Another very distinctive element of Japanese traditional architecture is the unusual window that can be seen on some machiya (traditional wooden townhouses) and kura (traditional Japanese storehouses). Called mushiko, a term derived from mushi-kago (literally “insect cage"), these windows look, just as the name says, like cages, with rectangular bars cut into the wall.

However, the feeling they give does not suggest a cage: on the contrary, simply and beautiful, the mushiko windows are good examples of Japanese aesthetics. Plus, they offer certain advantages, by ventilating the house and letting the light inside, while also preserving the privacy.

Naramachi , Nara

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Shinto Shrines, Sessha and Massha