Tōriniwa (通り庭)

The tōriniwa connects the front with the back as it runs along the entire length of the house. Its floor is made of compact earth or concrete and it is divided into two parts.

The public part where goods are sold and business is done is called miseniwa. It is separated from the private hashiriniwa (or simply hashiri) by a door or a curtain called noren. 

In the hashiriniwa, the hearth and the well for fresh drinking water could (sometimes still can) be found. It is here that the food is prepared, making it the functional equivalent to a modern kitchen. As in olden times the cooking was done on open fire, it is here that one can find lucky charms and figurines of Hotei-san to protect against fires as well as the hibukuro, which extends over the whole hashiriniwa.