Kyoto’s “Machiya” Townhouses and Mindful Living

Kyoto’s machiya not only exude aesthetic refinement but are also very comfortable to live in, being functionally designed to adjust temperature and humidity and to withstand earthquakes. These traditional wooden townhouses encapsulate the many innovations that homebuilders in the ancient capital developed over the past millennium.

“Back when Kyoto became the nation’s capital in the eighth century, machiya referred to small huts in the market where goods were sold,” explains Matsui Kaoru, who has helped restore and find new users for Kyoto’s machiya both as an architect and as a business group leader. “Living quarters were added later, and this eventually evolved into the machiya we see today.”

As the city and lifestyles developed over the centuries, so did the townhouses where people lived. Many innovations were introduced over the past millennium, and uniform standards were developed. Remaining in the city today are some 40,100 traditional-style wooden residences built before 1950.(*1)

The battari shōgi (folding table), right, was lowered to display merchandise, as many machiya served as both shops and residences.

Ecological Housing

The style of machiya we see in Kyoto today that became established around the middle of the Edo period (1603–1868) were built with completely natural materials. Sections of these homes were renovated in accordance with the natural growth cycle of the building materials.

“Straw, for example, is produced every year, so it was replaced on an annual basis,” Matsui says. “Mitsumata and kōzo—whose bark fibers are utilized to make washi paper—and bamboo require about three years to grow enough for use in buildings, so people upgraded their paper and bamboo furnishings every few years. Trees take several decades to mature, meanwhile, so steps were taken to prolong lumber’s life, either through rearrangement or reinforcements.”

Because building materials were natural, anything that was replaced could be burned as fuel in the kitchen stove, and the ash could be used by nearby farmers as fertilizer. Kyoto’s machiya thus enabled an ecologically sustainable lifestyle.

The courtyard of a traditional Kyoto townhouse.

Another ecological feature of Kyoto’s machiya is their ability to adjust humidity. “Humidity of around 50 to 60 percent can be maintained year round,” says Matsui. “Even when it’s really humid outside, say around 80 percent, things are slightly more tolerable indoors. This is thanks to the shinkabe-zukuri method of construction, where the pillars remain exposed on the sides of a plastered wall. This offers many advantages over other methods and is particularly good for adjusting humidity.”

During the rainy season, for instance, the paper covering of shōji sliding doors becomes damp and heavy, and each exposed pillar is said to absorb about half a liter of moisture. The house as a whole breathes, distilling the outer air to bring comfort to occupants inside.

The shinkabe-zukuri method of wall construction is an ingenious way of controlling humidity.

Making Rooms Brighter and More Temperate

There are also many touches to let in the right amount of sunlight and air. The wide eaves keep the sun out during the sweltering summer but allow it to reach the back of the room when the sun is low in the winter. Veranda-like engawa adjacent to the yard provide a pocket of air that functions as natural insulation, making the interior more comfortable throughout the year.

The engawa outside the shōji sliding doors creates an insulating effect.

Skylights that open and close not only transmit light from the roof but can also cool rooms by releasing heat. Courtyards, too, have a ventilating effect; the sprinkling of water in the street, called uchimizu, will create a minute gap in air pressure and pull air into the house and up through the open courtyard. By scattering water outside on a hot, late summer afternoon, machiya dwellers can look forward to a light breeze.

The tenmado skylight is a source of light and a means of releasing heat.

(*1) ^ According to a survey of Kyoto machiya published by the city in May 2017.

next: Dissipating Seismic Energy

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