Shibi (roof tile)

A nihongo|shibi|鴟尾|shibi is a Japanese ornamental tile set on both ends of the ridgepole that tops a shingled roof. The kanji for the word mean "kite" and "tail" respectively. Because it resembles a shoe, it is sometimes also called a nihongo|kutsugata|沓形|kutsugata, meaning "shoe shape".

Shibi often take the form of a shachihoko.

References

Much of the content of this article comes from the equivalent Japanese-language version (accessed April 1, 2006).