Sudare (簾)

Sudare are woven mats made of reed, bamboo or Japanese clover. The alternative spelling as 簀垂れ, "hanging mat", perfectly describes how they are used. During summer, sudare are hung outside of the windows on the first and any higher floors acting as a sunshade. Their origin goes back as far as the Heian period (794–1192), when similar appliances called misu were used to separate different spaces from each other. While sudare are very plain, misu usually have some wrapping on their sides and also feature cordons.

The space between each row of bamboo or reed is just big enough to let air and light pass through, but makes it impossible for persons standing outside the house to see what is going on on the inside. This is especially useful in geisha districts such as Gion, where customers are entertained in the evening. With sudare hanging outside, the geiko (as geisha are called in Kyōto) and maiko (apprentice geiko) can entertain the guests without inconvenient gazes from outside.