The Guide Board
We see many 'Guide Boards' in historic sightseeing spots in Japan. Most of them are bilingual, Japanese and English. In some remote sightseeing spots, people concerned don't expect visit of foreign tourists and they make the things only in Japanese. On the contrary, many do expect foreign tourists, so they prepare the bilingual guide boards. Recently, we also see many Chinese guide boards as well.
We aren't concerned with Chinese, so we would like to consider the differences of Japanese guide boards and English guide boards. You may ask they explain same information, so there would be no difference. However, there are differences. Then, what kind of differences are there, and why these differences occur? We will describe below. The pictures are low image resolution. If you want to compare by yourself, please visit the historic sightseeing spot actually.
We thought if we categorize samples, it will help your understanding. At this point, we are predicting 2 types of factors.
1. Describing Japanese using 'Roman alphabet' causes mistakes for the translators.
2. English explanations are written by another person.
To understand why we categorize into these 2 types, please read our explanation of samples.
We will describe the samples below.
(1) The name of the historic sightseeing site
(2) The title of the guide board
(3) We want to explain what was happened.
No.1: Describing Japanese using 'Roman alphabet' causes mistakes for the translators.
(1) Verkehr Museum
(We visited this museum to write the article named 'Sengoku battle ship.' It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Shizuoka city.) If you want to visit 'Sengoku battle ship' click here.
(2) Kobaya ship model: Japanese title is '小早.'
(3) The title in English is described as 'Kobaya' but the body is described as 'Kohaya.' In our understanding 'Kobaya' is correct and 'Kohaya' is a careless mistake. If there is a differentiation, we are very sorry about our lack of knowledge. However, is it possible the difference of the title and the body?
(We visited this museum to write the article named 'Sengoku battle ship.' It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Shizuoka city.) If you want to visit 'Sengoku battle ship' click here.
(2) Kobaya ship model: Japanese title is '小早.'
(3) The title in English is described as 'Kobaya' but the body is described as 'Kohaya.' In our understanding 'Kobaya' is correct and 'Kohaya' is a careless mistake. If there is a differentiation, we are very sorry about our lack of knowledge. However, is it possible the difference of the title and the body?
(1) Hamamatsu Castle
(We don't make the article about it as of right now. We want to do it if we have a chance.)
(2) The Castle Tower Bailey (Tenshuguruwa): Japanese title is '天守曲輪.'
(3) The title in English is described as 'Tensyuguruwa' but the body is described as 'Tensyukuruwa.' Usually, 'Tensyuguruwa' is correct and 'Tensyukuruwa' is wrong. We can easily suppose why this kind of mistakes happen. When you read '曲輪,' you will pronounce 'Kuruwa' because there aren't other words before that word. But, when '天守' connect, the pronunciation of '天守曲輪' changes into 'Tensyu-guruwa.' 'Ku' change into 'Gu' in this situation. (For your information, when you read '早,' you will pronounce 'Haya,' but '小' connect and the '小早' is pronounced 'Kobaya.')
(We don't make the article about it as of right now. We want to do it if we have a chance.)
(2) The Castle Tower Bailey (Tenshuguruwa): Japanese title is '天守曲輪.'
(3) The title in English is described as 'Tensyuguruwa' but the body is described as 'Tensyukuruwa.' Usually, 'Tensyuguruwa' is correct and 'Tensyukuruwa' is wrong. We can easily suppose why this kind of mistakes happen. When you read '曲輪,' you will pronounce 'Kuruwa' because there aren't other words before that word. But, when '天守' connect, the pronunciation of '天守曲輪' changes into 'Tensyu-guruwa.' 'Ku' change into 'Gu' in this situation. (For your information, when you read '早,' you will pronounce 'Haya,' but '小' connect and the '小早' is pronounced 'Kobaya.')
(1) Hamamatsu Castle
(2) The Characteristics of the Castle Tower: Japanese title is '天守曲輪の石垣の特徴.'
(3) 'Irizumi': Japanese word is '入隅（いりすみ).'
'Dezumi': Japanese word is '出隅（ですみ).'
'Watori': Japanese word is '輪取り（わどり).'
In this case, when you pronounce '入隅,' 'Irizumi' and 'Irisumi' are okay, so, you can choose each pronunciations. (We omit the explanation of '出隅' and '輪取り.')
(2) The Characteristics of the Castle Tower: Japanese title is '天守曲輪の石垣の特徴.'
(3) 'Irizumi': Japanese word is '入隅（いりすみ).'
'Dezumi': Japanese word is '出隅（ですみ).'
'Watori': Japanese word is '輪取り（わどり).'
In this case, when you pronounce '入隅,' 'Irizumi' and 'Irisumi' are okay, so, you can choose each pronunciations. (We omit the explanation of '出隅' and '輪取り.')
When you write kind of difficult words which pronunciation are special, you can add 'Furigana.' 'Furigana' is a special description to support your understanding how to pronounce. So, in the Japanese text describes 'Furigana' in these three words. According to the Japanese text,
'入隅' should be read as 'Irisumi (いりすみ)' instead of 'Irizumi (いりずみ).'
'出隅' should be read as 'Desumi (ですみ)' instead of 'Dezumi (でずみ).'
'輪取り' should be read as 'Wadori (わどり)' instead of 'Watori (わとり).'
'出隅' should be read as 'Desumi (ですみ)' instead of 'Dezumi (でずみ).'
'輪取り' should be read as 'Wadori (わどり)' instead of 'Watori (わとり).'
Special words written by the roman alphabet in this English text are written avoiding Japanese 'Furigana' system. 'Furigana' system is the system full of kindness. We can't understand why the translator avoid this kind system, we suspect he don't know this system.
No.2: English explanations are written by another person.
(1) Verkehr Museum
(We visited this museum to write the article named 'Sengoku battle ship.' It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Shizuoka city.) If you want to visit 'Sengoku battle ship' click here.
(2) Atake ship model: Japanese title is '安宅船.'
(3) Our attention is focused on the sentence, 'Atake ships were disassembled.': Japanese sentence is ' 安宅船は御座船に造り替えられた.'
(We visited this museum to write the article named 'Sengoku battle ship.' It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Shizuoka city.) If you want to visit 'Sengoku battle ship' click here.
(2) Atake ship model: Japanese title is '安宅船.'
(3) Our attention is focused on the sentence, 'Atake ships were disassembled.': Japanese sentence is ' 安宅船は御座船に造り替えられた.'
We guess the English sentence is historically correct and the Japanese sentence isn't. If we translate the Japanese sentence according to the expression, it will be 'Atake ships were remodeled to Gozabune (御座船).' In Japanese history, the owner of Atake ships were ordered to disassemble by the Tokugawa shogunate. So, if you want to use the word, 'Gozabune,' you should describe 'The smaller ship, 'Gozabune' were newly made,' for example. In this case, we think the translator knows well Japanese history, so he changed the sentence a little. And the Japanese text writer maybe didn't write additional sentences because of 'word limit.' He should write ' Atake ships were disassembled and the smaller ship, 'Gozabune' were newly made.'
(1) Hikone Castle
(We visited this castle to write the article named 'Sight Words: Hikone Castle.' It's located in Shiga Pref. Hikone city.) If you want to visit 'Sight Words: Hikone Castle' click here.
(2) Monument of Life of a Cherry Blossom: Japanese title is '花の生涯記念碑.'
(3) Our attention is focused on the sentence below.
The glittering sand stands for a flurry of fallen petals. : Japanese sentence is 'キラキラと輝く砂は雪をあらわす.'
(We visited this castle to write the article named 'Sight Words: Hikone Castle.' It's located in Shiga Pref. Hikone city.) If you want to visit 'Sight Words: Hikone Castle' click here.
(2) Monument of Life of a Cherry Blossom: Japanese title is '花の生涯記念碑.'
(3) Our attention is focused on the sentence below.
The glittering sand stands for a flurry of fallen petals. : Japanese sentence is 'キラキラと輝く砂は雪をあらわす.'
The English text is the translation of the Japanese text. So, 'fallen petals' is wrong and the word should be 'snow.' But there is a very difficult historical fact. You should learn the historical drama which led to the creation of this monument. The hero of this drama, 'Ii Naosuke (井伊直弼) was assassinated in 1860. That was the climax of the drama. Then every Japanese history lover knows, when he was assassinated at the Sakurada-mon (桜田門), it was heavy snow around there. In this drama, the heavy snow and the flurry of fallen petals were the same metaphor of his fleeting life. The gross outline is okay, but as the translation, it's a mistake.
(1) MOA Art Museum
(It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Atami city. 'Golden Teahouse' replica is also exhibited in Osaka Castle. That is the other version from the same historical information. We mentioned in the article 'Temple of Shogunate 2.' ) If you want to visit 'Temple of Shogunate 2' click here.
(2) Golden Teahouse, Tea Ceremony Stand, and Utensils: Japanese title is '黄金の茶室・台子・皆具.'
(3) The sentence we focused on is a little long.
The utensil stand, charcoal brazier, kettle, fresh water jar, ladle holder, waste water jar, kettle lid rest, tea whisk, and wiping napkin -in short, nearly all the utensils for tea ceremony were made of gold. : Japanese sentence is '茶筅・茶巾のほかは台子・風炉・釜・水指・杓立・建水・蓋置など点茶道具すべてが黄金づくりであった.'
(It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Atami city. 'Golden Teahouse' replica is also exhibited in Osaka Castle. That is the other version from the same historical information. We mentioned in the article 'Temple of Shogunate 2.' ) If you want to visit 'Temple of Shogunate 2' click here.
(2) Golden Teahouse, Tea Ceremony Stand, and Utensils: Japanese title is '黄金の茶室・台子・皆具.'
(3) The sentence we focused on is a little long.
The utensil stand, charcoal brazier, kettle, fresh water jar, ladle holder, waste water jar, kettle lid rest, tea whisk, and wiping napkin -in short, nearly all the utensils for tea ceremony were made of gold. : Japanese sentence is '茶筅・茶巾のほかは台子・風炉・釜・水指・杓立・建水・蓋置など点茶道具すべてが黄金づくりであった.'
The point is what were made of gold. According to the Japanese sentence, almost were gold instead of 'tea whisk' and 'wiping napkin.' But English sentence describe 'nearly all the utensils for tea ceremony' were made of gold. We worried that you misunderstood 'tea whisk' and 'wiping napkin' were also made of gold. For your information, the sentence describes what were made of gold. Then you had better have the comparison chart of tea ceremony utensils.
Utensil stand: 台子
Charcoal brazier: 風炉
Kettle: 釜
Fresh water jar: 水指
Ladle holder: 杓立
Waste water jar: 建水
Kettle lid rest: 蓋置
Tea whisk: 茶筅
Wiping napkin: 茶巾
While searching, we found another kind of samples. That is Japanese text is long and detailed but English text is short and right to the point.
(1) Nagoya Castle
(We visited this castle to write the article named 'Nagoya Castle' and 'Revisit Nagoya Castle Castle.' It's located in Aichi Pref. Nagoya city.) If you want to visit 'Nagoya Castle' click here. If you want to visit 'Revisit Nagoya Castle' click here.
(2) Nagoya Castle Hommaru Palace: Japanese title is '名古屋城本丸御殿とは.'
(3) The Japanese text is quite long but English text is quite short. We will list up the contents only explained in the Japanese text.
A) The Hommaru Palace was constructed on the order of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康).
B) In Kanei (寛永)11, 1634, the Jorakuden (上洛殿) was expanded as the Onarigoten (お成御殿) of the Shogun.
C) It was very famous as the prestigious (格式高い) palace.
D) The original was burned together with the main tower.
(We visited this castle to write the article named 'Nagoya Castle' and 'Revisit Nagoya Castle Castle.' It's located in Aichi Pref. Nagoya city.) If you want to visit 'Nagoya Castle' click here. If you want to visit 'Revisit Nagoya Castle' click here.
(2) Nagoya Castle Hommaru Palace: Japanese title is '名古屋城本丸御殿とは.'
(3) The Japanese text is quite long but English text is quite short. We will list up the contents only explained in the Japanese text.
A) The Hommaru Palace was constructed on the order of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康).
B) In Kanei (寛永)11, 1634, the Jorakuden (上洛殿) was expanded as the Onarigoten (お成御殿) of the Shogun.
C) It was very famous as the prestigious (格式高い) palace.
D) The original was burned together with the main tower.
A) Because person who concerned had the bias Japanese tourists were fond of the historical hero such as Tokugawa Ieyasu.
B) The Onarigoten (お成御殿) and the Jorakuden (上洛殿) are kind of technical words, so it's a little difficult to explain these technical words. 'Was expanded' is quite additional information, so if he would, he should explain the historical background. 'Kanei' is a Japanese-specific era name, general Japanese don't know 'Kanei.' All in all, it's too difficult to translate and rewrite in English, so he gave up.
B) The Onarigoten (お成御殿) and the Jorakuden (上洛殿) are kind of technical words, so it's a little difficult to explain these technical words. 'Was expanded' is quite additional information, so if he would, he should explain the historical background. 'Kanei' is a Japanese-specific era name, general Japanese don't know 'Kanei.' All in all, it's too difficult to translate and rewrite in English, so he gave up.
C) '格式が高い' is a word of Japanese taste. (Japanese like these kind of expressions.) If we tried to translate to English, 'prestigious' or 'high formality' would be the candidates. ('Kakushiki(格式)' means status, lineage and position. And 'Kakushiki ga takai (格式が高い)' means high status, good lineage and high position.) We think this expression would come into Japanese people's favor, but when it comes to foreign tourists, can they understand? So, the expression was omitted (we suppose).
D) Japanese used to think if the Hommaru Palace was burned, then the main tower was remained or was also burned. So, person who concerned previously wrote the additional information. But, for the translator, sudden appearance of the word 'the main tower' was not welcome. So, the expression was also omitted (we suppose).
(1) Verkehr Museum
(We visited this museum to write the article named 'Sengoku battle ship.' It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Shizuoka city.)
If you want to visit 'Sengoku battle ship' click here.
(2) Sekibune ship model: Japanese title is '関船.'
(3) This case is the same as the previous one. The Japanese text is long and English text is short. We will list up the contents only explained in the Japanese text.
A) Sekibune(関船) ships didn't have enough offensive and defensive power in comparison with Atake ships (安宅船).
B) The old time small model had been donated to Shinsyo-in (信松院) temple in Hachiouji (八王子) city. This bigger model was made with reference with the Shinsyo-in's model.
C) The ship was '42 Cyodate (42挺立て)' and armor of the 'Souyagura (総矢倉) was bundled bamboos instead of heavy planks.
D) The name of Sekibune came from the ship which had been used by pirates of medieval Japan as the ship collecting the private toll tax. The name Seki (関) means a checkpoints to collect a toll tax in the old time of Japan.
(We visited this museum to write the article named 'Sengoku battle ship.' It's located in Shizuoka Pref. Shizuoka city.)
If you want to visit 'Sengoku battle ship' click here.
(2) Sekibune ship model: Japanese title is '関船.'
(3) This case is the same as the previous one. The Japanese text is long and English text is short. We will list up the contents only explained in the Japanese text.
A) Sekibune(関船) ships didn't have enough offensive and defensive power in comparison with Atake ships (安宅船).
B) The old time small model had been donated to Shinsyo-in (信松院) temple in Hachiouji (八王子) city. This bigger model was made with reference with the Shinsyo-in's model.
C) The ship was '42 Cyodate (42挺立て)' and armor of the 'Souyagura (総矢倉) was bundled bamboos instead of heavy planks.
D) The name of Sekibune came from the ship which had been used by pirates of medieval Japan as the ship collecting the private toll tax. The name Seki (関) means a checkpoints to collect a toll tax in the old time of Japan.
A) This comment is a commonly accepted theory with no basis. So, the translator omitted this comment when he had to shorten the total word count.
B) We think the detailed reasoning is important, so the translator should describe it. But, if he explains the the place 'Shinsyo-in' located in 'Hachiouji,' he should explain 'why there is' and 'where there is.' These explanations of authenticity are endless for foreign tourists. On the other hand, majority of the Japanese tourists don't care about the authenticity. If there are long explanation and many difficult words, it's enough. But they prepared the detailed explanation and someone could explain in case of some nerds asked the detail. The Japanese guide board writer don't afraid of these quite detailed explanation.
C) The mean of '42 Cyodate' is '42 oars.' This ship equipped 42 oars to row. The mean of 'Souyagura' is 'whole area of upper part.' These words, '42 Cyodate' and 'Souyagura' are technical words, so we suppose, not so many Japanese can understand. However, the reason why these technical words were described is same as 'B).'
D) The explanations of 'pirates in the medieval Japan' and 'system of the pirates' toll tax' are quite difficult. So, the translator omitted the explanations when he had to shorten the total word count.
B) We think the detailed reasoning is important, so the translator should describe it. But, if he explains the the place 'Shinsyo-in' located in 'Hachiouji,' he should explain 'why there is' and 'where there is.' These explanations of authenticity are endless for foreign tourists. On the other hand, majority of the Japanese tourists don't care about the authenticity. If there are long explanation and many difficult words, it's enough. But they prepared the detailed explanation and someone could explain in case of some nerds asked the detail. The Japanese guide board writer don't afraid of these quite detailed explanation.
C) The mean of '42 Cyodate' is '42 oars.' This ship equipped 42 oars to row. The mean of 'Souyagura' is 'whole area of upper part.' These words, '42 Cyodate' and 'Souyagura' are technical words, so we suppose, not so many Japanese can understand. However, the reason why these technical words were described is same as 'B).'
D) The explanations of 'pirates in the medieval Japan' and 'system of the pirates' toll tax' are quite difficult. So, the translator omitted the explanations when he had to shorten the total word count.
These are not everything we found. However, the more we try to explain plainly, the more we have to explain additional words. Then we decided to stop writing this article here. We would like to increase samples in the future.
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