Part 4

There is no house in the world in which more mechanical energy has been utilized in the house building than the American house. Considering a house as a commodity there is no other way of producing it economically than to use mechanic power. The Americans have broadest view, wisest choice, and most practical ideas in this respect. They will understand the subject and manage it with wonderful skill while we are discussing on the definition of fine arts and commenting on the subject of nationalism. Architects and house owners need to consider why, taking our standard of living into consideration, our houses cost so much more than those of America. What cost seventy five dollars a “_tsubo_” (a “_tsubo_” is six feet square which is a unit of measuring the buildings and grounds) in the United States will cost more than one hundred and fifty yen (one yen is about fifty cents of U.S. money) in this country. If its cause be attributed to the lack of mechanical appliances to the production of the building materials, why cannot we use machinery in order to get better houses at lower cost? We could not do it at present; the reason is manifold and very complicated, but in a word the labor saving machine is not labor saving, labor is still cheaper than machinery. Why then do the things made by hands which are cheaper than machinery cost more than the things made by machine? This is a most important question to be solved by present Japanese architects and is one after which they are striving. According to my own view, the love of nature, admiration of simplicity and irregularity which are so much a part of the national taste or character are the greatest barriers to the way of progress of our domestic architecture, if the mechanical appliances to house building is called a progress. Most economical questions concerning houses depend on this and decide the future development of our houses. And our endeavor as architects is to so guide the people that they may not deviate from sound common sense on dwelling houses.

Plates 33 and 34 are proposed plans for Japanese dwelling houses.

Plates 33 and 34 are proposed plans for Japanese dwelling houses.

Plates 35, 36 and 37 are examples showing a method of treatment of Japanese parlor.

Transcriber’s Note

The title page was fully typeset. This was followed by a typeset form which was filled in by hand. On these two pages the typeset words are all in uppercase, and the handwritten words are in lowercase.

As mentioned in the Transcriber’s Note at the start of this book, a few minor changes have been made to punctuation. However the author frequently omits punctuation after a closing bracket, and this has not been changed.

The spelling of words that the author elsewhere spells conventionally have been made consistent, “peculiar” and “peculiarly” have been changed from “peculier” and “pecurially” throughout, and “t”s have been crossed. Other changes that have been made are:

Page From To In ==== ==== == == 2 Glove Globe Globe trotters 5 amateaur amateur amateur architect 10 quater quarter the quarter where wealthy people 15 it safe it is safe it is safe to regard the result 19 carier career their future career 28 Vicisitude Vicissitude Vicissitude of the mode of living 29 occured occurred change in mental taste has occurred 37 Guinia Guinea New Guinea 41 influencial influential influential persons among scholars 41 The They They returned home 47 Daimio _Daimio_ warlike spirits of _Daimio_ 51 dicipline discipline soul discipline 51 the way the way of in the way of display 54 unsymetrical unsymmetrical odd, unsymmetrical, picturesque 62 carpects carpets the use of carpets 67 naild nailed strips are nailed 75 palacial palatial palatial European houses

Transcriber’s Note - Plates

The scales on plates 23, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 are no longer legible.

The labels and notes written on the plates are:

Plate: 1

Labels: Lintel Door Boarding Post Stone Scale: One fence is marked as 3 feet high.

Plate: 3

Labels: Bamboo stick

Sub-title: Roofed Fence Labels: Boarding

Plate: 4

Scale: Fences are marked as 6, 9 and 8 feet high.

Plate: 5

Labels: Gate. Labels: Ridge Roof board Wooden post Door Double swinging door

Plate: 6

Note: Top and base of the wooden post and ends of lintel are covered with copper plates.

Labels: Lintel Key Large double-swinging door Wooden post Small swinging door Sill Sill Sill Stone

Sub-title: Roofed Fence Labels: Plaster Wooden post Wood

Plate: 7

Title: “SHŌJI” Note: Lattice work one side of which is covered by white semi-transparent Japanese paper.

Labels: Lintel Post Post 5 inches square Post Sill on which the groove is cut. Scale: Height 5 feet 9 inches.

Sub-title: Horizontal Section Labels: Groove

Plate: 8

Title: “FUSUMA” Note: Construction is about same as “Shōji”. Design in Ramma is generally cut through with carving knife. Both of two surfaces of wooden lattice work are covered by thick papers which are composed of a number of thin sheets of paper. Cloth is often used. Elaborate designs are sometimes painted. Labels: Ceiling “Ramma” wooden panel

Sub-title: Horizontal Section

Plate: 9

Title: PLAN OF A JAPANESE HOUSE Note: This illustrates conventional method of a plan drawn by Japanese Builder. Black square spots represent posts. Walls are represented by single lines. S. ... Shōji. F. ... Fusuma. Section lines are board floor. Labels: Garden Room: Old Man or Children’s Room Labels: Wall Closet Tana Fusuma Shōji Door sash pocket Wall Sliding fusuma Room: W.C. Labels: Wall Room: Urinal Room: Veranda Labels: Closet Door sash pocket Room: Veranda Labels: Door sash pocket Room: Servants’ Room Labels: Shōji Window Sliding door Closet Room: Master’s Room Labels: Closet Shōji Fusuma Fusuma Room: Living Room Labels: Shōji Fusuma Wall Fusuma Wall Closet Fusuma Room: Parlor Labels: Shōji Shōji Window seat Sill Chigai-tana Tokonoma sill Tokonoma Room: Veranda Labels: Door sash pocket Room: Passage Labels: Urinal Room: W.C. Labels: Wall Room: Bathroom Labels: B.T.(Bath tub) Swinging door Room: Kitchen Labels: Sink Wall Sliding door Door sash pocket Room: Dining Room Labels: Fusuma Shōji Shōji Fusuma Closet Sliding window Window pocket Room: Hall Labels: Fusuma Wall Fusuma Window seat Projected window Room: Small Portico Labels: Wall Room: Vestibule Labels: Partition wall Fusuma Shōji Room: Reception Room Labels: Swinging door Glass window Glass window Projected window Room: Portico Labels: Double swinging door Window Scale: Scale 1/100 shaku to 1 shaku. 1 shaku = 0.994 feet.

Plate: 10

Title: PLAN FOR A DWELLING HOUSE Labels: Flower Pond Chashitsu Room: Room for religious service Labels: Closet Closet Room: Old Man’s Room Labels: Closet Room: Childrens Play Room Labels: Closet Room: Master’s Room Labels: Closet Room: Mistress’ Room Labels: Closet Closet Room: Toilet Room Labels: Shelf Room: Bath Room Room: Parlor Room: Dining Room Labels: Closet Closet Room: Second Parlor Room: Servants’ Dining Room Room: Reception Room Room: Preparation Room Labels: Closet Room: Kitchen Labels: Sink Closet Room: Reception Room Room: Second Reception Room Labels: Closet Room: Vestibule Room: Door Attendant’s Room Labels: Closet Room: Hall Room: Servants’ Room Labels: Closet Closet Room: W.C. Room: W.C. Scale: Same scale as plate 9

Plate: 12

Title: SHINDEN-TSUKURI Note: Taken from old drawing Labels: Shinden East wing West wing Stream Middle gate Wall Fishing pavilion Islet Pond Fishing pavilion Miniature landscape

Plate: 30

Sub-title: Elevation of Dozo Scale: Scale 1/50 shaku to the shaku.

Sub-title: Door Labels: Earth Scale: Scale 1/20 shaku to the shaku.

Sub-title: Window

Plate: 31

Title: Section of Dozo Scale: Scale 1/20 shaku to the shaku. Labels: Earth and plaster

Plate: 33

Sub-title: First Floor Room: W.C. Room: Bathroom Room: Preparation Room Room: Kitchen Room: Dining Room Room: Sitting Room Room: Parlor Room: Hall Room: Porch

Sub-title: Second Floor Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Library Room: Hall

Sub-title: First Floor Room: Bathroom Room: W.C. Room: Urinal Room: Kitchen Room: Sitting Room Labels: Closet Room: Preparation Room Room: Dining Room Room: Hall Room: Parlor Room: Vestibule

Sub-title: Second Floor Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Room: Hall Room: Library Room: Balcony

Plate: 34

Sub-title: First Floor Room: W.C. Room: Kitchen Room: Bathroom Room: Preparation Room Room: Dining Room Room: W.C. Room: Hall Room: Parlor Room: Vestibule Room: Sitting Room Labels: Closet

Sub-title: Second Floor Room: Chamber Labels: Closet Closet Room: Chamber Room: Hall Room: Library Room: Guest Chamber Labels: Closet Closet