Keywords
Architecture
General Terms
Also called sanbashigo 桟梯子. A ladder made of wood or bamboo placed in an almost vertical position to reach the attic of a farmhouse nōka 農家. The bamboo or split-log rungs are attached to long sturdy strips of wood or bamboo in parallel pairs of uprights. A more primitive type has a foothold nailed on only one side. Long split cedar logs about 15 cm in diameter, with bark stripped except on outer sides, are also used for the uprights to which rungs are attached. The rungs are either nailed to the uprights, or in the case of cypress limbs, are attached to the uprights with tenon and mortise, *hozo ほぞ and *hozoana ほぞ穴, joints.