Word History:Zen,a word that evokes the most characteristic and appealing aspects of Japanese culture for many English speakers, is ultimately of Indo-European origin. The Japanese wordzenis a borrowing of a medieval Chinese word (now pronouncedchán,in modern Mandarin Chinese) meaning "meditation,...
In Japan, Butsugen Butsumo is regarded as another name for Kongōkichijō 金剛吉祥 (Skt. = Vajrasri). She also appears in the Ichijikinrin Mandala, as well as in the Henchi-in 遍知院 and Shaka-in 釈迦院 sections of the Taizōkai Mandala, wherein she is known by various other names...
Yuujyo were sex workers during the Edo period. They used tattoos to point out their romantic devotion to their regular customers. Certain tattoos, called Irezumiko (入墨子), start with the customer’s name and end with Inochi (命), meaning life. In total, the tattoo said, “I devote my...
The timeless aesthetics of Zen Buddhism did provide inspiration for our Zen Alarm Clock, but the design also arose from other influences, such as the sublime patterns of sacred geometry. We thus use the word “Zen” in the name of our product as a kind of lighthearted tribute to progressive...
About a month ago, Japanese magazine publisher Shueisha released a photo collection fora newly debuting swimsuit and lingerie model named Ai Satsuki, whose name had a double meaning to it: “Ai” is a common women’s name in Japan that means “love,” but it’s spelled just ...
Celebrating the artistic friendship of Melbourne artists Ethel Spowers and Eveline Syme, the Know My Name touring exhibition presents the changing face of interwar Australia through the perspective of two pioneering women artists. The National Gallery’s Curator of Australian Prints and Drawings, Dr Sa...
Saēna is also a personal name, which is root of the name. c) The Saeno-Saena-Syenah-Xarnah group of bird icons have to do with fortune, health and wealth or prosperity, including nourishing rain for a bounty of crops. Saena is a rain-bringer (with a role much like a sky- or ...
“Why would you need to know their name?” you might ask. Well, in Japanese someone’s surname is one of the most natural ways of saying “you” in Japanese. Just today, on the walk in to work from the station, I asked a coworker 田中さんは、この会社長いですか (Tanaka-san wa...
Religion in Early Japan The indigenous religion of Yamato Japan was an animistic worship of the forces of nature, later given the name of Shinto¯, or "the way of the gods," to distinguish it from the newly arrived religion of Buddhism. Shinto probably entered Japan from the continent as...
“Why would you need to know their name?” you might ask. Well, in Japanese someone’s surname is one of the most natural ways of saying “you” in Japanese. Just today, on the walk in to work from the station, I asked a coworker 田中さんは、この会社長いですか (Tanaka-san wa...