Sudare

are traditional Japanese screens or blinds, made of horizontal slats of decorative wood, bamboo, or other natural material, woven together with simple string, colored yarn, or other decorative material to make nearly solid blinds can be either rolled or folded up out of the way. They are also sometimes called , particularly if they have a green fabric hem. , non-hanging , are made of vertical slats of common reed and used as screen.

are used in many Japanese homes to shield the verandah and other openings of the building from sunlight, rain, and insects. They are normally put up in spring and taken down again in autumn. Their light structure allows breezes to pass through, a benefit in the hot Japanese summers. Since the building materials are easy to find, can be made cheaply.

Elaborate for palaces and villas used high-quality bamboo, with expensive silk and gold embroidery worked in. Sometimes they featured paintings, most often on the inside; some Chinese screens had symbols painted on the outside as well.

Social role

File:Genji monogatari (ch. 34).jpg, Outside view of the Imperial Palace from ''The Tale of Genji''. From this viewpoint, it would not be possible to see through the ; artistic license is used.
File:Episode from Chapter 34 from the series 'The Tale of Genji', anonymous 18th century Japanese painting, Honolulu Museum of Art.JPG, Inside view of the same scene from ''The Tale of Genji''

protect the inhabitants of the building not only from the elements, but also from the eyes of outsiders. They are featured prominently in ''The Tale of Genji''.

During the Heian period (794–1185), a court lady would conceal herself behind a screen when speaking with a man outside her immediate family. She could peep through it and see her interlocutor, but because he had to remain at a distance from it, he could not see her. Only with her permission might he step closer and only she would ever raise the screen. Any unwarranted moves on the man's part were seen as a grave breach of etiquette and a threat against the lady's honour.

were also used in imperial audiences. Since looking directly at the was forbidden, he would sit hidden behind a screen in the throne hall, with only his shoes showing. This practice fell out of use as imperial power declined.

Modern production

Following the Edo period (1603–1867) and in the ensuing Meiji period (1868–1911), the production of went into decline and became a traditional handicraft, but they still are sold and shipped abroad by various companies. These are typically woven on looms.

Museum

A museum in Amano-cho, Kawachinagano, Osaka traces the history of . Tools and machines used to manufacture them, as well as from other countries, are on display.

Gallery

File:Wooden and bamboo facades of dwellings with sudare in a cobbled street of Gion, perspective effect with vanishing point, Kyoto, Japan.jpg, in the street leading to Tatsumi Bridge in Gion, Kyoto.
File:Gion kyoto japan.JPG, of various ages on a street in Kyoto. These are not cloth-bound at the edges.
File:Straw-make Hut (231007375).jpg, Summerhouse made of ; stems are vertical.
File:茶 (384734912).jpg, shading the (wooden lattice) of a teahouse; the sign says "Tea".
File:祇園 - panoramio (1).jpg, on a three-story at dusk. Opaque shutters may soon be put up for privacy.

See also

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References

External links

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Sudare museum





Hirata Sudare:Long-established store in Kyoto


Interview with Sudare craftsman, Otoji Kawasaki of Kyoto

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Japanese architectural features
Japanese home
Japanese bamboowork
Japanese words and phrases
Partitions in traditional Japanese architecture