Twelve Views from the Distance

Glossary

234 x Glossary amado: literally, “rain doors.” In traditional Japanese architecture, amado are sliding wooden doors on the outside of a house that protect it from cold, the elements, or intruders. People would often slide them to the side during the day in order to let in light and warmth from the outside. Amida: the Buddha (enlightened being), who is often believed to come to get people on their deathbed in order to release them from the cycle of rebirth and take them to the Western Paradise. Banzai: literally,“ten thousand years.”During World War II, soldiers were educated to shout“His Majesty, Banzai!” while charging into battle. bentō: a Japanese-style boxed meal. A bentō box typically contains a large compartment of rice plus smaller sections of bite-sized portions of other foods. biwa: a stringed instrument held vertically on the lap and played with a large, pointed plectrum. bunraku: a form of Japanese theater from the seventeenth century with large, articulated puppets onstage instead of live actors. Because it was so popular, much of the great theater written in Japan from the seventeenth century onward was written for the bunraku stage. -chan: a diminutive suffix attached to a name, usually to show affection or endearment. It may be affixed to just the first syllable or sound of a person’s name. The name Mutsuo might become Mut-chan or Haruko might become Haa-chan. In southern Japan, where Takahashi grew up, this word was sometimes pronounced yan. 235 Glossary The Chronicle of the Great Peace (Taiheiki): a semifictional history of the era of the northern and southern Courts (1331–92). The text was read aloud and therefore has many oral elements, including songs. Citizens’ School: in 1941, the Japanese government changed the system of grade school and gave it this new label. In the new system, elementary school lasted for six years, and high school lasted for two years. daikon: this word simply means “radish,” but the kind most common in Japan is a mild,white radish often as long as two or three feet in length. Because daikons keep for a relatively long time before spoiling, they were a good product for poor, prewar families without iceboxes. Empress Kōgō (1884–1951): the wife of the Emperor Taishō, who reigned from 1912 until 1926.She was the mother of the Emperor Shōwa (often known in the West by his given name Hirohito), who was on the throne from 1926 to 1989. Enma-san: according to traditional folklore, Enma-san was the judge who determined how long people would stay in Hell, which was a frightening place full of mountains of needles, pools of blood, and demons with torture devices. Fudō Myōō: the Buddhist deity known in Sanskrit as Acala. He is believed to protect Buddhism and its believers by destroying delusion. He is often depicted with a muscular body surrounded by a halo of fire, carrying a sword in one hand and a rope in the other. furoshiki: a fairly large square of cloth used to wrap packages, lunch boxes, or other things. After a special celebration in Japan, hosts will often offer small gifts,such as furoshiki, as a thank-you gesture to their guests. fusuma: a sliding door made of solid wood covered with paper. In traditional Japanese architecture, fusuma typically divided rooms inside the house or served as closet doors. hiragana: the set of phonetic Japanese syllables most often used in modern Japan to write Japanese words. 236 Glossary Inari: the Shintō fox god associated with harvests. ink stone: a stone used in calligraphy. People place a small puddle of water in an ink stone and rub an ink stick in it to create the dark ink used in East Asian calligraphy. jikatabi: work shoes typically made of canvas with thin, flexible rubber soles. The big toe has a separate compartment from the other toes, ensuring better balance and footing while working on carpentry or building projects. jinbei: casual summer clothing consisting of a pair of long shorts and a thin, short-sleeved top that closes in a crisscross fashion across the chest. Jinbei are usually worn only by men. Jizō: the Buddhist bodhisattva known in Sanskrit as Ksitigarbha. He serves as a guide to lost souls and a protector of children. He is most often depicted in Japan with the shaved head of a priest, holding a jewel of wisdom...