ashihozo 足ほぞ

Lit. foot-tenon. A rectangular piece of wood that projects from the sole of a standing wooden statue and fits into a correspondingly shaped hole in the pedestal to hold the statue in place. Some statues have a single tenon spanning both feet, and others have a separate tenon that projects from each foot. The foot-tenon may be carved from the same block of wood as the foot, or may be made separately and attached. Often the sculptor's name and the date of the statue are recorded on the foot-tenon, ashihozomei 足ほぞ銘.