PROJECT WORK OF HISTORY

OF FURNITURE

KANTIPUR INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

Submitted by; Submitted to;

Swostika Thapa Magar Mr. Bikash Basukala

Roll no: 46-BID-2078 Department of Interior

Date: 2079-10-12 Design

 INDEX
- JAPAN
- JAPENESE FURNITURE
- HISTORY OF JAPANESE FURNITURE

- MATERIAL USED IN JAPANESE FURNITURE

- JOMON PERIOD [14000-300]

- HEIAN PERIOD
- EDO PERIOD
- THE MEIJI PERIOD
JAPAN
Japan, island country lying off the east coast of Asia.It consist of a great string of
islands in a northeast-southeast arc that stretches for approximately 1,500 miles
[2,400 km] through the western North Pacific Ocean. Nearly the entire land
area is taken up by the country’s four mian islands from north to south.

FURNITURE DESIGN OF JAPAN

Japanese interior design is challenging to define but easier to describe. The first
thing to know is how it fuses both traditional Japanese design and modern
principles of design. However, Japanese interior design also incorporates
numerous other styles and elements that make it difficult to integrate into a
simple definition. Nevertheless, this blog will organize the principles that are
common features of Japanese interior design:
 JPANESE FAURNITURE

-The furniture used to be small and portable

that allow them to create diffreent purpose
room.
-Willingness to live within a very minamalist
space, which allows them quite
contempalation for the mind and allows them
to focus on few items they have.
-Used to focus on joiners and become the
decorative element.
-Complicated wood working but done without
any sort of metal impliments.
-Used to be strong and aesthatically pleasing.
-Have strong floor culture.
-People always wanted very close to the
nature.
- Furniture with clean lines.
-A large, flat cusion used in japan for sitting of
kneeling on the floor.
-these cushion are very similar to the Medival
Europe that are coming through the Byzantine
Empire.
-The materials can be silk or can be
embroidered.
-Zaisu-legless chair allows one to sit comfortably
on the floor with backrest.
- Kyosoku an armrest multipurpose ideas
throughout their room.
 HISTORY OF FURNITURE

-Intrestingly, in japanese culture the floor is really

the place to sit or sleep.
- Japanese interiors were furnished with a type of
woven straw floor mat called Tatami. These mates
were furnished with a laid in different configurations
to adapt to the shifting dimensions of the room
which could be adjusted using sliding shoji screens.
- Most japanese furniture developed during the Edo
period( 1603-1867) including kitchen chest known as
‘’Mizuya- dansu’’.
- Another storage piece, known as the ‘ merchant
chest’ was standard during this period.
- With the advent of modernization at the beginning
of the 20th century western influences swept japan,
influencing the traditional furniture design.
 JAPANESE FURNITURE

-Has a long and rich history that dates back to

ancient time.
-During the Jomon period ( 14,000-300 BCE) ,
Japanese people used natural materials such
as wood, stone, and bamboo to create basic
furniture in their homes.
-In the Heian period ( 794- 1185), Japanese
furniture became more refined and influenced
by chinese and the koreans.
-During Edo period ( 1603 – 1868 ), Japanese
furniture became more elaborate and ornate
with the focus on craftmanship and attention
to detail. This period saw the development of
‘’ SHOJI’’ SCREENS.
- In the Meiji period (1868-1912), Japan began
to modernize and adopt western design
influences which led to the devlopment of a
more diverse range of furniture styles.
 MATERIALS USED IN JAPANESE FURNITURE

-Japanese furniture is often made of wood, with a focus on natural materials such as
bamboo and rice paper.
-Bamboo is popular material for Japanese furniture due to its strength, durability and
natural beauty. It is often used to make traditional items such as baskets and screens,
as well as modern furniture pieces like chairs, tables and shelving.
-Rice paper or ‘’Washi’’, is another common material used in japanese furniture. It is
made from long fibers od the paper mulberry tree and is known for its strength,
flexibility, and translucence. Rice paper is used often used to make shoji screens and
other decorative elements
-Others materials that are commonly used in japanese furniture include wood, silk,and
cotton.
- Japanese furniture is known for its attention to detail and craftmanship and many
pieces are made using traditional techniques and hand-crafted..
 COMMONLY USED WOOD IN JAPANESE FURNITURE

HINOKI(JAPANESE CYPRESS) – A softwood that is light in color and distinctive aroma. It is

often used for tatani mats and traditional bathhouses.
-SUGI(JAPANESE CEDAR) – A red broen wood that is strong and durable. It is often used
for construction and roofing in japan.
- KISO HINOKI – A type of hinoki wood that is griwn in the kiso region of japan. It is known
for its fine grain and beautiful color.
- KEYAKI (ZELKOVA) – A hardwood that is light in color and has a beautiful grain pattern. It
is often used for furniture and intreior finishing.
- KIRI( PAULOWNIA) – A light weight soft wood that is often used for japanese wooden
boxes and chest.
- AKAGASHI ( RED ARBORVITAE) – A red color wood that is used for furniture and flooring.
- MAKINOI( JAPANESE OAK) – A hasrdwood that is known for its strength and durability. It
is used for furniture and flooring.
- YAMANASHI( JAPANESE BEECH) – A hardwood that is kniown for its strength and
durability. It is used for furniture and flooring.
 FURNITURE

ROUND HILL
FURNITURE KIRI WOOD CHOBA SLANT FRONT CABINET
TANSU
 TYPES OF FURNITURE

1. DAY BED

Daybeds are used as beds as well as for lounging,

reclining, and seating in common rooms.[1] It may be
considered a form of multifunctional furniture. Their
frames can be made out of wood, metal or a
combination of wood and metal.[2] They are a cross
between a chaise longue, a couch, and a bed.
Daybeds typically feature a back and sides and come
in twin size (100 cm × 190 cm; 39 in × 75 in). Often
daybeds will also feature a trundle to expand sleeping
capacity.
2. FUTON ( SOFA)
A futon ( 布団) is a traditional Japanese style
of bedding.

Traditionally, futons are used on tatami, a

type of mat used as a flooring material. It
also provides a softer base than, say, a floor
of wood or stone. Futons must be aired
 regularly to prevent mold from developing,
and to keep the futon free of mites.
Throughout Japan, futons can commonly be
seen hanging over balconies, airing in the
sun.[3] Futon dryers may be used by those
unable to hang out their futon.
 3. ZABUTON
A zabuton (Japanese:  lit. 'sitting futon',[1] :  Zabuton is a
Japanese loanword[3] that is also sometimes used in 
Western culture to describe the zaniku, a flat mat that
a zafu is placed onis a cushion for sitting that is
commonly used in traditional Japanese settings

Zabuton are typically packed with cotton for

cushioning, with an outer cover made of fabric,
usually also cotton. The outer cover is sometimes
alternatively made of a variety of other materials
such as silk, linen, leather, 

Japanese culture has societal norms and etiquette

around zabuton, including the proper way to accept a
zabuton and the correct way to sit or rise from one,[15]
 and how to bow when seated on one.[16] The placement
of a person's zabuton in a room can indicate that
person's position in a social hierarchy[17] or a position of
honor.[18]
4. TANSU
Tansu are traditional portable storage chests from
Japan. In Japanese traditional houses, there were
no fixed chairs, tables, or pieces of furniture in the
living space. Tansu were intended as mobile
cabinetry, and used to keep objects of daily use,
clothes, and personal items. They were also
frequently employed by shopkeepers to store
inventory, records, or valuables, as well as in
warehouses, and even on ships for the personal use
of the captain or owner.
The word tansu ( 箪笥 ), first recorded at the end of
17th century, is made up of two characters
embodying two different functions: food storage
and carrying firewood. Notable at the top of both
characters is the radical for bamboo.
5. CHABUDAI(TABLE)

The chabudai is a traditional table used in Japan

that requires floor seating, such as a tatami mat
or zabuton cushion. The short-legged table ranges
in height from 15 to 30 centimeters. Typically, it was
made of wood and round in shape, though oval and
square shapes also exist. The four legs on a
chabudai table collapse, making it easy to store and
flexible in its use.
Generally, these Japanese floor tables are used for
dining and tea serving or for studying.  They are also
used  as workbenches for sewing. The act of sitting
on the floor invokes a physical stillness and
connection with the earth. (It’s also an opportunity
to discover fabulous floor-seating options to pair
with these tables!) 
The chabudai employs two Japanese design
theories. First, it engages Kanso, the less-is-
more and decluttering space philosophy.
This table can be removed when not in use,
which further demonstrates this. It also
follows Seijaku, which embraces the
tranquility, stillness, and solitude that sitting
close to the ground can achieve.
6. THRONE
The Chrysanthemum Throne ( 皇位 , kōi,
"imperial seat") is the throne of the 
Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to
very specific seating, such as
the Takamikura ( 高御座 ) throne in the Shishin-
den at Kyoto Imperial Palace.[1]
Various other thrones or seats that are used by
the Emperor during official functions, such as
those used in the Tokyo Imperial Palace or the
throne used in the Speech from the Throne
 ceremony in the National Diet, are, however,
not known as the "Chrysanthemum Throne".[2]
In a metonymic sense, the "Chrysanthemum
Throne" also refers rhetorically to the 
head of state[3] and the institution of the 
Japanese monarchy itself.[4][5][6][7][8][9]