What is “Kominka”?
"古民家" ＝ "Kominka"
“Kominka” refers to traditional Japanese houses, typically older, historical homes that were built using traditional construction methods for farming, for business etc. These houses are characterised by features such as:
- Wooden Construction: predominantly made of wood, with intricate joinery and craftsmanship. It’s strong, light weight and even has humidity controlling property material that suits the Japanese environment.
- Thatched or traditional roof tiles known as “Kawara”.
- “Tatami” Mats: Interiors usually have tatami mat flooring, which is a traditional form of flooring made from straw and covered with woven rush grass.
- “Engawa”: a covered veranda that extends along the house, offering a space to enjoy the outdoors while being sheltered.
- Sliding Doors (“Shoji and Fusuma”): Interior spaces are often divided by sliding doors or panels, which can be opened or closed to alter the room configuration.
“Osetsuma” is a reception room where you entertain a guest. The picture above illustrates the “Tatami” floor, “Fusuma” solid sliding door and “Shoji” paper screen. “Shoji” divides the space gently allowing lights to come in, “Fusuma” divides the space completely.
Intricate details showcasing the craftmanship at the time of construction. Renovation allows the period details to be kept, which is hard to find in efficiency driven modern construction.
View out into the garden framed by “Shoji” paper screen. Its translucent property softens the bright direct light and stops air and insects coming in.
“Engawa” is a in-between space between the inside and the outside, which was once open to the outside covered by an over-hanging roof. Traditionally “Shoji” paper screen separated this “Engawa” and the internal space. With development of glass manufacturing, it has become common to enclose this “Engawa” to get a better protection / comfort from the environment.
“Doma” is an entrance space which is one step lower than the floor level where you walk with your shoes on. It is a very useful in-between space where stuff from the outside can be brought in without making the internal space messy, such as unwashed vegetables. We take off and leave the shoes in “Doma” and walk around the house wearing slippers.
What is “Kominka?”