Fusuma is a sliding panel on a wooden frame, covered on both sides with thick paper or fabric. It separates two adjacent rooms of a Japanese house, and when removed entirely it turns them into one large hall for guests.

How does fusuma differ from shoji?

Fusuma is covered with a thick material on both sides and does not let light through, while shoji is covered with washi paper on only one side and diffuses light. Fusuma usually stands between two living rooms, while shoji is by a window or at the exit to the engawa veranda.

Why are paintings made on fusuma?

For centuries, court artists painted the face of formal fusuma — such paintings are called 襖絵. At Nijo Castle, the Kano school painted about 3,600 such panels after the palace was rebuilt in 1626, and some of them are designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Are fusuma ever removed, and why?

Yes, the panel can easily be lifted out of its groove entirely: then two adjacent rooms become one, and the house gains a large hall for receiving guests. Removed fusuma are not thrown away but put away in a cabinet or storeroom until next time.

What does the character 襖 itself mean?

The character 襖 carries the radical 衤 "clothing" on the left: old panels were indeed covered with fabric before paper came into use. The word "fusuma" itself is linked to the old 衾 — "sleeping coverlet" — because the partition once stood right by the sleeping place.

Where in a house does fusuma usually stand?

Between two adjacent living rooms of a Japanese house, not between a room and the outside or a veranda — that role is more often taken by shoji. That is why fusuma is almost never seen from outside a building, only inside.

Fusuma: the sliding panel of a Japanese house that carries paintings

Fusuma (襖) is a sliding panel with a wooden frame, covered on both sides with thick paper or fabric, unlike the translucent shoji. Removing a fusuma turns two rooms into one, and for centuries landscapes and plants were painted on its face — such paintings are called 襖絵. The word "fusuma" is linked to the old 衾 — a sleeping coverlet — because the panel once stood right by the sleeping place.

Fusuma is easily confused with shoji: both slide in grooves and divide a traditional Japanese house into rooms, but they look and work quite differently. Let's see how the opaque fusuma differs from the translucent shoji, why famous paintings were made on its panels for centuries, and what the character 襖 with the "clothing" radical on the left means.

What fusuma is: frame, covering, and recessed handle

Fusuma (襖) is a sliding panel on a wooden frame, covered on both sides with thick paper or fabric, unlike the translucent shoji. Instead of a protruding handle, it has a recessed indentation 引手, so the panel slides smoothly along the grooves and doesn't catch on clothing. Fusuma usually stands between two adjacent rooms, not between a room and the outside.

A removed fusuma is no longer a partition but a storage item

The panel can easily be lifted out of its groove entirely, and then two adjacent rooms become one — this technique is used in a Japanese house to create a large hall for guests. Removed fusuma are not thrown away or left sticking out anywhere: they are put away in a special cabinet or storeroom until next time.

襖絵: why paintings were made on the panels

For centuries, artists painted the face of formal fusuma — such paintings are called 襖絵, and the broader term for wall and panel painting in palaces and castles is 障壁画. 襖絵 is one of the subjects of 障壁画, but the term 障壁画 also refers to paintings on walls and sliding screens, not only fusuma panels.

Nijo: about 3,600 panels by one school

At Nijo Castle in Kyoto, after the reconstruction of the Ninomaru Palace in 1626, artists of the Kano school led by Kano Tan'yu painted about 3,600 panels — one of the largest surviving complexes of such painting in Japan. In 1982, 1,016 of these panels were designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Similar paintings existed at Himeji Castle, but the buildings of the Sannomaru Palace there were demolished as early as the Meiji era, and that painting has not survived to this day.

Fusuma versus shoji and an ordinary door

Fusuma differs from shoji in its covering and purpose: shoji lets light through and usually stands by a window or veranda, while the opaque fusuma does not let light through and separates two living rooms, like an ordinary door. But unlike a hinged door, fusuma does not open outward — it slides sideways and can be removed entirely.

Why the word is connected to the bedroom

The word "fusuma" is traced to the old 衾 — "coverlet, bedding": the sleeping place in old houses was called 衾所, and the partition around it — 衾障子. There is a theory that the reading "fusuma" for the character 衾 comes from the expression 臥す間, "a place where one lies down," though this is more a beautiful guess than a proven fact.

襖 — clothing to the left of the barrier

襖 — значение: sliding opaque panel, fusuma — онъёми: オウ — кунъёми: ふすま、あお — 18 штрих(ов). 襖 on the left carries the radical 衤 "clothing": old panels were covered with fabric like clothing, and the word itself is linked to 衾, "sleeping coverlet."

The character 襖 has the on'yomi "ō" and the kun'yomi "fusuma." The radical 衤 is a shortened form of the character 衣 "clothing": it also appears in the word 服 (fuku) "clothing, garment." But in 襖 this radical stands on the left and reminds us not of a person's clothing but of the fabric covering.

The radical that remained from fabric on the frame

The panels of old fusuma were indeed covered with silk or fabric before paper came into use — hence the "clothing" radical in the character. Today the vast majority of fusuma are covered with paper, but the character's spelling preserves the memory of fabric upholstery.

Japanese	Reading	Translation
襖	fusuma · fusuma	Fusuma
襖絵	fusuma-e · fusuma-e	Painting on fusuma panels
服	fuku · fuku	Clothing, garment

Write 襖 along the guides — the character for fusuma with the "clothing" radical on the left.

FAQ

What is fusuma?: Fusuma is a sliding panel on a wooden frame, covered on both sides with thick paper or fabric. It separates two adjacent rooms of a Japanese house, and when removed entirely it turns them into one large hall for guests.
How does fusuma differ from shoji?: Fusuma is covered with a thick material on both sides and does not let light through, while shoji is covered with washi paper on only one side and diffuses light. Fusuma usually stands between two living rooms, while shoji is by a window or at the exit to the engawa veranda.
Why are paintings made on fusuma?: For centuries, court artists painted the face of formal fusuma — such paintings are called 襖絵. At Nijo Castle, the Kano school painted about 3,600 such panels after the palace was rebuilt in 1626, and some of them are designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Are fusuma ever removed, and why?: Yes, the panel can easily be lifted out of its groove entirely: then two adjacent rooms become one, and the house gains a large hall for receiving guests. Removed fusuma are not thrown away but put away in a cabinet or storeroom until next time.
What does the character 襖 itself mean?: The character 襖 carries the radical 衤 "clothing" on the left: old panels were indeed covered with fabric before paper came into use. The word "fusuma" itself is linked to the old 衾 — "sleeping coverlet" — because the partition once stood right by the sleeping place.
Where in a house does fusuma usually stand?: Between two adjacent living rooms of a Japanese house, not between a room and the outside or a veranda — that role is more often taken by shoji. That is why fusuma is almost never seen from outside a building, only inside.

Sources

Updated: 2026-09-21