Dolls of Hope (26 page)

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chan:
used after a name (usually a child’s) to show affection

Okaasama:
formal version, mother

Okaasan
: mother

Otousama:
formal version, father

Otousan:
father

Samurai:
warrior

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san:
used after a name to show respect

Sensei:
teacher

Shogun:
early military commander appointed by the emperor

Geta:
wooden clogs raised on platform soles

Kimono:
long robe with wide sleeves

Obi:
broad band around waist of kimono tied with large bow in back

Obi-jime:
narrow tie to hold obi in place and support the bow

Gofun:
oyster shell mixture to cover doll’s face and hands

Hinamatsuri:
girls’ festival with treasured sets of dolls including emperor, empress, and court

Hina ningyo:
human-like doll for girls’ festival

Kokeshi:
limbless cylindrical wooden doll with painted kimono and round head

Torei Ningyo:
Dolls of Return Gratitude

Fusuma screen:
sliding door used to separate rooms

Koto:
stringed musical instrument held flat to play

Shoji screen:
a light sliding door or window made of translucent paper over wood frame

Tatami:
floor mat woven of rice stems

Arigato:
thank you

Arigatogozaimasu:
more formal, thank you very much

Gomen:
casual apology, sorry

Gomenasai:
apology, I’m sorry

Hai:
yes

Konnichiwa:
good afternoon

Sumimasen:
formal apology used for older people or superiors

Bento box:
lunch box

Futon:
padded mattress with heavy cover that can be folded away during the day

Haiku:
a three-line poem with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third

Hara-kiri:
formal suicide with sword

Kanji:
characters used in written Japanese

Omiai:
an arranged meeting where a couple to be married may meet for the first time

Shamisen:
three-stringed musical instrument resembling a lute

Tsunami:
enormous ocean surge, usually due to earthquake; can be devastating

Yen, Rin, Sen:
early forms of money, with yen the most valuable; rin and sen are no longer used

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously.

Copyright © 2015 by Shirley Parenteau
Cover illustration copyright © 2015 by Kelly Murphy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

First electronic edition 2015

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2014954534

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