DOI article:
Harada, Jirō: Old Japanese folding screens
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43448#0127
Old Japanese Folding Screens
word preceding it) meaning the wind. Byobu is
only applicable to the folding screens, the others,
of one leaf set in a frame and standing on feet,
being known by the name of tsuitate, which are
now very commonly found in the genkwan, the
room at the entrance to a Japanese house, to
obstruct the view to the interior. Screens were
originally used to shut off wind either in the house
or outside and seem to have been introduced into
large as to be mainly used to cover a whole
wall.
It is most usual to find byobu of six panels,
though those of four panels are not uncommon,
while those of eight panels are rare. Screens of
two panels, the leaves being ordinarily wider
than those in the larger specimens—which are
said to be of a later introduction—are often met
with.
Japan either from China or Korea.
Among different kinds of screens that have been
used mention should be made of a large size,
generally nine feet in height, and consisting always
of eight panels. These were used in camps and on
the battlefield by high military officials, and were
called jin-byobu, nn meaning a camp or encamp-
ment. They were used most frequently in the
Ashikaga and Tembun
periods, but it is on record
that they were sometimes
used even so late as during
the Tokugawa regime. In
direct contrast to these, we
may mention a low screen
only about two feet in height,
but made up of eight or ten
panels, known as koshi-maki
byobu {koshi-maki is made up
of two words : koshi meaning
loins, and maki meaning to
wrap round or to surround),
or simply koshi byobu, and
used exclusively at the back
of noble persons, when seated.
This style of screen seems to
have come into use in the
time of the Taiko and to have
continued into the Tokugawa
regime. There was another
dwarf kind known as furo-saki
byobu, in two leaves, used to
shield the hibachi, or brazier,
and to hide the kettle from
the guest in the cha-no-yu or
tea ceremony. Still another
variety of small-sized screen
is the makura byobu, or
pillow screen, placed near
the head when sleeping
in order to keep off the
draught. Reverting to
the larger kind of screen,
it may be mentioned that
there was one kind so
Screens are still used quite commonly in Japan,
though not to the extent they were in former times.
There are some festivals, such as the Tenno
matsuri of Nagoya in June, and Gion matsuri of
Kyoto in July, which are sometimes called screen
festivals because it is customary for the people to
place their valuable byobu in their front rooms
during the festivals so that they can be seen from
TWO PANELS OF A SIX-FOLD SCREEN IN THE SHOSO-IN REPOSITORY
(From “ Toyei Shikof by courtesy of the Shimbi Shoin Co.)
word preceding it) meaning the wind. Byobu is
only applicable to the folding screens, the others,
of one leaf set in a frame and standing on feet,
being known by the name of tsuitate, which are
now very commonly found in the genkwan, the
room at the entrance to a Japanese house, to
obstruct the view to the interior. Screens were
originally used to shut off wind either in the house
or outside and seem to have been introduced into
large as to be mainly used to cover a whole
wall.
It is most usual to find byobu of six panels,
though those of four panels are not uncommon,
while those of eight panels are rare. Screens of
two panels, the leaves being ordinarily wider
than those in the larger specimens—which are
said to be of a later introduction—are often met
with.
Japan either from China or Korea.
Among different kinds of screens that have been
used mention should be made of a large size,
generally nine feet in height, and consisting always
of eight panels. These were used in camps and on
the battlefield by high military officials, and were
called jin-byobu, nn meaning a camp or encamp-
ment. They were used most frequently in the
Ashikaga and Tembun
periods, but it is on record
that they were sometimes
used even so late as during
the Tokugawa regime. In
direct contrast to these, we
may mention a low screen
only about two feet in height,
but made up of eight or ten
panels, known as koshi-maki
byobu {koshi-maki is made up
of two words : koshi meaning
loins, and maki meaning to
wrap round or to surround),
or simply koshi byobu, and
used exclusively at the back
of noble persons, when seated.
This style of screen seems to
have come into use in the
time of the Taiko and to have
continued into the Tokugawa
regime. There was another
dwarf kind known as furo-saki
byobu, in two leaves, used to
shield the hibachi, or brazier,
and to hide the kettle from
the guest in the cha-no-yu or
tea ceremony. Still another
variety of small-sized screen
is the makura byobu, or
pillow screen, placed near
the head when sleeping
in order to keep off the
draught. Reverting to
the larger kind of screen,
it may be mentioned that
there was one kind so
Screens are still used quite commonly in Japan,
though not to the extent they were in former times.
There are some festivals, such as the Tenno
matsuri of Nagoya in June, and Gion matsuri of
Kyoto in July, which are sometimes called screen
festivals because it is customary for the people to
place their valuable byobu in their front rooms
during the festivals so that they can be seen from
TWO PANELS OF A SIX-FOLD SCREEN IN THE SHOSO-IN REPOSITORY
(From “ Toyei Shikof by courtesy of the Shimbi Shoin Co.)