namako wall; tiled wall with raised white grid
A traditional Japanese architectural feature where rectangular tiles are laid with raised, white plaster joints, resembling the pattern of a sea cucumber. Often seen on storehouses (kura) and older buildings.
In the old townscape, storehouses with namako walls still remain.
Namako walls are said to have developed for fire prevention.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; the most common written form.
Full kanji spelling using 海鼠 for 'sea cucumber', but rarely used in practice.
Rarely used kanji form.
The name comes from the resemblance of the raised white plaster joints to the pattern on a sea cucumber (海鼠, なまこ). The exact historical origin of the style is uncertain, but it became common in the Edo period for fireproofing storehouses.