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JAANUS

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  • (-) Decorations (43)
  • Architecture (43)
  • Art History (2)
  • Painting (2)
  • Roofing Tiles (1)

Displaying 1 - 43 of 43
Title Contains Image(s) Description Keywords
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
hafu kazari kanagu 破風飾金具

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

Architecture, Decorations
hakokanagu 箱金具 Also hakokanamono 箱金物, *makikanagu 巻金具, makikanamono 巻金物. U-strap, strap, stirrup.… Architecture, Decorations
hanaguri 鼻繰

A generic name for moldings *kurigata 繰形, used on the edge of bracket arms *…

Architecture, Decorations
hanaikada 花筏

Lit. flower raft. A decorative, floral pattern popular in the Momoyama period. The design is said to be derived from a…

Architecture, Decorations
hanakumiko 花組子

Also hanako 花子. Decorative petal-shaped muntins found on doors *shōji…

Architecture, Decorations
hanaranma 花欄間

Also called hanasama ranma 花狭間欄間 or *hanazama 花狭間. A…

Architecture, Decorations
hanazama 花狭間 ✓

Also hanasama.



1 A type of foliate panel *…

Architecture, Decorations
hassō kanagu 八双金具 ✓

Also called hassō kanamono 八双金物; sakawa kanagu 逆輪金具 or saba-no-o 鯖の尾. Lit. twin…

Architecture, Decorations
hi-no-de dana 日出棚 A type of decorative closet against a wall, with two small doored compartments resting on the floor and a round window… Architecture, Decorations
hire 鰭 ✓

Lit. fins. A decorative sculpted form found, for example, on the left and right of a gable pendant *…

Architecture, Decorations
hon'yamato 本大和 An abbreviation of hon'yamatokaki 本大和掻. Also pronounced hon'yamatogaki. A type of decoration used on teahouses with an… Architecture, Decorations
hōō 鳳凰

1 A phoenix. A mythical Chinese bird, thought to have been introduced to Japan in the Asuka period. The…

Architecture, Painting, Decorations, Art History
horimono 彫物

1 The skills, process, and work of carving in wood, bamboo, stone, metal, or other materials. It also…

Architecture, Decorations
hōsōge karakusa 宝相華唐草

1 Abbreviation of hōsōge karakusamon 宝相華唐草文. A type of Chinese arabesque design *…

Architecture, Decorations, Roofing Tiles
sagiashi 鷺足

Also sagi-no-ashi. Lit. "heron's leg." A type of long, curved leg found on a Chinese style desk, tōzukue…

Architecture, Decorations
sakakibashira 逆木柱 ✓

Also sakabashira 逆柱 or sakasabashira 逆さ柱. Lit. "upside down pillar."
1 An upside down…

Architecture, Decorations
samidare 五月雨

Lit. "fifth month rain." A geometric pattern used for fretwork muntins. The design is inspired by early summer rain, …

Architecture, Decorations
san'yō 三葉

Lit. "three leaves." A decorative pattern carved into the shape of three leaves; used particularly for metal fittings found…

Architecture, Decorations
sannojikuzushi 三の字崩 ✓

A type of decorative pattern used for muntins on transoms *ranma 欄間. The design…

Architecture, Decorations
sasaguri 笹繰

Concave curves carved out of the upper surface of the bracket arms *hijiki…

Architecture, Decorations
sasakanamono 笹金物 ✓

Lit. "bamboo-grass metal fitting." A long, narrow, metal fitting *kanagu 金具,…

Architecture, Decorations
sayagata 紗綾形 ✓

A design pattern of interlocking swastikas, manji 万字 (卍). Most sources agree that the term (a contraction of sa…

Architecture, Decorations
seifun 正吻 ✓

Also shifun 蚩吻. A decoration in the shape of a fictional animal found at each end of a main roof-ridge *…

Architecture, Decorations
seigaiha 青海波 ✓

1 Also pronounced seikaiha. A wave design made of the arches of concentric circles superimposed…

Art History, Painting, Decorations, Architecture
senjōmon 線条文

Lit. "line pattern." A design pattern found on a slanting strut *shirin 支輪,…

Architecture, Decorations
shakudō 赤銅

Lit. "gold bronze." Ornamental metal fittings *kazari kanagu …

Architecture, Decorations
shakujōbori 錫杖彫 ✓

Also shakujōbori 釈杖彫, yuengata 油煙形. A type of decorative carving *…

Architecture, Decorations
shibi 鴟尾 ✓

Also written 鵄尾, 蚩尾, 鮪; also called tobi-no-o 鴟の尾, kutsugata 沓形 (shoes tile) because it is thought to…

Architecture, Decorations
shichiyō 七葉

Lit. "seven leaves." A decoration in the shape of seven petals, used on a gable pendant *…

Architecture, Decorations
shide 四出

A decorative motif that is characterized by a central flower pattern surrounded by either a flower or leaf pattern that is…

Architecture, Decorations
shikami 顰 ✓

An abbreviation for *shikamibori 顰彫. Formerly also written shikami 獅噛. The…

Architecture, Decorations
shikamibori 顰彫

Often abbreviated as *shikami 顰. The gouged-out or indented part of a moulding *…

Architecture, Decorations
shiken ikka 四間一花

Also ikka shiken 一花四間. A type of decorative flower pattern painted on coffered ceilings. Coffers *…

Architecture, Decorations
shiracha-iro 白茶色

Lit. "white-brown color." Also shiracha 白茶. A light brown color.

Architecture, Decorations
shiratsuchi-nuri 白土塗

To paint a surface with plaster *shikkui 漆喰, or a plastered surface.

Architecture, Decorations
shishibana 獅子鼻 ✓

A style of nosing *kibana 木鼻 carved to resemble the head and…

Architecture, Decorations
shiyō 四葉 ✓

Lit. "four leaves." Abbreviation of *shiyōza 四葉座. A decorative pattern carved…

Architecture, Decorations
shiyōza 四葉座 ✓

Also read yotsubaza. A metal nailhead cover *kugikakushi 釘隠 with…

Architecture, Decorations
shōgon 荘厳

The ornamentation of a Buddhist hall. A Buddhist statue made in a dignified and beautiful style by adding features such as a…

Architecture, Decorations
sudarezama 簾狭間

Also sudaresama. A transom *ranma 欄間, with openwork…

Architecture, Decorations
sukashi kaerumata 透蟇股 ✓

Also called *kurinuki kaerumata 刳抜蟇股. A frog-leg strut that is…

Architecture, Decorations
sutemayu 捨眉

A type of molding *kurigata 繰形 incised on the lower edge of a…

Architecture, Decorations

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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