The Ring of Earth - Chris Bradford [96]
hikyaku ‘Flying Feet’ (a courier)
honkyoku ‘original pieces’ of music for the shakuhachi flute
ikki goken the ‘five blades in one breath’ technique
inro little case for holding small objects
Jin ninja hand sign for reading the thoughts of others
kachimushi old word for dragonfly, lit. ‘victory bug’
kaginawa three-pronged grappling hook on a rope
Kai ninja hand sign for ‘sensing of danger’
kajutsu the Art of Fire
kama sickle-shaped weapon
kami spirits within objects in the Shinto faith
kanji the Chinese characters used in the Japanese writing system
kataginu winged, sleeveless jacket of the samurai
katana long sword
kenjutsu the Art of the Sword
kesagiri double diagonal cut
ki energy flow or life force (Chinese: chi or qi)
kissaki tip of sword
koan Buddhist question designed to stimulate intuition
Komusō Monk of Emptiness
kuji-in nine syllable seals – a specialized form of Buddhist and ninja meditation
kusarigama sickle and chain weapon
kyusho vital or nerve point on a human body
manriki-gusari chain weapon with two steel weights on the ends
menpō protective metal mask covering part or all of face
metsubishi blinding powder, used as ninja defence
mikan satsuma, orange citrus fruit
mikkyo secret teachings
mon family crest
mushin lit. ‘no-mindedness’
nagamaki large katana-style blade with an extended shaft.
nagare flow or roll
naginata long pole weapon with a curved blade on the end
nikkyō wristlock move in taijutsu
ninja Japanese assassin
ninjatō ninja sword
ninjutsu the Art of Stealth
ninniku the philosophy of the ninja, ‘cultivating a pure and compassionate heart’
Niten Ichi Ryū the ‘One School of Two Heavens’
nunchaku a weapon comprising two sticks connected at the ends by a short chain or rope
obi belt
ofuro bath
omamori Buddhist amulet to grant protection
origami the art of folding paper
Rin to meet or to face, but interpreted as strength for ninjutsu purposes
saké rice wine
sakura cherry-blossom tree
samurai Japanese warrior
sarugaku form of popular entertainment, similar to the modern-day circus,
saya scabbard
sayonara goodbye
sencha green tea
sensei teacher
Sha ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for ninjutsu purposes
shakuhachi Japanese bamboo flute
Shichi Hō De the ‘seven ways of going’ (disguises)
shikoro-ken sword with a saw-like edge, also known as the ‘Sword of Destruction’
shinobi another name for ninja, literally ‘stealer in’
shinobi aruki stealth, or silent, walking
shinobi shozoku the clothing of a ninja
shoji Japanese sliding door
shuko climbing claws
shuriken metal throwing stars
shuriken-jutsu the Art of the Shuriken
sohei warrior monks
soke title meaning ‘head of the family’ or grandmaster
sui-ren water training
suizen ‘blowing Zen’, practice of playing flute for self-enlightenment
tabi traditional Japanese socks
taijutsu the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat)
Ta-no-kami god of the rice fields
tantō knife
Taryu-Jiai inter-school martial arts competition
tatami floor matting
tengu a mythical Japanese devil bird or demon
tetsu-bishi small sharp iron spike
ukemi break falls
uki-ashi floating feet technique
wakizashi side-arm short sword
washi Japanese paper
yakitori grilled chicken on a stick
yamabushi Lit. ‘one who hides in the mountains’; Buddhist hermits who live in the mountains
Yama-no-kami god of the mountains
yukata summer kimono
Zai ninja hand sign for sky or elements control
zazen seated meditation
Japanese names usually consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world where the given name comes before the surname. In feudal Japan, names reflected a person’s social status and spiritual beliefs. Also, when addressing someone, san is added to that person’s surname (or given names in less formal situations) as a sign of courtesy, in the same way that we use Mr or Mrs in English, and for higher-status people sama is used. In Japan, sensei is usually added after a person’s name if they are a teacher, although in the Young Samurai books a traditional English order