TYPES OF RURAL HOUSE PLANS AND THEIR REGIONALITY IN THE WESTERN PART OF JAPAN

Abstract

In terms of geography, the rural house is an important key to clarify a settlement structure. The plan of a rual house differs from one area to another, as it reflects conditions as well as the specific way of living of the people of an area. (Design) By means of securing a picture of the distrubution of house plans in the western part of Japan, I attempted to clarify the regionality in the house plan. In order to discover the regionality I also paid special attention to the relation to the dairy life, process of circulation and of transition. (Metod) 1) Region—Western part of Japan including Wakasa (Fukui Pref.) and Mie Pref. 2) Object— Rural houses in farming, fishing and mountain village. 3) The most common houses in the areas were chosen rather than the distinguished, old ones. 4) 941 examples were selected, —311 examples from my survey and 630 examples from other surveys by other geographers and architects—trying to get the examples from whole parts of the western part of Japan. 5) Not only house types but the life forms were observed by means of an interview method. As it was very difficult to see the inside of many houses and moreover the house plans will be change according to the change in the way of life, as to the distribution of houses, only a general view was taken. (Result) As far as the arrangement of the rooms in the main house, I divided into three parts, that is 1) the house plans (The arrangement of rooms) in the living part, 2) function of rooms and, 3) the function of the earth floor. 1) In the living part, the four room type is very common in Japan.(9. V. Fig. 1, prefatory 1: Fig. 2) The Hiroma type; a spacious room, a floor furnace (9. V. Fig. 1, pf. 2. Fig. 3-9, photo 2-4).This type of house is, geographically speaking, distributed, in the chilly, snowy district of northern part of Japan (Tohoku and Hokuriku district). Hiroma type is widely spread in the western part of Japan, mountain areas of Kyushu, Kii, Northern part of Lake Biwa, Chugoku, Tajima highland, and Oki and Tsushima Island. The mode of life in those areas makes it necessary to place a hall in the center of the main house. Like la maison-bloc, Hiroma type contains everything in one house, including a workroom and others; and therefore, is a suitable type of house for life in a chilly and isolated region. The tsumairi; a house with the entrance at the gabled side (Fig. 1, pf. 3.). The small earth floor type (Fig. 1, pf. 4. Fig. 10, 11). The Futamunezukuri, (Fig. 1, pf. 5. Fig. 12-14. photo 6, 7.), where main body of the house and the kichen are separated, is found in Kagoshima Pref.down to Nansei Island.This type is originated in theMicronesian and the Melanesian Island. The Transformed type, usually called “Kudozukuri” is centered at the Tsukushi Plain in the Northern Kyushu District. It is called Japanese kana “ko” because it has two projection in the rear (Fig. 1, pf.7.Fig.15, 16.photo 8). The L-type, another variety with one projection in the rear of the house, is found in Kyushu (Kagiya), in the Kochi Plain (Magariya), and on the Tamba Plateau (Tsunoya). Old families often adopt this type (Fig. 1, pf. 6. Fig. 17.). 2) Though the names of the rooms are mainfold, it is possible to know the cultural circle and the course of transition by looking for the distrubution of the room with the same name. I am going to offer the distinguished examples here, and especially in Okinoerabu and Yoron island we find some connection with Ryukyu Islands. Though the change of the name (Example of Nikaido village in Nara Pref: Stable←spinning-wheel room←stareroom), it is possible to get dynamic change of life in a rural area. 3) The earth froor is very important elements in the function of farming house.