Japanese traditional architecture, Kanban signboard

In the traditional Japanese architecture the commercial signboards (called kanban in Japanese) were works of art made of massive wood, often with a natural, irregular shape. The signs, indicating the name and maybe the type of the store, were artistically carved or painted.

Most kanban were placed right on the on the facade, above the entrance, but in some cases, as in this photo taken in Kurashiki, they were installed on a beam supporting a roofed frame, for rain protection and to stand out more...