pottery, in Nagoya.
where tea was made
and served to us by
the potter's daugh-
ter. The room was
simple enough, yet
quite ornate com-
pared with the one
tirst dex-ribcd. The ceiling consisted of a matting of thin wood-
strip*, bamboo and red pine being used for the cross-ties and
uprights. The t<>k<>n»)nn. having a bamboo post, is seen at the
left of the figure. The /•<». in this case, was triangular.
In tig. \'.j'2 is represented a view of a small tea-room at
Miyajima : the chasteness of its finish is but feebly conveyed
in the figure. Here the ro was circular, and was placed in a
wide plank of polished wood. The room was connected with
other apartments of the house, and did not constitute a house
bv itself.
:>•.'. — Ttv-lliinM IN MM \JIMt.
TEA-ROOMS.
155
In some houses there is a special place or room adjoining the
tea-room, in which the tea-utensils are kept properly arranged,
and from which they are brought when tea is made, and to which
FIG. 133. — KITCIIES FOR TEA-UTENSILS.
they are afterwards returned with great formality. Fig. 133
represents one of these rooms in a house in Imado, Tokio. In this
room the same simplicity of finish was seen. It was furnished
156 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
with shelves, a little closet to contain the utensils, and a de-
pressed area in the floor, having for its bottom a bamboo grating
through which the water ran when emptied into it. Resting upon
this bamboo grating was a huge pottery- vessel for water, and a
common hand-basin of copper. The floor was of polished wood.
Fu,. Ui. — TKA-ROOM is IMAIKJ, TOKIO.
At the farther end was the entrance, by means of a low door,
closed by fustuina.
In fig. 134 is given the view of a room in a Tokio house
that was extremely ornate in its finish. The owner of the
house had built it some thirty years before, and had intended
carrying out Chinese ideas of design and furnishing. Whether
he had got his ideas from books, or had evolved them from his
inner consciousness, I do not know ; certain it is, that although
he had worked into its structure a number of features actually
TEA-ROOMS.
157
brought from China, I must say that in my limited observations
in that country I saw nothing approaching such an interior or
building. The effect of the room was certainly charming, and
the most elaborate finish with expensive woods had been employed
in its construction. It seemed altogether too ornamental for the
FIG. 135. — CORXKR OF TEA-KOOM SHOWN ix FK;. 13-t.
tea-ceremonies to suit the Japanese taste. The ceiling was par-
ticularly unique ; for running diagonally across it from one corner
to the other was a stout bamboo in two curves, and upon this
bamboo was engraved a Chinese poem. The ceiling on one side of
the bamboo was finished in large square panels of an elaborately-
grained wood ; on the other side were small panels of cedar. Ex-
otic woods, palms, bamboo, and red-pine were used .for cross-ties
158 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
and uprights. The panels of the little closet in some cases had
beautiful designs painted upon them ; other panels were of wood,
with the designs inlaid in various colored woods, — the musical
instrument, the biwa, shown in the sketch, being inlaid in this
way. The walls were tinted a sober brown. It was certainly
one nf the most unique interiors that I saw in Japan. To the
right of the tokonoma the apartment opened into a small entry
which led to a flight of stairs, — for this room was in the second
storv <>f the house. The corner of the room, as it appeared from
the tukiiiiiiinii. is shown in fig. loo. The long, low window
(which also shows in fig. 1-14) opened on the roof of the entrance
In-low: another narrower and higher window opened on the roof
of an L. The little recess which has for a corner-post a crooked
stick. — the crook forming one border of an opening in the cor-
ner.— was n>ed to hang a picture or a basket of flowers.
The second story of shops an; often used as living rooms.
Fig. I -'iii represents a room of this nature in a shop in Kawagoye,
in Musishi. nearly three hundred years old. Two long, low win-
dows, opening on the street, wen; deeply recessed and heavily
barred ; above these openings were low deep cupboards, closed
by long sliding doors. The room was dusty and unused, but I
could not help noticing in this old building, as in the old
buildings at home, the heavy character of the framework where
it appeared in sight.
Reference has been made to the fact that turn, or fire-proof
buildings, are often fitted up for living-rooms. Fig. 137 (see
page IfiO) represents the lower room of the comer building
shown on page 75 (fig. -r>7). It has already been stated that the
walls of such a building are of great thickness, and that one
small window and doorway arc often the only openings in the
room. The walls are consequently cold and damp at certain
seasons of the year.
KUJtA.
159
For the fitting up of such a room, to adapt it for a living-place,
a light frame-work of bamboo is constructed, which stands away
from the walls at a distance of two or three feet ; upon this, cloth
is stretched like a curtain. The frame-work forms a ceiling as
well, so that the rough walls and beams of the floor above are
concealed by this device. At one side the cloth is arranged to be
looped up like a curtain, so that one may pass outside the drapery.
Fio. 130. — ROOM IN SECOND STORY OF OLD BriLinxr; ix K.V\VAGOYE, MUSASIII.
The owner of this apartment was an eminent antiquarian, and the
walls of the room were lined with shelves and cases which were
filled with old books and pictures, rare .scrolls, and bric-a-brac. A
loft above, to which access was gained by a perilous flight of .steps,
was filled with ancient relics of all kinds, — stone implements, old
pottery, quaint writing-desks, and rare manuscripts. The cloth
which formed this supplementary partition was of a light, thin
texture ; and when the owner went in search of some object
on the other side of it, I could trace him by his candle-light
160 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
as he wandered about behind the curtain. The furniture used
in the room, and shown in the sketch, — consisting of book-
shelves, table, hibachi, and other objects, — were in nearly every
case precious antiques.
That the rooms of kura were fitted up in this way in past
times is evident in the fact that old books not only represent this
method in their pictures, but special details of the construction of
FIG. l:(7 — HOOM is Kriu rmr.n n- AS A LIBRARY, TOKIO.
the framework are given. In an old book in the possession of
Mr. K— — , published one hundred and eighty years ago, a figure
of one of these frames is given, with all the details of its struc-
ture, metal sockets, key-bolts, etc.. a copy of which may be seen
in fig. 138.
In connection with this room, and the manner of looping up
the curtains at the side, I got from this scholar the first rational
explanation of the meaning of the two narrow bands which hang
down from the upper part of the usual form of a Japanese
KURA.
161
picture, — the kake-mono. That these were survivals of useful
appendages, — rudimentary organs, so to speak, there could be
no doubt. Mr. K — - told me that in former times the pic-
tures, mainly of a religious character, were suspended from a
frame. Long bands trailed down behind the picture ; and
shorter ones, so as not
to obscure it, hung
down in front. When
the picture was rolled
up, it was held in po-
sition by tying these
bands. When the cus-
tom came to hang
these pictures perma-
nently against the
wall, the long bands
were finally discarded,
while the shorter ones
in front survived. In
old books there are
illustrated methods
by which curtain-like
screens hanging on
frames were tied up
in this way, — the long bands being behind, and the short ones
showing in front. When the wind blew through the apartment
the curtains were tied up ; and, curiously enough, the bands on a
kake-mono are called fu-tai, or kaze obi, which literally means
" wind-bands." This is the explanation given me ; but it is quite
probable that large pictures hanging against the walls, when
disturbed by the wind, were tied up by these bands.
While the kura generally stands isolated from the dwelling-
house, it is often connected with the house by a light structure of
11
FIG. 138. — FRAMEWORK FOR DRAPING
ROOM IN KURA.
162 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEM SURROUNDINGS.
*
wood, roofed over, and easily demolished in case of a fire. Such
an apartment may be used for a kitchen, or porch to a kitchen,
Fio. 13'J. — SPACE BETWKEN DWELLING AND KUKA, ROOFED OVEK
ASI) UTILIZED AS A KlTCIIEN IN ToKIO.
or store-room for household utensils. A figure is here given
(fig. 139) showing the appearance of a structure of this kind,
is lightly attached to the sides of the kura. This apart-
KURA.
163
ment was used as a store-room, and in the sketch is shown a
wooden case, lanterns, and buckets, and such objects as might
accumulate in a shed or store-room at home.
The ponderous doors of the kura, which are kept permanently
open, have casings of boards held in place by, a wooden pin, which
passes through an iron staple in the door. This casing is to pro-
Fir,. HO. — DOORWAY OF AX oi.n Krit.v IN KIOTO.
tect the door — which, like the walls of the kura, is composed of
mud and plaster supported by a stout frame — from being scarred
and battered ; and at the same time it is so arranged that in
case of fire it can be instantly removed and the door closed.
The light structure forming this porch may quickly burn down,
leaving the kura intact.
Oftentimes the outside of the kura has a board-casing kept
in place by long wooden strips, which drop into staples that
164 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
are firmly attached to the walls of the kura. These hooks
may be seen in fig. 57, though in the case of this building
the wooden casing had never been applied. Casings of this
nature are provided the better to preserve the walls from
the action of the weather.
In lig. 130 (see page 162) the kura had been originally
built some fifteen feet from the main house, and subsequently
the intervening space had been roofed over as shown in the
drawing.
The doors of the kura are ponderous structures, and are
usually left open for ventilation ; a heavily grated sliding-
door, however, closes the entrance effect-
ually when the thick doors are left open.
Fig. 140 represents the doorway of an
old kura in Kioto illustrating these fea-
Fi«. 112. — PADLOCK TO KURA.
tures. In fijj:. 141 the large key is the
one belonging to the inner grated door.
while fig. 142 shows the padlock to the
outer doors.
The upper room of the kura is often
utilized as a store-room, taking the place
of the country attic; and one may find here bundles of dried
herbs, corn, an old spinning-wheel, chests, and indeed just such
objects as ultimately find a resting-place in our attics at home.
In this section it would have been more systematic to deal
with the tokonoma and chiyai-dana separately ; but in the
FIG. 141. — KKY TO Kriu,
AND Bvxc 11 OF KKYS.
CEILINGS. 165
description of interiors, it was difficult to describe them without
including under the same consideration these recesses, as they
form an integral part of the principal room.
In my remarks on house-construction, reference was made
to the ceiling and the way in which it is made and held in
place, the form of ceiling there described being the almost
universal one throughout the country. The Japanese word for
ceiling is tenjo, — literally, "heaven's well."
In selecting wood for the ceiling, great care is taken to
secure boards in which the grain is perfectly even and regular,
with no signs of knots. A wood much prized for the ceiling,
as well as for other interior finish, is a kind of cedar dug up
from swamps in Hakone, and other places in Japan. It is of
a rich, warm gray or brown color; and oftentimes planks of
enormous thickness are secured for this purpose. This wood is
called Jin dai siuji, meaning " cedar of God's age." A wood
called hinoki is often used for ceilings.
It is rare to see a ceiling differing from the conventional
form, consisting of light, thin, square strips as ceiling-beams,
upon which rest crosswise thin planks of wood with their
edges overlapping. One sees this form of ceiling everywhere,
from north to south, in inns, private dwellings, and shops.
This form is as universal in Japan as is the ordinary white
plaster-ceiling with us. In many other forms of ceiling, how-
ever, wood of the most tortuous grain is preferred.
In the little houses made for the tea-parties the ceiling is
often of some rustic design, — either a layer of rush resting on
bamboo rafters, or thin, wide strips of wood braided or matted
like basket-work.
Sometimes the ceiling instead of being flat is arching ; that is,
the sides run up. like a roof, and meet above in a flat panel, or
the ceiling may be made up of panels either square or angular.
166 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
gu
'iL^L
A very elaborate and beautiful ceiling is seen in fig. 127 (see
page 146). The structure is supposed to be in imitation of a
country thatched roof. The centre panel consists of a huge plank
of cedar, the irregular grain cut out in such a way as to show
the lines in high-relief, giving it the appearance of very old
wood, in which the softer lines have been worn away. The
round sticks which form the frame for the plank, and those
bordering the ceiling, as well as those running from the cor-
ners of the ceiling to the corners of the plank, are of red
pine with the bark unremoved. The radiating rafters are of
large yellow bamboo, while the smaller beams running par-
allel to the sides of the room
consist of small dark-brown and
polished bamboo; the body of
the ceiling is made up of a brown
rush, called hayi, — this repre-
senting the 1 hatch. This ceiling
was simply charming ; it was
clean, pure, and effective ; it gave
the room a lofty appearance,
and was moreover thoroughly
constructive. Our architects
might well imitate it without
the modification of a single feature.
The ceiling figured on page 1 •">(» (fig. 134) consisted of square
panels of cedar, arranged on either side of a double curved bam-
boo, which ran across the ceiling diagonally from one corner of
the room to another. Upon the bamboo was engraved a Chinese
poem, in beautiful characters. The beauty of this ceiling con-
sisted not only in its general quaint effect, but in the rich
woods and good workmanship everywhere displayed in its con-
struction. The same might be said of the ceiling shown in
fig. 126 (see page 140); here, indeed, the whole room was like
mill
y'\k'(
• .V
Fie,. It.'!. — I'AXKLLKD CEILING.
WALLS. 167
a choice cabinet. Lately, these panelled ceilings have come more
into use. Fig. 143 represents a form of ceiling which may be
occasionally seen, consisting of large, square planks of siigi,
with a framework of bamboo or keyaki wood.
It seems a little curious that the space enclosed under the
roof (a garret in fact) is rarely, if ever, utilized. Here the
rats hold high carnival at night ; and one finds it difficult to
sleep, on account of the racket these pests keep up in racing
and fighting upon the thin and resonant boards composing the
ceiling. The rats make a thoroughfare of the beam which runs
across the end of the house from one corner to the other; and
this beam is called the nedzumi bashira, — literally, '• rat-post."
In my remarks on house-construction 1 made mention cf
the plaster walls, and of the various colored sands used in
the plaster. There are many ways of treating this surface,
by which curious effects are obtained. Little gray and white
pebbles are sometimes mixed with the plaster. The shells of
a little fresh-water bivalve (Corbicula] are pounded into frag-
ments and mixed with the plaster. In the province of
Mikawa I saw an iron-gray plaster, in which had been mixed
the short fibres of finely-chopped hemp, the fibres glistening
in the plaster ; the effect was odd and striking. In the province
of Omi it was not unusual to see white plastered surfaces
smoothly finished, in which iron-dust had been blown evenly
upon the surface while the plaster was yet moist, and, oxidizing,
had given a warm brownish-yellow tint to the whole.
In papering plaster-walls rice-paste is not used, as the larvae
of certain insects are liable to injure the surface. In lieu of
this a kind of seaweed similar to Iceland moss is used, the
mucilaginous portion of which forms the cement. This material
is used in sizing paper, and also in the pasteboard or stiff paper
which is made by sticking a number of sheets together.
1G8 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Plastered rooms are often papered ; and even when the
plaster is tinted and the plastered surface is left exposed, it
is customary to use a paper called koshi-bari, which is spread
on the wall to a height of two feet or more in order to pro-
tect the clothes from the plaster. This treatment is seen in
common rooms.
Simple and unpretending as tlie interior of a Japanese house
appears to be. it is wonderful upon how many places in their
apparently naked rooms the ingenuity and art-taste of the cab-
inet-maker can lie expended. Naturally, the variety of design
and lini>h of the tokonoma and chigai-dana is unlimited save
Ity the si/.e of their areas; for with the sills and upright posts,
the ^helves and little closets, sliding-doors with their surfaces
for the artists' brush, and the variety o£ woods employed, the
arti.-an has a wide Held in which to display his peculiar skill.
L v I
The ceiling, though showing less variety in its structure, never-
theless presents a good field for decorative work, though any
exploits in this direction outside the conventional form become
very costly, on account of the large surface to deal with and
tin- expensive cabinet-work required. Next to the chigai-dana
in decorative importance (excepting of course the ceiling, which,
as we have already seen rarely departs from the almost uni-
versal character of thin boards and transverse strips), I am
inclined to believe that the rninmn receives the most attention
from the designer, and requires more delicate work from the
cabinet-maker. It is true that the areas to cover are small,
yet the designs which may be carved or latticed, — geometric
designs in fret-work, or perforated designs in panel, — must
have a strength and prominence not shown in the other interior
finishings of the room.
The kativri, or lintel, as we have seen, is a beam that runs
entirely across the side of the room at the height of nearly
RAMMA.
169
six feet from the floor (fig. 103). On its under surface are
the grooves in which the fusuma run ; between this beam and
the ceiling is a space of two feet or more depending, of course,
upon the height of the room. The height of the beam itself
from the floor, a nearly constant factor, is always lower than are
our doorways, because the average height of the Japanese people
is less than ours ; and aggravatingly low to many foreigners is
this beam, as can be attested by those who have cracked their
heads against it in passing from one room to another. The space
between the kamoi and the ceiling is called the ramma, and offers
another field for the exercise of that decorative faculty which
conies so naturally to the Japanese. This space may be occupied
simply by a closed
plastered partition,
just as in our houses
we invariably fill up
a similar space which
comes over wide fold-
ing doors between a
suite of rooms. In
the Japanese room,
however, it is cus-
tomary to divide this
space into two or
more panels, — usually two ; and in this area the designer and
wood-worker have ample room to carry out those charming
surprises which are to be seen in Japanese interiors.
The designs are of course innumerable, and may consist
of diaper-work and geometric designs ; or each panel may con-
sist of a single plank of wood with the design wrought out,
while the remaining wood is cut away, leaving the dark shadows
of the room beyond as a back-ground to the design ; or the design
may be in the form of a thin panel of cedar, in which patterns
FIG. 144. — RAMMA IN HAKOXE VILLAGE.
170 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
of birds, flowers, waves, dragons, or other objects are cut out
iu perforated work. Fret-work panels are very often used in
the decoration of the ramma, of designs similar to the panels
now imported from Japan ; but the figures are worked out in
larger patterns.
1
1 i • -]
1 ,
— i r
f
1
, — i f —
•
r- »•-
T,
i
j '
J
\
FIG. H5. — HVMHOO KAMMA.
l.i^lit and airy as the work seems to be. it must nevertheless
In- .Mronglv made, as it is rare to see any displaced or broken
portions in panels of this nature.
The de>ign represented in lig. 1-14 is from a rmnnia in an
old lioiix- in the village of llakone. The room was very large,
and there were four panels in the minimi, which was nearly
t \\ent v-fotir feet long. A light trellis of bamboo is a favorite
and common device for this area. Fig. 14") gives a simple
form of this nature,
which may be often
seen. In a house in
Tokio we saw a sim-
ilar design carried
out in porcelain (fig.
140), — the central
vertical rod having
a dark-blue glax.e, while the lighter horizontal rods were white in
color. It should be understood that in every case the inter-
spaces between the designs, except in the perforated ones, is
freely open to the next room. By means of these open ramma
much better ventilation of the rooms is secured when the fusuma
KM,. H'i. 1'oni KI.AIN KAMMA IN TOKIO.
RAMMA.
171
is closed. A combination of perforated panels and a grating of
bamboo is often seen (fig. 147).
The ramma requiring great skill in design and execution
are those in which the wood-carver, having his design drawn
upon a solid plank, cuts away all the wood about it, leaving
the design free ; and this is then delicately wrought.
In an old house at Gojio, Yamato, is a ramma having a
single panel the length of the room. Fig. 148 illustrates this
ll
>^?;3>
i^^4
-^~Z2~^«»«
ft
fl
11
: U
g
=4
=====
—
FIG. 147. — RAMMA OF BAMBOO AND PERFORATED PANEL.
design, which consists of chrysanthemums supported on a bamboo
trellis, and was carved out of a single plank, the ilowers and
delicate tracery of the leaves being wrought with equal care
on both sides ; in fact, the ramma in every case is designed
to be seen from both rooms. I have often noticed that in
quite old houses the ramma was of this description. In an
old house at Yatsushiro, in Iligo, I saw a very beautiful form
of this nature (fig. 149). The ramma was divided into two
panels, and the design was continuous from one panel to another.
It represented a mstic method of conducting water by means
of wooden troughs, propped up by branched sticks, and sticks
tied together. The representation of long leaves of some aquatic
plant, with their edges ragged by partial decay, was remarkably
well rendered. The plank out of which the design was wrought
must have been less than an inch in thickness, and yet the
effect of relief was surprising. A white substance like chalk
filled the interstices of the carving, giving the appearance that
at one time the whole design had been whitened and the coloring
172 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
matter had subsequently worn away. The house was quite old,
and the work had been done by a local artist.
It is a remarkable fact, and one well worth calling attention
to, that in the smaller towns and villages, in regions far apart,
there seems to be artistic workmen capable of designing and
executing theso graceful and artistic carvings, — for such they
certainly arc. Everywhere throughout the Empire we find
good work of all kinds, and evidence that workmen of all
crafts have Icurntd their trades, — not "served" them, — and
an: employed at I mine. In other words, the people everywhere
appreciate artistic designs and the proper execution of them;
and. consequently, men capable in their various lines find their
services in demand wherever they may be. I do not mean
in imply by this general statement that good workmen in
Japan arc not drawn to the larger cities for employment, but
rather that the smaller towns and villages everywhere are not
destitute of sndi a class, and that the distribution of such
artisans is far more wide and general than with us. And
how different such conditions are with us may be seen in the
fact that there are hundreds of towns and thousands of villages
in our country where the carpenter is just capable of making a
shelter from the weather; and if he attempts to beautify it —
but we will not awaken the recollection of those startling hor-
rors of petticoat scallops fringing the eaves and every opening,
and rendered, if possible, more hideous by the painter.
Throughout the breadth and length of that land of thirty-six
million people men capable of artistic work, and people capable
of appreciating such work, abound. In our land of fifty-five
millions one has to seek the great centres of population for
similar work, — for elsewhere the good work and its appreciation
are exceptional.
At Nagoya. in the house of a poor man, I saw a simple
and ingenious form of ramma, in which two thin boards, one
RAMMA.
173
Si
o
o
o
I
O
s
r
174 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
of light and the other of dark cedar, had been cut in the
form of mountain contours. These were placed in juxtaposition,
and from either side the appearance of two ranges of mountains
was conveyed. Fig. 150 gives a faint idea of the appearance
of this simple ramma. There are many suggestions in the dec-
oration and utilization for ventilating rooms through certain
portions of the frieze, whiclr might be adopted with advantage
in the finish of our interiors.
111,. I5O. K\MM\, (iiMt'OSEl) OF TWO TllIS BOARDS, IN N.\GOYA, OwABI.
As the room, when closed, receives its light through the shoji,
the windows proper — that is, certain openings in permanent
partitions which may be regarded as windows — have in most
cases lost their functional character, and have become modified
into ornamental features merely, many of them being strictly
decorative, having none of the functions of a window whatever.
These openings assume an infinite variety of forms, and appear
in the most surprising places in the room. They may be placed
low down near the floor, or close to the ceiling; indeed, they oc-
cur between the rooms when permanent partitions are present,
and similar openings may be seen in the partition which separates
the tokonwnu from the <-1u<jm-ilana. A window often occurs in a
partition that continues some little distance beyond the outer
edge of the tokonoma. This window is usually square, and is
closed by a shoji. The upper cross-piece of the shoji-irnme
projects at each end. so that it may be hung in place on iron
hooks (fig. ]")!). If the window comes near the tokonoma the
WINDOWS.
175
IMG. 151. — Snoji FOK WINDOW.
shoji is hung on the outside of the room, as its appearance in this
way is better from within. If it occurs in a partition near the
chodzu-bachi, the shoji is hung in-
side the room. Sometimes the
shoji rests on grooved cleats or
bars, which are fastened above
and below the window, and often-
times it runs inside the partition,
— that is, in a partition that is
double. The shoji. in this case is
often made in two portions, and
parts to the right or left. The
frame-work of the shoji forming
the windows is often a marvel of exquisite taste. The designs
are often geometric figures, as in tig. l-~>2; though other designs
are seen, as in tig. 1 •");!. rep-
resenting a mountain. These
designs, being made of very
thin strips of white pine, it
would seem that in such
examples portions of the
FlG. 152. — SllOJl-KRAMK FOH WlMXIW. .. , ,
frame-work must have been
fastened to the paper to keep them in place, for there is no means
of sustaining such a frame in position without some such method.
At Nagoya, in an old house, I saw a remarkable partition of
dark cedar, in which a circular window, five feet in diameter,
was occupied by a panel of thin cedar, in which was a perforated
design of waves ; the drawing was of the most graceful descrip-
tion. The curious, formal, curled tongues of water, like young
sprouting ferns, the long graceful sweep of the waves, and the
circular drops suspended above the breaking crests presented a
charming effect, as the light coming through from the outside
illuminated these various openings.
176 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Flli. 158. — SlKUI-FKAME KOR WlXDOW.
When these windows occur in the second story they are ar-
ranged to overlook some pleasant garden or distant landscape ;
for this purpose the window is
i ' -p1- usually circular, though it may
be in the shape of the crescent
moon, or fan -shaped; indeed,
there seems to be no end to
designs for these apertures.
Openings of this nature between
rooms mav or may not have shoji, but they always have a
lattice-work of bamboo, or some other material, arranged in
certain ornamental ways. The outside windows not only have
the sliiiji. but may
have an ornamental
lattice-work as well.
In lig. 1-1 the large
circular window next
the tnkiiitDinn had a
lattice-work of bam-
boo arranged in an
exceedingly graceful
design.
(ireat attention is
devoted to the win-
dow which comes in
tlie recess used for
writing purposes.
The frame of this
window may be
lacquered, and the
lattice-work and shoji
are often marvels of the cabinet-maker's art. Windows of curi-
ous construction are often placed in some passage-way or space
PORTABLE SClt KENS. 177
at the end of the verandah leading to the lavatory, when one
exists. The accompanying figure (fig. 154) shows a window of
this nature, seen from the outside ; the bars were of iron, and
below the opening the wood-finish consisted of alternate panels
of cedar-bark and light wood.
There are hundreds of forms of these windows, or mado, as
they are called. The few to which allusion has been made serve
to give one some idea of the almost entirely ornamental character
of these openings. It is worthy of note that each form has its
appropriate name, and books are specially prepared, giving many
designs of windows and their modes of construction.
In the chapter on Gardens a few descriptions and sketches are
given of other forms of windows belonging to summer-houses.
The open character of the Japanese house has caused the
development of a variety of forms of portable screens, bam-
boo shades, curtains, and the like, upon which much ingenuity
of construction and an infinite' amount of artistic talent has
been expended. The bii/o-bn, or folding screens, are too well
known to require more than a passing allusion. These consist
of a number of panels or folds covered on both sides with
stout paper. A narrow border of wood forms an outer frame,
and this may be plain or lacquered. The end folds have the
corners as well as other portions of its frame decorated with
wrought metal pieces. Just within the frame runs a border
of brocade of varvina; width, and on its inner ed<re a narrow
*/ O
strip of brocade ; within this comes the panel or portion to
receive the artist's efforts. Each fold or panel may have a
separate picture upon it ; or, as is most usually the case, a
continuous landscape or composition covers the entire side of
the screen. Many of the great artists of Japan have em-
bodied some of their best works on screens of this kind, and
the prices at which some of these are held are fabulous.
12
178 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
The rich and heavily-gilded screens now so rare to obtain are
marvels of decorative painting. While the front of the screen
may have a broad landscape, the back may be simply a plain gold
surface, or have some sketchy touches of bamboo, pine, etc., in
FIG. 135 — BIYO-BU, OR FOLDING SCRT.EU.
black. I have boon told that the gold-leaf was so thick on many
<>f the old screens, that the sacrilege has often been committed
of destroying them for the gold contained on their surfaces.
The six-panelled gold-screen is. beyond all question, the
richest object of household use for decorative purposes ever
devised. There certainly is no other device in which so many
decorative arts are called into play. The rich lacquered frame,
PORTABLE SCREENS.
179
the wrought metallic mountings, the border of gold brocade,
and the great expanse for the artist's brush (for when both
sides of a six-fold screen is decorated, an area is obtained
nearly five feet in height and twenty-four feet in length)
give great variety for richness of adornment. The rich, dead
gold-leaf with which it is gilded softens the reflections, and
gives a warm, radiant tone to the light. Its adjustable nature
permits it to display its painting
in every light. We refer now, of
course, to the genuine old gold-
screens which came in sets of two.
One possessing a set of these screens may
consider himself particularly fortunate. The
one figured (fig. 155) has depicted upon it a win-
ter scene painted by Kano Tsunenobti. and is
nearly one hundred and seventy years old ; the
companion of this has represented upon it a sum-
mer scene, by the same artist. On the reverse
sides are painted with bright and vigorous touches
the bamboo and pine. Fig. 150 shows one corner
of the screen-frame with its metal mounting. These
screens may have two folds, or three, or even six.
as in this case. A set of screens when not in use
are enclosed in silk bags, and then placed in a Wuou«iiT MK-
long, narrow wooden box (fig. 157). This box. like TAU.IC MOVXT-
IXG OF SCREEN
other articles of household use, such as bureaus and
chests of drawers, has long hanging iron handles,
which when turned upwards project above the level of the
top, forming convenient loops through which a stick may be
passed, — and thus in case of fire may be easily transported upon
the shoulders of men,
When the screen is unfolded and placed on the floor,
various devices are provided to prevent the end panels being
180 JAPANESE HUMES AXD THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
swayed by the wind. These devices may be in the shape of
some metal figure which acts as a check, or a heavy weight
of potter}' made in the shape shown in fig. 158, the end of the
screen fitting into the slot in the weight.
FIG. 157. — SCKKKN-HIIX.
On certain festival da\s, it, is customary for the people
bordering the wider thoroughfares to throw open their houses
and display their screens; and in Kioto, at such times, one may
walk along the streets and be-
hold a wonderful exhibition of
these beautiful objects.
A screen peculiar to Kioto,
and probably farther south, is
seen, in which panels of rush
and bamboo split in delicate bars
are inserted in each leaf of the
screen. Such a screen when spread admits a certain amount
of light as well as air, and may be used in summer.
A low screen of two folds, called a furosaki Uy&-bu is placed
FIG. 158. — F<X)T-W EIGHT FOR
PORTABLE SCREENS.
181
in front of the furo, or fire-vessel, used for boiling water for
tea. The purpose of this is to screen the furo from the wind
and prevent the ashes from being blown about the room.
Sometimes these screens
are made in a rigid form
of wood, with the wings
at right angles, the panels
being of rush ; and in the
corner . of the screen a lit-
tle shelf is fixed, upon
which the tea-utensils may
v. i j o i • I''11'- 159. — Frno.sAKi Bivo-nr.
be placed, ouch an one is
here figured (fig. 159) ; there are many designs for this kind
of screen.
In the old-fashioned yenka, or hall-way, there stands a solid
screen of wood with heavy frame, supported by two transverse
feet. This screen is called a tsui-tate, and is an article of
furniture belonging to the
hall. It is often richly dec-
orated with gold lacquer, and
is usually much lower in
height than the ordinary
screen. In old Japanese pic-
ture-books this form is often
represented. Diminutive mo-
dels of the tsui-tate (fig. 100)
are made in pottery or porce-
lain, and these are for the purpose of standing in front of the
ink-stone to prevent the mats from being spattered when the ink
is rubbed. In another form of tsui-tate a stand is made having
uprights placed in such a way that a screen covered with stout
paper or a panel may be placed upon the stand and held in a
vertical position by these uprights, as shown in fig. 161.
FIG. 100. — MODEL OF TSVI-TATE IN POTTERY.
182 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
When the shOji are removed, and the room thrown wide
open to the light and air, curtains composed of strips of bam-
boo or rush are used as sun-screens ; these are generally hung
up just below the edge of the supplementary roof or hisashi,
or may be suspended just outside the room. They can be
rolled up and tied, or dropped to any desired length. These
It:
FlU. KH. - T.SU-TATK.
FIG. 162. — BAMBOO CURTAINS.
curtains may be either plain or have traced upon them delicate
designs (A vines or gourds, or conventional patterns. These
designs are produced either by the joints on the bamboo being
adjusted to carry out a /ig/ag or other design, as shown in
lig. 102 (.-I), or else the thin strips of bamboo may have square
notches cut out from their lower edges as in fig. 102 (B). In
this case the shade of the room within gives the necessary
back-ground to bring out the design as shown in fig. 103.
These devices are called norcn ; if made of bamboo, they are
called sudare.
In illustrated books there is often seen figured a screen
such as is shown in fig. 104. This consists of a lacquered
stand, from which spring two upright rods, which in turn sup-
PORTABLE SCREENS.
183
port a transverse bar not unlike some forms of towel-racks ;
dependent from this is a curtain of cloth, which is long enough
to sweep the floor. I have never seen this object, though it
is probably in use in the houses of
the Daiiuios.
FIG. 103. — BAMBOO CURTAIN.
FIG. 104. — CURTAIN-SCREEN.
A screen or curtain is often seen in doorways and passage-
ways, consisting of a fringe of cords, upon
which has been strung like beads short sec-
tions of bamboo, with black seeds at inter-
vals. A portion of one of these fringed
curtains is illustrated in fig. 1C 5. Such a
curtain has the advantage not only of being
a good screen, but the inmates may pass
through it, so to speak, without the necessity
of lifting it. There are many forms of this
curtain to be seen, and at present the Jap-
anese are exporting a variety of delicate ones
made of glass beads and sections. of rushes.
Cloth curtains are used at the entrance to
the kitchen, and also to screen closet-like re-
FIG. 105. — FRINGED
CURTAIN. cesses. The cloth is cut at intervals, leaving
184 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
a series of long flaps. This curtain is not readily swayed by
the wind, and can easily be passed through as one enters the
room (fig. 166). In front of the Japanese shop one may see
a similar form of curtain slit at intervals, so that it may not
be affected by ordinary winds.
There are doubtless many other forms of screens and curtains
not here enumerated, but most of those described present the
common forms usually observed.
Fiu. Hili. — SLASHED CURTAIN.
CHAPTER IV.
INTERIORS (Continued).
KITCHEN. — FLOORS. — CLOSETS. — STAIRWAYS. — PUBLIC BATHING. — BATHING CON-
VENIENCES. — TOWEL-RACKS. — BEDDING AND PILLOWS. — HIBACIII AND TABAKO-BON.
— CANDLES AND CANDLESTICKS. — LAMPS AND LANTERNS. — HOUSEHOLD SHRINES.—
BIRDS' NESTS IN HOUSES. — PRIVIES.
r I "HE kitchen, as an apartment, varies quite as much in Japan
as it does in our country, and varies in the same way ;
that is to say, in the country, in houses of the better class,
both in Japan and the United States, the kitchen is large and
oftentimes spacious, well lighted and airy, in which not only
the preparation of food and the washing of dishes go on, but
in which also the meals are served. The kitchen of the common
city house in both countries is oftentimes a dark narrow room,
ill-lighted, and altogether devoid of comfort for the cook. Among
this class of houses the kitchen is the least denned of Japanese
rooms; it lacks that tidiness and definition so characteristic of
the other rooms. It is often a narrow porch or shed with pent
roof, rarely, if ever, possessing a ceiling ; its exposed raft-
ers are blackened by the smoke, which finds egress through a
scuttle, through which often comes the only light that illumi-
nates the dim interior. In the city house the kitchen often
comes on that side of the house next the street, for the reason
that the garden being in the rear of the house the best rooms
face that area ; being on the street too, the kitchen is conveni-
ent for the vender of fish and vegetables, and for all the kitchen
traffic, which too often with us results in the strewing of our
186 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
little grass-plots with the wrapping paper of the butcher's bun-
dles and other pleasing reminiscences of the day's dinner. In the
country the kitchen is generally at the end of the house usually
opening into some porch-like expansion, where the tubs, buckets,
etc.. and the winter's supply of wood finds convenient storage.
FIG. l(>7. - KITCIIKN IN OLD FARMHOUSE AT KABUTOYAMA.
•In puMic inns and largi- country houses, and also in many
of the larger city tea-houses, the customary raised floor is divided
by a narrow area, which has for its floor the hard trodden earth ;
and this area forms an avenue from the road to the heart of
the house, and even through the house to the garden beyond.
This enables one to pass to the centre of the house without
the necessity of removing one's shoes. Porters and servants
bring the guest's baggage and deposit it directly upon the mats ;
KITCHEN.
187
and in the inns more privacy is secured by the kayo being
brought to the centre of the house, where the visitor may alight
at the threshold of the very room he is to occupy. A plank or
other adjustable platform is used to bridge this avenue, so that
occupants may go from one portion of the house to another in
their bare or stockinged feet.
If this area is in a public inn, the office, common room, and
kitchen border one side of this thoroughfare. In the common
room the baby-tend-
ing, sewing, and the
various duties of the
family go on under
the heavily-raftered
and thatched roof,
which blackened by ^^mOK^*?^*^^
the smoke from the
kitchen fire, and fes-
tooned with equally
blackened cobwebs,
presents a weird ap-
pearance when lighted up by the ruddy glow from the hearth.
We speak now of the northern country houses, particularly where
the fireplace, as in the Aino house, is in the middle of the
floor. In country houses of the better class the kitchen is large
and roomy ; the well is always conveniently near, and often
under the same roof. An enormous quantity of water is used
in the kitchen of a Japanese house ; and if the well is outside,
then a trough is arranged beside the well, into which the water
is poured, and from this trough a bamboo spout conveys the
water into a big water-tank within the kitchen. In the vicinity
of the well it is always wet and sloppy ; the vegetables, rice,
dishes, and nearly every utensil and article of food seems to
come under this deluge of water.
Fin. 108. — KITCIIKX RAM;K.
188 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Fig. 167 (page 186) gives a sketch of an old kitchen at
Kabutoyama in the western part of the province of Musashi.
This kitchen is nearly three hundred years old, and is the type
of a kitchen of a wealthy and independent Japanese farmer.
The great wooden curbed well is seen in front, with a pulley
above in which the rope runs. Near by is a trough from which
a bamboo spout leads to some trough in another portion of the
house. The kumado. or cooking- range, is seen to the left, and
beyond is a room partly closed by fusuma. Directly beyond
the well two girls may be seen in the act of preparing dinner,
which consists in arranging the dishes on little raised lacquered
trays, which are to be carried in when dinner is ready. Near
the range are little portable affairs made of soft stone and
used as braziers. The raised floor is composed of broad planks ;
kitchens invariably have wooden floors, which are oftentimes very
smooth and polished.
The usual form of kitchen range is represented in fig. 168;
this is made of broken tiles and mud or clay compacted together
and neatly plastered and blackened on the outside. In this
ran.L'e there are two recesses for fire, which open directly in
iri.nt : and this structure- rests upon a stout wooden frame having
a place for ashes in front, and a space beneath in which the
wood and charcoal are kept. Sometimes this range, retaining
the same form, is made of copper; within this water is kept, and
little openings permit the wine-bottle to be immersed in order
to heat it, as the sake is drunk hot without the admixture of
hot water.
In another kitchen in a house in Imado, Tokio, a hood of
sheet-iron was arranged to convey the smoke outside the build-
ing. This is probably a modern device (fig. 169).
Jn fig. 170 a sketch is given of a kitchen in Tokio in which
the range was a closed affair made of stone, with a funnel at the
end as in our stoves. I was told by the owner of this house that
KITCHEN.
189
FIG. 169. — KITCHEN RANGE, WITH SMOKE-CONDUCTOR.
this kind of a stove had been in use in his family for three
generations, at least. In this kitchen an area level with the
190 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEM SURROUNDINGS.
ground is seen, in which stands the sink containing an inverted
rice-kettle. Beside the sink stands a huge water-jar, with water-
bucket and water-dipper conveniently near ; above is a shelf upon
which are numerous buckets and tubs. On one of the posts hangs
the usual bamboo rack for skewers, wooden spoons, spatulas, etc.,
and below it is a case for the meat and hsh knives. On a bam-
Kici. 170. — KITCIIF.N IN CITY HOUSK.
l)oo pole a few towels hang, and also two large fishes' heads from
which a thin soup is to IK- made. On a post near the mouth
of the stove hangs a coarse wire sieve with which to sift the
ashes for the little bits of unburnt charcoal, which are always
frugally saved, and near by is a covered vessel to hold these cin-
ders. The customary stone brazier for heating water for the tea
stands near the stove.
KITCHEN.
191
Fig. 171 represents more clearly the form of this brazier,
which is called a shichirin. It is a convenient and economical
device for the cooking of small messes or boiling water, charcoal
being used for the purpose. Instead of bellows, a fan is used for
kindling or quickening a iire. A short bamboo tube is also used
through which the cook's lungs act as a bellows in performing
a like service.
Fig. 172 gives a
clearer view of the
bamboo rack and the
knife-case below,
with which almost
every kitchen is sup-
plied. Often in pub-
lic inns the kitchen
opens on the street,
where the cook may
be seen conspicuous-
ly at work. In our
country the chop-
houses oftentimes
have the grilling and
stewing ostentatious-
ly displayed in the
same way, as an ap-
petizing inducement
to attract guests.
Fig. 174 gives a
view of a common arrangement for the kitchen in the north
of Japan, and in the country everywhere. Here the fireplace
is in the centre of the room. A kettle is suspended over the
fire by a chain, and other kettles are huddled around it to be
heated. Overhead a rack hangs, from which fish and meat
FIG. 171. — BRA/IKRS.
192 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
are suspended, and thus the smoke which ascends from the
fire is utilized in curing them. Sometimes a large cushion of
straw is suspended above the smoke, and little fish skewered
with pointed sticks are thrust into this bunch of straw like
pins in a pin-cushion.
In fig. 175 a more elab-
orate affair is shown from
which to suspend the tea-
kettle. This is a complex
mechanism with, a curious'
joint, so that it may be
hoisted or lowered at
will.
In the hut of the peasant
a simple affair is seen (fig.
17-5) made out of bamboo,
which answers the same
purpose. This is called a
/Y--.Y//, which means " at
one's will." In the front
of fig. 175 a square copper
box is noticed, having two
round openings. This box
is filled with water, which
becomes heated by the fire,
and is for the purpose of
warming the sake, or wine.
The tongs are stuck into
I'n;. 173. — JI-/.AI.
I U si BOO HACK AND the ashes in one corner.
KNIFE-CASE, rpi . . ..
Ihese consist of a long pair of iron
chop-sticks held together at one end by a large ring, so that
one leg of the tongs, so to speak, may not get misplaced. No
inconsiderable skill is required to pick up hot coals with this
FLOORS.
193
kitchen implement, as in unaccustomed or awkward hands the
ring prevents the points from coming together.
It may be proper to mention here an arrangement for holding
a pot over the fire, seen in a boat coming down the Kitakami
River, and which is probably used in the north of Japan,
though I have never seen it in the house. It consisted of
an upright stick having a groove through the centre. In this
groove fitted a jointed
stick resting horizon-
tal ly, and arranged
in such a way that
it could be adjusted
at any height. Fig.
176 (page 195) will
illustrate the manner
of its working bet-
ter than any descrip-
tion can.
The floor of most
rooms, being perma-
nently covered with
the mats already de-
scribed in previous
chapters, has no spe-
cial attention be-
stowed upon it ; at
all events, the floor is
often of rough boards
laid in such a way that irregular spaces occur between them.
When the house has a proper hall or vestibule, the floor is com-
posed of wide planks ; and the smooth, ivory-like, polished
condition in which such floors are often kept is surprising. In
13
FIG. 17i- — FiKEi'LACE ix CoixTiu Iloisi;.
194 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
country houses it is not unusual to see polished-wood floors
in portions of the front rooms, and as one rides along the
//'•///' J s>J< I <: I V\
FIG. 175.— THE BKST FIREPLACE.
road he may often see the reflection of the garden beyo'nd in
their polished surfaces. In country inns the floor in the front
FLOORS.
195
of the house is often of plank. Matted floors are, however,
universal from the extreme north to the extreme south of the
Empire.
In houses of traders bordering the street the matted floor
properly terminates a few feet within the sill, the space between
FIG. 170. — AN ADJUSTABLE DKVICK FOR SUPPORTING A KETTLE.
being of earth. The floor being raised, the space between the
edge of the floor and the earth is generally filled with plain panels
of wood, though sometimes designs of flowers or conventional
figures are cut in the panel. These panels are often arranged
so that they can be removed, revealing a space under the floor
in which shoes, umbrellas, etc., can be stowed away.
One of the surprising features that strikes a foreigner as he
becomes acquainted with the Japanese house is the entire
196 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
absence of so many things that with us clutter the closets, or make
squirrel-nests of the attic, — I speak now of the common house.
The reason of this is that the people have never developed the
miserly spirit of hoarding truck and rubbish with the idea that
some day it may come into use : this spirit when developed into
a mania converts a man's attic and shed into a junk-
shop. The few necessary articles kept by the Jap-
anese are stowed away in boxes, cupboards, or
interspaces beneath the floors.
The kitchens in every case have wood
(lours, as do the halls, verandahs, and
all passage-ways. The ground be-
neath the floor is, in the houses
(if the better class, prepared
with gravel and mortar
mixed with
or
clay,
macadamized.
Fid. 177. — Km IIKN CLOSET, DRAWERS, CUPBOARD, AND STAIRS COMRIMKD.
the Japanese house. The larger closets, closed by sliding screens,
or fusuma, are used for clothing and bedding. The tansu — a
chest of drawers not unlike our bureau — is often placed within
the closet, which is also a receptacle for chests and trunks.
The ordinary high closet is not so often seen; and where in our
CLOSETS. — STAIR WA YS. 197
houses it is deemed a necessity to have each chamber provided
with a closet, in the Japanese house bed-chambers rarely contain
such conveniences. There are low cupboards or closets in cer-
tain recesses, the upper part or top of which forms a deep
open shelf. In the kitchen, dressers and similar conveniences
are used for the dishes. In the province of Omi it is common
to see a case of shelves with cupboard beneath ; upon the shelves
the larger dishes are displayed. In the kitchen there is often
combined with the flight of stairs a closet ; and this closet usu-
ally has a door swinging on hinges In this closet are often
kept the bed-clothes, pillows, candle-sticks, and night-lamps.
Fig. 177 illustrates the appearance of this closet. In the hall-
way, also, a closet is sometimes seen in which to stow away the
f/eta, or wooden clogs. A closet of this nature is described
farther on.
As most of the houses are of one story, and the area between
the ceiling 'and the roof never utilized, as with us, stairways are
not common ; when they do occur they are primitive in their
construction. A stairway incorporated into the structure of a
building and closed below I have never seen in Japan; nor is
there any approach to the broad, low steps and landings or spi-
ral staircases such as we are familiar with in American houses.
If the house be of two stories the staircase assumes the form of
a rather precipitous step-ladder ; that is, it has two side-pieces, or
strings, in which the steps, consisting of thick plank, are mor-
tised. This ladder is so steeply inclined that one has to step
sideways in ascending, otherwise his knee would strike the step
above. Rarely is there any convenience to hold 011 by : if present,
however, this consists of a strip of wood fastened to the wall,
or a rope is secured in the same way. The front of the step is
open, — that is, there is no riser ; but if the back of the steps
face an open room, then slats of wood are nailed on behind.
198 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
In a beautiful house recently erected in one of the imperial
gardens is a remarkably pure and simple staircase and rail
(fig. 178).
In the inns and large farm-houses the step-ladder form is
often seen, and this is removable if occasion calls for it. An-
other kind, common to the same class of houses, has the appear-
ance of a number of square boxes piled one upon another, like a
set of different-sized blocks.
This is a compact structure,
however, though in reality
consisting of a number of
compartments which may be
separated. There are man}-
forms of this kind of stair-
case. The one shown in fig.
177 has the first two steps
closed ; then comes a low
cupboard with sliding doors
at the side, its upper corner
forming another step. Upon
the cupboard rest three more
steps, each of which has a drawer which pulls out at the side.
Next to this comes a high closet, supporting on iis top two or
three more steps. This closet usually has a swinging door, —
a feature rarely seen elsewhere within the Japanese house proper.
This closet contains on its floor the night-lamp, or andon, and tall
candlesticks, and above are stowed away the bedding and pillows;
or it may be used for trays and dishes. The steps are not so steep
as in the ladder form, have no baluster or rail, and are remark-
ably solid. It may be well to say here that the wood compos-
ing-the staircase, as well as certain floors, is highly finished, often
with a surface like polished ivory. I have frequently examined
the wood for evidences of wax or polish applied to its surface,
Fiu. 178. — STAIR-KAIL.
STAIR WA YS. — P UBLIC BA THING.
199
but found none. Inquiry brought out the curious information
that the water from the bath is often used to moisten the cloth
with which the wood is wiped ; and evidently the sebaceous secre-
tions of the skin had much to do with the beautiful polish often
attained. When a house possesses a genka, or hall, the steps, two
or three in number, are as broad as the hall, and generally the
steps are somewhat higher than our steps. These steps are in
every case permanently built into the structure of the floor. In
the steps which lead from the verandah to the ground the usual
form is in the shape of square or irregular blocks of .stone or
wood ; if of wood, the step may be a transverse section of some
FIG. 179. — STKPS TO VERANDAH.
huge tree, or a massive plank. Other forms of steps may con-
sist simply of two side-pieces, with the steps made of plank and
mortised in (fig. 179) ; or a more compact structure may be made
with a very low hand-rail. These forms are all adjustable ;
that is, they may be placed at any part of the verandah.
There is no feature of social life in Japan which has been
more ignorantly, and in some cases wilfully, animadverted upon
than the custom of public bathing ; nevertheless, I dare to say
that there is no feature in Japanese life to be more heartily
commended than this same system of public bathing. But by
this assertion I do not mean to suggest that we shall forth-
with proceed to establish baths after the Japanese style, and
200 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
take them after the Japanese fashion. The Japanese, as well
as other Eastern people, have for centuries been accustomed to
see nakedness, without its provoking among them the slightest
attention, or in any way suggesting immodesty. With us,
on the contrary, the effect has been different ; and the dire
rt-sult is seen in the almost utter extinction in our country of
the classical drama, and the substitution therefor of ballet-
dancing and burlesques, — of anything in fact that shall present
to the vulgar gaze of thousands the female form in scanty
apparel.1 A Turkish woman looks upon her Christian sister as
not onlv immodest and vulgar, but absolutely immoral, because*
she- iinhlushingly parades the public street with a naked face;
hut the Christian woman knows that the established customs
of her country sanction such an exposure as entirely proper.
A girl who in our country would deem it immodest to appear
among the members of her own family in a robe de chambrc,
ami vet under the glare of a bright gas-light, in the midst of
scores of strangers, appears with low corsage, is committing
an act which to a Turkish woman would appear inexplicable.
To a Japanese, tin- sight of our da/./.ling ball-rooms, with girls
in ilrroll, l<' div.v-es. clasped in the anus of their partners and
whirling to the sound of exciting music, must seem the wildest
debauch imaginable; for in .Japan the sexes, except among the
lower classes, never intermingle. No free and happy picnics,
sleigh-rides, boat-sails, and evening parties among the girls and
1 A correspondent in the " I'all Mall Gazette," in protesting against tho attempt to
impose European clothing <>n those j >eoplc who are accustomed to go without any, says
" In many parts of In.lia there is a profound suspicion of the irreligiousncs* of clothing.
The fakir is distressed oven hy the regulation rag upon which the Government modestly
insists, and a fully dressed fakir would lie scouted. The late Rrahmo minister, Chesub
Clnmler Sen, expressed the lielief that India would never accept a Christ in hat and
Ixmts. The missionary should remember that clothes-morality is climatic, and that if a
certain degree of covering of the body has gradually become in tho Northwest associated
with morality ami piety, the traditions of tropical countries may have equally connected
olalnirate dress rather with the sensualities of Solomon in his glory than with the purity
of the lily us clothed by Nature."
PUBLIC BATHING. 201
boys are known there ; no hand-shake, no friendly kiss. If the
Japanese visitor in this country is a narrow-minded and witless
scribbler, he will probably startle his friends at home with ac-
counts of the grossly immoral character of Christians. Unfa-.
miliar as he is with the corner loafer eying every girl that
walks by, or with that class which throng our walks with the
sole purpose of staring at the girls, who are there for the pur-
pose of being stared at, what must he think of our people when
he visits our summer resorts at the seaside and sees a 3'oung
girl — nay, swarms of them — tripping over the sand under a
bright sun, bare-legged, clad only in a single wrapper, which when
wet clings to her form and renders her an object of contemplation
to a battalion of young men who fringe the beach !
In Japan, among the lower classes, the sexes bathe together,
but with a modesty and propriety that are inconceivable to a
foreigner until he has witnessed it. Though naked, there is no
indecent exposure of the person. While in the bath they are
absorbed in their work, and though chatting and laughing seem
utterly unmindful of each other. The grossest libels have been
written about the Japanese in reference to their custom of public
bathing ; and I hazard the statement, without fear of contra-
diction, that an intelligent Japanese, seeing many of our customs
for the first time, without knowing the conditions under which
they had grown up, would find infinitely more to condemn as
immodest, than an intelligent foreigner would find in seeing for
the first time certain Japanese customs, with the same ignorance
at the outset as to what such customs implied.
If cleanliness is next to godliness, then verily the Japanese are
a godly race.1 The simple statement, without qualification, that
numbers of Japanese in their public baths bathe in the same
1 Rein says : " The cleanliness of the Japanese is one of his most commendable
qualities. It is apparent in his body, in his house, in his workshop, and no less in the
great carefulness and exemplary exactness with which he looks after his fields."
202 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
water would seem a filthy habit. Certainly if such a statement
were really true in regard to our own lower classes, it would be a
most filthy habit. When it is understood, however, that the
Japanese working classes — such as the carpenters, masons, and
others — often bathe two or three times a day, and must of neces-
sity enter the bath in a state of cleanliness such as our workmen
rarely if ever attain, the statement loses- some of its force.
Wlu-n it is further added that these people do not wash in the
baths, but boil or soak in them for a while, and then upon a
platform, with an extra bucket of water and a towel, wash and
dry themselves, the filthy character of this performance assumes
quite another aspect. A Japanese familiar with his airy and
barn-like theatres, his public, readings under an open tent-like
structure, or gatherings in a room in which one or all sides
niav be open to the air even in mid-winter, would look upon
the usual public, gatherings of our people in lecture-halls, school-
rooms, and other closed apartments, wherein the air often be-
cuiiies so foul that people faint and struggle to the door to get
a breath of fresh air, — a Japanese, I say, would justly look
upmi such practices as filthy to the last degree. And what
/mutt/ he say to one of our great political meetings, for exam-
ple, where a vast unwashed herd of perspiring and excited people
actually bathe their delicate membranous lungs in the combined
breath of hundreds !
The public baths, however, do not concern us, — though it may
be well to contrast our country with Japan in this respect, where
in the latter country every village and every town, and in the
city nearly every square, possesses public baths where for the
price of a cent or two one may find conveniences for a hot bath ;
while in our country public baths are only found in the larger
cities, and few of these even can boast of such a luxury. As for
the private houses in our country where bathing is customary, an
inquiry shows that few possess the convenience of a bath-tub.
BA THING CON VENIENCES.
203
Among the masses of our people a Saturday-night wash may or
may not be enforced ; when it is, this performance usually takes
place in the kitchen, with hot water furnished from the kettle.
But in Japan nearly every house
among the higher and middle
classes possesses the most ample
arrangements for hot baths ; and
even among the poorer classes,
in the country as well as in the
city, this convenience is not want-
ing, with the added convenience
of public baths everywhere attain-
able if desired. FlG 180 _ UATI,.IUB wml SjI1E Ov£N
There are many forms of bath-
ing-tubs, all of them being large and deep. Means for applying
the heat direct, which is of course the most economical, is
attained in various ways. In the common form (fig. 180), a
small chamber of copper is introduced at one end near the
bottom of the tub, — the mouth having a frame of stone, or
of clay or plaster. In this
chamber a fire is built, and
the water can be brought, if
necessary, to the boiling-point.
Within the tub a few trans-
verse bars prevent the bather
from coming in contact with
the hot chamber in which the
fire is .burning. In another
Pio. 181. -BATH-TUB WITH INSIDK FI.UK. form' a c°PPer fllmicl Or tube
passes directly through the
bottom of the bathing-tub (fig. 181). The bottom of this tube
has a grating of wire ; charcoal is then placed in the tube, and
its combustion rapidly heats the water. A pan is placed below
204 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
FIG. ISi. — HATII-TI H is SKCTIOX, WITH OVKN
OLTS1UK THE KoOM.
the tube to catch the coal and ashes that fall through. In a
more elaborate form (fig. 182), the bath-tub is in two sections,
separated by the partition of the room. These two sections
are connected by a num-
ber of bamboo tubes or
flues, so that the water
may circulate freely.
The section outside con-
tains the fire-box, in
which the fire is built ;
by this arrangement the
bather escapes the dis-
comfort of the smoke
from the fire.
A very excellent form of bathing-tub is shown in fig. 183,
in which, outside, the tub. is a chamber not unlike a small
wooden barrel closed at both ends : through this barrel runs
a copper tube, in which a fire of charcoal is built. The barrel
is connected with the
bath-tub by a large
bamboo tube, having
a little square door
within, which the
hat her may close if
the water becomes too
hot. In many cases
a hood is arranged
in such a way that
the smoke from the
fire is carried off. These tubs stand on a large wooden floor,
the planks of which incline to a central gutter. Here the
bather scrubs himself with a separate bucket of water, after
having literally parboiled himself in water the temperature
FIG. 183. — BATH-TUB WITH OUTSIDE HEATING-
CHAHBEK.
BATHING CONVENIENCES.
205
of which is so great that it is impossible for a foreigner to
endure it.
A very common form of bath in the country consists of a
large and shallow iron kettle, upon the top of which is secured
a wooden extension, so as to give sufficient depth to the water
within (fig. 184). The fire is built beneath the kettle, — -the
bather having a rack of wood which he sinks beneath him, and
upon which he stands to protect his feet from burning. This
tub is called a Goyemon buro, named
after Ishikawa Goyemon, — a famous
robber of Taiko's time, who Avas
treated to a bath in boiling oil.
There are doubtless other forms of
bath-tubs with conveniences for heat-
ing the water, but the forms here
given comprise the principal kinds.
There is no reason why similar con- FIG. 1st. — MATH- -run, WITH IRON
veniences might not be adopted in
our country in cases where aqueducts or city supply is not avail-
able. There are many forms of foot-tubs and large wooden tubs
with high backs, in which hot water is poured ; but there is no
necessity of describing them here.
While in a Japanese house, as we have seen, the most ample
conveniences exist for taking a hot or cold bath, the minor
conveniences for washing the face and hands are not always
so apparent. In such attempts one is more often reminded of
a primitive country house at home, where one either goes down
to the kitchen, and amid a clutter of pails and pans manages
to wash himself, or else takes a tin basin and goes out to
the well, — and this on a fresh cool morning is by far the
more agreeable. In the country a Japanese may be seen in the
yard or by the roadside washing his face in a bucket or shallow
206 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
tub ; and at inns, and even in private houses, one is given a
copper basin, and a bucket of water being brought he uses
a portion of the verandah as a wash-stand. That conveniences
for this purpose do exist to some extent may be seen from
the accompaning sketches.
The one shown in fig. 185 may sometimes be found in
country inns at the north. This consists of a shallow trough
FIG. Ivy — LA\ uom i.\ COUNTRY INN.
resting on the floor at tin- end of the verandah or passage-way.
In the trough is a stout water-bucket with cover, and a copper
wash-basin.
The convenience shown in fig. 18(» was in a private house
in Tokio. Here the trough was above the level of the floor,
in a recessed portion of a passage-way which ran behind a suite
of rooms. Tin* wood-work about it was made with great care.
The sliding window-frames, covered with stout white paper, ad-
mitted sufficient light : while the rich brown pottery-jar, the
clean wooden dipper, copper basin, and quaint towel-rack were
all attractive features from their very neatness and simplicity.
It may seem odd for one to get enthusiastic over so simple
an affair as a trough and a few honest contrivances for washing
BATHING CONVENIENCES.
207
the hands and face ; nevertheless such a plain and sensible
arrangement is a relief, in contrast to certain guest-chambers
at home, where one wishing to go through the rather vigorous
performance of dashing into the water with his elbows out-
stretched, finds these free movements curtailed to the last de-
gree by a regiment of senseless toilet articles in the shape of
FIG. ISO. — LAVATORY ix PRIVATE HOUSE.
attenuated bottles, mugs, soap-dishes with rattling covers, and
diminutive top-heavy pitchers crowded about his wash-basin,
and all resting on a slab of white marble. Things are inevi-
tably broken if they are brought down too hard upon such a
bottom. After such recollections, one admires the Japanese
sink, with its durable flat-bottomed basin, capacious pottery-jar
for water, and ample space to thrash about in without fear
of spattering the wall-paper or smashing a lot of useless toilet
articles in the act.
208 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS,
The form last described is the usual one seen in private
houses. Conveniences of this nature that are brought to the
level of the floor, while giving the Japanese who are used to
them no trouble, are found to be exceedingly awkward for a
foreigner, who is obliged to go through his toilet in a stooping
posture.
Often the toilet places are rendered exceedingly attractive
by thi! ornamental wood-work used in their construction.
Fig. 187 is a
drawing from a
design in a Jap-
anese book, enti-
tled "Yaye Gaki
no Den." 1 have
modified the draw-
ing to conform
more to our me-
thods of perspec-
tive. This was
placed at the end
of the verandah,
and on a level
with the floor. A
low partition formed u screen at one side; within the recess
thus made was a low shelf for the pottery water-jar. The floor
of tin- sink consisted of bamboo rods placed close together,
through which the spilled water found its way by proper
channels to the ground without. A paper-lantern hung against
the wall, and dipper and towel-rack were conveniently at
hand. Other forms might be given, but enough has been
shown to illustrate how well these conveniences are arranged
for that important daily operation of washing the face and
hands. Further conveniences for simply washing the hands are
Fn..
— I. \\ATUKY COl'IKU HIOM JAPANESE B(X)K.
TOWEL-RACKS.
20!)
offered in the chodzu-bachi, description and figures of which
will be given under that head.
The towel-rack merits some attention from its exceedingly
simple structure. There are many forms, most of them rustic
FIGS. 188-192. — FORMS OF TOWEL-BACKS.
in design and made to be suspended. The following figures
(figs. 188-192) illustrate some of the forms in common use.
The simplest kind is in the shape of a ring of bamboo sus-
pended by a larger bamboo, to the end of which it is attached.
14
210 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Another form, and a very common one, is a yoke of bamboo,
the lower ends of which are firmly secured to a larger bamboo,
confining at the same time a piece of bamboo which slides
freely up and down on the yoke, and by its own weight resting
on the towel which may be thrown across the lower bamboo.
Another form consists of a loop of bamboo suspended to the
side of a board which is hung against the wall.
The towels are pretty objects, being of cotton or linen, and
usually have printed upon them sketchy designs in two shades
of blue.
After living in Japan for a time one realizes how few are
the es>entials necessary for personal comfort. He further real-
i/.r- that his personal comfort is enhanced by the absence of
inauv things deemed indispensable at home. In regard to the
bed ami its arrangements, the Japanese have reduced this
atl'air to its simplest expression. The whole floor, the whole
house indeed, is a bed. and one can (ling himself down on the
soft mats, in the draught or out of it, upstairs or down, and
iind a smooth, linn, and level surface upon which to sleep, —
no creaking springs, hard hunches or awkward hollows await-
ing him. but a bed-surface as wide as the room itself, and
comfortable to the last degree. To be more explicit, the bed is
made upon the mats; there is no bedstead, or frame, or circum-
scribed area of any kind upon or within which the bed is placed.1
The bed-clothes consisting of lightly or heavily wadded com-
forters are spread upon the iloor. one or more forming the bed,
and another one acting as a covering. The common ones are
wadded with cotton ; the best ones are made of silk, and are
stuffed with floss silk. In private houses one often gets a bed
consisting of a number of these silk comforters, — and a most
1 From the name toknuoma, which means " bed-plnoe," literally "bed of floor,"
it i» 8iippo8ed that in ancient times the bed wan made or placed in this PTO.S.
BEDDING AND PILLOWS.
211
delightful bed they make. In summer the foreigner finds these
wadded affairs altogether too hot and stuffy ; and at all times
he misses the clean sheets which at home intervene between
the bed-clothes and his person, — though a clean night-dress is
provided if desired, and this answers as a substitute for the
sheets. In the day-time these comforters are folded up and
stowed away in some closet.
The usual form of pillow, or makura, consists of a light
closed wooden box, with a bottom either flat or slightly convex.
On the top of this box is secured a small cylindrically-shaped
FIG. 193. — FORMS ov PII.WAV is COMMON USE.
cushion stuffed with buckwheat hulls. Tins cushion is tied to
the box. and the same string that holds it in place also se-
cures the pillow-case, which is simply a sheet of soft paper
folded several times, as shown in the figures here given
(fig- 193).
• There are many other forms of pillow, either in the shape
of a hard cushion or of a square oblong box, the ends being
of wood, and the rest of basket-work. Porcelain pillows are
also seen, but rarely. There are also many forms of portable
ones, some of which fold and stow away in small compass,
and others which are in the shape of a box, within which are
drawers and spaces for paper-lantern, matches, mirror, comb,
and various articles of the toilet. These are generally used by
212 JAPANESE HOMES AXD THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
travellers. The Japanese, with a pillow of this kind, can
literally take up his bed and walk; for if he has a head-rest
or pillow containing these conveniences, he can get along very
well. Pillows in all cases are arranged to support the head
naturally, when the shoulder rests on the floor, as in the fol-
lowing figure (fig. 194). To a foreigner, until he becomes
accustomed to it, the Japanese pillow seems exceedingly awk-
ward, and his first experience with it results in a stiff neck
the next morning; and at intervals during the night he has
tin1 sensation that he is falling out of bed, for any freedom of
movement of the head results in its downfall from the pillow.
Getting used to it, how-
ever, one recognizes that
this pillow has its good
points ; the neck is kept
free for the air to cir-
culate beneath, and the
head is kept cool. This
peculiar form of pillow
was a necessity for the
Japanese so long as the
hair was done up in. the rigid queue, and is still a necessity for
women with their methods of hair-dressing; but with the gen-
eral abandonment of the queue on the part of the men, a few
of them are resorting to head-rests more like our pillows, though
much smaller and harder, and on the whole I believe many
find this substitute more comfortable.
This simple form of bed entails much less work on the
chamber-maid than do our arrangements. In a large inn one
girl will do the chamber-work for the entire house. In fact
this work is ridiculously simple. The futons, or comforters, are
rapidly folded up and stowed away, or hung over the balcony
rail to air. She gathers up a huge pile of the light pillow-
FK, I'll — SIICJWIM; POSITION OF HEAD IN KKSTIXI;
ON 1'll.I.OW.
BEDDING AND PILLOWS.
213
boxes in her arms, and carries them to the room below ; here
she unties the strings which hold the cushions in place* sub-
stitutes clean sheets of folded paper for the soiled ones, — and
the work of bed-making is done. With a duster, consisting of
strips of tough paper tied to the end of a slender bamboo, the
rooms are dusted and made ready for the next arrivals. As
matters pertaining to the toilet are performed in other portions
of the house, the rooms are placed in order in an incredibly
short time.
In a crowded inn each guest may occupy the dimensions
of one mat ; and the entire floor is occupied in this way. In
winter a thickly-wadded comforter is provided, which is made
in the form of a huge garment having capacious sleeves.
Many rooms have a
square hole in the
fl o o r in which,
when needed, a fire
of charcoal may be
kindled; this is
called a ro. Above
the ro a square
frame of wood is
adjusted, and the
bed-clothes being placed over this frame are thoroughly heated,
so that one may go to bed in the warmest of nests. In the
day-time one may gather a portion of the bed-clothes about
him, and keep warm by the little coal-fire burning beneath
Fig. 195 is an illustration of this opening in the floor, with
frame-work above to keep the bedclothes from falling on the
fire below. A little wooden box is used for the purpose of
holding an earthen receptacle for coals, and this is taken to bed
as a substitute for the hot stone or brick which is often used at
home for a similar purpose. From the inflammable nature of
FIG. 195. — HEATING ARRANGEMENT is FLOOR.
214 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
the bedding, man}- fires must originate from carelessness in the
use of this luxury.
In this connection it may be well to add that oftentimes
little square thin cushions are provided for guests to sit upon;
and one often sees a light round cushion which is used as an
elbow-rest when one is reclining (fig. 196).
Mosquito nettings, or kaya,
are to be found in all houses,
even the poorest people being
supplied with them. The usu-
al form of netting is made in
Fii;. 1%. KI.HOW-HKST. the shape of a square box,
nearly as large as the room ;
ami this, when placed in position, is suspended at the four
comers by cords which are tied to pegs in the four corners of
the room. A smaller netting for infants is made on a frame-
work of bamboo like a cage, and this may be placed over the
infant wherever it may drop to sleep on the mats.
An inseparable accompaniment of every Japanese home,
from the most exalted to the very humblest, is the hibachi.
This object consists of a vessel partially filled with fine ashes,
containing when in use a few bits of burning charcoal. This
vessel may be of bronze, iron, porcelain, earthenware, or even
of wood lined with copper, or a wooden box containing an
earthen vessel. The most usual form of hibarjil consists of a
square wooden box lined with copper, between which and the
wood is a layer of clay or plaster (fig. 200). A very cheap
and common form is a wooden box in which is a cylindrical
jar of black unglazed earthenware (fig. 197).
A pair of iron rods generally held together at one end by
a large ring answers as tongs, being used after the manner of
chop-sticks. These are either stuck in the ashes, or when the
HIBACHI AND TABAKO-BON.
215
FIG. 197. — COMMON HIB.UIII.
wooden box contains the fire-vessel separately there may be
secured in the corner of this box a bamboo tube in which the
tongs are kept.
In bronze hibachi there
are handles or rings on
the sides for convenience
of moving. In the square-
box hibachi cleats are
nailed on opposite sides
to answer as handles ; or,
as is more usually the
case, narrow holes are
cut through the sides of
the box to accommodate the fingers, as shown in the previous
figure (197).
Much art and skill are displayed in the bronze and iron
hibachi, and forms such as might be found in an ordinary
house in Japan would be regarded as gems in collections of
bric-a-brac at home. Even the wooden liibwlii are often ob-
jects of exquisite taste.
We recall an old one
made of the richest
grained wood, in which
were drawers at one
end to hold pipes and
tobacco, and around the
base of the box ran a
deep band of black
lacquer inlaid with or-
naments of pearl, the
design representing in various positions the iron bits of a horse.
So various and oftentimes inexplicable are the surprises in their
designs, that one might almost imagine the decorator to have
FIG. 198. — HIBACHI.
216 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUXDINGS.
opened while blindfolded a dictionary of objects, and to have
taken the first word he saw as the theme for his subject.
A very favorite form of wooden hibachi is shown in fig.
198. This consists of a single piece of oak or other hard
wood turned in a cylindrical form, the grain being brought
into relief by special treatment, and the inside lined with cop-
per. An old one richly colored and polished by age is much
esteemed.
The hibachi may be quite a large affair, and subserve the
duties of a stove as well. An iron ring having three legs,
or a grid spanning
the box, is provided
on which the tea-
kettle is supported,
or even fishes broiled.
The hibachi is a sort
of portable fireplace,
around which the
family gather to gos-
sip, drink tea, or
j,.]( ui-i. _ iiinu HI. warm their hands.
The one represented
in fig. 10!) shows a little child warming itself, while wrapped
in a tb'n-k night-garment. One will often observe a Japanese
absent-mindedly stirring the coals or ashes with the tongs, just
as we art- fond of doing at home.
A sentiment prompts many families to keep the hibachi
fire burning continually; and I was told that in one family in
Tokio the fire had been kept alive continuously for over two
hundred years.
In a winter party the hibachi are previously arranged by the
servants, one being allotted to each guest ; and the place where
each is to sit on the matted floor is often indicated by a little
HIBACHI AND TABAKO-BON.
217
square cloth-cushion. Fig. 200 illustrates the arrangement of
hibachi for company.
Whenever you call on a friend, winter or summer, his very
first act of hospitality is to place the hibachi before you. Even
FIG. 200. — HIBACHI AKRANGKD FOR COMPANY.
in shops the hibachi is present, or is brought in and placed on
the mats when a visitor enters.
A smaller form of hibachi, called a t<tbakn-bon (fig. 201), is
also usually brought to a visitor. It is a convenience used by
smokers, and is commonly in the form of a square wooden box
containing a small earthen vessel
for holding hot coals, and a seg-
ment of bamboo either with or
without a cover. This last is a
hand cuspidore, and great refine-
ment is shown in using it, either
by averting the head or screening
the mouth with the hand. The
cuspidore, or spittoon, as commonly used by us, seems vulgar
in comparison with that of the Japanese. Sometimes the tabako-
bon is made out of the burl of an oak in which a natural de-
pression occurs (fig. 202). This form is often seen in Japanese
FIG. 201. — TABAKO-BON.
JAl'AXESK HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
FIG. 20i. — TABAKO-BON.
picture-books. Another form is shown in fig. 203. There are
many and various designs for this convenience, some of them
being very odd. To replenish the hibachi with hot coals there
is provided a shallow iron bowl called a dai-ju-no (fig. 204).
Upon the bottom of this
bowl is riveted a bent
strip of iron, which in
turn is secured to a
stand of wood. The
bowl has an iron socket,
into which is fitted a
wooden handle. In this
vessel burning coals are brought by the servant.
When tlie liibucli! is properly arranged, it is customary
to heap the ashes in a pyramidal 'pile about the coals and
mark a series of radiating lines upon it. The charcoal to re-
plenish the fire is generally kept in a basket, though sometimes
a deep wooden box with a handle is used. The baskets used
for this purpose are always tasty affairs, having often a rich
brown color from age. In the
baskt-t is a pair of old brass or
copper rods with which to handle
the coal. A single stick of coal
buried vertically in the ashes is
I turned for several hours. The
charcoal-vender has a curious
way of utilizing the small and
pulverized fragments of the
charcoal, by mixing the powder with some kind of sea-weed,
and then forming the mass into round balls the size of a large
orange. In making these balls he goes through a motion pre-
cisely like that seen in making snow-balls. These are after-
wards dried in the sun, and seem to burn very well. In riding
FIG. 203. — TABAKO-BON.
CANDLES AND CANDLESTICKS.
219
along the streets one often sees trays filled with these black balls
exposed to the sun.
Before kerosene oil was introduced into Japan the means of
illumination were of the most meagre description. One can hardly
realize the difficulty a student must have experienced in studying
his Chinese Classics by the feeble light emitted from tiny wicks,
or the dim and unsteady
(
flame of a vegetable-wax
candle, — a light rendered
all the more feeble when
filtered through a paper
lantern. It is related that
in former times devout
students of the Chinese
Classics were accustomed
at night to read a single
FIB. 204. — PAN FOR HOLDING HURXIXG
character at a tune by CHARCOAL.
the dim illumination of a
glowing coal at the end of an incense-stick held close to the page !
Of the many things which the Japanese have adopted and
promptly utilized from Western nations, I know of nothing which
has been so great a boon to all the people as kerosene oil. The
Western practice of medicine is rapidly displacing the empir-
ical Chinese practice, and this when accomplished will be, be-
yond all question, the greatest boon. There are many outlying
districts, however, as well as thousands of inhabitants of the
cities, still under the sway of Chinese methods, and the beneficent
effects of the rational treatment of disease has not yet been widely
felt ; but everywhere throughout the Empire the bright light of
kerosene has lengthened the day for all.
Japanese candles are made of a vegetable wax, having a wick
consisting of a roll of paper, not unlike the ordinary paper lamp-
220 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
lighter. This wick, being hollow, is fitted to a sharp spur of iron
about an inch long, in the candlestick (in England the pricket
candlestick went out of use a few centuries ago; in Japan it is
still retained). At the top of the candle the wick projects in a
firm, hard point. When a candle has burned low, it is removed
from the candlestick and placed on the end of the new candle,
which is then adjusted on the sharp spur. By this simple device
all the candle is utilized in combustion.
A superior kind of candle, made in the province of Aidsu,
is beautifully painted in bright colors, with designs of flowers
and other ornamental subjects.
Candles are depended upon to illuminate the rooms, as well
as to light the hand-lanterns which are carried about the streets,
and those which are used for the house, — these last consist-
ing of a square or hexagonal
frame, covered with paper and
attached to the end of a short
handle.
A common form of Japanese
candlestick, called te-shoku, is
FIG. 205. -IKON CASDI.K.STK K. represented in fig. 205. It is a
rude affair made of iron, sup-
ported on three legs, and has a wide disk to prevent the melted
wax from dropping on the mats, and a ring about the candle to
prevent its falling over. It is easily picked up from the floor
by its longer arm.
Another common form of candlestick consists of a hemispheri-
cal base of brass, ten or fifteen inches in diameter, from which
a rod of the same metal runs up to the height of two feet or
more, on the end of which is the usual cup and spur. Candle-
sticks of this description are seen in fig. 177 (page 196).
The snuffer is usually in the form of a blunt pair of tweezers,
with which the burnt wick is removed; the servants, however,
LAMPS AND LANTERNS.
221
often take the hibachi, or. tongs, and, removing the wick, thrust
it into the ashes of the hibachi.
Candlesticks of rustic design, manufactured of curious woods,
are made at Nikko and other famous resorts, more as mementos
to carry away than as implements intended for actual use.
The Japanese lamp is usually in the form of a shallow saucer,
in which vegetable oil is burned. The wick, consisting of long
slender rods of pith, is held down
by a little ring of iron, to which
a spur is attached for a handle.
The unburned portion of the wick
projects beyond the saucer, and
FIG. 206. — LAMP.
FIG. 207. — LAMP.
as it burns away at one end is moved along. The saucer rests
in a disk or ring of iron, which is suspended within a frame
covered with paper. A common form of this lamp, or andon,
is shown in fig. 206. It consists of a square frame of wood
covered with paper, open above and below, and having one side
222 JAPANESE HOMES .4A7> THE1K SURROUNDINGS.
in the shape of a movable lid, which can be raised when the
lamp needs tending. This frame is secured to two uprights,
which spring from a wooden stand in which may be a drawer
containing extra wicks and a pair of snuffers. These uprights
extend above the lantern, and have a cross-piece by which the
lantern is lifted, and another
cross-bar just below from
which the lamp hangs. The
light from this night-lamp
is feoble and uncertain, and
bv it one can barely see his
way about the room.
Then.' are many kinds of
aiulon. some being very in-
genious. One form is cylin-
drical, being composed of
two frames, one within the
other, — the outer frame re-
volving in a groove in the
stand. One half of each
lantern is covered with paper.
so that by turning the outer
frame the openings are brought together, and thus access is
gained to the lamp. Another form of andon (fig. 207) opens
in a different way. with a little shelf in one corner to hold
the saucer of oil.
Still another form (tig. 208) is copied from an old colored pic-
tnre-lxxjk ; this consists of an elaborate lacquered stand mounted
in metal, with a lamp supported on the top.
In the passige-ways. and at the head of stairways, lamps
are often fixed to the wall. In Osaka I saw a curious one,
which is represented in tig. 200. The frame was hung by
hinges to a hoard which was affixed to the wall (the hinges
KK. :Jov — LAMP AND
STAND.
LAMPS AXl> LANTERNS.
223
MI;. 2I<). — LAMP.
FIG. 209. — WALL-LAMP.
being above), and rested against the board like a cover, and was
lifted up when the lamp needed attention. In an andon in
Osaka, I saw a good bit
of iron-work (fig. 210)
made to suspend the
lamp.
Lamps made of pot-
tery are rarely seen. Fig.
211 is a sketch of an old
lamp of Oribe ware from
the author's collection.
An inclined portion with-
in supports the wick, and
the cover is notched in
front and behind to allow the passage of tho,
wick. Another form from the same collection, made in the
province of Iga, is shown in tig. 212. In this lamp the wick
must have been made from some libre ; a hole in the wick-tnbe
is seen through which the wick can be moved along. The
handle of the lamp
has a slot in it, so
that it may be hung
against the wall. It
is possible that these
two lamps, or at least
the last one, are for
the kami-dana, — a
shelf which supports
the household shrine. FlG 21L _ 1>OTIEBY LAMP
In connection with
lamps made of pottery, it may be well to add that now and then
one meets with a pottery candlestick. That shown in fig. 213 rep-
resents one from the author's collection, made of Owari pottery.
224 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Near the chodzu-bachi, lianging from the edge of the verandah
roof above, is usually seen an iron lantern, generally a quaint
old rusty affair suspended by a chain, and, when lighted, admit-
ting through the perforations in its side
the faintest possible glimmer. In figs. 240
and 253 (pages 255 and 267) lanterns of
this description may be seen.
Street-lanterns are often affixed to
short slender posts at the gateway or
doorway of a dwelling. The usual form
of this frame and lantern is represented
in lig. UI4. It is not over five feet in
height, and seems to be a frail affair to
ii.. ili. — I'um.KY L\MIP
expose 011 a public street. The very
frailty ami lightness of such objects,
however, often exposed as they are with
entire .xiletyon biisv thoroughfares, are
Mrikinu' indications of the gentle man-
ners ot the .Japanese. One is led to
wonder how long such a delicate street-
, lamp would remain intact in our streets,
with those mobs thronging In that
seem to be solely a product of our civ-
ili/.ation. These, and a thousand simi-
lar points of contrast, set a thoughtful
man reflecting on the manners and cus-
toms of the two great civilizations.
In nearly every house one sees perched
up on a shelf called the kiniii-dana a
curious little architectural affair, which
on more special examination proves to
be a model of a Shin-to shrine, or a principal feature of a
. 213. — POTTBKY CASDLB-
HOUSEHOLD SHRINES.
225
Shin-to altar, — a circular mirror. On the shelf in front of
this are a few lamps (or a single lamp) and trays, containing at
times food-offerings. If the shrine is in the shape of a box,
then accompanying it are various little brass stands, slips of
wood with characters written upon them, and in short a minia-
ture representation, apparently, of the paraphernalia used in a
large temple. The shelf is high up on the wall near the
ceiling ; and in old houses this region
is black with the accumulations of smoke
from the little lamp which is lighted
every night, and which may have burned
there for a century. These are the
Shin-to shrines.
The Buddhist household shrines, hav-
ing a figure of Buddha or of one of
his disciples, or perhaps of some other
god, are much more ornate, and rest on
the floor, — at least so I was informed.
My informant also told me that the
majority of the people worship at the
shrines of both great beliefs, and that all
Buddhists, unless very strict, have Shin-
to shrines in their houses. Indeed.
Buddhists and even Buddhist priests
have been known to go into the Roman Catholic cathedral at
Osaka, and bow in reverence before the altar and other emblems
of an alien religion. The tolerance and charity evinced in such
acts is something pathetic, when one recalls the mutually hostile
attitude of the two great branches of the Christian Church !
Flowers and incense-burning usually accompany the Buddhist
household shrine, while before Shin-to shrines incense is not
burned. Buddhist shrines have placed before them lamps of
brass, or hanging lamps, while in front of the Shin-to shrine
15
FIG. 214. — FIXED STREET-
LANTERN.
226 JAPANESE HOMES AND THKlli Sl'lfUnr .\ l>l Mis.
candles of vegetable wax are burned. In unglazed, hand-made
pottery called kawarake oil is burned, which is also used for
food-offerings. For offerings of wine, oval bottles of peculiar
shape, with long narrow necks, are used ; these are called miki-
dokktiri, — miki being the name of the wine offered to the gods,
and tokkiiri the name of a sake bottle. In front of these shrines
one may often see the inmates of the house bow their heads,
clap their hands, and then, rubbing the palms together in an
imploring gesture, pray with much earnestness. 80 far as I
have observed, every house has this domestic altar. In shops,
too, one often sees the shrine ; and
in the larger and more wealthy
shops the shrine is often a very
expensive affair. In a famous silk-
shop in Tokio is a large model of
a Shin-tO temple suspended by iron
rods from the beams above. In
front of it hang two big metal lan-
terns. It struck me that this dis-
play of piety was rather ostentatious,
and paralleled similar displays some-
times seen at home ; in this sup-
position, however, I may be doing
an injustice. Among the intelligent
classes the household shrine seems to be provided for the female
members ol the family only, the men having outgrown these
superstitions; and it was interesting to observe that in Japan,
as elsewhere, the women — being as a rule less informed — made
up the majority of those attending public worship.
The sketch here given of a Buddhist household shrine (fig.
21")) was seen in a house of the moat squalid character. The
various vessels were filled with boiled rice, with loaves of mochi
made of a special kind of rice, and a number of unripe peaches.
BIRDS' NESTS IN HOUSES.
227
On the lower shelf, in the right-hand corner, is seen a sweet
potato and a radish propped up on four legs, looking like toy
deer or beasts of some kind. Whether this indicated the work
of children or represented the horses upon which the gods could
take a ride, was not ascertained.
A household shrine to which the children pay voluntary and
natural devotion is the birds' nests built within the house. It
is a common thing, not only in the country but in large cities
like Tokio, for a species of swallow, hardly to be distinguished
from the European species, to build its nest in tho house. — not
in an on t-of-t lie-way place, but in the room where the family
may be most actively engaged, or in the shop fronting the
street, witli all its busy
trallie going on. The
very common oeeimvnre
of the>c birds' nests in
houses is another of the
many evidences of the
gentle ways of this peo-
ple, and of the kind-
FIG. 216. — SWALLOWS' NESTS IN PRIVATE Horse. ness shown by them to
animals.
When a bird builds its nest in the house, a little shelf is
promptly secured beneath it. so that the mats below shall not
be soiled. The presence of the bird in the house is regarded as
a good omen, and the children take great pleasure in watch-
ing the construction of the nest and the final rearing of the
young birds. I noticed that many of the nests built within the
house were much more elaborately made than those built in
more exposed positions. From the symmetrical way in which
many of these were constructed, one might almost imagine the
birds had become imbued with some of the art instincts of the
228 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
people. Fig. 21 G illustrates the appearance of a group of these
birds' nests in a house.
It would be an affectation of false delicacy were no allu-
sion to be made to the privy, which in the Japanese house often
receives a .share of the artistic workman's attention. From
its position in the house, and especially in the public house,
it is oftrii a source of great discomfort. In the better class
of private houses in Japan, however, there is less annoyance
and intinitely less danger from this source than is experienced
in many houses of the wealthy in our great cities. In the
country tin- privy is usually a little box-like affair removed
from the bouse, the entrance closed half way up by a swing-
ing door. In the
city house of the
better class it is at
one corner of the
house, usually at
the end of the ve-
randah, and some-
times there are two
at diagonal corners,
as a reference to
the plans will show.
A curious supersti-
tion among many is attached to the position of the privy in its
relation to tin: bouse, — a trace possibly of the Chinese Fung-
The privy generally has two compartments, — the first
one having a wooden or porcelain urinal ; the latter form being
called asafjaowd, as it is supposed, to resemble the flower of the
morning glory. •- the word literally meaning " morning face "
The wooden ones are often filled with branches of
spruce, which are frequently replenished. The inner coinpart-
FlG. 217. — IXTKIUOK OF PldYY.
PRIVY.
229
FIG. 218. — PKIVT OP INN IN HACIII-ISHI VILLAGE, NIKKO.
ment has a rectangular opening cut in the floor, and in the
better class of privies this is provided with a cover having a
230 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
long wooden handle. The wood-work about this opening is
sometimes lacquered. Straw sandals or wooden clogs are often
provided to be worn in this place.
The interior of these apartments is usually simple, though
sometimes presenting marvels of cabinet-work. Much skill and
taste are often displayed in the approaches and exterior finish
of those places.
Fig. 1M7 shows the interior of a common form of privy.
Fig. '1\ 8 illustrates the appearance of one in an inn at
Hachi-ishi, near Nikko. . The
planking in the front of the
sketch shows the verandah ; from
this, at right angles, runs a nar-
row platform, having for its bor-
der the natural trunk of a tree ;
the corner of a little cupboard is
seen at the left ; the ceiling is
composed of matting made of
thin strips of wood, and below
is a dado of bamboo. The open-
ing to the first apartment is
framed by a twisted grape-vine,
while other sticks in their nat-
ural condition make up the
frame-work. Beyond the arched
opening is another one closed
by a swinging door ; and this
is usually the only place in the
house where one finds a hinged
door, except, perhaps, on the tall
closet under the kitchen stairs. The roof is covered thickly with
the diminutive shingles already alluded to. Outside a little
screen fence is built, a few plants neatly trained below, — and
FIG. 219. — PRIVY CONNECTED WITH A
MERCHANT'S HOUSE is ASAKUSA.
PRIVY.
231
a typical privy of the better class is shown. The wooden trough
standing on four legs and holding a bucket of water and a wash-
basin is evidently an addition for the convenience of foreign
guests. The chodzu-bachi with towel rack suspended above, as
already described, is the universal accompaniment of this place.
As one studies this sketch, made at an inn in a country
village, let him in all justice recall similar conveniences in
many of the country villages of Christendom !
In Fig. 219 is shown the privy of a merchant in Asakusa,
Tokio. The door was a beautiful example of cabinet-work,
FIG. 220. — INTERIOR OF A PRIVY IN ASAKUSA.
with designs inlaid with wood of different colors. The interior
of this place (fig. 220) was also beautifully finished and scru-
pulously clean.
The receptacle in the privy consists of a half of an oil
barrel, or a large earthen vessel, sunk in the ground, with
convenient access to it from the outside. This is emptied
every few days by men who have their regular routes ; and
as an illustration of the value of this material for agricultural
232 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
purposes, I was told that in Hiroshima in the renting of
the poorer tenement houses, if three persons occupied a room
together the sewage paid the rent of one, and if five occupied
the same room no rent was charged ! Indeed, the immense
value and importance of this material is so great to the Jar
panese farmer, who depends entirely upon it for the enrich-
ment of his soil, that in the country personal conveniences for
travellers an- always arranged by the side of the road, in the
shape of buckets or half-barrels sunk in the ground.
Judging by our standards of modesty in regard to these
matters theiv would appear to be no evidence of delicacy among
the Japanese respecting them; or, to be more just, perhaps I
should say that there is among them no affectation of false
modesty. — a feeling which seems to have developed among the
Knglish-speaking people more exclusively, and among some of
them to such ridiculous heights of absurdity as often to be
fraught with grave consequences. But among the Japanese it
would seem as if the publicity given by them to the collect-
ing of this important fertilizer had dulled all sensitiveness on
their part, if it ever existed, concerning this matter.1 Indeed,
privacy in this matter would be impossible when it is con-
sidered that in cities — as in Tokio, for example — of nearly
a million of inhabitants this material is carried off daily to
the farms outside, the vessels in which it is conveyed being
long cylindrical buckets borne by men and horses. If sensitive
persons are offended by these conditions, they must admit that
1 In this connection it may bp interesting to mention the various names applied to
the privy by the Japanese, with a free translation of the same as given me by Mr. A. S.
Mihani: Sttsu-in, " snow-hide ;" Chud;ii-b,i, " place to wash hands" (the chodzu-bachi,
a convenience fur washing the hands, being always near the privy) ; Betijo and Yo-ba,
" place for business ; " Ko-ka, " back-frame." Habakari is a very common name for this
place ; the word Yen-riyo, though not applied to this place, has the same meaning, —
it implies reserve.
These words with their meanings certainly indicate a great degree of refinement and
delicacy in the terms applied to the privy.
PRIVY. 233
the secret of sewage disposal has been effectually solved by the
Japanese for centuries, so that nothing goes to waste. And of
equal importance, too, is it that of that class of diseases which
scourge our communities as a result of our ineffectual efforts
in disposing of sewage, the Japanese happily know but little.
In that country there are no deep vaults with long accumu-
lations contaminating the ground, or underground pipes con-
ducting sewage to shallow bays and inlets, there to fester and
vitiate the air and spread sickness and death.
On the other hand it must be admitted that their water
supply is very seriously affected by this sewage being washed
into rivers and wells from the rice-fields where it is deposited ;
and the scourge of cholera, which almost yearly spreads its
desolating shadow over many of their .southern towns, is due
to the almost universal cultivation of the land by irrigation
methods ; and the consequent distribution of sewage through
these surface avenues renders it impossible to protect the water
supply from contamination.
CHAPTER V.
ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES.
VESTIBIM.E AND H.U.I.. — VKRASDAH AND BALCONY. — AMADO. — TO-BUKURO. — CH&DZtr-
IIACHI. — GATEWAYS. — FENCES.
T N the study of the house-architecture of Japan, as compared
with that of America, it is curious to observe the relative
degree of importance given to similar features by the two peoples.
With us the commonest house in the city or country will have a
definite front-door, and almost always one with some embellish-
ments, in the shape of heavy panels, ornate brackets and braces
supporting some sort of a covering above, and steps approach-
ing it equally pretentious; in the. ordinary Japanese house, on
the contrary, this entrance is, as we shall see, often, though not
always, of the most indefinite character. With us, again, the
hall or front-entry stairs may be seen immediately on entering the
house,- -and this portion has some display in the baluster and
gracefully curving rail, and in the better class of houses receives
special attention from the architect; in Japan, however, if the
house be of two stories the stairway is never in sight, and is
rarely more than a stout and precipitous step-ladder. On the
other hand, the ridge of the roof, which in Japan almost invari-
ably forms the most picturesque feature of the house exterior,
is with us nothing more than the line of junction of the plainest
rain-shed ; though in great edifices feeble attempts have been
made to decorate this lofty and conspicuous line by an inverted
cast-iron design, which is not only absolutely useless as a struc-
tural feature, but, so far as the design is concerned, might be
ENTRANCES. 235
equally appropriate for the edge of a tawdry valentine, or the
ornamental fringe which comes in a Malaga raisin-box.
Accustomed as we are, then, to a front-door with steps and
rail and a certain pretentious architectural display, it is difficult
to conceive of a house without some such distinctive characters
to its portal. In the ordinary Japanese house, however, we
often look in vain for such indications. In the common class of
their houses, and even in those of more importance, the entrance
is often vaguely defined ; one may enter the house by way of
the garden and make his salutations on the verandah, or he
may pass into the house by an ill-defined boundary near the
kitchen, — a sort of back-door on the front side. In other
houses this entrance is by means of a small matted area,
which differs in no respect from the other rooms save that
the outer edge of its raised floor is some distance within the
eaves, and between this and the sill the floor is mother earth.
One or two steps, consisting of single planks running the width
of the room, lead from the earth to the floor. The roof at
this point may be a gable, as more specially marking the en-
trance. These indefinite entrances, however, belong only to the
houses of what may be called the middle and lower classes,
though even in houses of the middle classes well-marked en-
trances, and even entrances of some pretensions, are not uncom-
mon. Some may be inclined to doubt the statement that in
the ordinary houses the entrance is often more or less vaguely
defined. As a curious proof of this, however, I have in my
possession Japanese architects' plans of two houses, consisting
of a number of rooms, and representing dwellings far above the
ordinary type ; and though I have consulted a number of Japan-
ese friends in regard to these plans, none of them have been able
to tell me where the main entrance is, or ought to be !
In a better class of houses the entrance is in the form of
a wide projecting porch, with special gable roof, having elabo-
236 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
rately carved wood-work about its front, the opening being as
wide as the porch itself. The floor consists of wide planks
running at right angles with the sill, which is grooved to accom-
modate the amado, or storm-doors. From this floor one reaches
the floor beyond by means of one or two steps, — the edge of
^JMiMJ^
Fir;. 221. — MAIN ENTRANCE TO HOUSE.
the (loor near the steps being grooved to accommodate the shoji.
The back partition of this hall is a permanent one. On either
side sliding screens lead to the rooms within. A dado of wood
runs about the sides of the vestibule, while the wall above is
plastered. A low screen, called a tsui-tate, is usually the sole
ornament of the hall ; and in olden times there hung on the
wall behind the tsui-tate curious long-handled weapons, which
now are seen only as museum specimens. This screen has no
VESTIBULE AND HALL.
237
folds ; the frame is thick and lacquered, and the transverse
feet are ponderous and also lacquered.
In some houses the floor of the hall, as well as that of the
vestibule, is composed of plank ; and the polish of the steps
I
Tsui-tate
Time-Mat Floor
SMji
fitrj,
Step
Plank
Flour
Entrance.
FIG. 222. — PLAN or VESTIBULE AND HALL.
and floor is of such exquisite ivory smoothness that the deco-
rated screen and fusuma are reflected as from a shaded and
quiet expanse of water. Even here no special display is made
beyond the porch-like projection and gable roof of the external
boundaries of this entrance.
238 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
It would seem as if the fitting architecture of this important
portal had been transferred to the gateway, — ponderous hinged-
doors, bolts, bars, and all ; for in the gateways a conspicuous,
though oftentimes fictitious, solidity is shown in the canopy of
beams and tiles, supported by equally massive posts.
Fin. 223. — SHOE-CLOSET.
In fig. 221 is shown a view of the entrance to the house
figured on pages ") I and o5. It is the house of a samurai,
and is a fair example of the entrance to the house of a gentle-
man in ordinary circumstances. On the left of the entrance
is a plastered partition separating the hall from the kitchen.
VESTIBULE AND HALL. 239
On the right is a small room separated from the vestibule by
shoji, not fusuma. This may be considered a waiting-room,
where parties on business are shown ; a servant usually waits
here to attend callers. Directly beyond, one enters a suite of
rooms which border the garden at the back of the house. At
the immediate entrance is a sill ; over this sill one steps upon
the earth floor.
The sill is grooved to accommodate the umado, which arc
put in place when the house is closed for the night. When
a house has a definite entrance like this, there are usually con-
veniences for stowing away travelling gear, — such as umbrellas,
lanterns, and wooden clogs. For example, in ordinary houses,
for the sake of economy in space, a portion of the raised floor
of the vestibule consists of movable planks, which may be lifted
up, revealing a space beneath sufficiently ample to accommodate
these articles.
The plan here given (fig. 222) shows a hall often seen in the
better class of houses. The area between the entrance and the
shoji projects as a porch from the side of the house, ihc three-
matted area coming within the house proper. The lettering on
the plan clearly explains the various parts.
In a narrow hall in an old house near Uyeno, in Tokio. I got
the accompanying sketch of a shoe-closet (fig. 223). The briefest
examination of the various clogs it contained revealed the same
idiosyncrasies of walking as with us, — some were down at the
heel, others were worn at the sides. There were clogs of many
sizes and kinds, — common clogs of the school-children, with the
dried mud of the street still clinging to them, and the best clogs
with lacquered sides and finely-matted soles. At one side hung
a set of shoe-cords ready for emergency.
In another house, just within the vestibule, I noticed a shelf-
rack above the fusuma. designed for holding the family lanterns
(fig. 224). It may as well be stated here, — a fact which is prob-
240 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
ably well known to most of our readers, — that the Japanese
almost invariably carry lighted lanterns when they walk out at
night. Upon the outside of these lanterns is painted the crest, or
mon, of the family, or the name of the house : a man with an
eye to business may advertise it on his lantern by some quaint
FIG. 22t. — LAXTKRX-SHELF IN HALL.
design. So persistent is this habit of carrying lanterns, that on
bright moonlight nights the lantern is brought into requisition ;
and nothing strikes a foreigner as so ludicrous as the sight
of a number of firemen on the top of a burning building,
holding lighted lanterns in their hands! The lanterns fold up
into a small compass ; and on the lantern-shelf which we have
shown were a number of thick pasteboard boxes in which were
VERANDAH AND BALCONY.
241
stowed away the lanterns. On each box was painted a design
corresponding to the design of the lantern within. In this case
the name of the family, or the crest, was indicated.
In this vestibule the fusuma, instead of being covered with
thick paper, consisted of panels of dark cedar. The effect was
very rich.'
In the houses of the Dai-
mios the entrance is always
grandly marked by a special
roof, and by a massive struct-
ure of carved beams supporting
it, — brilliantly colored often-
times, and the surroundings in
keeping with the dignity of this
important region.
The doorways of shops and
inns, when they definitely oc-
cur, are large square openings
stoutly but neatly barred, -
and permanently too, a portion
Of it being made to roll back. FIG. 225.-On.vm> ENTRANCE, WITH
SLIDING DOOR.
The sill of such an opening is
some little distance from the ground, and one on entering steps
over this sill to an earth floor within, called the du-ma. Here
the wooden clogs are left as he steps upon the raised floor.
Fig. 225 illustrates the appearance of this doorway.
The verandah is an essential part of the Japanese house. The
word itself is of Oriental origin, and it is difficult to imagine an
Oriental house of any pretensions without a verandah of some
kind. In the Japanese house it is almost a continuation of the
floor of the room, being but slightly below its level. The verandah
is something more than a luxury ; it is a necessity arising from the
16
242 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
peculiar construction of the house. The shoji, with their delicate
frames and white paper-coverings, which take the place of our
glass windows in admitting light to the room, are from their
very nature easily injured by the rain ; the edge of the room
therefore, where these run, must come a few feet within the eaves
of the roof, or of any additional rain-shed which may be built
above the s//<J/Y. At this line, therefore, the matted floor ceases,
and a plank floor of varying width continues beyond, upon the
outer edge of which is a single groove to accommodate another
set of screens made of wood. These are called the amado, liter-
ally -rain-door," and at night and during driving storms they
are closed. At times, however, the rain may beat in between
the n/nnilo ; but though wetting the verandah, it rarely reaches
the shfiji.
In ordinary bouses the verandah has no outer rail, though
in the houses of the nobility a rail is often present. The
width of the verandah varies in proportion to the size of the
house. In some of the temples the verandah floor may be ten
t'eet or more iii width, and thickly lacquered, as in some of the
Nikko temples. In common houses this area may be three or
four feet in width. A reference to the plans (figs. I) 7 and 98 ;
pages 11:). I Hi), and also to the vertical section (fig. 103; page
ll't'ii, will give a clear idea of this platform and its relation to
the bouse. There are various ways of treating this feature; it
is always supported on wooden posts, rough or hewn, which,
like the uprights of the bouse, rest on single stones partly
buried in the ground. The space between the edge of the ve-
randah and the ground is almost invariably left open, as will
be seen by reference to figs. 37, 48, 49, 50, and 95 (pages 55,
66, 68, 70. 106). though in Kioto houses it is sometimes filled
up by simple boarding or panelling ; and here and there are one
or more panels which run back and forth in grooves, so that one
can go beneath the house if necessary. The planks composing
VERANDAH AND BALCONY.
243
the floor of the verandah may be narrow or wide ; usually how-
ever they are quite narrow, and run parallel with the edge of the
verandah, though in some cases they are wide planks running
at right angles. When this platform turns a corner, the ends
of the planks may be mitred (as in fig. 226, A), or square (as in
fig. 226, B), in which latter case the ends project beyond each
other alternately. Sometimes the floor is made up of narrow
strips of thick plank with the edges deeply chamfered or rounded
(fig. 226, C). In this style a considerable space is left between
the planks. The effect of this treatment is looked upon as
rustic and picturesque, but is certainly not so pleasant to walk
upon. In such a form of verandah the amadu runs in a groove
in close proximity to the sJwji.
The verandah varies consider-
ably in its height from the ground ;
more often it is so low that one
sitting on its edge may rest his feet
comfortably on the ground. In
this case a single wide block, either
of stone or wood, forms the step.
When the verandah is at a greater
height from the ground, perma-
nent or adjustable steps, two or
three in number, are placed in
position. A common form of ve-
randah-step is shown in fig. 179
(page 199). A very good type of
verandah sketched from an old
house in Kioto is shown in fig.
227- The manner in which the
uprights support the broad over-hanging eaves, the appearance
of the supplementary roof called hisashi, the shoji as they are
seen, some closed and some open, disclosing the rooms within,
.1
c
FIG. 226. — VERANDAH FLOOR.
244 JAl'ANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
and other details which will presently be described, are well
shown in this figure.
Rooms in the second story also open upon a balcony, the
plat form of which is generally much narrower than the one
In-low. This balcony has of necessity a rail or balustrade;
and hero much good artistic work is displayed in design and
finish, with simple' and economical devices, apparent as in so
Kic.. -227. — YKIUNIHM OF AN OLD KIOTO HOUSE.
many other features of the house. This structure, with a firm
hand-rail above, has the interspaces between the posts which
support it filled with many quaint and curious devices, either
of lattice, bamboo, or panels with perforated designs. Gene-
rally a narrow bar runs from post to post close to the platform,
so that any object dropped may not roll out ; between the end
posts of the rail this piece is often removable, to allow dust and
dirt to be more easily swept away. (In fig. 228 the piece marked
A is removable).
VERANDAH AND BALCONY.
245
Fig. 229 represents a panel from a balustrade in Matsu-
shima. In this the design of bamboo was cut through, pro-
ducing a very light and pretty effect. Fig. 230 shows another
panel from a balustrade in Fujisawa ; a perforated design of
dragons in various attitudes
ornamented each panel, which
was held in place by a frame
composed of round sticks of
the red pine.
It seems surprising that
our architects do not oftener
employ this method of per-
foration in their ornamental FIG 228. _ BALCONY KAIL.
work, — the designs can be
so clearly and sharply cut, while the dark shade of the room
or space beyond gives a depth of color to the design, which is
at the same time permanent. With the Japanese this method
of ornamentation is a favorite one both for outside and inside
finish, and they have shown great ingenuity and originality in
the infinite variety of designs for this mode of treatment.
Nothing seems too difficult for them to attempt, — flying birds,
swimming fishes, dashing waves and the rising sun, flowers and
butterflies ; indeed, the whole range of pictorial design has offered
no difficulties to them.
In their process of fig-
uring cloths and crape,
stencil-plates of thick
paper are employed, and
in the printing of wall-
Fio. 229. -BALCONY RAIL AND PERFORATED PANELS, paper the same methods
are resorted to.
In a balcony rail (fig. 231) a most delicate device was made
by using for a middle rail a small bamboo, directly beneath
246 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
which was another rail composed of a longitudinal section of
the middle of a large bamboo ; such a section included the
transverse partitions of the bamboo as well. This process is
often resorted to in the construction of the frame-work of deli-
cate shoji, but it is rare to see it used in a balustrade. The
effect is exceedingly refined
and delicate ; and one real-
izes that in a country where
such fragile tracery is incor-
porated in such an exposed
structure, there must be an
absence of the rough, boiste-
rous children with whom we
an- familiar, and who in a short time would be as disastrous
to a .Japanese house as a violent earthquake and typhoon com-
bined. One further ivali/.es that in that country men must
keep their feet where they properly belong.
The balustrade is often made very solid and substantial, as
may be. seen in lig. 232, sketched from the house of a cele-
r\
1
IJ
l-'n. -J.'iU. lUuo.NY HAM..
=
I
if
1
1
\ I
'
iti
1
^
f — s r
— A- \
_. .-*< '
V ^ >--•--•: — -~~
"'r •;.-.T->~~-
•' -''t- ^
FIG. 231. — IVu-cosv TUiL.
brated potter in Kioto. The posts had metal tops, and at in-
tervals along the upper rail metal plates were fixed.
Transient guests are often received on the verandah ; to
which place the hibachi, tabako-bon, and tea and cake are'
AMADO.
247
brought. In summer evenings it is much cooler here than on
the matted floor within, and with the garden in view forms a
pleasant place for recreation. Flower-pots are sometimes placed
along its edge ; children play upon it ; and in a long suite of
rooms it forms a convenient thoroughfare from one apartment
to another. It is often the only means of reaching a room at
one end of the house, unless by passing through other rooms,
FIG. 232. — BALCONY RAIL.
as in many cases there are no interior passage-ways, or corri-
dors, as with us. It is needless to say that the verandah is
kept scrupulously clean, and its wooden floor is often polished.1
The amado, or rain-doors, by which the verandah is closed
at night and during stormy weather, are in the form of light
wooden screens about the size of the shoji. These are made
1 The ordinary form of verandah is called yen, or ycn-gawa. In Kishiu it is called
simply yen, while in Tokio it is culled yen-gawa. A low platform is called an ochi-yen ;
a platform that can be raised or lowered is called an age-yen. When the platform has no
groove for the rain-doors on the outer edge, it is called a miri-yen, — nuri meaning wet,
the rain in this case beating in and wetting the verandah. A little platform made of
bamboo, which may be used as a shelf for plants, is called sunolco.
248 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
of thin boards held together by a light frame-work having a
few transverse bars. The amado run in a single groove on the
outer edge of the verandah ; at night the house is effectually
closed by these shutters, and during hot summer nights the apart-
ments become almost stifling. In many houses, however, provi-
sion is made for ventilation in the shape of long, narrow openings
just above the amado. Panels are made to fit into these open-
ings, so that in winter the cold to some extent may be kept
out. On unusually stormy days and during the prevalence of
a typhoon, tin- house closed in this way is dark and gloomy
enough.
These shutters arc the noisy features of a Japanese house.
Within arc no slamming doors or rattling latches; one ad-
mires the ipiiet and noiseless way in which the fusuma are
irentlv pushed back and forth; and the soft mats yielding to
the pressure of still softer feet, as the inmates like cats step
ILditlv about, are soothing conditions to overstrained nerves,
and one cannot help contrasting them with the clatter of
heavv boots on our wood floors, or the clouds of filthy dust
kicked out of our carpets in any rough play of children. All
these miseries are happily avoided in a Japanese house. Truth
compels me to say. however, that in the morning you are
roughly awakened by the servants pushing back into their
appropriate recesses these outer wooden screens; and this act
is usually noisy enough. In public houses this performance
takes the place of clanging bell or tympanum-bursting gong
(a Chinese instrument of torture which our people seem to take
peculiar delight in); for not only the rattling bang of these
resonant shutters, but the bright glare of daylight where be-
fore you had been immersed in darkness, assails you with a
sudden and painful shock.
The Japanese have a number of curious devices by which to
lock or bolt these shutters. So far as I know, the only night-
AMADO.
249
lock the house possesses is attached to them. So feeble are these
devices that they would hardly withstand the attack of a tooth-
piek in the hands of a sneak-thief. To a Japanese our houses
must appear like veritable prisons with locks, bolts, and auto-
matic catches at every opening, — the front door with such
mysterious devices that it is quite as impregnable from within
as from without. What a land of thieves lie must think
himself in when he finds door-mats, door-scrapers, fountain-
dippers, thermometers, etc., chained, screwed, or bolted to the
-C-
*ujiiin\u\iiiuiii'
VJ
I
FIG. 233. — RAIN-DOOR LOCK UNBOLTED.
FIG. 234. — RAIN-DOOR LOCK BOLTED.
house ! The simplest, device for locking a sliding door, or
amado, is by means of a ring fastened to the post by the side
of which the amado comes. In the frame of the amado is a
little loop of iron ; the ring is pushed over the loop, and
a wooden pin holds it in place. Another form of lock con-
sists of an upright bolt of wood that passes through the upper
frame of the amado as well as through a transverse bar just
below. This bolt being pushed up is held in place by another
piece of wood, which slides along in such a way as to pre-
vent the bolt from dropping back. A reference, however, to
250 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
the sketches (figs. 233, 234) will better explain the working
of this ingenious device. Sometimes a simple wooden pin is
used to hold the last amado in place. All these various de-
vices are on the last amado ; as when this is locked, all the
others are secured.
In old houses round-headed iron knobs (fig 235) will bo
noticed on the outer edge of the groove in which the amado
run. These are placed at intervals corresponding to the num-
ber of '(mud", and are to prevent the amado from being lifted
KlK KUN-IIOOK.
• nit of the groove from the outside and thus removed. This
device is raivlv seen nowadays.
In the second storv the tn-lndinro may be on a side of the
house which runs at rii_'ht angles with the balcony. As the
utitui/n are pushed along om> after the other, it is necessary to
turn them around the corner of the balcony, outside the corner
post. To prevent them from slipping off the corner as they turn
the post, a little iron roller is secured to the corner of the balcony;
the anutiln is pushed by it part way. and then swung around into
the other groove. A reference to the sketch (fig. 236) shows
the position of "this roller, and two forms of it. It will be
noticed that there is no groove at this point, so that the amado
may be turned without lifting them.
In the amado which close the entrance to the house, the
end one contains a little square door called a kuyuri-do ; this
TO-liUKUBO.
251
may slide back and forth, or may swing upon hinges. It is
used as an entrance after the house is closed for the night.
It is also called an earthquake-door, as through it the inmates
may easily and quickly find egress, at times of sudden emer-
gency, without the necessity of removing the amado.
Not only the verandah but the entrance to flic house, as
well as the windows when they occur, are closed at night by
amado. In the day-
time these shutters
are stowed away in
closets called to-buku-
ro. These closets are
placed at one side of
the opening or place
to be closed, and just
outside the groove in
which the shutters are
to run. They have
only the width of one
shutter, but are deep
enough to accommo-
date the number that
is required to close any
one entrance. By reference to the plans (figs. 97 and 98; pages
113, 116) the position of these closets maybe seen; and in the
views of the houses already given, notably in figs. 35, 38, 49 and
50 (pages 53, 56, 68, and 70), they may be seen at the ends of
the verandahs, balconies, entrances, and windows.
In an ordinary house the to-bukuro is made of thin boards, and
has the appearance of a shallow box secured to the side of the
house. In large inns the front of the to-bukuro is often com-
posed of a single richly-grained plank. The closet has a notch
FlG. 236. — CORNER-ROU.KK YOU "R MX-I1OOR.
252 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
on the side, so that the hand may grasp the edge of each
amado in turn, as it is drawn toward the groove in which it
runs. A servant will stand at the to-bukuro and rapidly remove
the amado one after the other, pushing them along the groove
like a train of cars.
The to-bukuro is almost
always a fixture on the
side of the house ; some-
times, however, it has
to come on the verandah
in such a position that
if it were permanent it
would obstruct the light.
In such a case it is ar-
ranged on pivots, so that
after the amado are
stowed away for the day,
it may be swung at right
angles away from the
CI.OSKT verandah, and against the
FI«I. --'i/". -\MtAMuii sunwise.
KIR K.MN-li
VM) U>0 ClIODZr-HAC III.
side of some porch or ad-
dition. This form of swinging to-bukuro is presented hi the
above sketch (lig. 1237).
A curious evidence of the cleanly habits of the Japanese is seen
in the chodzu-bachi, a receptacle for water at the end of the veran-
dah near the latrine. This convenience is solely for the purpose
of washing the hands. This receptacle, if of bronze or pottery,
rests on a stand or post of some kind, which rises from the ground
near the edge of the verandah. Its importance is shown by the
ornamental features often displayed in its structure and surround-
ings. In its simplest form it consists of a wooden bucket sus-
pended by a bamboo which hangs from the eaves of the verandah
CHODZU-BACHI.
roof above. To this bamboo hangs the dipper also (fig. 238).
A towel-rack usually hangs near by. A more common form of
chodzu-bachi consists of a vessel of bronze, pottery, or porcelain,
supported by a post fixed firmly in the ground, around the base of
which is strewn a number of beach-worn pebbles, intermingled with
larger stones ; so that in washing the hands (which is always done
by dipping the water from the vessel and pouring it on the hands)
the water spilled finds its way through the pebbles, and thus an
unsightly puddle of water is avoided. In simple forms of chodzu-
bachi, such as the one shown in lig. 4'J (page 08),
the pebbles are enclosed in a frame of tiles fixed
in the ground edgewise, this frame being some-
times triangular and sometimes circular in form.
For a support to these vessels the quaintest
devices come into play : it may be the trunk of
a tree, from one side of which a branch springs,
covered with leaves and blossoms ; or it may be
the end of a carved post from some old building,
as shown in fig. 237. A favorite support consists
of a rudder-post from some old shipwreck, as
shown in fig. 239, at a gentleman's house in
the suburbs of Tokio. Usually the vessel is of
bronze ; and one often notices rare old forms
used for this purpose, covered with a rich patina.
Oftentimes water is conducted by a bamboo pipe,
to fall in a continuous stream among the pebbles.
Many forms of chodzu-bachi are in the shape of ponderous
thick blocks of stone, with a depression on the top to hold the
water. Of the stone forms there is an infinite variety : it may
be a rough-hewn stone, or a square post, or an arch of stone,
with a depression for water at the crown of the arch ; indeed,
the oddest conceits are shown in the designs for this purpose.
The usual form, however, is cylindrical (fig. 240) ; the stone
FIG. -238.
CHODZU-BACHI.
254 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
may be wrought in the shape of an urn (fig. 241). Whatever
the form, however, they are generally monoliths.
Usually the stone chodzu-lachi has a little wooden frame-work
with roof resting on the top, to keep dead leaves from falling
into the- water. Large irregular-shaped stones, having depres-
sions in them for water, may be seen near the entrance of the
little buildings used for the ceremonial tea-parties; in this case
tin- stone rests directly upon the ground.
While in most cases the chodzu-bochi is but slightly removed
from the edge of the verandah, so that one may easily reach it
with the dipper which always rests
upon the toj> of the vessel, in more
elaborate surroundings a little plat-
form called hisashi-yen is built out
from the edge of the verandah. This
platform has a floor of bamboo rods,
or circular or hexagonal bars of wood.
A hand-rail often borders this plat-
form, and a quaint old iron lantern
usually hangs from above, to light
the <'/nlt/zii-l>nf/ii at night. Fig. 240
represents the appearance of this plat-
form with the chodzu-bachi, at the
house of a celebrated Kiyomidzu pot-
ter in Kioto; and in the illustration of an old verandah at Kioto
i tig. ±J7. page 1M1) is shown a Japanese in the act of washing
his hands.
Taste and ingenuity are shown here, as elsewhere, in making
this corner refined and artistic. Rare woods and expensive rock-
work enter into its composition; beautiful flowers, climbing vines,
and dwarf-pines are clustered about it ; and books are specially
prepared to illustrate the many ways in which this convenience
may be dealt with.
Fli.. -' '•'.!. — ClIOD/l -IIAC III.
GATEWAYS.
255
The general neatness and cleanliness of the people are well
shown by the almost universal presence of the chodzu-bachi, not
only in the houses and inns, but in the public offices in the
busiest parts of the city, — the railway station, to which hun-
dreds throng, being no exception.
While little or no attempt at architectural display is made
on that side of the house that comes next the street, the gateway,
on the contrary, receives a good deal of attention, and many of
FIG. '210. — CHODZU-BACHI.
these entrances are quite remarkable for their design and struc-
ture. These, like the fences, vary greatly as to their lightness
or solidity. The gateways bordering the street are often of
the most solid description, — well barred within, having a roof
above them, and when painted black, as they often are. looking
grim enough. Whether solid or light, however, the gateways are
usually picturesque. Rustic effects are frequently seen, even in
the gateways of the city houses ; though often frail in appear-
ance, it is rare to see one in ruins, or even in a dilapidated
condition. Many of them are made of light thin material,
though the upright posts are stout timbers well braced behind
256 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
by supplementary posts, with strong cross-beams above. Often
quaint old ship-planks or rugged and twisted branches form the
frame-work for the most delicate panelling of braided strips or
perforated designs, with flattened strips of dark bamboo forming
the centre ribs of a series of panels. All these contrasts of
strong and frail, rough and delicate in design, material, and exe-
FIG. 241. — Cu&nzu-BACHi AND HISASIII-TEN.
cation, are the .surprises which give such a charm to Japanese
work of this nature.
There are many different types of gateways. In the city,
one type is seen in the lung row of buildings which form part
of a yashiki inclosnre : these are solid and ponderous structures.
A gateway of a similar kind is seen in the thick high walls of
tile, mud. and plaster which surround a yashiki. Another type is
seen, in which the gateway is flanked on either side by tall, light,
GATEWAYS.
257
wooden or close bamboo fences ; and still another, which is found
in the garden fences, and is often of the lightest description.
Of the first kind forming the entrance to the ynshiki, the
buildings of which have not been considered in this work, a
rough sketch is given in fig. 242. This is a gateway belong-
ing to a small yashiki 'not
far from Kudan in Tokio,
which opens into a long
low building solid and
heavy in construction. The
larger gateway has on
either side a narrow open-
ing for ordinary passage.
A heavily-barred and pro-
tected window on one side
is provided for the gate-
keeper, from which he can
see any one that passes
in or out ; the narrow
though deep moat in front
is bridged by stone. The
gateway, though solid, ap-
pears far more solid than
it is ; the gates are appar-
ently studded with heavy
round-headed bolts, which as we have seen are often of preten-
tious solidity, being 'made of the thinnest sheet-metal and lightly
attached. The broad metal straps, sockets, and bindings of the
various beams are of the same sheet-copper. Gateways of this
nature are often painted black or bright red, and in the olden
times were wonderfully decorated with color and metal work.
Of another group are the ordinary gateways of the "better
class of city houses. Fig. 243 is a typical one of this description.
17
FIG. 2-12. — GATEWAY IN YASHIKI HOLDING.
258 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
The sketch shows the appearance of the gateway from within, and
illustrates the way in which the upright posts are strengthened by
additional posts and braces. The double gates are held together
by a strong wooden bar, after the manner of similar gateways
at home. In gateways of this description there is usually a
small sliding door, its lower edge a foot from the ground, just
high enough for a person to crawl through in a stooping atti-
tude. For an alien resident to get in or out of this opening
FlG. 2-13. — flATKWAT OF ClTT HOUSE PROM WITHIH.
without tripping. <>r knocking off his hat, requires consider-
able skill and practice. When this little grated door is slid
back it is .sometimes arranged to jangle a bell, or to rattle a
number of pieces of iron hung by a string, as a warning to
the servant within. Sometimes this supplementary opening
has a swinging instead of a sliding door ; in this case a curi-
ous rattle is arranged by tying a number of short segments of
bamboo to a piece of board which is hung to the gate : these
rattle quite loudly whenever the gate is moved. Fig. 244 illus-
trates the appearance of this primitive yet ingenious gate-
knocker.
GATEWAYS.
25'J
Fl(i. i44. (JATK-HATTI.i:
A number of curious ways are devised to lock the little
sliding door in the gateway, one of which is here figured (fig.
243.) To the left of the drawing a portion of the door is shown.
A piece hanging from a panel in
the gate is held against the edge of
the door by a sliding bolt, which,
when pushed back, drops into place,
allowing the door to slide by. It is,
however, difficult to make this clear
by description ; a reference to fig.
245 will illustrate it. Not only do
the larger gates have these smaller
openings, but in the street-entrance of shops and inns the door
which closes the entrance has a little door either hinged or on
rollers. This is called the earthquake door, as through this in
times of sudden danger the inmates escape, the larger doors or
rain-shutters being li-
/ / ,\ : I ! able to get hound or
'i V \ i
I / , | jammed in the sway-
ing of the building.
The gateway
shown in fig. 24(i was
sketched on the road
which borders the
Shinobadzu pond in
Uyeno Park. Tokio.
It represents a sim-
ple form of gateway
in the high wooden
fence which encloses
the house and garden from the street. The double gates con-
sist of single thin planks ; above, a decoration is cut out of the
narrow panel; a light coping held in place by two brackets
FIG. 245. — BOLT FOR LITTLE SLIDING DOOH IN
GATEWAY.
260 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
crowns the whole, and a simple yet attractive gateway is accom-
plished. In this figure the durable way in which a fence is
constructed is well shown. The stout wooden sills supported by
flat stones, which in turn rest on the stone wall, may here be
seen ; and the interspace showing between the lower edge of
the 1 wards and the sill is a common feature of fence-structure.
A barred opening in the
fence next the gate per-
mits one to communicate
with the inmates from
without.
A more elaborate gate-
way on the same street is
shown in fig. 247. In this
gateway one of the panels
slides in a groove behind
the other panel, which is
fixed. These panels are
filled with a braiding of
thin strips of cedar.
Above these low panels is
a stout net-work of wood.
1 lie round gate-posts are held together above by a round beam
as well as by a wide and thin plank, in which is cut in per-
forated pattern a graceful design. The roof of the gate is
made of wide thin hoards, supported by transverse pieces pass-
ing through the upright posts and keyed into place. The door-
plate, consisting of a thin board upon which the name of the
occupant is painted, is nailed to the post.
248 represents a gateway on the road leading from
Shiba to Shinagawa. near Tokio. It was remarkable for the
beauty of its proportions and the purity of its design. The
two upright posts consisted of the natural trunks of trees
-2l*'i. (iiT»;w\v in Cm UI.MUKM K.
GATEWAYS.
261
stripped of their bark, showing the prominences left by the
removal of their branches. The transverse piece crowning the
whole had been specially selected to give an upward curve to
its ends, such as one sees in the upper transverse beam of a
tori-i.1 It had been cut
on three of its faces, one
answering to its lower
face, and the other two
to bring it in line with
the gate; and these sur-
faces gave a picturesque
effect by intersecting the
irregularities of the
trunk, producing a waved
and irregular section.
Directly below this bea'm
was a black worm-eaten
plank from some old
shipwreck, and immedi-
ately below this was an-
other transverse tie in
the shape of a huge
green bamboo. The gate
itself was Composed of FIG. 247. -GATEWAY TO CITY RESIDENCE.
light narrow strips
placed half an inch apart, between which could be seen four
transverse bars within. A small square area in one corner was
framed in for the little supplementary entrance. The gate was
flanked on each side by wings composed of boards, and capped
with a heavy wooden rail ; and these wings joined the neatest
of bamboo fences, which rested on a stone foundation, which
in turn formed the inner wall of the street gutter. Heavy
1 A gate-like structure seen in front of all shrines and temples.
jgqnnnnnron
DDDDDnnnnna
262 JAPAXKS& HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
GATEWAYS.
263
slabs of dressed stone made a bridge across the gutter, and in
front of the gateway was an irregular-shaped flag-stone, show-
ing untouched its natural cleavage from the ledge ; on each
side and about this slab the ground was paved with round
beach-worn cobble-stones. This gateway was exceedingly attrac-
tive; and there is no reason why just such an entrance, witli
perhaps the exception of the bamboo, might not be adopted
for many of our own summer residences.
FIG. 249. — GATEWAY.
Another gateway not so pretty, but showing one of the
many grotesque ideas of the Japanese, is shown in fig. 241).
Here the upper transverse beam is a huge and crooked log of
wood, — an old log which had been dragged from the forest just
as it fell in ruins from some tree. This peculiar way of arching
a gateway with a tortuous stick is quite commonly seen.
Fig. 250 represents a typical form of gateway often ob-
served in the suburbs of Tokio and farther south. Its roof is
quite large and complex, yet not heavy. The gate has a wide
over-hanging roof of bark ; the ridge consists of large bamboos
placed longitudinally in two sets, each set being kept apart from
each other as well as from the roof by thick saddles of bark
resting across the ridge, the whole mass tied together and to
264 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
the roof by a black-fibred root, the ends of these cords being
twisted above into an ornamental plume. Smaller bamboos are
placed at intervals nearly to the eaves of the roof. The rafters
below were of different sizes and shapes in section, being round
and square. The sketch will more fully explain the structure.
Figs. 251 and 2-V2 are rustic gatewa}'s in one of the large
Imperial gardens in Tukio. In one, two rough logs form the
posts, the fence being
composed of large bam-
boos in sets of three,
alternating on either side
of the rails to which they
are tied. This was a
portal simply. The other
had smooth round gate-
posts with a light wooden
gate with braided panel,
and the fence of each •
side was composed of
rush. These gateways
and fences were intro-
duced as pleasing effects in the garden.
In the village of Miyajima the deer come down from the
woods and wander through the streets. To prevent them from
entering the houses and gardens, the passages are guarded by
the lightest of latticed gates, against which hangs a weight
suspended from above by a cord or long bamboo. The weight
answers a double purpose by keeping the gate closed, and
also when opened by a caller, by banging loudly against it,
thus attracting the attention of a servant.
Large folding gates are often fastened by a transverse bar
not unlike the way in which gates are fastened in our country.
For light-folding gates an iron ring fastened to one gate by
Flli.
Kl Mil (ivTKWAY.
GATEWAYS.
265
a staple is arranged to slip over a knob or nail on the other
gate. In the yashiki, one often sees gates that show evi-
dences of disuse, and learns that in former times such gates
were only used on rare occasions by special guests of great
importance.
There is an infinite variety of forms of garden gates ; many
of them consisting of the lightest wicker-work, and made solely
for picturesque effects. Others, though for the same purpose,
FIG. 251. — RUSTIC GATEWAY.
are more substantial. Fig. 2-53 represents a quaint garden
gate leading into another garden beyond. Frail and unsub-
stantial as this gate appeared, it was nearly forty years old.
The house to the right beyond the gate is for the tea-ceremo-
nies, and the huge fish seen hanging up at the left is made of
wood, and gives out a resonant sound when struck ; it is the
bell, in fact, to call the party from the guest-room to the tea-
room beyond at the proper time. The owner of this place is
a teacher and master of the Cha-no-yu, and a famous expert
in old writings.
266 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
The variety in design and structure of fences seems almost
inexhaustible. Many of them are solid and durable structures,
others of the lightest possible description, — the one made with
solid frame and heavy stakes, the other of wisps of rush and
sticks of bamboo; and between these two is an infinite variety
of intermediate forms. A great diversity of material enters into
the structure of these fences, — heavy timbers, light boards, sticks
FK;. 252. — RUSTIC GARDEN GATE.
of red-pine, bamboo, reed, twigs, and fagots. Bundles of rush,
and indeed almost every kind of plant that can be bound into
bundles or sustain its own weight are brought into requisition
in the composition of these boundary partitions.
The fences have special names, either derived from their form
or the substances from which they are made ; thus, a little orna-
mental fenoe that juts out from the side of a house or wall is
called a antic-yak i, — sode meaning "sleeve," and kaki "fence,"
the form of the fence having a fanciful resemblance to the curious
FENCES.
267
long sleeve of a Japanese dress. A fence made out of bamboo is
called a ma-gaki ; while a fence made out of the perfumed wood
from which the toothpicks are made is called a kuro^noji-yaki,
and so on.
There are many different groups of Japanese fences. Under
one group may be mentioned all those enclosing the ground upon
Fio. 253. — GARDEN GATEWAY.
which the house stands. In the city these are often quite tall,
usually built of boards, and supported ou solid frames resting on
a foundation of stone. In the country such fences are hardly
more than trellises of bamboo, and these of the lightest descrip-
tion. Many of the fences are strictly ornamental, consisting
either of light trellises bounding certain areas, or forming little
screens jutting from the side of the house, or from the side of
more durable fences or walls. Of these the designs are endless.
268 JAPANESE HOMES AND TUEIE SURROUNDINGS.
M,
Let us examine more in detail some of the principal Japanese
types of fences. A simple board-fence consists, as with us, of an
upper and lower cross-tie, to which the boards are nailed. A use-
ful modification of the ordinary board-fence consists in having the
upper and lower rails of thick
board, three or four inches wide,
and nailed sideways to the fence-
posts. The fence-boards are nailed
to these rails alternately on one
side and on the other. A pretty
effect is produced by the inter-
rupted appearance of the rails,
and a useful purpose also is sub-
served by lessening the pressure of
FIG. ^54.— ORDINARY U'OODKN HUNCH. the wind wllicll SO often blows
with great violence, since by secur-
ing the boards in this way interspaces occur between the
boards the widtli of the rails. Fig. '1'A illustrates a portion
of this kind of fence, with its appearance in section as seen
from above. This feature in board
fences might be imitated with ad-
vantage in our country.
Heavy stake fences are made by
mortising each stake, which consists
of a stout square piece, and running
the rail through the mortises thus
made, and then pinning each stake
in position. In many fences of this
kind there are two rails near together, while the lower ends
of the stakes are secured to a foundation-piece, or sill, which
is raised an inch or two from the ground by stone props at
intervals. By this treatment the sill is preserved both from the
ravages of insects and the dampness of the ground. Fig. 255
FIG. 235. — STAKE FBXCK.
FENCES.
gives the appearance of this kind of fence. Such fences are
made more secure by driving into the ground additional posts
at a distance of tw.o feet or more, and binding them together
by rails, as shown in the gateway (fig. 243, page 258).
A very serviceable kind of fence is made of bamboo, which is
interwoven in the rails of the fence, as shown in fig. 25G. The
bamboo stakes are held in place by their elasticity. It will be
observed that the post supporting this fence, and also showing
the side of a gateway, is marked in a curious fashion. This
post is a stout stick of wood in its natu-
ral state, the bark only being removed.
The design, in a rich brown color, is in
this case in the form of diamond-shaped
spaces, though spiral lines, like those
on a barber's pole, are often seen. This
design is burned in, and the wood being
carbonized is consequently insoluble as
well as unchangeable in color. I was
curious to know how such a design was
burned in this formal pattern, and
learned that a long stout rope, or band
of straw soaked in water, was first
wound around the post in a wide spiral,
in two directions, leaving diamond-shaped interspaces. A bed
of hot coals being prepared, the post was exposed to this heat,
and the wood not protected by the wet straw-band became
charred. This simple yet ingenious way of getting plain dec-
orations, in a rich brown and lasting color, is one that might
be utilized in a variety of ways by American architects.
Fences built between house-lots, and consequently bordering
the gardens, are made in a variety of decorative ways. A very
strong and durable fence is shown in fig. 257, sketched in
Hakone village. The posts in this case were natural trunks of
FIG. 236. — BAMBOO FEXCK.
270 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
trees, and braces of the same material, fastened by stout wooden
pins, were secured to one side. The rail consisted of similar tree-
-*»— r «..* > .-•«"*
KM.. 2.17. - KKXCF. IN 1 1 \KOXF. VILLAGE.
trunk- partially hewn, while the fence partition consisted of
small bamboo interwoven in the cross-ties.
•w
s r^ l^* r*Jl<* "-^ L-~ SjL-Tr^t-^
r P^ riT^ r f^ rl^TT^
^^^:^SI^Oi^llS
•' ^~'±M^'!1^J^
$*%!?
. * '^.\MtV_
WWfl,
Via. 258. —RUSTIC- GAHOKN-PENTE.
Another fence of a more ornamental character (fig. 258) is
from a sketch made in Tokjo. In this the lower part was
FENCES.
271
IMC. 251). — SODK-I;.»KI.
filled with a mass of twigs, held in place by slender cross-
pieces ; and the upper panels con-
sisted of sticks of the red-pine with
a slender vine interwoven, making
a simple trellis.
In the sode-yaki, or sleeve-fence,
the greatest ingenuity in design and
fabrication is shown ; their variety
seems endless. I have a Japanese
work especially devoted to this kind
of fence, in which are hundreds of
different designs, — square tops,
curving tops, circular or concave
edges, panels cut out, and an in-
finite variety shown in the minor
details. This kind of fence is al-
ways built out from the side of
the house or from a more permanent, fence or wall. It is
rarely over four or five feet in
length, and is strictly ornamental.
though often useful in screening
some feature of the house that is
desired to be concealed.
Fig. 259 represents a fence in
which cylindrical bundles of rush
are bound together by a black-fibred
root, and held together by bamboo
pieces. Little bundles of fagots
are tied to each columns as an odd
feature of decoration. In fig. 2GO
cylindrical bundles of rush and twigs
are affixed in pairs on each side of
bamboo ties, which run from the outer post to the wooden fence
FIG. 260. — SODE-GAKI.
272 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
from which the sode-gaki springs. In still another form (fig.
261) the upper portion consists of a bundle of stout reeds tied
by broad bands of the black fibre
so often used in such work. From
this apparently hangs a broad mass
of brown rush, spreading as it
reaches the ground. Such fences
might be added to our gardens, as
the materials — such as reeds, rush,
twigs, etc. — are easily obtained in
this country. In the stout wooden
fences it is not an uncommon sight
to see openings the size of a small
window protected by a projecting
grating of wood (fig. 262).
Mesides the fences, a few of
whieli only have been figured, there
arc stout, durable walls built up
with tile and plaster, or mud intermixed. These structures
icst on a foundation of stone.
arc two or three feet wide at
their base, and rise to a height
of eight feet or more. at. which
altitude they may not be over
two feet in width, and are
crowned with a coping of tiles
like a miniature roof-top. The
interior of these walls is filled
with a rubble of clay and brok-
en tiles, while the outside ex-
hibits an orderly arrangement of tiles in successive layers.
The large enclosures, or yashikis, are generally surrounded
bv walls of this nature.
Fill. ~'il. — Sn|iK-«.\KI.
Fin. 202. — BARRED OPENING IN FENCE.
CHAPTER VI.
GARDENS.
STONE TABLETS. — ISHI-DORO. — BRIDGES. — SUMMKR-HOCSES. — PONDS. - PATHWAYS.—
DWARF-TREES AND FLOWER-POTS. — VIEWS OF PRIVATE GARDENS.
^HE Japanese garden, like the house, presents features that
never enter into similar places in America. With us
it is either modelled after certain French styles, or it is simply
beds of flowers in patches or formal plats, or narrow beds bor-
dering the paths ; and even these attempts are generally made
on large areas only. The smaller gardens seen around our
ordinary dwellings are with few exceptions a tangle of bushes,
or wretched attempts to crowd as mairy different kinds of
flowers as possible into a given area-; and when winter comes,
there is nothing left but a harvest of dead stalks and a lot
of hideously-designed trellises painted green.
It is no wonder, then, that as our people have gradually be-
come awakened within recent years to some idea of fitness and
harmony of color, the conventional flower-bed has been hopelessly
abandoned, and now green grass grows over the graves of most
of these futile attempts to defy Nature. The grass substitute
has at least the merit of not being offensive to the eye, and
of requiring but little care save that of the strenuous pushing
of the mechanical grass-cutter. This substitute is, however, a
confession of inability and ignorance, — as much as if a decora-
tor, after having struggled in vain with his fresco designs upon
some ceiling, should give up in disgust and paint the entire
surface one color.
18
274 JAPASESE HUMES AXD THEIR
The secret in a Japanese garden is that they do not at-
tempt too much. That reserve and sense of propriety which
characterizes this people in all their decorative and other artistic
work is here seen to perfection. Furthermore, in the midst of
so much that is evanescent they see the necessity of provid-
ing enduring points of interest in the way of little ponds and
Itridgc's. odd-shaped stone lanterns and inscribed rocks, summer-
houses and rustic fences, quaint paths of stone and pebble,
and always a number of evergreen trees and shrubs. We, in-
deed, have feebly groped that way with our cement vases, jig-
saw pavilions green with poisonous compound, and cast-iron
fountains of Mich design that one no longer wonders at the in-
crease of insanity in our midst. One of every hundred of the
fountains that our people dote upon is in the form of two little
ca.-t-iron children standing in a cast-iron basin, holding over
their heads ;i sheet-iron umbrella, from the point of which
si|iiirts a stream of wat'-r. --a perennial shower for them
alone, while the grass and all about may be sear and yellow
with the summers drought !
The Japanese have brought their garden arts to such per-
fection that a plot of ground ten feet square is capable of
being exquisitely beautified by their methods. Plots of ground
that in this country are too often encumbered with coal-ashes,
tea-grounds, tin cans, and the garbage-barrel, in Japan are ren-
dered charming to the eye by the simplest means. With cleanli-
ness, simplicity, a few little evergreen shrubs, one or two little
clusters of ilowers. a rustic, fence projecting from the side of the
house, a quaintly shaped flower-pot or two, containing a few
choice plants, — the simplest form of garden is attained. So
much do the Japanese admire gardens, and garden effects, that
their smallest strips of ground are utilized for this purpose. In
the crowded city, among the poorest houses, one often sees, in
the corner of a little earth-area that comes between the sill and
STONE TABLETS. 275
the raised floor, a miniature garden made in some shallow box,
or even on the ground itself. In gardens of any pretensions, a
little pond or sheet of water of irregular outline is an indis-
pensable feature. If a brook can be turned to run through the
garden, one of the great charms is attained ; and a diminutive
water-fall gives all that can be desired. With the aid of frag-
ments of rock and rounded boulders, the picturesque features
of a brook can be brought out ; little rustic bridges of stone
and wood span it, and even the smallest pond will have a
bridge of some kind thrown across. A few small hummocks
and a little mountain six or eight feet high, over or about
which the path runs, are nearly always present.
In gardens of larger size these little mountains are some-
times twenty, thirty, and even forty feet in height, and are
built up from the level ground with great labor and expense.
On top of these a little rustic lookout with thatched roof is
made, from which if a view of Fuji can be got the acme is
indeed reached. In still larger gardens, — that is. gardens
measuring several hundred feet each way, — the ponds and
bridges, small hills and meandering paths, with shrubs trimmed
in round balls of various sizes, and grotesquely-shaped pines
with long tortuous branches running near the ground, are all
combined in such a way by the skilful landscape gardener
that the area seems, without exaggeration of statement, ten
times as vast.
h
Irregular and grotesquely shaped stones and huge slabs of
rock form an important feature of all gardens ; indeed, it is
as difficult to imagine a Japanese garden without a number
of picturesque and oddly-shaped stones as it is to imagine an
American garden without flowers. In Tokio, for example, there
being near the city no proper rocks of this kind for garden
decoration, rocks and stones are often transported forty or fifty
JAl'AXKSK HOMES AXD THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
miles for this pur|K>se alone. There are stone-yards in which
one may see and purc-ha.se rocks such as one might use in build-
ing a rough cellar-wall at homo, and also sea-worn rocks of vari-
ous shapes and colors, — among them red-colored stones, that
fetch a hundred dollars and more, brought from Sado, an island
on the northwest coast of Japan. So much do the Japanese ad-
min- stones and rocks for garden decoration, that in their vari-
ous works on the subject of garden-making the proper arrange-
ment of stones is described
and figured with painstaking
minuteness. In the figures
to he given of Japanese gar-
dons, reproduced from a work
entitled " Chikusan Teizo-
den," written in the early
part of the last century, the
arrangement of rocks in the
various garden designs will
lie observed.
Tablets of rock, not unlike
a certain type of gravestone,
and showing the rough cleav-
age of the rock from the parent ledge, are often erected in gar-
dens. I'pon the face of the rock some appropriate inscription is
engraved. The accompanying sketch (fig. 263) is a tablet of this
sort, from a famous tea-garden at Omori, celebrated for its
plum-blossoms. The legend, freely translated, runs as follows :
"The sight of the plum-blossom causes the ink to flow in the
writing-room." -meaning that one is inspired to compose poetry
under the influence of these surroundings. This tablet was raised
on a slight mound, with steps leading to it and quaint pines and
shrubs surrounding it. The sketch gives only a suggestion of
its appearance.
TAHI.KT.
ISHI-DORO.
277
FIG. 264.
ISHI-DORO is TOKIO.
FIG. 205. — ISHI-
DORO IX MlY.UlMA.
The stone lanterns (ishi-doro) are one of the most common
yet important accompaniments of garden decoration. Indeed,
it is rare to see a garden, even of small size,
without one or more of these curious objects.
They are usually wrought out of soft volcanic
rock, and ordinary ones may be bought for a
few dollars. They resemble stout stone-posts of
various contours, round,
square, hexagonal, or
octagonal ; or the upper
part may be hexagonal.
while the shaft support-
ing it may be a round
pillar ; or they may be
of irregular form, built
of water-worn rock. The upper portion is hollowed out, leav-
ing various openings cut in ornamental shape ; and in this
cavity a lamp or candle is placed on special occasions. They
are generally made in two or three sections.
Thene are at least three distinct types, — short
and broad ones with tops shaped
like a mushroom, these generally
standing on three or four legs ;
tall, slender ones ; and a third form
composed of a number of sections
piled up to a considerable height,
looking like a pagoda, which, for
all I know, they may be made to
imitate.
These stone lanterns are called ishi-doro. A legend states
that in ancient times there was a pond on a certain mountain,
in the vicinity of which robbers repeatedly came out and at-
tacked travellers. In consequence of this, a god called Iruhiko
FIG. 260. — ISHI-DORO IN SIIIKAKO.
MUSASHI.
278 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIK SURROUNDINGS.
caused to be built stone lanterns to illuminate the roads, —
stone being a more enduring material. In a temple built by
Prince Shotoko, in the second year of
Suiko (594 A. D.), the first islii-doro is said
to have been erected, and the legend states
that it was removed from the region
above named to this temple.1
A few sketches are here given illus-
trating some of the forms of ishi-doro
observed. The one shown in fig. 265 was
sketched on the temple grounds of Miya-
jima. on the inland sea. I was informed
by the priest there that this stone lan-
tern was over seven hundred years old.
Its base was buried, and the whole affair
showed evidences of great age in the worn
appearance of its various parts. l;igs. 204 and 266 represent
iorins from Tokio and Shirako. and fig. 267 an elaborately
wrought one from Utsunomiya.
-'I'i7. — Isill-IHWci IX
I'TSI NOMIVA.
FK,. 2f>« - STONE FOOT-HRIHOK.
The little bridges of stone and wood are extremely good ex-
amples of rustic-work, and might be copied with advantage in
our country. The ingenious device of displacing the stones
laterally (fig. 268). or of combining the bridge with stepping-
stones, as seen in some of them, is decidedly unique.
1 This ]<-ePnd Is from n work entitled « Chikuwin
BRIDGES. — SUMMER-HOUSES.
279
Fig. 269 illustrates a stone bridge in one of the large gardens
of Tokio. The span of this bridge was ten or twelve feet, and
yet the bridge itself was composed of a single slab of stone.
Fig. 270 shows a little brook in a private garden in Tokio.
FIG. 269. — STONE FOOT-HKIIM,K.
Here the foot-bridge consists of an umvrought slab of rock.
The ishi-doro showing in the same sketch consists of a number
of naturally-worn stones, except the lantern portion, which has
been cut out.
FIG. 270. — GARDEN BROOK AND FOOT-BRIDGE.
The summer-houses are simple and picturesque ; sometimes
they have a seat and a do-ma, or earth floor ; others will have
a board or a matted floor. These houses are generally open,
the square thatched roof being supported on four corner-posts ;
others again will have two sides closed by permanent partitions,
280 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
iu one of which an ornamental opening or window occurs. We
cannot understand what so intelligent an observer as Rein means,
when he makes the statement that the Japanese garden con-
tains no summer-house, — for it is rare to see a garden of any
magnitude without one, and impossible to refer to any Japanese
Ixxik on the subject in which these little rustic shelters and
resting-places are not figured.
Tin- training of vines and trees about the summer-house
window is often delightfully conceived. We recall the circular
window of one that presented a most beautiful appearance.
Three sides of the summer-house were closed by permanent
plaster partitions, tinted a rich brown color, with a very broad-
eaved thatched roof throwing its dark shade on the matted
llnur. Iii the partition opposite the open side was a perfectly
cin-ular window live feet in diameter. There was no frame or
moulding to this opening, simply the plastering .finished squarely
at the liordrr : dark-brown bamboos of various thicknesses, se-
cured across thi> opening hori/.ontally, formed the frame-work;
running vertically and secured to the bamboo, was a close
grating of brown rn>h. Over and around this window — it being
i>n the sunny side — there had been carefully trained outside a
vine with rich green leaves, so that the window was more or
less shaded by it. The effect of the sunlight falling upon the
vine was exquisite beyond description. When two or three leaves
interposed between the sun's rays, the color was a rich dark
green ; where here and there, over the whole mass, a single
leaf only interrupted the light, there were bright green flashes,
like emerald gems; at points the dazzling sunlight glinted like
sparks. In a few places the vine and leaves had been coaxed
through the grating of rushes, and these were consequently in
deep shadow. I did not attempt to sketch it, as no drawing
could possibly convey an idea of the exceeding richness and
charm of the effect, with the cool and shaded room within, the
si .)/.)//••/,• //ryr.vA.v
281
dark-brown lattice of bamboo and rush, the capacious round
opening, and, above all, the effect of the various rich greens,—
which was greatly heightened as the wind tremulously shifted the
leafy screens without, and thus changed the arrangement of the
emerald colors within.
My attention was first attracted to it by noticing a number
of Japanese peering at it through an open fence, and admiring
in rapt delight this charm-
ing conception. Such a room
and window might easily be
arranged in our gardens, as
we have a number of vines
with light, translucent leaves
capable of being utilized in
this way.
Fig. 271 gives a view of
a .summer-house in a private
garden in Tokio. Four rough
posts and a few cross-ties
formed the frame ; it had a
raised floor, the edge of which
formed a seat, and two plas-
tered partitions at right an-
gles, in one of which was cut
a circular window, and in the other a long, narrow opening
above ; and crowning the whole was a heavily-thatched roof,
its peak capped by an inverted earthen basin. Whether the
basin was made expressly for this purpose or not, its warm red
color added a pleasing effect to the gray of the thatch. In
front and about it stones and rocks were arranged in pleasing
disorder, while a number of exotic flowers and quaintly trimmed
shrubs added their charms, and a little brook found its way
across the path leading to it.
FIG. 271. — SUMMER-HOUSE IN PRIVATE GAB-
DEN, TOKIO.
282 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
Fig. 272 is the sketch of a summer-house in one of the im-
perial gardens in Tokio. The frame, as in the one last figured,
consisted of round sticks with the bark retained; this was capped
with a thatched roof, surmounted by a ridge of thatch and bam-
boo. A very pretty feature was shown in the trellises, which
sprung diagonally from each post, — the frame of these trellises
consisting of tree-branches selected for their irregular forms. The
lattice was made of bamboo and rush, and each trellis had a
different design. The seat within was of porcelain ; and about
the slight mound on
which the summer-
house stood were curi-
ously-trimmed shrubs
and dwarfed pines.
The openings or win-
dows in these sum-
mer-houses are often
remarkable for their
curious designs. The
following sketches
Kli. •>;•>. — Sl-MMKIl-IIOrsK IS iMPKRIAI. fiUlDKN, ToKIO. ("gS- ^73, 274) giV6 a
faint idea of the ap-
pearance of these rustic openings, — one representing a gourd,
its frame being made of grape-vine; the other suggesting a
mountain, the lattice being made of bamboo.
For border hedges, trees of large size are often trained to form
a second barrier above the squarely-trimmed shrubs that come
next the path. A jinko-tree is trained so that it spreads like
a fan, in one direction, to a width of thirty feet or more, while
it may not be over two feet in thickness. An infinite amount
of patient work is required in tying all the big branches and
little twigs to bamboo supports in order to bring trees into
such strange forms.
283
FIG. 273. — RUSTIC OPENING IN
SUMMER-HOUSE, KoiiE.
In the garden of Fukiage, in Tokio, some very marvellous
effects of landscape-gardening are seen. At a distance you notice
high ground, a hill in fact, perhaps fifty or sixty feet in height;
approaching it from a plain of rich green grass you cross a little
lake, bridged at one point by a
single slab of rock ; then up a ra-
vine, down which a veritable moun-
tain brook is tumbling, and through
a rock foundation so natural, that,
until a series of faults and disloca-
tions, synclinals and anticlinals, in
rapid succession arouse your geo-
logical memories with a rude shock,
you cannot believe that all this co-
lossal mass of material has been
transported here by man, from distances to be measured by
leagues ; and that a few hundred years ago a low plain existed
where now are rocky ravines and dark dells, with heavy forest
trees throwing their
•'-»""• t.*'i * V. " ' cool shadows over all.
You wend your way
by a picturesque for-
est-path to the sum-
mit of the hill, which
is crowned by a rustic
summer - house with
wide verandah, from
which a beautiful view
of Fuji is got. Look-
ing back towards the park, you expect to see the ravine below,
but, to your amazement, an absolutely flat plain of shrubbery,
resembling a closely-cropped tea plantation, level to the top of
the hill and extending to a considerable distance, greets your
FIG. 274. — RUSTIC OPENING IN SUMMER-HOUSE,
OKAZAKI.
284 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
eye. Have you lost the points of the compass? Walking out
in the direction of this level growth of shrubbery, a new sur-
prise awaits you ; for peering through the bushes, you look down
the slopes of the steep hill you had ascended. The forest-trees
which thickly cover the slopes of the hill had been trimmed
above to an absolute level : and this treatment had gone on
for so many years that the tops formed a dense mass having
the appearance, from the summer-house, of a continuous stretch
of low shrubs springing from a level ground.
I have spoken of the love the Japanese have for gardens
and garden effects, the smallest areas of ground being utilized
fur this purpose. As an illustration of this, I recall an expe-
rience in a cheap inn. where I was forced to take a meal or
Lro hungry till late at night. The immediate surroundings in-
dicated poverty, the house itself being poorly furnished, the
mats hard and uneven, and the attendants very cheaply dressed.
In the room where our meal was served there was a circular
window, through which could be seen a curious stone lantern
and a pine-tree, the branches of which stretched across the
opening, while beyond a line view of some high mountains was
to be had. From where we sat on the mats there were all the
evidences of a line garden outside; and wondering how so poor
a house could sustain so line a garden. I went to the window
to investigate. What was my surprise to find that the extent
of ground from which the lantern and pine-tree sprung was
just three feet in width ! Then came a low board-fence, and
beyond this stretched the rice-fields of a neighboring farmer.
At home such a narrow strip of land would in all likelihood
have l>een the receptacle for broken glass and tin cans, and
a thoroughfare for erratic cats ; here, however, everything was
clean and neat. — and this narrow plot of ground, good for
no other purpose, had been utilized solely for the benefit of the
room within.
PONDS.
285
Reference has been made to the ponds and brooks as desir-
able features in garden-making. Where water is not obtainable
for the purpose, or possibly for the ingenuity of the idea, the
Japanese sometimes make a deceptive pond, which is absolutely
destitute of water ; so perfectly, however, are the various features
of the pond carried out, that the effect of water is produced by
the illusion of association. The pond is laid out in an irregular
outline, around the border of
which plant-pots buried out of
sight contain .the iris and a
number of plants which nat-
urally abound near wet shores.
The bottom of the pond is
lined with little gray pebbles,
and a rustic bridge leads to a
little island in the centre. The
appearance of this, dry pond
from the verandah is most de-
ceptive.
The real ponds contain
either lotus or other aquatic
plants, or they may be given
1
FIG. 2?5. — VARIOUS FORMS OF GARDEN
PATHS.
up to turtles or gold-fish, and
are oftentimes very elaborately
laid out with rustic, wooden,
or stone bridges. Little prom-
ontories with stone lanterns
standing at their ends like
miniature light-houses, rustic arbors or seats, trellises above
supporting a luxuriant growth of wistaria, and tortuous pines
with long branches reaching out over the water, are a few of
the many features which add so much to that peculiar charm
so characteristic of Japanese gardens.
286 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
The pathways of stone are of many kinds. Sometimes the
slabs of stone may be finished squarely, and then each may
be arranged in line across the path, or adjusted in such a way
from one side to the other that a zigzag path is made; in
other cases the path may consist of long slabs squarely
trimmed, or of large irregular slabs interrupted with little
.stones, all compacted into the hard earth. Fig. 275, copied
from "Chikusan Teizoden," shows some of these arrangements;
and an idea of tlu> way in which the stone paths are laid out
is well illustrated in figs. 2 So and 284 (pp. 291, 292), copied
from the same work. The entrance from the street is seen at
the left. The stone path loads through a courtyard to a second
gate, and from thenee to the ycnka, or entrance to the house.
Flowers, shrubs, and dwarf trees in pots and tubs are com-
monly used in the vicinity of the verandah, and also about
the .garden for decora-
tive features ; and here
tasteful and rustic effects
are sought for in the de-
sign and material of the
larger wooden recepta-
fles. Fig. 276 represents
a shallow trough made
from a fragment of an
old shipwreck, blackened by age, and mounted on a dark wood-
stand. In this trough are two stones, a bronze crab, and a few
aquatic plants. Another wooden flower-pot of large size (fig.
277) is made from the planks of an old vessel, the wood per-
forated by Teredo, and the grain deeply worn out by age. Its
form permits it to be carried by two men.
Among the most extraordinary objects connected with gar-
dens are the dwarf plum-trees. Before the evidence of life
FIG. 27f>- —
uot (;n FUR
DWARF-TREKS AND FLOWER-POTS.
287
appears in the blooming, one would certainly believe that a
collection of dwarf plum-trees were simply fragments of old
blackened and distorted branches or roots, — as if fragments
of dead wood had been selected for the purpose of grotesque
display ! Indeed, nothing more hopeless for flowers or life could
be imagined than the
appearance of these ir-
regular, flattened, and
even perforated sticks
and stumps. They are
kept iu the house on
the sunny side, and
while the snow is yet
on the ground, send out
long, delicate drooping
twigs, which are soon
strung with a wealth of
the most beautiful rosy-
tinted blossoms it is possible to conceive ; and, curiously enough,
not a trace of a green leaf appears during all this luxuriant
blossoming.
Fig. 278 is an attempt to show the appearance of one of
these phenomenal plum-trees. It was over forty years old,
and stood about three feet high. By what horticultural sorcery
life had been kept in this blackened stump, only a Japanese
gardener knows. And such a vitality ! Not a few feeble twigs
and blossoms as an expiring effort, but a delicious growth of
the most vigorous and dainty flowers. The pines are equally
remarkable in their way. It is very curious to see a sturdy
old pine-tree, masculine and gruff in its gnarled branches and
tortuous trunk, perhaps forty or fifty years old, and yet not
over two feet in height, and growing in a flower-pot ; or a thick
chunk of pine standing upright in a flower-pot, and sending out
FIG. 277. — I'LAST-POT OF OLD I'LANK.
288 JAPANESE HOMES AXD THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
vigorous branches covered with leaves (fig. 279), and others
trained in ways that seem incredible.
In a large garden in Tokio I saw one of these trees that
.-pread out in a symmetrical convex disk with a diameter of
twenty feet or more, yet standing
Fli. -'7s — I'tt \HK I'l.l M
Fio. 279. — DWARF PINE.
nut over two feet in height (fig. -SO); still another one, in
which the liraiiches had lieen trained to assume the appearance
of flattened disks (lit;. 2S1). It would seem as if the artistic
and picturesque taste of the gardener followed the shrubs even
itr . ,
l£^
FlO. iSO — Cl KIOfSI.Y TKAINED PlNE-TREE.
to their winter shrouds of straw ; for when they arc enwrapped
for the winter's cold and snow, the objects even in this guise
look quaint and attractive, besides being most thoroughly pro-
tected, as may be seen by fig. 282 on page 290.
DWARF-TREES AND FLOWER-POTS.
289
In this brief sketch of Japanese gardens only the more sa-
lient features have been touched upon, and these only in the most
general way. It would have been more proper to have included
the ornamental fences, more especially the sode-gaki, in this chap-
FIG 281. — DWARFED PINE.
ter. It was deemed best, however, to include fences of all kinds
under one heading ; and this has been done in a previous chapter.
The rustic wells, which add so much to garden effects, might
with equal propriety have been incorporated here ; but for simi-
lar reasons it was thought best to include with the wells the
19
290 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
few brief allusions to water supply and village aqueducts, — and
these subjects are therefore brought together under one heading
in the chapter which is to follow.
In this chapter on gardens, I regret the absence of general
sketches of the garden proper ; but the few sketches I had made
were too imperfect to hazard an attempt at their reproduction.
Moreover, not the slightest justice could have been done to
the thoroughly original character
of the Japanese garden, with all
its variety and beauty. In lieu of
this, however, I have had repro-
duced a number of views of pri-
vate gardens, from a Japanese
work on the subject published in
the early part of the last cen-
tury,— though, so far as their
general arrangement and appear-
ance go. they might have been
copied from gardens to be seen in
that country to-day.
The first illustration (fig. 283)
shows the relation of the va-
rious buildings, with the appro ichcs from the street, which is
on the left. Here are seen two gateways : the larger one
with swinging gates is closed ; the smaller one with sliding
gate is open. The building with the two little windows and
black foundation is the hint. The pathway, of irregular slabs
of stone, leads around the sides of the kura to a second gate-
way ; and beyond this the stone path continues to the genka, or
main entrance to the dwelling. The drawing is a curious ad-
mixture of isometric and linear perspective, with some violent
displacements in point of sight and vanishing points, in order to
I'll,
2. — -SHRUBS WRAPPED IN STRAW
Mill WlXTKK.
VIEWS OF PRIVATE GARDENS.
291
292 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
show fully the various details within the limits of the plate.
The other illustrations represent respectively a little garden be-
Fio. 284. — LITTLE GARDES BELONGING TO THE PRIESTS OP A BUDDHIST TEMPLE.
(REPRODUCED PROM " CHIKUSAN TEIZODEN," A JAPANESE WORK.)
longing to the priests' house of a Buddhist temple (fig 284), a
garden connected with the house of a merchant (fig. 285 ; the
legend says the owner is a dealer in dress materials and cot-
VIEWS OF PRIVATE GARDENS.
293
294 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
VIEWS OF PRIVATE GARDENS. 295
tons), and a garden connected with the residence of a Daimio
(fig. 286). All of these gardens were to be found in Sakai,
Idzumi, nearly two hundred years ago, and the more enduring
features of some of them may still .be in existence. A study
of these quaint drawings will enable the reader to recognize
the ornamental fences, quaint rocks, rustic wells, ishi-doro,
chodzu-bachi, stone pathways, and curious trees and shrubs so
characteristic of the Japanese garden, and so utterly unlike
anything with which we are familiar in the geometrical patches
we are wont to regard as gardens.
It is a remarkable fact that the various trees and shrubs
which adorn a Japanese garden may be successfully transplanted
again and again without impairing their vitality. Trees of very
large size may be seen, almost daily, being dragged through the
streets on their way from one garden to another. A man may
have a vigorous and healthy garden under way in the space of
a few days, — trees forty or fifty feet high, and as many years
old, sturdy shrubs and tender plants, all possessing a vitality
and endurance under the intelligent management of a Japanese
gardener, which permits them to be transported from one end
of the city to the other. If for some reason the owner has
to give up his place, every stone and ornamental fence, and
every tree and plant having its commercial value, may all be
dug up and sold and spirited away, in a single day, to some
other part of the town. And such a vicissitude often falls to
the lot of a Japanese garden, enduring as it is. The whole
affair, save the circular well-hole, may be transported like
magic from one end of the country to the other.
CHAPTER VH.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
\VELLS AND WATER-SUPPLY. — FLOWERS. — INTERIOR ADORNMENTS. — PRECAUTIONS
AGAINST FIRE. —HOUSES OF FOREIGN STYLE. — ABSENCE OP MONUMENTS.
\ \ 7 ITU the exception of a few -ot the larger cities, the water-
supply of Japan is by means of wooden wells sunk in the
ground. In Tokio, besides the ordinary forms of wells which are
found in every portion of the city, there is a system of aqueducts
conveying water from the Tamagawa a distance of twenty-four
miles, and from Kanda a distance of ten miles or more. It is
hardlv within the province of this work to call attention to the
exceeding impurity of much of the well-water in Tokio and
el>!'\vhere in Japan, as shown by many analyses, or to the im-
perfect way in which water is conveyed from remote places to
Tokio and Yokohama. For valuable and interesting papers on
this subject the reader is referred to the Journal of the Asiatic
Society of Japan.1
1 Professor Atkinwm, ID the Journal of the Asiatic Society, vol. vi. part i.; Dr. Geerts,
ibiJ., vol. vii. part iii.
Dr. O. Korsrhelt has made au extremely valuable contribution to the Asiatic Society
of Japan, on the water-supply of Tokio. Aided by Japanese students, he has made many
analyses of well-waters and waters from the city supply, and shows that, contrary to the
conclusions of Professor Atkinson, the high-ground wells arc on the whole much purer
than those on lower ground. Dr. Korsrhelt also calls attention to the great number of
artesian wells sunk in Tokio, by means of bamboo tubes driven into the ground. The
ordinary form of well is carried down thirty or forty feet in the usual way, and then
at the bottom bamboo tubes are driven to great depths, ranging from one hundred to
two hundred feet and more. He speaks of a number of these wells in Tokio and
the suburbs as overflowing. There is one well not far from the Tokio Daigaku which
overflows ; and a very remarkable sight it is to see the water pouring over a high
WELLS AND WATER-SUPPLY.
297
The aqueducts in the city are made of wood, either in the
shape of heavy square plank tubes or circular wooden pipes.
These various conductors are intersected by open wells, in which
the water finds its natural level, only partially filling them.
These wells are to be found in the main streets as well as in
certain open areas; and to them the people come, not only to
get their water, but often to do light washing.
The time must soon come when the authorities of Tokio will
find it absolutely necessary to establish water-works for the
supply of the city. Such a change from the present system
would require an enormous expenditure at the outset, but in the
FIG. 287. — ANCIENT FORM OF
end the community will be greatly benefited, not only in having
more efficient means to quell the awful conflagrations which so
frequently devastate their thoroughfares, but also in having a
more healthful water-supply for family use. In their present
imperfect method of water-service it is impossible to keep the
supply free from local contamination ; and though the death-
rate of the city is low compared with that of many European
well-curb and flooding the ground in the vicinity. He shows that pure water may be
reached in most parts of Tokio by means of artesian wells; and to this source the city
must ultimately look for its water-supply.
For further particulars concerning this subject, tho reader is referred to Dr. Korschelt's
valuable paper in the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. xii. part iii.,
p. 143.
298 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
and American cities, it would certainly be still further reduced
by pure water made available to all.
In many country villages, where the natural conditions exist,
a mountain brook is conducted by a rock-bound canal through
the centre ->f the village street; and thus the water for culinary
and other purposes is brought directly to the door of every
house on that street.
The wells are made in the shape of barrels of stout staves
five or six feet in height. These taper slight!}" at their lower
ends, and are fitted one within another; and as the well is dug
deeper the sections are adjusted and driven down. Wells of
great depth are often sunk in this way. The well made in
tliis manner has the appearance, as it projects above the ground,
of an ordinary barrel
or hogshead partially
buried.
Stone curbs of a
circular form are oft-
en seen. An ancient
form of well-curb is a
square frame, made, of
FIG. 2*} 8. — ST< IN K \Vi ii ( r nit i \ PHI YATF GARDE M • i • i •
shape shown in fig.
The Chinese character for " well " is in the shape of this
frame: and as one rides through the city or village he will often
notice thn character painted on the side of a house or over a
door-way, indicating that in the rear, or within the house, a
well is to be found. A picturesque well-curb of stone, made
after this form, is shown in fig. 2S8. from a private garden
in Tokio.
While the water is usually brought up by means of a bucket
attached to the end of a long bamboo, there are various forms
of frames erected over the well to support a pulley, in which
WELLS AND WATER-SUPPLY.
299
runs a rope with a bucket attached to each end. Fig. 289 is
an illustration of one of these frames. Sometimes the trunk
of a tree is made to do service, as shown in fig 290. In this
case the old trunk was densely covered with a rich growth of
Japanese ivy.
In the country kitchen the well is often within the house,
as shown in the sketch fig. 167 (page 186). In the country,
as well as in the city, the regular New England well-sweep
is now and then seen. In the
FIG. 289. — WOODEN WELL-PKAME.
FIG. 200. — RUSTIC WEIJ.-FRAME.
southern part of Japan particularly the well-sweep is very com-
mon ; one is shown in the picture of a southern house (fig. 54,
page 73).
There are many ways of conveying water to villages by
bamboo pipes. In Kioto many places are supplied by water
brought in this way from the mountain brooks back of the
city. At Miyajima, on the Inland Sea, water is brought, by
means of bamboo pipes, from a mountain stream at the western
end of the village. The water is first conveyed to a single
shallow tank, supported on a rough pedestal of rock. The tank
is perforated at intervals along its sides and on its end, and
300 JAPANESE HOMES AXD THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
by means of bamboo gutters the water is conveyed to bamboo
tubes standing vertical, — each bamboo having at its top a box
or bucket, in which Is a grating of bamboo to screen the water
from tlu- leaves and twigs. These bamboo tubes are connected
with a system of bamboo tubes under-ground, and these lead
to tin- houses in the village street below. Fig. 291 is an illus-
tration of this structure. It was an old and leaky affair, but
formed a i>ictures<iuc- mass beside the mountain road, covered
as it was by a rich growth of ferns and mosses, and brightened
by the water dripping from all points.
v
.:- • *'•
Fir,. 201 — AqrEDiTT RESERVOIR AT MITAJIMA. AKI.
Just beyond this curious reservoir I paw a group of small
aqueducts, evidently for the supply of single houses. Fig. 292
illustrates one of a number of these seen along the road.
Fig. 293 represents one of the old wells still seen in the Kaga
Yashiki, in Tokio. — an inclosure of large extent formerly occu-
pied by the Daimio of Kaga. but now overgrown with bamboo
grass and tangled bushes, while here and there evidences of
its former beauty are seen in neglected groves of trees and in
WELLS AND WATER-SUPPLY.
301
picturesque ponds choked with plant growth. The buildings of
the Tokio Medical College and Hospital occupy one portion of
the ground ; and the new brick building of the Tokio Univer-
sity, a few dwellings for its foreign teachers, and a small ob-
servatory form another
group.
Scattered over this
large inclosure are a
number of treacherous
holes guarded only by
fences painted black.
These are the remains
of wells ; and by their
number one gets a faint
idea of the dense com-
^
FIG. 292. — AQUEDUCTS AT MIYAJIMA, AKI.
munity that filled this
area in the days of the Shogunate. During the Revolution the
houses were burned, and with them the wooden curbs of the
wells, and for many years
these deep holes formed
dreadful pitfalls in the long
grass.
The effect of rusticity
which the Japanese so much
admire, and which they show
in their gateways, fences,
and other surroundings, is
charmingly carried out in the
wells ; and the presence of
a well in a garden is looked
upon as adding greatly to its
beauty. Hence, one sees quaint and picturesque curbs, either
of stone and green with plant growth, or of wood and fairly
FIG. 293. — WELL i.\ KAGA YASHIKI, TOKIO.
302 JAl'AXESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUND1XGS.
dropping to pieces with decay. One sees literally a moss-
covered bucket and well, too; but, alas! the water is not the
cold, pure fluid which a New Englander is accustomed to draw
from similar places at home, but often a water far from whole-
some, and which to make so is generally boiled before drink-
ing. We refer now to the city wells ; and yet the country
wells are ijuite as liable to contamination.
Having described in the previous pages the permanent fea-
tures of tlie house and its surroundings, a few pages may be
properly added concerning those objects which are hung upon
the walls as adornments. A few objects of household use have
been mentioned, such as pillows, liiliticlti, tabako-bon, lamps,
candlesticks, and towel-racks, as naturally associated with the
mats, kitchen, bathing conveniences, etc. Any further consid-
eration of tin se movable objects would lead us into a discus-
>ion of the bureaus, chots, baskets, trays, dishes, and the
whole range of domestic articles of use, and might, indeed,
furnish material enough for another volume.
A few pages, however, must be added on the adornments
of the room, and the principles which govern the Japanese in
these matters As llowers form the most universal decoration
of the rooms from the highest to the lowest classes, these will
be lirst considered.
The love of llowers is a national trait of the Japanese. It
would be safe to say that in no other part of the world is
the love of (lowers so universally shown as in Japan. For
pictorial illustration flowers form one of the most common
themes; and for decorative art in all its branches flowers, in
natural or conventional shapes, are selected as the leading
In their light fabrics, — embroidery, pottery, lacquers,
wall-papers, fans, -and even in their metal work and bronzes,
these charming and perishable objects are constantly depicted and
FLOWERS. 30o
wrought. In their social life, also, these things are always
present. From birth to death, flowers are in some way asso-
ciated with the daily life of the Japanese ; and for many
years after their death their graves continue to receive fresh
floral tributes.
A room in the very humblest of houses will have in its
place of honor — the tokonoma — a flower-vase, or a section of
bamboo hanging from its side, or some form of receptacle sus-
pended from the open portion of the room above, or in front
of some ornamental opening in which flowers are displayed.
On the street one often meets the flower vendor ; and at night,
flower fairs are one of the most common attractions.
The arrangement of flowers forms a part of the polite edu-
cation of the Japanese, and special rules and methods for their
appropriate display have their schools and teachers. Within
the house there are special places where it is proper to dis-
play flowers. In the tokonoma, as we have said, is generally
a vase of bronze or pottery in which flowers are placed, —
not the heterogeneous mass of color comprised in a jumble
of flowers, as is too often the case with us ; but a few flowers
of one kind, or a big branch of cherry or plum blossoms are
quite enough to satisfy the refined tastes of these people.
Here, as in other matters, the Japanese show their sense of
propriety and infinite refinement. They most thoroughly abom-
inate our slovenly methods, whereby a clump of flowers of
heterogeneous colors are packed and jammed together, with
no room for green leaves: this we call a bouquet; and very
properly, since it resembles a ball, -- a variegated worsted
ball. These people believe in the healthy contrast of rough
brown stem and green leaves, to show off by texture and
color the matchless life-tones of the delicate petals. We,
however, in our stupidity are too often accustomed to tear off
the flowers that Nature has so deftly arranged on their own
304 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
wood stems, and then with thread and bristling wire to fabri-
cate a feeble resemblance to the milliner's honest counterfeit
of cloth and paper ; and by such treatment, at the end of a few
hours, we have a mass equally lifeless.
In their flower-vases, too, they show the most perfect knowl-
edge of contrasts. To any one of taste it is unnecessary to
show how inappropriate our gilt and often brilliantly colored
flower-vases are for the objects they are to hold. By employ-
ing such receptacles, all effects of color and pleasing contrasts
are effectually ruined. Tin- Japanese flower-vase is often made
• if the ri inchest and coarsest pottery, with rough patches of
Lrla/e and irregular contour; it is made solid and heavy, with
a good liottom, and is capable <>f holding a big cherry branch
wit In nit ii])-s(:tting. Its very roughness shows off by contrast
tin- delicate flowers it holds. With just such rough material as
we ii-c in the making "f drain-tiles and molasses jugs, the Japan-
i-se make the must fascinating and appropriate flower-vases; but
their putters are artists, and. alas! ours are, not.
In thi< connection it is interesting to note that in our
country, artists, and others having artistic tastes, have always
recognized the importance of observing proper contrasts between
flowers and their holders, and until within a very few years
have lieen forced, for want of better receptacles, to arrange
flowers in (ierman pottery-mugs. Chinese ginger-jars, and the
["hough these vessels were certainly inappropriate enough,
the flowers looked vastly prettier in them than they ever could
in the frightful wares designed expressly to hold them, made by
American and Kuropean manufacturers. What a satire on our
art industries. — a despairing resort to beer-mugs, ginger-jars
and blacking-pots, for suitable flower-vases! "Who does not
recall, indeed cannot see to-day on the shelves of most " crockery
shops." a hideous battalion of garish porcelain and iniquitous
parian vases, besides other multitudinous evidences of utter
FLOWERS.
305
ignorance as to what a flower-vase should be, in the discordantly
colored and decorated glass receptacles designed to hold these
daintiest bits of Nature's handiwork ?
Besides the flower-vase made to stand on the floor, the Japan-
ese have others which are made to hang from a hook, — gener-
ally from the post or partition that divides the tokonoma from
its companion recess, or sometimes from a corner-post. When
a permanent partition occurs in a room, it is quite proper to
hang the vase from the middle post. In all these cases it
is hung midway between the floor and
the ceiling. These hanging flower-
vases are infinite in form and design.
and are made of pottery, bronze, bam-
boo, or wood. Those made of pottery
and bronze may be in the form of
simple tubes ; often, however, natural
forms are represented, — such as fishes,
insects, sections of bamboo, and the
like.
The Japanese are fond of ancient
objects, and jars which have been dug
up are often mutilated, at least for
the antiquarian, by having rings in-
serted in their sides so that they may
be hung up for flower-holders.
A curious form of holder is made out of a nigged knot of
wood. Any quaint and abnormal growth of wood, in which an
opening can be made big enough to accommodate a section of
bamboo to hold the water, is used for a flower-vase. Such an
object will be decorated with tiny bronze ants, a silver spider's
web with bronze spider, and pearl wrought in the shape of a
fungus. These and other singular caprices are worked into
and upon the wood as ornaments.
20
FIG. 294. — HANGING FLOWER-
HOLDER OF BAMBOO.
306 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
A very favorite form of flower-holder is one made
of bamboo. The bamboo tube is worked in a va-
riety of ways, by cutting out various sections from
the sides. Fig. 2(J4 represents an odd, yet com-
FIG. 295. — HANGING FLOWER-HOLDER OF BASKET-WOE*.
mon shape, arranged for cha-no-yu (tea-parties), and sketched at
one of these parties. The bamboo is an admirable receptacle for
water, and a section of it is used for this purpose in many
forms of pottery and bronze flower-holders.
FLOWERS.
307
Rich brown-colored baskets are also favorite receptacles for
flowers, a segment of bamboo being used to hold the water.
The accompanying figure (fig. 295) is a sketch of a hanging
basket, the flowers having been arranged by a lover of the
tea-ceremonies and old pottery. Many of these baskets are quite
old, and are highly prized by the Japanese. At the street
flower-fairs cheap and curious devices are
often seen for holding flower-pots. The an-
nexed figure (fig. 296) illustrates a form of
bracket in which a thin irregular-shaped
slab of wood has attached to it a crooked
branch of a tree, upon the free ends of which
wooden blocks are secured as shelves upon
which the flower-pots are to rest. A hole is
made at the top so that it may be hung
against the wall, and little cleats are fast-
ened crosswise to hold long strips of stiff
paper, upon which it is customary to write
stanzas of poetry. These objects arc of
the cheapest description, can be got for a
few pennies, and are bought by the poorest
classes.
For flower-holders suspended from above,
a common form is a square wooden bucket,
or one made out of pottery or bronze in imi-
tation of this form. Bamboo cut in hori-
zontal forms is also used for suspended flower-holders. Indeed,
there seems to be no end of curious objects used for this pur-
pose,— a gourd, the semi-cylindrical tile, sea-shells, as with us,
and forms made in pottery or bronze in imitation of these
objects.
Quaint and odd-shaped flower-stands are made in the form
of buckets. The following figure (fig. 297) represents one
FIG. 296.
CHEAP BRACKET FOR
FLOWER-POTS.
308 JAl'AXESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
sketched at the National Exposition at Tokio in 1877. Its
construction was very ingenious; three staves of the lower
bucket were continued upward to form portions of three smaller
buckets above, and each of these, in turn, contributed a stave to
the single bucket that crowned the whole. Another form, made
by the same contributor though
not so symmetrical, was quite as
odd.
Curious little braided-straw af-
fairs arc made to hold flowers, or
rather the bamboo segments in
which the llowers are kept. These
arc made in the form of insects,
fishes, mushrooms, and other nat-
ural objects. These are mentioned,
not that they have a special merit,
but to illustrate the devices used
by the common people in decorat-
ing their homes. Racks of wood
richly lacquered are also used, from
which hanging flower-holders are
suspended. These objects are rare-
ly seen now, and T have never
chanced to see one in use.
In the chapter on Interiors various forms of vases are shown
in the tvkonoina.
Fn.. ~'.'7- CrRiiirs CUMIII.NATIOX
HllKITS loll Fl.nttKKS.
My interest in Japanese homes was first aroused by wishing
to know precisely what use the Japanese made of a class of
objects with which I had been familiar in the Art Museums
and private collections at home ; furthermore, a study of their
houses led me to search for those evidences of household deco-
ration which might possibly parallel the hanging baskets, corner
INTERIOR ADORNMENTS. 309
brackets, and especially ornaments made of birch bark, fungi,
moss, shell-work, and the like, with which our humbler homes
are often garnished. It was delightful to find that the Japan-
ese were susceptible to the charms embodied in these bits of
Nature, and that they too used them in similar decorative ways.
At the outset, search for an object aside from the bare rooms
seemed fruitless enough. At first sight these rooms appeared
absolutely barren ; in passing from one room to the other one
got the idea that the house was to be let. Picture to yourself
a room with no fire-place and accompanying mantel. — that shelf
of shelves for the support of pretty objects; no windows with
their convenient interspaces for the suspension of pictures or
brackets ; no table, rarely even cabinets, to hold bright-colored
bindings and curious bric-a-brac ; no side-boards upon which to
array the rich pottery or glistening porcelain ; no chairs, desks.
or bedsteads, and consequently no opportunity for the display
of elaborate carvings or rich cloth coverings. Indeed, one might
well wonder in what way this people displayed their pretty
objects for household decorations.
After studying the Japanese home for a while, however,
one comes to realize that display as such is out of the ques-
tion with them, and to recognize that a severe Quaker-like sim-
plicity is really one of the great charms of a Japanese room.
Absolute cleanliness and refinement, with very few objects in
sight upon which the eye may rest contentedly, are the main
features in household adornment which the Japanese strive after,
and which they 'attain with a simplicity and effectiveness that
we can never hope to reach. Our rooms seem to them like a
curiosity shop, and "stuffy" to the last degree. Such a maze of
vases, pictures, plaques, bronzes, with shelves, brackets, cabinets,
and tables loaded down with bric-a-brac, is quite enough to drive
a Japanese frantic. We parade in the most unreasoning manner
every object of this nature in our possession ; and with the
310 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
periodical recurrence of birthday and Christmas holidays, and the
consequent influx of new things, the less pretty ones already
on parade are banished to the chambers above to make room for
the new ones ; and as these in turn get crowded out they rise
to the garret, there to be providentially broken up by the chil-
divii. or to be preserved for future antiquarians to contemplate,
and to ponder over the condition of art in this age. Our walls
arc hum; with large fish-plates which were intended to hold
food ; heavy hron/es, which in a Japanese room are made to rest
stl idly on the lloor. and to hold great woody branches of the
plum or cherry with their wealth of blossoms, are with us often
placed on high shelves or perched in some perilous position over
the door. The ignorant display is more rarely seen of thrusting
a piece of statuary into the window, so that the neighbor across
the way may see it ; when a silhouette, cut out of stiff pasteboard, '
would in this position answer all the purposes so far as the
inmates are concerned. How often we destroy an artist's best
elTorts liv cxpo.-ing his picture against some glaring fresco or
di.-tiMcting wall-paper! And still not content with the accu-
mulated misery of .-udi a room, we allow the upholsterer and
furnisher to provide us with a gorgeously framed mirror, from
which we may have Hashed hack at us the contents of the room
rever.-ed. or, more dreadful still, a reverberation of these hor-
rors through opposite reflecting surfaces, — a futile effort of
Nature to sicken us of the whole thing by endless repetition.1
That we in America are not exceptional in these matters of
questionable furnishing, one may learn by listening to an English
authority on this subject, — one who has done more than any
other writer in calling attention not only to violations of true
taste in household adornment, but who points out in a most ra-
tional way the correct paths to follow, not only to avoid that
Tlio pior-glass is happily unknown in Japan ; n small disk of polished metal reprc-
wntu the mirror, and is wisely kept in a box till needed !
INTERIOR ADORNMENTS. 31 1
which is offensive and pretentious, but to arrive at better
methods and truer principles in matters of taste. We refer to
Charles L. Eastlake and his timely work entitled "Hints on
Household Taste." In his animadversions on the commonplace
taste shown in the furnishing of English houses, he says " it
pervades and vitiates the judgment by which we are accustomed
to select and approve the objects of every-day use which we
see around us. It crosses our path in the Brussels carpet of
our drawing-room ; it is about our bed in the .shape of gaudy
chintz ; it compels us to rest on chairs, and to sit at tables
which are designed in accordance with the worst principles of
construction, and invested with shapes confessedly unpictur-
esque. It sends us metal-work from Birmingham, which is as
vulgar in form as it is flimsy in execution. It decorates the
finest modern porcelain with the most objectionable character
of ornament. It lines our walls with silly representations of
vegetable life, or with a mass of uninteresting diaper. It bids
us, in short, furnish our houses lifter the same fashion as we
dress ourselves, — and that is with no more sense of real beauty
than if art were a dead letter." Let us contrast our tastes in
these matters with those of the Japanese, and perhaps profit
by the lesson.
In the previous chapters sufficient details have been given
for one to grasp the structural features of a Japanese room.
Let us now observe that the general tone and color of a Jap-
anese apartment are subdued. Its atmosphere is restful ; and
only after one has sat on the mats for some time do the
unostentatious fittings of the apartment attract one's notice.
The papers of the fiisuma of neutral tints ; the plastered sur-
faces, when they occur equally tinted in similar tones, warm
browns and stone-colors predominating ; the cedar-board ceiling,
with the rich color of that wood ; the wood-work everywhere
modestly conspicuous, and always presenting the natural colors
312 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
undefiled by the painter's miseries,— these all combine to render
the room quiet and refined to the last degree. The floor in
bright contrast is covered with its cool straw matting, — a uni-
form bright surface set off by the rectangular black borders of
the mats. It is such an infinite comfort to find throughout the
length and breadth of that Empire the floors covered with the
unobstrusive straw matting. Monotonous some would think:
yes, it has the monotony of fresh air and of pure water. Such
a room requires but little adornment in the shape of extrane-
ous objects: indeed, then- are but few places where such ob-
jects can lie placed. Hut observe, that while in our rooms one
is at libertv to cover his wall with pictures without the slightest
ivinnl to litrlit or elVect, the Japanese room has a recess clear
ami free from the floor to the hooded partition that spans it
above, and this recess is placed at right angles to the source of
light ; furthermore,
it is exalted as the
place of highest
honor in the room,
- and here, and
here alone, hangs
the picture. Not a
varnished affair, to
see which one has
to perambulate the
apartment with bead awry to get a vantage point of vision,
but a picture which may be seen in its proper light from any
point of the room. In the tokonoma there is usually but one
picture exposed, — though, as we have seen, this recess may be
wide enough to accommodate a set of two or three.
Between the kamoi, or lintel, and the ceiling is a space
say of eighteen inches or more, according to the height of
the room ; and here may sometimes be seen a long narrow
FIG. 25)!?. — FRAMED PICTURE, WITH SUPPORTS.
INTERIOR ADORNMENTS.
313
o
o
picture, framed in a narrow wood-border, or secured to a flat
frame, which is concealed by the paper or brocade that borders
the picture. This picture tips forward at a considerable angle,
and is supported on two iron hooks. In order that the edge
of the frame may not be scarred by the
iron, it is customary to interpose tri-
angular red-crape cushions. A bamboo
support is often substituted for the iron
hooks, as shown in the .sketch (fig. 298).
The picture may be a landscape, or a
spray of flowers ; but more often it con-
sists of a few Chinese characters em-
bodying some bit of poetry, moral
precept, or sentiment, — and usually the
characters have been written by some
poet, scholar, or other distinguished man.
The square wooden post which comes
in the middle of a partition between
two corners of the room may be
adorned by a long, narrow, and thin
strip of cedar the width of the post,
upon which is painted a picture of some
kind. This strip, instead of being of
wood, may be of silk and brocade, like
a kakemono, having only one haze obi
hanging in the middle from above. FIG.SQO.-HASHIRA-KAKUSHI.
Cheap ones may be of straw, rush, or
thin strips of bamboo. This object, of whatever material, is
called hashira-kakushi, — literally meaning " post-hide." If of
wood, both sides are decorated ; so that after one side has done
duty for awhile the other side is exposed. The wood is usually
of dark cedar evenly grained, and the sketch is painted directly
on the wood. Fig. 299 shows both sides of one of these strips.
314 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
The decoration for these objects is very skilfully treated by the
artist ; and while it might bother our artists to know what
subject to select for a picture on so awkward and limited a
surface, it offers no trouble to the Japanese decorator. He
simply takes a vertical slice out of some good subject, as
one might get a glimpse of Nature through a slightly open
d()0r. — and imagination is left to supply the rest. These
objects find their way to our markets, but the bright colors
ii-ed in their decoration show that they have been painted for
the masses in this country. The post upon which this kind
of picture is hung, as well as the toko-bash ira, may also be
adorned with a hanging flower-holder such as has already been
described.
A Japanese may have a famous collection of pictures, yet
the-e are stowed away iii his kiirn. witli the exception of the
one ex po-i -d in the tul'untniifi. 11 he is a man of taste, he
chair_r''S the pietmv from time to time according to the season,
tlie character of hi.- ;_riir-t<, or for special occasions. In one
liou-e \vheiv I was a guest for a few days the picture was
changed everv dav. A picture may do duty for a few weeks
or months, when it is carefully rolled up, stowed away in
it- silk covering and box. and another one is unrolled. In
this way a picture never becomes monotonous. The listless
and indifferent way in which an American will often regard
his own pictures when showing them to a friend, indicates that
his pictures have heen so long on his walls that they no longer
arouse any attention or delight. It is true, one never wearies
in contemplating the work of the great masters; but one should
remember that all pictures are not masterpieces, and that by
constant exposure the effect of a picture becomes seriously im-
paired. The way in which pictures with us are crowded on the
walls, — many of them of necessity in the worst possible light,
or no light at all when the windows are muffled with heavy
INTERIOR ADORNMENTS. 315
curtains, — shows that the main interest centres in their embossed
gilt frames, which are conspicuous in all lights. The princi-
ple of constant exposure is certainly wrong ; a good picture is
all the more enjoyable if it is not forever staring one in the
face. Who wants to contemplate a burning tropical sunset on
a full stomach, or a drizzling northern mist on an empty one ?
And yet these are the experiences which we are often compelled
to endure. Why not modify our rooms, and have a bay or recess,
— an alcove in the best possible light, — in which one or two
good pictures may be properly hung, with fitting accompani-
ments in the way of a few flowers, or a bit of pottery or bronze ?
We have never modified the interior arrangement of our house
in the slightest degree from the time when it was shaped in
the most economical way as a shelter in which to eat, sleep,
and die, — a rectangular kennel, with necessary holes for light,
and necessary holes to get in and out by. At the same time,
its inmates were saturated with a religion so austere and som-
bre that the possession of a picture was for a long time looked
upon as savoring of worldliness and vanity, unless, indeed, the
subject suggested the other world by a vision of hexapodous
angels, or of the transient resting-place to that world in the
guise of a tombstone and willows, or an immediate departure
thereto in the shape of a death-bed scene.
Among the Japanese all collections of pottery and other
bric-a-brac are, in the same way as the pictures, carefully en-
closed in brocade bags and boxes, and stowed away to be
unpacked only when appreciative friends come to the house ;
and then the host enjoys them with equal delight. Aside
from the heightened enjoyment sure to be evoked by the
Japanese method, one is spared an infinite amount of chagrin
and misery in having an unsophisticated friend become enthusi-
astic over the wrong thing, or mistake a rare etching of Dante
for a North American savage, or manifest a thrill of delight
816 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
over an object because he learns incidentally that its value
corresponds with his yearly grocery bill.
Nothing is more striking in a Japanese room than the har-
monies and contrasts between the colors of the various objects
and the room itself. Between the picture and the brocades
with which it is mounted, and the quiet and subdued color of
the tnknnomn in which it is hung, there is always the most
refined harmony, and such a background for the delicious and
healthy contrasts of color when a spray of bright cherry blos-
soms enlivens the quiet tones of this honored place! The gen-
eral tone of the room sets oif to perfection the simplest spray
nf (lowers, a quiet picture, a rough bit of pottery or an old
hron/e; and at the same time a costly and magnificent piece
nf gold lac.puT hla/.es out like a gem from these simple sur-
minulin<_rs. — and vet the harmony is not disturbed.
It is an interest ing fact that the efforts at harmonious and
decorative effects which have been made by famous artists and
decorators in this country and in England have been strongly
imbued l>v the Japanese spirit, and every success attained is a
confirmation of the correctness of Japanese taste. Wall-papers
are nii\v more quiet and unobtrusive; the merit of simplicity and
reserve where it belongs, and a fitness everywhere, are becoming
more widelv recognized.
It is rare to see cabinets or conveniences for the display of
bric-a-brac in a Japanese house, though sometimes a lacquer-
stand with a few shelves may be seen, — and on this may be
displayed a number of objects consisting of ancient pottery,
some stone implements, a fossil, old coins, or a few water-worn
fragments of rock brought from China, and mounted on dark
wood stands. The Japanese are great collectors of autographs,
coins, brocades, metal-work, and many other groups of objects ;
but these are rarely exposed. In regard to objects in the toko-
noma, I have seen in different tokonoma, variously displayed,
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE.
317
FIG. 300. — WHITING-DESK.
natural fragments of quartz, crystal spheres, curious water-
worn stones, coral, old bronze, as well as the customary vase
for flowers or the incense-burner. These various objects are
usually, but not always, supported on a lacquer-stand. In the
chigai-dana I have also noticed the sword-rack, lacquer writ-
ing-box, makimono, and books ; and when I Avas guilty of the
impertinence of peeking into the cupboards, I have seen there a
few boxes containing pottery, pictures, and the like, — though,
as before remarked, such things are usually kept in the kura.
Besides the lacquer
cabinets, there may be
seen in the houses of
the higher class an ar-
ticle of furniture con-
sisting of a few deep
shelves, with portions
of the shelves closed,
forming little cupboards. Such a cabinet is used to hold writ-
ing-paper, toilet articles, trays for flowers, and miscellaneous
objects for use and ornament. These cases are often beau-
tifully lacquered.
The usual form of writing-desk consists of a low stool not
over a foot in height, with plain side-pieces or legs for support,
sometimes having shallow drawers ; and this is about the only
piece of furniture that would parallel our table. The illustration
(fig. 300) shows one of these tables, upon which may be seen
the paper, ink-stone, brush, and brush-rest.
In the cities and large villages the people stand in con-
stant fear of conflagrations. Almost every month they are
reminded of the instability of the ground they rest upon by
tremors and slight shocks, which may be the precursors of
destructive earthquakes, usually accompanied by conflagrations
318 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
infinitely more disastrous. Allusion has been made to the little
portable engines with which houses are furnished. In the city
house one may notice a little platform or staging with hand-
rail erected on the ridge of the roof (fig. 301); a ladder or
flight of steps leads to this staging, and on alarms of fire
anxious faces may be seen peering from these lookouts in the
direction of the burning buildings. It is usual to have resting
KM;. '*'il. -STAC. INI. ON IlorsK-iioor, WITH BITKET AND BRUSH.
on the platform a huge bucket or half barrel filled with water,
ami in-ar by a long-handled brush; and this is used to sprinkle
water on places threatened by the sparks and fire-brands, which
oft fii fill tin* air in times of great conflagrations.
During the prevalence of a high wind it is a common sight
to see the small dealers packing their goods in large baskets
and square cloths to ti<- up ready to transport in case of fire.
At such times the windows and doors of the kura are closed
and the chinks plastered with mud, which is always at hand
either under a platform near the door or in a large earthen
jar near the openings. In private dwellings, too, at times of
possible danger, the more precious objects are packed up in a
HOUSES OF FOREIGN STYLE.
319
square basket-like box, having straps attached to it, so that it
can easily be transported on one's shoulders (fig. 302).
In drawing to a close this description of Japanese homes and
their surroundings, I have to regret that neither time, strength,
nor opportunity enabled me to make it more complete by a
description, accompanied by sketches, of the residences of the
highest classes in Japan. Indeed, it is a question whether any
of the old residences of the Dai-
mios remain in the condition in
which they were twenty years
ago, or before the Revolution.
Even where the buildings re-
main, as in the castles of Na-
goya and Kumamoto, busy clerks
and secretaries are seen sitting
in chairs and writing at tables
in foreign style ; and though in
some cases the beautifully dec-
orated fusuma, with the elaborately carved ramma and rich
wood-ceiling are still preserved, — as in the castle of Nagoya,
as well as in many others doubtless, — the introduction of var-
nished furniture and gaudy-colored foreign carpets in some of
the apartments has brought sad discord into the former har-
monies of the place.
In Tokio a number of former Daimios have built houses in
foreign style, though these somehow or other usually lack the
peculiar comforts of our homes. Why a Japanese should build
a house in foreign style was somewhat of a puzzle to me, until
I saw the character of their homes and the manner in which
a foreigner in some cases was likely to behave on entering a
Japanese house. If he did not walk into it with his boots
on, he was sure to be seen stalking about in his stockinged
FIG. 302.
•Box FOR TKANSPOUTING
ARTICLES.
320 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
feet, bumping his head at intervals against the kamoi, or burning
holes in the mats in his clumsy attempts to pick up coals from
the hibachi with which to light his cigar. Not being able to sit
on the mats properly, he sprawls about in attitudes confessedly
as rude as if a Japanese in our apartments were to perch his
legs on the table. If he will not take off his boots, he possibly
finds his wav to the garden, where he wanders about, indenting
the paths with his boot-heels or leaving scars on the verandah,
possibly washing bis bands in the chodzu-bachi, and generally
making himself the cause of much discomfort to the inmates.
h was a happy idea when those Japanese who from their
prominence in the affairs of the country were compelled to
entertain the •• foreign barbarian." conceived the idea of erecting
a cage in foreign fashion to bold temporarily the menagerie
which they wen- often compelled to receive. Seriously, however,
the inelastic character of most foreigners, and their inability to
adapt themselves to their surroundings have rendered the erec-
tion of buildings in foreign style for their entertainment not
only a convenience but an absolute necessity. It must be ad-
mitted that for tin; activities of business especially, the foreign
style oi ollice and shop is not only more convenient but unques-
tionably superior.
The former Daimio of Chikuzen was one of the first, I believe,
to build a house in foreign style in Tokio, and this building is
a good typical example of an American two-story house. At-
tached, however, to this bouse is a wing containing a number
of rooms in native style. Fig. 123 (page 142) shows one of
these rooms. The former Daimio of Ilizen also lives in a
foreign house, and there are many houses in Tokio built by
Japanese after foreign plans.
In an earlier portion of this work an allusion was made to
the absence of those architectural monuments which are so
ABSENCE OF MONUMENTS. 321
characteristic of European countries. The castles of the Daimios,
which are lofty and imposing structures, have already been re-
ferred to. There are fortresses also of great extent and solid-
ity, — notably the one at Osaka, erected by Hideyoshi on an
eminence near the city ; and though the wooden structures for-
merly surmounting the walls were destroyed by lyeyasu in
1615, the stone battlements as they stand to-day must be
considered as among the marvels of engineering skill, and the
colossal masses of rock seem all the more colossal after one
has become familiar with the tiny and perishable dwellings of
the country. In the walls of this fortress are single blocks
of stone — at great heights, too, above the surrounding level of
the region — measuring in some cases from thirty to thirty-six
feet in length, and at least fifteen feet in height. These huge
blocks have been transported long distances from the moun-
tains many miles away from the city.
Attention is called to the existence of these remarkable
monuments as an evidence that the Japanese are quite compe-
tent to erect such buildings, if the national taste had inclined
them in that way. So far as I know, a national impulse has
never led the Japanese to commemorate great deeds in the
nation's life by enduring monuments of stone. The reason
may be that the plucky little nation has always been successful
in repelling invasion ; and a peculiar quality in their tempera-
ment has prevented them from perpetuating in a public way,
either by monuments or by the naming of streets and bridges,
the memories of victories won by one section of the country
over another.
Rev. "VV. E. Griffis, in an interesting article on " The Streets
and Street-names of Yedo," 1 in noticing the almost total
absence of the names of great victories or historic battlefields
in the naming of the streets and bridges in Tokio, says : " It
1 Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. i. p. 20.
21
322 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
would have been au unwise policy in the great unifier of Japan,
lyeyasii, to have given to the streets in the capital of a nation
finally united in peaceful union any name that would be a
constant source of humiliation, that would keep alive bitter
memories, or that would irritate freshly-healed wounds. The
anomalous absence of .such names proves at once the sagacity
of lyeyasfl, and is another witness to the oft-repeated policy
used by the Japanese in treating their enemies, — that is, to
conquer them by kindness and conciliation."
CHAPTER VIII.
THE ANCIENT HOUSE.
ALLUSIONS TO THE HOUSE IN ANCIENT JAPANESE RECORDS.
T T would be an extremely interesting line of research to
follow out the history of the development of the house
in Japan. The material for such a study may possibly be in
existence, but unfortunately there are few scholars accom-
plished enough to read the early Japanese records. Thanks to
the labors of Mr. Chamberlain, and to Mr. Satow, Mr. Aston, Mr.
McClatchie, and other members of the English legation in Japan.1
students of Ethnology are enabled to catch a glimpse of the
character of the early house in that country.
From the translations of ancient Japanese Rituals.2 by Ernest
Satow, Esq.; of the Kojiki, or "Records of Ancient Matters,"1
by Basil Hall Chamberlain, Esq. ; and an ancient Japanese
Classic,* by W. G. Aston, Esq., — we get a glimpse of the
Japanese house as it was a thousand years or more ago.
Mr. Satow claims that the ancient Japanese Rituals are
" the oldest specimens of ancient indigenous Japanese litera-
ture extant, excepting only perhaps the poetry contained in
the ' Kojiki ' and ' Nihongi ; ' ' and Mr. Chamberlain says the
I Owing to the sensible civil service of England, scholars and diplomates are ap-
pointed to these duties in the East ; and as a natural result all the honors, — political,
commercial, and literary, — have, with few exceptions, been won by Englishmen.
3 Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. ix. part ii. p. 191.
II Ibid., vol. x. Supplement.
4 Ibid., vol. iii. part ii. p. 121.
324 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
"Kojiki" is "the earliest authentic connected literary product
of that large division of the human race which has been
variously denominated Turanian, Scythian, and Altaic, and it
even precedes by at least a century the most ancient extant
literary compositions of non-Aryan India."
The allusions to house-structure in the " Kojiki," though
brief, are suggestive, and carry us back without question to the
condition of the Japanese house in the seventh and eighth
centuries.
Mr. Satow, in his translation of the Rituals, says that the
j>eri<>d when this service was first instituted was certainly be-
fore the tenth century, and probably earlier. From these re-
cords lie ascertains that "the palace of the Japanese sovereign
was a wooden hut. with its pillars planted in the ground, in-
-ti-ad of being erected upon broad, flat stones, as in modern
buildings. The whole frame-work, consisting of posts, beams,
rafter>. door-posts, and window-frames, was tied together with
cords, made by twist inn the long fibrous stems of climbing
plants. — such as Pueraria Thunbergiana (kuzn) and Wistaria
Sinensis (ftiji). The floor must have been low down, so that
the occupants of the building, as they squatted or lay on their
mats, were exposed to the stealthy attacks of venomous snakes,
which were probably far more, numerous in the earliest ages
wln-n the country was for the most part uncultivated than at
the present day. . . . There seems some reason to think that
the i/iikrt, here translated ' floor,' was originally nothing but a
couch which ran around the sides of the hut, the rest of the
space being simply a mud-floor; and that the size of the couch
was gradually increased until it occupied the whole interior.
The rafters projected upward beyond the ridge-pole, crossing
each other as is seen in the roofs of modern Shin-tau temples,
whether their architecture be in conformity with early tradi-
tions (in which case all the rafters are so crossed), or modified
THE ANCIENT HOUSE. 325
in accordance with more advanced principles of construction,
and the crossed rafters retained only as ornaments at the two
ends of the ridge. The roof was thatched, and perhaps had
a gable at each end, with a hole to allow the smoke of the
wood-fire to escape, — so that it was possible for birds flying
in and perching on the beams overhead, to defile the food, or
the fire with which it was cooked."
From the "Kojiki" we learn that even in those early days
the house was sufficiently differentiated to present forms re-
ferred to as temples or palaces, houses of the people, store-
houses, and rude huts. That the temples or palaces were more
than rude huts is shown by references to the verandah, the
great roof, stout pillars, and high cross-beams. They were at
least two stories high, as we read of people gazing from an
upper story. The peasants were not allowed to build a house
with a raised roof frame ; that is, a roof the upper portion or
ridge of which was raised above the roof proper, and having a
different structure. This indicates the existence at that time
of different kinds of roofs, or ridges. Fire-places were in the
middle of the floor, and the smoke-outlet was in the gable
end of the roof protected by a lattice, — as seen in the Jap-
anese country houses of to-day. The posts or pillars of the
house were buried deep in the ground, and not, as in the
present house, resting on a stone foundation.
The allusions in the "Kojiki," where it says, "and if thou
goest in a boat along that road there will appear a palace
built like fish-scales," and again, " the ill-omened crew were
shattered like tiles," show the existence of tiles at that time.
A curious reference is also made to using cormorants' feathers
for thatch. There were front doors and back doors, doors to
be raised, and windows and openings.
It is mentioned that through the awkwardness of the car-
penter the farther " fin " of the great roof is bent down at the
326 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
corner, — probably indicating wide over-hanging eaves, the cor-
ners of which might easily be called " fins." Within the house
were mats of sedge, skin, and silk, and ornamental screens to
protect the sleepers from draughts of air.1 The castles had
back gates, side gates, and other gates. Some of these gates,
at least, had a roof-like structure above, as we read in the
" Kojiki," " Come under the metal gate ; we will stand till the
rain stops."
Fences are also alluded to. The latrine is mentioned several
times as being away from the house, and having been placed
over running water, — ''whence doubtless the name Raha-ya;
that is, river-house." This feature is specially characteristic
of the latrine, from Siam to Java. This suggestion of early af-
finities with the Malay people is seen in an ancient Japanese
('lassie, dating from the tenth century, entitled Monogatari, or
'• Tales of Japan," translated by Mr. Chamberlain,2 in which we
read, '-Now. in olden days the people dwelt in houses raised
on platforms built out in the river Ikuta." In the "Kojiki"
we also read. " They made in the middle of the river Hi a
black plaited bridge, and respectfully offered a temporary palace
to dwell in." The translator says the significance of this pas-
sage is : " They built as a temporary abode for the prince a
house in the river Hi (whether with its foundations actually
in the water or on an island is left undetermined), connecting
it with the main-land by a bridge made of branches of trees
twisted together, and with their bark left on them (this is
here the import of the word black)."
The •' Kojiki " mentions a two-forked boat : may this not
lie some kind of a catamaran ? Mention is also made of eat-
ing from leaf-platters: this is a, marked Malay feature.
1 In Anam I noticed that the hod-rooms were indicated hy hanging cloth partitions
as well as by those made of matting.
f Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. vi. part i. p. 109.
THE ANCIENT HOUSE. 327
These various statements — particularly those concerning the
latrine, and building houses over the water — are significant
indications of the marked southern affinities of the Japanese.
Other features of similarity with southern people are seen in
the general structure of the house.
The principal references which have been made to the
" Kojiki " are quoted here for the convenience of the reader.
For the history of the origin of this ancient record, methods of
translation, etc., the reader is referred to Mr. Chamberlain's
Introduction accompanying the translation.
" And the ill-omened crew were shattered like tiles " (p. 8).
" So when from the palace she raised the door and came out to meet
him " (p. 34).
" Taking him into the house, and calling him into an eight-foot-spaced
large room" (p. 73).
" Do thou make stout the temple-pillars at the foot of Mount Uka in
the nethermost rock-bottom, and make high the cross-beams to the Plain-
of-High-Heaven " (p. 74).
" I push back the plank-door shut by the maiden " (p. 76).
" Beneath the fluttering of the ornamented fence, beneath the softness
of the warm coverlets, beneath the rustling of the cloth coverlet" (p. 81).
The translator says " the ' ornamented fence ' is supposed to
mean ' a curtain round the sleeping-place.' '
"The soot on the heavenly new lattice of the gable," etc. (p. 105).1
"Using cormorants' feathers for thatch" (p. 126).
" The manner in which I will send this sword down will be to perforate
the ridge of [the roof of] Takakurazhi's store-house, and drop it through ! "
(p. 135).
" In a damp hut on the reed-moor, having ' spread layer upon layer of
sedge mats, we two slept ! ' " (p. 149).
" When she was about to enter the sea, she spread eight thicknesses of
sedge rugs, eight thicknesses of skin rugs, and eight thicknesses of silk
rugs on top of the waves " (p 212).
1 Satow gives quite a different rendering of this passage.
328 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS,
" So when the grandee of Kuchiko was repeating this august Song [to
the Km press], it was raining heavily. Then upon his, without avoiding
the rain, coming and prostrating himself at the front door of the palace, she
on the contrary went out at the back door ; and on his coming and pros-
trating himself at the back door of the palace, she on the contrary went
out at the front door " (p. 278).
"Then the Heavenly Sovereign, going straight to the place where Queen
Mcdori dwelt, stood on the door-sill of the palace" (p. 281).
" ' Had I known tlmt 1 should sleep on the
M,.or of Tajihi, Oli ! I would have brought
My dividing matting."
(,,. 288.)
"Then, "ii climbing to the top of the mountain and gazing on the
interior <>f the comitrv, [lie perceived that] there was a house built with a
raised roof-frame. The Heavenly Sovereign sent to ask [concerning] that
lion-.,., saying, ' Who-c roof with a raised frame, is that?' The answer
was: • It is the house of the. great Departmental Lord of Shiki.' Then
tlie Hi-avenly Sovereign said: 'What! a slave builds his own house in
imitation of the auiMi-t abode of the Heavenly Sovereign!' — and forth-
with lie sent men t<> burn the house [down]" (p. 311).
"Thereupon the grandee Sliibi sang, saying, —
' Thf further tin of the roof of the great
Palace is licnt down at tlio corner.'
When he had thus sung, and requested the conclusion of the Song, His
Augustness Woke sang, saying, —
' It is on account of the great carpenter's
Awkwardness that it is bcut down at the
Corner.' "
(P. am)
In the ancient Japanese Rituals, Mr. Satow finds that the
rafters projected upward beyond the ridge-pole of the roof cross-
ing each other; - - as is seen in the roofs of modern Shin-to tem-
ples. A curious feature is often seen on the gable ends of the
roofs of the Malay houses near Singapore, consisting of pro-
jecting pieces crossing each other at the two ends of the roof ;
THE ANCIENT HOUSE.
329
and these are ornamented by being cut in odd sweeps and
curves (fig. 303). Survivals of these crossing rafters are seen
in the modern Japanese dwelling ; that is, if we are to regard
as such the wooden X's which straddle the roof at intervals,
as shown in figs. 45 (page 62) and 85 (page 98). A precisely
similar feature is seen on the roofs of houses along the river
approaching Saigon, and on the road leading from Saigon to
Cholon, in Anam (fig. 304).
It has been customary to regard the tokonoma, or bed-place,
in the Japanese house as being derived from the Aino house.
The suggestion of such a derivation seems to me to have no
foundation. In the Aino house the solid ground is the floor ;
sometimes, but not always, a rush mat is spread along the
side of the fireplace, which is in the centre of the hut. The
slightest attention to comfort would lead the Ainos to erect
a platform of boards, — and such a platform is generally found
next to the wall in
the Aino hut. This
platform not only
serves as a sleeping-
place, but holds also
boxes and household
goods, as well as such
objects as were not
suspended to the
sides of the houses or
from poles stretched
across. In no case
did I see a raised platform protected by a partition, or one
utilized solely for a sleeping-place. If it were safe to venture
upon any conjecture as to the origin of the tokonoma, or if
external resemblances had any weight in affinities of struc-
ture, one might see the prototype of this feature in the Malay
FIG. 303. — MALAY HOUSE NEAK SINGAPORE.
330 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
house. In the Malay villages near Singapore, one may see not
only a slightly raised place for the bed exclusively, but also
a narrow partition jutting out from the side of the wall, not
unlike that which separates the tokonoma from its companion
recess (fig. 305).
FIG. 304. — KIPGK OK HOOK is CIIOLOS, ASAM.
Whether those various relations pointed out between the
Japanese house and similar features iu the Malay house are
(if anv weight or not, they must be recognized in any at-
tempt to trace the origin of those features in house-structure
FIG. 305. — INTERIOR OF MALAY HOUSE, SHOWING BED-PLACE. SINGAPORE.
which have originated outside of Japan. From all that we
can gather relating to the ancient house of the Japanese, it
would seem that certain important resemblances must be sought
for among the southern nations of Anam, Cochin China, and
particularly those of the Malay peninsula.
THE ANCIENT HOUSE. 331
Ernest Satow, Esq., in an article on the Shin-to temples of Ise,1
which, as the author says, " rank first among all the Shin-to tem-
ples in Japan in point of sanctity, though not the most ancient,"
has some interesting matter concerning the character of the
ancient house. He says : —
" Japanese antiquarians tell us that in early times, before carpenters'
tools had been invented, the dwellings of the people who inhabited these
islands were constructed of young trees witli the bark on, fastened to-
gether with ropes made of the rush (xurje, — Scirpus maritiraus), or per-
haps with the tough shoots of the wistaria (fuji), and thatched with
the grass called kaya. In modern buildings the uprights of a house
stand upon large stones laid on the surface of the earth ; but this pre-
caution against decay had not occurred to the ancients, who planted the
uprights in holes dug in the ground.
The ground-plan of the hut was oblong, with four corner uprights, and
one in the middle of eacli of the four sides, — those in the sides which
formed the ends being long enough to support the ridge-pole. Other trees
were fastened horizontally from corner to corner, — one set near the ground,
one near the top, and one set on the top, the latter of which formed what
we call the wall-plates. Two large rafters, whose upper ends crossed each
other, were laid from the wall-plates to the heads of the taller uprights.
The ridge-pole rested in the fork formed by the upper ends of the rafters
crossing each other. Horizontal poles were then laid along each slope of
the roof, one pair being fastened close up to the exterior angle of the fork.
The rafters were slender poles, or bamboos, passed over the ridge-pole and
fastened down on each end to the wall-plates. Next followed the process
of putting on the thatch. In order to keep this in its place, two trees
were laid along the top resting in the forks ; and across these two trees
were placed short logs at equal distances, which being fastened to the poles
in the exterior angle of the forks by ropes passed through the thatch, bound
the ridge of the roof firmly together.
" The walls and doors were constructed of rough matting. It is evident
that some tool must have been used to cut the trees to the required length ;
and for this purpose a sharpened stone was probably employed. Such
1 Translations of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. ii. p. 119.
332 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
stone implements have been found imbedded in the earth in various parts
of Japan, in company with stone arrow-heads and clubs. Specimens of the
ancient style of building may even yet be seen in remote parts of the
country, — not perhaps so much in the habitations of the peasantry, as in
sheds erected to serve a temporary purpose.
" The architecture of the Shin-to temples is derived from the primeval
hut, with more or less modification in proportion to the influence of Bud-
dhism in each particular case. Those of the purest style retain the thatched
roof ; others are covered with the thick shingling called hiwada-buki, while
others have tiled and even coppered roofs. The projecting ends of the
rafters called rhiyi have been somewhat lengthened, and carved more
or less elaborately. At the new temple at Kudanzaka in Yedo they are
shown in the proj>cr position, projecting from the inside of the shingling;
but in the majority of cases they merely consist of two pieces of wood in
the form of the letter X, which rest on the ridge of the roof like a pack-
s;nlille on a horse's bark, to make use of a Japanese writer's comparison.
The logs which kept the two trees laid on the ridge in their place have
taken tlie form of short cylindrical pieces of timber tapering towards each
extremity, which have been compared by foreigners to cigars. In Japanese
they are called kn/.-mo-i/i, from their resemblance to the pieces of dried
boiiito sold under the name of k(itsuo-lux/ii. The two trees laid along the
roof over the thatch arc represented by a single beam, called Mtmaosae,
or " roof-presser." Planking has taken the place of the mats with which
the sides of the building were originally closed, and the entrance is closed
by a pair of folding doors, turning not on hinges, but on what are, I
Iflieve, technically called 'journals.' The primeval hut had no flooring;
luit we find that the shrine has a wooden floor raised some feet above the
ground, which arrangement necessitates a sort of balcony all round, and a
Ilight of steps up to the entrance. The transformation is completed in
some cases by the addition of a quantity of ornamental metal-work
in brass."
Coming down to somewhat later times, we find a charm-
ing bit of description of the house in an ancient Japanese
Classic1 entitled Tom Nikki, or "Tosa Diary," translated by W.
1 TruMctioM »f tin- Asiatic Society of Jujuui, vol. iii. part ii.
THE ANCIENT HOUSE. 333
G. Aston. This Diary was written in the middle. of the tenth
century, and is the record of a court noble who lived in Kioto,
but who was absent from his home five or six years as Pre-
fect of Tosa. The Diary was a record of his journey home,
and the first entry in it was in the fourth year of Shohei,
which according to our reckoning must have been in the early
part of 935 A.D., or nearly one thousand years ago. During his
absence from home, news had come to him of the death of
his little daughter nine years old ; and lie says, " With the joy-
ful thought, ' Home to Kioto ! ' there mingles the bitter reflec-
tion that there is one who never will return."
The journey home was mostly by sea; and finally, having
entered the Osaka River, and spent several clays in strug-
gling against the strong current, he reaches Yamazaki, from
which place he starts for Kioto. He expresses great delight
in recognizing the old familiar landmarks as lie rides along.
" He mentions the children's playthings and sweetmeats in the
shops as looking exactly as when he went away, and wonders
whether he will find as little change in the hearts of his
friends. He had purposely left Yamazaki in the evening in
order that it might be night when ho reached his own dwell-
ing." Mr. Aston translates his account of the state in which
he found it : -
"The moon was shining brightly when I reached my house and en-
tered the gate, so that its condition was plainly to be seen. It was de-
cayed and ruined beyond all description, — worse even than T had been
told. The house l of the man in whose charge I left it was in an equally
dilapidated condition. The fence between the two houses had been broken
down, so that both seemed but one, and he appeared to have fulfilled his
charge by looking in through the gaps. And yet I had supplied him,
by every opportunity, with the means of keeping it in repair. To-night,
1 In Mr. Aston's translation this word is printed " heart," but evidently this must be
a misprint.
334 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
however, I would not allow him to be told this in an angry tone, but
in spite of my vexation offered him an acknowledgment for his trouble.
There was in one place something like a pond, where water had col-
lected in a hollow, by the side of which grew a fir-tree. It had lost
half its branches, and looked as if a thousand years had passed during
the five or six years of my absence. Younger trees had grown up round
it, and the whole place was in a most neglectful condition, so that every
one said that it was pitiful to see. Among other sad thoughts that rose
spontaneously t<> my mind was the memory — ah! how sorrowful! — of
inn- who was born in this house, but who did not return here along with
inc. My fellow-passengers wore chatting merrily with their children in
tlii-ir arms, but I meanwhile, still unable to contain my grief, privately
repeated these lines t<> «>ne who knew my heart."
Iii this pathetic- account one gets a glimpse of the house as
it appeared nearly a thousand years ago. The broken fence
between the houses; the gateway, probably a conspicuous struc-
ture then as it is to-day, in a dilapidated condition; and the
neglected garden with a tangle of young trees growing up, — all
show the existence in those, early days of features similar to
those which exist to-day.
The history of house development in Japan, if it should ever
be revealed, will prohably show a slow but steady progress
from the rude hut of the past to the curious and artistic house
of to-day. — a house as thoroughly a product of Japan as is
that of the Chinese. Korean, or Malay a product of those res-
l>ertive peoples, and differing from all quite as much as they
differ from one another. A few features have been introduced
from abroad, but these have been trifling as compared to the
wholesale imitation of foreign styles of architecture by our
ancestors, the English; and until within a few years we have
followed England's example in perpetuating the legacy it left
us, in the shape of badly imitated foreign architecture, clas-
sical and otherwise. As a result, we have scattered over the
land, among a few public buildings of good taste, a countless
THE ANCIENT HOUSE. 335
number of ill-proportioned, ugly, and entirely inappropriate build-
ings for public use. Had the exuberant fancies of the village
architect revelled in woodsheds or one-storied buildings, the
harm would have been trifling ; but the desire for pretentious
show, which seems to characterize the average American, has
led to the erection of these architectural horrors on the most
conspicuous sites, — and thus the public taste is vitiated.
The Japanese, while developing an original type of house,
have adopted the serviceable tile from Korea, and probably
also the economical transverse framing and vertical struts from
China, and bits of temple architecture for external adornments.
As to their temple architecture, which came in with one of
their religions, they had the good sense to leave it compara-
tively as it was brought to them. Indeed, the temples seem
in perfect harmony with the country and its people. What
shall we say, however, to the taste displayed by the English,
who in the most servile manner have copied foreign styles of
architecture utterly unsuited to their climate and people ! In
the space of an English block one may see not only Grecian,
Roman, Italian, and Egyptian, as well as other styles of archi-
tecture, but audaciously attempted crosses between some of
these ; and the resulting hybrids have in consequence rendered
the modern English town the most unpicturesque muddle of
buildings in Christendom outside our own country.1
1 " It is lamentable to reflect how many monstrous designs have been perpetrated
under the general name of Gothic, which have neither in spirit nor letter realized the
character of Mediaeval art. In London these extraordinary ebullitions of uneducated
taste generally appear in the form of meeting-houses, music-halls, and similar places of
popular resort. Showy in their general effect, and usually overloaded with meretricious
ornament, they are likely enough to impose upon an uninformed judgment, which is inca-
pable of discriminating between what Mr. Ruskin has called the ' Lamp of Sacrifice,' —
one of the glories of ancient art, — and the lust of profusion which is the bane of modern
design." — Eastlake's Hints on Household Taste, p. 21 .
CHAPTER IX.
THE NEIGHBORING HOUSE.
HOITSK OK THE AINO. OK THE BOX-IN ISLANDER. — OF THE LOOCUOOAN. — OF THE
KoHKAN. — OK THK. CllIXESE. • - CONCLUDING REMARKS.
T_T AYING got a glimpse, and a slight glimpse only, of the
ancient house in Japan, it may be of interest to consider
briefly the character of the house in neighboring islands forming
part of the Japanese Empire, and also of the house in that
country which comes nearest to Japan (Korea), and from which
country in the past there have been many both peaceful and
compulsory invasions, — compulsory in the fact that when Hide-
yoshi returned from Korea, nearly three hundred years ago,
after his great invasion of that country, he brought back with
him to Japan colonies of potters and other artisans.
The Ainos of Yezo naturally claim our attention first, be-
cause it is believed that they were the aboriginal people of
Japan proper, and were afterwards displaced by the Japanese, —
a displacement similar to that of our North American savages
by the English colonists. Whether the Ainos are autochthonous
or not, will not be discussed here. That they are a savage race,
without written language, — a race which formerly occupied the
northern part of the main island of Japan, and were gradually
forced back to Yezo, where they still live in scattered com-
munities,— are facts which are unquestionable. How far the
Aino house to-day represents the ancient Aino house, and how
HOUSE OF THE AINO.
337
many features of the Japanese house are engrafted upon it, are
points difficult to determine.
The Ainos that I saw in the Ishikari valley, on the west
coast of Yezo, and from Shiraoi south on the east coast, all
spoke Japanese, ate out of lacquer bowls, used chop-sticks,
smoked small pipes, drank sake, and within their huts pos-
sessed lacquer boxes and other conveniences in which to stow
away their clothing, which had probably been given them in
past times by the Japanese, and which were heirlooms. On
FIG. 306. — AINO HOUSE, YEZO.
the other hand, they retained their own language, their long,
narrow dug-out ; used the small bow, the poisoned arrow, and
had an arrow-release of their own ; adhered to their ancestral
forms of worship and their peculiar methods of design, and were
quite as persistent in clinging to many of their customs as are
our own Western tribes of Indians. That they are susceptible
to change is seen in the presence of a young Aino at the normal
school in Tokio, from whom I derived some interesting facts
concerning archery.
Briefly, the Aino house, as I saw it, consists of a rude frame-
work of timber supporting a thatched roof ; the walls being
22
338 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
made up of reeds and rush interwoven with stiffer cross-pieces.
Within, there is a single room the dimensions of the house.
In most houses there is an L, in which is the doorway, which
ma}- in some cases be covered with a rude porch. The thatched
roof is well made and quite picturesque, differing somewhat
in form from any thatched roof among the Japanese, — though
in Yamato, as already mentioned, I saw features in the slope
of the roof quite similar to those shown in some of the Aino
roofs.
Fin. 'Ml. — AINO HOUSE, YKZO.
Entering the house by the low door, one comes into a room
so dark that it is with difficulty one can see anything. The
inmates light rolls of birch-bark that one may be enabled to see
the interior; but every appearance of neatness and picturesque-
ness which the hut presented from without, vanishes when one
gets inside. Deneath one's feet is a hard, damp, earth floor; di-
rectly above are the blackened and soot-covered rafters. Poles
supjwrted horizontally from these rafters are equally greasy and
blackened, and pervading the darkness is a dirty and strong fishy
odor. In the middle of the floor, and occupying considerable
space, is a square area, — the fireplace. On its two sides mats
are spread. A pot hangs over the smoke, for there appears to
HOUSE OF THE BONIN ISLANDER. 339
be but little fire ; and at one side is a large bowl containing
the remains of the last meal, consisting apparently of fish-bones,
large sickly-looking bones, the sight of which instantly vitiates
one's appetite. The smoke, rebuffed at the only opening save
the door, — a small square opening close under the low eaves,
— struggles to escape through a small opening in the angle of
the roof. On one side of the room is a slightly raised floor of
boards, upon which are mats, lacquer-boxes, bundles of nets,
and a miscellaneous assortment of objects. Hanging from the
rafters and poles are bows, quivers of arrows, Japanese daggers
mounted on curious wooden tablets inlaid with lead, slices of
fish and skates' heads in various stages, not of decomposition, as
the odors would seem to imply, but of smoke preservation. Dirt
everywhere, and fleas. And in the midst of the darkness, smoke,
and squalor are the inmates, — quiet, demure, and gentle to the
last degree. Figs. 30G and 307 give an idea of the appearance of
two Aino houses of the better kind, but perhaps cannot be taken
as a type of the Aino house farther north on the island.
Let us now glance at the house of the natives of the
Bonin Islands, or Hachijo, as described by Mr. Dickins and
Mr. Satow.1 From their communication the following account
is taken : —
" As may readily be supposed, there are no shops or inns on the island,
but fair accommodation for travellers can he obtained at the farmers'
houses. These are for the most part substantially-built cottages of two
or three rooms, with a spacious kitchen, constructed with the timber of
Quercus cuspi/latu , and with plank walls, where on the mainland it is
usual to have plastered wattles. The roof is invariably of thatch, with
a very high pitch, — necessitated, we were told, by the extreme damp-
ness of the climate, which renders it desirable to allow as little rain as
1 Notes of a visit to Hachijo, in 1878. By F. V. Dickins and Ernest Satow.
Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. vi. part iii. p. 435.
340 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
possible to soak into the straw. Many of the more prosperous farmers
have a second building, devoted to the rearing of silkworms, which takes
its name (kaiko-ya) from the purpose to which it is destined. There are
also sheds for cattle, usually consisting of a thatched roof resting on
walls formed of rough stone-work. Lastly, each enclosure possesses a
wooden godown, raised some four feet from the ground on stout wooden
j>ost.s, crowned with broad caps, to prevent the mice from gaining an en-
trance. The style resembles that of the storehouses constructed by the
Ainos and Loochooans.
"The house and vegetable-garden belonging to it are usually sur-
rc ninded by a stone wall, or rather bank of stones and earth, often six
fret high, designed to ]>rotert the buildings from the violent gales which
at ''Main Miaous sweeji over tlif island, and which, as we learned, fre-
i|in-iitly do serious injury to the rice-fields by the quantity of salt spray
which they carry a long distance inland from the shore."
From this general description of the house which incident-
ally accompanies a \cry interesting sketch of the physical pecu-
liarities of the island, its ideology, botany, and the customs and
dialect of the people. \ve get no idea of the special features of
the house. — as to the fireplace or bed-place; whether there be
*ln~j! or ordinary windows, matted floor, or any of those details
which would render a comparison with the Japanese house of
value.
As Mr. Satow found in the language of the Bonin Islanders
a number of word> which appeared to he survivals of archaic
Japanese, and also' among their customs the curious one. which
existed up to within very recent times, of erecting parturition
houses, — a feature which is alluded to in the very earliest re-
cords of Japan. — a minute description of the Bonin house with
sketches might possibly lead to some facts of interest.
The Loochoo, or Riukiu Islands, now known as Okinawa
Shima. lie nearly midway between the southern part of Japan
and the Island of Formosa. The people of this group differ
HOUSE OF THE LOOCHOOAN. 341
but little from the Japanese, — their language, according to Mr.
Satow and Mr. Brunton, having in it words that appear obso-
lete in Japan. In many customs there is a curious admixture
of Chinese and Japanese ways ; and Mr. Brunton sees in the
Loochooan bridge and other structures certain resemblances to
Chinese methods.
The following extract regarding the house of the Loochooans
is taken from an account of a visit to these islands, by Ernest
Satow, Esq., published in the first volume of the " Transactions
of the Asiatic Society of Japan : "
"The houses of the Loochooans are built in Japanese fashion, with
the floor raised three or four feet from the ground, and have mostly
only one story, on account of the violent winds which prevail. They
are roofed with tiles of a Chinese fashion, very strong and thick. The
buildings in which they store their rice are built of wood and thatched
with straw. They are supported on wooden posts about five feet high,
and resemble the granaries of the Amos, though constructed with much
greater care."
Another extract is here given in regard to the house of the
Loochooans, by R. H. Brunton, Esq., published in the " Transac-
tions of the Asiatic Society of Japan " l : -
" The streets in the towns present a most desolate appearance. On
each side of these is a blank stone wall of about ten or twelve feet high,
with openings in them here and there sufficiently wide to admit of access
to the houses which are behind. Every house is surrounded by a wall,
and from the street they convey the impression of being prisons rather
than ordinary dwellings. . . .
"The houses of the well-to-do classes are situated in a yard which
is surrounded by a wall ten or twelve feet high, as has been already
mentioned. They are similar to the ordinary Japanese houses, with raised
floors laid with mats and sliding screens of paper. They are built of
wood, and present no peculiar differences from the Japanese style of
1 Vol. iv. p. 68.
342 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
construction. The roofs are laid with tiles, which however are quite differ-
ent in shape from the Japanese tiles. Over the joint between two concave
tiles a convex one is laid, and these are all semi-circular in cross sections.
The tiles are made at Nnfa, and are red in color ; they appeared of good
quality. The house.'! of tire poorer classes are of very primitive character.
The roof is covered with a thick thatch, and is supported by four corner
uprights about live feet high. The walls consist of sheets of a species
of netting made of small bamboo, which contain between them a thick-
ness of about six inches of straw. This encloses the whole sides of the
house, — a width <>f about two feet being left in one side as an entrance.
There is no flouring in tin- houses of any description, and there is generally
laid over the mud inside a mat, on which the inmates lie or sit"
Considering (lit1 presence' for so many centuries of strong
Chinese influence which .Mr. Brunton sees in the Loochooans, it
is rather siirpriMiiLT to find so many features of the Japanese
house present in their dwellings. Indeed. Mr. Brunton goes so
far as to say that the Loochooan house presents no peculiar
ditYeivnces from the Japanese style of construction; and as
lie lias paid special attention to the constructive features of
Japanese buildings. \vc must believe that had differences existed
thev would have been noted by him.
It seems to me that the wide distribution of certain identical
features in Japanese house-structure, from the extreme north of
Japan to the Looclioo Islands, is something remarkable. Here
is a people who for centuries lived almost independent provincial
lives, the northern and southern provinces speaking different dia-
lects, even the character of the people varying, and yet from
Awomori in the north to the southernmost parts of Satsuma,
and even farther south to the Loochoos, the use of fusuma,
xhoji, mats, and thin wood-ceilings seems well-nigh universal.
The store-houses standing on four posts are referred to in the
description of the Bonin Islanders as well as in that of the
Loochooans as resembling those constructed by the Ainos ; yet
HOUSE OF THE KOREAN. 343
these resemblances must not be taken as indicating a commu-
nity of origin, but simply as the result of necessity. For travel-
lers in Kamtchatka, and farther west, speak of the same kind
of store-houses ; and farther south they may be seen in Singa-
pore and Java, — in fact, in every country town in New England ;
and indeed all over the United States the same kind of store-
house is seen. Probably all over the world a store-house on
four legs, even to the inverted box or pan on each leg, may
be found.
Through the courtesy of Percival Lowell, Esq., I am enabled to
see advanced sheets of his work on Korea, entitled " The Land of
the Morning Calm ; " and from this valuable work the author has
permitted me to gather many interesting facts concerning the
Korean dwellings. The houses are of one story ; a flight of two
or three steps leads to a narrow piazza, or very wide sill, which
encircles the entire building. The apartment within is only
limited by the size of the building; in other words, there is
only one room under the roof. The better class of dwellings,
however, consist of groups of these buildings. The house is of
wood, and rests upon a stone foundation. This foundation con-
sists of a series of connecting chambers, or flues ; and at one side
is a large fireplace, or oven, in which the fire is built. The pro-
ducts of combustion circulate through this labyrinth of chambers,
and find egress, not by a chimney, but by an outlet on the op-
posite side. In this way the room above is warmed. There are
three different types of this oven-like foundation. In the best
type a single slab of stone is supported by a number of stout
stone pillars ; upon this stone floor is spread a layer of earth, and
upon this earth is spread oil-paper like a carpet. In another ar-
rangement, ridges of earth and small stones run lengthwise from
front to back ; on top of this the same arrangement is made of
stone, earth, and oil-paper. In the third type, representing a
344 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
still poorer class, the oven and flues are hollowed out of the earth
alone. Mr. Lowell remarks that the idea is a good one, if it
were only accompanied by proper ventilation. Unfortunately,
he says, the room above is no better than a box, in which the
occupant is slowly roasted. Another disadvantage is experienced
in the impossibility of warming a room at once. He says : " The
room does not even begin to get warm until you have passed
through an agonizing interval of expectancy. Then it takes
what seems forever to reach a comfortable temperature, passes
this brief second of happiness before you have had time to
realize that it has attained it, and continues mounting to un-
known degrees in a truly alarming manner, beyond the possi-
bility of control." This curious and ingenious method of warming
houses is said to have been introduced from China some one
hundred and fifty years ago.
A house of the highest order is simply a frame-work, —
a roof support rd on eight or more posts according to the
size of the building ; and this with a foundation represents
the only fixed structure. In summer it presents a skeleton-
like appearance ; in winter, however, it appears solid and com-
pact, as a scries of folding-doors, — a pair between each two
po>ts, — closes it completely. These are prettily latticed, open
outward, and are fastened from within by a hook and knob.
By a curious arrangement these doors can be removed from
their hinges, the upper parts only remaining attached, and
fastened up by hooks to the ceiling. This kind of a house and
room is used as a banqueting hall and a room for general enter-
tainment. It may be compared to our drawing-room.
Dwelling-rooms are constructed on quite a different plan.
Instead of continuous doors, the sides are composed of perma-
nent walls and doors. The wall is of wood, except that in the
poorer house it consists of mud. Says Mr. Lowell : " In these
buildings we have an elaborate system of three-fold aperture
HOUSE OF THE CHINESE. 345
closers, — a species of three skins, only that they are for con-
secutive, not simultaneous, use. The outer is the folding-door
above mentioned ; the other two are a couple of pairs of sliding
panels, — the survivors in Korea of the once common sliding
screens, such as are used to-day in Japan. One of the pairs is
covered with dark green paper, and is for night use ; the other
is of the natural yellowish color of the oil-paper, and is used by
day. When not wanted, they slide back into grooves inside
the wall, whence they are pulled out again by ribbons fastened
near the middle of the outer edge. All screens of this sort,
whether in houses or palanquins, are provided, unlike the Jap-
anese, with these conveniences for tying the two halves of
each pair together, and thus enabling easier adjustment." The
house-lining within is oil-paper. '• Paper covers the ceiling,
lines the wall, spreads the floor. As you sit in your room
your eye falls upon nothing but paper ; and the very light that
enables you to see anything at all sifts in through the same
material."
It will be seen by these brief extracts how dissimilar the
Korean house is to that of the Japanese. And this dissimi-
larity is fully sustained by an examination of the photographs
which Mr. Lowell made in Korea, and which show among
other things low stone-walled houses with square openings for
windows, closed by frames covered with paper, the frames hung
from above and opening outside, and the roof tiled : also curious
thatched roofs, in which the slopes are uneven and rounding,
and their ridges curiously knotted or braided, differing in every
respect from the many forms of thatched roof in Japan.
The Chinese house, as I saw it in Shanghai and its sub-
urbs, and at Canton as well as up the river, shows differences
from the Japanese house quite as striking as those of the
Korean house. Here one sees, in the cities at least, solid
346 JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS.
brick-walled houses, with kitchen range built into the wall,
and chimney equally permanent ; tiled-roof, with tiled ridges ;
enclosed court-yard; floors of stone, upon which the shoes are
worn from the street ; doorways, with doors on hinges ; window
openings closed by swinging frames fitted with the translucent
shells of Placuna. or white paper, the latter usually in a di-
lapidated condition ; and for furniture they have tables, chairs,
bedsteads, drawers, babies' chairs, cradles, foot-stools, and the
like. Tin- farm-houses of China in those regions that I visited
were equally unlike similar houses in Japan.
From this superficial glance at the character of the house
in i In- i >ut King Islands of the Japanese Empire, as well as at
tin' hon>es of the neighboring countries, Korea and China,
1 think it will he coiK.'eded that the Japanese house is typi-
cally a product of the people, with just those features from
abroad incorporated in it that one might look for, considering
the proximity to Japan of China and Korea. When we remem-
ber that these three great civilizations of the Mongoloid race
approximate within the radius of a few hundred miles, and that
they have been in more or less intimate contact since early his-
toric times, we cannot wonder that the germs of Japanese art and
letters should have been adopted from the continent. In pre-
ci-.-ly the same way our ancestors, the English, drew from their
continent the material for their language, art, music, architecture,
and many other important factors in their civilization; and if
history speaks truly, their refinement, even in language and eti-
quette was imported. Hut while Japan, like England, has mod-
ified and developed the germs ingrafted from a greater and older
civilization, it has ever preserved the elasticity of youth, and
seized upon the good things of our civilization, — such as steam,
electricity, and modern methods of study and research, — and
utilized them promptly. Far different is it from the mother
CONCLUDING REMARKS. 347
country, where the improvements and methods of other nations
get but tardy recognition.
It seems to give certain English writers peculiar delight to
stigmatize the Japanese as a nation of imitators and copyists.
From the contemptuous manner in which disparagements of
this nature are flung into the faces of the Japanese who are
engaged in their heroic work of establishing sound methods of
government and education, one would think that in England
had originated the characters by which the English people
write, the paper upon which they print, the figures by which
they reckon, the compass by which they navigate, the gun-
powder by which they .subjugate, the religion by which they
worship. Indeed, when one looks over the long list of coun-
tries upon which England has drawn for the arts of nui.sic.
painting, sculpture, architecture, printing, engraving, and a host
of other things, it certainly comes with an ill-grace from natives
of that country to taunt the Japanese with being imitators.
It would be obviously absurd to suggest as a model for our
own houses such a structure as a Japanese house. Leaving
out the fact that it is not adapted to the rigor of our climate
or to the habits of our people, its fragile and delicate fittings
if adopted by us, would be reduced to a mass of kindlings in
a week, by the rude knocks it would receive ; and as for ex-
posing on our public thoroughfares the delicate labyrinth of
carvings often seen on panel and post in Japan, the wide-spread
vandalism of our country would render futile all such attempts
to civilize and refine. Fortunately, in that land which we had
in our former ignorance and prejudice regarded as uncivilized,
the malevolent form of the genus homo called " vandal " is
unknown.
Believing that the Japanese show infinitely greater refine-
ment in their methods of house-adornment than we do, and
convinced that their tastes are normally artistic, I have
348 JAPANESE 110MES AND TUEIR SURROUNDINGS.
endeavored to emphasize my convictions by holding up in
contrast our usual methods of house-furnishing and outside
embellishments. By so doing I do not mean to imply that
we do not have in America interiors that show the most
perfect refinement and taste ; or that in Japan, on the other
hand, interiors may not be found in which good taste is
wanting.
I do not export to do much good in thus pointing out what I
believe to ho bettor methods, resting cm more refined standards.
There arc some, I am sure, who will approve; but the throng —
who nro won by tawdry glint and tinsel; who make possible,
by admiration and purchase, the horrors of much that is made
for house-furnishing and adornment — will, with characteristic
obtnsencx. call all else but themselves and their own ways
heathen and barbarous.
GLOSSARY.
GLOSSARY.
IN the following list of Japanese words used in this work an opportunity is given to correct
a number of mistakes which crept into, or rather walked boldly into, the text. The author lays
no claim to a knowledge of the Japanese language beyond what any foreigner might naturally
acquire in being thrown among the people for some time. As far as possible he has followed
Hepburn's Japanese Dictionary for orthography and definition, and Brmiton's Map of Japan for
geographical names, lirunton's map, as well as that published by Rein, spells Settsu with oue t.
For the sake of uniformity I have followed this spelling in the text, though it is contrary to the
best authorities. It may be added that Oshiu and Totomi should be printed with a long accent
over each o.
The words Samurai, Daimio, Kioto, Tnkio, and several others, are now so commonly seen
in the periodical literature of our country that this form of spelling fur these words has been
retained. For rules concerning the, pronunciation of Japanese words the reader is referred to
the Introduction in Hepburn's Dictionary.
Agari-ba . . . The floor for standing upon in coming out of the bath.
Age-yen ... A platform that can be raised or lowered.
Amado .... Rain-door. The outside sliding doors by which the house
is closed at night.
Andon .... 'A lamp.
Asagao .... A colloquial name for a porcelain urinal, from its resem-
blance to the flower of the morning-glory.
Benjo .... Privy. Place for business.
Biwa ... A lute with four strings.
Biy8-bu ... A folding screen.
Cha-dokoro . . Tea-place.
Cha-ire .... Tea-jar ; literally, " tea-put in." ^
Cha-no-yu ... A tea-party. "
Chigai-dana . . A shelf, one half of which is on a different plane from the
other.
352
GLOSSARY.
Ch6diu-ba .
Chfidzu-bachi
Cbfl-nuri
Dai-jfl-no .
Daiku . .
Daimio .
Dodai . .
Dodaiishi .
Do-ma .
Fukuro-dana .
Fumi-ishi . . .
Furo
Furosaki biy6-bu.
Fusuma ....
Fu-tai . . . .
Futon . . . .
Oe-dan . . . .
Genka . . . .
Geta
Ooyemon buro
Habakari . .
Hagi ...
Haahira . . .
Kashira kakushi
Hibachi . . .
Hibashi .
Hikite . . .
Hi no ki . .
Hima»hi . . .
Hongawara .
Privy ; literally, " hand water-place."
A convenience near the privy for washing the hands.
Middle layer of plaster.
A pan for holding burning charcoal, used in replenishing
the hibachi.
A carpenter.
A feudal lord.
The foundation-sill of a house.
Foundation stone.
Earth-space. A small unfloored court at the entrance of
the house.
Cupboard; literally, "pouch-shelf."
Stepping-stone.
A small culinary furnace, also a bath-tub.
A two-fold screen placed in front of the furo.
A sliding screen between rooms.
The bands which hang down in front of a kake-mono ; lit-
erally, " wind-baud."
A quilted bed-cover.
Lower step.
The porch at the entrance of a house.
Wooden clogs.
A form of bath-tub.
Privy.
A kind of rush.
A post.
A long narrow picture to hang on post in room ; literally,
"post-hide."
A brazier for holding hot coals for warming the apart-
ments.
Metal tongs.
A recessed catch in a screen for sliding it back and forth.
A species of pine.
A small roof projecting over a door or window.
True tile.
GLOSSARY.
Ichi-yo-dana . . A kind of shelf.
Iri-kawa . . . The space between the verandah and room.
Ishi-doro A stone lantern.
353
Ji-bukuro . . . Cupboard.
Jin-dai sugi . . " Cedar of God's age."
Jinrikiska ... A two-wheeled vehicle drawn by a man.
Ji-zai A hook used for hanging pots over the fire.
Jo-dan .... Upper step, liaised floor in house.
Kago .... Sedan chair.
Kaikosha . . . Name of a private school of architecture.
Kake-mono . . Hanging picture.
Kaki Fence.
Kamado . . . Kitchen range.
Kami dana ... A shelf in the house for Shin-to shrine.
Kami no ma . . Higher room.
Kamoi .... Lintel.
Kara-kami . . . Sliding screen between rooms.
Kawarake . . . Unglazed cartlien warp.
Kaya .... A kind of grass used for thatch.
Kaya .... Mosquito netting.
Kazari-kugi . . Ornamental headed nails.
Kaze-obi . . . The bands which hang down in front of the kake-mono ;
literally, " wind-band."
Kesho no-ma . . Toilet-room.
Keyaki .... A kind of hard wood.
K5-ka .... Privy ; literally. " back frame."
Koahi-bari ... A kind of paper used for a dado.
Kuguri-do ... A small, low door in a gate.
Kura A fire-proof store-house.
Kuro-moji-gaki . A kind of ornamental fence.
Ma-bashira . . Middle post.
Mado .... Window.
Ma-gaki .... A fence made of bamboo.
Magari-gane . . A carpenter's iron square.
Maki-mono . . Pictures that are kept rolled up, not hung.
23
354
GLOSSARY.
Maki-mono dana
Makura . . .
Miki-dokkuri .
Mochi . . .
Mon
Mune .
Naka-tsubo
Nan-do .
Neda-maruta .
Nedzumi-bashira
Nikai-bari .
Noren . . . .
Nuki ...
Nuri-yen
Ochi-yen
Oshi-ire . . . .
Otoshi-kake . .
Ramma .
Ro
Ro-ka
Sake ....
Bamiseu
Samiseii-tsugi .
Samurai
Saahi-mono-ya
SeUu-in . .
Shaku . .
Shaku . . .
Shichirin . .
Shikii . . .
8hin-t6
Shelf for maki-mouo.
Pillow.
Bottle for offering wine to gods.
A kind of bread made of glutinous rice.
Badge, or crest.
Ridge of roof.
Middle space.
Store-room. Pantry.
Cross-beams to support floor.
Cross-beam at end of building; literally, "rat-post."
Horizontal l>eam to support second-story floor.
Curtain. Hanging screen.
A stick passed through mortised holes to bind together
upright posts.
A verandah unprotected by amado.
A low platform.
Closet; literally, "push, put in."
Hanging partition.
Open ornamental work over the screens which form the
partitions in the house.
Hi-art !i, or tire-place, in the floor.
( 'orridor. Covered way.
Fermented liquor brewed from rice.
A guitar with three strings.
A peculiar splice for joining timber.
Military class privileged to wear two swords.
Cabinet-maker.
Privy; literally, "snow-hide."'
A wooden tablet formerly carried by nobles when in the
presence of the Emperor.
A measure of ten inches. Japanese foot.
A brazier for cooking purposes.
The lower grooved beam in which the door or screens
slide.
The primitive religion of Japan.
GLOSSARY.
355
Shita-nuri . ,
Sho-ji . . .
Sode-gaki .
Sudare .
Sugi ...
Sumi-sashi .
Sumi-taubo
Bun . . .
Sunoko .
Tabako-bon
Tamari-no-ma
Tansu
Taruki . .
Tatami . .
Ten- jo . .
Te-shoku .
To-bukuro .
Tokkuri .
Toko .
Toko-bashira
Tokonoma .
Tori-i . .
Tsubo
Tsugi-no-ma
Tsui-tate
Tsume-sho .
The first layer of plaster.
The outside door-sash covered with thin paper.
A small ornamental fence adjoining a house.
A shade made of split bamboo or reeds.
Cedar.
A marking-brush made of wood.
An ink-pot used by carpenters in lieu of the chalk-line.
One tenth of a Japanese foot.
A platform made of bamboo.
A box or tray in which fire and smoking utensils are kept.
Anteroom.
Bureau.
A rafter of the roof.
A floor-mat.
Ceiling.
Hand-lamp.
A closet in which outside doors are stowed away.
A bottle.
The floor of the tokonoma.
The post dividing the two bays or recesses in the guest-
room.
A bay, or recess, where a picture is hung.
A portal, or structure of stone or wood, erected in front of
a Shin-to temple.
An area of six feet square.
Second room.
A screen of one leaf set in a frame.
A servant's waiting-room.
Usukasumi-dana . A name for shelf ; literally, " thin mist-shelf."
Uwa-nuri . . . The last layer of plaster.
Watari .... A passage ; literally, " to cross over."
Tane .... Roof.
Yane-ahita . . . Roof-beams.
Yaflhiki . . . . A lot of ground upon which a house stands. An enclosure
for a Daimio's residence.
356 GLOSSARY.
Yedo-gawara . . Yedo tile.
Ten A coin ; equals one dollar.
Yen gawa . . . Verandah.
Yen-riyo . . . Reserve.
Yen-sashikl . . End-parlor.
Y6-ba . . . Privy ; literally, " place for business."
Yoshi .... A kind of reed.
Yoshi-do ... A screen made of yoshi.
Yu-dono . . . Bath-room.
Yuk.i shita . . . The beams supporting the first floor.
INDEX.
INDEX.
A INOS, their houses and customs, 336-
339.
Amado, the, their use as storm-doors or at
night, 239, 242, 247 ; their usual form, and
accompanying arrange incuts for ventilation,
247, 248 ; the single noisy feature of the
Japanese house, 248 ; their various devices
for fastening, 248-250 ; corner-rollers for
use in their adjustment, 250; their occa-
sional sliding or swinging doors for night
use, 250, 251 ; their closets, or to-liukitro,
for storage purposes during day-time, 251,
252.
Ancient House, the, its development as traced
in some ancient Japanese records, 323— 335 ;
Ernest Satow cited as to the ancient palaces
of the Japanese sovereigns, 324, 325 ; early
differentiation in its roof forms, 325, 326;
early form of latrine, and its ethnological
bearing, 326 ; its resemblance to the Anam
and Malay forms, 330 ; Ernest Satow cited
as to its general character, 331, 332.
Andon, or lamp, its common form, 221 ; its
varieties, 222.
Aqueducts, their occasional use in the cities,
296 ; their usual method of construction,
297; the insufficiency and poor quality of
their water-supply, 297 ; their construction
of bamboo pipes, 299-301 ; their reser-
voirs, 300.
Architecture, Japanese, its common terms of
framework-construction and dimensions
explained, 23 note; as intelligently consid-
ered, 45-47 ; sympathy with the Japanese
people an essential element of its thorough
appreciation, 45, 46 ; its occasional impos-
ing types, 45, 321; as shown in the tem-
ples, 4(>, 47 ; its alleged uniformity, 47, 49 ;
absence of books on house-plans and eleva-
tions, 47, 48; a few of its most common
terms, 106, 107 ; as compared with our
own, 234; its occasional combination with
foreign types, 318, 320; as shown in the
fortresses, 321 ; its comparative want of
grandeur, 321, 322, its originality of style,
334, 335 ; its peculiar features as some-
times observed in the surrounding islands,
342, 343; its incorporation of special fea-
tures from neighboring countries, 346.
Aston, W. G., cited, 323, 333.
Atkinson, Professor, mentioned, 296 note.
T3ALCON1ES, their usual occurrence in
two-story houses, 244 ; their varieties of
railing, 244-247 ; instances of artistic de-
sign in the perforated panel-form of railing,
245 ; light bamboo form of railing, 245,
246 ; more durable forms, 246.
Bamboo, its importance as a Japanese build-
ing material, 84; its use in roof-construc-
tion, 92, 94-97, 100-104 ; its peculiar adapt-
ability for artistic decoration, 146, 156, 170,
171 ; its use in screen and curtain work, 182 ;
360
INDEX.
iu artistic use in balcony railing, 24*, 245 ;
its adaptability for holding (lowers, 306.
Bathing conveniences, 203-205, 209, 210.
Bath-tubs, their general use throughout the
count ry, and their different varieties, 203-
205 ; various methods of heating, 203-205.
Bedding, its simplicity of detail, 210-212;
the usual form of pillow and its different
varieties, 211; frequent use as wraps in
tin1 day-lime in winter, 213, 211; the use
of mosquito nettings and their arrange-
ment, 211.
Bird's Ne»ts, frequently built in dwelling
houv-, .'.'7; their symmetry of construc-
tion, 22i ; regarded with great considera-
tion liv the people. 227-
Urie-ii-brac, nature "t, ami where displayed
in the Japanese house, '.\\<'i.
Uninton. U. II , eiled un the Loochooan
house, :H1, :il2.
/''\NI>IJ'!S, their u-e a cominnn mean1- of
liu'hting house*., 219. 22H; their manufae-
aii'l eeoiii.mv of use. 21 '.I. 220; their
lr> '|'H Hi "rnniiieiilalion. 220.
1 '--liek-. their variety of form and de-
sign, 22'i. 221 ; pottery forms, 223.
Carpenter, the Japanese, technical terms used
in house-construction, and dimension of
framework explained. 23 nut- ; his supe-
rior skill in planning and constructing as
compared with the American, 35-37; his
tools and appliances, 37-11. 79, 80; an-
tiquity of his tools now in common use,
43, 41; his staging and its construction,
^^•, everywhere throughout the country
excellent workmen found, 172.
Coiling, its manner of construction and sus-
pension, 27-31; frequent artistic matching
and uniform combination of its boards, 30,
31 ; iu low studding a prominent feature
of Japanese houses, 10S ; its frequent rich-
ness of finish, 146, 147, 157, 166, 168;
its varieties as observed in tea-rooms, 153,
154, 157, 165 ; the Japanese term and its
meaning, 165 ; the selection of its struc-
tural material, 165 ; its conventional form,
165 ; its frequent beauty of design, 166 ;
instance of Chinese art and design in its
workmanship, 156, 166, 167; panelled
form, 166.
Cellar, its usual absence in Japanese house,
15, 16, 56, 112; a shallow receptacle be-
neath the floor, for storage-room, its occa-
sional substitute, 114.
Chamberlain, Basil Hall, cited, 323, 326, 327.
Charcoal, its common use as fuel, 118, 185,
155, 101, 203, 204, 213; its frequent use
for wanning houses, 119.
Chiyai-dana, its usual appearance, 110; its
many varieties, 133-149; its ceiling, 134;
its floor, 134; its communication with the
tui-omiinit, 1 35 ; arrangement of its shelves
and closets, 135, 137, 138; studied avoid-
ance of symmetrical arrangement often
shown in its details, 136; meaning of the
term and its different names, 137 ; its finish-
ing and appointments, 109, 138, 139, 148,
168, 317; its variations in size, 139, 143,
115, US; as observed in a country house
of the ]H)orcr class, 148 ; a distinctive fea-
ture of the guest-room only, 149 ; as an op.
portunity for the display of artistic decora-
tion, 168.
Chimneys, absence of, 2.
Chod:u-barlii, the, a convenience for washing
the hands, 252-255 ; its simplest and most
primitive variety, 252 ; the more common
forms of bronze, etc., and their arrange-
ments, 253; its various supports, 253;
varieties of stone forms, 253; special plat-
form for its use, 254; instances of taste
and ingenuity in its construction and snr-
INDEX.
361
roundings, 254 ; its general use as an evi-
dence of Japanese neatness, 255.
Church-spires, absence of, 2.
Closets, their variety of form and use, 196,
197; their unfrequent appearance in cham-
bers, 197; their universal presence in the
kitchen, 197 ; their frequent and ingenious
combination with stairways, 197, 198 ; their
use and arrangement in halls for holding
shoes, 239.
Curtains, 182, 183.
Customs : Japanese manner of receiving guests,
125 ; the tea-ceremony, — its method of ob-
servance and national importance, 149-152 ;
public bathing and its universal observance
throughout Japan, 199, 201 ; separation of
the sexes in Japan contrasted with our own
social freedom, 200, 201 ; religious toler-
ance, 225 ; foreigners in Japan, and their
awkward attempts at observance of, 124,
319, 320.
"TlAIMIOS, their castles as instances of
Japanese architecture, 45, 321 ; Aime
Humbert cited thereon, 45 ; tlieir houses,
with interior plan and description, 11!),
120, 121.
Dickins, F. V., cited on the Bonin house,
339, 340.
Doors, their ponderous form in the kura, 9,
34, 75, 163; sliding forms, 51, 56, 241,
258 ; the usual absence of the swinging
forms, 111, 128; protected by casings in
the kura, 163 ; keys and padlocks used in
the kura, 164; form observed in privy,
and its varieties, 228, 230 ; special instance
of inlaid work, 231 ; amado, or storm-
door form, and its appliances, 249-252;
their variety of form and use in gateways,
258-261 ; forms found in the Korean
house, 344.
JUSTLAKE, Chas. L., quoted on interior
adornments, 311 ; quoted on mixed forms
of Architecture, 355 note.
Emerson, quoted, 10.
Euoshima, crowded arrangement of its
houses, 4.
Entrance, place of, its frequently vague and
indistinct character in the Japanese house,
8, 234, 235 ; its usual form in houses of
the better class, 235, 236, 238; its usual
grandeur in houses of the Daimios, 241 ;
grated forms with sliding doors in shops
and inns, 241.
, their durability of structure, 260,
262 ; their variety of design and struc-
ture, 9, 266—2/3; special names for the
different varieties and tlieir different mean-
ings, 266, 267 ; ordinary board-form, 26S ;
common rail-form, 268, 26'.); bamboo form
and its peculiar post -decorations, 269: rus-
tic garden-forms, 270, 271 ; the soJr-gaki,
or strictly ornamental forms and their great
variety, 271 ; rush and reed forms of the
ftoile-t/dki, 69, 271, 272 ; their occasional
barred openings, 272 ; occasional tiled
forms, 272 ; stone foundations and their
durable structure, 272.
Fire-engine, 65.
Fireplaces : the furo, or common pot-form
used in tea-rooms, 150 ; the ro, or depres-
sion in floor of tea-rooms, 154 ; the usual
forms of kitchen range, 1S8, 189 ; open
kitchen-form in centre of room, 191 ; the
hibachi, frequently used as a portable form,
216 ; common form found in the Aiuo
house, 338.
Floors, their general description and peculiar-
ity, 8 ; their elevation above the ground, —
its advantages and disadvantages, 15, 16 ;
their frequent modification in kitchens, 186,
IXDJSX.
187; their modifications as shown in a
Daimio's house, 119-121; their manner of
finish iis affected by the proposed use or
disuse of mats, 193, 194 ; the almost uni-
versal use of mats, 195, 312; their heating
arrangements for providing warmth at night,
2 1H; their ancient forms and biter develop-
ment, 327.
Flowers, their tasteful variety of holders, 286,
304-31 Mi ; love of, a national trait of the
Japanese, 302 ; their use in decorative art,
302 ; ilicir general ii.se in social life, 303 ;
their universal prrsrure in the tutuMoma,
3113, 31-1 ; .lapaiicsc met IKK! and refinement
in I heir use and arrangement. 303, as
contrasted with our own, 303. 304; this
principle of enntrast observed in selecting
their holders. 30 I.
i ii'iiders. their many varieties, ;>sf,
301 IDS ; : : usii.-d tasteful and rustle ap-
pearance ,'M'J. Hui-Hos • their l're(|iient use'
for holding dwarf-treiis, -.'sii-^'ss; hanging
303 ;o|" ; iln-ir ornamentation,
li:iinli.io as :i favorite material of their
construction, 3<ii', . Mniu (onus. 307. 3ns ;
bracket form*. 3H7 ; bucket forms. — their
cheap rinil ingenious devices, 308.
latioii, its apparent iiise<ini'itv ill the
house. 111 : more solid form Supporting
fences, y>7D. 2r>
Framework, of house, its primitive character,
14. l.'i; its occasionally studied quaint ness
of effect, 17. 18; its mortising and scartini;.
21 ; its common terms of construction and
dimensions explained, 23 nolf ; apparent
function of its bracing. 23, 24; its ancient
structural character, 321. 325, 328.
Fiikiivjwn, Mr , mentioned, 21 note.
Furgnsaon, Mr., quoted on the use of the
arch, 81.
Faro, its use in the tea-ceremony, 150 ; the ro,
or substitute form in floor of tea-room, 154.
Fusuma, their light and adjustable peculiarity,
110, 111 ; their general description aud
use, 125-130 ; their framework and cover-
ing, 127; their occasional rich decorative
effect, 127; more common forms, 127;
modification for admitting light and air,
127, 128 ; the yoshi-do or modification
for summer use, 128 ; their occurrence as
sliding panels in the more durable and
permanent form, 128, 129 ; their, handles
or means of adjustment, 129 ; their different
varieties of hi/cite, or handles, 129, 130.
QARDEN-BRIDGES, their frequent, occur-
rence. 07, 275 ; their various forms, 278,
27'.' ; ingenuity often shown in their con-
struction, 27$.
(iarden-hedges, their frequent grotesque
forms, 2S2.
Garden-mounds, a prominent feature in garden
arrangement, 275; their size, 275; special
instance in garden at Tokio, 283.
Garden-paths, their occasional picturesque
character, 283 ; the irregular arrangement
of stones in their construction, 286, 291,
292-294.
Garden-ponds, their usual appearance in gar-
den arrangement, 67, 275; their frequent
picturesque appearance, 275, 279, 281,
2S3 ; dry forms, and their deceptive ap-
pearance, 285.
Garden-tablets, an almost universal feature in
garden arrangement, 275, 276 ; their fre-
quent grotesque forms, 275, 291, 293, 294.
Gateway, the, its usual picturesque display,
63, 255 ; its variety of form and construc-
tion, 9, 255-265 ; its apparent solidky of
form, 64, 238, 257; the ponderous forms
frequently found in the YasLiki building!),
257 ; manner of decoration, 257 ; ordinary
forms in the better class of city house, 257,
INDEX.
363
258 ; its occasional -supplementary sliding
or swinging door, 258 ; its forms of gate-
bell, or rattle, 258 ; methods of locking the
sliding door in gate, 259 ; its occasional
simplicity, 259 ; elaborate city form, 2GO ;
a suburban form of special beauty, 260-
263 ; occasional evidences of quaintness and
grotesqueness in its construction, 263 ; a
typical suburban form near Tokio, 263,
264 ; rustic forms observed in the Impe-
rial Garden at Tokio, 264; simple village
method of closing gate, 264; variety of
garden forms, 265 ; instance of its special
quaintness, 265.
Gecrts, Dr., mentioned, 296 note.
Genka, 8.
Godowns, 9, 75. See KURA.
Griffis, Rev. W. E., quoted, 321.
Guest-room, the, its two recesses, — the tolco-
noma and chigai-dana, — and their different
varieties and arrangement, 133—149 ; a com-
mon type, and consideration of its peculiar
feature, 133-136; attempts at natural effects
in, 133, 137, 144, 145 ; ornamental-headed
nails as employed in the arrangement of if*
cross-ties, 134 ; its studied lack of bi-latcral
symmetry, 135 ; its seats of honor on cere-
monial occasions, 137 ; corner arrangement
of its recesses, 139; its varieties of shiiji,
140; its decorative features and their ef-
fect, 141 ; the Writing-place as found in
the better class of house, 142 ; severe sim-
plicity in its arrangement, 145 ; as repre-
sented on the second story, 145-147 ; as
observed in a country house of the poorer
kind, 147.
Gutters, their usual form, and how they are
constructed, 83.
TTALL, the, its absence of ornamentation.
236 ; the tsui-tate, or hall screen, and its
use, 236 ; the brilliant polish of its floor, 237 ;
a common form with diagram, 237, 239 ; the
shoe-closet and its contents, 239 ; the lan-
tern-shelf and its use, 239, 240.
Hibachi, the, an inseparable accompaniment of
a Japanese house, 214 ; its various forms,
214-216; its common forms, 214; its
handle and conveniences for moving, 215 ;
its beauty of make and ornamentation,
215, 210; its frequent use as portable tin--
place and stove, 216 ; their arrangement anil
use for company, 216, 217 ; the tabuko-bon,
or smaller form, and its use, 217; its fuel
and manner of use, 218.
Hideyoshi, Japanese invader of Korea, 336.
Hikitf, their use, 129 ; their different varieties,
1 29, 130, 146 ; instance of elaborate work-
manship in their ornamentation, 129 ; the
more common forms, 129 ; the more ancient
forms, 130 : their use and arrangement in
the shoji, or outer screens, 131.
Hiroshima, a city of Japan, 2.
Ilon-gawara. 88.
House, the Aino, 333-339 ; its framework
and roof, 338 ; its interior, 338, 339.
, the Bouin, its usual form, 339, 3-10.
, the Looehooau, its similarity to the
Japanese form, 341, 342.
, the Korean, its usual form, 343 ; its
foundation and method of heating, 343,
• 344 ; the more elaborate form and its pecu-
liar arrangement for summer and winter
comfort, 344 ; its interior arrangement, 345 ;
its dissimilarity to the Japanese, 345.
, the Chinese, its dissimilarity to the Jap-
anese, 345 ; its usual forms, 340.
House, the Japanese, general description of,
6-14; its disappointing character, consid-
ered from the American or English stand-
point, 6, 7, 10 ; contrasted with our own, 7 ;
few permanent partitions and walls in, 7;
general appearance of its exterior, 7, 8 ; its
places of entrance, S ; its interior arrange-
;;r,4
INDEX.
roent, S-10 ; its surroundings, 9 ; its usual
absence of display on the street side, 9, 55,
66, 255 ; its apparently anomalous character,
10 ; its appropriateness from the Japanese
standpoint, 10, 11, 12, 46; Kein cited in
reference to, 11, 12: its alleged want of
privacy and sanitary condition, 11, 12; its
inflammable nature and proposed remedies
therefor, 13; objections to change in its
nrchitccturr, 13, \l: its const ruction. 14-
35; primitive nature of its foiindntiou and
framework 11-24: it* absence of cellar
and elevation nf floor, 1"), Mi, 5ti ; its side-
framing. 14-ls : ap|Kirent insecurity of its
underpinning', 1'i; its uprights and their
proiiinirnec :i> ;i eonstructnc t'ealure, 17;
t lie verandah, .'in almost universal feature
"I Us coiisinietion, 17, 241; dill'erent \a-
riciics «i its roof.framiug, 18-20; absence
of tlie arch, 2n, -M ; framcxvork diagram, —
description, l{ >i<,f,- • bracing and its ap-
parent function, i'.'i, 2t; frequent coinbi-
nation of the grotesque and odd in its
choice of material, 2.'i, 69 ; its interior fin-
i-li, 24, 2.1 ; absence of waste in its eon-
•ion, 2U ; its ceiling, 27-31; its in-
Kirtitions and their different varieties,
12; its exterior walls and their usual
varieties and finish, \\-~i, 'M ; its various
t.xjif.. -ITi-lO/ ; principal difference between
its old ami modem forms, 48 ; the apparent
.sameness of it«. architecture, 49; its usual
diminutive character in cities as compared
wirii that in country, 49-72; the dwellings
of the laboring class in city and country,
49, 5H ; street scenes iu Tokio showing city
varieties, 5U-52: its occasional prison-like
•spcrt in the city, 50; its usual outside
method of finish. 51 ; modern city tenement,
52, 53 ; contiguity of city merchant's shop
»nd dwelling, 53, 54, 158; city dwellings of
the bettor class, front and rear description,
54-56 ; some picturesque types as instanced
by the north country inns, 57-60 ; simple
village forms and their occasional beauty of
appearance, 61, 72 ; old country dwellings
and farm-houses of the better class, 60-63 ;
the rustic and antique as frequently seen in
the cities, 64-70 ; a few varieties in the
coast villages, 72, 73 ; fishermen's huts,
74, 75 ; the ycuhiki forms described, 77 ;
its variety of elaborate roof forms, 77-107 ;
the vague and indefinite character of its
entrances, 81, 235 ; Japanese and Korean
terms as applied to its different parts, 106,
107; the absence of out-houses or cellars,
1 12, 114 ; its cost of construction, 114 ; its
comfort as affected by the different seasons,
118, 119; its provisions for ventilation,
128,170, 248; the hibachi, and its invari-
able presence and use as an article of fur-
niture. 214, 219; the privy and its general
description, 228-233; comparison of some
of its principal features with similar ones in
our own architecture, 234; various forms
of verandah and balconies with description,
211-247 ; the umado, or storm-doors and
their use, 247-251 ; its single noisy feature,
24S ; the tu-lukiiro, or storm-door closet,
and its use, 251, 252 ; the chodzu-bachi and
its general use, 253-255 ; its gates and their
various forms and methods of construction,
255-2(55 ; its various forms of fence, 266-
272 ; frequent indoor presence of wells,
299 ; precautions in case of fire, 317, 318 ;
occasional modem combinations of domestic
and foreign styles of architecture, 320 ; the
ancient form and its development, 323-335 ;
its originality of architecture, 334, 335, 346;
contrasted and compared with the neigh-
boring house-forms, 336-346 ; its structural
features as frequently observed in the neigh-
boring islands, 342, 343 ; its incorporation
of foreign architectural features, 346 ; its
INDEX.
365
inappropriateness as a model for our own
use, 347-
Humbert, Aim6, cited, on Japanese architec-
ture, 45.
I NNS, their picturesque appearance as ob-
served in the north of Japan, 57-00; their
usual one-storied character, 60 ; their com-
fortable and cosey appearance, 70-72 ; their
closets and stairways frequently combined,
197, 198.
Interior of Japanese house, general rectan-
gular shape of its rooms, 8, 108, 14-9 ; fre-
quent combination in kitchen of stairway
and closet, 8, 197, 198 ; its adaptability to
the seasons, 12, 118, 119 ; the house-framing
as a decorative feature, 17, 18, 21, 108,
115, 118; careful selection of stock for its
finish, 21, 25 ; usual construction of the
ceiling, 27-31 ; its variety of partitions,
movable and permanent, 31, 32; general
description with plans, 108-121 ; its gen-
eral simplicity, 10^, 309 ; the small size
and low stud of its rooms, 108 ; the toko-
noma and its general description, 8, 109,
110; general description of the movable
partitions, or fitsiiaia, and their use, 110.
126-130; noticeable absence, of paint
and varnish, 111, 310; the love I'm- the
natural as often shown in its finish, 111,
133, 134, 137, 114, 140, 158, 308, 30!);
ground-plans of dwelling-houses in Tokio,
witli descriptions, 111-118; the absence of
bedsteads and many articles of furniture,
112; closets and stowage-room, 112, 114,
239; its comfort and inexpensiveness, 114,
115 ; its taste and refinement, 115, 118,
316, 347 ; compafed with American inte-
riors and furnishings, 117, 309-311, 314,
315, 347 ; size of its rooms and their facili-
ties for combining into a continuous
apartment, 118; method of heating in the
winter, 119, 213 ; plan and description of
a Daimio's house showing its peculiar
floor modifications, 119-121 ; usual arrange-
ment of the mats, 122, 123; studied lack
of bi-lateral symmetry in its details com-
pared witli American methods, 135, 130;
guest-rooms and their different varieties,
133-149 ; tea-rooms with their uses and
variations, 153-158; description of ceil-
ings, 105-107 ; the waste of garret room
and its abandonment to the rats, 107 ; its
walls and their treatment, 107; the ramnia
as a field for decorative effect, 108-171;
windows and their purely decorative char-
acter, 171; variations in form and place of
ils windows, 171-177 ; its great variety of
portable screens, 177-181; the kitchen
and its arrangements, lSj-193; the earth-
walk sometimes dividing kitchen floor, and
its extension through the house, 180,
187 ; its different varieties of closets, 190,
197; the primitive nature and rare use of
stairways, 197; the ever-present bath-tub
and its many varieties, 203-205 ; the fre-
quent absence or primitive character of the
lavatory, 205-208 ; varieties of towel-racks
and their frequent decorative effect, 209,
210; its household shrines ns facilities for
home worship, 221-227; birds' nests and
their frequent in-door occurrence, 227; its
delightful quiet as contrasted with our own
homes, 218; the frequent use of flowers in
its adornment, 302-308 ; various forms of
flower-holders, 301-303 ; its bare appear-
ance at first sight, 309 ; the absence of the
mirror in its adornment, 310 note ; the
subdued and restful tone of its decorations,
311, 312; the proper observance of har-
mony and contrast shown in its decoration,
316; bric-a-brac and its display, 316, 317;
occasional appearance of lacquer stands and
366
INDEX.
cabinets, 316, 317 ; the usual form of writ-
ing-desk, 317; occasional later introduction
of foreign articles of furnishing, 319.
tt/ti-Jurd, or stone lanterns, a prominent fea-
ture in garden arrangement, 277 ; their va-
riety of form, 277, 278; common legend
as to their origin, 277.
lyeyasu, the great unitier of Ja|«ii, 322.
TAl'AN. general appearance of its cities,
1, 2; temples a conspicuous feature in
its scenery. 1 ; atmospheric clearness and
absence of smoke in its cities, i; compact
arrangement of the houses in its cities and
towns, 2-4; varied appearance of its vil-
l:n;i's, h its village streets and their diller-
cut apjicaraiicc under different conditions,
4. .") ; houses of the rirh and poor contigu-
ous in cities. 5, 6 ; an appreciative study
of its architecture, -15—17
J^AMOI, or lintel, 10S, 1G8.
Kerosene oil. 210.
Kioto, a beautiful city in Japan, 2.
Kitchen, the, its many varieties in city and
country, S, ISO; its frequent lack of com-
fort and convenience in the cities, 185 ; its
frequent location in the front of the city
house, 185; its location and arrangement
in the country house, 180, 187: the con-
tinuous earthen walk sometimes dividing
its floor and running through the house.
186, IS"; its well and water supply, 187,
290 ; special description of an old-fashioned
country type, 1S8, ISO ; the usual form of
range or cookine-stove. 188, 189; its vari-
ous utensils, 100, 192; the common forms
of braziers used. 191 ; the usual method
and implements of kindling fire, 191, 192 ;
its almost universal bamboo rack and knife-
case, 191 ; frequent location of fireplace in
centre of room and its various appurtenances,
191, 192 ; t\\eji-tai and various other forms
of pot-hooks, 192, 193 ; conveniences for
warming the take or wine, 192; frequent
combination of stairway and closet in its
arrangement, 197-
Korsehelt, Dr., mentioned, 296 note.
Koyaina, S., mentioned, 75.
Kumamoto, a city in Japan, 45.
Knrii, conspicuous features in the general
view of a Japanese city, 1 ; their use, 9, 33,
75; roof-framing. 20; construction, 33-35;
structural strength, 33,34; windows and
shutters, 34, 35, 75 ; their convenience as
a general store-room, 33, 163. 164; their
frequent outside casing and its object, 34,
163, 164: their lire-proof character, 35, 76 ;
frequent use as domiciles, 33, 75, 76, 158 ;
instances of stone forms and method of roof-
ing them, 90; their adaptation for dwelling
places, 159 ; as dwellings in olden times,
1 00 ; instances of their roofed connection
with dwelling-house proper, 161 ; the pon-
derous size of their doors, 163 ; their
grated sliding doors for ventilation, 164 ;
the keys and padlocks, 164.
T AMPS, their usual form and primitive
nature, 221 ; the andon, or common
variety, 221, 222; their dimness of light,
222 ; their frequent ingenuity of form, 222;
wall forms, 222; occasional pottery forms
and their rare occurrence, 223 ; forms for
verandah use, 224 ; street lamps and their
frail structure, 224 ; itki-ddro, or stone
forms for garden use, and their varieties,
277, 278.
Lanterns, verandah forms, 224 ; fixed street-
forms and their frail structure, 224 ; hall
shelf for holding family form of, when not
INDEX.
367
in use, 239 ; common form showing family
crest or name, 240; isAi-doro, or stone
forms, and their use in gardens, 277 ; various
forms of ishi-doro, aud common legend as
to their origin, 277, 278.
Lavatory, its frequent absence or primitive
form, 205, 200; occasional form as ob-
served in a country inn, 200 ; contrivance
in private house as contrasted with our
own arrangements, 207 ; occasional in-
stances of beauty and convenience in their
arrangement, 208 ; their various forms of
towel-rack, 209, 210.
Lowell, Percival, quoted, 117 ; cited as to tiie
Korean house, 343-345.
"XT ATS, their importance in determining the
size and shape of rooms, 8, 114, 118,
120; their universal use, 8, 111, 114, 193 ;
their different sizes, 118, 122; their con-
struction, 121, 122; their usual arrange-
ment, 122, 123 ; instances of ornamenta-
tion of the border stripes, 123 ; their soft-
ness and the consequent disuse of shoes
indoors, 123 ; their frequent need of cleans-
ing, 124 ; their use as seats, and the dis-
comfort arising therefrom to one unaccus-
tomed to them, 124; their use at meal-
time, 125; their use as beds, 125, 210;
cost of manufacture, 125 ; their proposed
use or disuse as affecting the finish of
floors, 193, 194.
McClatchie, Mr., cited, 323.
Mihara, Mr. A. S., his explanation of Japan
ese terms applied to privy, 232 note.
Miyasaki, Mr., mentioned, 119.
Mosquito nettings, or kaya, their universal
presence in houses, 214; their manner of
use, 214.
Munich, its sanitary condition and death-
rate, 11.
"JJAGASA-KI, a city in Japan, 2.
Nagoya, a city in Japan, 2, 45.
Ninagawa, Noritane, a famous Japanese anti-
quarian, 76.
, a city in Japan, 2.
ES, their frequently imposing archi-
tecture, 45, 321 ; Aime Humbert cited
thereon, 45 ; their early primitive form and
construction, 324, 325.
Pall Mall Gazette, quoted, 3? note; 200 note.
Partitions, permanent plaster forms, — their
variety of form and construction, 31,32;
temporary or movable forms, 32, 110, 111,
125-130; method of adjustment of the
movable forms, or fusuiau, 110,123; per-
manent forms with sliding panels, 12'J ; form
between (okonoma and rhigai-dana and its
ornamental openings, 135, 144, 115; their
various forms of windows, 140, 142.
Pictures, essential furnishings of the loionoma,
109, 13?, 11-3, 145, 148: ancient method
of suspension on the walls. 100, 101 ; XY//V-
muiio confined to the t<jko/in/iiti,'&\2\ their
usual forms of support, 313; the hctxhira-
kakushi and their use, 313; the usual sub-
jects portrayed, 313, 314; their frequent
change, 314 ; their careful preservation, 315.
Pillow, or iitakura, its usual form, 211; its
different varieties, 211 ; its use aud appar-
ent discomfort, 212.
Portable screens, their infinite variety and
richness, 177 ; folding varieties and their
description, 177-181 ; instances of their
richness of frame and ornamentation, 178,
179; the boxes for their protection when
not iii use, 179, 180; their foot-weights,
180 ; their rich display on festival days,
180; summer varieties, 180; fire-screens
868
INDEX.
and their use, 181 ; ink-screens, 181; the
ti*i-tute, or special form for use in hall-way,
181; bamboo curtains or sun-screens ami
their varieties, 132 ; rare use of cloth cur-
tain-screens, 1S3; fringed door-curtains
and their varieties, 183; kitchen and closet-
screens, 1S3, 184; slushed shop-door
screens, 1S4
Privy, its usual form and position, 9, 228 ;
general description, 22s— 230; its two com-
partments and their frequent elaborate fin-
ish, 220, 230; special description with
drawing, 230, 231 : its important function
in connection with the agricultural inter-
est*, 231, 232 ; its different names in Jap-
anese and their meanings, 232 not?; its
importance as a matter of sanitary inter-
est. 2:12, 233
Public 15.1th", as a feature of llie social life in
Japan. 109; their common use by the lower
elasse^ of both sexes. 201 . their frequent
use by the laboring class. 2o2 ; their uni-
versal pre-i-nee throughout the cities and
towns. 202
l>AII.I\(i. its rare use in stairways. I!l7,
1'."; its usual primitive form when
present in stairways. 107; s|>ecial instance
of its simplicity. 10s ; form sometimes ob-
served on verandah steps, 190 ; its usual
absence iu the verandah. 212 ; its common
presence in the balconies, 241; its numer-
ous varieties in the balconies, 2H-247 ; its
frequent artistic character, 214; more sub-
stantial forms, 244, 24G ; favorite perfo-
rated panel forms, — their frequent variety
of design, 244-24*5 ; delicate and artistic
use of bamboo in its construction, 246; its
general fragile character, 24f> ; as found
in the special platforms for the ckodiu-
bark,, 254
Ramua, as a subject, for artistic skill, 168, 169 ;
its position and division into panels, 169;
its variety of design and ornamentation,
160-174 ; its perforated and fret-work
varieties and their delicacy of workmanship,
169-171; bamboo us frequently used hi its
decorative work, 170; occasional use of por-
celain iu ils designs, 170 ; its value as a
means of obtaining ventilation, 170 ; fre-
quent combination of perforated panels and
a grating of bamboo in its construction,
171 ; forms observed in old houses, 171;
employment of water-designs in its con-
struction, 171; everywhere an indication
of the skilled workmanship of the Japanese,
172 ; an instance of peculiar simplicity ob-
served in poorer class of houses, 172, 174.
Range, or cooking-stove, its usual form, 188,
ISO ; usual method of kindling fire, 191 ;
some of its utensils described, 191, 192.
Kende, Charles, cited in regard to unscientific
carpentry, 37 note.
Rein, Mr., cited in regard to the Japanese
house, 11, 12; as to the cleanliness of the
Japanese, 201 note.
Reservoirs, aqueduct form as observed at
Miyajima, and its picturesque appearance,
200, :ioo.
Hoofs, their framing and variety of architectu-
ral structure, 17-21; gable forms and their
method of support, 18, 19 ; their framing
and solidity of structure in the kttra, 20 ;
as subjects of architectural interest, 48,
10, 77, 78; their points of similarity with
Swiss types, 57 ; different varieties of
smoke-outlets, 58, 59, 61, 95, 100, 102 ; the
comparative incombustibility of the -thatch
forms, 64; instances on the coast of their
ponderous proportions and consequent
strange appearance, 72 ; the three common
varieties, 78 ; their different structural forms,
78 ; hi.ia.iHt and their function, 78, 79 ; con-
INDEX.
369
struction and description of the different
varieties, 78-107 ; usual form of gutter, 83 ;
superstitious use of water design in their
ornamentation, 85, 86, 95 ; use of stone in
their construction, 90 ; comparison of the
American and Japanese types, 105, 234;
consideration of Japanese terms as applied
thereto, 106, 107 ; their aueient forms and
early differentiation, 324, 325, 328, 329.
CATOW, Ernest, cited on the ancient Jap
anese house, 323, 324, 327 note, 328,
331 ; on the Bonin house, 339, 340.
Screens, folding, 178; screen-box, ISO; screen-
weight, 180; other forms, 181.
Sendai, a city in Japan, 2.
Shingled Roofs, their usual method of con-
struction, 79-82; their defects, 81, 83 ; their
different varieties, 81, 82 ; construction of
the ridge, 82 ; their inflammability, 83 ;
their usual form of gutter, 83.
Shoes, objection to their use in the Japanese
house, 123 ; foreigner's observance of the
general custom of their disuse indoors, 124 ;
closet in hall for their disposal, 239; their
many varieties, 239.
SAuji,7; method of straightening, 131 ; taste-
ful way of mending, 131 ; variety of
forms, 132.
Shrines, their prevalence in the household
for purposes of worship, 224, 226 ; the
Shin-to form and its religious observance,
225, 226 ; the Buddhist form and its or-
nate character, 225, 226 ; their occasional
occurrence in shops, 226 ; their religious
offerings, 225, 226.
Smoke-outlets, their different varieties, 58, 59,
61, 100, 102 ; their usual position in roofs
in the northern provinces, 95 ; the triangu-
lar form as a characteristic feature of
thatched roofs south of Tokio, 96.
Sodt-gaki, its different varieties, 271, 272;
its ingenuity of design and construction,
271 ; its strictly ornamental character,
271, 289.
Staging, on house-roof, 318.
Stairways, their primitive nature and use,
197, 234 ; the usual step-ladder form and
its precipitous character, 197 ; their occa-
sional grace and beauty of construction,
198 ; their frequent combination in inns
and farm-houses with closets, 197, 198 ;
the high polish of their surface and how
acquired, 198, 199 ; verandah and hall
steps, 199.
Streets, their border ditches or gutters, 52.
Summer-house, its frequent appearance as a
prominent feature in garden arrangement,
9, 279, 230 ; its usual open character, 279 ;
instance of special beauty described, 280,
281 ; view of one in private garden at Ti >ki< >,
281, — in Imperial Garden in Tokio, 282 ;
variety of design in their rustic window
openings, 282, 283.
rpABAKO-BON, (he, or smaller hibaehi, and
its use, 217 ; its various appurtenances,
and Japanese refinement in their use, 217,
218 ; its variety and frequent oddity of de-
sign, 217.
Tea-ceremony, special construction of garden-
houses for its observance, 9, 15 ; the manner
of its observance, 149-151 ; the principal
utensils required in its observance, 150 ; its
apparent grotesqueness, 150, 151 ; impor-
tance attached to its observance, 151; its
influence upon Japanese art, 151, 152.
Tea-rooms, their special use, 149, 151 ; de-
scription of the tea-ceremony, 149, 150 ;
their special utensils and furnishings, 1 50 ;
the /«/•<>, or fire-pot, and its varieties, 150 ;
their variety of form, with descriptions,
24
370
INDEX.
153-158 ; their ceilings and frequent elabo-
rate finish, 153, 154, 157; the tokonoma
as one of its features, 154, 158 ; the ro, or
permanent fireplace in floor, aud its variety
of form, 154; iU kitchen as occasionally
used for storing the various utensils, 155,
156 ; special instance of unique effect pro-
duced by Chinese art in its decoration,
150, 157.
Ti'jima, S., mentioned, 119.
Temples, as a feature of Japanese scenery, 1 ;
instances of their architectural grandeur,
4G, 47 ; their early architectural develop-
ment, 332.
Thatched Hoofs, their various forms of smoke-
outlets, 5S, 5'J, HI ; dower-bearing ridges
and their brilliant effect, 59, 93; their in-
combustible nature, 04; instances of tiled
ridges and their construction, 05, 94; pon-
derous forms observed along the eoast, 72 ;
the prevailing form in country districts.
'Jl ; their variety of design, 91 , different
materials used in their construction, 91 ;
outline slidch of their construction, 'Jl ;
their symmetry and trimness when com-
pleted. 91, 'Ji; great skill required in fin-
ishing the ridge, 92; varieties of ridge
forms of. 93-105 ; simple ridge forms in
the country north of Tokio, 93; common
ridge-pole form and its variation, 93, 04;
bamboo ridges and their construction, 95;
triangular smoke-outlets a characteristic
feature in the country south of Tokio, 95 ;
special instances of beauty described. 96.
97; methods of trimming thatch at edges,
97 ; instances of external ridge.pole, or
supplementary roof-form, derived from
temple architecture, 97, 9S ; simple coast
forms as observed in Omi, 99 ; instances of \
tile and bamboo combination in the ridge-
(tructure, 99; picturesque bark and bamboo
crest, a* occurring in Mikawa, 99 ; similar
but more elaborate form as found in the
suburbs of Kioto, 100, 101; instances of
plain and bamboo crest, 101 ; combined hip
and gable form with bark crest as observed
in province of Kii, 102 ; two common
forms found in Yamato, 102, 103 ; peculiar
bark and ridge-pole crest with bamboo
yokes observed in. Totomi, 103, 104; their
sometimes ponderous proportions in com-
parison with size of house, 104; their ad-
vantage over American roofs, 105; their
advantages in the matter of comfort, beauty,
and durability, 105, 106 ; use of paving be-
neath the eaves in place of gutter or water-
conductor, 106 ; indications of their early
development, 325 ; as shown in the Aino
house, 338.
Tiled Roofs, their usual method of construc-
tion, 84 ; easily removable in case of fire,
84 ; ridge construction and ornamentation,
85, 80 ; frequent instances of ornamented
coping, 86; methods of ornamentation at
the caves, 87 ; white-mortar pointing of the
joints and its common occurrence, 87 ;
their improvement with age, 87, 88; their
cost, 88 ; various forms of tile used, 89,
90; the ancient form of tile, 89; the
French tile as sometimes used, 79 ; glazed
tiles and their probable antiquity as a com-
mon variety, 90; indications of their early
development, 325, 327.
Tiles, on side of house, 33.
To-Lukuro, the, its use, 251 ; its usual va-
rieties, 251, 252 ; occasional swinging form
and its arrangement, 252.
Tokio, a bird's-eye view of, 1; its building
restrictions for preventing spread of fire,
13, 14.
TokoHoma, its general description, 8, 109,
110; its conventional appointments, 109,
137, 143, 145, 148, 303, 317 ; its usual po-
sition, 110, 137 ; consideration of its many
INDEX.
371
variations, 133-149 ; meaning of the term
aud its ancient use, 133; natural woods
used in its construction, 133, 134, 144,
146; its ceiling, 133; its floor, 134; its
peculiar kind of mat, 134; its communica-
tion with the chigai-dana, 135 ; the place
of honor on ceremonial occasions, 137 ; its
variations of size, 139, 143, 145, 148 ^ as
modified in a country house of the poorer
class, 147 ; a distinctive feature of the cere-
monial or guest rooms, 149 ; as a field for
decorative skill, 168 ; its origin and deriva-
tion, 329, 330.
Towel-racks, their simplicity aud variety of
form, 209, 210.
Trees, their frequent grotesque trimming in
Japanese gardens, 282, 2S8 ; dwarfed forms
and their frequent use about gardens and
verandahs, 286 ; curiously dwarfed forms
of the plum and pine varieties, 286-2^8 ;
their . protection during the winter, 288;
their remarkable vitality and great endur-
ance, 295.
Tsiti-tate, the hall screen and its use, 230 ;
its usual form, 237.
^/"ERANDAH, regarded as an important
part of the Japanese house, 8, 241 ;
its general use aud usual form of con-
struction, 17 ; its general lack of an out-
side rail, 242 ; arrangement of its floor,
243 ; its various dimensions and methods
of construction, 243 ; its height from the
ground in different instances, and the con-
sequent varieties of step used to reach it,
243; Japanese terms and their meanings,
247 note; the Mdzu-bachi in connection
with, and its convenience for washing the
hands, 252—255 ; the common presence of
plants in its vicinity, 286.
Verge-boards, 72.
Vestibule, the, considered as a part of the
house-entrance, 234 ; its arrangements un-
like that of the American house, 234; its
walls and floor as usually observed, 236,
237 ; plan showing its arrangements, 237.
General Francis A., cited, 36
note.
Walls, their general characteristics, 7 ; their
methods of treatment in plaster and the
effects obtained, 107 ; their papering and
its modifications, 107, 168 ; their adorn-
ments, 302.
Water-supply, primitive character of its ser-
vice, 296-302 ; how the city of Tokio is
served, 296 ; exceeding impurity of much of
the drinking-water in Japan, 290 ; great
necessity of improving and extending the
facilities in regard to, 297 ; dangers arising
from, as to fires in cities, 297 ; various
forms of wells for, 298, 299; its method
of conveyance and occasional form of
reservoir, 299, 300.
Wells, rustic forms frequently found in gar-
dens, 289 ; the principal means of obtaining
water-supply, 296 ; the frequent impurity
of their water-supply, 296, 302 ; different
authorities cited in regard to purity of
water, 296 note ; their usual form and
construction, 298 ; their variety of curbing,
298 ; Chinese character for, as used to in-
dicate their location, 298 ; their appliances
for drawing water, 298, 299 ; their frequent
presence •within the kitchen, 299 ; old
forms, 300, 301 ; their frequent rustic effect,
301, 302.
Well-sweep, 73, 299.
Whittier, quoted, 12, 152.
Windows, their purely decorative character,
59,174; their great variety of form and
place, 174, 177 ; special instances of their
graceful character, 175 ; as found in the
372
INDEX.
second story, 176; forms of, observed in
the writing-recess, 177 ; their ornamented
form and appearance iu the Japanese
summer-house, 2SO, 281.
Writing-place, its frequent presence in the
guest-room, 142; its furnishings, 142, 317;
its elaborate form of window, 176 ; its usual
form of desk, 317.
yAMAKAWA, Professor, cited, 13.
Yasbiki, their buildings and general ap-
pearance, 77 ; their present use, 77 ; the
usual form of gateway observed and its ap-
parent solidity, 256, 257 ; their surrounding
walls, 272.
Yedo-gaicara, 89.
Yeushiu, Kobori, mentioned, 153.
Cnireraitjr Pmt : John Wilion & Son. Cambridge.
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