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JAANUS

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  • (-) Structures (31)
  • Architecture (31)
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Displaying 1 - 31 of 31
Title Contains Image(s) Description Keywords
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
betsuin 別院

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

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
bishamondō 毘沙門堂 ✓

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

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
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
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
byōtō 廟塔

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

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hakamagoshi 袴腰 ✓

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

Architecture, Tea Houses, Structures, Buildings
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
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
hashirō 橋廊

A bridge-like corridor that spans a garden pond or an area between two buildings.

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hattō 法堂 ✓

A lecture hall which corresponds to the *kōdō 講堂 in temples of…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hide 碑伝

Markers set at intervals along a mountain trail by ascetic monks called yamabushi 山伏 or shugenja 修験者. Many…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
Higashimuro 東室 ✓

The east dormitory for Buddhist priests at Hōryūji 法隆寺 in Nara. It is located in the west precinct Saiin 西院, and has nine,…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hiraya 平家 A house with only one story.
Architecture, Buildings, Structures
Hiunkaku 飛雲閣

Lit. a flying cloud tower. Unique, three-storied timber building, rōkaku 楼閣, built in asymmetrical design and…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hōjō 方丈 ✓

The name given to the type of residence that had evolved by the end of the 14th century for the abbot, i.e., the head priest…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hokkedō 法華堂 ✓

Also called hokke sanmaidō 法華三昧堂.


1 A meditation hall based on a plan that allows…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
Hokuendō 北円堂

The largest extant octagonal Buddhist temple hall, dated 1210. It is located at Kōfukuji 興福寺 in Nara, and is placed on a…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hōkyōintō 宝筺印塔 ✓

Lit. Hōkyōin pagoda. A type of pagoda (Sk: stupa) originally made as a repository for copies of the Hōkyōin…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hondō 本堂 ✓

Lit. main hall. A Buddhist hall housing the principal images most revered by the particular sect of a temple. The use of the…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
Hōōdō 鳳凰堂 ✓

Lit. Phoenix Hall. The Hōōdō is the central hall *Chūdō 中堂 of…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hosodono 細殿

Lit. long narrow hall.



1 In Buddhist architecture, a long narrow structure set in front of…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hōtō 宝塔

1 Lit. treasure pagoda. A generic name for a pagoda (Sk: stupa) of a type associated with the Buddhist…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
hyakumantō 百万塔

Lit. one million pagodas. Wooden, miniature, three-storied, circular, memorial pagodas wrought on a lathe for Empress Kōken…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures

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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