If you visit a Japanese traditional house, you will probably notice two kinds of wooden rectangular panels, dividing the rooms or used as sliding-doors: the panels made with wooden frames covered by semi-opaque washi paper are called shoji, while the ones covered with thick, opaque paper or silk, are called fusuma.

Also used as closed doors, fusuma are usually made with a black lacquer frame and, unlike the shoji, are covered on both sides. And in the old times, these panels were painted manually with nature or fantasy scenes, like these amazing fusuma that can be seen at Tenryu-ji, in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

Tenryu-ji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese Traditional Architecture, Chidorihafu and Karahafu