Sight words: Hikone castle

Have you ever paid your attention to some typical signboard written by Japanese? If so, don't you think you can catch the exact meaning? Moreover, you want to make your travel wonderful? Then this topic will help you. Let's try to extend your knowledge of Japanese and tell it to your friends. They will be moved very much.

The statue of Ii Naomasa

Japanese people have been learning many words and expressions by custom. The words that we describe below are understood at a first glance. However, international travelers, we suppose, may feel difficulties to understand them. The reason is simply because they don't make their livings in Japan. It's difficult to gain the comprehension in such cases.

So, let's start to investigate some typical Japanese words and expressions. We want to explain that kind of information come up with, which Japanese people happen to look at these words and expressions they easily understand.

If you know the meanings of these words before visiting the sightseeing spots. These words below must be 'Sight words' for the travelers to Japan. For a starter we will search around 'Hikone castle'!


fig 1; O-za-shi-ki

fig 2; A-ma-za-ke

fig 3; O-mat-cha

fig 4; To-u-ku-ba-ko

fig 5; Ha-na-no-syo-u-ga-i

fig 6; U-mo-re-gi-no-ya

'O-za-shi-ki'
What is the Japanese word 'O-za-shi-ki'?
 This sign is on a wall of the second floor of a station side restaurant.

If you analyse 'O-za-shi-ki', you will find 'o' is one of 'polite language' and 'za-shi-ki' is an original. The owner of the restaurant may appeal that 'there are tatami-mat-eating-rooms'. 'Za-shi-ki' usually means a Japanese room where the tatami mats were covered. And sometimes it means 'the main Japanese room'. But these are used differently depending on the context.

Even more the owner wants to express 'Even your group is large, you can eat comfortably because there is a large Japanese style eating space' and 'If you want to have some banquet, there is a suitable space here'.

'A-ma-za-ke'
What is the Japanese word 'A-ma-za-ke'?
This word is on a banner-flag. And the banner-flag is in a refreshment shop of a halfway point toward the central area of Hikone castle.

'A-ma-za-ke' means sweet liquor literally. But Japanese don't use this word when they call sweet liquor. When they use the word 'A-ma-za-ke', it's not liquor but traditional beverage which children can drink. Furthermore, they expect this beverage is sweet and hot. Then you purchase and drink it, you can feel relaxed. So, it's a suitable drink for a short break.

The letter 'A-ma-za-ke' has a kanji-character means liquor even though it has no alcohol. Japanese people learn this kind of knowledge by having experience to drink 'A-ma-za-ke' in a local festival or so.

What's more, it's written in an impressive red banner-flag. The refreshment shop's owner wants to express 'This beverage is special so you cannot taste in another place'.

'O-mat-cha'
What is the Japanese word 'O-mat-cha'?
 This sign is on the wall of another refreshment shop in the Hikone castle.

To tell the truth, we don't know the accurate meaning of this word. Because this word means one of Japanese tea, and there are so many styles of Japanese tea. Broadly speaking, you can drink special Japanese tea which was drunk by Sengoku warriors and Sa-do experts of tea ceremony. We also imagine you can drink a little expensive and classy style of it in the refreshment shop.




Japanese apricot in Hikone castle

'To-u-ku-ba-ko'
What is the Japanese word 'To-u-ku-ba-ko'?
This box is placed in an entrance to the Genkyu-en garden.

If you don't have any hint, it's difficult to solve the question even you are Japanese. First hint is that this box is placed in an entrance of the Genkyu-en garden. Second hint is its explanation. You will read the word on this box carefully and find the word 'Kanko-haiku-toukubako'. 'Kanko' means 'sightseeing'. 'Haiku' means 'Japanese style very short poem'. Then,'toukubako' means 'a box for submitting Haiku poems which you made here'.

If you were deeply impressed by this garden, how about making 'Haiku'? We have no doubt about your knowledge as Japan experts. If you submit your works of your native language actually, city clerks in charge will be confused. But, there are so many international tourists, then some of city clerks will understand English. So, if you submit your works in English, they may be filled with emotion seeing them.
 
'Ha-na-no-syo-u-ga-i'
What is the Japanese word 'Ha-na-no-syo-u-ga-i'?
This stone monument is placed in a park of surrounding area of Hikone castle.

In this context, 'ha-na-no' means 'flower-like' but this flower is not real flower. This word means 'magnificent like many full-blown flowers'. English word, 'flourish' also means 'become prosperous'. Each of them is the same ideas.
Furthermore, 'Ha-na-no-syo-u-ga-i' means the famous person's life who was born in Hikone, and his name is 'Ii Naosuke'. In addition, it's also the title of a famous novel featured 'Ii Naosuke'.
This story aired as a Ta-i-ga drama, a long-running historical drama of NHK in 1963. Then, people who watched this drama series know the meaning of it very well.

However this broadcast was approximately 50 years ago, so young Japanese have no idea what 'Ha-na-no-syo-u-ga-i' is.

Ii Naosuke
Ta-i-ga drama
NHK; Japan Broadcasting Corporation

'U-mo-re-gi-no-ya'
What is the Japanese word 'U-mo-re-gi-no-ya'?
This sign board is put up in front of a small sightseeing spot which is located in the southern area of the castle. 

'Umoregi' means a wood buried in the ground. If the wood is buried in the ground, it isn't noticed even hough it has a good talent.
To understand this word we need some historical knowledge.
First, this sightseeing spot was a house where Ii Naosuke lived on his youthful days. Second, Ii Naosuke wasn't a lord when he became a man. And long after becoming an adult, he became a sensible feudal lord of Hikone domain. He was a man who had tasted the bitters of life.

He named his house 'U-mo-re-gi-no-ya'. Because, even though he was one of lord's sons and heir, he understood he would not become the next feudal lord.
This sign board was an expression of his view of life. And the change of his situation was happened. He became one of a famous person in Japan's history.
If you don't know the background you cannot understand the charm of the word 'U-mo-re-gi-no-ya'

Hikone castle main tower

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