giboshi 擬宝珠

Also pronounced gibōshi, giboju, gibōshu, goboshu. A decoration in the shape of the onion-bulb jewel *hōju 宝珠, found on top of the newel oyabashira 親柱, of railings *kōran 高欄, bridges, and platforms *dan 壇. Most commonly made of bronze, they are also made of wood, tile, brass, shinchū 真鍮, and iron. The giboshi consists of a cylindrical column, dō 胴, broken by horizontal bands, fushi 節 (also shino 篠 or *yokoshino 横篠). Above the column is a rounded base *fukubachi 伏鉢 or *manjūgata 饅頭形, supporting what is called the jewel pedestal, gyokudai, tamadai 玉台, or gyokuza 玉座. The jewel pedestal has a narrow neck *kakikubi 欠首, bordered at its top and bottom by narrow bands known as shikiza 敷座 at the bottom, and *ukeza 受座 at the top. Above this sits the pointed jewel decoration hōju. A railing decorated in this way is called *giboshi kōran 擬宝珠高欄. The same type of decoration is found on top of a portable shrine *mikoshi 神輿, but in this case it is known as sōka 葱花, and the jewel at the top is a mani-gem *nyoi hōju 如意宝珠. A similarly shaped decoration is also found on lanterns.