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JAANUS

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  • (-) Architecture (352)
  • Accessories (2)
  • Aristocratic Dwellings (4)
  • Art History (8)
  • Buildings (31)
  • Castles (21)
  • Decorations (19)
  • Folk Dwellings (18)
  • Gardens (23)
  • Gates (8)
  • General Terms (149)
  • Joints (4)
  • Lanterns (4)
  • Painting (7)
  • Roofing Tiles (23)
  • Sculpture (1)
  • Shrines (15)
  • Structures (31)
  • Tea Houses (27)
  • Tools (9)

Displaying 1 - 100 of 352
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
hachimae-no-ishigumi 鉢前の石組

A washstand placed near a veranda or in the corner of an open veranda, shoin zashiki 書院座敷, or in the chief priest's…

Architecture, Gardens
hachimaki 鉢巻 ✓

The name for a thickly plastered area projecting from the wall below the eaves of a building. Used on storehouses, *…

Architecture, General Terms
hachimaki doi 鉢巻土居

A "headband" earthen embankment. An earthen embankment with a stone wall constructed on the upper portion. Also …

Architecture, Castles
hachiman torii 八幡鳥居 ✓

A pillar of the shinmei type, *shinmei torii 神明鳥居, with no…

Architecture, Shrines
hachiman-zukuri 八幡造

A style of shrine architecture characterized by a structure which from the side-view gives the impression of two separate…

Architecture, Shrines
hachiro 八炉 ✓

The eight basic ways of positioning a hearth, *ro 炉, in a tea ceremony room, *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
hachiyō 八葉

Lit. eight leaves. Also hachiyō kanagu 八葉金具. A metal decoration carved into the shape of eight petals with a central…

Architecture, Decorations
hachiyō fukuben rengemon 八葉複弁蓮華文

A decorative stylized lotus-flower pattern, *rengemon 蓮華文, found on eaves…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
hada noshigawara 肌熨斗瓦

1 The second layer of tiles that is curved and set at a same angle to the first layer of tiles, …

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
hadakaniwa 裸庭

Lit. naked or bare yard. A term for the earth-floored area, *doma 土間, in…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
haegi 延木

Also haigi. An archaic term for *nodaruki, 野垂木 (a hidden rafter). A…

Architecture, General Terms
hafu kazari kanagu 破風飾金具

Also hafu kanagu 破風金具. Decorative metal fittings, *kazari kanagu…

Architecture, Decorations
hafu kojiri 破風木尻

Also written 破風鐺, hafujiri 破風尻, or hafubana 破風鼻. The lower end of a bargeboard on a hip-and-gable…

Architecture, General Terms
hafu ogami 破風拝 ✓

Also called hafugashira, 破風頭, or hafu-no-ogami, 破風の拝. The joint between two bargeboards, hafu-ita…

Architecture, General Terms
hafu 破風

Also written 搏風. Also called hafu-ita 破風板. A bargeboard. Straight or curved boards laid flat against the ridge ends…

Architecture, General Terms
hafugoshi 破風腰

The center of a bargeboard, *hafu 破風, which is determined by its length. It…

Architecture, General Terms
hagarazai 端柄材

Also written 羽柄材. Also called hagaramono, 端柄物, 羽柄物; or yamabikizai 山挽材. A general term for trimmed boards…

Architecture, General Terms
hagi 矧 ✓

A suffix used to describe edge joints of various types.



1 Imohagi 芋矧, a straight…

Architecture, Joints
haichi-zu 配置図

A layout drawing on a plot plan showing topography in minute detail and the position of buildings within the boundaries of a…

Architecture, General Terms
haiden 拝殿 ✓

A worship hall at a Shinto shrine, usually placed on the same axis as the offering hall, *…

Architecture, Shrines
hainobe 配延

Also hainobi 配延び or nobi 延び. A carpenters' standard term for extensions created by slopes. Example: Where the horizontal…

Architecture, General Terms
haiseki 拝石

Lit. worship stone. A type of trump stone *yaku-ishi 役石 from which one can…

Architecture, Gardens
haiseki 配石

Lit. stone arrangement. To arrange stones in consideration of their shape, color, and character. 
 

Architecture, General Terms
haitsuke daruki 配付垂木 ✓

Also sashidaruki 挿垂木 or 指垂木. To join rafters *taruki 垂木 which is…

Architecture, General Terms
hajikidake 弾竹

Also bakuchiku-bashira 爆竹柱.

1 A method. Introduced in the Edo period, of constructing the…

Architecture, General Terms
hakamagoshi 袴腰 ✓

1 A trapezoidal form created on top of the posts that frame the host's entrance *…

Architecture, Tea Houses, Structures, Buildings
hakamazuri-ishi 袴ずり石

Lit. hakama 袴 brushing stone. A name for the front stone in a stone grouping arranged around a low basin *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
hakarihijiki 秤肘木 ✓

A single bracket arm *hijiki 肘木, which is set into a large bearing block *…

Architecture, General Terms
hakkaku butsuden 八角仏殿

An octagonal hall in a Buddhist temple. One or more Buddhist deities are enshrined within. The record Shizaichō…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hakkaku enden 八角円殿

An octagonal hall. Temple records owned by Hōryūji 法隆寺 and Gangōji 元興寺 mention the existence of a hakkaku enden as…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hakkaku endō 八角円堂

Lit. eight-sided circular. An octagonal circular hall *hakkakudō 八角堂,…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hakkakudō 八角堂 ✓

Also called *hakkaku endō 八角円堂. An octagonal hall. There are six…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hakkakuotoshi-no-kado 八角落の角 ✓

Also yatsunaka-no-korobi 八中の転. The method used to determine the incline of the main posts of a *…

Architecture, General Terms
hakkakutō 八角塔 ✓

An octagonal pagoda of which there is only one in Japan. Although a plan to erect an octagonal pagoda existed at Saidaiji…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hakkyakumon 八脚門 ✓

Also read yatsuashimon. Also called sangenikkomon 三間一戸門 or sangen sankomon 三間三戸門 depending upon…

Architecture, Gates
hakogata jōgi 箱型定規

Box-shaped measuring tool used when inking and marking off a pillar in order to fit the horizontal beams surrounding a…

Architecture, Tools
hakokaidan 箱階段 ✓

Also referred to as hakodan 箱段 and hakohashigo 箱梯子. A combined stairway and storage chest, common in town…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
hakokanagu 箱金具 Also hakokanamono 箱金物, *makikanagu 巻金具, makikanamono 巻金物. U-strap, strap, stirrup.… Architecture, Decorations
hakomune 箱棟

A prominent box-like ridge framed in timber astride the apex of a roof. In section it resembles a miniature building with a…

Architecture, General Terms
hakozaki torii 筥崎鳥居

Also called Hakozaki Hachimangū 筥崎八幡宮, Hakozaki no Miya 筥崎宮 or Hizen torii 肥前鳥居. A stone pillar type of gate characterized…

Architecture, Shrines
Hamagurimon 蛤門 ✓

Lit. clam gate. One of the four gates on the westside of the outer enclosure of Kyoto Gosho 京都御所. Altogether there were nine…

Architecture, Gates
hamayuka 浜床

Also called *chōdai 帳台 in the Heian period.


1 A low…

Architecture, General Terms
hame-ishi 羽目石

Also written 嵌石. A stone panel. A component of the formal style podium *danjōzumi…

Architecture, General Terms
hame-ita 羽目板

Also written 嵌板. A wooden panel or board used as wall covering. It may be horizontally or vertically set. The boards may…

Architecture, General Terms
hamontai 波文帯 Also called a zigzag motif *inazumamon 稲妻文 or a saw tooth pattern *… Architecture, Roofing Tiles
han-nageshi 半長押 ✓

Lit. half non-penetrating horizontal beam. A non-penetrating beam which is 3/5 the diameter of a building 's main pillar…

Architecture, General Terms
han-noshigawara 半熨斗瓦

Rectangular ridge tiles with half the width of an ordinary ridge tile *noshigawara…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
hana-akarimado 花明窓

Also kameimado, *oribemado 織部窓, *…

Architecture, General Terms
hana 鼻 ✓

Lit. nose. Also called hanasaki 鼻先. The end or tip of a structural member such as a beam, rafter end, ridge end,…

Architecture, General Terms
hanagarami 鼻絡 A relatively small tie beam placed slightly inside and under the eave ends on a board roof. It not only ties the boards… 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