The machiya we are staying in for our Kyoto visit was thoughtfully remodeled several years ago by the current owner. The exposed roof timbers and support posts are clearly original to the structure and were deliberately left exposed. Stained dark, with deep cracks, they reveal that mortise and tenon joints were used by the original builders. Below is a closeup of the beams at the roof peak in the upper floor bedroom.

Some of the doors are clearly very old (I have to duck to avoid a head injury) but are now encased in new frames, offering a pleasing contrast between old and new.

Some posts show deep notches, but one can only guess at what purpose they once served.

Next post about our Kyoto trip >>> Japan’s Civilized Toilet Revolution, Ignored in America