What is Machiya?

Typical Machiya were built before World War II and very much defined the architectural atmosphere of historical "downtown" Kyoto until the arrival of modern, concrete structures.

They were single, one-and-a-half, two or three storey buildings, usually deep and narrow, and built very close to the edge of the street.

They were made of wood, and featured earthen walls and baked tile roofs. Combining business and residential space, they express the culture of the urban merchant class and traditional styles of work and business.

Gardens, especially small, open space ones known as tsubo-niwa are a feature of Machiya that introduce a sense of nature and the seasons into the interior of the residential area.

Machiya are also known for such elements as degoushi (lattices), mushikomado (insect cage windows) and inuyarai (curved bamboo barriers). In appreciating the many aspects of Machiya we come to understand the wisdom of the Kyoto people.

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Typical style of Machiya(viewed from above)

This is a typical Machiya known as an Omoteya-zukuri. The one shown here is a relatively large Machiya with two distinct sections:an inner residence space(omoya) and an outer business space(mise).