kashiranuki 頭貫

Horizontal head penetrating tie beams that are connected to the tops of pillars to make them secure. These tie beams may be inserted through the tops of pillars or set into carved-out trough-like sections on top of the pillars. They do not project outward beyond the corners. Both methods were used in early architecture, but by the mid-13th century, with the introduction of new ways of building from China, head penetrating tie beams began to project outward on both sides of the corner pillars.