JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE

Japanese Architecture

• Japanese architecture was influenced by the Chinese > Korean, they are very similar
• Buddhism and Shinto overlap
• Japan is a crescent shaped land mass off the coast of eastern Asia

Sea of Japan between

Consists of many islands, 4 main, 200 small (Hokkaido is the largest)

Hydrology: rivers steep and swift, and very short

Climate: varies depending where you are but mostly warm summer, cold winter

Primary factors: near Asian continent and existence of major oceanic currents

-volcanic activities led them to use timber (easy to rebuild)-chain of mnts

Japanese Cities:

Similar to Chinese planning

Followed orthogonal plans and built around palaces

Elements:

Strong axis

Symmetry

Entrance gateway

Halls

-each emperor built his own capital city

-each site required ritual purification

Example:

Heijo

1^st of great capitals peaceful citadel

Same grid plan and pattern as Changan in China

Buddhist Architecture in Japan:

Temples:

Made mostly of wood- easy to work and readily available

Flexible wooden structures more stable during earthquake

Example:

Horyuji Temple

-Great Temples of 8^th century

Kondo= Golden hall

Religious images

-Five story pagoda

Kodo=lecture hall

Simple rectangular enclosure wall

Shinto Shrines:

Shinto= native religion of Japan way of the gods

Reveres natural forces essential to agricultural prosperity

Oral traditions recorded in 8^th c.

Represent essence of Japanese architecture

Older traditions preserved and new ideas germinate

Elements:

-series of enclosed walls, gateways

-simple shrine

-all timber structures

-20 yr life span, after they dismantled and built new one in place

-lifted off the ground to protect from dampness

-important to preserve food and seeds

Example:

Ise Shrine at Uji-Yamada

Process of rebuilding shrines every 20 yrs is unique to Ise

Domestic Architecture:

Geometric pattern

Tatome mat- plan consists of 5 or 6

Off ground structures of timber

Thin walls

Sliding doors

Picture scrolls

Light weight structures

Shinden Style:

-for aristocratic residence

-shinden was residence of master of house

Minka Style:

-houses of the people

-packed, earth, brick, and timber materials

-wooden folk houses

-as diverse as owners

-changing needs and changing incomes of owners

Japanese Palaces:

Example:

Katsura Palace

1620

-summer retreat

-added on by different emperors over time

-Building not symmetrical

Elements:

-exterior walls not thick

-low furniture

-tatome mats

-painted panels

-Oriental architecture- elegant and simple

-conforms with nature, accepting

-architecture of view, continuity, and perspective

Imperial gate, inner gate

Gardens- natural stepping stone provide direction to emphasis on landscape

-garden design became an art form rooted in the imitation of the scenic values of natural forms, exploiting properties

-viewing points

-paving textures

-framing devices (gates) for controlling views

-artificial water bodies (lake, pond) man-made

Funerary Architecture:

Important associated with mountains

-animistic spirits with mountains

-souls of dead depart earth from mountain tops

Kofun or Burial Mounds

-monumental burial of emperors

350 AD

First carved from hillsides and later built on flat land

Combination of round mound with trapezoidal platform

Example:

Burial Mound of Sujin