In its simplest and probably most common form, the minka is rectilinear in plan, and so a useful way of thinking about the internal partitioning and functional organisation of the minka is in terms of two axes: the longitudinal and the transverse. The transverse axis might be thought of as the ‘front-back’ axis, with the front as the public side, the ‘face’ of the house, ideally the south or sun side, and the back the private, ‘dark’ side; the longitudinal axis might be thought of as the ‘in-out’ axis, with the doma at the public, ‘out’ end and the most private or formal areas at the ‘in’ end. This can be illustrated by the following example of the hito-ma or ‘single room’ minka discussed in last week’s post.

Two room minka are a natural evolution from the single room typology and represent a greater need for functional differentiation and/or a greater level of affluence. Two room minka were still typically found amongst the lower and poorer strata of society, however, and as such they were only required to fulfill the most essential functions of everyday life, with relatively little ‘specialisation’ of spaces, and little need for exclusively formal rooms for activities such as entertaining guests or conducting ceremonies.

The single room layout can be developed into a two room configuration in one of two ways, depending on which axis the ‘room’ in the above plan is divided. In the tatebunwari (竪分割) or ‘transverse partition’ type, the room is divided transversely, so that the doma and the two rooms are arranged in series along the ‘in-out’ axis. In the example shown below, the hiroma 広間 is roughly equivalent to a living room, an every day space for eating, handwork, etc. and also used for sleeping. The zashiki 座敷 is a more formal space than the hiroma, for the use of the master of the house and his guests.

A two room *minka* of the ‘vertical division’ type.

In the yokobunwari (横分割) or ‘longitudinal partition’ type, the room is divided longitudinally, so that the two rooms are on the ‘front-back’ axis, and each borders onto the doma. In the below example, the nema (寝間) is a sleeping space, but also used for other activities. The omote (表 or おもて) is the more formal ‘front room,’ but not typically as reserved in its use as the zashiki.