Japanese Vocab

Question 1

Zen Buddhism

Answer 1

a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the 6th century.

Question 2

Kofun

Answer 2

megalithic tombs in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and the early 7th century AD.

Question 3

Kami

Answer 3

meaning divinity or the supreme being.

Question 4

Shinto

Answer 4

the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the people of Japan. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past.

Question 5

Lacquer

Answer 5

a clear or colored wood finish that dries by solvent evaporation.

Question 6

Jataka

Answer 6

tories about the previous lives of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha

Question 7

Ukiyo-e

Answer 7

type of Japanese art that was popular from the 16th century; particularly in the form of color woodblock prints

Question 8

Noh plays

Answer 8

combines a variety of elements into a stylistic whole, with each particular element the product of generations of refinement according to the central Buddhist, Shinto, and minimalist aspects of Noh’s aesthetic principles

Question 9

Block print

Answer 9

printing from hand engraved or carved blocks of wood or linoleum

Question 10

Collage

Answer 10

various materials are arranged and stuck to a backing

Question 11

Key-block

Answer 11

master block in the production of a colored woodblock print, which requires different blocks for each color. It is a flat piece of wood with the entire design carved or drawn on its surface.

Question 12

Polychrome

Answer 12

multicolored painted decoration applied to any part of a building, sculpture, or piece of furniture.

Question 13

Genre painting

Answer 13

pictorial representations in any media that represents scenes or events from everyday life.

Question 14

Kondo

Answer 14

main hall inside a Japanese Buddhist temple where the images of Buddha are housed.