Mini Homes of Japan

Written by Beth Flanagan

In Japan the traditional home is based on Ma, which is the balance between space and objects. The space is divided by shoji screens, which slide on tracks and can be removed to enlarge a room or allow the room to become integrated with other spaces, such as the garden. Though some believe the screen’s paper is made of rice paper, it isn’t. Shoji paper is called Washi and it’s made of fibers from the Kozo tree.

The paper is made with a specific thinness, which allows the right amount of light to shine through. If you change the fiber direction or thickness, the washi optical factors, such as reflection rate and transparency, change. The paper’s surface allows sunlight to scatter throughout a room evenly and efficiently. This remarkable and ingenious screen originated in Japan during the time of the Chinese Han dynasty and is one of the many timeless Japanese architectural elements still popular today

Japanese mini house

Architecturally speaking, Japan has come a long way over the centuries. Though they still maintain a sense of tradition inside, the homes’ exterior is a far cry from the traditional “Japanese” home.

Because Japan is about the size of California and the population exceeds 125 million people, which is three and a half times the population of California, the modern Japanese home is more compact and built with a highly efficient and functional design, making every space count.

Though the interior space is graceful, clean, and turbo-functional, the outside is modern, futuristic, and sometimes downright ugly. Some homes are built to look like square spaceships, often composed of 100% cement with very few windows, and some are built to allow the sunlight to pour in by creating an entire wall of windows. One thing is certain, regardless of the exterior, we Westerners can learn a lot from their interior space design and the freedom that comes with the less-is-more mentality.

You can gain a better understanding of modern Japanese homes by taking a stroll through the links below, which highlight 4 popular Japanese architects.

Atelier bow-wow mini house japan