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JAANUS

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  • (-) Architecture (540)
  • Accessories (2)
  • Aristocratic Dwellings (12)
  • Art History (7)
  • Buildings (41)
  • Castles (27)
  • Decorations (30)
  • Document (4)
  • Folk Dwellings (22)
  • Gardens (46)
  • Gates (21)
  • General Terms (204)
  • Iconography (1)
  • Joints (18)
  • Lanterns (7)
  • Measurement (9)
  • Painting (2)
  • Roofing Tiles (29)
  • Sculpture (5)
  • Shrines (32)
  • Storehouses (3)
  • Structures (40)
  • Tea Houses (32)
  • Tools (11)

Displaying 1 - 100 of 540
Title Contains Image(s) Description Keywords
jabara ita 蛇腹板 ✓

Lit. snake belly board. The boards lined up under the thick eave ends nokizuke 軒付 of a cypress bark *…

Architecture, General Terms
jabara 蛇腹

Lit. snake's belly.

1 A cornice. Called nokijabara 軒蛇腹, at the eaves of a building and …

Architecture, General Terms
jabara shirin 蛇腹支輪 ✓

Also called honshirin 本支輪 (main shirin). A short, curved, non-supporting transitional member that connects…

Architecture, General Terms
jabara tenjō 蛇腹天井 ✓

Lit. snake belly ceiling. An open or exposed ceiling composed of curved, parallel rafters, thought to resemble a snake's…

Architecture, General Terms
jabaragawa 蛇腹皮

Lit. snake skin. The boards lined up under the thick eave ends nokizuke 軒付 of a cypress bark *…

Architecture, General Terms
jari 砂利

Gravel, small stones, or pebbles. A corrupted form of sazare 細 meaning tiny stones. Jari have been given…

Architecture, General Terms
jibuki 地葺

The traditional method of laying or setting tiles on the sheathing *noji 野地 of…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
jibukuro 地袋 ✓

A small cabinet with sliding doors at the bottom of open, often split-level shelves *…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings
jibutsudō 持仏堂

Also called *butsuma 仏間.

1 Small, private buildings or…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jichinsai 地鎮祭

Also called chinjisai 鎮地祭; jisai 地祭, jiiwai 地祝, tsuchimatsuri 土祭 or tokoshizume no…

Architecture, Shrines
jidaruki 地垂木

Also called omodaruki 母垂木. A base rafter that extends outward from the roof framework, generally the eave purlin *…

Architecture, General Terms
jien hikaku 地円飛角 ✓

Also read chien hikaku. Double eaves *futanoki 二軒, composed of base…

Architecture, General Terms
jifuku 地覆

1 A sleeper. The lowermost horizontal beam that spans the width of a bay *…

Architecture, General Terms
jifuku-ishi 地覆石

Also written 地幅石. A long horizontal base stone, sometimes called a sleeper, or a continuous plinth course. It is placed at…

Architecture, General Terms
jifuku nageshi 地覆長押 Also jinageshi 地長押. A non-penetrating tie beam that is shaped to fit snugly around the base of a pillar.
Architecture, General Terms
jigokuhozo 地獄ほぞ ✓

Lit. hell tenon. So named because once it is inserted, it is impossible to withdraw. A blind tenon joint with wedges *…

Architecture, Joints
jigyō 地業

Also 地形 chikei. The preliminary foundation work on a building. Materials for this include: rubble *…

Architecture, General Terms
jihiro 地火炉

Also read jikaro.

1 A hearth *ro 炉 excavated in…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings, Folk Dwellings
jikidō 食堂

Also called saidō 斎堂. A refectory. An independent building on temple grounds where priests and monks had their…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jiku 軸

1 A roller used for a hanging scroll *kakemono 掛物 or hand…

Art History, Painting, Tea Houses, Architecture
jikuana 軸穴

Also 軸孔; jikuzuriana 軸吊穴; jiku uke 軸受; tobira jikuana 扉軸穴. The socket into which the pivot hinge…

Architecture, General Terms
jikubu 軸部

The framework or body of a building between the foundation and the roof structure. In traditional architecture it includes…

Architecture, General Terms
jikukakekugi 軸掛釘

Also jikukugi 軸釘, kakemonokugi 掛物釘. A hook for hanging scrolls, *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
jikuzuri 軸吊 ✓

Also written 軸釣, 軸摺. Pivot hinge. A metal covered wooden-core pivot inserted into a socket *…

Architecture, General Terms
jimune 地棟

A base ridge.

1 A longitudinal timber plate resting upon the principal transverse roof beams *…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jinaimachi 寺内町

Also jinaichō. A type of religious township that developed in the Sengoku period in connection mainly with temples…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jingūji 神宮寺

Also called jingoji 神護寺, jingū'in 神宮院, jinganji 神願寺, miyadera 宮寺, or bettōji…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jinja kenchiku 神社建築

Lit. shrine architecture. The architecture associated with Shinto shrines, including all the shrine buildings, shaden…

Architecture, Shrines
jinja 神社 ✓

A generic name for a Shinto shrine. Before World War Two shrines were classified into five categorize: first rank, …

Architecture, Shrines
jinjiro 陣城

Lit. camp fortress. A temporary fortification constructed on a battlefield or stopping-place by armies on the march, used…

Architecture, Castles
jinuki 地貫

Also called shimonuki 下貫. A penetrating tie beam at the base of a pillar or a tie beam beneath a building's…

Architecture, General Terms
jiro 地炉

Also *ro 炉

1 A hearth constructed in an earth…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jishin bansho 自身番所

The office or guardroom provided in each city ward *machi 町, in the city of Edo…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jisumigi 地隅木

A base hip rafter found at the corners of a roof. Ordinary rafters *jidaruki…

Architecture, General Terms
jizaikagi 自在鈎 ✓

A pothook. A device that enables a pot nabe 鍋 or tea kettle tetsubin 鉄瓶 to be suspended over a sunken…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings, Tea Houses
jizō gōshi 地蔵格子

A latticed door made with both horizontal and vertical laths at the same surface level. There are no recessed laths nailed…

Architecture, General Terms
jizōdō 地蔵堂 ✓

A temple hall where the Buddhist deity *Jizō 地蔵 (Sk. Ksitigarbha) is…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jō 畳

Also written 帖.

1 A counter for screens *byōbu 屏風 and…

Architecture, General Terms
jō 丈

A unit of linear measure that equals 3.03 meters or about 10 feet. Equivalent to 10 shaku 尺. Although the metric…

Architecture, Measurement
jōdan 上段 ✓

A dais or a part of the floor in aristocratic dwellings of the *shoin 書院 style,…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings
Jōdo sanmandara 浄土三曼荼羅

Lit. three Pure Land Mandalas. Traditionally refers to the three most famous types of *…

Architecture, Iconography
jōdo teien 浄土庭園

Lit. Pure Land garden. Large pond gardens at Pure Land Buddhist temples which recreate the palatial garden of *…

Architecture, Gardens
Jōdodō 浄土堂

Lit. Pure Land Hall. The main hall of the Shingon 真言 sect temple of Jōdoji 浄土寺 in Hyōgo Prefecture, dedicated to *…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
Jōgan gishiki 貞観儀式

The Jōgan gishiki is a ten volume collection of ceremony regulations compiled by Fujiwara Ujimune 藤原氏宗 by order of…

Architecture, General Terms
Jōge nidanshiki teien 上下二段式庭園

Lit. upper-lower, two-step style garden. A modern term designating a common type of bipartite garden featuring a small pond…

Architecture, Gardens
jōgi 定規 ✓

A gauge used to confirm the straightness of structural members. A structural member is placed between the two boards of the…

Architecture, Tools
jōgo zukuri 漏斗造

Also called jōgomune 漏斗棟. A roof-style found on vernacular houses *minka…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jōgyōdō 常行堂

Also called jōgyō sanmaidō 常行三昧堂. A hall where a devotee walks around a statue of the *…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jōi 上居

Also written 常居.

1 A principal everyday living room in traditional vernacular houses *…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jōjōdan 上々段 ✓

A relatively small space elevated one step higher than the *jōdan 上段,…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings
jōkamachi 城下町

Lit. town below the castle. A castle town. A town's fortress was located as a rule in a mountain, while the accompanying…

Architecture, Castles
Jōmeimon 承明門 ✓

Also read Shōmeimon, called *Kōmon 閤門. A large, single-storied gate…

Architecture, Gates
jōōgata tōrō 紹鴎形灯籠

A lantern with a canopy and a square fire holder higuchi 火口 supported below the middle base by a single natural…

Architecture, Lanterns
jorinmoku  如鱗杢

Also 如鱗木, gyorinmoku 魚鱗木. Lit. curly wood-grain.
A beautiful, natural, wood grain, mokuri 木理, found on…

Architecture, Decorations
jōsaku 城柵

1 A fence around a castle. See *saku 柵.

…

Architecture, Castles
jōsei kidan  上成基壇 ✓

The upper level of a two-stepped podium *nijū kidan 二重基壇. The lower level is…

Architecture, General Terms
jōshikō ganna 上仕工鉋

Special finishing plane. A smoothing plane used in the final stages of wood preparation to get a glossy surface on timber,…

Architecture, Tools
jōya 上屋

Lit. upper house. Principal part of farmhouse structure. The central portion of the cross-section of the structural frame in…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jōyabari 上屋梁

Principal transverse beam. The beam that receives the diagonal braces at the end of a gable roof. It also supports the ridge…

Architecture, General Terms
jōyabashira 上屋柱

1 The posts which support the ends of the principal transverse beams *…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jōyageta 上屋桁

The purlins or plates *keta 桁, supported on the main frame posts *…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
jōzadoko 上座床

Lit. upper seat alcove. Also read kamizadoko. An alcove *tokonoma…

Architecture, Tea Houses
jū 重

A story or level of a building, used especially in reference to a pagoda. For example, a *…

Architecture, Measurement
jūben rengemon 重弁蓮華文 ✓

A roof tile style with a lotus pattern with double layered petals. The additional petals are placed between the leaf sprout…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
jūben 重弁

A layered petal motif with one or more petals superimposed one on top of another. It is found on some pendants *…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
jūbō 住房

The earliest (6th-12th century) Buddhist living quarters for priests' and monks. Arranged outside the sacred area containing…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jūhozo  重ほぞ ✓

Also called kasanehozo 重ねほぞ; also ryōhozo 両ほぞ. Lit. a stacked tenon. A tenon with a 2-stepped broad…

Architecture, Joints
Jūjūtō 十重塔

A unique, ten-story stone pagoda *sekitō 石塔 at Injōji 引接寺(1386) in Kyoto.…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jūkenmon 重圏文

A pattern composed of concentric circles on a pendant *gatō 瓦当 and parallel…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
jukōgata tōrō 珠光形灯籠

Also read shukōgata tōrō. Also written shikōgata 四光形. A type of lantern with a gently rounded canopy…

Architecture, Lanterns
jūkomon nokihiragawara 重弧文軒平瓦 ✓

A pattern of parallel lines decorating the pendant *gatō 瓦当 of a broad,…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
jun'yokoya 順横矢

Lit. regular side arrow.

1 An arrow, gun or cannon attack from inside a castle on the left side of…

Architecture, Castles
jūsanjū-no-tō  十三重の塔 ✓

A thirteen-storied pagoda. The only wooden thirteen-storied pagoda extant is located at Danzan Jinja 談山神社 (1532) in Nara.…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
jūsōmon 重層門

Lit. a gate of more than one story. Jūsōmon is a gate with a large roof over the entire structure. A balcony,…

Architecture, Gates
jūyōsoben rengemon 十葉素弁蓮華文

The decorative pattern of a ten-petalled flower which is used on roof tiles, particularly on round eaves tiles *…

Architecture, Decorations
sabi さび

Also written 寂.
1 An idea of beauty particularly important in the tea ceremony and haiku 俳句…

Art History, Architecture, General Terms
sabikabe 錆壁 The finishing coat on a wall that consists of iron rust mixed with clay or plaster. Originally, old nails were boiled, and… Architecture, General Terms
sadōguchi 茶道口 ✓

Also written 茶堂口, 茶頭口; also chatateguchi 茶立口, or *katteguchi 勝手口.…

Architecture, Tea Houses
sagefuri 下振

Also called shōjiki 正直. A plumb line with a plumb bob, furiko 振子, at the lower end. The plumb bob is a…

Architecture, Tools
sagekiri 下げ切

A little used placement of the firebox *ro 炉, in a tea ceremony room *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
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
saiben rengemon 細弁蓮華文

Lit. "narrow petal lotus motif." A motif with as many as twelve or sixteen narrow petals found on some circular pendant…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
Saiendō 西円堂 ✓

An octagonal hall at Hōryūji 法隆寺, Nara, which was destroyed by a typhoon in 1050. The structure was rebuilt in 1250. It is…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
saijō 斎場

1 An area temporarily purified to erect temporary buildings and facilities for performing the *…

Architecture, Shrines
saikan 斎館

Also *kandachi 神館, shinkan 神館.
1 At Ise Jingū…

Architecture, Shrines
saikondō 西金堂

An image hall *kondō 金堂 situated to the west of a pagoda in temple grounds.…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
Saimon 西門

An eight-legged *hakkyakumon 八脚門, 3-bay wide, 1-entrance gate with a gable…

Architecture, Gates
Saimyōji shiorido 西明寺枝折戸

Lit. "Saimyōji 西明寺-style latticed bamboo door." One type of raised lattice door *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
sakadono 酒殿 ✓

Also misakedono 御酒殿; the prefix mi 御 is an honorific.
1 A shrine building specific to…

Architecture, Shrines
sakakibashira 逆木柱 ✓

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

Architecture, Decorations
sakazukimendo 杯面戸 ✓

Also written 盃面戸. Sometimes called goki 呉器 or gokibame 呉器羽目. The space created between small bearing…

Architecture, General Terms
saku-itabei 柵板塀

A fence supported by posts along its rear side, usually with more than four posts per one bay. The facing boards are placed…

Architecture, General Terms
saku 柵

1 Fence. Read ki (also written 城) in the ancient period. A palisade of stakes aligned at regular…

Architecture, Castles
Sakuheimon 朔平門 ✓

The Sakuheimon is the center gate on the north side of Kyoto Gosho 京都御所, during the end of the Heian period. It can be seen…

Architecture, Gates
Sakuteiki 作庭記

Lit. "Treatise on Garden Making." The oldest and most revered Japanese text on garden design, it was probably…

Architecture, Gardens, Document
sama 狭間 ✓

Also read hasama. A loophole or porthole made in the wall of the keep, tower, or parapet to allow a castle to…

Architecture, Castles
samakubari 狭間配

Lit. "loophole distribution." The number of loopholes per two meter (one ken 間) interval in a castle. Also refers…

Architecture, Castles
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
samisentsugi 三味線継 ✓ A wooden splicing joint used for a beam. The length of the joint is 3x the height of the beam and the tenon *… Architecture, Joints
samon 砂紋

Also read shamon. Lit. "sand crest." The technique of making a pattern or design in sand or gravel. The creation of…

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