A peculiarity of the Kurazukuri style buildings constructed in Edo towards the end of the Edo period is that the plaster covering the walls was not the usual white but black.

It was blackened by using a pigment made of India ink, and the reason was that this pigment, combined with lime, calcium and a mix of natural components such as seaweed and soybean was making the plaster walls fire resistant. This was an invention of the constructors from Kawagoe, and the result can be seen by visiting Kawagoe, also known as the “Little Edo".

Kurazukuri Houses, Kawagoe, Saitama

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Fukagawa Edo Museum