Japanese silver grass

　ススキは、日本の秋の情緒を代表するイネ科の植物です。
　茅葺き（かやぶき）屋根に使われる材料には、いろいろありますが、ススキがその代表格です。寿命はおよそ15〜30年程度あります。白川郷（岐阜県白川村）の合掌造りの茅葺き屋根には、主にススキが使われており、日本の原風景を残しています。

　Japanese Silver Grass is a grass species that epitomizes the atmosphere of autumn in Japan.
　There are various materials used for thatched roofs, but Japanese Silver Grass is the most common. Its lifespan is approximately 15 to 30 years. The thatched roofs of the gassho-style houses in Shirakawa-go (Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture) are made primarily of Japanese Silver Grass, preserving a traditional Japanese landscape.
　※ Thatched roof: A traditional Japanese roof made by bundling plants such as Japanese Silver Grass and stacking them in thick layers to cover the roof of a building. 

　source: Shirakawa Village Official Website