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  • (-) Architecture (151)
  • Accessories (1)
  • Aristocratic Dwellings (5)
  • Art History (4)
  • Buildings (17)
  • Castles (15)
  • Crafts (1)
  • Decorations (8)
  • Folk Dwellings (12)
  • Gardens (13)
  • Gates (5)
  • General Terms (44)
  • Joints (2)
  • Lanterns (1)
  • Painting (2)
  • Roofing Tiles (5)
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  • Shrines (8)
  • Storehouses (2)
  • Structures (17)
  • Tea Houses (14)
  • Tools (4)

Displaying 1 - 100 of 151
Title Contains Image(s) Description Keywords
bai 唄 ✓

A circular nail head cover *kugikakushi 釘隠, placed over a nail to attach a…

Architecture, Decorations
baijō 梅杖

Lit. plum post. A wooden post used to support the heavy but structurally weak branches of old plum trees.

Architecture, Gardens
baikenmon 梅軒門

Lit. plum eaves gate. Also written 梅見門. A type of gate used in tea gardens *roji…

Architecture, Tea Houses
baku 瀑

A cascade. A type of garden waterfall in which the water falls at a 90 degree angle. One common type of baku is the…

Architecture, Gardens
bakuhana 獏鼻 ✓

Lit. tapir nose. Also called bakugashira 獏頭. A type of nosing *kibana…

Architecture, Decorations
bakuryō 曝涼

Lit. airing. Also called mushiboshi 虫干. The practice of inspecting and airing valuables that have been in storage…

Architecture, General Terms
ban 盤

A heavy wooden plank placed above the ceiling of the first story of a two-storied pagoda *…

Architecture, General Terms
banbei 蕃塀 ✓

Also pronounced hanbei. A single, free-standing, short timber fence placed as a guard in front of the north, east,…

Architecture, Shrines
banchi ばん池

Also called hanchi 畔池 written with the character ばん池, to indicate a 'halved pond.' Lit. levee pond. A type of…

Architecture, Gardens
banjiro 番城

Short for zaiban shijō 在番支城. A branch castle *shijō 支城, with…

Architecture, Castles
banshin 番神

Also kyakushin 客神, ishin 夷神. Also written 蛮神 banshin. Gods that were thought to have originated…

Architecture, Shrines
banzuke 番付

A system used to label each structural members of a building before construction, while being dismantled for repair, or…

Architecture, General Terms
battari shōgi ばったり床几

Alternative term for a shop-front shutter and folding table *agemise …

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
bentendō 弁天堂

Also called benzaitendō 弁才天堂. A small structure that houses an image of Benten 弁天 (Sk: Sarasvati, *…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
betsugū 別宮

Also bessha 別社, edamiya 枝宮, or edayashiro 枝社.

A god is enshrined or venerated as being…

Architecture, Shrines
betsuin 別院

Also called *gobō 御坊. In the Nagoya area, it is called kakesho…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
biseki 尾石

Lit. tail stone. A stone in a rock garden that represents the tail of a tortoise *…

Architecture, Gardens
bishamon kikkō 毘沙門亀甲

A decorative pattern composed of three joined hexagonal shapes. It is named after the guardian deity *…

Architecture, Decorations
bishamondō 毘沙門堂 ✓

A temple hall dedicated to *Bishamonten 毘沙門天, one of the four gods, or *…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
biwa-ita 琵琶板

Also written 枇杷板.

1 The board inserted between a bottle strut *…

Architecture, General Terms
bokashi 暈

1 A gradation of colors or tones from dark to light or vice versa. One example is colorization of the…

Architecture, Decorations, Art History, Painting
bokuseki 墨跡

Black ink brush writing by Zen 禅 priests, as well as by laymen who practiced Zen meditations and wrote Buddhist sermons, or…

Architecture, Tea Houses
bokusekimado 墨蹟窓

A window on the side wall of an alcove *tokonoma 床の間, used to provide light…

Architecture, Tea Houses
bonjimon 梵字文 ✓

Lit. Sanskrit motif. A Sanskrit character, bonji 梵字, that decorates pendants *…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
bōrōgata tenshu 望楼型天守 ✓

A lookout tower set atop the roof of a residence *kyokan 居館, usually a…

Architecture, Castles
botan karakusa 牡丹唐草

1 Abbreviation of botan karakusagawara 牡丹唐草瓦. A roof tile, often an eaves-end tile, whose pendant…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles, Painting, Art History
bōzumi 棒隅

Lit. straight corner.
1 Buildings of any traditional type without curves on structural members under the…

Architecture, General Terms
budō karakusamon 葡萄唐草文 ✓

Also abbreviated to *budō karakusa 葡萄唐草. A grape-patterned arabesque used…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
bugakuryū teien 武学流庭園

Lit. garden of the Bugaku lineage. A style of Japanese garden developed in the middle of the Edo period by Ōishi Bugaku 大石武学…

Architecture, Gardens
buke-zukuri 武家造

A style of residential architecture in use among the bushi 武士 or warrior class. As defined by the early 20th-…

Architecture, General Terms
bukku 仏供

Also jukubukku 熟仏供, butsuhan 仏飯, or butsushō 仏餉. Cooked rice made as an offering to the Buddha,…

Architecture, General Terms
bunmawashi 規 An old term for a compass used to draw circles. They were imported from Portugal. The beam compass has a large radius,… Architecture, Tools
buntōgata 分棟型 ✓

Lit. divided-ridge style. Often abbreviated to buntō 分棟 and sometimes referred to as betsumune-zukuri…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
burō 廡廊

A corridor that enclosed an open area or surrounded a space in which buildings were erected. A term from the 7th-9th century…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
bussharitō 仏舎利塔

Also called *sharitō 舎利塔. A reliquary in a stupa or pagoda. These could be…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
busshōya 仏餉屋 ✓

Also called gokusho 御供所. A Buddhist building used to prepare ritual food offerings called busshō 仏餉, *…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
busshudana 仏守棚 Lit. Buddha protecting shelf. A type of decorative shelf with sliding-door cabinets on the bottom and an ogee-shaped… Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings
butaigamachi 舞台框

Lit. stage framework. A framing member that runs the entire width of the upper part of a *…

Architecture, General Terms
butaikabe 舞台壁

Lit. proscenium wall. The wall at the front part of a *kabuki 歌舞伎 stage.

Architecture, General Terms
butsudan 仏壇 ✓

An altar or tabernacle in the form of a podium, table, recess, or cabinet used in the sanctuaries of temples and in private…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
butsudan-no-ma 仏壇の間 ✓

A room in traditional vernacular houses *minka 民家, in parts of Hyōgo Prefecture…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
butsuden 仏殿 ✓

Also *daiyū hōden 大雄宝殿. The main hall of a Zen temple. Butsuden…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
butsudō 仏堂

Also called *butsuden 仏殿; bukkaku 仏閣, *…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
butsuma 仏間

A room for Buddhist images (either two- or three-dimensional images) or, especially in a residence, an altar or tabernacle…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures, Folk Dwellings
butsumon 仏門

Lit. Buddha's gate. Also *nandaimon 南大門; *…

Architecture, Gates
buzai 部材

A generic term for the structural members which form the framework *honegumi…

Architecture, General Terms
byōbudana 屏風棚

A type of decorative double hanging shelf *tsuridana 釣棚, placed in an alcove…

Architecture, Accessories
byōbuori 屏風折

Also termed *orihei 折塀 (folding wall). A castle wall that zig-zags…

Architecture, Castles
byōmon 廟門 ✓

Also called reibyōmon 霊廟門. An entrance gate to a mausoleum. It can be an elaborate gate in two-storied or simulated…

Architecture, Gates
byōtō 廟塔

Lit. mausoleum pagoda.
1 A pagoda constructed to enshrine a Buddhist image.
2 A five…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
daiba 台場 ✓

A fort located at a strategic location on a sea coast, riverbank, or island. It was furnished with large guns. Daiba were…

Architecture, Castles
daiban 台盤

A long, low, rectangular table on which food was served in the emperor's residential compound, Dairi 内裏, of the imperial…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings
daibandokoro 台盤所

A room that contains a *daiban 台盤, a long, low, rectangular table on which food…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings
daibutsuyō 大仏様

Lit. Indian style. The style of architecture introduced to Japan when the priest Chōgen 重源 (1121-1206) returned from China.…

Architecture, General Terms
daibutsuyō kibana 大仏様木鼻

Also daibutsuyōkei kibana 大仏様系木鼻. Lit. nosings in the daibutsu style. Incised nosings found on bracket…

Architecture, Decorations
daibutsuyō kumimono 大仏様組物

Also daibutsuyō tokyō 大仏様斗きょう. Lit. Great-Buddha-style bracket complex. A bracket system introduced by the priest,…

Architecture, General Terms
daibutsuyō kurigata 大仏様繰形 ✓

Typical daibutsu style *daibutsuyō 大仏様, decorative carvings *…

Architecture, Decorations
daiden 大殿

Also daiyūden 大雄殿.

1 A synonym for main hall *hondō…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
daidokoro 台所

1 Believed to be an abbreviated form of *daibandokoro…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings, Folk Dwellings
daigiri-oga 台切大鋸

A large crosscut saw with a blade 70 cm long and 30 cm wide that has a wooden handle at each end for two people. This saw…

Architecture, Tools
daiin-no-koguchi 大陰の虎口

Also written 大陰虎口. A simple, early form of castle entrance *koguchi …

Architecture, Castles
Daiippōmon 第一峰門 ✓

A unique Chinese style four-legged gate made by Chinese carpenters in 1644 using imported, broad leaf cedar. It is located…

Architecture, Gates
daijinbashira 大臣柱

Also called wakibashira 脇柱; taishōbashira 大将柱. Initially, the square post placed at the right front corner…

Architecture, General Terms
Daijōkyū 大嘗宮

Also daijōgū. A temporary palace of unstripped timber, untreated grasses and reeds, and bamboo, used for the Grand…

Architecture, Shrines
Daijōsai 大嘗祭

Also read ōnihe matsuri, ōnie matsuri, ōname matsuri, and ōmube matsuri. The Great Food…

Architecture, Shrines
daikagura-zukuri 太神楽造

Also called daikagurabashira 太神楽柱; *kudabashira 管柱 or…

Architecture, General Terms
daikaiyūshiki teien 大回遊式庭園

Lit. large strolling-style garden. A type of large-scale garden which is enjoyed on foot. Most large strolling gardens…

Architecture, Gardens
daikōdō 大講堂 ✓

Lit. large lecture hall. The lecture hall at Hōryūji 法隆寺 in Nara is the most famous and oldest extant daikōdō. The…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
daikoku-bashira 大黒柱 ✓

Also written 大極柱, shin-no-hashira 心の柱, yaku-bashira 役柱, and naka-bashira 中柱.

1…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings, Shrines
Daikoku 大黒

1 An abbreviation for *Daikokuten 大黒天 (Sk: Mahakala). Regarded by…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings, Sculpture, Art History
daiku 大工

Carpenter.

1 Often pronounced daikō. Also ōtakumi or ōkitakumi in old…

Architecture, General Terms
daime datami 台目畳

Also written 代目畳, 大目畳. A straw mat about three-quarters the length of a standard size mat, about 135-137 cm long. In Kyoto…

Architecture, Tea Houses
daimebashira 台目柱

Also called *nakabashira 中柱 or *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
daimedoko 台目床

An alcove *tokonoma 床の間, with a wooden base, found in a small tea ceremony…

Architecture, Tea Houses
daimegiri 台目切

A placement of the firebox or hearth inside the guest's mat which results in a smaller than normal size tatami mat…

Architecture, Tea Houses
daimochitsugi 台持継 ✓

A center joint. An oblique scarf joint combining a housed *daboso 太ぼそ joint and blind tenons. The mortises are…

Architecture, General Terms
daimon 大門

Also pronounced *ōmon. A generic term for a variety of styles of main gates. One…

Architecture, Gates
daimyō teien 大名庭園

Lit. daimyō garden. The Edo period strolling-style *kaiyūshiki teien…

Architecture, Gardens
dainaoshiganna 台直鉋

A plane used to shave the base of another plane. It is very important in planing that the base of the plane stock, known as…

Architecture, Tools
Dairimon 内裏門

A general term for gates belonging to the Imperial Palace, Kyoto Gosho 京都御所. The *Shōmei…

Architecture, Gates
dairo 大炉

Also called ōro. A tea-room firebox or hearth made larger than the normal 42 cm square. Measurements varied, but…

Architecture, Tea Houses
daishidō 大師堂 ✓

Lit. great master hall. Daishidō are temple buildings particularly important to the Shingon 真言 sect, established by…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
daisu 台子

A fairly large, portable, double-shelved display for tea ceremony utensils. Traditionally, it was used at the most formal…

Architecture, Tea Houses
daitenshu 大天守

Lit. large *tenshu 天守. The principal tower. The largest tenshu in a…

Architecture, Castles
daito 大斗 ✓

The largest type of bearing block *masu 斗, usually placed directly on top of a…

Architecture, General Terms
daitō 大塔 ✓

Lit. Large pagoda. A 2-storied pagoda. A large pagoda of the *tahōtō 多宝塔 type,…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
daito hijiki 大斗肘木 ✓

A large bearing block *daito 大斗 with a bracket arm *…

Architecture, General Terms
daiwa 台輪 ✓

1 A wall plate or top plate placed along the top of head-penetrating tie beams *…

Architecture, General Terms
daiwadome 台輪留

A mite red, right-angle joint used at the corner, sumi 隅, of a building to join a wall plate, *…

Architecture, Joints
daiyū hōden 大雄宝殿 ✓

Also called daiyūden 大雄殿 or *daiden 大殿. Lit. great leader's treasure…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
daizaseki 台座石

Also *daiza 台座. The pedestal or base beneath a sculpture, pagoda, or lantern.…

Architecture, Gardens
dakimarugawara 抱丸瓦

Also kazunemaru 重ね丸. An interjacent tile. A section of a semi-cylindrical roof tile laid between the first broad…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
dan 段

1 Also written 反. A step. The level part or tread of a flight of stairs. When made of wood, the tread is…

Art History, Architecture, General Terms, Crafts
dan 檀

1 A generic term for a level mound or platform raised above the surrounding ground. An earthen mound may be…

Architecture, General Terms
danbashigo 段梯子 ✓

A simple step-ladder, also called hashigo 梯子 or hashigodan 梯子段. Examples include a *…

Architecture, General Terms
danbuki 段葺

1 A roofing method that uses copper sheets laid in a step-like pattern.

2 A roofing…

Architecture, General Terms
danjōzumi 壇上積 ✓

Also written 壇正積; danjōzumi kidan 壇上積基壇. A style of podium introduced to Japan from Korea in the latter half of the…

Architecture, General Terms
dankarikomi 段刈込

Lit. layered pruning. A basic type of pruning *karikomi 刈込. When used for a…

Architecture, Gardens
dankei 断景

Lit. cutting scenery. The technique of blocking off scenery outside the garden. Most often a large clipped hedge, …

Architecture, Gardens
danmen 断面

Lit. a section. A vertical section scale drawing of a building or architectural detail shown either transversely, …

Architecture, General Terms

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JAANUS is the on-line Dictionary of Japanese Architectural and Art Historical Terminology compiled by Dr. Mary Neighbour Parent.

Originally built by the Atsumi International Scholarship Foundation, it is now hosted and maintained by the Media Center for Art History at Columbia University