Japanese Architecture Examples
Japanese Architecture Examples
Japanese Architecture Examples
ARCHITECTURE
Sites and Structures
Shirakaw
Shiragawa, Japan
a-gō
Historic Village of
About the Village
Shirakawa-gō
• Shirakawa (Shirakawa-mura) or Shirakawa-gō
• an altitude of about 500 meters
• in a valley defined by the Sho River and the surrounding Japanese
alps.
• buildings shown on this report are part of Ogimachi hamlet, which
is about 45.6 hectares
Historic Village of Shirakawa-gō
About the Village’s Geography
• is a mountain village
• located at the highest peak on Mount
Haku in the Ryōhaku Mountains
• The village's area is 95.7% mountainous
forests
• Is steep places that are characteristic.
• In between the mountains flows the Shō
River, which continues to the north into Nanto
in Toyama.
Historic Village of Shirakawa-gō
About the Village’s Geography
• One of the snowiest places in Japan
• 95.7% of Shirakawa is covered by forests.
• is a leading area of heavy snowfall in the
world, and due to this climate, gasshō-
zukuri homes were created.
• Gassho-zukuri settlements are registered
as cultural heritage sites.
• With the shape of the Hakusan National
Park mountain ranges as a background,
these sites are major tourist attractions.
Historic Village of Shirakawa-gō
About the Village’s Architecture
• well known for their houses constructed in the
architectural style known as gasshō-zukuri .
• The Gasshō-zukuri, "prayer-hands construction" style is
characterized by a thatched and steeply slanting roof
resembling two hands joined in prayer.
• The design is exceptionally strong and, in combination
with the unique properties of the thatching,allow the
houses to withstand and shed the weight of the region's
heavy snowfalls in winter.
Gasshō-zukuri - traditionally thatched houses
in Shirakawa-go
Historic Village of Shirakawa-gō
About the Village’s Architecture
• houses are large, with three to four stories
encompassed between the low eaves
• historically intended to house large
extended families and a highly efficient
space for a variety of industries
• The upper storeys of the gasshō houses
were usually set aside for sericulture
• areas below the first (ground) floor were
often used for the production of nitre, one
of the raw materials needed for the
production of gunpowder.
Traditional housing in Shirakawa-gō
Historic Village of Shirakawa-gō
About the Village’s Architecture
• By the year 1600 there were at least 50 houses
on the present site, increasing to 80 by the
end of the Meiji era.
• The village thrived due to the demand for high
quality silk in Kyoto.
• Most of the houses in Ogimachi have eaves
facing east and west. This layout maximizes
the amount of sunlight falling on the roof
surfaces, helping to keep them dry and free of
snow. In addition, this layout helps avoid the
worst effects of strong winds that frequently
blow north and south along the river,
particularly during the typhoon season.
Traditional housing in Shirakawa-gō
Kanda family House
• The upper stories of Gassho houses were
commonly used for silkworm production, and
Kanda house is no exception. The owners also
made fuming nitric acid, an ingredient in the
gunpowder of the time, as a commodity to
trade for cash.
• The house was established in the latter half of the Edo
period by Wada Yaemon
oe – multi-purpose living/dinin
Silkworm cultivation
wada family House
oe – multi-purpose living/dinin
Silkworm cultivation
nagase family House
Silkworm cultivation
Buddhist Temple of
TŌJI
Kyoto, Japan
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Fast facts
• Its name literally means "East Temple”
• was known before as Kyō-ō-gokoku-ji
(The Temple for the Defense of the Nation by
the Means of the King of Doctrines).
• presently stands to the southwest of Kyoto
station.
• Toji's pagoda is a symbol of Kyoto.
• A World Heritage Site.
• Established in 796.
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Fast facts
• seminary for the practice of Shingon sect
esoteric Buddhism (mikkyō in Japanese;
literally "secret teachings”).
• The principal image of the temple is
Yakushi Nyorai.
Yakushi Nyorai
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Brief History
• Emperor Kammu moved the capital from Nara to Kyoto .
• Established both Tō-ji and Saiji to protect the entrance of the
capital in the hopes of preventing evil influences from gaining a foothold
there.
• Devoted structures to spiritual matters.
• None of the buildings of Kūkai's era have survived.
Emperor Kammu
Buddhist priest Kūkai
Buddhist Temple of tōji
About the Temple’s Architecture
• The city was arranged
symmetrically on either
side of this grand avenue and
all streets ran precisely north-
south and east-west in a grid
pattern.
Aerial view of Heian-Kyo a.k.a. Historic Kyoto
Buddhist Temple of tōji
About the Temple’s Architecture
Main Entrance to Heian-kyo with the Aerial view of a scaled model of Heian-Kyo a.k.a. Historic Kyoto’s
Suzaku-Oji avenue running at 87 m long geometric layout
Buddhist Temple of tōji
About the Temple’s Architecture
• construction of the temple was slow; was still incomplete
thirty years after groundbreaking.
• Unfortunately, the temple on the west side
no longer exists, but To-ji, which literally
means "East Temple", has survived to the
present day.
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Five-storey pagoda
• Stands at 55m tall.
• was rebuilt in 1643 by the third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu
(after 4th burning incident)
• burned down four times after being struck by lightning.
• and is very heavily endowed with lightning rods and fire
extinguishers.
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Five-storey pagoda
• Is illuminated at night.
• Entrance is only permitted only a few days a year.
Buddhist mandala
Three-dimensional presentation of the mandala wth four buddhas and eight bodhisattvas
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Kondo (golden hall]
• First built in 796; Burned down in 1486
Back view of the Kondo hall
Buddhist Temple of tōji
• Features:
Five Wisdom Buddhas in the center
Five Great Wisdom Kings on the lef
Five Great Bodhisattvas on the right
Four Heavenly Kings (found in within the corners)
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Kodo [lecture hall]
21 Buddha statues: Five Wisdom Buddhas (center)
Five Great Wisdom Kings (left)
Two of the Five Great Bosatsu (bodhisattva)
Five Great Bodhisattvas on the (right )
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Jikido hall (refectory)
• was the living quarters and eating
area for the monks.
• Refectory:
• a room used for communal
meals, especially in an
educational or religious institution.
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Jikido hall (refectory)
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Jikido hall (refectory)
Buddhist Temple of tōji
miedo (founder’s hall)
• a.k.a. “Daishi-do Hall”
• dedicated to Kobo Daishi (Kukai).
• It stands on the location of his original residence.
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Hozo (Treasure warehouse)
• Surrounded by a moat to protect it from a fire.
• Built in the Azekura style without any nails.
Buddhist Temple of tōji
omotsukan museum (Treasure hall/treasury)
three pairs of screens, each depicting the Twelve Celestial Beings (Devas) who are regarded as
the protectors of Buddhism in the Esoteric tradition.
Heian era six-meter Thousand-Armed Kannon
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Hyotan-ike pond
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Hyotan-ike pond
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Kukai statue
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Yashima shrine
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Water house and bell tower
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Nandaimon gate (south gate)
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Nandaimon gate (south gate)
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Nandaimon gate (south gate)
View of the Nan-daimon gate from the temple grounds
Buddhist Temple of tōji
kitadaimon gate (north gate)
View of the Kita-daimon gate from the stone bridge
Buddhist Temple of tōji
kitadaimon gate (north gate)
Buddhist Temple of tōji
Temple office with rengemon gate
Thank you for listening!
References/sources
Asian Historical Architecture. (n.d.). Toji Temple, Kyoto, Japan. Retrieved from Oriental Architecture:
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/sid/809/japan/kyoto/toji-temple
Barnhill, S. (n.d.). Toji Temple. Retrieved from ssbarnhill: http://ssbarnhill.com/Japan/Attractions/Toji.htm
Hoffert, B. (2010, November 10). Toji: East Temple. Retrieved from History/Religious Studies North Central
College: http://bhoffert.faculty.noctrl.edu/REL315/Toji.html
Japan Tourist Information. (n.d.). Temples and Shrines: Toji Temple. Retrieved from Japan Visitor:
http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-temples-shrines/toji-temple
Kundu-Nagata, M. (2011, August 2). Toji Temple. Retrieved from lipikazuo:
http://lipikazuo.blogspot.com/2011/08/toji-temple.html
Noboru, A. (2005, February 12). Toji Temple. Retrieved from Kyoto:
http://kyoto.asanoxn.com/places/honganji_toji/toji.htm
ROHM. (n.d.). Nandaimon Gate and Kondo Hall. Retrieved from Micro ROHM:
http://micro.rohm.com/en/rohm-saijiki/toji/12_closeup/closeup01.html
Wikimedia Commons. (2012, March 25). Toji Temple. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Toji
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Toji Temple. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8D-ji
World Heritage Toji. (n.d.). Toji Temple. Retrieved from Toji Temple: http://www.toji.or.jp/en/