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dōshin Edo-period police officers of samurai origin (low rank)

futon Japanese bed: flat mattress placed directly on tatami flooring, and folded away during the day

gaijin foreigner, outsider (derogatory term)

geta traditional Japanese sandal with an elevated wooden base

hachimaki headbands, sometimes reinforced with metal strips

hakama traditional Japanese trousers

hamon artistic pattern created on a samurai sword blade during tempering process

hanami cherry-blossom viewing party

haori a hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket, which adds formality to an outfit

hashi chopsticks

Hō-oh-no-ma Hall of the Phoenix

inro a little case for holding small objects

janken Japanese name for the hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

jutte (or jitte) an iron truncheon or rod with a short pointed hook

kami spirits within objects in the Shinto faith

kamon family crest

kanabō large oak club encased in iron or with studs

kanji the Chinese characters used in the Japanese writing system

kataginu a winged, sleeveless jacket of the samurai

katana long sword

kenjutsu the Art of the Sword

kesagiri diagonal cut, or ‘Monk’s Robe’ cut

kiai a shout; also used in Go to describe a player’s fighting spirit in the face of adversity

kimono traditional Japanese clothing

kissaki tip of sword

koan a Buddhist question designed to stimulate intuition

koban Japanese oval gold coin

komusō Monk of Emptiness

kōshakushi traditional oral Japanese storyteller

kuji-in nine syllable seals – a specialized form of Buddhist and ninja meditation

manjū Japanese steamed bun made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat with a sweet or savoury filling

metsuke technique of ‘looking at a faraway mountain’

mon family crest

musha shugyō warrior pilgrimage

nagare flow or roll

netsuke toggle for helping attach inro cases to the obi belt

ninja Japanese assassin

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’

obi belt

ofuda a talisman issued by a Shinto shrine, made of paper, wood or metal, inscribed with the name of a kami and used for protection in the home

okonomiyaki grilled or fried savoury pancake

omamori a Buddhist amulet to grant protection

onryō vengeful ghost

origami the art of folding paper

ronin masterless samurai

sageo cotton or silk cord attached to the saya of a samurai sword

saké rice wine

sakura cherry-blossom tree

samurai Japanese warrior

sasumata a pole with a U-shaped prong used to trap the neck and limbs to immobilize an opponent

saya scabbard

Senbazuru One Thousand Origami Cranes

sencha green tea

sensei teacher

sente term in Go for holding the initiative of the game

Sha ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for ninjutsu purposes

shakuhachi Japanese bamboo flute

shinobi another name for ninja, literally ‘stealer in’

shinobi aruki stealth, or silent, walking

Shinto the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people

Shishi-no-ma Hall of Lions

Shogun the military dictator of Japan

shoji Japanese sliding door

shuriken metal throwing stars

soba buckwheat noodles

tabi traditional Japanese socks

taijutsu the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat)

tanuki Japanese raccoon dog

tantō knife

Taryu-Jiai inter-school martial arts competition

tatami floor matting

torii a distinctive Japanese gate made of two uprights and two crossbars denoting the separation between common space and sacred space, found at the entrance to Shinto shrines

ukemi break falls

uki-ashi floating feet technique

umeboshi pickled dried plum

umeshu plum wine

wagashi traditional Japanese confectionary often served with tea

wakizashi side-arm short sword

yamabushi Lit. ‘one who hides in the mountains’; Buddhist hermits who live in the mountains

yukata summer kimono

Zai ninja hand sign for sky or elements control

zazen seated meditation

zori straw sandals

Japanese names usually consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world