chanoma　茶の間

KEY WORD :　architecture / folk dwellings

Lit. tearoom. A Edo period communal living room usually containing a hearth *irori 囲炉裏 and often situated close to the earth-floored area *doma 土間. Its character and use varied according to the scale of the structure. 1　In relatively large residences of middle ranking warriors or leading farmers and merchants, chanoma was principally used by the women of the household or by female servants as a kind of common room, where meals were taken, some food prepared and informal conversation took place around the hearth. In the Kansai 関西 region in particular the term was often used to refer to the maidservants' room. 2　In smaller residences chanoma was often used interchangeably with *ima 居間 or *daidokoro 台所 to refer to the principal communal living room. 3　In north eastern Japan, along the Japan Sea coast from the prefectures of Niigata to Shimane, in Shikoku 四国 and in parts of Nagano prefecture, the term was used in traditional vernacular houses *minka 民家 to refer to a large room adjacent to, and often opened to, the earth-floored area. Usually the room contained an hearth around which the family gathered for meals. The chanoma was often open to the rafters, allowing smoke to escape through a smoke hole *kemuridashi 煙出 in the roof. Originally the floor was exposed timber boarding without mats *tatami 畳. Also, the family's Shinto and Buddhist altars *kamidana 神棚 and *butsudan 仏壇 were often located in this room.

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