Buke zukuri samurai house

An architectural style specific to the samurai class residences appeared first during the Kamakura period, when the warrior class (bushi) begun rising to power.

The style, called buke-zukuri, was simple and practical. The main building, with a single roof, usually had four rooms with tatami mats, with a porch (engawa) in the back leading to a small garden, like in this photo taken at the Orii Samurai Residence in Takahashi, Okayama.