What is Fusuma?

Fusuma refers to the panels used as dividers of the room, as is usually seen in Japanese rooms. The panels are usually inserted in built -in tracks on the floor and ceiling to allow them to slip from left to right. The panel usually consists of thin wooden boundaries called "mashibuchi" that holds thick leaves of paper acting like a wall. Fusuma can also have a handle on the one hand called "hikite", sometimes decorated with tassels called "fusahikite". Silk leaves were used for the panels and sometimes they became famous painters and calligraphy, drawings and calligraphy. Soon thereafter, the idea of ​​sliding panels was handed over to lower classes and spread throughout Japan. Replacement of silk sheets with paper was probably a way to make the panels available, not to mention more affordable.

fusuma usually comes in pairs, with two panels considered a single canvas for images, so when they are slippingNY, the image is also divided, but again becomes all when the panels are closed. The typical, minimally designed Japanese house would have two to three rows of Fusuma to make the bare space divided into several rooms of different functions. The panels provide flexibility because homeowners can only insert them back into the wall to unify the rooms into larger spaces.

Strong leaves of paper or fabric give Fusum a translucent character, allowing natural sunlight to penetrate the room and subsequently retain energy during the day. The panels can be translucent, but still effectively provide some privacy rooms, although sounds can still penetrate paper. In a way, they will also become a decorative tool when the sunlight gives the scene -painted a warm, golden shade and creates silhouettes and shadows on paper.

Simplifying the characteristics of Japanese culture is also reflected in the fair, with muted tones of panels and the use of natural materials. Forests that normally afterThey use mashibuchi to produce, include bamboo and cedar, which can be colored on a lighter or darker shadow according to the preference of the house owner. Fusuma is also very convenient to clean and repair, as the panels can be easily removed from their tracks and reinstall as soon as the paper is cleaned or replaced.