rain chain

{{short description|Decorative chain guiding water falling from a roof.}}

Rain chains ({{langx|ja|鎖樋}}, {{Transliteration|ja|kusari-toi}} or {{Transliteration|ja|kusari-doi}},{{Cite web |editor1-last=Breen |editor1-first=Jim |title=鎖樋 |url=http://nihongo.monash.edu/cgi-bin/wwwjdic?1MDJ%BA%BF%C8%F5 |publisher=WWWJDIC |access-date=15 July 2017}} See rendaku for why multiple pronunciations. literally "chain-gutter") are alternatives to a downspout. They are widely used in Japan. Their purpose is largely decorative, to make a water feature out of the transport of rainwater from the guttering downwards to a drain or to a storage container. (Rainwater is sometimes collected for household usage.) They can also be found on temples.{{cite book |last1=Dunnett |first1=Nigel |last2=Clayden |first2=Andy |title=Rain Gardens |year=2007 |location=Portland, Or. |publisher=Timber Press |pages=85–87 |isbn=9780881928266 |oclc=269310925}}

Rain chains are typically either a series of metal cups, chained together with a hole in the bottom of each, or chain links that span vertically. Rain water run-off gets distributed from a rooftop gutter downward through the rain chain.

File:Nailsea library (geograph 2838010).jpg library at Nailsea, England]]

File:Rain chain at japanese temple - july 4 2021.webm

Rain chains have also been used in the West. Nordic vernacular architecture often used a simple stick as a rainwater guide, in similar fashion. They have also been used in the Modernist era, to juxtapose metal chains with a concrete or Portland stone facade. They are often seen in cup-shape, link and loop style, as well as decorative.{{Cite web |title=Rain Chains |url=https://rockstarraingutters.com/rain-chains/ |access-date=2023-12-08 |language=en-US}}

rain chain

References

Further reading