fusuma

sliding door

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Fusuma are framed, paper-covered sliding doors used in traditional Japanese houses to partition rooms. They are a key element of Japanese interior design, allowing for flexible room arrangements by converting multiple spaces into one when removed.12

These sliding doors often feature decorative paintings or calligraphy, with entire landscapes depicted in black and white or color, sometimes on gold or silver backgrounds. Changing the fusuma can significantly alter a room's appearance, serving as a primary form of interior decoration in a space that otherwise emphasizes simplicity and neutrality.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

interior design
Japan
…is great variety in the fusuma, or sliding doors, which divide the rooms and which are covered with paper of many patterns or decorated with paintings or calligraphy. Thus, the whole side of a room may present a landscape either in black and white or in colours, often on a…
Read More
…is great variety in the fusuma, or sliding doors, which divide the rooms and which are covered with paper of many patterns or decorated with paintings or calligraphy. Thus, the whole side of a room may present a landscape either in black and white or in colours, often on a…
Read More