Also read gangyō, gayō, nokigeta 軒桁, or *dashigeta…

Also read gangyōbane. A single heavy beam attached at right angles to the eave purlins *…

Lit. outer garden. The area outside the sacred enclosure of a shrine, mausoleum, or temple. Typically, the approach to the…

1　The wooden rails and stiles around doors or windows. 
2　Casing, trim, or…

Lit. zig-zag ladder. A kind of ladder, hashigo 梯子(see *kaidan 階段),…

The arrangement of buildings within the precinct of a Buddhist temple constructed between the late 7th century to 12th…

An abbreviated form of sōgya ranma 僧伽欄摩 (Sk: samgha arama). Lit. A garden for monks. Also rendered as sōen…

1　The triangular frame created by joining a pair of cruck-like members *…

Also pronounced kawageta. 
1 Exterior wall purlins. Long horizontal beams *…

Also read sokuheki or kawakabe. The exterior wall of a building. An outside wall or end wall.

1　In shrine architecture, the main hall *honden 本殿 is divided…

Lit. lower space. It is a room adjoining the main rooms of the priests' quarters in a Zen temple. It is located near the…

1　The entrance gallery or porch used in the guest hall *kyakuden…

Lit. Genroku culture. The middle Edo period *Edo jidai 江戸時代 chūki 中期…

Also pronounced gibōshi, giboju, gibōshu, goboshu. A decoration in the shape of the…

Also kuregaku 呉楽. Now-lost ancient masked theatrical performances given at temples from the 7th to 9th century.…

Also called *ura-ita 裏板. The panel used to fill the space made by the…

The wooden ribs or coffers laid in a criss-cross pattern to form a coffered ceiling *gō…

Lit. a five cornered measuring box. A method used to determine the proportions of a bracket arm *…

The space created by the coffers or ribs *gōbuchi 格縁 of a coffered or latticed…

Type of a chamfers cut on a square timber or square post with a ratio of 1/20 is called gorinmen along each corner…

Also called gosho oni-ita 御所鬼板 or goshomune oni-ita 御所棟鬼板. Lit. the ridge of an imperial palace. The main…

A coffered ceiling. A ceiling with ribs framing recessed panels.

1　The simplest type of coffered…

Also read gomotsu. The emperor's property. The Imperial Collection of art objects, books, etc., which are either of…

Tuff or tufa. Popularly called shōkōseki 松香石. A porous stone composed of volcanic ash or from the material loosened…

Two or four-circular pillars right and left at each corner of the Buddhist altar to define the most sacred place in a temple…

Also called raigō-heki. A clay or wooden wall erected behind a Buddhist altar *…

Lattice arranged in a fret pattern, used especially on railings of balconies.

A transom. A rectangular opening, longer in the horizontal direction, constructed between the lintels *…

Also called no-ishizumi 野石積. Stones with an irregular shape. Those that are somewhat square are called nozura-…

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…

Also called *ransekizumi 乱石積, waraizumi 笑い積. Randomly piled natural stones *…

Also written 櫺子窓. Lit. "a row lath window."

1　A window with vertical or horizontal wooden laths or…

Multiple windows. Two or more windows connected horizontally, or windows connected within one frame window with vertical…

Rensōmado means double windows. Two windows in line. Also called *meotomado…

A roofed corridor or passageway that connects one structure to another. It may also encompass an open area. There are…

A sunken hearth. A square box installed into the floor of a tea ceremony room to make a charcoal fire. The standard size…

A gate *rōmon 楼門, that appears to have two stories, but in reality is a high…

Commonly used abbreviation of shō roban 承露盤; also called masugata 枡形. Originally, an entire spire *…

1　An unroofed platform, a dais, or a projected veranda or balcony.
2　A nobleman's…

1　A hallwayor corridor within a building giving access to various rooms.
2　A passageway…

Also riku. A synonym for suihei 水平 meaning level.
1　Level building timbers.
…

Also called rokkaku yane 六角屋根. A six-sided roof that covers an hexagonal building *…

Also called hashirō 橋廊. A covered bridge, often with a resting place at the central point. Rōkyō can…

Also called koshikake daruki 腰掛垂木, ranji daruki 鸞翅垂木, or tenbō daruki 天望垂木.
A flying rafter…

Also *kannonbiraki tobira 観音開扉, double doors that open in one…

Wedges used on the right and left sides to strengthen and to secure a penetrating tie beam inserted into a pillar.

A type of gable roof *kirizuma-zukuri 切妻造. Also called…

Lit. "dragon vehicle." The round or oval section of a pagoda finial *sōrin…

Lit. "willow leaf shelf."
A single decorative shelf constructed a little below the cabinets, tenbukuro 天袋,…