Translation guide
A roof made of dried plant material such as straw, reeds, or grass. In Japanese, this is most commonly expressed with the word 茅葺き屋根 (kayabuki yane) or simply 茅葺き (kayabuki).
茅葺き屋根
thatched roof
The learner wants to refer to a thatched roof in general, such as on a traditional house.
Standard term for a thatched roof. 茅 (kaya) refers to the thatching material, 葺き (buki) means roofing, and 屋根 (yane) means roof.
あの古い家は茅葺き屋根です。
That old house has a thatched roof.
Shorter form often used when the context makes it clear you're talking about a roof. Can also refer to the thatching technique itself.
この地域には茅葺きの家がたくさんあります。
There are many thatched-roof houses in this area.
Literally 'grass-thatched roof'. Less common and may imply a rougher thatch using grass rather than specific thatching reeds.
山小屋は草葺き屋根だった。
The mountain hut had a grass-thatched roof.
The learner wants to talk about thatched roofs in the context of traditional Japanese architecture, such as gassho-zukuri farmhouses.
A house with a thatched roof. This phrase is commonly used when describing traditional Japanese houses.
白川郷には茅葺き屋根の家がたくさん残っています。
Many houses with thatched roofs remain in Shirakawa-go.
Suffix meaning 'roofed with ~'. You can combine it with materials like 茅 (kaya), 藁 (wara - straw), or 杉皮 (sugikawa - cedar bark).
この神社は檜皮葺きです。
This shrine has a cypress bark roof.
Thatched roofs (茅葺き屋根) are strongly associated with traditional Japanese farmhouses (古民家) and are preserved in places like Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. The thatching material is typically susuki (Japanese pampas grass) or yoshi (reed).