nageshi 長押

Non-penetrating tie beams that are made to fit around pillars *hashira 柱 of temples and shrines. They are nailed to the pillars and the nail heads are covered with ornamental bosses. These tie beams are cut to fit snuggly around the outside and inside of pillars or on either the exterior or interior sides. Originally nageshi had much more importance structurally until after the 14th century when stronger penetrating tie beams *nuki 貫 replaced the nageshi which lost their primary structural value. Nevertheless, nageshi continued to be valued for ornamental appeal. The placement of nageshi can be recognized by the prefix attached: ji nageshi 地長押 used at the base of pillars *koshi nageshi 腰長押 mid-way under windows, or midway under a building with a *kamebara 亀腹 base, uchinori nageshi 内法長押 used above doors or window, kirime nageshi 切目長押 used around the mid-point of a building; *tenjō nageshi 天井長押 used around the ceiling under the edging board *tenjō mawaribuchi 天井廻縁; *kashira nageshi 頭長押 head non-penetrating tie.