Kyoto’s “Machiya” Townhouses and Mindful Living

The battari shōgi (folding table), right, was lowered to display merchandise, as many machiya served as both shops and residences.

The courtyard of a traditional Kyoto townhouse.

The shinkabe-zukuri method of wall construction is an ingenious way of controlling humidity.

The engawa outside the shōji sliding doors creates an insulating effect.

The tenmado skylight is a source of light and a means of releasing heat.

Pillars are not joined to the stone foundation so that seismic force can be isolated.

The use of columns and beams without diagonal bracing creates an aesthetically pleasing, neatly organized interior.

Kyoto machiya with narrow frontage and deep, thin interiors.

The courtyard allows the machiya to shift between its two distinct roles of a workplace and residence.

Soft sunlight passing through the paper of a shōji matches well to a tatami room.

The courtyard allows air to flow through the house.