The space between the zashiki and the outdoors is called the engawa, an intermediate zone separated from both the interior and the exterior by shoji (sliding paper screens).

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An engawa located on the outside of the house is called a nure-en, with the word “nure” in Japanese carrying the meaning of being wet from rain. This section was once remodeled into a staircase providing direct access to the interior, but in 2020 it was restored to its original form as a nure-en for relaxation.