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, or are forked roof
finials A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature. In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the apex of a dome, spire, towe ...
found in
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
and Shinto architecture. predate
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
influence and are an architectural element endemic to Japan. They are an important aesthetic aspect of
Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The ''honden''Also called (本殿, meanin ...
s, where they are often paired with , another type of roof ornamentation. Today, and are used exclusively on Shinto buildings and distinguish them from other religious structures, such as
Buddhist temples in Japan Buddhist temples or Buddhist monasteries together with Shinto shrines, are considered to be amongst the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mir ...
.


Origin

are thought to have been employed on Japanese buildings starting from the 1st century AD. Their existence during the
Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...
(250–538 AD) is well documented by numerous artifacts. Measurements for were mentioned in an early document, the , written in 804 AD. The evolutionary origins of the are not known. One theory is that they were simply interlocking
bargeboard Bargeboard (probably from Medieval Latin ''bargus'', or ''barcus'', a scaffold, and not from the now obsolete synonym "vergeboard") or rake fascia is a board fastened to each projecting gable of a roof to give it strength and protection, and to ...
planks that were left uncut. Another is that they were part of a support system anchored on the ground to stabilize the roof. Yet another theory proposes that they were used to "pinch" and hold
thatch Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...
roofing together. Evidence of this can be seen in , or common traditional homes, where two interlocking timbers are often found at the roof
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aest ...
s. However, the only certain fact is that were originally a working part of the structure, but as building techniques improved, their function was lost and they were left as decorations. were likely only to have decorated the homes and warehouses of powerful families, and more decorations signified higher rank. This tradition continued until relatively recent times. In the 17th to 19th centuries, the legal code dictated how many were allowed on building roofs in accordance with the owner's social rank. Today, are found only on
Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The ''honden''Also called (本殿, meanin ...
s.


Design

may be built directly into the roof as part of the structure, or simply attached and crossed over the gable as an ornament. The former method is believed to closer resemble its original design, and is still used in older building methods such as , , and . that are not built into the building are crossed, and sometimes cut with a slight curve. While are predominantly placed only at the ends of the roof, this method allows them to sometimes be placed in the middle as well. More ornate , such as at
Ise Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . The Inner ...
, are cut with one or two , or "wind-slots", and a third open cut at the tip, giving it a forked appearance. Gold metal coverings serve both protective and ornamental purposes. Usually, if the tops are cut vertically, the enshrined is a male, otherwise a female. The , a short decorative log, is often found behind the . Depending on the building, there may be only one accompanying the , or an entire row along the ridge of the roof. The angle at which the faces and the number of the building contains are used to identify the gender of the enshrined within. Upward-facing, with an even number of indicate a female . Outward-facing , with an odd number of indicate a male . This is not a hard and fast rule, as there are exceptions (such as the shrines in
Ise Grand Shrine The , located in Ise, Mie, Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and . ...
.)


Names

Names for can vary from region. In
Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...
,
Nara Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakaya ...
, and
Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui ...
, they are called . In parts of Toyama,
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
, Kōchi,
Tokushima is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 728,633 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,146 km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the nort ...
and Miyazaki prefectures, they are called ; in some areas of Yamagata, Miyagi, Yamanishi,
Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui ...
and Kōchi prefectures, they are called .


Gallery

file:Nishioka Hachimangu Shrine.jpg, Nishioka Hachiman-gū file:Udamikumari F7102.jpg, Prominent at Udamikumari Shrine file:Kibitsu_Jinja_05.JPG, The
Honden In Shinto shrine architecture, the , also called , or sometimes as in Ise Shrine's case, is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine, intended purely for the use of the enshrined ''kami'', usually symbolized by a mirror or sometimes by a s ...
of
Kibitsu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in the Kibitsu neighborhood of Kita-ku, Okayama in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It is the ''ichinomiya'' of former Bitchū Province. The main festivals of the shrine is held annually on the second Sunday of May and on October 1 ...
file:Chigi-Katsuogi-DSC1628.jpg, built in the style


See also

*
Glossary of Shinto This is the glossary of Shinto, including major terms on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk (*) are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries. __NOTOC__ A * – A red papier-mâché cow bobblehead toy; a kind of ''engimo ...
for terms concerning Shinto and Shinto architecture.


Notes


References

*Fletcher, Banister, Sir. (1996). ''A History of Architecture''. Architectural Press. . *Lucas, B. (2002, May 7). '. Harvey Mudd College Web. Retrieved June 1, 2009 {{DEFAULTSORT:Chigi (Architecture) Japanese architectural features Classical Japan Roofs Shinto architecture