Modern Japanese home and apartment kitchens, as far as I know, differ little from similar-sized American or European kitchens. Space is at a premium, but modern appliances are made to accommodate the needs. A rice cooker is essential, while sometimes the space is simply too small for the kitchen to include an oven. From the book
Japanese Style: "the cluttered kitchen" close to the seating area of "Tower House" which stands on a 200-square-foot lot in Tokyo.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6W8lurGSDQTAq8zSSpX3X6A8b4PexPl6K5ET4jPGE6JzzSJJ9P76dcjWxJJekJG0irTqVARYsF4R8XwFL3vdKTsRWSzdTKMLAssNzjXNnwMlP_WgyVdQ7NawFvFVsmrvjonPo6Q/s400/crowded.kit.jpg)
Books and articles about high-tech design often show the largest and most lavish styles, in kitchens of very rich (and sometimes famous) chefs or celebrities. The following images appeared in
Four Japanese Kitchens, a photo essay in the
New York Times. They represent a totally modern, all steel kitchen and one that somewhat blends modern and traditional ideas.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhInQnSxGb0QDndIeZIFEbEv0A_m8pgWPAElUgxIPmkvyCgN1m4PfSAQkUm3d7y-XLzuja0d_ImsAUMojxb5OLnHK68XuNYioYMfeQ9-WSQPe_2nPR6d9metIfHippNrGhCv-CXpw/s400/nyt.jpn.ktchmodern.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFJ7TakEfww1AnWIuHD462lUhceKitlNka8fUBFBvGaM75T0HqHkqpVor6ibzeyQ5u8TU7UXqkhzKtr0aDE8iGW4A2ySrNG4_cwXOTxJ5DweVfN6Mzq2sr4oZxu5c1x1E7ddjOw/s400/nyt.jpn.kitch2.jpg)
The modern industrial kitchen deserves some attention. In another image from
Day in the Life, we see the sterile preparation of bento box lunches in a large work space.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTsWV5Ra2CyML0jciL1IWO76kJN-2HNwzfG3j43PKJBYugGcyFhyKvJSW7GkHMCu1z-ClE5FMvoWQRj-I7w4NtWqO9gnkjUwPLyYQIzBCm62V9Ajm8EXM1WgAxu26wZKJLLm2sQ/s400/dayinlife02.jpg)
Everyone has seen the kitchen area at a sushi bar, since the food is prepared in plain sight. In fact, witnessing food preparation might really be a Japanese thing. For example, the food prep area of those performance cooking Japanese steak houses -- I don't know if they have them in Japan, but they're very popular here. Do these qualify as a kitchen? The chefs play with food, toss eggs in the air, flip shrimp, and above all, make big fires:
2 comments:
I do love the Japanese aesthetic, and the kitchens show that same sensibility that I love in all Japanese home design.
Great article.
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