Periods and Styles
What type of dwelling was common during the Jomon period?
Pit dwellings with wooden frames and thatched roofs
What is Japan’s native belief system?
Shinto
What is a Shoji?
A paper screen window or partition
From which countries did Japan adopt Buddhism?
China and Korea
Who led the Metabolism movement and designed the Tokyo City Hall?
Kenzō Tange
Which period introduced rice farming and bronze tools?
Yayoi Period
What is the function of a Torii in Japanese shrines?
Gate that marks the entrance to a sacred space
What is a Tatami?
A straw mat used as flooring and room size unit
What architectural element reflects Chinese influence during the Nara period?
Pagoda with tiled roofs
What is the famous modular building designed by Kisho Kurokawa?
Nakagin Capsule Tower
What structure is a famous example of architecture during the Heian period?
Phoenix Hall
Which temple built in the Asuka period is among the oldest wooden buildings?
Horyuji Temple
What is a Chashitsu?
A room used for tea ceremonies
Which period featured modular interiors and refined symmetry?
Heian Period
Which architect designed the Nara Centennial Hall?
Arata Isozaki
Which castle exemplifies the architectural grandeur of the medieval period?
Himeji Castle
Which religion influenced dry gardens and minimalist aesthetics in the Kamakura period?
Zen Buddhism
What is the name of the typical Japanese entry space for removing shoes?
Genkan
How did Japanese architecture adapt to its mountainous geography during the Heian period?
Wooden floors, raised platforms, cypress-bark roofs
Which female architect combined tradition with futuristic design?
Itsuko Hasegawa
What period introduced organized city planning based on Chinese grid models?
Nara Period
What is rebuilt every 20 years as part of ritual renewal in Shinto tradition?
Ise Grand Shrine
What are Hashira and Hari in traditional construction?
Pillars and beams in timber frame structures
What Chinese city layout model influenced Japanese capital planning during the Nara period?
Grid plan model
What materials became common in Japan’s postwar modernist architecture?
Steel, concrete, and prefabricated elements