Kakei

A gutter erected to draw water. Also called a kakehi. Usually made from bamboo tubes, they can also be made from wood. In the past, they were used to draw water from natural springs or streams to kitchens and chozu (water basins). They can also be used to draw water from wells to kitchens. When mountain village scenery became popular for tea ceremony venues, such as Yamazatomaru in Osaka Castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, water basins were combined with water pipes, and water pipes began to be made to add style to gardens.

Even in modern gardens, water fountains are built in the basin of the tea garden's outdoor area. In most cases, water is used by erecting a bamboo pole, placing a piece of wood called a komagashira on top of it, and attaching a bamboo spout to the komagashira through which water flows. In addition, water fountains made of metal pipes with circulation pumps are built for residential garden ponds.

[Hirai Sei]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

水を引くために架設した樋(ひ)。懸樋(かけひ)ともいう。通常竹筒でつくられるが、木製の場合もみられる。古くは自然の湧水(わきみず)や小川から台所や手水(ちょうず)に水を引くのに用いられた。また、井戸から台所に水を引く場合もある。豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉が築いた大坂城の山里丸のように、茶の湯の場に山里の景が好まれるようになると、蹲踞(つくばい)に筧が組み合わされ、また庭に風情を添えるために筧がつくられるようになる。

　現代の庭園でも、茶庭の露地の蹲踞などに筧がつくられる。その多くは水道を利用するため、竹柱を立て、その上に駒頭(こまがしら)とよぶ木片をのせ、駒頭に水口となる竹をつけて、その中を水を通している。また、循環ポンプをつけた金属パイプ製の筧が住宅庭池用につくられている。

［平井　聖］

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