Young Samurai_ The Way of the Sword - Chris Bradford [114]
tetsu-bishi small sharp iron spike
tofu soya bean curd
tomoe nage stomach throw
toshigami spirits of the New Year
wakizashi side-arm short sword
washi Japanese paper
yakatori grilled chicken on a stick
yuki gassen snow battle
yame stop!
Yamabushi mountain monk, literally ‘one who hides in the mountains’
zabuton cushion
zazen 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 has been retained. Boys and girls are usually addressed using kun and chan, respectively.
ORIGAMI: HOW TO FOLD A PAPER CRANE
How to fold a paper crane, by Akemi Solloway (née Tanaka) and Robyn Hondow
Begin with a large square piece of paper – one side coloured and the other plain. In all diagrams, the shaded part represents the coloured side and dotted lines the creases. Make sure all creases are sharp by running your thumbnail along them.
Step 1. Place the paper with the plain side down on the table. Fold it in half diagonally and open. Then fold in half the other way and open.
Step 2. Turn the paper over, so it is coloured side down. Fold it in half to make a wide rectangle and open. Then fold it in half to make a tall rectangle and open.
Step 3. With the coloured side down, bring the four corners of the square up and together. Flatten paper so you end up with a small folded square one quarter the size of the original paper.
Step 4. Fold the top triangular flaps on the right- and left-hand sides into the centre to make a kite shape. Then unfold.
Step 5. Fold the top corner of the model downwards, crease well and unfold.
Step 6. Take the bottom corner of the upper layer and pull it up, so that it forms a canoe shape. Press down so that the sides of this canoe shape flatten to make a diamond shape. Flatten down, creasing well.
Step 7. Turn the paper over and repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 on the other side. The paper is now a flat diamond shape.
Step 8. The top half of the diamond is solid, but the bottom half seems to have two legs. Fold the upper layer of both legs into the centre line.
Step 9. Turn over and repeat the fold on the legs on that side, too. The diamond shape is now more like a kite.
Step 10. Fold both legs of the model up, crease very well, then unfold.
Step 11. Holding the right leg of the kite shape, open it up and reverse fold the leg along the central crease. Raise the leg up and position it inside the top part of the kite then flatten it. Repeat on the other side.
Step 12. There are now two narrow points sticking out. These are going to form the head and tail of the crane. Take the point on the right and bend the tip down, reversing the crease and pinching it, to form the beak of the crane.
Step 13. Fold down the wings.
Step 14. Finally, pull the wings and blow into the hole underneath to open out the body to complete your origami crane.
‘Congratulations!’ says Sensei Yamada. ‘A crane isn’t easy to fold, but you have to remember that becoming a true samurai takes time.’
For other models and additional help, see video at youngsamurai.com
Credits: lesson by Akemi Solloway Sensei, lecturer of Japanese culture and eldest daughter of a samurai family, website solloway.org; diagrams courtesy of Robyn Hondow, website origami-fun.com.
PROLOGUE
THE ASSASSIN
Japan, June 1613
Silent as a shadow, the assassin flitted from roof to roof.
Hidden by the darkness of night, the ninja crossed the moat, scaled the inner bailey wall and infiltrated deep into the castle grounds. His objective, the