Arched bamboos close to the wooden outer wall, Gion, Kyoto

When we wandering around the middle of Kyoto, our eyes are often met by such arched bamboos, installed at the space under the eaves of wooden houses and restaurants.

Some say that the bamboos are made and put to prevent the outer wall from getting dirty and hurt. Without them, it will be likely that some animals do "the natural water works" towards the wooden outer wall (they seem to need some "target", like wall or pole) and that raindrops from the edge of the eaves drop on the ground so that the water splash on the wall. So the wall would be more likely to get hurt.

But they have another purpose. They are made for keeping strangers from hearing what people inside the wall of restaurant say. The wall allows sounds to pass through easily because the wall is thin and made of wooden. Plus, such houses and restaurants are very close to public road. Without them, we can easily hear what people say inside. In those days, some guests used to do secret talk at such wooden restaurant. The bamboos can make strangers keep away from the wall.

Kyoto has been rich in wooden traditional houses and the photo is typical scenery in Kyoto.