1 Also read sama-ishi. Rough stones placed between pillar base stones when a building is erected on a podium *kidan 基壇. The tie beams *jifuku 地覆 rest on these stones and are inserted at each end into the pillars.
2 Rough stones laid in a line either above or below ground level between pillar base stones *soseki 礎石. These provide a strong foundation for the next layer of carefully fashioned stones placed on top of them. The sill *jifuku 地覆 is positioned on this, and each end is inserted into the pillar base stone. The timber component *dodai 土台 is laid on the sill with each end inserted into the pillars.
a) *soseki 礎石 b) *hashira 柱 c) *dodai 土台 d) hazama-ishi 狭間石
Old Arai 新井 House
Hida minzokumura・Hida no sato 飛騨民俗村・飛騨の里 (Gifu)
3 A large irregularly shaped stone upon which a circular base stone is laid. This base stone has a mortise *hozo-ana ほぞ穴 cut into the center to receive the tenon *hozo ほぞ which is cut into the bottom of a pillar. Two rectangular stone projections cut out of the hazama-ishi extend at right angles in the direction of the walls to be erected.