gawageta 側桁

Also pronounced kawageta. 
1 Exterior wall purlins. Long horizontal beams *keta 桁 usually placed parallel to the ridge beam *munagi 棟木. They are supported by bracket arms *hijiki 肘木 that are a part of the bracket complexes *tokyō 斗きょう atop each pillar *hashira 柱. Also called gawa-ita 側板; gawagi 側木; nobori-ita 登板. A stringer or a board that is slanted to correspond to the angle of the stairs. If the stairs are bordered on one side by wall, only one stringer is used. Otherwise there is a stringer on both sides of the stairs. Generally there are three or five steps or treads dan-ita 段板 at temples and shrines, while very large temple buildings may have up to twelve steps in front. The boards for the steps are strong with a thickness of 6 cm or more. Stringers are often omitted and risers *keage 蹴上 are not used. If the steps and the stringers are attached to each other, they will be held by tenon and mortise or dovetail joints *aritsugi 蟻継.