Anengawa (縁側/掾側) oren (縁) is an edging strip of non-tatami-matted flooring inJapanese architecture, usually wood or bamboo. Theen may run around the rooms, on the outside of the building, in which case they resemble aporch orsunroom.

Usually, theen is outside the translucent papershōji, but inside theamado(雨戸) stormshutters (when they are not packed away).^[1][2] However, someen run outside theamado.En that cannot be enclosed byamado, or sufficiently sheltered by eaves, must be finished to withstand the Japanese climate.^[3] Modern architecture often encloses anen with sheet glass. Anengawa allows the building to remain open in the rain or sun, without getting too wet or hot, and allows flexible ventilation and sightlines.^[4]

The area under anengawa is sloped away from the building, and often paved, to carry water away. The area directly outside the paving is usually acollector drain that takes water still further away.^[3] Theengawa is thus a way to bridge the obstacles good drainage puts between the indoors and the outdoors.

Theengawa is supported on posts, identical to the other uprights of the house.^[5] A row of uprights runs long the inside of theengawa, and theshōji sliding screens run between these; a second row of uprights runs along the outside of theengawa.^[6] The posts traditionally stand on half-buried stones,^[5] pounded into the earth with a specialized maul, and the wood posts shaped to fit the upper surface.^[6] More recent houses may use concrete footings.

Theengawa floor may not be finished, or it may be polished or lacquered.^[5]

En means an edge;gawa a side.^[7] The termsen andengawa were historically used interchangeably,^[8][9] butengawa now generally refers to theveranda directly outside the shutters.^{[citation needed]} Types ofen include:

• hiro-en (広縁), an inneren, possibly enclosed
• ochi-en (落縁), anen set one step below the floor (oren) inside it
• nure'en (濡れ縁,lit. 'a weten'), anen protruding from under theeaves and not protected byamado.

If there are fewer than threeen, anen may be described by more than one of the positional terms.^[10][11]

• mawari-en (回縁), a wrap-arounden, often a wrap-around veranda
• kirime-en (切目縁), aen with boards running across its width
• kure-en (榑縁), aen with boards running along its length
• sunoko-en (簀子縁), a veranda with a slatted floor for better drainage
• takesunoko-en (竹簀の子縁), a bamboosunoko-en

• 
  Mawari-en, anen which continues all around the building
• 
  Kirime-en showing traditionalmitered corner treatment.Sunoko-en in foreground.
• 
  Kure-en. The gravel path may well double as acollector drain.
• 
  Fast-drainingtakesunoko-en in lower right corner, near a tap
• 
  Takesunoko-en in the Geppa-rō rustic tea pavilion, overlooking the water atKatsura Imperial Villa (close-up,drainage)
• 
  Broadnure-en atKiyomizu-dera; the dry section may be seen to the right.

The core of a traditionalShinden-style building was the innermost room ormoya (母屋) (see diagram). This was surrounded by thehisashi (廂,庇), which was on the same level, and was usually inside the windows andshitomi storm shutters. Thehisashi was often a ring of tatami-floored rooms, but could be an unmatteden; see alsohirobisashi (広廂/広庇/弘廂). In a large building, there could be further layers of tatami-floored rooms,^[12] courtyards, and further floorplan complications.

InShoin-style buildings, the positioning of theengawa varied more, and the storm shutters slid rather than being hinged (usually horizontally). The modernSukiya-style of building usesamado, storm shutters that not only slide but pack away in a cupboard called ato-bukura by day; unlike the Shoin-style shutter, these generally run on the outside of theengawa.

The width of anengawa varies with the building; 1–1.3 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 3 in) is common, while large temples may have over 3 metres (9.8 ft) ofengawa. Theengawa is supported on posts, identical to the other uprights of the house. The posts stand on half-buried stones^[5] or concrete footings.

• 
  Moya andhisashi. Thehisashi may itself be anen in small buildings, or it may be a second layer of tatami-floored rooms, with a hard-floored en running outside it.^[13]
• 
  En looking onto a courtyard, illustrationc. 1130
• 
  Lowkirime-en running around atsubo-niwa courtyard, 2012
• 
  After rain; the eaves have kept theen mostly dry, and theen has kept the foundations of the house quite dry.

Engawa are often proportioned so that one can sit on the edge and observe the garden.^[14] They provide a space for playing children and casual visitors.^[4]

Anengawa is part of the house, and shoes are therefore not worn on it. Guests' shoes are lined up pointing outwards.

Whileengawa declined with the Westernization of Japanese architecture,^[4] they are making a comeback in modern architecture.^[4][15]

• 
  Cushions on anengawa protected by sliding glass doors. Notefume-ishi, stone step.
• 
  Anengawa is part of the house, and shoes are therefore not worn on it.
• 
  Anengawa overlookingErin-ji Gardens.
• 
  Anengawa can open the house to the surrounding landscape.
• 
  Socializing on anengawa.
• 
  Children playing on anengawa; they are drawing on theshōji. Note shoes onfume-ishi.
• 
  Traditionalen in fancier buildings often have low railings,^[5] for leaning on while sitting on theen. Westernization of clothing made sitting on the floor difficult; modernen often have standing-height railings
• 
  Left, anen running between buildings, joining them.
• 
  Modernmawari-en inDenmark.

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