Japan is an amazing country, visiting which the tourist will surely receive a lot of unforgettable impressions. Here you can admire the picturesque rivers, bamboo forests, rock gardens, unusual temples, etc. Of course, many large modern cities have been built in Japan. But part of the population of this country, like, probably, any other, lives in villages. Japanese suburban settlements in many cases to this day have retained a unique national flavor and style.
A bit of history
Man began to populate the Japanese islands in the Paleolithic era. Initially, the inhabitants were engaged in hunting and gathering and led a nomadic lifestyle. The first settlements in Japan arose in the Dzemon era - around 12 millennium BC. In those days, the climate on the islands began to change due to the formed Tsushima warm current. Residents of Japan switched to a sedentary lifestyle. In addition to hunting and gathering, the population began to engage in fishing and animal husbandry.
Today in Japanese villages often live a lot of inhabitants. But it was not always so. Initially, the number of inhabitants on the islands was very small. However, in the 13th millennium BC. e. people from the Korean Peninsula began to actively migrate here. It was they who brought to Ancient Japan rice cultivation and silk weaving technologies, which are actively used today. The population of the islands increased in those times by 3-4 times. And of course, in ancient Japan, many new settlements arose. At the same time, migrant villages were much larger than those of local residents - up to 1.5 thousand people. The main type of housing in those days in Japanese settlements were ordinary dugouts.
From the 4th century in Japan, the process of establishing statehood began. During this period, the culture of the islands was greatly influenced by Korea. In the country, which was then called Nihon, the first capital Nara was founded. Of course, Korean villages were also actively built in those days. They were located mainly around the capital, as well as in the valley of the Asuka River. Dugouts in settlements at that time began to be gradually replaced by ordinary houses.
Wars
Later, by the eighth century, Korea’s influence gradually began to fade and the Japanese rulers turned their eyes to China. At this time, a new capital was built on the islands, in which up to 200 thousand people lived. By this time, the formation of the actual Japanese nation was completed. In the VIII century, the emperors of the country began to gradually conquer the wooded territories of the natives, some of which still led an almost primitive way of life. In order to strengthen their position in these regions, the rulers forcibly resettled the inhabitants of the central part of the country here. And of course, in these places new settlements began to appear - villages and fortresses.
Ancient way of life
The occupation of the Japanese has always directly depended on their place of residence. So, the inhabitants of coastal villages were engaged in fishing, evaporation of salt, collecting mollusks. The population of the wooded areas during the conflicts with the aborigines carried conscription. Residents of villages located in the mountains often engaged in breeding silkworms, making fabrics, and, in some cases, in the manufacture of gunpowder. On the plain, settlers most often grew rice. Also in Japanese villages were engaged in blacksmithing and pottery. Between settlements of different "specializations" at the intersection of trade routes formed, among other things, market squares.
The rhythm of life in Japanese villages was almost always calm and measured. The villagers coexisted in perfect harmony with nature. Initially, the Japanese lived in communities in fairly large settlements. Later, of course, detached estates of the nobility began to appear in the country, of course.
Modern village
Out of town, of course, some Japanese live today. There are many villages in this country nowadays. The rhythm of life in modern suburban settlements in Japan today is mostly calm and measured. Many residents of such settlements, as in ancient times, grow rice and engage in fishing. In mountain villages and today they make silk. Quite often, the Japanese in small suburban settlements and today live in communities.
Is it worth a visit
Residents of the villages of the Land of the Rising Sun, judging by the reviews of tourists, are very friendly. They relate well, including to foreigners who come to visit them. Of course, tourists visit deaf Japanese villages not too often. But some settlements, existing since ancient times, nevertheless arouse the interest of foreigners. In such Japanese villages, among other things, the tourism business is well developed.
Modern country settlements in the Land of the Rising Sun look, judging by the reviews of travelers, very beautiful and cozy. In Japanese villages, flowerbeds bloom everywhere, spectacular shrubs grow, stone gardens are laid out.
How to build houses in the old days
One of the features of Japan, unfortunately, are frequent earthquakes. Therefore, from ancient times in this country uses a special technology for building houses. In Japanese villages, exclusively frame residential buildings have always been erected. The walls of such buildings did not carry any load. Strength was given to the house by a wooden frame assembled without the use of nails - by fastening with ropes and rods.
The climate in Japan is quite mild. Therefore, the facades of houses in this country in ancient times were not insulated. Moreover - only one wall has always been capital in such buildings. Between the claddings, it was clogged with grass, sawdust, etc. All the other walls were simply thin wooden sliding doors. They closed at night and in cold weather. On warm days, such doors were opened and the residents of the house got the opportunity to coexist in complete harmony with the surrounding nature.
The floors of antiquity in Japanese village houses have always been raised high above ground level. The fact is that the Japanese traditionally do not sleep on beds, but simply on special mattresses - futons. It would be cold and damp on a floor near the ground to spend the night in this way, of course.
There are several styles of Japanese ancient buildings. However, all the houses in this country share the following architectural features:
large cornices, the size of which can reach a meter;
sometimes curved corners of the ramps;
asceticism of the exterior.
The facades of Japanese houses were almost never decorated with anything. Roofs in such houses were covered with grass and straw.
Modern style
Today in Japanese villages (pictured clearly) only frame houses are still being built. After all, earthquakes in this country and in our days happen quite often. Sometimes in the villages in Japan, you can also see skeletons built using Canadian technology widely used in the world. But more often than not, houses here are built according to local methods developed over the centuries.
The walls of modern Japanese houses, of course, are sheathed with strong enough and reliable materials. But at the same time, spacious bright terraces are always arranged next to such buildings. The eaves of Japanese houses still remained long.
Floors in residential buildings in villages are not raised too high these days. However, they are not equipped on earth either. When pouring slab foundations, the Japanese provide, among other things, special ribs, the height of which can reach 50 cm. After all, today in Japanese houses, many Japanese still sleep on mattresses.
Communications
More than 80% of Japan is mountains. And laying gas pipelines on islands is often simply impossible. Therefore, in most cases, houses in villages in Japan are not gasified. But of course, Japanese housewives do not cook in such settlements at all. Blue fuel in villages is obtained from cylinders.
Since the climate in Japan is not too cold, there is no central heating in the houses here. In the cold season, residents of local villages are heated with oil or infrared heaters.
The most beautiful Japanese villages
In the Land of the Rising Sun, as already mentioned, several ancient villages have been preserved, worthy of the attention of tourists. For example, very often lovers of antiquity visit Japanese villages called Shirakawa and Gokayama. These settlements have existed in Japan for several centuries. In winter, the road to them sweeps with snow, and they find themselves in complete isolation from civilization.
Many residents of these villages are engaged in silk weaving and growing rice and vegetables. But the bulk of the income of the Japanese people living in these settlements receive from the tourism business. There are cafes, souvenir shops, shops of various specializations. Some residents of these Japanese villages in the mountains also rent out rooms for tourists.
The settlements of Shirakawa and Gokayama are famous, among other things, for the fact that there are still preserved houses built in the style of gass-zukuri. The peculiarity of these frame buildings is low walls and a very high, usually gable roof, under which one or two floors are located. Covered houses in these settlements, as in ancient times - grass and straw.
Mishima Japanese village: how to move
In Japan, there is one of the few settlements in the world in which new settlers are invited to live for money. Mishima Village is located on three islands in the south-west of Kyushu Island and is short of labor. Mostly pensioners live here. Young people prefer to move to cities.
To revitalize the local economy, the village community made an original decision to attract new young and working residents. All citizens of Japan, as well as people who have been living in this country for a long time, are invited to move to Mishima for a fee. For several years, the immigrants are promised to give out a large allowance every month (about 40 thousand rubles in translation into domestic currency) and provide a cow free of charge.
People from other countries, including Russia, can also move to the village. However, foreigners who are not familiar with Japanese culture can be allowed into the village only if it is considered possible by the elders of the community.