Minka

Minka, meaning folk houses and sometimes called kominka, or old folk houses, are the traditional vernacular dwellings of Japan, originally built for farmers, artisans and merchants, the three non-samurai castes, though the term now covers any traditional Japanese-style residence of sufficient age. Minka fall into four main types: noka farmhouses, machiya town houses, gyoka fishermen's dwellings, and sanka mountain dwellings, with distinctive regional forms emerging during the Edo period. Unlike other Japanese architectural forms, it is the structure rather than the floor plan that defines a minka, built around a framework of primary posts with secondary posts arranged to accommodate the room layout, using materials that were abundant in the immediate locality, including bamboo for roofing and floors, miscanthus reed or wooden shingles for thatching, and clay or rushes for walls, depending on regional climate and availability. Deep eaves protect the interior from weather and regulate seasonal temperature, and interiors are typically divided between an earth-floored work area and a raised wooden floor, often centered on an irori hearth that served as the social and functional heart of the home.