The tatami room’s secret: inside the Japanese “Washitsu” room in a Showa-Era home
- TNJ
- Dec 12, 2025
- 6 min read
When you step into a traditional Japanese home, you often find a beautiful, simple washitsu (Japanese-style room). It’s known for its soft light, the scent of rush grass, and floors covered with tatami mats.
But the Showa era (1926–1989) brought big changes.
This was the period when tatami floors began to be replaced with Western-style flooring, and many traditional Japanese houses were redesigned or fully transformed into Western-style homes.
Even so, the Showa-era washitsu was still intended to be the cultural heart of the home, just smaller, more practical, and blended with Western influences. It became a unique mix of old and new.
Table of Contents
1. The Traditional Washitsu Blueprint
To understand how the washitsu changed in the Showa era, let’s first look at what a traditional Japanese room (house) was like.
What is ”Washitsu”?
A Washitsu is a traditional Japanese room.
Its key features are the Tatami mats covering the entire floor, sliding doors called Fusuma (solid) and Shoji (paper screens).
Tatami | Fusuma | Shoji |
 |  |  |
Before Western influence whole house itself was all traditional Japanese style “Wa”. But since Western influence entered Japan, instead of the whole house, it turn out to be a Japanese style room.
By many Japanese sources, this room style first became popular in Japan between the Kamakura and Muromachi periods (roughly 1185–1573).
Washitsu are grouped into three main styles based on their level of formality:
Shin (Formal): This is the most proper style, used for high-ranking occasions, based on the Shoin-zukuri (drawing-room) style.
Sō (Casual): This style is flexible and artistic, based on the informal Sukiya (teahouse) design.
Gyō (Medium): This style is a comfortable, balanced space that sits between the very formal and the very casual.
Today, many Washitsu are called "Wa-Modern." These rooms use modern Western-style elements (Yōshitsu) mixed with traditional Japanese design.
What is “Tatami”?
Tatami mat history is intrinsically linked to Japanese living. Before the Showa era, the mat was a luxury, its presence and layout often dictating the room's function and even the social status of occupants. The Tatami mat was not just flooring; it was a unit of measurement, a thermal regulator, and the foundation for all aspects of Japanese life, from sleeping (futon) to dining.
The Main Parts of a Washitsu
A Washitsu is made up of many different parts, but here are the 5 most important ones:
① Tokonoma (Display Alcove)
This is a small, raised area built into the wall, usually on the most important side of the room. Think of it as the face of the Washitsu. People use it to hang special scrolls or display flowers and ornaments.
In the fanciest rooms, the Tokonoma comes with special shelves (Chigaidana) and a built-in desk (Shoin), but many modern rooms skip these to save space.
② Nageshi (Horizontal Rail)
This is the wooden rail that runs horizontally across the top of the columns in the room. It used to be part of the house structure, but now it’s just a decorative accent.
③ Kamoi (Upper Door Frame)
This is the horizontal piece of wood at the top of an opening. It has grooves that the sliding doors (Fusuma or Shoji) fit into.
④ Shikii (Lower Door Threshold)
This is the horizontal piece of wood at the bottom of the opening. It is the partner to the Kamoi. The sliding doors move back and forth along the grooves in the Shikii.
⑤ Ranma (Transom Panel)
This is a decorative panel found above the Kamoi (upper door frame), usually separating two Washitsu rooms or a room from the porch. It often has beautiful carvings or patterns carved into it, and its main job is to let light and air flow between spaces.
2. The Showa Revolution: Westernization and the Washitsu
The Showa era brought industrialization, urbanization, and the widespread adoption of Western domestic concepts, fundamentally challenging the Washitsu's dominance.
The Rise of the Yoshitsu: The Impact of Western-Style Rooms on Showa Home Design
The biggest competition was the Yoshitsu, or Western-style room, which allowed for chairs, beds, and fixed walls. Japanese families started using the efficient LDK (Living/Dining/Kitchen) layout. This change meant the Washitsu was no longer the main living area. It became a single, special room for guests and formal occasions.
Why Showa Washitsu Rooms Got Smaller?
After World War II, Japan needed cheap, fast housing (like danchi apartments). This led to much smaller homes. The big Washitsu rooms went away, replaced by small, practical rooms, often just 4.5 or 6 Tatami mats in size. These sizes show how money and space became important.
The Fusuma Revolution: Blurring the Lines Between Rooms
To keep small homes flexible, sliding doors became crucial. Fusuma (solid sliding doors) and Shoji (paper screens) let the Washitsu open completely to join the Western living room. This ability to open up the room is a key part of Showa home partition design, turning one space into two, or making one big room for parties.
3. Architectural Details: Design Elements of the Showa Washitsu
The Showa-era rooms were simpler and more useful, often cutting out old decorations to fit modern life.
The Humble Tatami: Changes in Mat Quality and Measurement
Building so many new houses meant the Tatami mats had to be mass-produced. Instead of all-straw, the core of the mat often used wood chips, foam, or other materials to save money and weight. The sizes of Tatami mats also started to become more standard across the country. even though there was still a thing such as regional size differences of Tatami (such as Kyoma in Kyoto vs. Edoma in Tokyo) toward standardization.
Function Over Form: The Simplified Tokonoma in Showa Housing
The Tokonoma (alcove), the main spot for displaying art, got much simpler or was removed entirely in many Showa homes to save space and construction costs. Other small details like decorative shelves (Chigaidana) and carved panels (Ranma) also disappeared. The focus became Function Over Form in Tokonoma in Showa design.
Natural Light and Diffusion: The Role of Shoji and Glass Panels
The Shoji (light-diffusing paper screens) screens still gave the room its famous soft light. But for warmth and weather protection, it became common to put glass panels behind the Shoji. This allowed the Washitsu to stay beautiful while being more practical.
4. The Washitsu in Modern Japanese Life
Even with all the changes, the Washitsu is still a prized space.
The Washitsu as the 'Flex Room'
Today, the one Washitsu is the ultimate 'flex room' and has many uses (Washitsu modern uses). It's the guest room (using futon bedding), a safe play area for children (because Tatami is soft), a quiet place to study, or the spot for the family’s altar.
Nostalgia and Cultural Identity
The Tatami room is still popular in new homes because it connects people to their culture. The smell of the grass and the feeling of sitting on the mat feel calm and uniquely Japanese, a good break from the busy Western rooms.
5. FAQ
Q: What is the biggest difference between a Meiji and a Showa Washitsu? (Meiji vs Showa Washitsu design)
A: Meiji rooms were big and formal. Showa Washitsu design meant smaller, single, simple rooms built for efficiency in crowded cities, often removing decorations like the Tokonoma.
Q: How do Japanese families use the one Washitsu room they usually have today? (Targeting: modern single Washitsu function)
A: It is used for everything: guests, quiet time, kids' playtime, and holding the family altar. It's the multi-purpose room.
Q: Are the Tatami mats in Showa-era homes made differently? (Showa-era Tatami material)
A: Yes. The center of the Tatami often changed from all-straw to cheaper, lighter foam or wood chips to meet the high demand for new, affordable housing.
Q: What is Yoshitsu, and how did it compete with the Washitsu? (Yoshitsu vs Washitsu)
A: Yoshitsu is the Japanese word for a Western-style room (with chairs and fixed walls). It offered space for new furniture and single uses (like a dedicated dining room), which was appealing in the Showa-era.
The Japanese Washitsu of the Showa-era shows how culture can change and survive. It had to become smaller and simpler, but it held onto its unique character. By becoming flexible, the room changed its role and became the adaptable, quiet sanctuary that truly remained the unique heart of the Japanese home.
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