| Japan has both modern and traditional styles of | | | | be reflected throughout the home. Tatami are thick |
| housing. The traditional Japanese house is a beautiful | | | | straw mats covered with stitched, woven rushes. |
| sight to behold. Made of wood and paper, it has an | | | | Tatami are smooth and firm enough to walk on, while |
| organic feel and look that can be found nowhere else. | | | | making a sleeping surface more comfortable than |
| Individual houses in Japan are either single or two | | | | wood or stone. |
| stories. | | | | The genkan is usually a step below the level of the |
| The traditional Japanese house made of wood is | | | | rest of the house. When people enter the home, they |
| expected to last about twenty years before having to | | | | leave their shoes in the genkan, pointed toward the |
| be repaired or rebuilt. Each year it is depreciated, unlike | | | | door so they only need to slip them on when they are |
| homes here in the United States. | | | | ready to go out. Indoor slippers are often worn inside |
| The interior design is what really sets the traditional | | | | the house. |
| Japanese house apart from European or American | | | | The kitchen in most traditional Japanese homes will |
| designs. With the exception of the entry way (genkan), | | | | contain a stove with a very small oven and broiler and |
| the kitchen (daidokoro), the bathing room (sento) and | | | | an electric refrigerator. Counter space for food |
| the toilet (benjo), the rooms in a traditional Japanese | | | | preparation and a sink are also located in the kitchen. |
| house does not have a designated use. | | | | The bathing room contains a tub and is often |
| A room can easily be a living area, a bedroom, a dining | | | | waterproof. An adjacent area is available for |
| room or any combination. Large rooms are partitioned | | | | showering. The Japanese re-use bathwater, either for |
| by fusuma, sliding doors made of wood and thick | | | | other bathers or for washing laundry, so it is important |
| paper. The paper used for fusuma is called washi. | | | | not to dirty the water with soap and dirt. Dirty portions |
| These sliding doors can be removed whenever a | | | | of the body can be washed before stepping into the |
| larger space is needed. | | | | bath. |
| In large traditional houses, there was one large room, or | | | | The toilet in Japan can either be a Western style toilet, |
| ima (living space) that could be divided as needed. The | | | | or a squat toilet installed in the floor. The room |
| smaller rooms like kitchen, bath and toilet were small | | | | containing the toilet is often only as large as a typical |
| extensions to one side. Rouka, or wooden-floored | | | | toilet stall, and the person using this room puts on |
| hallways, follow the edge of the home. Windows are | | | | special slippers while in this room. |
| made of wood and shoji paper, which is thin enough to | | | | Heating in the winter is traditionally supplied by a |
| let the light shine through. | | | | kotatsu. This is a low table with a heating element on |
| Even modern Japanese houses tend to have one | | | | the bottom. During cold weather, people sit around the |
| traditional Japanese room, called a washitsu. This room | | | | table and keep the heat contained with a light |
| is sparsely if at all furnished, and has tatami mats on | | | | duvet-type cover that surrounds the table. |
| the floor. In a traditional Japanese house, this style may | | | | |