muneageshiki　棟上式

KEY WORD :　architecture / general terms

Also muneage 棟上; joutousai 上棟祭; joutoushiki 上棟式. A ridge-raising ceremony that takes place upon completion of the framework of a building. Decorations of various types are hung around the ceremony site. These include: folding fans raised on sticks; lengths of rope, and sometimes dyed silk ropes of five colors. Bows made of cypress or bamboo, which may have seven or eight sections, are also used. Evil is dispelled with two arrows, occasionally as long as 2m, with feathers 54cm by 18cm. One arrow has a turnip shaped tip and the other is a double-headed arrow. Food and Japanese rice wine are offered to the gods as an appeal to protect the ridges. Carpenters' tools, especially the ink pot and lining string *sumitsubo 墨壷, carpenter's square *kanejaku 曲尺, and adze *chouna 釿, are venerated. A ridge tag *munafuda 棟札, is inscribed and attached to the ridge.

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