J a p a n e s e    C u l t u r e

The fancy roofs use "SesshuGawara" which is heavy and makes the house fall down when there is an earthquake. I think that the number of layers to the roof is a sort of status symbol, to show those around you that you are a successful farmer making lots of rice. The Japanese do not care to boast linguistically, but they like to be ostentatious in their visual self presentation. There is only one room upstairs but enough roof for two houses. My wife presumes that the house was made this way to resemble traditional Japanese castles, such as those still standing in Himeji and Kumamoto.

The owner has not driven their car into the garage column. It was built that way, at a slant.

Labels: japan, japanese culture, nihonbunka, 日本文化