Japanese Architecture

This past weekend I went to the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architecture Museum in the neighboring city of Koganei. In 1993, the government decided to preserve examples of traditional architecture in the Tokyo area and moved approximately 25 buildings to a park in Koganei. This is important because Tokyo has been almost completely rebuilt twice in the last century (after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and after the destruction of WWII). The buildings in the park range from a farm house circa 1742 to shops, houses, and a public bath from the early 1900s.

A common element in traditional architecture is seamlessly blending the outdoors with the indoors. Thin rice paper walls can be slid shut to separate the drawing room from the enclosed balcony that overlooks the back garden. The tatami mats (straw flooring material) also help to encourage this harmony and are a renewable flooring option still commonly used in Japan today.

This is an umbrella maker's shop (traditional paper parasols). I couldn't help but take a picture with the old bike in front. I would like to have a bike like this some day; so traditional and simple, but built like tanks and not too common over here anymore.

Sumimasen! Biru mitsu, onegaishimasu! Unfortunately, no one was working at the bar this afternoon to serve Jenny, Charlene, and I. A surprising thing is that you can still find small bars like this in back alleys and older areas of Tokyo.

An antique urinal featuring ceramic slippers. This was in one of the houses at the museum. So, would you take your actual slippers off to use the ceramic ones?