Meaning of each KANJI
Every single KANJI letter has its own meaning. Let’s have a look at the meaning of KANJI letters that are used in prefecture names. There are many prefecture names that consist of KANJI letters which even local Japanese people today find it difficult to understand why that particular letters were used in the prefecture names!
Meaning of each KANJI letter that is used in prefecture names
PART 1
Prefcture names | meaning of KANJI |
1.北海道 HO-KKAI-DO |
北 海 道 North Sea Road |
2.岩手 IWA-TE |
岩 手 Rock Hand |
3.秋田 AKI-TA |
秋 田 Autumn Ricefield |
4.山形 YAMA-GATA |
山 形 Mountain Shape |
5.東京 TO-KYO |
東 京 East Capital |
6.神奈川 KANA-GAWA |
神 奈 川 God Fruit-tree River |
7.新潟 NII-GATA |
新 潟 New Lagoon |
8.山梨 YAMA-NASHI |
山 梨 Mountain Pear |
9.石川 ISHI-KAWA |
石 川 Stone River |
10.愛知 AI-CHI |
愛 知 Love Wisdom |
11.岐阜 GI-FU |
岐 阜 Branch Hill |
12.三重 MI-E |
三 重 Triple Overlap |
13.滋賀 SHI-GA |
滋 賀 Increase Selebration |
14.京都 KYO-TO |
京 都 Capital Capital |
15.奈良 NA-RA |
奈 良 Fruit-tree Good |
16.和歌山 WAKA-YAMA |
和 歌 山 Harmony Song Mountain |
17.大阪 O-SAKA |
大 阪 Big Slope |
18.山口 YAMA-GUCHI |
山 口 Mountain Entrance |
19.香川 KA-GAWA |
香 川 Fragrance River |
20.愛媛 E-HIME |
愛 媛 Pretty Princess |
21.高知 KO-CHI |
高 知 High Wisdom |
22.大分 O-ITA |
大 分 Big Branch |
23.佐賀 SA-GA |
佐 賀 Support Selebration |
24.沖縄 OKI-NAWA |
沖 縄 Offing Rope |
PART 2
Prefcture names | meaning of KANJI |
1.青森 AO-MORI |
青 森 Blue Forest |
2.宮城 MIYA-GI |
宮 城 Shrine Castle |
3.福島 FUKU-SHIMA |
福 島 Happiness Island |
4.群馬 GUM-MA |
群 馬 Herd Horse |
5.栃木 TOCHI-GI |
栃 木 Marronnier Tree |
6.茨城 -IBARA-KI |
茨 城 Thorn Castle |
7.埼玉 SAI-TAMA |
埼 玉 Cape Jewel |
8.千葉 CHI-BA |
千 葉 Thousand Leaf |
9.長野 NAGA-NO |
長 野 Long Field |
10.富山 TO-YAMA |
富 山 Rich Mountain |
11.福井 FUKU-I |
福 井 Happiness Well |
12.静岡 SHIZU-OKA |
静 岡 Silent Hill |
13.兵庫 HYO-GO |
兵 庫 Soldier Storehouse |
14.岡山 OKA-YAMA |
岡 山 Hill Mountain |
15.広島 HIRO-SHIMA |
広 島 Wide Island |
16.鳥取 TO-TTORI |
鳥 取 Bird Hunt |
17.島根 SHIMA-NE |
島 根 Island Root |
18.徳島 TOKU-SHIMA |
徳 島 Virtue Island |
19.福岡 FUKU-OKA |
福 岡 Happiness Hill |
20.宮崎 MIYA-ZAKI |
宮 崎 Shrine Cape |
21.長崎 NAGA-SAKI |
長 崎 Long Cape |
22.熊本 KUMA-MOTO |
熊 本 Bear Book |
23.鹿児島 KA-GO-SHIMA |
鹿 児 島 Deer Child Island |
"Card Game Japonica" Series
The 47 Japanese prefectures version
Series 1
Age group: ages 10 and over
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