On Sophistication of Structural Expression in Japanese Architecture

The present paper deals with some features of structural expression in traditional Japanese buildings from the viewpoint of elegance in structural design. The concept of structural expression in those traditional buildings is not easy to grasp because of their highly sophisticated designs. Very many people have failed to understand the real structural functions of important components of those buildings because of it. There are always sound reasons for those sophisticated designs which are based on more holistic judgments than mere structural criteria, although careful observation and deep insight are required to find them. This nature of Japanese traditional architecture is illustrated in this paper, using the examples of famous buildings such as Ise Shrines, pagoda of Yakushiji Temple and others. The author considers that this type of study is useful for us to develop our capability of understanding elegance in structures, traditional or contemporary.