橘

Japanese: 橘 (Tachibana)

Emperor Suinin
Kojiki
Nihon Kokugo Daijiten
Nihon Shoki
Tajimamori
ja:垂仁天皇
ja:田道間守

First cited in the Kojiki of 712.
According to the Nihon Shoki in a section describing the 90th year of the reign of the legendary 垂仁天皇 (Suinin Tennō, “Emperor Suinin”, traditionally regarded as living from 69 BCE – 70 CE and reigning from 29 BCE – 70 CE), a legendary figure named 田道間守 (Tajimamori) was tasked with bringing back from the heavens a 非時香菓 (tokijiku no kagu no konomi, literally, “timeless fragrant tree-fruit”; the same incident is also included in the Kojiki). This is often interpreted to be a reference to tachibana, but the text itself is not specific.
A surface analysis suggests that this is a compound of 立ち (tati, “standing”, from verb 立つ (tatu, “to stand”)) + 花 (pana, “flower”).

compound

from verb <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ojp">立つ</i> (tatu, “to stand”)

a powerful clan descended from Agata no Inukai no Michiyo and later Tachibana no Moroe


日本

The kanji spelling is influenced by 日の本 (pi₁ no₂ mo₍₂₎to₂).

Alternative spelling of 大和 (Yamato₂): Yamato, ancient name of Japan


日向

Japanese: 日向 (Hyūga)

From the Nihon Shoki (720 CE):
:
幸子湯縣、遊于丹裳小野。時東望之謂左右曰「是國也直向於日出方。」故號其國曰日向也。
The Emperor [Keikō] visited Ko₁yu and enjoyed himself at Nimono₂wono₁. At this time, he looked east and proclaimed left and right, “This province exactly faces the sun at its rising.” Therefore, this province was named Pi₁muka.
Compound of 日 (pi₁, “sun”) + 向か (muka, the 未然形 (mizenkei, “irrealis form”) of verb 向く (muku), “to face (a direction)”).

ux

The Emperor 􂀿􂀽Keikō􂁀 visited Ko₁yu and enjoyed himself at Nimono₂wono₁. At this time, he looked east and proclaimed left and right, “This province exactly faces the sun at its rising.” Therefore, this province was named Pi₁muka.

幸子湯縣、遊于丹裳小野。時東望之謂左右曰「是國也直向於日出方。」故號其國曰日向也。
The Emperor [[[w:Emperor Keikō|Keikō]]] visited Ko₁yu and enjoyed himself at Nimono₂wono₁. At this time, he looked east and proclaimed left and right, “This province exactly faces the sun at its rising.” Therefore, this province was named Pi₁muka.

com

摩蘇餓豫蘇餓能古羅破宇摩奈羅麼譬武伽能古摩多智奈羅麼勾禮能摩差比宇倍之訶茂蘇餓能古羅烏於朋枳瀰能菟伽破須羅志枳

Torquil Duthie (2014) Man'yōshū and the Imperial Imagination in Early Japan (Brill's Japanese Studies Library), reprint edition, BRILL, →ISBN, pages 227-228

Oh true Soga! The sons of Soga, if they were horses, would be steeds of Himuka, if they were swords, would be blades of Kure! Thus it is fitting, that the sons of Soga should be in service of the great lord.

ma-So₁ga yo₂ So₁ga no₂ ko₁ra pa uma naraba Pi₁muka no₂ ko₁ma tati naraba Kure no₂ ma-sapi₁ ubesi ka mo So₁ga no₂ ko₁ra wo opoki₁mi₁ no₂ tukapasurasiki₁

Short for 日向國 (Pi₁muka-no₂-kuni): a province in ancient Japan, corresponding to modern Miyazaki Prefecture on the eastern coast of Kyushu


奈良

Japanese: 奈良 (Nara)

From the Nihon Shoki (720 CE):
:
則率_二精兵_一、進登_二那羅山_一而軍之。時官軍屯聚、而蹢_二跙草木_一。因以號_二其山_一曰_二那羅山_一。〈蹢跙、此云_二：布瀰那羅須_一〉
The selected soldiers went forward, climbed Nara-yama, and put them in order. Now the imperial forces gathered and flattened trees and plants. Therefore, the mountain is called Nara-yama (“Flattened” is read as fuminarasu).
However, analysis of phonetic spellings reveals that the placename was often spelled with a final -ku or -ki₂ element.

ux

a placename in 大和 (Yamato₂, “Yamato Province”), the seat of power of the ancient Yamato court


春日

Japanese: 春日 (Kasuga)

Compare 明日香 (Asuka), from pillow word 飛ぶ鳥の (to₂bu to₂ri no₂).

, text here
千磐破神之社四無有世伐春日之野邊粟種益乎
tipayaburu kami₂ no₂ yasiro₂ si nakariseba Kasuga-no₂-no₁pe₁ ni apa makamasi wo
Thousand-rock-smashing, a fierce deity abides in the godly shrine: but for her I'd be well pleased to sow our millet in Kasuga fields.

a placename in the vicinity that is today part of the city of Nara in Nara Prefecture

春霞

parukasumi1, pillow word that can allude to Kasuga


不盡

Alternative spelling of 富士 (Puzi): Mount Fuji


鎌倉

Japanese: 鎌倉 (Kamakura)

Originally a compound of 竈 (kama, “oven”) + 鞍 (kura, “saddle”), from the way that the landscape as viewed from the sea looks like a saddle inside an oven, that is, a flat area in the mountains, surrounded by hills in the shape of an old traditional oven.

足鏡別王者、【鎌倉之別、小津、石代之別、漁田之別祖也。】次息長田別王之子、杙俣長田子王。

Kurano, Kenji with Yūkichi Takeda (712) Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 1: Kojiki, Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 1958, →ISBN, page 224

可麻久良乃美胡之能佐吉能伊波久叡乃伎美我久由倍伎己許呂波母多自

Satake, Akihiro with Hideo Yamada, Rikio Kudō, Masao Ōtani, and Yoshiyuki Yamazaki (c. 759) Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 3: Man’yōshū 3 (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 2002, →ISBN

Kamakura no₂ Mi₁go₁si-no₂-saki₁ no₂ ipakuye no₂ ki₁mi₁ ga kuyube₂ki₁ ko₂ko₂ro₂ pa motazi

奈爾波都爾余曾比余比弖氣布能比夜伊田弖麻可良武美流波波奈之爾 右一首、鎌倉郡上丁丸子連多麻呂。

Satake, Akihiro with Hideo Yamada, Rikio Kudō, Masao Ōtani, and Yoshiyuki Yamazaki (c. 759) Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 4: Man’yōshū 4 (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, published 2003, →ISBN

Today in Naniwa Bay, adorned [with flags], I depart without a mother seeing me off (by the leader Maroko no Ōmaro from the district of Kamakura).

Nanipa-tu ni yo₂so₂pi₁ yo₂so₂pi₁te ke₂pu no₂ pi₁ ya idete-makaramu mi₁ru papa nasi ni (Hidari isshu, Kamakura-gun jōtei Maroko no Muraji Ōmaro)

a placename on the southeastern part of modern Kanagawa Prefecture


大坂

Japanese: 大阪, 大坂 (Ōsaka)

Attested in the Kojiki (720 CE).
From 大 (opo, “large”) + 坂 (saka, “hill”).

Oposaka (a hill downsloping from Yamato to Kawachi provinces, in modern Japan)


新羅

Japanese: 新羅 (Shiragi)

Shiratori (1896) derived this word from Old Korean 徐羅城 (*Syera-KUY), reconstructed from 徐羅 (syera) as in 徐羅伐 (Syerapel, “Seorabeol”, its capital city, present day Gyeongju) or 斯羅 (MC sje la), an older name of Silla; and Old Japanese 城 (ki₂, “fortress, castle”) considered as borrowed from Baekje 己 (kuy), from Goguryeo 忽 (kol(o)) and older form 溝婁／沟娄 (kwurwu, OC *koː ɡ·roː/ɡ·ro, MC kəu lɨo|ləu), equated with Old Korean 伐 (pel, “village”).
Aisin-Gioro (2009) proposed that there are also similar exonyms for Korea, made from the same configuration, Old Turkic 𐰲𐰇𐰞𐰍𐰞 (čölgl, “Silla”), Jurchen solgor (“Goryeo”, whence cognate with Manchu ᠰᠣᠯᡥᠣ (solho), “Korea”), and borrowed as Mongolian Солго (Solgo, “Korea”) and Middle Mongol 莎郎合思 (Solangqas, “Goryeo”, whence cognate with Mongolian Солонгос (Solongos), “Korea”), as being related to *Syera-kuy, and Khitan 𘬥𘲀𘭲𘮒 (*ś ul ó úr, “Silla, Goryeo”) as a descendant of 徐羅伐 (Syera-pel).

cog

whence cognate with Manchu <i class="Mong mnc-Mong mention" lang="mnc">ᠰᠣᠯᡥᠣ</i> (solho), “Korea”

whence cognate with Mongolian <i class="Cyrl mention" lang="mn">Солонгос</i> (Solongos), “Korea”

新羅奇敞可伊敞爾可加反流由吉能之麻由加牟多登伎毛於毛比可禰都母

Returning to my house in Silla, I still have no clue about whether I should depart from the island of Yuki.

Siraki₂-pe₁ ka ipe₁ ni ka kape₁ru Yuki₁-no₂-sima yukamu tado₂ki₁ mo omopi₁kanetu mo


藤原

Japanese: 藤原 (ふじわら, Fujiwara)

Compound of 藤 (pudi, “Wisteria floribunda”) + 原 (para, “(uncultivated) field”).

com

a powerful clan descended from Nakatomi no Kamatari

, text here
藤原古郷之秋芽子者開而落去寸君待不得而
Pudipara no₂ purinisi sato₁ no₂ aki₁ pagi₂ pa saki₁te tiriniki₁ ki₁mi₁ mati kanete

a placename, especially 藤原京 (Fujiwara-kyō) in present-day Kashihara, Nara Prefecture


吉野

Japanese: 吉野 (Yoshino)


吉野

Attested in the Nihon Shoki (720 CE).
Possibly the Eastern Old Japanese variant.


明日香

Japanese: 明日香 (Asuka)

a placename on which is now the village of Asuka in Takaichi District, Nara Prefecture


難波

desc

難波, 浪速, 浪花, 浪華

Japanese: 難波, 浪速, 浪花, 浪華 (Naniwa)

Corruption of 浪速 (Nami₁paya, literally “swift waves”) or 浪花 (Nami₁pana, literally “wave flowers”).

皇師遂東、舳艫相接、方到難波之碕。因以名為浪速國、亦曰浪花、今謂難波訛也。

720, Nihon Shoki, Emperor Jimmu, entry 4: [671 BCE], second month:

an old placename for the region that is now known as 大阪 (Ōsaka, “Osaka”)


富士

Japanese: 富士 (Fuji)

First attested in the Hitachi-no-kuni Fudoki (c. 717–724 CE).
Etymology continues to be debated, theories include:
* From Ainu フヂ (huji, “[[[goddess]] of] fire”), commonly associated with volcanoes by the Ainu people.
*: Consider also Ainu カムイフチ, カムイフヂ (kamuy huci, kamuy huji, “the goddess of fire”), including the element カムイ (kamuy, “god”).
* Alexander Vovin (2017) proposes a derivation from 火 (pu, “fire”, Eastern Old Japanese term and hapax legomenon encountered only once in any ancient source, inferred as equivalent to Western Old Japanese combining form po and standalone form pi) + 主 (nusi, “master”). He also abandons the Ainu etymology based on his Proto-Ainu reconstructions.
*: *⟨pu nusi⟩ → */punusi/ → */punsi/ → ⟨puzi⟩
This kanji spelling first appeared in a variant of the Suruga-no-kuni Fudoki and in the Shoku Nihongi (797 CE), possibly relating to a folk etymology of 富 (fu, “abundant”) + 士 (shi, “soldiers”) climbing the mountain. Multiple other folk etymologies exist, such as 不死 (fushi, “immortal”). All the folk etymologies rely on on'yomi readings, a trait that Vovin finds unsatisfactory due to the reliance on Chinese morphemes to spell an ancient Japanese placename.

cog

カムイフチ, カムイフヂ

<i class="Latn mention" lang="ain">kamuy huci, kamuy huji</i>

com

c. 717–724, Hitachi-no-kuni Fudoki (Tsukuba)
神祖尊、巡行諸神之処、到駿河國福慈岳...
The great highness went around the place of the gods and arrived at Mount Fuji in Suruga province...

, text here
吾妹子尓相縁乎無駿河有不盡乃高嶺之焼管香將有
wagi₁moko₁ ni apu yo₂si wo nami₁ Suruga naru Puzi no₂ takane no₂ moyetutu ka aramu
With no way now for me to meet my love, my heart is burning with the thought of love like the fire on the top of Mount Fuji in Suruga.

, text here
安麻乃波良不自能之婆夜麻己能久礼能等伎由都利奈波阿波受可母安良牟
ama no₂ para Puzi no₂ sibayama ko₂no₂ kure no₂ to₂ki₁ yuturinaba apazu ka mo aramu
Under the shade of the trees, on the grassy mount Fuji, field of the heavens, if too much time passes, [I] may not be able to meet [you].

Ellipsis of 富士の山 (Puzi-no₂-yama): Mount Fuji (The highest mountain in Japan)

富士の山

Ainu people
Alexander Vovin
John Batchelor (missionary)
Old_Japanese#Dialects
Shoku Nihongi
ja:常陸国風土記
ja:駿河国風土記


埼玉

Japanese: 埼玉 (Saitama)

Compound of 埼 (saki₁, “cape”) + 玉 (tama, “gem, jewel”), for its fame attested in the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE).

(historical) Saitama (a former district in northeastern Musashi Province, facing the Tone River, in the Kanto Region, Japan)


有馬

Japanese: 有馬 (Arima)


相模

Japanese: 相模 (Sagami)

, text here
相模祢乃 乎美祢見可久思 和須礼久流 伊毛我名欲妣弖 吾乎祢之奈久奈
Sagamune no₂ wo-mi₁ne mi₂kakusi wasurekuru imo ga na yo₁bi₁te a wo ne si naku na

, text here
相模治乃 余呂伎能波麻乃 麻奈胡奈須 児良波可奈之久 於毛波流留可毛
Sagamudi no₂ Yo₂ro₂gi₁-no₂-pama no₂ manago₁ nasu ko₁ra pa kanasiku omoparuru ka mo

Short for 相模國 (Sagamu no₂ kuni): Sagamu Province, an old province of Japan, today part of Kanagawa Prefecture

さねさし

sanesasi, pillow word alluding to Sagamu


月夜見

The use of 夜 (yo₁, literally “night”) is an example of ateji (当て字).

次生月神〈一書云、月弓尊、月夜見尊、月讀尊〉。

Next, they bore the moon god (Records read either Tuku-yumi nö mikötö, Tuku-yomi nö mikötö, or Tuku-yömi nö mikötö).

Alternative spelling of 月讀 (Tukuyo₂mi₁): Tsukuyomi, the moon god in Shinto mythology


釋迦

Japanese: 釈迦 (Shaka)

From Middle Chinese 釋迦 (MC syek kja), itself a transliteration of Sanskrit शाक्य (Śākya)

舎加乃美阿止伊波爾宇都志於伎宇夜麻比弖乃知乃保止氣爾由豆利麻都良牟佐佐義麻宇佐牟

Śakya’s holy footprints which I inscribe copies on rock and revere, to the future Buddha I bequeath and dedicate, I humbly consecrate!

Shaka no₂ mi₁-ato₂ ipa ni utusi-oki₁ uyamapi₁te no₂ti no₂ poto₂ke₂ ni yuduri-maturamu sasage-mausamu


百濟

Japanese: 百済 (Kudara)

From Old Korean 居陀羅 (*Kutara, name of an important place in Baekje territory).
The kanji spelling is an orthographic borrowing from Middle Chinese 百濟 (MC paek tsejH).

obor

, text here
百濟野乃芽古枝爾待春跡居之鶯鳴爾鷄鵡鴨
Kudara-no₁ no₂ pagi₂ puruye ni paru matu to₂ worisi ugupi₁su naki₁nike₁mu ka mo
At the field of Baekje with the bush clover’s old branch, I have sat with a nightingale waiting for spring; I should have been crying!

Three Kingdoms of Korea
w:Three Kingdoms of Korea

Baekje (one of the ancient Three Kingdoms of Korea)


浪速

From 浪 (nami₁, “wave”) + 速 (paya, stem of adjective 速し (payasi), “rapid, swift”).

com

stem of adjective <i class="Jpan mention" lang="ojp">速し</i> (payasi), “rapid, swift”

皇師遂東、舳艫相接、方到難波之碕。因以名為浪速國、亦曰浪花、今謂難波訛也。


あめのかぐやま

天香具山, 天香久山: a mountain in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture


鎌倉山

Kamakura-yama (romanization)
かまくらやま (hiragana)

From 鎌倉 (Kamakura) + 山 (-yama, “mountain”).

多伎木許流可麻久良夜麻能許太流木乎麻都等奈我伊波婆古非都追夜安奈牟

taki₁gi₂ ko₂ru Kamakura-yama no₂ ko₂daru ki₂ wo matu to₂ naga ipaba ko₁pi₂tutu ya aramu

the mountains around present-day Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture; sometimes referring to the vicinity of the present Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine


月讀

Japanese: 月読 (Tsukuyomi → Tsukiyomi)

→ English: Tsukuyomi

From 月 (tuku, combining form of tuki₂, “moon”) + 讀み (yo₂mi₁, “counting”, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of verb 讀む (yo₂mu), “to count”), and referred to telling the moonphases.

Short for 月讀尊, 月讀命 (Tukuyo₂mi₁ no₂ mi₁ko₂to₂): Tsukuyomi, the moon god in Shinto mythology


御間城入彦

head

御間城入彦 (Mi₁maki₂iribi₁ko₁) (kana みまきいりびこ)

(poetic) Short for 御間城入彦五十瓊殖天皇 (Mi₁maki₂iribi₁ko₁iniwe no₂ sumerami₁ko₂to₂): Emperor Sujin


天香具山

Ame₂ no₂ Kaguyama (romanization)
あめのかぐやま (hiragana)

Japanese: 天香具山 (Ama no Kaguyama)

a mountain located on Kashihara, Nara Prefecture; along with 畝傍山 (Unebi₂-yama) and 耳成山 (Mi₁mi₁nasi-yama) they are collectively called the 大和三山 (Yamato Sanzan, “Three Famous Mountains of Yamato Province”)

天降り付く

amori tuku, pillow word that can allude to Ame no Kaguyama


太政官

おほきまつりごとのつかさ

おほきまつりことのつかさ

太政官 (Opoki₁maturigo₂to₂ no₂ Tukasa) (kana おほきまつりごとのつかさ)

Opoki₁maturigo₂to₂ no₂ Tukasa (romanization)
おほきまつりごとのつかさ (hiragana)

desc

Japanese: 太政官 (Ōimatsurigoto no Tsukasa → Da(i)jō-kan)

From 大き (opoki₁, the 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) of adjective 大し (oposi), “great”) + 政 (maturigo₂to₂, “government, rule”) + の (no₂, possessive particle) + 官 (tukasa, “government office”).

com

おほきまつりことのつかさ

the highest governing body under the 律令 (Ritsuryō) system during and after the Nara period


奈良山

Nara-yama (romanization)
ならやま (hiragana)

Japanese: 奈良山 (Nara-yama)

From 奈良 (Nara, placename in Yamato Province) + 山 (-yama, “hill, mountain”).

suffix

the hills north of the ancient capital of 平城京 (Heijō-kyō) in present-day Nara


磐余

desc

Japanese: 磐余 (Iware, in modern dictionaries)

Either from 言はれ (ipare, “that of what is said”), or from a compound of 岩 (ipa, “rock”) + 村 (*are, “village”). The latter theory is more likely as placenames were often formed from compounds of nouns, but a place name formed from a specific conjugation is extremely rare, if at all.

莒母唎矩能簸覩細能哿波庾那峨例倶屢駄開能以矩美娜開余嚢開謨等陛嗚麼莒等儞都倶唎須衞陛嗚麼府曳儞都倶唎府企儺須美母慮我紆陪儞能朋梨陀致倭我彌細麼都奴娑播符以簸例能伊聞能美那矢駄府紆嗚謨紆陪儞堤堤那皚矩野須美矢矢倭我於朋枳美能於魔細屢娑佐羅能美於寐能武須彌陀例駄例夜矢比等母紆陪儞泥堤那皚矩
ko₂moriku no₂ Patuse-no₂-kapa yu nagarekuru take₂ no₂ ikumi₁dake₂ yo₂dake₂ moto₂pe₁ wo ba ko₂to₂ ni tukuri suwepe₁ wo ba puye ni tukuri puki₁nasu Mi₁moro₂ ga upe₂ ni no₂boritati waga mi₁seba tuno₁ sapapu Ipare-no₂-ike₂ no₂ mi₁nasitapu uwo mo upe₂ nidete nage₂ku yasumi₁sisi waga opoki₁mi₁ no₂ obaseru sasarano₂ mi₁obi₁ no₂ musubi₁tare tare ya si pi₁to₂ mo upe₂ nidete nage₂ku
Down the river of Patuse [the secluded], a bamboo comes floating—close-jointed, long-jointed; the bottom part making into a lute, the upper part making into a flute. Blowing into [the flute and] playing on [the lute], were I to ascend and stand on the top of Mimorö? and publish it there, the very fishes that pass under the water of the pond of Ipare? [The creeper-clad w]ould come to the surface and lament: the august girdle of small pattern, girded on by our great lord who rules peacefully, hangs down in a knot—not a man is there whoever he may be but would come up and lament.

a placename in present-day southern Sakurai, Nara prefecture; site of the ancient Yamato imperial court around the mid-late Kofun period

つのさはふ

tuno₁ sapapu, pillow word alluding to Ipare