Spatial Image of the Japanese 'Noren'

摘要

The "noren" is a Japanese shop curtain or cloth that hangs in front of a shop door or above a storefront. A noren usually shows the name of the shop or the kind of goods sold there, and is used as an awning and a shield against dust and the public eye as well as an advertisement for the shop and a statement of the shop's personality. A noren also shows that the shop is open as long as the noren is hung out. In addition, it plays a role in separating and uniting spaces. Noren are common in Japan. The purpose of this study is to clarify the spatial image of noren, and to consider the relationship between noren and architecture or urban design through a case study of two towns that are famous for their noren: Katsuyama in Okayama and Yosano in Kyoto. The design survey has three main focuses: "design of the noren itself", "relationship between the noren and its building" and "relationship between the noren and its town". Comparisons are drawn between Katsuyama town and Yosano town.