Rain Chains, or kusari doi, are decorative alternatives to downspouts

Many homes in the St Petersburg area don’t have gutters and downspouts (not because they’re not needed, but because someone was saving money). For those that do, the gutters often disappear into the roofline, but the downspouts are ugly against the side of the building.

Enter rain chains, or kusari doi, which the Japanese have been using for centuries.  Often made of copper, the chain links are interrupted with a series of decorative funnels with holes in the bottom, so the falling water goes both through and around the various shapes - flowers, birds, basic shapes. You see and hear the water flowing down.

They can end in some rocks, a decorative basin or even a rain barrel or flower garden. As we see more inside-outside living, more emphasis is placed on our gardens. Here’s one way to turn utilitarian into decorative.

Check out the options and history online at rainchain.com, rainchains.com, japanesegift.com or even Home Depot.com.

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