honbashira 本柱

Keywords
Architecture
General Terms

Also read omobashira; in the case of gates it may be called *monbashira 門柱.



1 Posts or pillars, especially those in line with the doors on gates, for example, the main pillars of a gate called *kabukimon 冠木門. Honbashira also included the pillars of *torii 鳥居; the outer posts on the side verandas on shrines *wakishōji 脇障子; the pillars along the outer perimeter of the front aisle *hisashi 廂 of a temple building; and the front pillars of small shrines. See *heijūmon 塀重門.


2 Honbashira can also mean the primary pillars that frame a shrine or temple building.

Zuiganji Chuumon 瑞巌寺中門 (Miyagi)

 

a) honbashira 本柱 b) *hikae-bashira 控柱

Zuiganji Chūmon 瑞巌寺中門 (Miyagi)