Fireproof: Little Edo
Kawagoe, Japan
Being built of wood, the majority of buildings in the Edo period were vulnerable to earthquakes and fire, few having withstood the test of time. A few dozen relics of the period survive in Kawagoe (Little Edo), near Tokyo. Wealthy merchants built distinctive black, fireproof warehouses to protect their wares and the style spread to shops and homes. The walls are layered and very thick. Window shutters resemble bank vault doors.
Fireproof: Little Edo
Kawagoe, Japan
Being built of wood, the majority of buildings in the Edo period were vulnerable to earthquakes and fire, few having withstood the test of time. A few dozen relics of the period survive in Kawagoe (Little Edo), near Tokyo. Wealthy merchants built distinctive black, fireproof warehouses to protect their wares and the style spread to shops and homes. The walls are layered and very thick. Window shutters resemble bank vault doors.