shimomise 下店

1　A room in the front *shimote 下手 corner of the earth-floored area *doma 土間 in urban vernacular houses *machiya 町家 in many parts of Japan. The doma separates the shimomise from the main retail area *mise 店. Its position corresponds with that commonly occupied by the stable *umaya 馬屋 in farmhouses. The shimomise in urban buildings often had a timber suspended floor, albeit a low one, that was frequently made openable to the street by removable shutters. It was used for the storage and display of merchandise, or sometimes as a workshop area. Also called *komise 小店.

2　In machiya in parts of Kōchi Prefecture, a form of removable shutter *tategu 建具 used to close the front of the mise. It consisted of a pair of horizontal hinged wooden shutters. The lower shutter, when opened, folded out and down to make a table with foldable legs to support the front edge, shōgi 床几 which was used for the display of merchandise. The upper leaf folded up out of the way like a *shitomi 蔀. See *agemise 揚見世 and *battari shōgi ばったり床几.