Compared to the Shinden-zukuri, the character of the Shoin-zukuri was the functional structure of being able to divide the inside space into large and small rooms for each purpose, changing a large hall to one for multipurpose.
書院造りの特徴は、寝殿造りと比較すると、マルチパーパスの大広間様式から、内部を大小いくつもの室に仕切り、用途に合わせた機能的な構成となった。