engawa 縁側

Also wirtten 掾側. The area beside or surrounding the straw matted *tatami 畳 floor of a room or veranda in Japanese dwellings. Formerly *en 縁 and engawa were interchangeable terms, but engawa now usually refers to a veranda that is either partly inside the building with sliding doors protecting it from rain, or a completely exposed veranda.

There are types: 
1) *nure-en 濡縁, no rain doors so that it is exposed to the elements;  
2) kure-en 榑縁, the veranda boards have there long sides exposed;  
3) kirime-en 切目縁 have the cross cut ends exposed; 
4) takesunoko-en 竹簀の子縁 is a type of veranda that has a bamboo slatted floor.