nijū kidan 二重基壇

Also nisei kidan 二成基壇. A stepped podium with two layers. The upper layer is called *jōsei kidan 上成基壇 and is smaller than the lower layer which is called kasei kidan 下成基壇. The oldest extant nijū kidan are found in Hōryūji *Kondō 法隆寺金堂 (rebuilt 693) and *Gojū-no-tō 五重塔 (late 7th to early 8th century), Nara. These podia are built in a formal style *danjōzumi 壇上積 with the upper layers considerably higher than the lower ones. There are no stone struts *tsuka-ishi 束石 used on the sides of the upper layer, but these are used on the lower layer. Omitting stone struts on the upper layer is believed to reflect an earlier style.