Traditional Japanese Architecture: Machiya, Tatami and Temples Without Nails

Wooden townhouses as long and narrow as an eel's bed, temples that have stood for over a thousand years without a single nail, rooms measured in tatami and edged by an in-between veranda. Our guides to how Japan builds — and the ideas of nature, impermanence and space behind it.

The Machiya: Inside the Traditional Japanese Townhouse
Traditional Architecture

The Machiya: Inside the Traditional Japanese Townhouse

3 min read
 How Japanese Temples Stand for Centuries Without a Single Nail
Traditional Architecture

How Japanese Temples Stand for Centuries Without a Single Nail

3 min read
 The Engawa: Japan's Veranda Between Inside and Out
Traditional Architecture

The Engawa: Japan's Veranda Between Inside and Out

3 min read
 Tatami: The Straw Mats That Measure the Japanese Room
Traditional Architecture

Tatami: The Straw Mats That Measure the Japanese Room

3 min read
 Why Tea Rooms Have a Tiny Door: The Meaning of the Nijiriguchi
Traditional Architecture

Why Tea Rooms Have a Tiny Door: The Meaning of the Nijiriguchi

3 min read
 The Genkan: Why Japanese Homes Have a Sunken Entrance
Traditional Architecture

The Genkan: Why Japanese Homes Have a Sunken Entrance

3 min read
 How Japanese Castles Were Built — and Why They Look So Different
Traditional Architecture

How Japanese Castles Were Built — and Why They Look So Different

3 min read
 Why Kyoto Machiya Are So Long and Narrow: The Story Behind Japan's 'Eel Bed' Houses
Traditional Architecture

Why Kyoto Machiya Are So Long and Narrow: The Story Behind Japan's 'Eel Bed' Houses

3 min read
 Onsen Inn Architecture: How Traditional Ryokan Blend Seamlessly With the Landscape
Traditional Architecture

Onsen Inn Architecture: How Traditional Ryokan Blend Seamlessly With the Landscape

3 min read
 Why Japanese Shrines Hang Giant Straw Ropes: The Sacred Meaning of Shimenawa
Traditional Architecture

Why Japanese Shrines Hang Giant Straw Ropes: The Sacred Meaning of Shimenawa

3 min read