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Today's Picture: 028
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old school Japanese architecture. This picture was taken in the genkan of the kuri at Shokokuji. (Incidentally, the kuri's function varies by sect/temple, but it's generally some combination of monk quarters and kitchen.)
Probably the most obvious feature is the mortise and tenon jointing--no nails were used anywhere in the building. The horizontal crossbeams are all made from the trunk of a single tree, each carefully selected for the natural warping and curvature of the wood. The walls are dozozukuri, or "earthen storehouse construction;" you see this not just in temples but in traditional townhouse and wall construction as well. I used to know the vocabulary for all these elements in Japanese (don't ask); hopefully having posted this will motivate me to relearn them.
Although it doesn't look that impressive in my photo, here is a picture of the kuri's facade to give an idea of scale. The main doors are about six feet tall; the main beam in my photo is right below the eaves.
That will be all.

old school Japanese architecture. This picture was taken in the genkan of the kuri at Shokokuji. (Incidentally, the kuri's function varies by sect/temple, but it's generally some combination of monk quarters and kitchen.)
Probably the most obvious feature is the mortise and tenon jointing--no nails were used anywhere in the building. The horizontal crossbeams are all made from the trunk of a single tree, each carefully selected for the natural warping and curvature of the wood. The walls are dozozukuri, or "earthen storehouse construction;" you see this not just in temples but in traditional townhouse and wall construction as well. I used to know the vocabulary for all these elements in Japanese (don't ask); hopefully having posted this will motivate me to relearn them.
Although it doesn't look that impressive in my photo, here is a picture of the kuri's facade to give an idea of scale. The main doors are about six feet tall; the main beam in my photo is right below the eaves.
That will be all.