The record-union., 1898-04-12
THE JAPANESE HOME.
Houses Are Built So as to With
stand Earthquake Shocks.

Ida Tigner Hodnett writes of "Thc
Little japanese at Home" in the st.
Nicholas" The author says:
The climate, of course, varies in diff
ferent parts; even in the mid-country
the cold is intense in winter, and the
heat intense in summer, yet both cold
and heat are somewhat lessened by
the surrounding ocean. TO strangers
it seems odd to see orange trees bright
with golden fruit and at the same time
icicles glittering in the morning sun,
but this is one of the strange sights
presented to the view.
In their dwellings, shelter from the
rain, shade from the sun, and free cir
culation of air are mainly sought by
the Japanese, who, as a rule, seem to
be able to endure much cold. Even
on winter days their houses are seen
entirely open to the morning sun, and
in this respect they set a good example
to their western brethren. Then, too,
these houses must be such as will not
be readily shaken to the ground in an
earthquake, for Japan is a land of
earthquakes.
For security against this danger the
house is put together in a very simple
held together, one author says, by a
system of "dovetailing,'' neither nails
nor screws being used in their produc-
ton, except for ornament 1t is not
made fast to the ground, but stands
upon wooden legs or columns, which
are merely placed upon stones high
enough to keep the ends out Of water.
Then, when an earthquake occurs. the
Il I
down again after the vibration has
ceased. It is believed that most of the
damage from earthquakes in Japan
cities has occurred with houses having
tiled roofs, as the tiles are easily shak-
en- loose. and, being heavy, cause de-
struction in their fall. Buildings with
roofs of wood or thatch generally es-
cape damage.
1t is thought that the use of tiled
roofs arose from the dread of fire. Al
though many roofs are made of stone
tiles, the majority are of wood, barn-
boo, or thatch. Thatch is much used
in the poorer villages, but even temples,
as we'll as dwellings, have been known
to be thatched. On the ridge of this
matched roof the iris is frequently
planted, and when in bloom, it's dark
velvety- purple blossoms and light
green leaves give the house a pictur-
esque appearance. Seen from a dis
tance, the village looks as if there were
little gardens on the tops of the houses.
Most dwellings are but one story high
When the roof and framework are
made, it remains to arrange for the
outside walls and partitions OF
the rooms. Most foreigners regard
the outside walls as huge windows, for
they are merely light wooden lattice
work frames covered with a stiff semi
transparent paper. These frames slide
in grooves, so that they can be taken
out at pleasure, leaving the whole
house open to the cool breezes At
night they are covered with amanda,
or wooden shutters, which also slide in
grooves along the edge of the veranda
in the house. In the daytime the shut
ters are pushed back so as to form or
namental side-pieces. This kind of wall
and window in one is another of the
needs of building in an earthquake
land, where the use of glass would be
dangerous and costly.
The rooms are made by means of
sliding partitions of woven bamboo,
or else of paper latticework
similar to the outside walls, fitted into
grooves in the ceiling. The ceiling and
walls are of unpainted wood, and all
parts of the house are generally kept
perfectly clean.