Katōmado

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Katōmado, also called flower head window, is a tall, pointed-arch or bell-shaped window used in Japanese buildings. It came from China with Zen Buddhism and was part of Zen-style architecture. By the late 16th century it appeared in temples of other Buddhist sects, Shinto shrines, castles, and samurai homes. At first the window was simple, but over time the vertical frames widened and curves were added at the bottom. The kanji name changed from “fire window” to “flower head window” over the centuries. The oldest surviving example is in Engaku-ji’s Shariden in Kamakura, following the original style with straight verticals meeting the bottom. Another famous example is Genji-no-ma in the main hall of Ishiyama-dera in Shiga. Because of this, katōmado are also known as genjimado, the Genji window.