sasaguri 笹繰

Concave curves carved out of the upper surface of the bracket arms *hijiki 肘木, that link bearing blocks found. The curves gave the bracket arms a strengthened appearance. They were also used in Asuka and Nara periods architecture along the base of railings *kōran 高欄, to provide a water drainage channel . The sasaguri was not used in the Heian period, but a variation of sasaguri was reintroduced in the Kamakura period as part of Zen style architecture *zenshūyō 禅宗様. It had round sides and the middle section formed a straight line. The Zen style type of sasaguri was also called seguri 背繰.