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Chiiori Org
is the name of an Edo period ''minka'' farmhouse in the Iya Valley, western Tokushima, Japan. Dating from around 1720, the house is believed to be the second oldest in Iya. (The oldest, nearby Kimura House, is designated an Important Cultural Property) Chiiori preserves its original structure, , and pine floors blackened by hundreds of years of smoke from the ''irori''. The house is unusual for farm houses in Japan because there are no ceilings (except over the small sleeping rooms). This was because for much of the Edo period, tobacco was a leading crop of Iya, and villagers used to hang the tobacco up in the rafters to smoke over the ''irori''. Due to the lack of ceilings, Chiiori has a dramatic wide-open interior. Purchased by Japanologist Alex Kerr in 1973, Chiiori features in Alex's book Lost Japan is a 1993 book written by American Japonologist Alex Kerr. Background The book deals with Kerr's life in Japan and on aspects of Japanese culture by which he was fascinated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edo Period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characterized by prolonged peace and stability, urbanization and economic growth, strict social order, Isolationism, isolationist foreign policies, and popular enjoyment of Japanese art, arts and Culture of Japan, culture. In 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu prevailed at the Battle of Sekigahara and established hegemony over most of Japan, and in 1603 was given the title ''shogun'' by Emperor Go-Yōzei. Ieyasu resigned two years later in favor of his son Tokugawa Hidetada, Hidetada, but maintained power, and defeated the primary rival to his authority, Toyotomi Hideyori, at the Siege of Osaka in 1615 before his death the next year. Peace generally prevailed from this point on, making samurai largely redundant. Tokugawa sh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minka
are Vernacular architecture, vernacular houses constructed in any one of several traditional Japanese architecture, Japanese building styles. In the context of the four divisions of society, were the dwellings of farmers, artisans, and merchants (i.e., the three non-samurai castes).Nishi & Hozumi (1996), p82 This connotation no longer exists in the modern Japanese language, and any traditional Japanese-style residence of appropriate age could be referred to as . are characterized by their basic structure, their roof structure, and their roof shape. developed through history with distinctive styles emerging in the Edo period. Types come in a wide range of styles and sizes, largely as a result of differing geographic and climatic conditions as well as the lifestyle of the inhabitants. They generally fall into one of four classifications: farmhouses town houses , fishermen's dwellings and mountain dwellings . Unlike other forms of Japanese architecture (such as those of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iya Valley
The Iya Valley (祖谷 ''Iya'') region in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan is a scenic area known for its mountain valleys, thatched roof farmhouses and historic Vine Bridges. Although access has improved in recent years, the Iya Valley and the inner parts of Shikoku have historically been remote and difficult to enter. Members of the Taira clan (aka Heike clan) were said to have entered the area after losing the Genpei War to the Minamoto clan in the late 12th century. The Iya Valley has become an increasingly popular tourist destination for its natural environment and as one of the last few vestiges of old Japan. While the western part of the valley (Nishi-Iya) has good road access and tourist accommodations, the eastern part (Higashi-Iya (東祖谷) or Oku-Iya (奥祖谷)) has lesser access routes. Several Vine Bridges continue to span the valley and have become a tourist attraction. Etymology The origin of the name ''Iya'' is unclear. According to noted Japanese historical res ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokushima
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 682,439 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,146 Square kilometre, km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the north, Ehime Prefecture to the west, and Kōchi Prefecture to the southwest. Tokushima, Tokushima, Tokushima is the capital and largest city of Tokushima Prefecture, with other major cities including Anan, Tokushima, Anan, Naruto, Tokushima, Naruto, and Yoshinogawa, Tokushima, Yoshinogawa. Tokushima Prefecture is located on the Kii Channel, connecting the Pacific Ocean and Seto Inland Sea, across from Wakayama Prefecture on the Kii Peninsula of the island of Honshu. Tokushima Prefecture is connected to Awaji Island across the Naruto Strait by the Ōnaruto Bridge as part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, connecting the prefecture to the city of Kobe and the San'yō Expressway on Honshu. History Until ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea in the south. The Japanese archipelago consists of four major islands—Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu—and List of islands of Japan, thousands of smaller islands, covering . Japan has a population of over 123 million as of 2025, making it the List of countries and dependencies by population, eleventh-most populous country. The capital of Japan and List of cities in Japan, its largest city is Tokyo; the Greater Tokyo Area is the List of largest cities, largest metropolitan area in the world, with more than 37 million inhabitants as of 2024. Japan is divided into 47 Prefectures of Japan, administrative prefectures and List of regions of Japan, eight traditional regions. About three-quarters of Geography of Japan, the countr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irori
An ''irori'' (, ) is a traditional Japanese sunken hearth fired with charcoal. Used for heating the home and for cooking food, it is basically a square, stone-lined pit in the floor, equipped with an adjustable pothook – called a ''jizaikagi'' () and generally consisting of an iron rod within a bamboo tube. It is used for raising or lowering a suspended pot or kettle by means of an attached lever which is often decoratively designed in the shape of a fish.Fahr-Becker (2001), p. 196 Historically, the ''irori'' served as the main source of residential heating and lighting, providing a place to cook, dry clothing, and act as a communal gathering location. Function The irori () has the following functions. ; Residential heating : The irori was generally located in the center of the room and used for heating the whole room. : ; Cooking : The irori was used for cooking. A () was used for hanging a pot over the fire. Fish and other food items were often skewered and stuck i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alex Kerr (Japanologist)
Alex Kerr (born June 16, 1952) is an American writer and Japanologist. Biography Originally from the Bethesda area in Montgomery County, Maryland, Kerr's father, a naval officer, was posted in Yokohama from 1964 to 1966. Kerr returned to the states and studied Japanese Studies at Yale University. After studying Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, Kerr moved back to Japan full-time in 1977. He lived in Kameoka, near Kyoto, working with the Oomoto Foundation, a Shintō organisation devoted to the practise and teaching of traditional Japanese arts. An expert on Japanese culture and art, he frequently writes and lectures in Japanese. Through his experiences in Japan, as related in his books, he has become an avid art collector and patron of Japan's traditional theatre and other arts. He also worked in business, working for Trammell Crow in the 1980s. Kerr currently has several residences. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand for half of the year, and Kyoto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lost Japan
is a 1993 book written by American Japonologist Alex Kerr. Background The book deals with Kerr's life in Japan and on aspects of Japanese culture by which he was fascinated. The text is a collection of personal essays in which he suggests that the current popularity of ikebana, Kabuki, and other famous Japanese arts and crafts represents the final efflorescence of a moribund culture. He wrote it in Japanese, and it was translated into English with the help of Bodhi Fishman and published as ''Lost Japan'' in 1996. The original Japanese version was published by Shinchosha in 1993; a paperback version has been published since 2000 by The Asahi Shimbun Company. The English translation was first published by Lonely Planet in 1996; in 2015 the book was reissued by Penguin UK with a new preface written by Alex. Translations have also been published in Traditional and Simplified Chinese characters, Italian, Polish, Russian, and Spanish. Reception The book won the Shincho Gakugei lite ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miyoshi, Tokushima
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 23,782 in 12103 households and a population density of 33 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Miyoshi is located in the western part of Tokushima Prefecture and is the largest municipality on the island of Shikoku, accounting for 1/6 of the prefecture's geographic area. However, it is a very mountainous area with only 13% considered habitable. The Shikoku Mountains have many steep slopes and are subject to landslides and rockfalls. Traditional steep slope farming methods are used to prevent soil erosion. The Hashikura Prefectural Natural Park spans the border between Miyoshi and Higashimiyoshi. Neighbouring municipalities Ehime Prefecture *Shikokuchūō Kagawa Prefecture *Kan'onji, Kagawa, Kan'onji *Mannō, Kagawa, Mannō *Mitoyo, Kagawa, Mitoyo Kōchi Prefecture *Kami, Kōchi, Kami *Ōtoyo, Kōchi Tokushima Prefecture * Higashimiyoshi, Tokush ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Farmhouses
FarmHouse (FH) is a men's social fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 34 active chapters in the United States and Canada.FarmHouse Fraternity New Membership Education Manual, published by FarmHouse International Fraternity, Inc. History FarmHouse was founded as a professional agriculture fraternity on April 15, 1905, by seven men at the University of Missouri, who met at a YMCA bible study and decided they wanted to form a club. The seven founders were D. Howard Doane, Robert F. Howard, Claude B. Hutchison, Henry H. Krusekopf, Earl W. Rusk, Henry P. Rusk, and Melvin E. Sherwin. Doane conceived the basic ideas which led to FarmHouse and is considered the father of the fraternity. The name FarmHouse was chosen for the following reasons: Given their agricultural background and rural upbringing, the house in which they resided began to be referred to as the farmer's house, by other st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Houses In Japan
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.Schoenauer, Norbert (2000). ''6,000 Years of Housing'' (rev. ed.) (New York: W.W. Norton & Company). Houses use a range of different roofing systems to keep precipitation such as rain from getting into the dwelling space. Houses generally have doors or locks to secure the dwelling space and protect its inhabitants and contents from burglars or other trespassers. Most conventional modern houses in Western cultures will contain one or more bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen or cooking area, and a living room. A house may have a separate dining room, or the eating area may be integrated into the kitchen or another room. Some large houses in North America have a recreation room. In traditional agriculture-oriented societies, domes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
