1 A particularly large beam that runs in a longitudinal direction, ketayuki hōkō 桁行方向 (see *ketayuki 桁行), parallel to the ridge of the roof *munagi 棟木, close to the center of a building's cross-section. Usually it is directly supported by posts (often including a substantial *daikoku-bashira 大黒柱), and is used in structures with a cross section too wide for the main frame *jōya 上屋, *moya 母屋 to be conveniently spanned by a single member. It has a seating for the principal transverse beams *jōyabari 上屋梁 or *koyabari 小屋梁 at center span, which allows the beam to be divided into two sections while at the same time keeping the number of posts at the center of the building to a minimum. It is found in storehouses *dozō 土蔵, theaters shibaigoya 芝居小屋, large-scale vernacular houses *minka 民家, and related structures. In minka, an ushibari often spans from the daikoku-bashira across the earth-floored area *doma 土間 at the lower end *shimote 下手 of the house. In minka in Niigata Prefecture, sacks of rice grain are stored suspended from the ushibari. Also referred to as ushi 牛, ushibiki 牛引, ushibikibari 牛引梁, nakabiki 中引, nakabikibari 中引梁, hikibari 引梁, and *shikibari 敷梁.
2 A beam that runs parallel to the ridge purlin at center span to provide longitudinal stability to the structural frame in minka with a filed roof in Kagawa, Ehime, and Tokushima Prefectures. It is usually laid on top of the main transverse beams. Also called ushi 牛, ushiki 牛木, and nakabiki 中引.
3 A plate laid upon the main transverse beams at center span, running parallel to the ridge of the roof in thatched minka in parts of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is a large log, unwrought but stripped of bark, and may be up to 7 m long and 30 cm in diameter. It provides a footing for a row of munazuka 棟束 or *sasuzuka 扠首束 (vertical struts propping the *sasu 扠首) at their point of intersection below the ridge. Also called ushimaru 牛丸. See *jimune 地棟, *tsukabumi 束踏.