Wooden House Day

What Is Wooden House Day?

October 18th is "Wooden House Day" in Japan. It was established in 1998 by the Japan Wood-Frame Housing Industry Association. The month comes from reading the character 住 ("juu," as in housing) as 十 (ten), and the day from the fact that the character 木 (wood) can be broken down into 十 (ten) and 八 (eight). The day promotes the association's work to spread post-and-beam wooden homes.

Numbers Hidden in the Characters for "Live" and "Wood"

Wooden House Day combines wordplay with the shapes of kanji characters, giving it a clever twist.

• Established: In 1998 by the Japan Wood-Frame Housing Industry Association
• Why October: 住 ("juu") in the word for housing is read as 十, or 10
• Why the 18th: The character 木 (wood) can be split into 十 (10) and 八 (8)
• Purpose: To spread post-and-beam wooden housing and promote the association's activities

The Post-and-Beam Method Behind Japanese Homes

The post-and-beam method builds a home's framework from columns and beams. It has been handed down in Japan for generations and is also called the "conventional method." While "Two-by-Four Housing Day" on October 24th celebrates a method that relies on walls and floors as load-bearing panels, this day celebrates a method built on posts.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Find out what construction method your home or family home uses
• Look closely at how the wood is joined in an old wooden building, shrine or temple near you
• Share the fun fact that 木 breaks down into 十 and 八
• Visit a model home and experience what living in a wooden house feels like

Even a Single Character Can Carry a Love of Homebuilding

Born from the characters for "live" and "wood," October 18th is a chance to appreciate wooden homes and Japan's homebuilding traditions. Why not take a slightly closer look at a wooden building near you?