Graphical Construction Glossary >> Doors. >> Door types >> Shoji Doors

Shoji Doors

Japanese style simple wood and rice paper sliding doors.

The doors or screens on this page relate to a traditional style of Japanese building that is revered in Japan. The examples here are from historic buildings, but this simple style of door finds it's way into many places in modern Japan.

Western designers are using these doors as features and a quick internet search will find many modern door manufactures that are either specialising in these or at least have some Shoji designs in their ranges.

Traditionally these doors and frames are made out of timber. In more humble dwelling than these it is mainly unfinished with no surface treatment. The panels are made out of rice paper and the consequently the doors are very light and slide easily in their simple grooved tracks. They have managed to work without the use of rollers since feudal times.

The images here show the quintessential style of Japanese architecture that blends the internal and external aspects of a building. It is no coincidence that these rooms are opening out into gardens that have just as much attention to detail and design as the houses themselves.

Apart from the external door use, Shoji or screens are also used extensively indoors to create smaller or larger rooms. The definition of door and wall sometimes is hard to make in these traditional buildings and again this aspect is being used by many modern Western designers.

All images on this page thanks to Wikimedia Commons.

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