Composite drawing: Movie “Floating Clouds”

“Floating Clouds” showed the life of Japanese people after the end of World War 2. Icaho Onsen street in the film demonstrates the traditional spatial aspect of Japanese village on the mountain. The village operated in the middle of the narrow staircase, which is less than 3m wide. This space was the communication space between visitors and house owner from the balcony (Engawa). Engawa is the traditional balcony of Japan. This cannot define certainly inside or outside, for example, when the door opened, the space of the stair is the extension from inside. It has become an intermediary space. Thus, the staircase has an unclear ownership, likes both private and public. It is normally maintained by house occupants. It can be a space for a private storage, pathway, communal spirit, landmark for visitors.