Reveal 71+ Awe-inspiring Traditional Japanese House Design Where Came From Top Choices Of Architects

The Sukiya style home, also known as the 'tea house' style, is often associated with Art Deco houses due to its elegant and simplistic nature. The name Sukiya derives from tea master Sen no Rikyu’s house, located at the foot of the Urakami Mountains in the Nagoya area. This style is characterized by a subtle, undecorated but stylish design, and often features slender pillars and neatly trimmed frameworks made out of high-quality materials.

Sukiya style homes are often small and rectangular in shape, and feature wooden and bamboo materials, as well as hard stone. The roof line is typically sharper than those used in other traditional Japanese house designs. Special features of a Sukiya-style house include a rounded window with a grille, glass doors, latticed windows, and shoji sliding doors, all of which are used to allow light into the space while still providing privacy. Characteristic of the Art Deco design, the windows are typically curved, leading to a smooth, eye-catching exterior.

The Shoin style house has a long history as one of Japan’s traditional house designs that dates back to the 18th Century. This style of house was popular among the wealthy, aristocratic classes and was designed with comfort and privacy in mind. Its distinguishing features include a wide hallway, a lava, and an alcove. Other unique features include decorative copper fittings, a tokonoma (room alcove for displaying artwork) and shoji (sliding rice paper doors).

The Shoin house is generally rectangular or square in shape, with a large open area for the courtyard. The interior of the house is elegant and decorated with symbols of wealth, such as scrolls, screens, and furniture made of precious materials. Additionally, Shoin style homes typically feature bigger windows than Sukiya style homes, while also featuring curved windows, especially on the front of the house.

The Sugimura style is considered a unique offshoot of traditional Japanese house designs, and is most commonly seen in the city of Ginza, Tokyo. This style of house was designed during the Meiji period by a mason who studied traditional building methods. This is a great example of how traditional Japanese structures can be adapted and modernized to create a unique and eye-catching Art Deco home. This style is characterized by its bold, angular lines, Glass windows, metal fittings, and a mix of materials.

The Sugimura style house features a large terrace with a curved roof, a development on traditional Japanese roofs. The walls of the house are typically covered with wood boards, and windows are large arches made of glass or wood, which provide ample natural light and ventilation. Additionally, Sugimura style homes often feature modern conveniences, such as an electric lighting system and plumbing.

The Honbō style is an architectural style that originated in the Edo period, and was used primarily by the upper-class samurai class. Honbō style homes feature large, expansive spaces with finely crafted sliding doors, columns, fusuma, and tatami mats. This style of house uses natural materials such as wood, bamboo, reed, and clay, and has a subtle, elegant, but striking presence. The roofs of Honbō style homes are typically steeply pitched and decorated with tiles.

One of the key features of Honbō style homes are the large verandas, which are often lined with columns. In addition, this style of house often feature sliding windows and internal staircases, as well as stone gardens outside. The interior is typically long and raised, with rows of tatami laid to create linear spaces.

The Minka style is a generic term for any traditional Japanese-style house, and is the oldest form of house typically found in Japan. It consists of several styles and designs that date all the way back to the 8th and 9th centuries. The distinguishing features of this style of house include a thatched roof and walls made of earth, clay, or wood. This style of house is typically found in rural areas, and is characterized by its simplicity and low cost.

The Minka house typically features a large central living space, with smaller rooms off to the side. It also features large front and rear verandas, as well as a small garden in the rear of the house. The windows of the Minka style house are usually small and square, while the doors are typically made of wood with a sliding design, in keeping with the traditional aesthetic.

The Nagaya style was popular during the Edo period and is characterized by its long, narrow design. This style of house is typically seen in urban areas, such as in Tokyo’s Ginza district, and is meant to maximize square footage on small lots of land. As such, a Nagaya style house typically features two or three stories, rather than the traditional single story. They are typically made of wood and feature windows on the sides, as well as an easily accessed entrance.

Characteristic of the Nagaya style is the use of wood shingles on the roof, as well as the incorporation of a veranda in the center of the building. The overall design of the building is long, narrow, and tall, in order to maximize the living area in a small space. Additionally, Nagaya-style homes typically feature a fan-shaped window and a curtain-like entrance door.

The Karamon style of house is characterized by its ornamental gate entrance, as well as its curved entrance door. The gate entrance is usually made of wood, and is large and grand in size, with elaborate carvings. The entrance door to the Karamon style house is usually rounded, and is often decorated with intricate patterns and designs. This style of house is typically found in the wealthier districts of Japan, such as the Kansai region.

The design of a Karamon style house varies greatly, but often consists of a main building connected to two or three smaller buildings. Each of the buildings contains a central, open area, surrounded by several smaller rooms and spaces. The roof of a Karamon style home is usually tile or shingle, and often includes ornamental carvings, while the walls are typically wooden.

The Sumiyoshi-zukuri style house is characterized by its heavy roof construction and its distinctive support beams at the eaves. This style of house was named after the Sumiyoshi shrine in Osaka, which dates back to the Heian period. This style of house is usually seen in the Kansai area, and is characterized by its thick posts, large eaves, and roof line that is slightly curved. The Sumiyoshi-zukuri style house also features large rectangular windows.

The entrance to the Sumiyoshi-zukuri style house is usually marked by a clay wall, while the interior of the house is typically open, with no internal walls. The roof is designed so that it slopes from the sides to the center, while the thick support posts provide extra support for the eaves. Additionally, Sumiyoshi-zukuri style homes often incorporate natural materials, such as bamboo and soil, as well as tatami mats and sliding paper doors.

The Yashiki style house was often used by upper-class samurai as their main residence. This style of house was typically characterized by its large size and grandeur, as well as its ornamental gate entrance. The entrance to a Yashiki style house usually consisted of a large gate, called a kuromon, which was decorated with fudoki (clan symbols). The gate was typically brightly colored and designed to be a statement of the status and power of the family living inside the house.

The Yashiki style house typically consists of several linked buildings, each with its own central area and several smaller rooms. The interior of a Yashiki style house will often feature decorative wooden pillars, while the exterior features steeply pitched rooftops, with the peak typically made of copper or bronze. Additionally, circles and curving designs are often incorporated into the construction of Yashiki style homes, adding a touch of sophistication and elegance.

The Nakamura style house is typically found in the Kansai area, and is characterized by its meandering layout and use of natural materials. This style of house is usually bordered by a low stone wall, and is composed of several small buildings, which are connected by a complex network of wooden pathways. The roofs of the Nakamura style house are typically made of clay or slate, and are designed to be steeply pitched.

A characteristic feature of the Nakamura style is its use of natural materials, such as wood, soil, and stone. The layout of the house is typically curved, with small spaces in between the structures, and the interior usually consists of sliding paper doors, tatami mats, and shoji windows. Additionally, the interior of the Nakamura style house is often decorated with artwork and other decorations, creating a unique, yet harmonious atmosphere.