Nagare-zukuri
Introduction Ujigami Shrine in Uji, Kyoto PrefectureThe  or  is a traditional Shinto shrine architectural style characterized by a very asymmetrical gabled roof () projecting outwards on one of the non-gabled sides, above the main entrance, to form a portico (see photo). This is the feature which gives it its name. It is the most common style among shrines all over the country. That the building has its main entrance on the side which runs parallel to the roof's ridge (non gabled-side) makes it belong to the  style.
Design Sometimes its basic layout, consisting of an elevated  partially surrounded by a veranda called ''hisashi'' (all under the same roof), is modified by the addition of a room in front of the entrance. A ''nagare-zukuri'' ''honden'' (sanctuary) varies in roof ridge length from 1 to 11 ''ken'', but is never 6 or 8 ''ken''. The most common sizes are 1 and 3 ''ken''. The oldest shrine in Japan, Uji's Ujigami Shrine, has a ''honden'' of this type. Its external dimensions are 5x3 ''ken'', but internally it is composed of three  measuring 1 ''ken'' each.
Variation ===''Ryōnagare-zukuri''=== is an evolution of the ''nagare-zukuri'' in which the roof flows down to form a portico on both non-gabled sides. Examples are the ''honden'' at Itsukushima Shrine and that at Matsunoo-taisha in Kyoto.===''Kasuga-zukuri'' and ''nagare-zukuri''===The ''honden'' at Uda Mikumari Shrine Kami-gū is made of 3 joined ''Kasuga-zukuri'' unitsWhile superficially completely different, the ''nagare-zukuri'' style actually shares an ancestry with the second most popular style in Japan, the ''kasuga-zukuri''.The two for example share pillars set over a double-cross-shaped foundation and a roof which extends over the main entrance, covering a veranda. (The ''Kasuga-zukuri'' is the only ''tsumairi'' style to possess this last feature.) The foundation's configuration is typical not of permanent, but of temporary shrines, built to be periodically moved. This shows that, for example, both the ''nagare-zukuri'' Kamo Shrine and Kasuga Taisha used to be dedicated to a mountain cult, and that they had to be moved to follow the movements of the ''kami''. The styles also share a veranda in front of the main entrance, which makes it likely they both evolved from a simple gabled roof.
See also * Glossary of Shinto
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