saya-no-ma 鞘の間

Also called ōiya 覆屋 or *kusari-no-ma 鎖の間.

1　The space between the roof of a precious building and a building constructed over it as a protective covering *sayadō 鞘堂. Also, a veranda-like space between the protected building and the protective structure. Example: Chūsonji *Konjikidō 中尊寺金色堂 (1124) in Iwate Prefecture.

2　An interior, veranda-like space floored with thick straw mats *tatami 畳, that is associated with the shoin style *shoin-zukuri 書院造. The exterior wall is filled with moveable wooden screens *shitomido 蔀戸, and a simple veranda called otoshien-ita 落縁板 extends outward at a lower level. It is called otoshien-ita. The width of the saya-no-ma is 90 cm but there is no prescribed limit for the length. Saya-no-ma may also be found in a shoin style tea ceremony room *chashitsu 茶室.