The term Minka might be read as house of the people, and this makes sense from a historical context in Japanese society. The non-samurai classes of merchants, artisans and farmers were put up in these traditional Japanese houses. Since these sorts of class distinctions no longer exist, the term Minka can generally refer to any traditional Japanese home that has a bit of history behind it.

No-ka are technically farm houses. That being said, fishing has always been an important industry in Japan, and Gyoka homes are a variant of No-ka that were built for fishermen. As man farmers could not afford to import expensive materials, no-ka are often made from wood and clay. Grass, straw and bamboo are also common materials. Internal walls were generally made up sliding wooden doors or fusuma screens. Tatami mats covered the floors, and the roofs were made out of either thatch or baked clay tiles. Stone wasn’t usually used for the construction, but it was used to strengthen foundations.

Traditional Japanese architecture is built around the use of wooden columns, and therefore the internal structure is usually not a load bearing design. This is why the interiors of these homes cold be made up of entryways, windows, paper screens and walls that were not fixed in place. There was another interior fixture that fans of Japanese architecture will surely be familiar with, at least in passing.

Gokayama Minka Houses

The irori was a built-in hearth that would be placed somewhere within the raised floor. However, irori hearths don’t actually have a chimney in the way that most fireplaces usually do. Instead, a small smoke vent up in the roof helped to funnel out heat and smoke, so that the inhabitants didn’t have to breath it in. Unfortunately, using this system can cause the thatch to start to go black. Thatch often needed to be replaced because of it. Since oil lamps could be expensive in the days before electric lighting, the hearth was often the sole artificial light source in these homes.

Interestingly, sharing a meal in a traditional Japanese household was a strictly stratified process. The family gathered around the hearth like they would anywhere, but they did so in a particular order. The head of the family sat on one side, and another side was reserved for the lady of the household and female members of the family. The third side was reserved for male members of the household and their guests. The remaining fourth side was used to store firewood.

From time immemorial the traditional Japanese kitchen has centered around the stove or hearth. A stove made of clay called a kamado was in the center. Pots would be set on top for cooking. This was actually very similar to today’s modern stoves with the exception that it was heated with a fire instead of electricity or gas.

In today’s Japanese kitchen, space is at a premium. Everything is arranged conveniently in as small a space as possible. Since most Japanese recipes use the techniques of broiling, boiling, grilling, steaming and frying, the kitchen is set up to make the most of these cooking techniques. A small gas stove usually takes up the most counter space. They usually have two burners. This stove is used for the majority of dishes needed to make up a meal. Many of these small gas stoves also have a small integrated broiler built in that functions a little like a toaster oven.

A small refrigerator will usually stand at the end of the counter. Most households will have a rice cooker and a microwave. Since most Japanese kitchens do not have a dedicated oven like they do in America, many of the microwaves are hybrids that also allow the cook to bake and toast. Dishwashers are also very rare in a Japanese kitchen. Most dishwashers are small and portable. They can be set up on top of the nearest cabinet. Some kitchens also have a special appliance for heating water. They are programmable and will keep water hot for anything it may be needed for.

In newer homes, a “system kitchen” is often built in instead of having the appliances sitting on top of the cabinets. System kitchens may have the stove, dishwasher and broiler built right into the cabinets. This is a new innovation in Japan.

At first I didn’t understand the Japanese bath at all. Here in the states most people prefer to take a shower to remove the grim of the day. But the Japanese bath is different. It’s not for cleaning like our baths. It’s more for relaxation and get this . . .you’re actually clean before you get into the bath water. Now, that’s totally different from how we take baths. It makes baths more appealing. Instead of sitting in your own dirty water as we do here, you’re sitting in nice, hot, relaxing, clean water. Boy, that sure sounds good right about now.

I love traditional Japanese homes. They are so organic, simple, and so tranquil compared to modern day homes. If you get a chance to visit Japan try to see a traditional Japanese home. If you do, you won’t be disappointed. It is a lovely site to see.