ashigatame 足固

Also written 脚固, 足堅. Strong, horizontal ties which strengthen the posts beneath the floor of a timber building by interconnecting them to carry the weight of the floor. Common in Japanese style architecture *wayō 和様, they appeared first during the Kamakura period in temple and shrine construction. There are three types:
1　The normal type maruashigatame 丸足固 1/10 wider than the post.
2　The half ashigatame, han-ashigatame 半足固 also called kawaashigatame 側足固, is a horizontal tie attached to only one side of the post and the end of the joint *neda 根太 and the floor board is inserted into it.
3　The posts sandwiched by ashigatame, wariashigatame 割足固, which are two pieces of lumber that are joined lengthwise and strengthened by having the grain of each cut end reversed. Ashigatame horizontal tie beams are used where there is no continuous footing. Instead each under-floor post has an individual base. These tie beams are secured to the posts by a type of joint called *dokkohozo 独鈷ほぞ, with a wedge called hanasen 鼻栓.