Glossary
Short notes on Japanese words that appear in our stories. Words marked with a dotted underline in an article are explained here.
- Gion祇園
The district around the gates of Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, known as a historic entertainment quarter of teahouses and restaurants.
Appears inImperial Hotel Kyoto: Hospitality Reimagined Within Gion
- Komorebi木漏れ日
Sunlight filtering through the leaves of trees.
- Kyō-yūzen (Kyoto Yuzen)京友禅
A dyeing technique handed down in Kyoto, in which paste-drawn outlines allow painterly patterns to be dyed onto silk. Its name is said to come from Miyazaki Yūzensai, a painter of the mid-Edo period.
- Machiya町家
A traditional townhouse facing the street, combining shop and home. Those in Kyoto are known for their narrow frontages and deep plans.
- Mitate見立て
A Japanese way of seeing one thing as another, long used in poetry, gardens and the tea ceremony to suggest a scene through something else.
Appears inMitate, Imagination, and the Miniature Art of Tatsuya Tanaka
- Wabori和彫り
A traditional Japanese metal-engraving technique, in which patterns are cut into the surface with chisels. The same word is also used for traditional Japanese tattooing.