Doma - Doma

Japanese: 土間 - どま

An indoor space that does not have a floor, but is left as is, or is covered with pounded earth or plaster. In modern times, this term is also used for surfaces that are covered with gravel, stones, stone, tiles, or concrete. As can be inferred from remains of primitive dwellings, homes were originally huts with only a single dirt floor. However, from the Middle Ages onwards, the style of dwellings used by upper class people became common, with the dirt floor being used for cooking and work, and wooden floors (later rooms with tatami mats) being used as living quarters. This style can still be seen in private homes today.

Additionally, in early Kabuki theaters, the front seats of the stage were called doma. The seats on either side were covered wooden sajiki boxes, while the front seats were an open-air doma. It was not until the latter half of the Edo period that roofs were placed over the entire theater, and the front seats finally began to be fitted with square seats called masu. The entire central area was called hiradoma, and the part that was higher than the hiradoma but lower than the boxes was called takadoma.

[Jin Nakamura]

Folklore

In Japanese houses, where shoes are removed before entering, the doma is essential. The doma is also called niwa, usuniwa, or niya, and is further divided into inner and outer gardens. In the case of a one-sided house where there is a room on one side and the niwa runs from the front to the back, it is sometimes called toori. When the doma is divided into a front and back by a lattice door or a partition, the front side is called usuniwa. This is because a mortar is installed there, and it is sometimes used for straw work and sometimes even for threshing and preparation. This is also why straw-beating stones are buried underground. When used for preparation, it is swept clean with a broom, and in some regions, treads are placed only where people walk. Other facilities that are installed in the doma include places to store agricultural tools, stables, steamers (also known as kits) for storing unhulled rice, toilets, and bathrooms.

Similar to the doma, it is called doza. This is mainly found in cold regions. The doma is dug down about 30 centimeters and filled with rice grains and straw. This method was used not only in the living room other than the doma but also in the bedroom, and it is a floor structure that existed before wooden flooring.

[Yotaro Takeuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

屋内において床を張らずに、地面のまま、または叩(たた)き土(つち)、漆喰(しっくい)塗りなどにしてあるところ。現代では、玉砂利敷き、石敷き、石張り、タイル張り、コンクリート打ちなどの場合もこの呼称を用いる。原始住居跡から推定できるように、住まいは、初めは一室の土間だけの小屋であった。それが、中世以降、上流の人たちの住居の形式が一般化され、炊事や作業に土間を、居室として板床（のちには畳を用いた部屋）をそれぞれ用いるようになった。この形式が今日でも民家にみられる。

　また、初期の歌舞伎(かぶき)劇場では、舞台の正面席を土間とよんだ。左右の席が屋根付き板張りの桟敷(さじき)であったのに対し、正面席は露天の土間であった。江戸時代の後半になってから、劇場全体に屋根がかけられ、この正面席もようやく枡(ます)という方形の席を設けるようになった。その中央部分一面を平土間(ひらどま)、平土間より高く、桟敷より低い部分を高土間(たかどま)という。

［中村　仁］

民俗

日本の住宅形式が履き物を脱いで上がる関係で、土間は不可欠なものである。土間はニワとかウスニワ、ニヤなどともよばれ、さらに内庭、外庭と区別される。片側に部屋があり、ニワが表から裏まで通っている片側住居の場合は、とくにトオリとよぶこともある。土間を格子戸や衝立(ついたて)で裏表に分けた場合、前面のほうをウスニワとよぶ。唐臼(からうす)を装置するからで、藁(わら)仕事やときには、脱穀調製までそこを使うこともある。藁打ち石などが埋めてあるのも、そのためである。調製に使う場合は、箒(ほうき)で掃き清め、人の歩く所だけ踏み板を置く地方もある。そのほか農具置き場や厩(うまや)、籾(もみ)を貯蔵するセイロ（別名キッツ）、便所、風呂場(ふろば)なども土間に設けられる。

　土間に似て土座(どざ)という名がある。これは主として寒い地方に多い。土間を30センチメートルほど掘り下げ、籾や藁をいっぱいに敷き詰めた構造で、土間以外の居室はもちろんのこと、寝間までこの方法にしたもので、板張り以前の床構造である。

［竹内芳太郎］

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