But just what are they?

The most common widely known usage, which they’re named after, was traditionally to prevent...

dogs from peeing on the side of the house.

Bow wow

It was used for protect against other damage as well,

like rainfall, mud splashing from the streets,

and people leaning up against the storefront and peeping inside.

It also had the additional function of hiding piping

or any other aesthetically unpleasant necessities sitting outside the store as well.

They’re called inu yarai.

Inu of course means dog, and yarai means bamboo fence.

As expected, they’re made of bamboo.

These days they’re mostly just decoration,

keeping in tune with the traditional feel of Kyoto’s historical districts.

Although some of them have been quite modernized.

While they’re found primarily in Kyoto, you can see them in historical districts in other parts of Japan as well.

Bonus fact:

they’re sometimes associated with the appearance of these little gates called torii,

although you’ll find these little torii all across Japan and not just next to inu yarai.

These are Shinto gates,

and are meant to be a mental deterrent against people causing trouble.

The thinking is that uninhibited strangers are less likely to cause trouble like...

peeing on the side of the house.

If they see a religious symbol like the torii, because it’ll make them feel bad.

If you come across anything unusual in Japan,

send us a picture and we’ll try to identify it for a future episode of What’s That!