HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE III

School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology

MODULE 02
2ND Term, 2024-2025

JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
I. BACKGROUND
INFLUENCE EFFECTS ON JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHY and GEOLOGICAL COMPOSITION
- composed of several islands surrounded by - abundance of natural materials
bodies of water (Sea of Japan-west and - development of WOODEN
Pacific Ocean-East) ARCHITECTURE
- earthquakes are common and result from a - development of construction methods
fault that circles the Pacific Ocean and selection of materials to allow
- the mountains of Japan contain 10% of the resistance to earthquakes
world’s most active volcanoes
- rugged hill country and some 4/5 of the
entire area is occupied by forest and wild
vegetation
BUILDING MATERIALS
- diversity of trees - stone is used for foundation work or
- stone of volcanic origin lower portions of walling upon which
- clay tiles would be erected an upper timber
- thatch structure
- tatami mats (3x6ft) - roof construction that are capable in
adapting to changing climate
- floor mats used for determining sizes of
rooms
CLIMATE
- cold air coming from Northern Asia - wooden architecture blended well with
(Mongolia) the regional differences of climate in
- warm and moisture air from Asia and the Japan
Pacific - raised platform to avoid moist from the
- abundant rainfall and seasonal winds carry ground (like China)
moisture into the country from its - heating system under a kotatsu
surrounding water
RELIGION
- SHINTOISM – image worship or belief that - increase in construction of religious
powerful deities (Kami) inhabit both heaven buildings – TEMPLES and SHRINES
and earth
- BUDDHISM – influence came from China and
Korea
- practice based on the teachings of Buddha

HISTORICAL EVENTS
1. PRE-BUDDHIST CULTURES
A. JOMON (7500 – 300 BC)
- Hunting-fishing-gathering culture in which produced distinctive ceramic wares in great
number of communities throughout Japan

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lived in flatland dwellings (pit) where roof and floor were supported by a post and
-
beam structure (post buried directly to ground)
B. YAYOI (300 BC – 300AD)
- new people and influences arrived from Korea bringing metallurgy, large scale wet rice
agriculture based on irrigation and wheel made pottery
- development of smaller states under the control of a variety of clans. Clan chief being
both a symbol of secularism and religion
C. TOMB MOUND (TUMULUS PERIOD) (4TH – 6TH CENTURY)
- succession of dynasties that controlled a large area
- common practice of burying royalty and high ranking clan officials in stone tombs
covered with large earthen mounds.

2. INFLUENCE FROM KOREA AND CHINA

D. ASUKA (538 – 645)
- Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century from Korea under prince Shutoku’s
reign
- Korean craftspeople came to Japan to build Buddhist temples and furnish them with
sculptures, paintings and decorative arts
E. HAKUHO (645 – 710)
- central government was developed based upon the model of Tang in China
- capital was laid out in a square grid pattern
F. NARA (710 – 784)
- increase in the construction of temples dedicated to Buddha that marked the high point
of Buddhist culture in Japan
- RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE average houses are post and beam structure with either
thatched or board roof weighted down with stones; possibility to eliminate interior posts
and rely solely on pillars on exterior walls; development of interior partitions (a)room
with earthen floor and (b)kitchen with fire pit for cooking
- building of monasteries reached its peak with the construction on new buildings and
older temples were rebuilt in new sites were a five storey pagoda occupies the central
place
- TODAIJI TEMPLE established as the center of Buddhism; influenced by the grand scale
of Buddhis architecture of China’s Tang Dynasty - Centrepiece was the great GOLDEN
BUDDHA HALL (daibutsu - a cast bronze image more than 16m high) flanked by twin
pagodas; resembled Chinese palaces 3

3. DEVELOPING A CULTURAL IDENTITY

G. HEIAN (784 – 897)
- established a new capital based on geomancy (KYOTO)
- best known for its sculptures, paintings and MANDALA – schematic pictorial diagrams
- of Buddhist divinities and cosmology
- magnificent design for paradise halls to create an image of heaven on earth
H. FUJIWARA (LATE HEIAN) (897 – 1185)
- period when Japanese culture gradually developed its own distinctive identity
- suspension of official exchanges with China
- development of art, poetry and romance expressed in the aesthetic ideals of courtly
elegance and tasteful refinement and awareness of the transient beauty of nature
- maturation of SHINDEN ZUKURI STYLE refers to the style of domestic architecture
developed for palatial or aristocraticmansions built in Heian-kyō (平安京,
today's Kyoto) in the Heian period (794-1185), especially in 10th century Japan.[1]

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Shinden-zukuri developed into shoin-zukuri and sukiya-zukuri (detached teahouse type

architecture). During the Kamakura era, it developed into buke-zukuri (武家造 housing
for a military family).
- double roof system

4. THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI

I. KAMAKURA (1185 -1333)
- feudal society governed by the principles of bushido (the way of the warrior)
- founded by MINAMOTO YORIMOTO
- samurai became the ruling class
● BAKUFU – system of government with a hierarchal system
- emphasis on simplicity, strength and realism
- rebuilding of Nara temple that provided revitalization to religious art
- SHOIN ZUKURI a ceremonial style of Japanese residential architecture which derived its
name from the characteristic shoin or study bay and marked by the hierarchical
arrangement of public and private rooms
- Japanese residential architecture used in the mansions of the military, temple guest
halls, and Zen abbot's quarters of the Azuchi-Momoyama (1568–1600) and Edo
periods (1600–1868). It forms the basis of today's traditional-style Japanese house.
Characteristics of the shoin-zukuri development were the incorporation of square
posts and floors completely covered with tatami.[1] The style takes its name from
the shoin, a term that originally meant a study and a place for lectures on
the sūtra within a temple, but which later came to mean just a drawing room or
study.[2]
J. MUROMACHI (ASHIKAGA) (1338 – 1573)
- ruled by the Ashikaga Shoguns from the Muromachi district of Kyoto
- perfection of Shoin Zukuri style
● ZEN BUDDHISM – appealed to warrior class because of its emphasis upon intuitive
awareness and aesthetics expression; black ink paintings, calligraphy and flower
arranging; mastering an art form was perceived as a way to discipline the mind and
body – practical benefits useful to a warrior
● SAMURAI RESIDENCES – situated on flatlands or on slightly sloping ground, surrounded
by moats and walls (for irrigation and defense) and walls; complex with different
buildings for – cooking, shed, stables, pit house for servant and vegetable garden
K. MOMOYAMA PERIOD (1573 – 1614)
- Japan was reunified by a succession od three great military leaders (Oda Nobunaga,
Hideyoshi, tokogawa ieyasu)
● HIDE YOSHI – continued the process of military unification and built Fushimi Castle and
reconstructed Osaka castle
- castles were built due to infiltration of feudal lords into Japanese society – both for
prestige and military defense
- NOBUNAGA CASTLE – built by the warlord Nobunaga; set a pattern for ostentatious
decoration
- SUKIYA ZUKURI – an architectural style exclusive for tea ceremony purposes and is still
used today
L. EDO (TOKOGAWA) (1615 -1868)
- centralized feudalism
- samurai were at the top of the social hierarchy but merchants eventually gained control
of the wealth and common people became the leaders of the new cultural developments
- organization and development of regional towns

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TAKAYAMA – administrative town

KANAZAWA – castle town
OGIMACHI – farm village
MINKA – rural houses
KURASHIKI – rice merchant town

5. JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE IN TRANSITION

M. MEIJI (1868 – 1912)
- foreign influence
- karahafu, curve roof on center
- goal was to achieve economic and military modernization
- public buildings, government and business used new styles, techniques and materials
from west (stone and brick, steel, concrete and glass
N. MODERN JAPAN (1912 – present)
- marked by the introduction of an enormous variety of European form of art and
architecture
- Palatial buildings appeared in many large cities
- Japan blends traditional Japanese architecture with modern technology and new
materials

II. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER

- simplicity, asymmetry, sensitivity to natural environment and the use of natural materials
- restrained architectural tradition in marked contrast to an exuberant tradition characterized by
monumentality and use of bold colors (China)
- traditional Japanese architecture is of timber construction (earthquakes prevented the use of
heavy materials)and uses only post and lintel system
- KEN was used as the standard unit of measurement which regulates intercolumniation

A. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE

1. NATURAL MATERIALS AND - preference for natural material, particularly wood
SETTING (wood can breathe - suitable for Japanese climate,
absorbs humidity in wet season and releases moisture
when air is dry
- materials used as roofing materials include reeds, bark
and clay tiles (usually black)
- Buddhism gave way to mountain temples with an
asymmetrical layout
2. RESTRAINT AND EXUBERANCE - appreciation to exuberant color and complexity of form
(depending on the occasion and (ceremonial buildings)
use of building) - for residential buildings, the goal is to provide a tasteful
and relaxed atmosphere
3. ATTENTION TO DETAILS - Applies to both technological and design feature
- TECHNOLOGICAL – intricate joinery of a building
allowed it to be assembled without nails and to be
disassembled periodically for repair
- DESIGN – interlocking large supports, repetition of
basic pattern of brackets creating visual rhythm that is
well unified

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4. INDEGENOUS AND FOREIGN - foreign influences were assimilated and made part of
INFLUENCE Japanese tradition
- influence from China and Korea as well as from Europe
and United State during the Industrial revolution and
World Wars
- creativity blending different influences into new style
that express basic Japanese vales and aesthetics
preferences
5. PRESERVING THE PAST ● REGULAR RENEWAL – custom of periodically making a
more or less exact copy of a building
● RECYCLING OF MATERIALS – using lumber and tiles
from buildings that have collapsed, partially destroyed
by fire or war to rebuild or make a new building
● PRESERVATION – practice of taking steps to save
architectural members and reinforcing structures that
are in damage or collapse
● REMODELING – modifying a structure to bring it into
live with contemporary styles or enable it to meet the
requirements of a revised function
● RESTORATION – parts of a structure that have been
damaged by natural forces are replaced
● RECONSTRUCTION – necessity of rebuilding a structure
that no longer exist
6. STATUS AND FUNCTION - hierarchal society with considerable emphasis upon
states, authority and power through material
expression
● RULERS – palaces and villas, temples and
shrines
● MERCHANTS – farmhouses and shop dwellings
- Differences in architectural styles are also associated
with differences in function

B. BUILDING COMPONENTS
1. COLUMN, POST - above is highly decorated with frieze
- stilted upon stone piles to a height which would ensure timber being
above ground water during rainy season
- given a refined entasis and frequently inward inclination to mitigate
the effects of earthquake shocks
- receives the main load from the roof
- either square (panelled) or round (richly lacquered)
2. BEAM - underside are frequently cambered to avoid any impression of
sagging
3. ROOF - Usually black, red or gold (temples)
- curve roof under simple brackets
● IRIMOYA GABLE – gable above the walls
- lower part of the main roof is carved round the ends of the building
in a hipped form
4. WALL - TRADITIONAL HOUSES walls are:

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- non-structural
- absence of wall mouldings
- exterior walls are extremely thin
5. BRACKETS - Bracketing consists of a series of projecting wooden corbels
supporting horizontal members and rafters allowing the roof to
overhang the wall often by as much as 2.4m
6. DOORS and WINDOWS - openings are filled with timber trellis and provided with wooden
shutters externally and paper (rice)

III. BUILDING TYPES

A. PALACES AND MANSIONS
- Imperial palace were simple type, consisting of a principal hall joined by corridors to three
separate pavilions for the family of the emperor
- concave on external wall; masonry with tilted quoins tones, to resist earthquake shocks, a
moat invariable encircled the wall
- entire wall complex was arranged around a large garden consisting of a lake with an island
reached by small bridges
● SHINDEN ZUKURI (Heian Period) – buildings were single storey consisting of a Moya (main
area) and Hisashi (peripheral sections) raised on wooden posts sunk into the ground and
surrounded by wooden verandas reach by stairs
- floors are sliding, unpainted wood and roof was shingled or planked (hipped and gabled
roof-from Buddhist temple)
- privacy was provided by paper sliding doors and folding screens

B. TEMPLES AND SHRINES

TEMPLE SHRINE
- BHUDDISM - SHINTOISM
- has a pagoda on the premise - entrance through a Torii gate
- houses the image of Buddha - centers around a variety of gods
- jingu - ji
- a large incense burner is usually found in - purification fountain near entrance to
front of a temple (smoke is believed to have cleanse mouth and hands before prayer
healing properties) - a pair of guardian dogs or lions on each side
- prayers are silent of the entrance
- similar in China, Japan and India - clapping before prayer
- unique to Japan
Buddhist temples are, together with Shinto shrines, considered to be among the most
numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.[note 1] The Japanese word for a
Buddhist temple is tera (寺 ?), and the same kanji also has the pronunciation ji, so that temple
names frequently end in -dera or -ji. Another ending, -in(院 ?), is normally used to refer to minor
temples. Such famous temples as Kiyomizu-dera, Enryaku-ji, and Kōtoku-in illustrate this
naming pattern.

Shinto shrines are places of worship and the dwellings of the kami, the Shinto "gods". Sacred
objects of worship that represent the kami are stored in the innermost chamber of the shrine
where they cannot be seen by anybody.
People visit shrines in order to pay respect to the kami or to pray for good fortune. Shrines are
also visited during special events such as New Year, setsubun, shichigosan and other festivals.

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New born babies are traditionally brought to a shrine a few weeks after birth, and many couples
hold their wedding ceremonies there.
The following structures and objects can be typically found at a shrine:
Torii
One or more torii gates mark the approach
and entrance to a shrine. They come in
various colors and are made of various
materials. Most torii, however are made of
wood, and many are painted orange and
black.

Komainu
Komainu are a pair of guardian dogs or lions,
often found on each side of a shrine's
entrance. In the case of Inari Shrines, they
are foxes (see picture) rather than dogs.

Purification trough
Found near the entrance, the water of these
fountains is used for purification. You are
supposed to clean your hands and mouth
before approaching the main hall. More
details

Main and offering hall

Depending on the shrine's architecture style,
the main hall (honden) and offering hall
(haiden) are two separate buildings or
combined into one building. The main hall's
innermost chamber contains the shrine's
sacred object, while visitors make their
prayers and offerings at the offering hall.

Stage
Stages for kagura dance or noh
theater performances can be found at some
shrines.

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Ema
Shrine visitors write their wishes on these
wooden plates and then leave them at the
shrine in the hope that their wishes come
true. Most people wish for good health,
success in business, passing entrance exams,
love or wealth.

Omikuji
Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips found
at many shrines and temples. Randomly
drawn, they contain predictions ranging from
daikichi ("great good luck") to daikyo ("great
bad luck"). By tying the piece of paper around
a tree's branch, good fortune will come true
or bad fortune can be averted.

Shimenawa
A shimenawa is a straw rope with white
zigzag paper strips (shide). It marks the
boundary to something sacred and can be
found on torii gates, around sacred trees and
stones, etc. A rope like the shimenawa is also
worn by yokozuna, the highest ranked s

C. CASTLES
FOUR TYPES OF JAPANESE CASTLES
1. MOUNTAINTOP CASTLE
- constructed on the top of mountains protected by mountain terrains
- small, semi-permanent structure that lacked the type of fortifications
- provided excellent view of the surrounding area and was difficult to attack
2. FLATLAND MOUNTAIN CASTLES
- located on lowland, low mountains or large hills where a plain spread out before them
- increased the efficiency of communication
- development of moats and walls
3. FLATLAND CASTLES
- built in the middle of an open plain
- bigger and stronger moats and walls
- disadvantage – susceptible to flood
4. WATER CASTLES
- jut out into a body of water

CASTLE STRUCTURES
CASTLE TOWER - donjon or castle keep
- innermost part, best defended and most prominent structure

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- 2-5 stories and are often more stories inside (to confuse
invaders)
WALLS AND MOATS - serve as the main defense measure of castles
GUARD TOWERS - watch tower and storage rooms along castle walls often placed
at corners
- much smaller than the main castle town and usually made of
two floors
GATES - typically consist of 2 gates placed 90 degrees to each other,
creating a small inner yard which is heavily defended from all
sides
PALACES - lord’s residence and office

● JUGON - a loophole whre aroows and guns are fired (timer shaped)
● ISHIOTOSHI – a special chamber built out over the wall of a castle. Its floor could be open
downwards to drop rocksonto to the heads of attackers trying to scale the wall

D. HOUSES
- built by erecting wooden columns on top of a flat foundation made of packed earth stones
- elevated on ground and laid horizontal wooden floor beams
- traditional design tends to regard the inside and the outside as continuous elements, not
two separate environments (verandah around the house)
- houses were designed for the people to be sitting on the floor
- doors, windows and alcoves were situated for the most advantageous viewing of the gardens
at a seated position
- important rooms were provided with TOKONOMA
- low table with heater and covered with fabric/mat to maintain the heat under the table

• In around the eleventh century, when Japan's unique culture came into full bloom,
members of the aristocracy began to build a distinctive style of house for themselves
called SHINDEN-ZUKURI. This type of house, which stood in the midst of a large garden,
was symmetrical, and its rooms were connected with long hallways. It allowed residents
to enjoy seasonal events and the beauty of nature

• As political power passed from the nobles to the samurai (warrior class) and a new form
of Buddhism made its way to Japan, core aspects of traditional Japanese culture as we
know it today began to take root, including ikebana(flower arranging), the tea
ceremony, and Noh. The samurai created their own style of house called SHOIN-
ZUKURI. This influence can be seen in the alcove ornament of the guest rooms of
modern houses.

The houses of common people developed differently. Farmers in different regions of the
country had houses that were adapted to local conditions. The houses built in the
GASSHOSTYLE in Shirakawa-go, which is listed as a World Heritage site, are examples of
residences in which common people lived. Some farmers' houses had space to keep their
cattle and horses indoors, while the houses of city dwellers were often squeezed close
together along the streets. As urban homeowners were taxed based on the width of the
front side of the house, their houses were built to be long and narrow. This style can still be
seen today in older cities like Kyoto.

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PLAN - may be entered through a vestibule

- initially had open plans without screens to separate rooms until
freestanding screens were introduced
- light movable partitions; corridors run within the house formed by
paper screens which could be pushed aside to open up new areas or
open the entire house to the garden
- rooms regulated in size by tatami
- a lower unfloored area is used for the hall, bathroom and kitchen areas
while two raised areas serve as living and sleeping and corridors and
verandahs (fishing gallery)
WALLS - wood framed with paper infilling
- buildings were stilted upon stone piles
- non – load bearing
- movable partitions
ROOFS - resemble Chinese roof but are simple in treatment and more subtle
and refined in outline
- thatch, shingle or tiles

PARTS OF A TRADITIONAL JAPANESE HOUSE

a. GENKAN – entrance consist of sliding doors, inside of which is a ground level area for leaving
shoes and umbrella; considered to be public in that visitors can enter without knocking
b. ENGAWA – elevated veranda ; transition between the interior and surrounding garden
c. ZASHIKI – reception room
d. CHANOMA – family room
e. DAIDOKORO – kitchen
f. TOKONOMA – elevated alcove where calligraphy scroll and/or ikebana are displayed
g. TOKOWAKI – second alcove consists of a small cupboard with sliding door
h. FUSUMA – sliding screens use to divide interior space
i. SHOJI – wooden lattice exterior sliding door covered with translucent paper
j. AMADO – heavy wooden door
k. ZABUTON – flat cushions for seating
l. FUTON – three fold thick quilt used for sleeping
m. HAKINOWA – box garden, provided when there is limited space
n. BUDSUDAN – Buddhist altar
o. KOTATSU – Japanese table with heaters for winter and blanket over the laps of those seated
around the table

E. TEA HOUSES
- Composed of two elements:
1. BUILDING ITSELF
2. GARDEN – divided into two areas by gates,
a. OUTER AREA, provides covered seating were guests wait quietly to be summoned
by the tea master
b. INNER AREA, may have additional seating and has a water basin for washing hands
and stepping stones in which guests are expected to walk
- Access to the building is through a low “crawl door” (prevent samurai from entering with
their swords)
- interior consists of tatami mat and tokonoma, ante-rooms for tea preparation
- windows consist of holes of different sizes and shapes, covered with materials such as
bamboo slats on Japanese rice paper

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F. TORII
- gate without doors marking the entrance of a Shinto shrine
- means “were the birds are”
- upright posts supporting two or more horizontal beams
- main function is to provide a dividing line between the exterior profane world and the interior
sacred space
- made of wood, stone or metal and sometimes painted in red
G. PAGODA
- square in plan, usually five storeyed and about 45m in height
- virtually suspended around a central timber
- ground storey contains images and relics
- upper storeys serves as belvederes – open roof gallery in an upper storey built for giving
view of the scenery
- wide projecting roof to each storey and the subtle curvature
H. OTHER STRUCTURES
● KAKU – intricately and elaborately decorated garden pavilions
● SHOSOIN – treasure house which can be found in Bddhist temples and government houses
● STOREHOUSES – elevated
● NOH THEATERS
● SUMO RINGS – with raised platform about 5.40m in diameter
● MERCHANT HOUSES
● FARMHOUSES

IV. BUILDING EXAMPLES

1. TODAIJI TEMPLE
- Largest wooden structure in the world
- Cnterpiece was the great GOLDEN BUDDHA HALL flanked by twin pagodas; resembled
Chinese palaces (daibutsu – a cast bronze image more than 16m high)
2. HIMEJI CASTLE

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