Flat design

Sometimes People say Japanese design has two dimensional format, in other words "flat" design.  

Let's try to explain what is the "flat" design by Ukiyo-e. 

The following pictures are Japanese Ukiyo-e (*1) and Italian fresco (*2) painting. 

We can see difference between these pictures.

The fresco painting has vanishing point and drawn materials are going to smaller and smaller. 

On the other hand, Materials are overlapped one another in Ukiyo-e, like a tree group is overlapped other tree group, people are overlapping with the tree group and, the last, rain is overlapping every materials. 

*1

*2



We can see The "flat" design in Japanese architectural design and landscape design.

Entsu-ji, kyoto(*3) was made in 1678, Edo era. The temple's garden was designd by the flat design. The design strategy is called borrowed landscape (Shakkei 借景). The garden is consisted by front moss garden, a hedge and trees in the middle and mountain, also, we can feel even if columns as a part of the garden.    

*3

OYA stone (大谷石)

OYA stone is a kind of pumice tuff. 

The stone mining in Oya-mashi, Utsunomiya-shi, Tochigi, Japan.

Hence it's soft and work easily, It have been used for exterior wall and so on.

The oldest usage example is ancient tomb which made in 6-7C. 

In Edo era, The stone came into use more as an architectural material.

Many warehouses used Oya stone (*1) remains in Kanto region, and of course the stone is still used today.

Most well known architecture using Oya stone  is "Imperial hotel" made by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1890.(*2)
Oya stone was used a lot of parts like exterior wall, interior wall, ornament and so on.
Unfortunately, The architecture was already destroyed but The potion of it was removed and reserved in The museum Meiji-mura, Aichi prefecture.

*1


















*2


You can go sightseeing to Oya stone mining site.
The is also impressive place.
"Oya history musium"

Washi-producing district

Washi List:

Hokkaido

Sasa gami　笹紙

Fuki gami　　 富貴紙

Miyagi

Shiroishi washi 　白石和紙

Marumori washi　丸森和紙

Yagyu washi　　　柳生和紙

Iwate

Higashiyama washi　 東山和紙

Narushima washi　　 成島和紙

Akita

Jyumonji washi　十文字和紙

Yamagata

Fukayama washi　  深山和紙

Tsukiyama washi　  月山和紙

Takamatsu washi　 高松和紙

Nagasawa washi　　長沢和紙

Fukushima

Kamikawasaki washi 　上川崎和紙

Iwaki washi　　　　　　　岩城和紙

Tohno washi　　　　　　遠野和紙　

Yamahunyu washi　　　山舟生和紙

Ibaragi

Nishinouchi washi　　西ノ内和紙

Gosuke washi         五介和紙　　　　　　

Tochigi

Hodomura shi**　　程村紙

Toriyama washi　　 鳥山和紙

Gunma

Kiryu washi   　桐生和紙

Saitama

Ogawa washi　　　　　小川和紙

Hosokawa shi***　　 細川紙

Tokyo

Edo karakami*　　江戸からかみ

Gundo shi　　　　  軍道紙

Nigata

Oguni washi**    小国和紙

Kadoide washi　　門出和紙

Koide washi　　　 小出和紙

Toyama

Etchu washi*   越中和紙

Ishikawa

Kaga gampi shi　　　　　加賀雁皮紙

Kaga futamata washi　 加賀二俣和紙

Noto nigyo washi　　　　能登仁行和紙

Fukui

Echizen washi*　　　　越前和紙

Echizen housyo**　　 越前奉書

Wakasa washi　　　　  若狭和紙

Yamanashi

Nishijima washi　　西島和紙

Nagano

Uchiyama shi*　　内山紙

Gifu

Santyu washi　　 山中和紙

Mino washi*　　　 美濃和紙

Honmino shi**    本美濃紙

Shizuoka

Suruga yuno gami　　駿河柚野紙

Aichi

Obara washi　　小原和紙

Mie

Fukano washi　　深野和紙

Ise washi　　　　  伊勢和紙

Shiga

Naruko washi　　　なるこ和紙

Oumi gampi shi　　近江雁皮紙

Kyoto

Karakami　　　　　　からかみ

Kurotani washi　　  黒谷和紙

Hyogo

Sugihara shi        　 杉原紙

Najio gampi shi　　 　名塩雁皮紙

Awaji tsunagami    　淡路津名紙

Kobe washi　　　　　　神戸和紙

Chikusa gampi shi　　ちくさ雁皮紙

Nara

Yoshino washi　　吉野和紙

Wakayama

Yasuda washi　　保田和紙

Sanji gami　　　　山路紙

Kohya gami　　　高野紙

Tottori

Insyu washi*　　因州和紙

Shimane

Izumo mingeishi　　　出雲民芸紙

Sekisyu washi**　　 石州和紙

Hiikawa washi         斐伊川和紙

Hirose washi　　　　  広瀬和紙

Kachiji hanshi         勝地半紙

Okayama

Tsuyama hakuaishi　　津山箔合紙

Bichu washi　　　　　　 備中紙

Hiroshima

Ohtake washi   大竹和紙

Yamaguchi

Tokuji washi　　徳地和紙

Tokushima

Awa washi*       阿波和紙

Haigyu washi 　　拝宮和紙

Ehime

Senka shi**　　 泉貨紙

Oozu washi*　　大洲和紙

Iyo washi   　　　伊予和紙

Syuso washi　　 周桑和紙

Fukuoka

Yame washi    八女和紙

Saga

Nao washi　　　　　名尾和紙

Jubashi washi　　　重橋和紙

Kumamoto

Mizumata washi　　水俣和紙

Miyaji washi　　　　 宮地和紙

Oita

Takeda washi　　竹田和紙

Yayoi washi　　　弥生和紙

Miyazaki

Miyazaki washi　　宮崎和紙

Mimitsu washi　　 美々津和紙

Kagoshima

Gamou washi        蒲生和紙

Satsuma washi　　 さつま和紙

Okinawa

Ryukyu shi　　琉球紙

NOTE:

***: National-designated important intangible cultural property

**: Selected intangible cultural properties

*: Traditional Industrial crafts products

No mark: Prefecture-designed traditional industrial crafts products

Gray: Other

reference

1, All Japan Handmade Washi Association HP

2, Japan Special Forest Product Promotion Association HP

Japanese paper (WASHI 和紙)

Washi is Japanese traditional paper. Made using fibers from the bark of the gampi tree, the mitsumata shrub, or the paper mulberry.
Washi has longer fiber than western paper, so, it can be thin and strong.


The history
The oldest washi paper which had discovered in SHOSOIN, Nara was made in 8th century, and the paper was seemed still remain exactly the same as it was in 8th century.
Washi is said "maintain 1,000 years".

At first, paper making technique was came from China to Japan in 6th century. Time came to 7th century, the technique spread into around Japan.

How to use
1, A repair material for cultural property all around world.
2, Art paper; Japanese style painting and calligraphy.
3, A paper for Japanese paper currency.
4, finishing material for interior wall, ceiling and even if floor.
5, Material for fittings; Shoji, Fusuma
6, Material for clothe


Types
There is various kind of washi.
Please see "Classification of Washi" and "Washi-producing district"



    

Bamboo screen (SUMUSHIKO 簾虫籠)

SUMUSHIKO means louver made of bamboo strings.

It was for insect cage at first, then this louver used for fittings especially in Toyama prefecture.

Wholesaler in port `MORI YA" (Kaisen donya 廻船問屋　森屋) in Toyama is most famous architecture which has SUMUSHIKO window.

We can see outside through SUMISHIKO window in inside, on the contrary, We can't see inside through it in outside at daytime.

Classification of Washi

There are various type of Washi.

* reference; All Japan Handmade Washi Association

Washi

   1. Machine-made washi

   2. Handmade washi

       2-1. Raw paper

           2-1-1. mulberry paper

           2-1-2. mitsumata paper

           2-1-3. gampi paper

           2-1-4. mixed paper

           2-1-5. other material paper

           2-1-6. paper for caligraphy and drawing paper

       2-2. Manufactured paper

           Manufactured before dry

           2-2-1. dying paper

           2-2-2. plowing paper

           2-2-3. watermarking paper

           Manufactured after dry

           2-2-4. crumpled paper

           2-2-5. tanned paper, oiled paper

           2-2-6. string (made from twisted paper)

           2-2-7. paper for fittings

           2-2-8. paper which has pattern

              2-2-8-1. dyeing

              2-2-8-2. print

Related books

English

       

Stepped bracket complex （TOKYO 斗栱)

Sometimes we find beautiful wooden structure at between roof and wall, the joint parts of Japanese shrine or temple.

It is called TOKYO (*1).

*1 TOKYO

You can see it at Todai temple which made in 8th century.

 There was primary forest in Japan at that era, so, ancient Japanese people could use huge trees for the temple. Todai temple is simple and strong. (*2)

 *2 Todai temple

After 800 years, in Edo era, The primary forest was decreased because of growth of population.

Nikko Toshogu shrine made in 1617, has much more complex structure.(*3) 

That was caused by decrease in supply of wood. People in that era invented a detail which can use wood more efficient, the way of thinking was reflected to architectural design.

*3 Nikko toshogu shrine

Jihei Ogawa (七代目 小川治兵衛）

Jihei Ogawa (1860-1933) was landscape gardener worked in Meiji era (1868-1912).
His great gardens are mainly in Kyoto, especially gardens for villas around Nanzen-ji zen temple made by using water of Biwa lake are his most famous works (*1).
Also, he is known as one of the person who established Japanese modern garden design.



*1 Murin an (early summer)

*1 Murin an (autumn)

*2 Heian jingu shrine

Related books

Japanese & English

Japanese

Hard-packed dirt floor （TATAKI 三和土）

Tataki is hard-packed dirt floor made of red soil, gravel,hydrated lime and bittern.
This technique was useful for solidify soil without cement.

It have used be used for a part of Japanese firmer's house since Edo era (1603-1868).
The space named "Doma"."Doma" was used as semi outdoor space in where firmer worked at night or in rainy day.

Nowadays, Tataki is improved tougher by using cement, and used for various space.

*Aomori museum of art

White Nachi & Black Nachi (黒那智、白那智）

Nachi stone have been used for Japanese garden from Edo era(1603-1868).

Main producer of the stone is Kumano-shi, Mie prefecture.

Black Nachi stone has pure black color and shiny surface. 

Black Nachi stone (kuro nachi)

White Nachi stone (shiro nachi)

Usage exsample

The stone is used for rainwater drainage ditch(*1), pavement(*2) (used as is or sometimes used with cement ), and as a gravel stone on the bottom of water (*3). 

 *1　Nezu museum

*2　"Araidashi" exposed-aggregate finish

*3

Introduction

We are Japanese.

We want to introduce Japanese traditional design to you in this site.
The site will be simple, easy to understand and useful.
Categories we are going to introduce are architectural design, interior design, landscape design and materials used for those.