Genkan

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Sonota-Genkan.png
Genkan of a residence in Japan, viewed from outside looking in.
Genkan, viewed from inside looking out.
Traditional Genkan photographed in the early 20th century

Genkan (玄関?) are traditional Japanese entryway areas for a house, apartment, or building—something of a combination of a porch and a doormat.[1] The primary function of genkan is for the removal of shoes before entering the main part of the house or building.

A secondary function is a place for brief visits without being invited across the genkan step into the house proper.[2]:{{{3}}} For example, where a pizza delivery driver in an English-speaking country would normally stand on the porch and conduct business through the open front door, in Japan a food delivery would typically take place across the genkan step.[3]

The genkan provides a space to remove footwear, it helps keep the interior clean, acts as a transitional space between indoors and outdoors, and represents a psychological boundary between the interior and exterior of a dwelling. Since the genkan is a formal space that makes a first impression on visitors, it is not uncommon to see decorations there, such as flowers, pottery, bonsai, or photographs.

Design

Genkan are normally recessed into the floor, to contain any dirt that is tracked in from the outside (as in a mud room). The height of the step varies from very low (5–10 cm) to shin-level or knee-level. Genkan in apartments are usually much smaller than those in houses, and may have no difference in elevation with the rest of the floor; it may simply have a different type of flooring material than the rest of the floor to distinguish it as the genkan. The tiled or concrete genkan floor is called tataki (三和土).

Upon entry, shoes are usually turned to face the door so they can be slipped on easily when leaving or placed into a getabako. After removing shoes, one must avoid stepping in the genkan in socks or with bare feet, to avoid bringing dirt into the house.[2] Once inside, generally one will change into slippers, or shoes intended for indoor wear (Uwabaki).

While typically associated with homes, genkan are also found in other buildings in Japan, especially old-fashioned businesses. Schools and public baths (銭湯 sentō?) have large shoe cupboards (下駄箱 getabako?) with compartments for each person's outdoor shoes, which may be absent in private residences.

History

The custom of removing one's shoes before entering the house is believed to go back over one thousand years to the pre-historical era of elevated-floor structures. It has continued to the present, even after the westernization of the Japanese home, which began in the Meiji period (1868–1912).[4]

Genkan translates to 'profound gateway', originally referring to the entrance of a Buddhist temple. During the Edo period, private homes began incorporating similar vestibules; this began with the samurai, spread to wealthy merchants, and before long the custom became commonplace. This persists to the present day; even homes that have a mostly Westernized design retain the traditional genkan.

Originally, the genkan was more formal and complex. A visitor would stand on the tataki floor and announce their presence, and would be greeted from the yoritsuki (inner vestibule). If invited inside, they would place their shoes on the stone step, ascend to the wooden step, and then proceed to the yoritsuki. In the present, many genkan have a simpler design and etiquette.

See also

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Genkan (entrance), Mini Encyclopedia.

External links


<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>