Fukinuki yatai

Fukinuki yatai describes a feature of Japanese Art particularly associated with e-maki painted scrolls, famously for example, yamato-e.

Scene depicting the death of Lady Murasame on the Genji monogatari emaki.

Scene from The Tale of Genji by Tosa Mitsuoki, from the 17th century Tosa school revival of the yamato-e.

Literally meaning 'blown off roof', fukinuki yatai relates to the depiction of interior environments - including rooms, screens and architecture where the roof is not visible. The basic visual feature depicts the interior scene from an upper diagonal with the roof, ceiling and sometimes inner partitions removed. From an artistic perspective, it also importantly describes the composition by which character relations, or even feelings, are depicted in the layout.