Types of Screens
Byobu most commonly found in Japan have four to six panels but one-panel screens, called
tsuitate 
(pictured right), can also be noticed in shops, homes and other venues and are the only
byobu containing legs. 2-panel byobu and 10-panel byobu are also common, with the 10-panel
screens used in large rooms and hotels, often as backdrops for conventions and large
meetings. The themes painted on byobu consist of landscapes; animals dear to the heart
of Japanese people, such as swans and carp; scenes from Genji; bodies of water and the
almighty pine (matsu) tree; and of course calligraphy.
Folding screens offered by Japanese Screens.net can either be hung
on the wall with supplied hooks or placed on the floor. 4-panel screens of this type are
usually 3' in height and 6' in length. Many of the 6-panel screens are taller, typically 5'
and higher and up to 12 feet in length. Sometimes multiple screens are designed in such a
way as to be placed side-by-side to display a single image.
Next: History of Byobu >>