In Japan, wooden architecture is preserved and transmitted through traditional skills, techniques, and knowledge. About 70 percent of the country is forested. Therefore, wood has been used in houses since ancient times.
Throughout history, Japanese architecture has been admired for its fine craftsmanship, precision, and simplicity. It is typified by wooden structures elevated slightly from the ground with tile or thatched roofs. Traditional partitions like sliding doors (fusuma) are used in place of walls, making it possible to customize the interior configurations for different occasions.
A traditional Japanese architectural style has various features, uses, and methods that are specific to the country, such as residences, castles, Buddhist temples, and Shinto shrines. However, especially in ancient times, it was strongly influenced by Chinese culture, so it has similar characteristics to architecture in Asian countries.
The oldest surviving wooden structure in the world is the Horyu-ji temple, built in the early 7th century. The nomination file describes seventeen traditional skills, including the use of Sakan plaster, cypress bark harvesting, lacquer painting traditional structures, making tatami mats, and much more.
The traditional skills were known until the nineteenth century by master craftsmen who trained apprentices as successors to transmit their knowledge. However, due to modernization, this process became more difficult, so preservation associations formed to preserve these skills.
In addition to building new structures, knowledge includes techniques for restoring existing ones. The country's hot, humid climate demands repair work frequently. At restoration sites, different craftspeople must work together. In some maintenance jobs, local residents are required to be involved. For example, a roof thatch needs to be completely renewed every twenty years, which is a labor-intensive job.
Many features of Japanese architecture are universal. The use of wood in different forms (planks, straw, tree bark, paper, etc.) is found in almost all structures. As opposed to both Western and some Chinese architecture, the stone is seldom used except for specific purposes, such as temple podia and pagoda foundations.
By fostering social cohesion and cooperation, the element also strengthens the sense of cultural belonging among the Japanese. During the 20th century, industrialization, coupled with diminishing timber resources, drove the shift away from wood. Although many qualities of traditional Japanese architecture can be found today, a closer look at historical construction practices shows just how much has been lost.