Traditional Japanese Houses Research Articles

A case study on the effects of the wind catcher and Taiko-shoji in Japanese environment-friendly house

ABSTRACTRecently, people around the world have actively made efforts to conserve energy in residential homes as a countermeasure against global warming. The awareness of the importance of energy saving has continued to grow in Japan since the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011. The interest in cross-ventilation for air conditioning energy saving in summer is especially increasing. Japan's climate features high temperatures and humidity, and it is a country in which people used cross-ventilation in their homes during summer and the middle season earlier. However, due to changes in modern society, including the progress in air-conditioning facilities, the focus on an environmentally conscious house design was lost. Therefore, studies about cross-ventilation have not been conducted in recent years. This study reconsidered the value of Japanese traditional houses and evaluated the effect of the planar-shaped house in cross-ventilation. It also surveyed the heat-insulating effect of a Taiko-shoji that was developed from an ordinary shoji screen used in Japanese traditional houses. The results show that a skylight opening increased the cross-ventilation air volume and that the shape worked effectively as a wind catcher without any special equipment. Moreover, the study found that the installment of a Taiko-shoji had a significant effect on heat insulation in summer and winter.

Modern Multi-unit Housing in Japan and the Dōjunkai Apartments (1924–34)

The Dōjunkai Apartments were built in Tokyo between 1924 and 1934. The period coinciding with the construction of these buildings by the Dōjunkai Association marked a crucial phase in the history of housing architecture. Certainly by the 1930s, theories on four types of residential organisational structures were consolidated to include the neighbourhood (Garden City); the block (H. Berlage's plan of expansion of Amsterdam); the quarter (German Siedlungen); and the megastructure (Le Corbusier's La Ville Radieuse). Influenced by European models, the Dōjunkai schemes are typified by an original combination of endogenic and exogenic forms. Drawing on the comparison with Western counterparts and on the analyses of plans and of other archival material, this article will demonstrate the peculiar organisational structure of the Dōjunkai Apartments. This will be defined as a “segmented block”, characterised by fortuity, fragmentariness and linearity. Further, the article will propose the idea that these elements recall the archetypes of the nagaya (a type of traditional Japanese row house), the linear village and the kinetic spatial structure characteristic of the city of Edo-Tokyo.

An analysis of common and different concepts which exist in the design of traditional Turkish and Japanese houses

An analysis of common and different concepts which exist in the design of traditional Turkish and Japanese houses

Quantitative Analysis of Fire Spreading Potential for Surrounding Areas of Cultural Properties in Kyoto City

Many cultural heritage sites exist in the historic city of Kyoto. Wooden buildings account for a majority of these sites, and they exist in a large proportion in the surrounding urban areas. Therefore, protecting Kyoto′s cultural properties from fire hazards is a pressing issue in urban planning. Based on this type of problem awareness, this study aims to produce basic documentation related to future disaster-prevention measures for cultural properties. First, we conducted a field survey of the buildings surrounding cultural properties and compiled critical distance of fire spreading dilated volume fraction (DVF) buffer data for each structure. We calculated the critical distance of fire spreading taking into account the weather conditions of wind speed and direction, and illustrated the DVF buffer using image processing techniques and created a fire spreading graph. We then analyzed the risk of fire spreading to cultural properties from both the macro and micro perspectives according to the number of configuration nodes for the DVF buffer and graph.We found that the majority of cultural properties at high risk of fire spreading are folk dwellings and Japanese traditional town houses and that many are distributed in areas of high-density wood construction.

ヒノキ（<I>Chamaecyparis obtusa</I>）酵素糖化のためのアルカリ-過酸化水素法の検討

In Japan, softwood is one of the suitable materials for production of bio-fuels, since forest of softwood accounts approximately 90% in artificial forest in Japan, and it is widely used for constructing the traditional Japanese house. Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), which is known for its high quality lumber has been attracted a lot of interest as a potential feedstock in Japan. The conditions of alkaline peroxide pretreatment were investigated for the enzymatic hydrolysis of Japanese cypress in this study. The suitable condition of the pretreatment was as follows; at 70 °C with 2M sodium hydrate (NaOH) of and 6M hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Almost of hemicellulose and approximately 60% of lignin were disappeared in the AP-pretreated sample. The AP-pretreated sample had the high-crystallinity and the celluolose nano fibers and nano scale "raising" on the surface. The suitable enzyme was Accellease1500 resulted in approximately 60%-glucose yield with 20 mg-protein/g-substrate. These results suggest that the alkaline peroxide hydrogen treatment has the potential as the pretreatment for obtaining glucose from softwood such as Japanese cypress in enzymatic hydrolysis.

Natural ventilation performance and design method of traditional Japanese houses and its application possibility to contemporary houses design

Natural ventilation performance and design method of traditional Japanese houses and its application possibility to contemporary houses design

A Study on Actual Conditions of Thermal Environment and Indoor Air Quality in a Japanese Traditional House Corresponding to Sericulture

This study of the traditional sericulture residence, located inside the Minkaen, Jidayubori Park, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, Japan, aims to clarify the environmental characteristics of a sericulture building from the engineering point of view. In sericulture, the silkworms are raised at different locations depending on their age. Therefore we describe the actual conditions of the thermal environment such as temperature and humidity when the silkworm is breeding, and the air quality such as CO2, CO, VOC, and carbonyl compound from the silkworm hearth. In addition to these factors the ventilation rate in each part of the traditional house corresponding to sericulture is determined. Moreover, the ventilation performance of the attic and the monitor roof is investigated. The mechanism of thermal conditions, IAQ and ventilation rate was clarified in this paper for the first time using the three-dimensional heat fluid simulation software. As described thus far, we have clarified the environmental situation in a sericulture house from the engineering point of view.

The change of dweller's lifestyle and succession of housing and living culture by renovation of Japanese traditional wooden houses

The change of dweller's lifestyle and succession of housing and living culture by renovation of Japanese traditional wooden houses

A STUDY ON SHEAR RESISTING MECHANISM OF MUD-PLASTERED WALLS BY NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

The mud-plastered wall has come to be regarded as an important earthquake resisting element for Japanese traditional houses through recent researches. However, because its materials, which are completely natural resources, are gathered around the constructing place and every district in Japan has its own constructing method, shear loading tests of mud-plastered walls are needed to clarify the shear resisting performance of a mud-plastered wall in every district. In this study, to evaluate the shear resisting performance of every mud-plastered wall in Japan at lower cost, the numerical analysis model of mud-plastered walls by means of Rigid bodies-spring model (RBSM) are discussed. Moreover, the validity of the former proposed shear resisting mechanisms to estimate the shear strength for mud-plastered walls are discussed from the analysis results.

Photocatalytic Decomposition of Formaldehyde Using Titania Coated Lime Tile

AbstractA traditional and popular Japanese house decorating lime tile, commercially available “Limix”, was used to photodecompose the formaldehyde after coating the tile with a titania sol, which solves the problem of sick-building syndrome. A total of five kinds of lime tile samples with titania sol coating and without coating were examined by using a flow-type photoreactor based on the JIS standard to test their photocatalytic activities. The photocatalytic mechanism in the coated lime tile was also analyzed by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR). The results show that a high removal efficiency of formaldehyde was achieved when using the lime tile combined with commercially available zeolite compared to the lime tile immobilized titania photocatalyst. The EPR spectrum indicates that oxygen centered radicals and surface trapped holes are present in the titania sol, but it is much different from the spectrum observed in the pure anatase and Degussa P25 titania. It means that there are different characteristics among these systems on the photocatalysis mechanism.

移動式ガラス制振壁の実験的研究

The authors propose the concept of movable energy-dissipation glass wall, which is able to be laid out along wide opening of Japanese traditional wooden house and folded into a door pocket. Firstly, dynamic tests on real size mock-up walls are carried out, and their dynamic characteristics are evaluated. This system is applied to an exsisting traditional house, and the performance of the wall is discussed using the result of vibration tests.

Building Aspects of the 2004 Niigata Ken Chuetsu, Japan, Earthquake

The 23 October 2004 Niigata Ken Chuetsu, Japan, earthquake ( Mw=6.6) significantly damaged many buildings. Major damage was generally confined to areas where very strong ground motions and/or permanent ground displacement occurred in the epicentral region. Outside this region, however, in Nagaoka about 1,000 buildings were completely destroyed, and almost 50,000 sustained some damage. Closer to or in the epicentral region, Ojiya, Kawaguchi, and Yamakoshi all sustained major building damage, with many traditional Japanese houses collapsing. A newer and larger type of housing specific to the region, which has full-perimeter reinforced concrete walls, generally performed very well. A promptly and widely employed safety inspection program appears to have functioned well.

Dwelling in Traditional Japanese House

Članek povzema rezultate terenskega dela in raziskovanja tradicionalne japonske hiše. Na podlagi raziskave primera mestne hiše iz edskega obdobja v muzeju Boso no mura na Japonskem je predstavljena tradicionalna bivalna kultura. V bivalni kulturi se kažejo vplivi naravnih in družbenih značilnosti obdobja in tako študija japonskega bivališča priskrbi vpogled v karakter japonskega naroda in oblikovnih dejstev v kulturni rasti. *** The article summarizes the results of the fieldwork and researching of the traditional Japanese house. On the basis of researching of the exemplary house, namely the city house from Edo period in Boso no mura Museum, the traditional dwelling culture is represented. In dwelling culture the influences of the natural and social characteristics of the period are shown, and in that way the study of the Japanese dwelling provides an insight to the characteristic of the Japanese people and formative facts in cultural grow.

Functional evaluation of vascular hemiparetics and traditional Japanese houses

Purpose: To study the functional status of vascular hemiparetics in outpatient clinics in Japan.Method: Following five functional tasks were evaluated to (1) pick up a pencil from the floor, (2) stand up from the floor, (3) sit up straight, (4) squat, (5) ambulate as far as possible. Patients were asked whether they added handrails and used a bed or a Japanese Futon.Results: Sixty-three of 85 patients were able to pick up a pencil from the floor and to stand up from the floor. Patients with poor motor recovery of the lower extremities were able get into and out of a bathtub as well as patients with good motor recovery. All patients who could not ambulate for more than 100 m and could not stand up from the floor began to use beds after their strokes.Conclusions: Ninety-five per cent of patients who could stand up from the floor were able to get into and out of bathtubs. All of the patients who could not stand up from the floor started to use beds.

現代日本の住宅作品における手前/奥の対比 : 住宅の空間における「奥」の構成

The purpose of this study is to clarify the spatial composition of Japanese contemporary houses in the way of making "depth" through the relationship between a principal room and a building lot. The principal room is characterized by several aspects, such as its position in a lot, the way to the principal room from the street and the view from its window. It turns out fourteen types of Japanese contemporary houses. According to these characteristics, the property of the 'depth' that have been given in Japanese traditional houses gets growing weaker, and its decline is found especially after the 1980s.

Field study on sustainable indoor climate design of a Japanese traditional folk house in cold climate area

Field measurements of the indoor climate of a typical Japanese traditional folk house located in Hokuriku district were conducted in summer and winter. The aim of the experiment was to clarify the environmental control of this folk house and evaluate the indoor thermal environment and its sustainable devices. In particular, the effect of mud walls, earthen floor or reed roof on the indoor climate is considered within this paper.

The Technical View Creating Wisdoms of Preparation for Earthquakes in Traditional Japanese Houses and a Trial Investigation for its Systematic Perception

The Technical View Creating Wisdoms of Preparation for Earthquakes in Traditional Japanese Houses and a Trial Investigation for its Systematic Perception

伝統的農家住宅の開口部形態・位置と立地地域における体感気候

Various passive design methods have been applied to traditional Japanese houses. The objective of this study is to investigate the dimensions and configurations of the traditional house's openings, and to clarify the relationship between the bioclimate and those opening characteristics. The traditional Japanese houses with a square plan and floor area of from 70 to 200 m2 were selected from the literature on traditional houses. In Tohoku region, west side wall of houses is blind. It indicates that houses in these areas were designed for preventing the seasonal wind. In Koshin-etsu region, opening position was decided in the relation of the mountain location. In Tokai, southern Kinki, Chugoku and Shikoku regions, the main opening was installed on both of the south and north sides, and these directions were fitted for the prevailing wind direction in the summer time. Relationship between the thermal environment indices and the opening ratios was examined. Significant correlation was observed between the thermal environment indices and the opening ratios. The siting regions were classified by means of the cluster analysis using the ratios and orientations of the openings.

中部日本の山間部における伝統的住宅の室内気候調節と立地集落の微気候

The objective of this paper is to clarify the environmental performance of the traditional houses in mountain region of Japan. On-site field surveys regarding outdoor climate were carried out in two rural settlements. Indoor climate was measured in five traditional houses located at both settlements for one year. One hundred and five residents answered questionnaire about their life style and living environment in summer and in winter. Mountain topography and settlement's location affected the air temperature distributions over the settlements. The moderate heat island was found in Ogimachi both in winter and in summer. In traditional houses with thatched roofs, a relatively small daily temperature range and long phase difference were represented in indoor air temperature fluctuation. These phenomena result in heat capacity of the traditional houses and evaporative cooling from a thatched roof. Shimura et. al. proposed the comfort zone for the Japanese which covered higher temperature and higher humidity than that for Europeans and Americans. Japanese traditional house can fairly control its indoor climate in summer to be suitable for the Japanese.

桂・梁の配置からみた近世農家の軸組架橋の多様性 : 日本の伝統的民家の架構法に関する系統的研究 その1

桂・梁の配置からみた近世農家の軸組架橋の多様性 : 日本の伝統的民家の架構法に関する系統的研究 その1