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  • (-) Architecture (534)
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  • General Terms (207)
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  • Painting (1)
  • Roofing Tiles (28)
  • Sculpture (6)
  • Shrines (34)
  • Storehouses (3)
  • Structures (36)
  • Tea Houses (34)
  • Tools (10)

Displaying 1 - 100 of 534
Title Contains Image(s) Description Keywords
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.
A mausoleum in which the spirit of the dead is enshrined. It may be…

Architecture, Shrines
renben 蓮弁

Lit. "lotus petal."
1 A pendant *gatō 瓦当, found on semi-…

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."

1 A window with vertical or horizontal wooden laths or…

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."
The ancient word for garden. Rinsen first appeared in the 720 Nihon shoki…

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.
2 A nobleman's…

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.
2 A passageway…

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.
1 Level building timbers.
…

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.
A flying rafter…

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
ryōanjigaki 龍安寺垣 ✓

A type of bamboo fence used at Ryōanji 龍安寺, a Zen temple in Kyoto. It is characterized by thick split bamboo that cross…

Architecture, Gardens
ryōbanoko 両歯鋸 ✓

A double-edged utility saw. A widely used saw which has rip-saw teeth on one side of the blade and crosscut teeth on the…

Architecture, Tools
ryōbiraki 両開

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

Architecture, General Terms
ryōbu torii 両部鳥居 ✓

Also called yotsuashi torii 四脚鳥居, gongen torii 権現鳥居 or chigobashira torii 稚児柱鳥居. A Shinto shrine…

Architecture, Shrines
ryōkusabi 両楔

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

Architecture, General Terms
ryokuyūgawara 緑釉瓦

Lit. "green-glazed roof tiles." A decorative green glaze is applied to the pendants *gatō…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles
ryōmengaki 両面垣

Also ryōmegaki 両目垣. An interlocking bamboo fence. Bamboo, about 3 cm in diameter, are cut in half vertically and…

Architecture, Gardens
ryōnagare-zukuri 両流造

Also abbreviated to ryōnagare 両流. A style of main sanctuary *honden…

Architecture, Shrines
ryōri-no-ma 料理の間

1 The part of the kitchen where the finishing stages of food preparation took place and where meals were…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings, Folk Dwellings
ryōsage 両下

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

Architecture, General Terms
ryōsage-zukuri 両下造

A gable roof *kirizuma-zukuri 切妻造, which has no gable…

Architecture, Shrines
ryōtei 涼亭

A summer house, arbor or pavilion that provided a cool resting place in a garden.

Architecture, Gardens
ryūchishiki teien 竜池式庭園

Lit. "dragon pond style." A type of garden featuring a sharply curving pond reminiscent of a dragon's serpentine body. Good…

Architecture, Gardens
ryūgū-zukuri 竜宮造 ✓

Lit. "dragon palace style." An uncommon double-storied gate. The lower story has a flat arched entrance whereby the same…

Architecture, Gates
ryūmonbaku 竜門瀑

Lit. "dragon's gate cascade." One type of cascade *baku 瀑 found in Japanese…

Architecture, Gardens
ryūsha 竜車

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

Architecture, General Terms
ryūsui kanshōshiki teien 流水観賞式庭園

Lit. "flowing water appreciation style garden."
A general term used to designate any garden focused around a stream.…

Architecture, Gardens
ryūsuishiki chisen 流水式池泉

Lit. "flowing water style of pond and stream."
A type of water feature in a garden that includes a curving water course.…

Architecture, Gardens
ryūyōdana 柳葉棚 ✓

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

Architecture, General Terms
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
san-no-tsuji 桟の辻

The junction points on a door or window frame where the top rail *kamigamachi…

Architecture, General Terms
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
sanbari 桟梁 ✓

The transverse beams placed in a row at right angle to the large header beams *kabuki…

Architecture, General Terms
sandandaki 三段滝

Lit. "three-stage waterfall." One common type of garden waterfall. Through the arrangement of earth and rocks, the waterfall…

Architecture, Gardens
sando 桟戸 ✓

A simple door made of vertical planks with horizontal cross members that are about as wide as the vertical ties placed…

Architecture, General Terms
sane 実

1 A structural element or tenon that projects out from the end of a board, post, or beam. Such projecting…

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