Here in the Kansai area of Japan, you may come across machiya houses with little bamboo coverings in front of the house, like the one pictured here in Kyoto City. Called an “inuyarai”, these coverings made of thin strips of curved bamboo or wood serve several purposes on the exterior of traditional Japanese houses!
One purpose is to represent the boundary between the road and the home and to make it obvious to any passerby. This also leads into the next purpose, which is to protect the outer wall of the machiya from becoming damaged by things like mud, gravel, and water.
The next reason can be guessed if you know a little Japanese. The name of the covering, “inuyarai”, is made up of “inu” (dog) and “yarai” (fence). The inuyarai was used to keep dogs away from the exteriors of the machiya houses, specifically to keep them from urinating on the houses!
Looking for the best place to stay in Kyoto? Stay in a traditional Japanese house (machiya) during your next visit to Kyoto, Japan.
With MACHIYA RESIDENCE INN, you can rent a private traditional Japanese house – a great alternative to a Kyoto hotel that is perfect for short or long stays!