Misc

Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, con’t

Posted on by JEAN

The merchant’s house was especially interesting.  The common room for eating.. each person had their own small table, and the “tables” converted to a box to store the dishes, when not in use.

We experienced eating at our own table at a ryokan in Mount Koyasan in 2016.  Trish, Scott, Hugh and I all had our individual tables which we set apart from each other (unlike this photo), so we could not converse during the meal.  As most of the items on the “table” were foreign to me, I kept looking over at other tables on how to eat several items.  I remember the small table was filled with small dishes – maybe 10 in total, and nothing looked familiar except the rice.  In the middle of the meal one Japanese person (it might have been our guide) called out for more rice.  It startled me as I presumed any talking was prohibited.

Eating tables for individuals in a wealthy merchants house.
Each of the table services were kept in a box that converted to a table for eating.

Details in the merchant’s house

Cupboards under the stairs. Wealthy merchant’s house.
Sorry for the poor photo – but the story of this shelf is too interesting not to tell. This is a directional shelf that changes each year to face the sacred direction for Buddhism. The first prayer of the year you face this direction. Our guide thinks in is northeast for 2019, so clearly it isn’t too common now.
Offering to the fire gods.
The ovens

 

The merchant also had a warehouse to store his valuables in case of fire.

 The three layers of the window – keep the building airtight when sealed. After the merchant’s valuable were stored, these windows and a similar door were sealed and the building was covered with mud. Before shutting the building, a candle was lit to de-oxygenate the building. It was kept sealed for up to three months.  Opening earlier could reignite the fire.
JEAN

2 thoughts on “Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, con’t”

  1. Mary de Kraker says:

    Interesting…had visions of this old Westerner getting up and down by individual tables. Lol. NOT a pretty sight

  2. Hugh Halbeck says:

    This was a real cultural experience! Very well layed-out and detailed replica of a traditional city subsection of old Osaka.

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