| 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. |
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. |
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. |
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 | 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. |
Architecture, Buildings, Structures | |
| raiden 礼殿 | Also *haiden 拝殿. A worship hall for Shinto shrine visitors. The plan… |
Architecture, Shrines | |
| raidō 礼堂 | Also called raihaidō 礼拝堂. A worship hall. When Buddhist temples were constructed during the 7th-8th century,… |
Architecture, Buildings, Structures | |
| raigō-bashira 来迎柱 | Two or four-circular pillars right and left at each corner of the Buddhist altar to define the most sacred place in a temple… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| raigō-kabe 来迎壁 | ✓ | Also called raigō-heki. A clay or wooden wall erected behind a Buddhist altar *… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| raimon kōshi 雷文格子 | Lattice arranged in a fret pattern, used especially on railings of balconies. |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| raimon 雷文 | Lit. "lightning pattern." Also read ikazuchimon いかずち文. A pattern of thick and thin zig-zag lines. A variation of *… |
Architecture, Decorations | |
| ranma 欄間 | ✓ | A transom. A rectangular opening, longer in the horizontal direction, constructed between the lintels *… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| ranseki 乱石 | ✓ | Also called no-ishizumi 野石積. Stones with an irregular shape. Those that are somewhat square are called nozura-… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| ransekizumi kidan 乱石積基壇 | Also referred to as ranzumi kidan 乱積基壇, ranzō ransekizumi 乱層乱石積, kuzure ishizumi くずれ石積 or simply… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| ransekizumi 乱石積 | ✓ | Also *ranzumi 乱積. Piling up unhewn rocks or random masonry. The earliest and… |
Architecture, Castles |
| rantō 卵塔 | A stone pagoda with an egg-shaped main body placed directly on a base. It differs from the *… |
Architecture, Buildings, Structures | |
| rantsugi 乱継 | Lit. "random joints." Various types of architectural joints that can be either dovetail *… |
Architecture, Joints | |
| ranzumi 乱積 | Also called *ransekizumi 乱石積, waraizumi 笑い積. Randomly piled natural stones *… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| reibyō 霊廟 | ✓ | Also byōsho 廟所 or mitamaya 霊屋. |
Architecture, Shrines |
| renben 蓮弁 | Lit. "lotus petal." |
Architecture, Roofing Tiles, Art History, Sculpture | |
| rengejigata tōrō 蓮華寺形灯籠 | 1 Rengeji type lantern. So named because a pair of these lanterns stand in front of the main building at… |
Architecture, Lanterns | |
| Rengemon 蓮華門 | Also written 蓮花門. Lit. "Lotus Flower Gate." A gate located in the west wall opposite main east gate, Tōdaimon 東大門 of… |
Architecture, Gates | |
| renji 蓮子 | Raised dots or bead-like forms that represent the seeds in a stylized lotus flower pattern decorating many pendant tiles *… |
Architecture, Roofing Tiles | |
| renjimado 連子窓 | Also written 櫺子窓. Lit. "a row lath window." |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| renketsu tenshu 連結天守 | ✓ | Also called renketsushiki tenshu 連結式天守. A castle in which the principle tower or keep *… |
Architecture, Castles |
| renritsu tenshu 連立天守 | Lit. "connected towers." Also termed renritsushiki tenshu 連立式天守. An extensive, highly-developed castle complex… |
Architecture, Castles | |
| rensō 連窓 | Multiple windows. Two or more windows connected horizontally, or windows connected within one frame window with vertical… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| rensōmado 連双窓 | ✓ | Rensōmado means double windows. Two windows in line. Also called *meotomado… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| rigyoseki 鯉魚石 | ✓ | Lit. "carp stone." A stone placed at the base of a waterfall to symbolize a carp swimming up the waterfall. Good examples… |
Architecture, Gardens |
| Rikyū chadōgu zue 利休茶道具図会 | Sen no Rikyū's 千利休 (1522-91) writings concerning measurements for tea ceremony utensils. Yamada Sōhen 山田宗へん (1627-1708)… |
Architecture, Tea Houses | |
| Rikyūgaki 利休垣 | A fence made of bamboo stakes that alternate with unpeeled wooden stakes. The bamboo and unpeeled stakes have the same… |
Architecture, Gardens | |
| Rikyūgata tōrō 利休形灯籠 | A type of lantern. Lanterns of various shapes may be called Rikyūgata. It is difficult to judge which are authentic… |
Architecture, Lanterns | |
| rinsen 林泉 | Lit. "forest and stream." |
Architecture, Gardens | |
| rinzō 輪蔵 | Also called kaiten rinzō 回転輪蔵. Octagonal sutra storage shelves that revolve around a central pillar, which acts as… |
Architecture, Buildings, Structures | |
| ro-datami 炉畳 | Also kagi-datami 鍵畳. The straw mat *tatami 畳, into which… |
Architecture, Tea Houses | |
| rō 廊 | A roofed corridor or passageway that connects one structure to another. It may also encompass an open area. There are… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| ro 炉 | ✓ | A sunken hearth. A square box installed into the floor of a tea ceremony room to make a charcoal fire. The standard size… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| rō-zukuri 楼造 | ✓ | A gate *rōmon 楼門, that appears to have two stories, but in reality is a high… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| roban 露盤 | ✓ | Commonly used abbreviation of shō roban 承露盤; also called masugata 枡形. Originally, an entire spire *… |
Architecture, General Terms |
| robuchi 炉縁 | ✓ | The frame placed around the fire-box *rodan 炉壇, in a tea ceremony room *… |
Architecture, Tea Houses |
| robuta 炉蓋 | ✓ | A wooden lid about 1.8 cm thick used to cover the fixed-hearth *rodan 炉壇 in a tea… |
Architecture, Tea Houses |
| rodai 露台 | ✓ | 1 An unroofed platform, a dais, or a projected veranda or balcony. |
Architecture, General Terms |
| rodan 炉壇 | A fire box. The fixed, box-like hearth providing a place for a bed of ashes on which charcoal is burned to heat a kettle of… |
Architecture, Tea Houses | |
| roji 露地 | Lit. "dewy ground." Commonly known as a tea garden *chaniwa 茶庭,… |
Architecture, Tea Houses | |
| rōka 廊下 | 1 A hallwayor corridor within a building giving access to various rooms. |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| rokkaku endō 六角円堂 | ✓ | Also rokkakudō 六角堂. A hexagonal building of relatively small scale found at some temples. Like octagonal halls… |
Architecture, Buildings, Structures |
| rokkaku sanjū-no-tō 六角三重塔 | A type of three-storied, hexagonal pagoda made in relief on a copper plate in accordance with an explanation found in the… |
Architecture, Buildings, Structures | |
| roku 陸 | Also riku. A synonym for suihei 水平 meaning level. |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| rokuchū-zukuri 六注造 | Also called rokkaku yane 六角屋根. A six-sided roof that covers an hexagonal building *… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| rokuyō 六葉 | ✓ | Lit. "six leaves." A decoration pattern carved into the shape of six petals, and used on a gable pendant *… |
Architecture, Decorations |
| rōkyō 廊橋 | Also called hashirō 橋廊. A covered bridge, often with a resting place at the central point. Rōkyō can… |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| rōmon 楼門 | ✓ | A high gate that is often referred to as a two-storied gate, but in fact does not have two stories. Generally, it is an… |
Architecture, Gates |
| ronji daruki 論治垂木 | Also called koshikake daruki 腰掛垂木, ranji daruki 鸞翅垂木, or tenbō daruki 天望垂木. |
Architecture, General Terms | |
| rurigawara 瑠璃瓦 | Lit. "lapis lazuli tile." A tile to which a blue glaze ruriyū 瑠璃釉 has been applied. The glaze is made from… |
Architecture, Roofing Tiles | |
| ryakukama 略鎌 | Lit. "abbreviated gooseneck joint." An elongated halving joint. The desired length of timber is cut in half lengthwise. The… |
Architecture, Joints |
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