sodegaki 袖垣

Lit. "sleeve fence." A narrow fence which may serve to screen off some garden element or may be completely ornamental. Commonly found in tea gardens *roji 露路, sodegaki are attached at a right angle to the edge of a building. They are generally about two meters high and a meter across. The fence is named for its proportions which resemble those of a kimono 着物 sleeve. Varieties of sodegaki include *chasengaki 茶筅垣, *ensōhishi sodegaki 円窓菱袖垣, *teppōgaki 鉄砲垣, *nozokigaki 覗垣 and *yaegaki 八重垣 as well as yoroigaki 鎧垣 (armor-pattern fence), and *uguisugaki 鶯垣, to name just a few of the many variations. Sodegaki are contrasted with functional continuous fences *ōgaki 大垣.