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Things to See


Japan Sightseeing Glossary (17)




Last update November 3, 2019

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Japanese Kanji English
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Sabi 寂び the profound beauty found in antiquity; the Japanese spirit of aesthetically appreciating the profundity of old things
Sa-daijin 左大臣 the Minister of the Left; the Chief Cabinet Secretary
Sadō 茶道 a tea ceremony
Sadō-ka 茶道家 a tea master
Sai-iki 西域 the Western Regions; Xiyu
Sankin Kotai 参勤交代 daimyo's mandatory visiting the capital periodically (in Edo period)
Satori 悟り enlightenment; awakening
Sawara a kind of cypress (botanical name; Chamaecyparis pisifera)
Sekai-bunka-isan 世界文化遺産 a World Cultural Heritage site
Sekigahara-no-tatakai 関ヶ原の戦い the Battle of Sekigahara (fought in 1600 over the rulership of the country and won by the Tokugawa clan)
Sengoku-jidai 戦国時代 the Era of Warfare (in Japan); the Era of Warring States (in Japan) (ca. 1467 to 1573)
Shari-den 舎利殿 a stupa (structure to enshrine the Buddha's relics)
Shichi-fuku-jin 七福神 the Seven Lucky Gods: Ebisu, Daikoku-ten (Mahakala), Bishamon-ten (Vaishravana), Bezai-ten (Sarasvati), Fukurokuju, Jurōjin (Gama) and Hotei (Budai)
Shikii 敷居 a threshold; sill
Shinden-zukuri 寝殿造り the Shinden Style; the Noble House Style; the Heian Noble House Style
Shingon-shū 真言宗 the Shingon denomination (a denomination of Buddhism founded by Master Kūkai)
Shinpan 親藩 daimyos related to the Tokugawa family; Tokugawa clan daimyo
Shiragi 新羅 Silla (an ancient Korean kingdom; 668 - 935)
Shiten-nō 四天王 the Four Heavenly Kings (protectors of Buddhism: Kōmoku-ten, Jikoku-ten, Tamon-ten, Zōjō-ten)
Shō-en 荘園 a manor (a land privately owned by aristcrats or temples in times onward from the late Nara period)
Sho-in 書院 a writing room; abbot's study (desk)
Sho-in-zukuri 書院造り the Shoin Style; Samurai-residence style; traditional Japanese house style -->Shoin-zukuri
Shoso-in 正倉院 the Shosoin Repository
Shugendō 修験道 Japanese mountain asceticism (established based on syncretic fusion of Shintoism, Taoism, Esoteric Buddhism and mountain shamanism.
Shōji 障子 sliding (Shoji) door; wooden grid door
Shōrō 鐘楼 a belfry
-Shū -宗 denomination (used like a suffix); e.g. Shingon-shū = Shingon denomination
Shumoku 撞木 a wooden bell hammer (striker)
Sōrin 相輪 the finial of pagoda; the nine-ringed finial
Sukashi-bori 透かし彫り wood (metal) openwork
Sukiya-zukuri 数奇屋造り the Sukiya style; the typical tea house design; the Tea House Style; the Humble Cottage Style


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