noun
cypress bark roofing; hinoki bark thatching
A traditional Japanese roofing technique using layers of cypress (hinoki) bark. Often associated with shrine and temple architecture.
この神社の屋根は檜皮葺きで、定期的な葺き替えが必要です。
The roof of this shrine is made of cypress bark thatching and requires periodic rethatching.
檜皮 refers specifically to the cypress bark material itself, while 檜皮葺き refers to the roofing technique or the roof made with it.
茅葺き is thatched roofing using miscanthus reed or straw, common in traditional farmhouses, whereas 檜皮葺き uses cypress bark and is more typical of high-status buildings like shrines.
Compound of 檜皮 (hiwada, 'cypress bark') + 葺き (buki, 'thatching, roofing'). The reading ひわだ is a specialized term for the bark of the hinoki cypress used in traditional roofing.