Kids Web Japan

On October 28, 2007, the western side of the roof of the Gassho-style Rihei family-run inn, which was built in the mid-eighteenth century, is replaced through a yui labor exchange setup. The roof is about 130 square meters and requires about 4,000 30-centimeter-wide bundles of grass.

Just before 7 a.m., the villagers arrive in groups of two and three. The old thatch has already been removed, and all that remains are straw mats that cover the frame. At 7:45, the person in charge of the reroofing operation and the head of the house exchange greetings, and the work begins. Bundles of grass are brought in one truckload at a time, and excitement and anticipation fill the air. At 8:00, 57 students and teachers from Shirakawa Junior High School arrive, pushing the number of volunteers to 171.

The students form two lines from the truck to the house and pass along the bundles from person to person. About 40 or 50 men from the village get up on the roof and begin setting down the pampas grass in even layers, starting at the bottom and moving toward the ridge. Other villagers go up into the attic and secure the grass to the beams with big, thick needles and rope, which is woven back and forth between the inside and outside of the roof.

To reinforce the twine used to bind the grass, the villagers pound and tighten the knotted points with a large wooden mallet. The mallet is raised and lowered to the collective shouts of "Hoi, hoi!" When the entire roof is covered with grass, it is time to put on the finishing touches and trim the thatch.

At noon, the group takes a break for lunch. The students' work is done. Everybody climbs onto the roof, which is almost complete, for a photograph marking the occasion. After this they disband.

One of the second-year boys talks about his experiences. "This is the second time I've helped out with the reroofing. This time, the roof was smaller and not as much work. It's fun to sit on the grass because it's so fluffy." A girl, also in the second year, says, "The roof is way off the ground, and it's sort of scary up there. But I have to go up there every winter and clear the snow, so I'm used to it." Both students have many memories from that day.

The work on the roof continues through the afternoon and finishes up just before 5 p.m. The new roof is 80-centimeters thick and stunning to look at.