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  • (-) Architecture (153)
  • Aristocratic Dwellings (3)
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  • Buildings (7)
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  • General Terms (55)
  • Joints (4)
  • Lanterns (5)
  • Measurement (1)
  • Painting (2)
  • Roofing Tiles (5)
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  • Shrines (9)
  • Storehouses (1)
  • Structures (7)
  • Tea Houses (11)
  • Tools (3)

Displaying 1 - 100 of 153
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-kabe 来迎壁 ✓

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

Architecture, General Terms
raigōbashira 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
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
uchi-umadashi 内馬出

Lit. "inner horse exit." A defensive installation *umadashi 馬出 constructed to fortify the…

Architecture, Castles
uchibori 内堀

1 The inner moat of a castle that has two or more moats.

2 The moat dug on the…

Architecture, Castles
uchidashinomi 打出し鑿

A strike-through chisel. Normally, when constructing a pass-through mortise, the timber is carved away from both sides with…

Architecture, Tools
uchigenkan 内玄関

A subordinate entry in houses possessing a formal guest entry *genkan 玄関, and…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings, Folk Dwellings
uchiguruwa 内郭

Also read naikaku. Also called naijō 内城. An inner compound. Generally, it refers to the central…

Architecture, Castles
uchikaeshi 打返し

Also pronounced uttegaeshi 打って返し, utasegaeshi 打たせ返し. Perfect symmetry on both sides of a center line…

Architecture, General Terms
uchikomihagi 打込矧ぎ ✓

Lit. "pounded and inserted stone joinery." The most common stone work technique used to build a dry construction castle wall…

Architecture, Castles
uchikorobi 内転

Pillars *hashira 柱 with an inward incline. Uchikorobi…

Architecture, General Terms
uchikoshi daruki ✓

Rafters *taruki 垂木 that extend from the flying rafter support *…

Architecture, General Terms
uchimasugata 内桝形

Lit. "inner square box." A type of walled compound *masugata 桝形…

Architecture, Castles
uchinori 内法 ✓

1 The inside measurement between the inner sides of two posts or pillars *…

Architecture, Measurement
uchinorinuki 内法貫

A penetrating tie beam *nuki 貫 placed directly on top of a door or…

Architecture, General Terms
uchinorizai 内法材

Also called uchinorimono 内法物. The wooden materials used for the framework of a sliding screen *…

Architecture, General Terms
uchiroji 内露地

Inner tea garden. The part of the double tea garden nijū roji 二重露地, between the middle gate *…

Architecture, Tea Houses
uchisoto hachimonji 内外八文字

A type of loophole *sama 狭間. An opening in a wall for soldiers to…

Architecture, Castles
udatsu 卯立 ✓

Also written 卯建, 宇立, うだつ; all read udachi, odatsu, or odachi.

1 A term…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
udatsubashira うだつ柱

1 A wide post at the interface between the earth-floored space *doma…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
udatsuya うだつ屋

1 A rudimentary thatched dwelling hut or ancillary structure with a gable roof *…

Architecture, Folk Dwellings
udegi 腕木

1 A relatively short horizontal timber that functions like a brace. It is attached to and extends outward…

Architecture, General Terms
udegimon 腕木門 ✓

Also called *kidomon 木戸門. A simple gate with two main posts…

Architecture, Gates
uganju 拝所

An open site, generally in Okinawa, devoid of any kind of structure, from where the gods are worshipped. Most sites are…

Architecture, Buildings, Structures
uguisubari 鴬張

Lit. "nightingale floor." Floor boards which rub together when walked on to produce a pleasant and delicate sound. This type…

Architecture, General Terms
uguisugaki 鴬垣

Lit. "bush warbler fence." A common type of rustic sleeve fence *sodegaki…

Architecture, Gardens
ukebana 受花 ✓

Also written 請花, 受華, 請華; sometimes pronounced ukehana. Flower-shaped support. A support in the shape of an open,…

Architecture, Sculpture, Decorations, Art History
ukedai 受台

Also *chūdai 中台. Middle base.

Architecture, Gardens
ukegi 受木

A generic term for all supporting or receiving structural members. For example, a timber that receives an eave cornice is…

Architecture, General Terms
ukeza 受座

The indentation in the middle of the base *kiso 基礎 of a lantern…

Architecture, Lanterns
umadashi koguchi 馬出虎口

A main castle gate *koguchi 虎口 with a small barrier or compound…

Architecture, Castles
umadashi 馬出

A castle entrance barrier. A small barrier or compound, built in front of a castle gate *…

Architecture, Castles
umaya 馬屋 ✓

A stable. Also written 厩. Also maya 馬屋 or 厩, keiya けいや, and kyūsha 厩舎. Applied to both a…

Architecture, Aristocratic Dwellings, Folk Dwellings
umebachi gegyo 梅鉢懸魚 ✓

A gable pendant *gegyo 懸魚 with an irregular hexagonal shape. The…

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