合掌屋根の葺き替え
Rethatching Gassho roofs

　合掌造り家屋の屋根は天然の茅で葺かれている為、約30年ごとに葺き替えをしなければなりません。屋根の葺き替えには多くの人手や技術が求められます。これを実現するのは地域の人々が労働力を提供し合う「結」の精神です。白川郷に住む人々には、昔から受け継がれているお互いを思いやり、協力しあう気持ちや行いによって生活が成り立っていると言えるでしょう。その表れの一つが「合掌屋根の葺き替え」作業で、子どもから大人までそれぞれの技術や知恵を持ち寄って一日で作業を終えます。
　Because the roof of Gassho-style houses is built using natural Kaya pampas grass, the thatched roof lasts for about 30 years. Replacing a thatched roof requires many people and special skills. This is where the spirit of “Yui” comes to the fore, and the locals consolidate to provide each other’s household with necessary labour. It can be said of the villagers in Shirakawa-go that compassion, and cooperation with each other, rules their mind-set and has been passed down from generation to generation.
　The work of re-roofing a Gassho-style roof is a symbol of “Yui”, and all of the villagers, from children to adults, bring their techniques and their wisdom, so that they can finish the work within one day.
　

　
屋根葺きに使われる道具や材料
Materials and tools for re-roofing
　合掌屋根に使われる材料は天然の素材ばかりです。屋根の素材は茅場で採集して保存してある茅です。大量の茅が刈り取られ、稲架小屋や板蔵に保存してあります。
　柱など主要な構造を組み立てるためには木の枝や藁縄が用いられます。
　The materials used for re-roofing are all natural. The material used to thatch a roof is Kaya or a type of pampas grass, which has been gathered and stored in a Hasa-goya or an Ita-gura. Also, tree branches and straw ropes are used to support the major pillars.