One of the prototypical forms of the ‘wrapped-hiroma’ type (tori-maki hiroma-gata 取巻き広間型) layouts discussed in recent posts is thought to be what is known as the ‘inner-zashiki’ or ‘middle-zashiki’ lineage of hiroma-type layouts (naka-zashiki-kei hiroma-gata 中座敷系広間型). As the name suggests, in this type the main zashiki sits along the central ridge line, and to its front and rear are rooms that lie entirely within the one ken (1.818m) width of the geya (下屋, lit. ‘lower roof’) spaces: the perimeter spaces between the inner posts (上屋柱 jо̄ya-bashira) and outer posts (下屋柱 geya-bashira). These spaces developed by enclosing the ‘awning’ roofs that extend down from either side (front and back) of the ‘core’ containing the zashiki. This arrangement closely resembles that of the moya (身舎, lit. ‘body house’) and hisashi (庇, lit. ‘eave’) spaces of shinden-zukuri (寝殿造り) dwellings, the villas of the nobility from the Heian period (Heian jidai 平安時代, 8th to 12th century) into the middle ages (chuusei 中世).
Diagrammatic section and plan of a shinden-zukuri (寝殿造り) dwelling, showing the core moya (身舎) and perimeter hisashi 庇) spaces.
The middle-zashiki layout is mainly found from the mountainous areas of Chūbu (Chūbu sanchi 中部山地) to the Tо̄hoku region (Tо̄hoku chihо̄ 東北地方). Below are three examples of the type.
The Takei family (Takei-ke 武井家) residence, Nagano Prefecture. Labelled are: the earth-floored utility area (tо̄ri とおり) with stable (maya まや), the earth-sitting (doza 土座) hiroma, here daidoko (だいどこ), the rear one ken wide bedroom (heya へや), the middle zashiki (ざしき) with decorative alcove (toko とこ). The front one ken wide room is unlabelled, but the fact that it contains an entry suggests that it may at least partly serve as a formal vestibule (genkan 玄関) of some kind.
The former Hirose family (Hirose-ke 広瀬家) residence, originally Yamanashi Prefecture. Labelled are: the earth-floored utility area (doji どじ) with stable (uchi-maya うちまや), the hiroma, here idoko (いどこ) with two firepits (irori, marked ro ろ), the board (ita 板) floored bedrooms (nando なんど and nema ねま), and the zashiki (ざしき).
The Gotо̄ family (Gotо̄-ke 後藤家) residence, Iwate Prefecture. Labelled are: the earth-floored utility area (doma どま), the rear living room or hiroma (here okami おかみ, lit. ‘honorable upper’) with firepit (irori, marked ro 炉), the front room (nakama なかま, lit. ‘middle room’), the bedroom (nando なんど), the middle zashiki (о̄dei おおでい, lit. ‘big dei’) and a front zashiki (kodei こでい, lit. ‘small dei). All rooms are indicated as board (ita 板) floored except the о̄dei, which, given its formal status, may be tatami-floored.
The former Hirose family (Hirose-ke 広瀬家) residence, the second of the above plans, originally stood in Yamanashi Prefecture but has been relocated to the Kawasaki City Minka museum (Kawasaki-chi Minka-en 川崎市民家園) in Kanagawa Prefecture. The room in front of the bedroom (nema ねま) has been reconstructed as a zashiki (ざしき), but the position of the partition is unnatural; rather it should be as it is in the Takei family (Takei-ke 武井家) house, the first plan above: the zashiki placed centrally, with a one ken wide room on the facade/entry side. A survey was undertaken of this house when it stood at its original location. The two freestanding posts in the doma, and the posts on the boundary between the idoko (いどこ) and the other rooms, together make up the main body of the structure; this four-post (excluding the central ridge-supporting udatsu-bashira うだつ柱) arrangement is known locally as ‘yotsu-tate’ (四つ建て, lit. ‘four standing’). Other than the openings on the facade/entry side, there are only small shitaji-mado (下地窓), windows. The shitaji (下地, lit. ‘under ground’) is the ‘subwall’ component of the wall, i.e. the base of lath or ‘wattle’ and rough earth and straw ‘daub’ infill between the structural members, to which the finish layers of plaster, if any, are applied. Shitaji-mado (lit. ‘subwall window’) are formed by simply leaving a section of lath undaubed, and optionally papering the interior side.
Exterior view of the Hirose house.
Interior view of the hiroma-type layout of the Hirose house, looking from the doji (どじ) towards the mat-spread, earth-living (doza-sumai 土座住まい) main habitable room (hiroma, here idoko (いどこ) with its two firepits (irori いろり). , The open zashiki (ざしき) can be seen on the left beyond the idoko.
Exterior view of the half-timbered gable wall of the Hirose house, with three small shitaji-mado (下地窓) windows in the lath-and-plaster (or ‘wattle-and-daub’) infill panels between the timber structural members; these windows are created by simply leaving sections of the lath lattice unplastered.
The dark, low interior of the Hirose house is an indication of the great age of the dwelling. In both the Takei house and the Hirose house, the hiroma spaces (daidoko だいどこ and idoko いどこ) are earth-floored (doza-sumai 土座住まい, lit. ‘earth sit dwelling’); in the Gotо̄ house the hiroma space is board-floored (ita-yuka 板床) and divided into two rooms, the okami (おかみ) and the nakama (なかま).