Word origins

• geikoSynonym of geisha.
• AkutagawaA surname from Japanese.
• mizunaOne of several tangy green vegetables used in Japanese cuisine, usually Brassica rapa var. nipposinica
• shikoOne of the basic sumo exercises, in which the rikishi raises a leg high in the air to the side, then brings it down with a stamp. It is also performed on the dohyo to drive away bad spirits.
• tororoGrated yam, a Japanese side dish.
• MinagawaA surname from Japanese.
• rakanA Japanese arhat.
• IkumiA female given name from Japanese.
• shinjuThe binding of the female breasts.
• FuranoA city in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, located in the southern reaches of Kamikawa Subprefecture.
• KitaokaA surname from Japanese
• HashiguchiA surname from Japanese.
• TsugaruA surname from Japanese.
• zoriA Japanese sandal made from rice straw or lacquered wood, worn with a kimono for formal occasions.
• TsukaharaA full-twisting double salto, performed as a dismount, or tumble.
• oujiA masculine fashion style originating in Japan, based on Victorian and Edwardian clothing styles.
• NabeshimaA surname from Japanese.
• NumazuA city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
• KirishimaA surname from Japanese.
• shiratakiThin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the Asian plant konjac.
• YuzuruA male given name from Japanese.
• tonfaA traditional hand-held Okinawan weapon, a wooden stick with a perpendicular handle, traditionally wielded in pairs.
• omataA kimarite in which the attacker grabs his opponent's leg from the inside and lifts it up and backwards, driving his body into that of the defender, forcing him over onto his back. A thigh scooping body drop.
• haoriA traditional Japanese hip- or thigh-length jacket worn over a kimono.
• YaguchiA surname from Japanese.
• SaionjiA surname from Japanese.
• InukaiA surname from Japanese.
• ArisakaA kind of Japanese military bolt-action service rifle.
• HamazakiA surname from Japanese.
• kosekiA Japanese family registry, recording the births, deaths, marriages, etc. in a particular household.
• tsurugiA type of Japanese double-edged sword.
• kissaSynonym of kissaten, a type of Japanese café.
• chigiIn Japanese architecture, a V-shaped finial used mainly on Shinto shrine roofs.
• ~Written on a letter, usually a vowel, in place of an omitted n or m.
• 1-shantenOf a mahjong hand: one tile away from reaching tenpai.
• 3D jobA menial blue-collar job often performed by migrants.
• AbikoA city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
• abisetaoshiA kimarite in which the attacker forces his opponent over backwards by throwing his weight into him from a grappling position.
• aburaageA Japanese food consisting of deep-fried slices of tofu.
• aburachan seedThe seed of a Japanese shrub, Lindera praecox that yields an aromatic oil.
• aburagiriA large Asian tree, Aleurites moluccana, that produces candlenuts.
• AganoA city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.
• agepoyoSaid in excitement.
• ahogeAn exaggerated cowlick (lock of hair). It adds cuteness to a character and is usually indicative of character traits like airheadedness.
• aikidokaOne who practices aikido, the martial art.
• ajariIn Japanese Buddhism, a senior monk who teaches students.
• akabekoA red papier-mâché bobblehead cow toy, a kind of regional omiyage regarded as symbolic of the Aizu region of Japan.
• AkamineA surname from Japanese.
• akanbeA taunting Japanese gesture of pulling down one's eyelid and sticking out one's tongue.
• akebiAny member of the genus Akebia of five species of flowering plant in the family Lardizabalaceae.
• akebiaAny plant of the genus Akebia, especially the invasive plant Akebia quinata.
• akiyamiA mild Japanese fever caused by an autumnal form of Leptospira interrogans.
• all your base are belong to usUsed to tout victory over an opponent, or simply as a humorous catchphrase.
• amachaA sweet Japanese herbal tea made from the fermented leaves of Hydrangea macrophylla var. thunbergii.
• amaeChildlike behaviour aimed at inducing another (such as a parent, spouse, teacher or boss) to take care of one.
• AmamiyaA surname from Japanese.
• amanoriPorphyra seaweed used as food in Japan; laver.
• amasumoamateur sumo
• Amatsumarathe Japanese god of the forge, metalcraft, and blacksmithing.
• amazakeA traditional sweet nutritious low-alcohol drink from Japan, made from fermented rice.
• amazonessAn Amazon.
• Ame-no-UzumeThe Japanese goddess of the dawn, joy and of springtime.
• amidakujiSynonym of ladder lottery.
• Amida NyoraiThe Japanese name for the Western Buddha, Amitābha, one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas.
• amigurumiThe Japanese art of crocheting or knitting stuffed yarn toys, typically creatures having oversized heads.
• amiuchiA kimarite in which the attacker throws his opponent behind him by pulling his arm with both hands and twisting backwards; resembles casting a fishing net.
• andisolA kind of soil formed in volcanic ash and containing high proportions of glass and amorphous colloidal materials, including allophane, imogolite, and ferrihydrite.
• ani-deshiThe senior rikishi in a particular heya.
• animegaoA full-body cosplay of a human cartoon character (with realistic proportions) originating in Japan, paired with an anime-style mask.
• anisongAn anime song; anime music.
• ankimoA Japanese dish of monkfish liver prepared with salt and saké, shaped into a cylinder, and steamed.
• anmaA form of traditional Japanese massage.
• anmitsuA Japanese dessert made of small cubes of agar jelly and served in a bowl with anko, boiled peas, often gyūhi and a variety of fruits such as peach slices, mikan, pieces of pineapples, and cherries, usually coming with a small pot of sweet black syrup which one pours onto the jelly before eating.
• annin tofuA soft, jellied dessert made of apricot kernel milk, eaten in Chinese and Japanese cuisine.
• anpanA Japanese sweet roll most commonly filled with red bean paste.
• AnsatsukenA fictional martial arts style or fighting technique that has been developed with the purpose of killing an opponent.
• aonoriSynonym of green laver.
• aquabicsSynonym of water aerobics.
• arabikiA sausage made from coarsely ground pork or other meats; a Japanese-style sausage.
• AragakiA surname from Japanese.
• aragotoA style of kabuki acting that uses exaggerated, dynamic movements and utterances.
• arameA seaweed, Eisenia bicyclis, used in Japanese cuisine.
• arareA Japanese confection made from small pieces of mochi (glutinous rice cakes) that are fried and usually flavored with soy sauce or other flavorings.
• ArasawaA surname from Japanese.
• ArazawaA surname from Japanese.
• AsakiA surname from Japanese.
• AsamotoA surname from Japanese.
• AsazawaA surname from Japanese.
• asazukeA type of Japanese pickle.
• ashiatsuA form of massage in which the practitioner uses their feet to deliver treatment.
• ashigaruA feudal Japanese footsoldier.
• ashikoA conical drum with one open end and a head on the wide end, originating in Yoruba music.
• ashitabaAngelica keiskei
• ashitoria kimarite in which the attacker takes his opponent down by grabbing and lifting his leg with both hands
• ashiyuA shallow communal pool in Japan, usually with seats around it, filled with warm water in which people can soak their feet and lower legs; a type of footbath.
• Ashuku NyoraiThe Japanese name for the Eastern Buddha, Akṣobhya, one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas.
• atsugariA Drosophila phenotype that shows a preference for unusually low temperatures.
• Aum ShinrikyoA Japanese doomsday religious movement founded in 1987 known for perpetrating sarin attacks in 1994 and 1995.
• awabanchaA kind of Japanese fermented tea.
• awabiSushi made from abalone.