gangi 雁木

Also written 岸岐.

1　1) A general term for any architectural element built in a stepped or zigzag configuration.
      2) A stone wharf or waterfront constructed with a stepped profile leading down to the level of the water. It was widely used in the Edo period for busy docks.
      3) In many parts of Japan, but especially in the Chūbu 中部 region, it referred to a stone steps.
      4) An aisle *hisashi 廂, about 1.8 m wide, (nearly 1 *ken 間), projecting from the street facades of townhouses *machiya 町家, and storehouses, kura 蔵, which created a continuous covered walkway to the stone lined gutter mizo 溝. The outer posts of the hisashi are set at one ken intervals and are often grooved to allow vertically sliding wooden shutters, itado 板戸, to be inserted into the openings between the posts. The shutters prevent snow from spilling into the gangi area. Although the gangi is publicly owned today, it was originally the property of the individual house owners. Originally reed screens, yoshizu 葭簀 and komo 菰, were hung in the bays between the gangi and the interior of the houses and shops, though these have gradually been replaced by latticed sliding doors kōshido 格子戸 or glazed sliding doors garasudo ガラス戸. Gangi were also popular in Hokuriku 北陸, Tōhoku 東北 regions and especially Aomori and Niigata Prefectures, where snowfall is very heavy. Also called gangi-zukuri 雁木造, gangidōri 雁木通り.
      5) In Edo-period farmhouses nōka 農家, in parts of Niigata, Nagano and Fukui Prefectures, an open unfloored aisle dobisashi 土庇, along the front of the house about a meter wide, provided a protected dry area in regions prone to heavy snowfall. Sometimes also used to refer to the area protected by the eaves *noki 軒, of the main roof of the house.
      6) A term used by town-house dwellers in Toyama Prefecture for *sode 袖, farmhouse *sodeudatsu 袖卯立.
      7) In farmhouses in the mountainous region of Yoshino 吉野 and Kumanogawa 熊野川 and Kitayamagawa 北山川 in the Kii 紀伊 peninsula, vertical boards suspended from the eaves and verges of a gabled roof *kirizuma yane 切妻屋根, usually a wood shingled roof *kokerabuki 柿葺, in this area, to provide a screen against driving rain. The boards hang down about 30-50 cm along the front and rear of the building and up to 2 m beneath the ridge in the gable end. Also called kiriyoke 霧除け, ameyoke 雨除け.
      8) In the Yoshino region, a track or run made from short lengths of timber laid like railway ties to slide felled logs down a mountainside.
      9) An abbreviation of gangimon 雁木文 or gangi wamon 雁木輪文. A decorative motif consisting of two overlapping rectangles to resemble a diamond. Mostly used as a frame for patterns or other devices.

2　1) A large saw, also called *oga 大鋸 or kobiki 木挽, which first appeared in the Edo period. 　
      2) A large saw used in the latter part of the Muromachi period by lumberjacks, kikori 樵夫.
      3) A large coarse file or rasp *yasuri 鑢. Also called gangiyasuri 雁木鑢.
      4) Any piece of timber cut into a saw-toothed shape.