in post width can make the prefabrication of the sliding partitions difficult. The method is based upon the distance between centre of one post and centre of the post adjacent to it and it was mainly used on the eastern side of Japan. Overall construction The size, construction and decoration of a was dependent upon its location, climate, and social status of its owner. were influenced by local building techniques and were built with materials that were abundant in the immediate locality. For example, in Shizuoka used abundant bamboo for roofs, eaves, doors and floors. When miscanthus reeds were difficult to obtain for thatched roofs, shingles were used instead; in volcanic areas rushes or boards were used instead of clay for the walls. Climate had a bearing on construction: In Kyoto in the late Heian and Muromachi periods, roofs were clad in thin wooden shingles so owners would put stones on top to prevent the shingles from flying away in the wind. The social status of the owner was indicated by the size and complexity of the building. For thatched roof the number of crossed wooden members () or bundles of miscanthus reeds along the ridge are a good indicator of the importance of the owner's status in the village. For , the presence and elaborateness of an —a wall that projects above the roof line—has a similar status. The inherited the function of a fire break, but initially it was a method of establishing the extent of ownership in long terraces of row houses. During the evolution of , the townhouses gradually changed its construction away from perishable and flammable materials to those of a more durable nature. Thatched roofs were replaced with tiles and exposed timbers were covered up with layers of clay plastering. owned by people of a higher social status began to incorporate elements of the shoin style, particularly in living rooms. The types of elements incorporated were limited by sumptuary laws to preserve strict class distinctions. Roofing There are four types of roof shape that can be differentiated for . Most have gabled roofs, covered in shingles or tiles, and slanting down on either side of the house. The majority of have either thatched -style hipped roofs, which slant down on four sides, or the more elaborate roof with multiple gables and a combination of thatched sections and shingled sections. Finally, the also slopes in