| Historical Narrative of Shofuso Chapter 9 SHOIN-ZUKURI 9.1 Shoin-zukuri and Shofuso Shofuso was designed as a late sixteenth to early seventeenth century house in the Shoin-zukuri (Shoin style). It was based primarily on the Kojoin reception hall, a part of the temple complex of Onjoji in the city of Otsu near Kyoto, which was in an early Shoin style. Later examples of this style became more complex as they had several main buildings, and even came to have elaborate carvings and metal work decorating the interior. Although Junzo Yoshimura designed the House to be authentic, there were modifications made to the Shoin style for its New York location. He scaled down the House specifically to fit the tight MoMA garden space. Also, the veranda was widened to accommodate visitors going through the Japanese Exhibition House, and a couple of the rooms and the servants quarters were eliminated. There was, however, no one standard Shoin-zukuri house; as was done with Shofuso, each was adapted to meet particular needs. 9.2 Development of the Earlier Shinden-zukuri and Buke-zukuri Shoin-zukuri had its roots in Shinden-zukuri (Shinden style), which had previously been fashionable. Shinden style was developed in the tenth to twelfth centuries, and used by the country’s Emperors and their court. Japan’s first true domestic architectural style, it was composed of a complex of buildings laid out symmetrically. Shinden-zukuri was named after the shinden, the main hall in the complex, which translated to "hall for sleeping." This main area was surrounded by other halls, and these were connected by corridors (see Figure 9-1). The shinden consisted of a single room called a moya surrounded by verandas on all four sides. The room was sectioned off with such movable partitions as byobu (folding screens), tsuitate (single screens) or kicho (portable stands). From the twelfth to the second half of the nineteenth century, the warrior class ruled Japan. Rising from the peasantry, these shogun and samurai took ruling power away from the nobles and adopted their Shinden style architecture. However, eventually, this new ruling class took on its own architectural style called Buke-zukuri, which literally translated to "samurai family-style." This style, used during the Kamakura (1185-1333) and Muromachi (1338-1573) periods, consolidated the rambling semi-detached halls of Shinden into one building, and had the high walls and imposing gates needed for a warrior’s protection. However, as with Shinden-zukuri, no buildings of this style remain, so the details of it are unknown. 9.3 Development and Characteristics of Shoin-zukuri Eventually members of the military class found solace from the stresses of their daily lives by turning to the tea ceremony. This helped to shape the Shoin style during the latter part of the Muromachi period. With Shoin-zukuri, formal Japanese architecture fully came into its own. Unlike Shinden-zukuri, it no longer borrowed from China. At the same time, the importance of the tea ceremony also inspired the chashitsu (teahouse). The chashitsu was either in a room in a house, or a detached building, as it is at Shofuso. The size of the spaces of the chashitsu were small with low ceilings, thus encouraging inhabitants to sit and enjoy the tea ceremony. The chashitsu combined rusticity with refinement. For example, at the Shofuso teahouse, one side of the decorative alcove has a partial divider with exposed wattle (see Figure 9-2), which has a raw appearance. At the same time, however, everything in a chashitsu was carefully calculated, from the height of the ceiling to the position of the windows. Shoin-zukuri was different in many ways from the preceding style. The floor plan was no longer symmetrical, but instead was random. Also, the main living space was not one large room divided by movable partitions. Instead, there were fusuma (interior sliding doors) dividing the spaces. Fusuma were light sliding panels, with heavy opaque paper pasted on the wood frame, which could be removed to convert separate rooms into one space. With Shoin-zukuri also came the amado (sliding exterior wooden shutters). In order to provide some protection from the elements, as well as from thieves, the fragile sh_ji (exterior sliding doors) were covered with amado. These amado doors had a wooden frame that was stiffened by transverse battens which have nailed on little wooden boards. Amado also helped to control the temperature inside the house. Also with Shoin-zukuri came the bathroom and privy. Instead of individual mats covering the floor when needed, such as for sitting, the entire living spaces of a Shoin-zukuri house were now covered with tatami. Tatami were made of rice straw packed under woven rush, which is then bordered with either linen or silk material. The tatami became such a fixture that the size of a room would be determined according to the number of mats. This was possible because, although the size of the mats were not uniform throughout Japan, they were usually the same within one structure. The standard tatami mat was 6 feet long and 3 feet wide. A Shoin-zukuri house had a combination of four basic features (see Figure 9-3). They were: 1) Tsukeshoin. This was a built-in desk after which the Shoin style was named. 2) Tokonoma. This was the most sacred space in a Japanese home. In addition to placing decorative scrolls and flowers, offering of incense and food were made here. The tokonoma was never placed at the center of a wall. 3) Chigaidana. These were staggered shelves. 4) Chidaigamae. These decorative doors were originally the only entrance into an enclosed and protected sleeping area. They later took on a simply decorative purpose. Rarely did a house have all four elements. Shofuso has all four features (see Figure 9-4). The orientation of the Shoin style was also important. For example, the living room spaces would preferably face either south or southeast to take advantage of the sun, but would in turn have a veranda for protection. It would not face west so as to avoid the strong afternoon sun. The living room spaces of Shofuso conform to this as it faces southeast. A Shoin-zukuri structure had an intimate relationship with nature, especially in the summer seasons, as it catered to the demands of the hot and humid months. There were few fixed walls. Instead, the shoji sliding doors could be easily opened, and removed to accentuate the circulation of air. There was also lattice work above the sliding doors, such as that between the two main rooms at Shofuso, that allows for ventilation. At a lower level, the building was raised above ground to keep it off the wet ground, and also to allow for the circulation of air which helped protect the wood from rot. The use of a small bell or lantern, as well as a small waterfall in the garden were some ways to stress the feeling of coolness. As part of this relationship with the summer season, the veranda was an important feature in a Shoin-zukuri house. It was a transitional space between the interior and exterior which could be effective in warm weather. A person could view the garden, looking out into nature, rather than shutting the house away from the elements. The large deep overhanging roof protected the interiors and verandas from the strong summer sun, as well as rain fall. The straw tatami mats and the paper shoji doors would be damaged if placed directly in the path of the elements. On the other hand, inhabitants suffered during the winter seasons since the house could be drafty, with only small sources of heat from a transportable coal burning brazier called a hibachi. The hibachi was about 1 to 1 ¸ feet high and 1 to 2 feet long, and made of wood, porcelain or bronze. It was small, but this was sufficient since it is meant only to warm the user’s hands, and not the entire room. 9.4 Shoin-zukuri and Japanese Architecture Today Although the Japanese home is increasingly becoming westernized, Shoin-zukuri still has a lasting influence on Japanese architecture to this day. For example, in many Japanese homes today there is still a close association to the floor. The floor is often still covered with tatami, and the Japanese still take their shoes off inside their homes. The use of futon (bedding) and their storage into oshiire (wall cupboards), and the use of zabuton as seats are carried over from Shoin-zukuri. The practicality of furnishings which can be put away, is a continued necessity in this crowded country. Click here to go to Chapter 10 |
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