GLOSSARY OF JAPANESE TERMS

D

daimyo: A samurai lord, usually the ruler of a province and/or the head of a samurai clan.

F

futon: A thin padded mattress, small and pliable enough to be folded and stored out of sight during the day.

H

hakama: Loose, pleated pants worn over kimono or beneath a tunic or surcoat.

I

ichibancha: “first picked tea”—tea leaves picked in April or early May, during the first picking of the season. Ichibancha is considered the highest quality, and most flavorful, type of tea.

J

jitte: A long wooden or metal nightstick with a forward-pointing hook at the top of the hand grip; carried by dōshin as both a weapon and a symbol of office.

K

kami: The Japanese word for “god” or “divine spirit”; used to describe gods, the spirits inhabiting natural objects, and certain natural forces of divine origin.

kanzashi: a type of hairpin worn by women in medieval Japan.

katana: The longer of the two swords worn by a samurai. (The shorter one is the wakizashi.)

kimono: Literally, “a thing to wear.” A full-length wraparound robe traditionally worn by Japanese people of all ages and genders.

koban: A gold coin that came into widespread use in Japan during the later medieval period.

kunoichi: A female shinobi.

kyogen: A traditional form of Japanese theater, featuring comic or satirical plays, which was traditionally performed between nō plays. Kyogen actors were lower-ranked socially, and within the theater guilds, than actors who performed in nō.

M

miso: A traditional Japanese food paste made from fermented soybeans (or, sometimes, rice or barley).

N

nō (sometimes written nô or noh): A Japanese dramatic form, where the plays (customarily performed by all-male casts wearing masks) retold traditional Japanese stories through stylized recitation, song, and dance.

noren: A traditional Japanese doorway hanging, with a slit cut up the center to permit passage.

O

obi: A wide sash wrapped around the waist to hold a kimono closed, worn by people of all ages and genders.

oe: The large central living space in a Japanese home, which featured a sunken hearth and often served as a combination of kitchen, reception room, and living space.

ōtsuzumi: A hand-held, hourglass-shaped drum; one of the three types of drums used to accompany nō drama.

P

Pontochō: One of Kyoto’s hanamachi (literally, a “flower town”), a district containing geisha houses, teahouses, brothels, restaurants, and similar businesses.

R

ronin: A masterless samurai.

ryu: Literally, “school.” Shinobi clans used this term as a combination identifier and association name. (Hattori Hiro is a member of the Iga ryu.)

S

sake (also saké): An alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.

-sama: A suffix used to show even higher respect than -san.

samurai: A member of the medieval Japanese nobility, the warrior caste that formed the highest-ranking social class.

-san: A suffix used to show respect.

seppuku: A form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment, originally used only by samurai.

shinobi: Literally, “shadowed person.” Shinobi is the Japanese pronunciation of the characters that many Westerners pronounce “ninja.” (“Ninja” is based on a Chinese pronunciation.)

shite: The term for the leading actor in a nō drama.

shogun: The military dictator and commander who acted as de facto ruler of medieval Japan.

shogunate: a name for the shogun’s government and/or the compound where the shogun lived.

shoji: a sliding door, usually consisting of a wooden frame with oiled paper panels.

shuriken: An easily concealed, palm-sized weapon made of metal and often shaped like a cross or star, which shinobi used for throwing or as a hand-held weapon in close combat.

T

tabi: An ankle-length Japanese sock with a separation between the big toe and other toes to facilitate the use of sandals and other traditional Japanese footwear.

tanto: A fixed-blade dagger with a single or double-edged blade measuring six to twelve inches (15-30 cm) in length.

tatami: A traditional Japanese mat-style floor covering made in standard sizes, with the length measuring precisely twice its width. Tatami usually contained a straw core covered with grass or rushes.

tokonoma: A decorative alcove or recessed space set into the wall of a Japanese room. The tokonoma typically held a piece of art, a flower arrangement, or a hanging scroll.

torii: A traditional, stylized Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance to Shinto shrines.

U

udon: A type of thick wheat flour noodle, often served hot in soup or broth.

umeboshi: Pickled plums; a favorite Japanese snack that dates to medieval times.

W

waki: The term for a supporting actor in a nō drama.

wakizashi: The shorter of the two swords worn by a samurai. (The longer one is the katana.)

For additional cultural information, expanded definitions, and author’s notes, visit http://www.susanspann.com