Glossary

I've lost track of what Japanese words are or aren't familiar to most non-Japanese people outside of Japan. I figure that most have heard of sushi, ramen, and matcha. But do most people know about the Shinkansen? What about bento? Do they know the difference between a typhoon and a tsunami?

So, for what it's worth, here is my attempt at a glossary of frequently-used Japanese words, at least for this blog.


Bakufu - The Tokugawa Shogunate, last feudal Japanese military government, 1603-1867

Bento - A boxed lunch. It could be home-made, or (more likely for me) store bought.

Bunka no hi - Culture Day, a national holiday in November.

Dango - A traditional confection that's like sweet mochi or bean paste dumplings

Goshuuinjou - A "pilgrim's book" for collecting stamps from shrines and temples

Hanabi - Fireworks (literally "fire flowers")

Hatsumode - The first shrine visit of the New Year, often at midnight on the 1st.

Higanbana - Red spider lilies. The Japanese name literally means "equinox flower."

Hondo - The Main Hall of a temple.

Heian Period - The last "classical" period of Japanese History, from 794 - 1185.

Karaage - Japanese fried chicken. Bite-sized, juicy, flavorful.

Koyo - Autumn foliage

Matcha - Tea made from powdered green tea leaves. Bitter and pungent.

Matsuri - A festival. May include parades, shrines, music, games, food stalls, rituals, etc.

Meiji Era - The time when Japan went from isolation to its modern form; 1868-1912. Named after the Emperor Meiji who ruled during that time.

Miko

Mochi - A sticky paste made from pounded glutinous rice, molded into balls or other shapes.

Monaka - A traditional confection of sweet bean paste inside a styrofoam-like pastry shell.

Mono Aware - one of the "untranslatables." A "melancholic appreciation of the transience of existence." See this article for a better description. See also wabi sabi.

Nomihoudai - All-you-can-drink. For a set period of time and a set price, from a limited menu.

Omamori - Charms, amulets sold at temples and shrines. For good luck, happiness, traffic safety etc.

Omikuji - Paper fortunes sold at temples and shrines. Sometimes in English, usually not.

Omiyage - Souvenirs, but of a slightly more obligatory nature

Onsen - Hot springs (for bathing)

Pizza-man - No, not the guy who delivers pizza. A steamed bread roll filled with pizza sauce and cheese, sold at most convenience stores.


Sakura - Cherry Blossoms

Senbei - Rice cakes/ crackers, but more than that. Sometimes savory, sometimes sweet.

Sengoku - A historical period of near-constant military conflict in Japan, from 1467 to 1603.

Sento - Public bath house

Shinkansen - Also known as the Bullet Train. The best way to travel, in my opinion.

Tabehoudai - All-you-can-eat. Sometimes buffet style, sometimes limited to a particular item.

Tabi - Socks or shoes with the big toe separated from the other four toes

Taiko - Japanese traditional drums

Tanuki - A Japanese racoon-dog, significant in folklore as a mischievous shape-shifting creature.

Temizuya - a fountain near the entrance of shrines and temples where visitors can cleanse their mouth and hands before worship

Torii - Large gates at temples and shrines

Torimochi - A festival food: pieces of karaage and mochi on a stick, drizzled with a sweet sauce.

Tsunami - seismic sea waves caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and explosions

Typhoon - a tropical cyclone in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. Typhoons are named by the RSMC. The JMA also assigns numbers to the typhoons that threaten Japan, and has a severity ranking of six levels, from Tropical Depression up to Violent Typhoon.

Wabi Sabi - one of the "untranslatables." A concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics regarding the appreciation of transience and imperfection. See Wikipedia and this article for better definitions. See also mono aware.