OUTLINE OF GASSHO-STYLE HOUSES
[* Note: The information contained in this Supplement is a condensed
summary of the information which is presented in various parts
of the Main Text together with additional explanatory text regarding
the essential characteristics of Gassho-style architecture.]
The term Gassho-style refers to a style of farmhouses with thatched gable roofs which
are found only in the Shirakawa-go / Gokayama area. "Gassho" in
Japanese literally means "praying hands", suggesting the form
of hands raised in prayer to the Buddha. Because of the similarity
of shape, this word has been used for a long time in the architectural
field to describe the triangular form of two angled members joined
together at the top.
In the case of the Gassho-style house, the name seems to be derived
from the shape of the truss-like roof structure or from the shape
of the steeply sloped roof itself. It is not clear how the style
name was established, but it is known that this term has been
in use since at least around 1930. It is probable that some researcher
of folklore or farmhouse architecture who went into this region
for a survey found these uniquely-shaped houses, only seen in
this area, and came up with the name of the style. The definitions
of the Gassho-style differ slightly among researchers, but it
is generally defined as a house with a thatched gabled roof, with
Sasu-kozo (or a "truss-like structure"), with a roof slope steep enough
to provide adequate space for active use inside the roof structure.
