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How did verandas and sliding panels connect Japanese buildings to gardens and landscapes?
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Japanese art
The Breaking Wave off Kanagawa, woodblock colour print by Hokusai, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, 1826–33.
In Japanese architecture, the connection between interior spaces and the natural environment is a fundamental design principle, reflecting a deep appreciation for the natural world as a source of spiritual insight.1
This integration is achieved through several key architectural features:
- Sliding Partitions: The use of shoji—sliding doors made of translucent paper on wooden frames—allows for a flexible transition between the indoors and outdoors. In the summer, these panels can be removed entirely, effectively opening the house to the garden to improve ventilation and create a seamless flow between spaces.2
- Connecting Corridors: Traditional Japanese residences often feature a connecting corridor outside the rooms, which serves as a transitional zone between the interior living areas and the exterior landscape.3
- Structural Openness: Because two sides of a traditional house frequently lack permanent walls, the interior can be easily rearranged or opened up. This design choice, combined with the use of fusuma (sliding doors) that can be removed to merge rooms, ensures that the home remains in harmony with its surrounding environment rather than being isolated from it.3