Traditional Japanese homes are constructed by stacking wooden columns on top of a level base of packed dirt or stones. Wooden homes may be found all over the world. House walls used to be built of woven bamboo coated with dirt on both sides. Today, they are more commonly made of wood. The roofs are usually thatched with grass or reed bundles.
In old Japan, people didn't need much space, so their houses were simple and small. Even now, when money becomes no object, people want big houses with many rooms, so they build them according to their own ideas about what should go into a house. But in ancient times, people needed only one room per person, so they built theirs as simply and economically as possible.
Often, the main room in the house was the living room, where everyone gathered for meals and conversations. This is why modern houses often have a living room first: so that family members can get together comfortably. Sometimes, if there is no dining table large enough for everyone to sit at once, then two smaller ones are put next to each other.
Family bathrooms were usually located outside, in front of the house. There were usually no toilets inside the house; instead, people used portable toilets called "nekomas". In old castles, people sometimes still find nekomas under the stairs or in other hidden places.
Why are Japanese buildings constructed of wood? – According to Quora. Brittle materials include bricks, stone, cement, and RCC. Because of its flexibility and elasticity, wood provides both strength and a cushioning effect. As a result, wooden homes are more vulnerable to earthquakes. Older Japanese buildings may be brick or stone, but most were converted into wood after the 1923 earthquake and fire that destroyed much of Tokyo.
What causes a tree to grow? – Amazon. Trees grow because they are photosynthetic organisms that use the energy from sunlight to produce organic compounds that make them grow. The two main types of trees are deciduous trees which shed their leaves every season with the exception of some conifers who keep their leaves all year round. Evergreens remain green all year round. Fruit trees produce seeds that will develop into new trees when planted.
Flowers usually only come in one type because it's easier for plants to reproduce if they're identical. Having different-colored flowers or petals provides an advantage because it means that someone eating the fruit or picking the flower will still get something edible or attractive, respectively. Flowers often lose their color as they age because red, yellow, and blue colors require the presence of a pigment called anthocyanin which is produced by plants in response to stress.
Most dwellings had pounded earth foundations and wooden frames, with brick, earth, or wood walls and flooring. Whether it was the house of a wealthy family, a poor family, a temple, or a palace, the plan of an old Chinese structure was identical. It consisted of an outer wall about five feet high and three-fourths of a mile long. This was composed of clay bricks set into mortar mixed from sand and gravel. Inside the outer wall was a second wall about four feet high and two miles long. This was also made of brick but set into stone or mud mortar. The interior of these walls was protected by low gable roofs. The foundation of a Chinese dwelling required much work and many tools: axes, adzes, hammers, nails, and pots filled with water to soften the soil before digging it.
In addition to being economical, old Chinese buildings were extremely stable. They were built on solid ground, well dug and packed hard. If danger threatened, people would flee to safer places, often far away from their home town, where they would build another house. As long as the land remained level, they would return soon after to rebuild their own. Sometimes houses even floated down the river on logs until they reached another village where they would be rebuilt on land.
In winter, when it snowed, houses used ice tools to carve out rooms for storage or food preparation.
A traditional Japanese house's entryway is composed of three tiers. The tataki is located on the ground level, directly behind the main door. It is usually composed of concrete nowadays, but in the past, the pounded tataki floor was made of earth, lime, and bittern. Doma is another name for this pounding floor. It is used to announce visitors and provide traction while entering a room.
The next floor up is called the hara. It can be made of wood, tile, or stone and serves as a landing for stairs leading to the third floor. A bamboo mat is placed under each step of the stairs to protect against moisture and prevent dirt from being brought into the house.
The third floor is where most Japanese houses keep their living quarters. This floor is usually lower than the other two to allow for more space inside the house. A staircase may lead up to this floor, or the rooms could be accessed by a ladder, a platform, or even a tree house-like structure built into the garden.
Traditional Japanese houses have one room on the first floor and two smaller adjoining rooms on the second floor. There might be another room at the back of the house that serves as a kitchen or storage area. Each floor is separated from the others by wooden beams called nagaya. These beams are an important part of Japanese architecture and are used to support the roof as well as provide privacy between rooms.
While the West has numerous stone structures, Japanese houses are usually built of wood, therefore rebuilding and upgrading must be done once per generation as a general rule. While some Japanese houses are over 100 years old, the majority are estimated to have a lifetime of 30 to 50 years. There are several factors that contribute to the short lifespan of Japanese houses. Most commonly, wood is used because it's easy to find and affordable, but it will decay over time.
There are many types of wood used in Japanese buildings, including pine, bamboo, cypress, cedar, and oak. All of these materials are susceptible to rot if not treated properly, so the first thing you need to do is hire a professional carpenter to cut down any dead or dying trees and remove any insects that may be damaging the wood. The carpenter should also check for rot anywhere nails or screws are holding the house together. If any parts of the house are showing signs of decay, have them repaired before they get worse.
After the tree is cut down, the carpenter should wash the wood with water and detergent to remove all dirt and grease before cutting it into boards. Wood needs to be cleaned regularly because even clean wood will eventually stain if it's exposed to air pollution or other chemicals.
Once the carpenter has finished cutting the wood, it should be dried properly or it will bring about fungal growth which will damage the building.
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