Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings is Edward Sylvester Morse’s classic study of traditional Japanese domestic architecture and daily life. An American zoologist who lived in Japan, Morse describes houses, gardens, interiors, furnishings, and customs with the precise eye of a naturalist and the warmth of an admirer of Japanese culture.
Richly illustrated with the author’s own drawings, the book is a valuable record of Japanese material culture in the Meiji period, attentive to construction, aesthetics, and the texture of everyday living. It has long been prized by architects, historians, and students of Japan. For readers interested in Japanese culture, vernacular architecture, and the anthropology of the home, Morse’s affectionate and detailed account remains an essential and delightful source.