munegawara 棟瓦

Also read munagawara. Lit. "ridge tiles." A generic term for the tiles used to cover the apex of the roof. Traditionally, two types are common. On shrine and temple buildings, tiles called kadozan fusumagawara 角桟伏間瓦 are used, while tiles called hako kanmurigawara 箱冠瓦, meaning box-like, are employed on vernacular houses *minka 民家. Kadozan indicates that the tiles have angled edges or squared-off edges in contrast to the rounded edges, maruzan fusumagawara 丸桟伏間瓦, of the tiles that cover vernacular houses.