Ainu Homes—From Pit Dwellings to Cise
Ainu lived in pit dwellings until around the thirteenth century, when they started building houses (cise). Pit dwellings were dark, with the entrance as the only light source, but were well-insulated against the cold. These homes were typically square or rectangular, and dug about one meter deep. Support poles held up a thatched roof that rose several meters in the center and sloped to the ground. Inside, a central hearth provided warmth, a cooking space, and a place for smoking food.
The air inside the pit dwellings was smoky and humid, and the gradual transition to houses (cise) is believed to have been motivated by a desire for better living conditions. The cise were similar to houses on Honshu (Japan’s main island), with the addition of a central hearth for warmth. Some Ainu in colder areas, such as Sakhalin, maintained pit dwellings for winter, then moved to cise near their fishing grounds in the warmer months.