sarubō tenjō 猿頬天井

A ceiling characterized by battens with six sides that are not all the same size. It is similar to a *saobuchi tenjō 竿縁天井 which has battens with sides of equal size. The shape of the batten cross-section is called sarubōmen 猿頬面 because the chamfers at the corners facing toward the floor are sharper than 45 degrees and the vertically long cross section suggests the shape of a monkey's face. The battens that surround the edges of the ceiling have the same shape but are called sarubōbuchi 猿頬縁. Sarubō tenjō are considered more elegant than the ordinary, sometimes rustic ceiling with six-sided battens.