Traditional Japanese houses. They are beautiful, timeless entities. However, fewer and fewer Japanese people are choosing to build them today. But why is that? As a Japanese person, I find this trend fascinating. Today, we'll take a closer look at the features of a traditional Japanese house and how design impacts modern living. I also spoke with my parents, who recently renovated their house, to investigate the real reasons why Japanese people are no longer choosing traditional Japanese houses. Let's start with the entrance. While this is actually a temple entrance, it closely resembles the entryways found in traditional Japanese homes. This space is called “Doma” in Japanese, and it wasn't just for removing shoes—it was used for cooking, farm work, and even doing laundry. I remember that, twenty years ago, my grandmother would prepare vegetables here, and our washing machine was placed right in the entryway! But today, no one uses entryways like that anymore. Modern homes have much smaller, more practical entrances, simply for taking off shoes. This is just one example of how changing lifestyle habits have reshaped Japanese home design. Of course, when we step inside, we can see more explicit examples. ### Traditional Japanese houses feature a unique layout called Tsuzukima—a series of tatami rooms connected by fusuma sliding doors. These versatile rooms can function as individual workspaces, meeting areas, or storage spaces, but they truly shine when combined into a single large space for community gatherings or events. Being able to change the room size according to different purposes is sometimes very convenient. Unlike traditional layouts, most people today prefer clearly separated rooms, like those in your own homes, due to concerns about privacy, poor insulation, and inadequate soundproofing—issues that have become especially relevant with the rise of remote work. When it comes to traditional Japanese houses, tatami mats are also their most distinctive feature. They're also perfect for relaxing—just add a cushion, and you can comfortably lie down. Tatami mats also play a unique role in measuring room sizes in Japan. Instead of using square meters, rooms are often described by the number of tatami mats they can fit. While tatami rooms have many advantages, fewer modern Japanese homeowners choose them today. There are three main reasons for this. 1. Difficult to clean Tatami requires special care when cleaning. You have to use a vacuum cleaner or broom gently to avoid damaging the surface. You also need to vacuum along the seams to remove dirt properly. 2. High maintenance Tatami mats wear out over time and typically need to be replaced every five years. Unlike wooden flooring, which can last for decades with minimal upkeep, tatami requires regular maintenance. 3. Prone to mold and dust mites Tatami mats can absorb moisture, making them prone to mold in humid conditions. They can also attract dust mites, which can be a problem for people with allergies. While tatami is very comfortable and gives rooms a calming atmosphere, it's clearly not suited for our modern busy lifestyle. Like tatami, shoji screens are another defining characteristic of traditional Japanese houses. In traditional homes, shoji screens allow natural light to enter while maintaining separation between spaces. That's why shoji screens, rather than fusuma, are used near windows. However, they have one major drawback: they offer almost no insulation against the cold . As many people commented on my previous video about why Japan doesn’t have central heating, Japanese homes were designed primarily for hot summers, not cold winters. In the past, people managed the cold by wearing layers of clothing and using fires or open hearths. However, summers were unbearable in the era before air conditioning. In modern times, since various appliances can maintain comfortable room temperatures, energy efficiency has become a priority This is one of the key reasons why traditional Japanese homes are disappearing. They are simply not built for comfortable year-round living. So far, we've explored various parts of a traditional Japanese house. But did you know there are different styles of traditional Japanese rooms? The rooms were **the original home offices of Japan a space for reading, writing, and studying.This is called Tsukeshoin. A built-in desk near the window to make use of natural light.With modern lighting now available, this reading space has lost its original purpose and serves mainly as storage. The tokonoma is a decorative alcove installed in one corner of the room, dedicated to displaying hanging scrolls and flower arrangements. While shoin-zukuri rooms were perfect for a time when people mainly read books and wrote by hand, they don’t work well in a modern lifestyle that revolves around computers and large furniture. Additionally, constructing a shoin-zukuri style building requires highly skilled craftsmen and comes with considerable costs. This is another reason why Japanese people no longer build these kinds of rooms. While changes in lifestyle are undoubtedly the biggest factor in the decline of traditional Japanese houses, I believe there are other important factors at play. One of these is the decline of traditional culture. For example, Japanese homes traditionally include Buddhist altars (butsudan) and Shinto shrines (kamidana). Buddhist altars in particular have traditionally been placed in tatami rooms because prayers are offered while sitting on the floor. However, in recent years, there has been a clear decrease in households installing Buddhist altars and Shinto shrines. This represents a decline in cultural practices, and as these traditional customs fade, the necessity for Japanese-style rooms has also diminished. Given all these changes in lifestyle and culture, it's no surprise that traditional Japanese houses are disappearing. But while they may not fit modern living, they hold a unique beauty and craftsmanship that should not be forgotten. In Japan, there are many floor-length vertical windows. These are called "Hakidashi-mado" and were originally designed to allow sweeping dirt directly outside with a broom. The next one is my favorite feature which is Yukimi-shoji. Literally translated, it means "shoji for viewing snow." As the name suggests, it's a special shoji screen designed for viewing snowy landscapes and gardens from inside the room. Unlike traditional shoji, its lower section can slide open like this, allowing you to enjoy the outdoor scenery while remaining indoors. In Japanese houses, decorative openings called Ranma are installed in the upper part between rooms for ventilation and light, allowing for more efficient indoor air circulation. The nail hider is another commonly seen feature in Japanese architecture. As its name suggests, its main purpose is to hide nails, but the presence of these nail covers makes the room feel more composed and structured. These are just a few of the many features found in traditional Japanese houses. Each one contributes to creating a beautiful spatial aesthetic. Nevertheless, as mentioned at the beginning, many new houses in Japan are Western-style rather than traditional Japanese. While we've already covered some of the reasons for this, we might discover deeper insights by asking Japanese people directly about their motivations. Fortunately, my parents recently renovated part of their house, converting a Japanese-style section into Western-style. So, I'd like to ask them about their reasons. Looking at gatherings held at my house, I've noticed an increase in elderly attendees, and it's become standard practice to provide chairs for them. From this perspective, my mother's decision to choose Western-style over Japanese-style for her later years was very convincing. Among the conversations I had, what was particularly interesting was that even my mother, who was born more than 50 years ago, grew up sitting in chairs rather than sitting on the floor. Indeed, while my mother was born and raised in Tokyo, it was surprising that traditional Japanese houses weren't the norm even for her generation. Of course, when people build new houses, they naturally tend to choose styles they're familiar with. Considering my mother's experience as well, it's clear that the number of Japanese people who have lived in traditional Japanese houses is declining even further, which will undoubtedly lead to an even greater decrease in traditional Japanese houses in the future. It's not hard to imagine that traditional Japanese houses might one day disappear entirely from Japan. As someone who grew up in a traditional Japanese house, I feel a deep sense of nostalgia—and a little sadness—seeing them fade away. But at the same time, I understand that change is inevitable. Even traditional Japanese houses have evolved over centuries to adapt to new ways of living. What do you think? Are there elements of traditional Japanese houses that you would like to see preserved? Let me know in the comments! If you enjoyed learning about Japanese life through traditional houses, check out this video for more insights into daily life in Japan. Thank you for watching!