karasudomari　烏止まり
KEY WORD :　architecture / folk dwellings
　
Lit. crow's perch. A widely used term for a range of elements used to decorate the ridge of the roof in vernacular houses *minka 民家 of the Edo period. Its use is recorded in almost all parts of Honshuu 本州, in Kouchi prefecture (Shikoku 四国), and in northern Kyuushuu 九州. In parts of Miyagi, Fukushima and Gunma prefectures, it refers to sickle-shaped, decorative timber elements which are splayed and pointed at both ends, and mounted at either end of the ridge of the roof. Near Tsuchiura 土浦 in Ibaraki prefecture, and in parts of Shimane, and Ooita prefectures, it refers to a bamboo pole placed along the ridge of the roof, as it does also in Kouchi prefecture, but there it spans bundles of straw set astride the ridge at intervals. In Oono 大野 area of Fukui prefecture it refers to crossed timber members set astride the ridge at intervals to hold it down. In Tanba 丹波 area of Kyoto, it refers to a long timber pole cradled by forked finials *chigi 千木, and laid along the ridge. In Osaka, it refers to a ridge detailed with cedar bark, sugikawa 杉皮. In many areas the term was used interchangeably with suzumedomari 雀止まり, and there are a range of related terms for similar features, such as *suzumeodori 雀踊り, karasuodoshi 烏おどし, *karasuodori 烏踊り, and *karasutobi 烏鳶.
　

*minka 民家 in Shimane prefecture

　
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