Shoin Zone, Kokura Castle

First appeared during the Momoyama period, the shoin style (shoin-zukuri) is one of Japan's most important residential architectural styles. It consists in a central area with floors covered by tatami mats, surrounded by aisles and compartmented with opaque screens or with sliding doors. Photographed here is the Shoin Zone, a traditional shoin style interior reconstructed at the Kokura castle.