Sitting around the Hearth
Before the idea of the chimney was developed in Japan, houses used to have a hearth cut into the floor, and smoke would escape through a window high up on the wall or in the roof. This method is of course no longer appropriate to current living arrangements, but the idea of having a center around which people can sit is appealing. Recently, the popularity of this kind of old-fashioned hearth, the irori, has grown among urban dwell-ers in Japan.
The most important point to keep in mind is the central position of the hearth. Unlike Western schemes where the fireplace is built against a wall, a Japanese-style hearth built or placed in the middle of a room allows a 360-degree area of heating. Moreover, because little or no furniture is used, proximity to the heat source is increased, as well as the sense of intimacy of a gathering.
When installing a hearth in the home, it is important to provide adequate ventilation by placing a hood over the hearth and putting an exhaust duct in the ceiling. The bottom of the hearth should be about 4-12 inches below floor level, and lined with iron or copper sheeting, on top of which ashes or sand should be spread. Incidentally, the Japanese hearth does not normally have a blazing fire as is the case with its Western counterpart. Coals are brought in from outside to provide enough heat to keep a kettle of water hot or to cook a pot of stew, either placed on the fire or suspended by an adjustable hook.
Instead of a hearth, a low table can be used to provide a room with a center. Though an old-fashioned Japanese brazier can still be used as a portable heater, it can also serve as the base of an attractive glass-top coffee table. Whatever the arrangement, cushions placed around the hearth, table, or brazier, will provide comfort as well as a bit of color to the room.
HEARTH AND BRAZIER ARRANGEMENTS
A free-standing heat source provides 360 degrees of warmth.
Types of braziers.
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