Houses in Japan; Shoji Sliding Doors
In previous entry titled “Houses in Japan; Fusuma Sliding Doors “, I wrote about unique sliding doors called “Fusuma”. To recap,it is a sliding
doors between the room, and it is made of wooden frame and Japanese
paper is pasted and then, Fusuma paper is placed on top. That Fusuma
paper usually has beautiful drawings of nature such as mountain. This
Fusuma doors can also be seen at “Oshiire”, where many Japanese people
put away their Futon.
In this entry, I would like to focus on another unique sliding doors called “Shoji”.
What is “Shoji” sliding door?
“Shoji” Sliding door is a sliding door that are made of wooden frame and white Japanese paper called “washi” is pasted on those frame. “Shoji” sliding door is,just like “Fusuma” sliding doors, it is in between rooms and often seen with traditional Japanese style tatami mat rooms.
Since “Washi”-white Japanese paper, is thin, sun light can come through the white Japanese paper.
I came across youtube video on Shoji sliding doors exhibition in Shizuoka prefecture in Japan. Shizuoka prefecture is roughly at about in the middle of the main Japan island and famous for tea.
You can see what the shoji doors would look like in the video, but I see more modern style shoji sliding doors and it is a different one from what I used to see at our house when I was a kid.
Shoji Sliding Doors
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I also found a youtube video on washi making (white Japanese paper making). Traditionally, these white Japanese paper is pasted on wooden frame for “shoji” sliding doors.
How “Washi” the white Japanese paper is made
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In the past, when my husband and I visited Hyogo prefecture, which is located in western part of main Japan island, we visited one facility that people can experience the “washi” making. It was so much fun! If you had a chance to visit Japan, especially Hyogo prefecture, you can look up the place where you can experience those things. It will be fun!
Hyogo prefecture also has large port called “Kobe port” and it has very nice ocean view. Me and my husband went on board for cruise ship called “Luminus Kobe 2 ” and we dined inside the cruise ship looking over the beautiful night ocean view.
Later, we took our family to the ship and my grandparents,my parents enjoyed the view as well. The Universal Studio Japan in Osaka prefecture was in close distance, we spent day time there and spent night time on the cruise ship.It was fun family trip.
As a kid, our house had these “shoji” sliding doors and ours was the one with half glass on bottom part of the door and top half was with wooden frame with “Washi” the white Japanese paper was pasted. Occasionally, when me and my sister play with toys,running around the house, we made a hole on the “Washi” the white Japanese paper..
In the “shoji” exhibition video on youtube, I found many of the work was with glass, and I wonder if those modern style “shoji” sliding doors started appearing because of requirement of replacement of “washi” (White Japanese paper) when kids,pets made hole on traditional “shoji” sliding doors..
