Keywords
Architecture
General Terms
Lit. decayed knot. A common flaw in wood which can contribute to weakness in any lumber intended to support other members. Usually a decayed knot but that is not the only possible flaw. Others include bark or sap pockets irikawa 入皮, splitting at the cut or butt end kiguchiwari 木口割, a defective part on the edge of a board marumi 丸身, or the end of a plank cut too near the roots of a tree nemokuate 根もくあて. Decayed members of a timber building, for example, rafters *taruki 垂木 with decayed outer ends can be reversed so that the inner ends that are not decayed can be used as outer ends. Often the bad parts of the wood are cut off and the sound parts saved and used for their rustic or decorative possibilities.