Handbook โบ Glossary
The words that come up in our writing โ wares and kilns, firing marks, motifs, vessels, and the days of the Japanese year. Each one links to the article it belongs to.
A
Aizome่ๆ
True indigo dyeing, which deepens with each dip and fades slowly with light.
Aka-e่ตค็ตต
Fine red overglaze linework, at its most delicate on Kutani and Arita pieces.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Aochibu้็ฒ
Kutani's blue stippling: rows of raised dots, even in size and spacing, laid across a ground.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Ao-de้ๆ
The Ko-Kutani manner in which green dominates and covers almost the whole surface.
Arare้ฐ
โHailโ โ the field of small raised dots most associated with Nanbu ironware.
What Is Nanbu Tekki? A Guide to Tetsubin and Iron Teapots โ
Arita wareๆ็ฐ็ผ
Japan's first porcelain, made in Saga since the early 1600s.
What Is Arita Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Oldest Porcelain โ
Asanoha้บปใฎ่
The hemp-leaf lattice, long stitched onto a newborn's first cloth.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Atsukan็ฑ็
Sake warmed to the point where its scent opens.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
B
Banko ware่ฌๅค็ผ
Ware from Mie Prefecture, known for heat-resistant clay bodies used in teapots and donabe.
Japanese Pottery Styles: A Complete Guide to Regional Traditions โ
Bidoroใใผใใญ
Pools of natural glass on Shigaraki ware, formed where wood ash melts on the clay in the kiln.
What Is Shigaraki Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Rustic Stoneware โ
Biriใใช
A rhythmic pattern cut into a Tokoname pot with a carving tool while it turns on the wheel.
Bizen wareๅๅ็ผ
Unglazed stoneware from Okayama, where the surface is drawn by fire and ash rather than by glaze.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Botamochi็กไธน้ค
A pale round patch on Bizen ware, left where a small disc of clay shielded the surface during firing.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Botan็กไธน
The peony, the fullest of the flowers, standing for honor and abundance.
Camellia, Peony, and Chrysanthemum: Three Flowers That Carry Japanโs Best Wishes โ
C
Chawan่ถ็ข
A bowl for whisked matcha, held in both hands.
Japanese Tea Gifts: How to Choose Yunomi, Kyusu, and Matcha Bowls โ
D
Daiginjoๅคงๅ้ธ
Sake from the most highly polished rice of all.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Damiๆฟใฟ
The filling of broad fields of color with a loaded brush, worked in one unbroken pass.
Dashiๅบๆฑ
The stock beneath most Japanese cooking, drawn from kombu and dried fish.
Datsuzoku่ฑไฟ
A release from the ordinary and the expected.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Donabeๅ้
An earthenware pot taken straight to the table, holding its heat as it empties.
Donburiไธผ
A deep bowl for rice dishes served in one piece, such as katsudon.
Enjoy Katsudon with Mino Ware โ Crispy Pork Cutlet & Fluffy Egg Rice Bowl Recipe โ
Doyo no Ushi no Hiๅ็จใฎไธใฎๆฅ
The midsummer day on which grilled eel is eaten.
I Tried Supermarket Unagi on Doyo no Ushi no Hi โ A Taste of Japanese Summer โ
E
Echizen ware่ถๅ็ผ
One of Japan's oldest kiln traditions, in Fukui, making sturdy unglazed storage vessels.
Japanese Pottery Styles: A Complete Guide to Regional Traditions โ
Edamameๆ่ฑ
Young soybeans, often served in their pods; the beans are eaten and the pods left aside.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Edo Kirikoๆฑๆธๅๅญ
Cut glass from the old downtown of Tokyo, patterned by wheel-cutting into colored overlay.
Edo Kiriko: The Cut Glass of Tokyoโs Old Downtown โ A Reading of the Patterns โ
Ehomakiๆตๆนๅทป
The uncut roll eaten at Setsubun, facing the year's auspicious direction.
Setsubun in Japan: Bean-Throwing, Oni, Ehomaki, and a Seasonal Table in Early February โ
Etoๅนฒๆฏ
The Japanese zodiac: ten stems and twelve branches, turning together over sixty years.
What Is the Japanese Zodiac (Eto)? โ A Friendly Guide for Global Readers โ
F
Fukinseiไธๅๆ
Asymmetry, preferred to balance because a form left uneven keeps the eye moving.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Fuku mark็ฆ
The character for good fortune, painted by hand on the base of some older Japanese porcelain.
Hand-painted vs Printed Japanese Pottery: How to Tell the Difference and Choose with Confidence โ
Furin้ขจ้ด
A wind bell hung where a draft will reach it in summer.
Let the Sound Bring Coolness โ Nambu Ironware and Takaoka Copper Wind Chimes โ
Furoshiki้ขจๅๆท
A square cloth tied to carry or to wrap a gift.
How to Choose a Meaningful Japanese Gift: A Guide to Occasions, Symbols, and Gift Etiquette โ
G
Ginjoๅ้ธ
Sake from more highly polished rice, lighter and more fragrant.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Goma่ก้บป
โSesameโ โ the scatter of pale ash flecks across the surface of Bizen ware.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Guinomiใใๅ
A cup larger than an ochoko, taken in a mouthful rather than sipped.
How to Choose a Japanese Sake Cup: A Guide to Shapes, Materials, and Giving One Well โ
H
Hagi ware่ฉ็ผ
Pottery from Yamaguchi with a pale, crackled glaze that takes on color through years of use.
Hagi Ware โ A Guide to Japanโs Slowly Changing Pottery โ
Hanabie่ฑๅทใ
โBlossom chillโ โ sake served at around 10ยฐC.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Hanami่ฑ่ฆ
Sitting under the blossom while it lasts.
Cherry Blossom Season in Kansai โ A Guide to Hanami, History, and Japanese Craft โ
Hanazume่ฑ่ฉฐ
Kutani's flower-packed style, where blooms crowd the surface petal to petal with gold between.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Hasami wareๆณขไฝ่ฆ็ผ
Porcelain from Nagasaki, made in quantity for everyday tables.
Japanese Pottery Styles: A Complete Guide to Regional Traditions โ
Hashi็ฎธ
Chopsticks, written ็ฎธ but pronounced like ๆฉ, a bridge, which is part of why they are given as gifts.
How to Choose Japanese Chopsticks as a Gift: Meanings, Sizes, and Pairs โ
Hashioki็ฎธ็ฝฎ
A small rest that keeps the tips of the chopsticks off the table.
How to Choose Japanese Chopsticks as a Gift: Meanings, Sizes, and Pairs โ
Hidasuki็ซ่ฅท
Scarlet lines across Bizen ware, left by rice straw wrapped around the piece before firing.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Hiiro็ซ่ฒ
The soft orange blush that flame leaves on Shigaraki clay, never quite the same twice.
What Is Shigaraki Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Rustic Stoneware โ
Hinamatsuri้็ฅญใ
March 3rd, when hina dolls are displayed and peach blossom is cut.
Hinokiๆช
Japanese cypress, light-colored and fragrant, used for boards, boxes and bath fittings.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Hitoata-hanไธๅซๅ
The traditional length for chopsticks: one and a half times the span from thumb tip to index tip.
How to Choose Japanese Chopsticks as a Gift: Meanings, Sizes, and Pairs โ
Hiyayakkoๅทๅฅด
Chilled tofu topped with scallions or grated ginger, often with a little soy sauce.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Honjozoๆฌ้ธ้
Sake with a small addition of distilled alcohol, clean and easy to warm.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Honshikiๆฌๅผ
A formal juzu, made to the pattern of a particular Buddhist school.
Hon-urushiๆฌๆผ
A piece finished in natural lacquer, as distinct from a modern synthetic coating.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Hyotan็ข็ฎช
The gourd, whose narrow neck keeps good fortune from escaping.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
I
Ichiju-sansaiไธๆฑไธ่
One soup and three dishes: the plain frame a Japanese meal is usually built on.
How to Plate a Japanese Meal at Home โ Vessels, Placement, and Space โ
Ichimatsuๅธๆพ
A simple checked pattern of alternating squares.
Imariไผไธ้
The port name under which Arita porcelain was shipped, and long used for the ware itself.
What Is Arita Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Oldest Porcelain โ
Imbeไผ้จ
The part of Bizen city, in Okayama, where the kilns stand, and a name sometimes used for the ware.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Irikoใใใ
Dried sardines, used for a stronger, plainer stock.
Udon in Kagawa: Tamura / Ogataya / Tanigawa Beikokuten / Miyoshi Udon โ
Iro-e่ฒ็ตต
Overglaze enamel painting, applied on top of a fired glaze and fired again at a lower heat.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Izakayaๅฑ ้ ๅฑ
A casual Japanese place for drinking and dining, where food is often shared alongside drinks.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
J
Jubako้็ฎฑ
Stacking lacquered boxes, brought out for New Year and other occasions.
Cherry Blossom Season in Kansai โ A Guide to Hanami, History, and Japanese Craft โ
Junmai็ด็ฑณ
Sake made from rice, water, koji and yeast alone.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Juzuๆฐ็
Buddhist prayer beads, held in the hands at services and kept for a lifetime.
Beginnerโs Guide to Juzu (Japanese Buddhist Prayer Beads): Meaning & Usage โ
K
Kagome็ฑ ็ฎ
โBasket eyeโ โ a cut-glass lattice of crossing diagonals.
Edo Kiriko: The Cut Glass of Tokyoโs Old Downtown โ A Reading of the Patterns โ
Kakiemonๆฟๅณ่ก้
An Arita kiln tradition known for spare red-and-white enamel painting on a milky porcelain body.
Arita Ware Patterns Explained: Meanings, Symbolism & Gift Ideas โ
Kameไบ
The turtle, said to live ten thousand, and the slower half of the same wish.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
Kan-nyu่ฒซๅ ฅ
The fine crackle in Hagi glaze, and the path by which tea slowly works into the clay beneath.
Hagi Ware โ A Guide to Japanโs Slowly Changing Pottery โ
Kanreki้ๆฆ
The sixtieth year, when the zodiac cycle returns to where a life began.
What Is the Japanese Zodiac (Eto)? โ A Friendly Guide for Global Readers โ
Kanso็ฐก็ด
Simplicity: taking away until only what is needed remains.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Kansuiใใๆฐด
The alkaline water that gives ramen noodles their spring, and which udon is made without.
Kanzashi็ฐช
An ornamental hairpin worn with kimono.
Karaageๅๆใ
Bite-sized pieces of seasoned chicken, coated and deep-fried.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Karakusaๅ่
Scrolling vines that run on without a break, read as continuation.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
Karatsu wareๅๆดฅ็ผ
Ware from Saga with a quiet, earthy surface, long valued in tea.
Hagi Ware โ A Guide to Japanโs Slowly Changing Pottery โ
Katakuchi็ๅฃ
A lipped serving vessel, used to chill or to pour sake.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Kijiๆจๅฐ
The body beneath the finish โ in lacquerware, usually turned or joined wood.
Kikkoไบ็ฒ
The tortoise-shell hexagon, another form of the longevity wish.
Arita Ware Patterns Explained: Meanings, Symbolism & Gift Ideas โ
Kiku่
The chrysanthemum, the flower of long life and of the imperial house.
Camellia, Peony, and Chrysanthemum: Three Flowers That Carry Japanโs Best Wishes โ
Kiku-tsunagi่็นใ
Small chrysanthemums cut edge to edge across the whole surface.
Edo Kiriko: The Cut Glass of Tokyoโs Old Downtown โ A Reading of the Patterns โ
Kindei / Gindei้ๆณฅใป้ๆณฅ
Gold and silver applied as a paint-like paste, used for fine lines and fields.
Hand-painted vs Printed Japanese Pottery: How to Tell the Difference and Choose with Confidence โ
Kinpaku / Ginpaku้็ฎใป้็ฎ
Gold and silver leaf, laid on as sheet rather than painted.
The Zen of Gold: Bringing Sacred Radiance into Your Daily Life โ
Kinsai้ๅฝฉ
Gold decoration applied over the glaze.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Kizeto้ป็ฌๆธ
A quiet yellow Mino glaze, usually with small iron-green marks.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Kobachiๅฐ้ข
A small bowl for tofu, dressed vegetables, or other dishes with a little liquid.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Koge็ฆใ
The scorched, ash-covered face of a wood-fired piece, also called haikaburi.
What Is Shigaraki Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Rustic Stoneware โ
Kogeiๅทฅ่ธ
Craft made by hand to be used: the word that covers pottery, lacquer, metal and glass together.
Japanese Pottery Styles: A Complete Guide to Regional Traditions โ
Koinobori้ฏใฎใผใ
Carp streamers flown in May, a fish that swims against the current.
Ko-Kutaniๅคไน่ฐท
The seventeenth-century work at the root of Kutani ware, bold in color and still debated in origin.
Kombuๆๅธ
Dried kelp, one of the two usual sources of dashi.
Komonๅฐ็ด
Very small repeated motifs filling a border or a whole surface, a hallmark of careful Arita work.
Arita Ware Patterns Explained: Meanings, Symbolism & Gift Ideas โ
Kumidashiๆฑฒๅบ
A teacup wider and shallower than a yunomi, brought out for guests.
Japanese Tea Gifts: How to Choose Yunomi, Kyusu, and Matcha Bowls โ
Kuro-nuri้ปๅก
A plain black lacquer finish.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Kutani-gosaiไน่ฐทไบๅฝฉ
The five Kutani colors: green, yellow, red, purple and Prussian blue.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Kutani wareไน่ฐท็ผ
Painted porcelain from Ishikawa, known for its five colors and for gold.
What Is Kutani Ware? A Textbook-Style Guide to Its Features, History, and Making โ
Kyo-yaki / Kiyomizu-yakiไบฌ็ผใปๆธ ๆฐด็ผ
The painted ceramics of Kyoto, made in the workshops around Kiyomizu.
Kiyomizu-dera โ Kyotoโs Timeless Temple and the Spirit of Kiyomizu-yaki โ
Kyusuๆฅ้
A Japanese teapot, classically with the handle set at a right angle to the spout.
Japanese Tea Gifts: How to Choose Yunomi, Kyusu, and Matcha Bowls โ
M
Maki-e่็ตต
Pictures drawn in wet lacquer and dusted with gold or silver powder before they set.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Mamemaki่ฑๆใ
The bean-throwing of Setsubun, which sends misfortune out of the house.
Setsubun in Japan: Bean-Throwing, Oni, Ehomaki, and a Seasonal Table in Early February โ
Mamezara่ฑ็ฟ
A very small dish, used for a pickle, a sauce, or a pinch of salt.
How to Plate a Japanese Meal at Home โ Vessels, Placement, and Space โ
Maneki nekoๆใ็ซ
The beckoning cat, whose raised paw and color each carry a meaning.
Mashiko ware็ๅญ็ผ
Folk pottery from Tochigi, thick-walled and plainly glazed.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Masuๆก
The square wooden measure, once used for rice and now sometimes for sake.
How to Choose a Japanese Sake Cup: A Guide to Shapes, Materials, and Giving One Well โ
Meigetsuๅๆ
The harvest moon, the brightest of the moon-viewing nights.
Moon Viewing โ Appreciating the Beauty of the Harvest Moon โ
Mentaikoๆๅคชๅญ
Seasoned pollock roe, mild in heat and rich in the mouth.
Meoto-bashiๅคซๅฉฆ็ฎธ
A pair of chopsticks in two lengths, given to a couple.
How to Choose Japanese Chopsticks as a Gift: Meanings, Sizes, and Pairs โ
Minogame่ไบ
A turtle so old that algae has grown along its back and become part of it.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
Mino ware็พๆฟ็ผ
The ceramic of Gifu's old Mino province, and the most widely used tableware in Japan.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Miyabi้
Refinement of the courtly kind: restrained, polished, unhurried.
Mogake่ปๆใ
A Tokoname technique in which seaweed is laid against the clay before firing, leaving faint markings.
Momiji็ด ่
The turning maple, and the word for autumn color itself.
The Soul of Japanโs Autumn โ The Art of Momiji and Seasonal Harmony โ
Mono no aware็ฉใฎๅใ
The tenderness felt towards things because they do not last.
Cherry Blossom Season in Kansai โ A Guide to Hanami, History, and Japanese Craft โ
N
Namazake็้
Unpasteurised sake, kept cold and drunk young.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Nanako้ญๅญ
โFish roeโ โ a dense stipple of tiny cut dots.
Edo Kiriko: The Cut Glass of Tokyoโs Old Downtown โ A Reading of the Patterns โ
Nanbu tekkiๅ้จ้ๅจ
Cast ironware from Iwate, made in Morioka and Oshu since the seventeenth century.
What Is Nanbu Tekki? A Guide to Tetsubin and Iron Teapots โ
Nejiriๆปใ
A twisted or furled form, used for small plates shaped like a plum or a leaf.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Nenjuๅฟต็
Another name for juzu, used in some schools.
Nigoshideๆฟๆ
The milky-white porcelain body associated with the Kakiemon kilns of Arita.
Arita Ware Patterns Explained: Meanings, Symbolism & Gift Ideas โ
Norenๆ็ฐพ
A split curtain hung in a doorway, to mark a threshold rather than to close it.
Nuno-kiseๅธ็ใ
A layer of hemp cloth wrapped around the wood and sealed under lacquer to strengthen the edges.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Nuribashiๅก็ฎธ
Chopsticks finished in lacquer, as distinct from bare wood.
How to Care for Japanese Wooden and Lacquered Chopsticks โ
O
Obonใ็
The summer days when ancestors are welcomed back to the house.
Rivers of Japan โ The Pure Flow That Nurtures Culture and Life โ
Ochokoใ็ชๅฃ
The small cup sake is usually served in.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Okakaใใใ
Dried bonito flakes seasoned with soy, used as an onigiri filling.
Omamoriๅพกๅฎ
A charm kept for protection, in cloth, paper or craft.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Onigiriใใซใใ
Rice shaped by hand around a filling, and wrapped in nori.
Oribe็น้จ
The copper-green Mino glaze named after the tea master Furuta Oribe.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Orinใใใ
A small standing bell, struck once and left to sound.
How to Use a Rin Bell: The Calming Power of Buddhist Sound โ
Otosoใๅฑ ่
Spiced sake taken in small cups on the first days of the year.
Oyadama่ฆช็
The parent bead, larger than the rest, where a strand of juzu begins.
P
Ponzuใใณ้ ข
A citrus and soy dipping sauce, used to lift simmered food.
R
Rakuๆฅฝ็ผ
Low-fired ware shaped by hand rather than on a wheel, long associated with the tea room.
Hagi Ware โ A Guide to Japanโs Slowly Changing Pottery โ
Rokuro่ฝ่ฝค
The potter's wheel, and the lathe a wooden body is turned on.
Ryakushiki็ฅๅผ
An informal juzu, usable whichever school a service follows.
Ryusuiๆตๆฐด
Running water, drawn as a few unhurried lines.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
S
Sakazuki็
A shallow, wide cup, used for ceremony and for the first cup of the year.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Sakuraๆก
The cherry blossom, chosen by Japan over a thousand years as the sign of spring.
Cherry Blossom Season in Kansai โ A Guide to Hanami, History, and Japanese Craft โ
Sakura zensenๆกๅ็ท
The โblossom frontโ: the line of bloom moving north across Japan each spring.
Cherry Blossom Season in Kansai โ A Guide to Hanami, History, and Japanese Craft โ
Sangiriๆกๅ
The cooler gray-blue passages of Bizen ware, formed where charcoal and ash settle late in the firing.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Sanuki udon่ฎๅฒใใฉใ
The udon of Kagawa, firm enough that the chew is the point.
Udon in Kagawa: Tamura / Ogataya / Tanigawa Beikokuten / Miyoshi Udon โ
Seigaiha้ๆตทๆณข
Overlapping arcs of calm waves, read as peace that repeats.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
Seijaku้ๅฏ
Stillness, and the calm that comes with it.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Sekku็ฏๅฅ
A seasonal festival day, of which five are traditionally observed.
Sencha็ ่ถ
The everyday Japanese green tea, brewed in a kyusu.
Japanese Tea Gifts: How to Choose Yunomi, Kyusu, and Matcha Bowls โ
Setoguro็ฌๆธ้ป
The deep black Mino glaze, made by drawing the piece from the kiln while still hot.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Seto ware็ฌๆธ็ผ
Ware from Aichi, so long established that โsetomonoโ came to mean ceramics in general.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Setsubun็ฏๅ
The turn from winter into spring in early February, and the small rites that mark it.
Setsubun in Japan: Bean-Throwing, Oni, Ehomaki, and a Seasonal Table in Early February โ
Shabu-shabuใใใถใใใถ
Thin slices swirled briefly in hot broth and dipped before eating.
Shibuiๆธใ
Quietly beautiful, with nothing asking to be noticed.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Shigaraki wareไฟกๆฅฝ็ผ
Rustic stoneware from Shiga, coarse-grained and marked by the kiln.
What Is Shigaraki Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Rustic Stoneware โ
Shinoๅฟ้
A thick, warm white Mino glaze, often showing small pinholes and a faint scorch at the edges.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Shippouไธๅฎ
Overlapping circles named for the seven treasures, read as good relationships bound together.
Edo Kiriko: The Cut Glass of Tokyoโs Old Downtown โ A Reading of the Patterns โ
Shizen่ช็ถ
Naturalness, in the sense of being without affectation.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Shochikubaiๆพ็ซนๆข
Pine, bamboo and plum: endurance, resilience and the first bloom, kept together.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
Shudeiๆฑๆณฅ
Tokoname's vermilion clay, whose reddish-brown color comes from iron in the body, not from glaze.
Shu-nuriๆฑๅก
A plain vermilion lacquer finish.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Sometsukeๆไป
Blue-and-white painting: cobalt applied under the glaze, then fired.
What Is Arita Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Oldest Porcelain โ
Suitekiๆฐดๆปด
A small water-dropper used to release a few drops onto an inkstone.
Takaoka Metalwork โ Where Temple Bells and Tea Vessels Are Born โ
Sukiyakiใใ็ผใ
A sweeter hot pot, simmered rather than swirled.
Suzu้ซ
Tin: soft, bright and quick to take on cold, which is why it is used for sake ware.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
T
Takaoka doki้ซๅฒก้ ๅจ
The cast metalwork of Takaoka in Toyama: temple bells, statues, incense burners and tea vessels.
Takaoka Metalwork โ Where Temple Bells and Tea Vessels Are Born โ
Takarazukushiๅฎๅฐฝใ
A scatter of treasures gathered on one surface, each a wish of its own.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
Tamagoyakiๅต็ผใ
A rolled omelet cooked in thin layers, made sweeter or more savory depending on the recipe.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Tanabataไธๅค
July 7th, when two stars are allowed to meet and wishes are tied to bamboo.
Celebrate Tanabata โ A Magical Japanese Summer Festival with Handmade Decor โ
Tango no Sekku็ซฏๅใฎ็ฏๅฅ
May 5th, now Children's Day, marked with carp streamers and helmets.
Tanuki็ธ
The Shigaraki raccoon-dog figure, set by a door as a welcome.
Shigaraki Tanuki Statues โ History, Symbolism, and How to Choose the Perfect One โ
Tegakiๆๆใ
Hand-painted, as opposed to transfer-printed.
Hand-painted vs Printed Japanese Pottery: How to Tell the Difference and Choose with Confidence โ
Tenmokuๅคฉ็ฎ
A dark iron glaze that pools brown-black, often breaking to rust at the rim.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Teshio-zaraๆๅกฉ็ฟ
A small personal dish set at each place.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Tetsubin้็ถ
A cast iron kettle with a fixed spout and handle, made to be heated directly.
What Is Nanbu Tekki? A Guide to Tetsubin and Iron Teapots โ
Tokkuriๅพณๅฉ
The small flask sake is poured from, and warmed in.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Tokoname wareๅธธๆป็ผ
Ware from Aichi, best known for kyusu teapots with a built-in ceramic strainer.
Tomobakoๅ ฑ็ฎฑ
The plain wooden box made for a particular piece, often signed by the maker.
Handmade vs Factory-Made Japanese Tableware: How to Tell the Difference โ
Tonoๆฑๆฟ
The group of cities in Gifu โ Tajimi, Toki, Mizunami and Kani โ where Mino ware is made.
What Is Mino Ware? The Everyday Japanese Ceramic You Probably Already Own โ
Tonsuiใจใใใ
The small hot-pot bowl, recognizable by a single projecting lip.
Torizaraๅใ็ฟ
An individual side plate for taking a portion from a shared dish.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Tsubakiๆคฟ
Camellia, which flowers in the cold and drops its blossom whole.
Camellia, Peony, and Chrysanthemum: Three Flowers That Carry Japanโs Best Wishes โ
Tsukemonoๆผฌ็ฉ
A broad term for Japanese pickled vegetables, made with many ingredients and methods.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Tsukimiๆ่ฆ
Moon-viewing in autumn, with offerings set out where the moon can be seen.
Moon Viewing โ Appreciating the Beauty of the Harvest Moon โ
Tsuki-usagiๆๅ
The rabbit read into the face of the moon, paired with autumn moon-viewing.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Tsukudaniไฝ็ ฎ
Small things simmered down in soy until they keep.
Tsuru้ถด
The crane, said to live a thousand years, and given at weddings and long lives.
Seven Lucky Japanese Motifs Explained: Meaning, Symbolism & Gift Traditions โ
U
Ubugi็ฃ็
The first cloth a newborn is wrapped in, often patterned with asanoha.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Uchiwaๅฃๆ
The flat, round fan, also used as a motif on summer hangings.
Umamiๆจๅณ
The savoury depth that kombu, dried fish and fermentation bring.
Umeๆข
Plum, which blooms while it is still cold, and so stands for the turn of the year.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Umeboshiๆข ๅนฒใ
Salted and dried plum, sharp enough to carry a whole bowl of rice.
Uretanใฆใฌใฟใณ
Urethane: a modern coating used on affordable โlacquerwareโ, and not the same as urushi.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Urushiๆผ
Sap from the lacquer tree, brushed on in thin coats and hardened in a humid room.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
W
Wabi-sabiไพใณๅฏใณ
The found beauty of what is plain, worn, or incomplete.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Wagashiๅ่ๅญ
Japanese confections, made to be eaten with tea and read by season.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Wajima-nuri่ผชๅณถๅก
The lacquerware of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa, built up in many coats over a hemp-cloth layer.
Japanese Lacquerware: A Beginnerโs Guide to Urushi, Modern Lacquer, and Everyday Use โ
Wakasa-nuri่ฅ็ญๅก
Lacquerware from Fukui, patterned by building up and then polishing back layers.
How to Choose Japanese Chopsticks as a Gift: Meanings, Sizes, and Pairs โ
Y
Yakitori็ผใ้ณฅ
Grilled chicken, usually served on skewers.
Izakaya at Home: Small Plates for a Japanese-Style Evening โ
Yamanaka shikkiๅฑฑไธญๆผๅจ
The lacquerware of Yamanaka in Ishikawa, where the turned wooden body is the center of the craft.
Yarai็ขๆฅ
A bamboo-fence pattern of short crossing cuts.
Edo Kiriko: The Cut Glass of Tokyoโs Old Downtown โ A Reading of the Patterns โ
Yohen็ชฏๅค
Kiln transformation: any change in color or surface the fire itself brings about.
What Is Bizen Ware? A Guide to Japanโs Unglazed Pottery โ
Yokodeๆจชๆ
The side-handled kyusu, the most familiar form in Japan.
Japanese Tea Gifts: How to Choose Yunomi, Kyusu, and Matcha Bowls โ
Yosenabeๅฏใ้
The gathered hot pot: whatever is good that day, simmered together.
Yugenๅนฝ็
The suggestion of depth that is not shown outright.
What Is Wabi-Sabi? How to Bring Japanese Aesthetics into Your Home โ
Yukibie้ชๅทใ
โSnow chillโ โ sake served at around 5ยฐC.
Your First Japanese Sake Set: A Quiet Map of Vessels, Materials, and Temperature โ
Yukiwa้ช่ผช
The snow-ring: a circle notched six times, standing for a snowflake.
Seasonal Patterns in Japanese Craft: Sakura, Momiji, Yukiwa & The Year Read in Motifs โ
Yunomiๆนฏๅ
The everyday Japanese teacup, taller than it is wide and without a handle.
Japanese Tea Gifts: How to Choose Yunomi, Kyusu, and Matcha Bowls โ
Z
Zoni้็ ฎ
The New Year soup, different in almost every region and household.
Care notes and buying guides are in the Handbook, and the reading is in the Journal.