classical japanese
Traditional architecture of Japan, featuring wide overhanging roofs and clear skeletal constructions.
Pictured: Suwajinja Shrine
Classical Japanese architecture is the indigenous style of pre-modern Japan. It is heavily influenced by Chinese architecture, especially of the Tang Dynasty, as well as by Buddhist religious requirements and the customs of the Japanese warrior class.
Buildings tend to be rectangular and symmetrical, often with wings enclosing a garden. Roofs are visually dominant, with gentle slopes, broad overhangs, upturned corners, and pronounced peaks or ridgelines. Wooden construction is characteristic, and partitions are often very light, sometimes to the point of translucency. Forms tend to have clear and simple geometry, prefiguring modern architecture, although flourishes of geometric ornament are common.
Approximate Dates: 600 - 1850
