URBAN HOUSE LAYOUT OF NANBAMIDO-OMOTE, THE CENTRAL AREA OF OSAKA IN PRE-MODERN TIMES

Abstract

Regarding the urban dwellings of Japan in pre-modern times we show, on a drawing, the actual architectural situation of 13 dwellings in the central area of Osaka. We discuss the dwelling types and the layout of the houses drawn. As a result, we were able to draw the following conclusions: 1) we can confirm three dwelling types; Tori-niwa type, with an earthen floor passable from front to back (7 examples), Kiri-niwa type, with two earthen floors (2 examples), and Mae-niwa type, with an entrance earthen floor (4 examples). Houses for rent including six Tori-niwa type houses facing the main road Mido-suji and Minami-Kyuutarocho-dori measured 2.5 to 5 ken in width and 1.25 to 8.5 ken in depth. Each has 3 rooms in file inside and five houses have a set bath in their dwellings. 2) Five houses were set on rear sites and two houses next to the corner house, with sharing wells and toilets. The composition of these 13 houses shows a layout technique in a central urban area in Osaka.