Sunday, December 03, 2006

Machiya- Old houses in NARAMACHI



NARAMACHI- the east part of the central Nara with many old houses from some hundreds years ago.



This area is located in the south from the stations and temples area.
Going through Todaiji, Kohfukuji, and Kasuga shrine, people can easily loose the sence of direction, time and nationality here.

There are shops which are handed over for some hundreds years through some generations, selling Sarashi(cloth), Sumi(chacole), Ittobori(wodden statues).

The "Marchants' House" was renovated as the traditional MACHIYA where those marchants lived.


There are old houses in Kyoto also which also have very narrow entrances since they were charged tax according to the width of the entrances.

The DOMA(old style kintchen) and NAKANIWA(garden in the house) are arranged in really useful way beside the "MA"(room) located from the very front of the house(Ichi no MA- first room) to the back of it(Oku no MA) so that they could change the scenes by using FUSUMA(sliding doors) and light also.




The KOHSHI(wodden fence) is the most appealing part of the character of those houses which is as if guarding them

It is also useful as used as a fence preventing the eyes from outside, but still visible from inside, removable during the festivals.




YOKOSO to NARA! Feel historical and cultural old capital here!

NARACAFE YOUAN

http://www.naracafe-youan.com