Japanese sliding door (SHO-JI 障子 and HUSUMA 襖)

Sho-ji(障子) is one kind of Japanese fitting used for a window or a door.

A translucent screen made of a wooden frame covered with thin Japanese paper (WASHI 和紙) was called AKARI SHO-JI(明障子), and separated from Sho-ji in the last period of Heian era(平安時代 794-1185).
But nowadays, Sho-ji means a translucent screen and Husuma(襖) means blind screen. Ofcourse, Sho-ji is used in Japanese house and other buildings still today. 

*front screen: Husuma (襖), back screen: Sho-ji (障子)
Sho-ji was invented as a screen which had both functions to get daylighting and to block people's eyes from outside. Before Sho-ji invention, people used Bamboo blind (SUDARE 簾) and lattice door instead of Sho-ji. But people couldn't avoid cold air with those screens in winter. compared with those screen, Sho-ji was epoch making invention in the time.  

*Husuma 

*Sho-ji

Sho-ji and Hosuma are still used today. Especially Sho-ji is liked as screen makes soft light which makes us to feel Japanese atmosphere.