Keywords
Architecture
Roofing Tiles
Also called *hire 鰭 or *hiregawara 鰭瓦 in Kanto 関東 region. Legs or fin-like shapes that form ornamental patterns of leaves, waves or clouds, or their variations on ogre face tiles *onigawara 鬼瓦. These patterns extend a short distance along the incline of each side a gable *tsuma 妻, bargeboard *hafū 破風. This style of onigawara began to develop in the later 16th century for use the uppermost roofs of castles. During the Edo period, their size greatly increased and the treatment of motifs became flamboyant.