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Shoji
/ˈʃoʊdʒi/
HISTORY & CULTURESintermediate
Definition
A traditional Japanese sliding screen made of translucent paper (washi) stretched over a wooden lattice frame. Shoji screens serve as walls, doors, and windows — they diffuse light softly, provide privacy without visual opacity, and can be removed entirely to open a space to the garden. They embody the Japanese spatial principle of ma (interval).
Example
The Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto (early 17th century) uses shoji extensively — rooms shift from enclosed to open simply by sliding screens, dissolving the boundary between interior and garden.