Lit. long narrow hall.
1 In Buddhist architecture, a long narrow structure set in front of the main sanctuary *hondō 本堂, or in front of a refectory *jikidō 食堂, for use as a worship hall. In the former case, it can be equated with a worship hall called a *raidō 礼堂. An example, is the Tōdaiji *Hokkedō 東大寺法華堂 (popularly called Sangatsudō 三月堂). Originally, the sanctuary *naijin 内陣, and raidō, hosodono, were two separate buildings. By the end of the 10th century and during the 11th century, the Japanese invention of the hidden roof *noyane 野屋根 made it possible to erect a deep hall. With this newly developed method of creating an expansive roof, the naijin and hosodono were combined into a single building with the entrances on the gable ends. The best example of a hosodono still extant as a separate building is at Hōryūji 法隆寺. It is located in front of the refectory with eaves almost touching the naijin. This Hosodono (ca. 1269) is 7×7 bays. Each end has a center post for strengthening but the interior has no center posts. Hence it appears like one broad bay in width. There are no walls except at each end. The roof is gabled *kirizuma-zukuri 切妻造, has single eaves *hitonoki 一軒, and bracket complexes that have large bearing blocks with bracket arms *daito hijiki 大斗肘木. The gable pediments have double rainbow beams and solid, wooden frog-leg struts, nijūkōryō kaerumata 二重虹梁蟇股. The earlier hosodono is believed to have been very simple with only a large solid-wood frog-leg strut in the gable pediments. Also the incline of the roof was less than it is today.
See *narabidō 双堂.
Hōryūji Hosodono 法隆寺細殿 (Nara)
2 The Hosodono at Kamo Mioya Jinja 賀茂御祖神社 (well-known Shimogamo Jinja 下賀茂神社) in Kyoto (early Edo period), is 5 x 2 bays and is said to be a hall where priests sat to recite prayers or where ritual music was offered to the gods.
3 An old word for watadono 渡殿 or watarou 渡廊 , a long narrow passage or bridge-like corridor leading from one wing to another in a nobleman's residence *shinden-zukuri 寝殿造, or from one shrine to another.
4 A long narrow partition used as part of the hisashi-no-ma 廂の間 to screen off the noblewomen's apartments.