Anime Companion

Anime Companion Supplement - W

Wa - We - Wi - Wo

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Special Supplement: Rurouni Kenshin OVAs

For information about this supplement see The Anime Companion Supplement main page. Additions are in the Anime Companion Supplement News page.

Hyphenated Japanese terms are listed as single words.

The inclusion of an anime or manga title in these entries is not a recommendation of that title see my Recommended Anime and Manga page for a list of my recommendations

WA SEIRŌ see: seirō (The Anime Companion 2 p.81)

wagashi (traditional confections) 和菓子: Japanese confections, cookies, cakes and candy, sometimes simply called kashi. The term covers a variety of items, mainly sweet, originally intended to be served with tea (cha; The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.16) or as part of the tea ceremony (cha-no-yu; The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.17). Some of the oldest imported styles are from the Nara Period when Chinese confections were introduced by returning scholars. During the Kamakura Period (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.59) wagashi spread with the expansion of Zen Buddhism (The Anime Companion 2 p.122) and later namban-gashi such as cake were introduced by Europeans in the 16th century. Wagashi are classed into three broad types namagashi (moist), han namagashi (semi-moist) and higashi (dry). Over time a very large variety of wagashi developed often in specific localities using local products. The shapes and colors of many wagashi change according to the seasons so one can find several that are made with identical ingredients but varied in style with the time of year. Two good books in English on wagashi are An Almanac of Urasenke Seasonal Tea Sweets by Sen Tomiko and Wagashi: The Graphics of Japanese Confection by Takaoka Kazuya, Takahashi Mutshuo and Yoda Hiroshi. The strong connection with seasons and the tea ceremony can be seen in that each chapter, organized by month, in Chado: The Way of Tea by Sasaki Sanmi has a section on the kashi for that month.
Anime:
In episode seven of Peacemaker we see a variety of wagashi in a kashiya (traditional confectionary).
Manga:
In Kaze Hikaru (v.3 p.189) several types of wagashi are visible.
Sources:
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.168
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.220

WAITING ROOM see: machiai shitsu (meeting room)

wakame わかめ or 若布 or 和布 (The Anime Companion 2 p.112): Sources:
Ashburne, John & Abe Yoshi World Food Japan p.75, 150
Eating in Japan p. 150
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.169

Wakō Clock Tower 和光の時計台 or 和光の時計塔 (The Anime Companion 2 p.112): Source:
A Look Into Tokyo p.125

WALL (INTERIOR) AND SCREEN PAINTING see: shōheiga (The Anime Companion 2 p.87)

WALL BAKEMONO see nurikabe (wall bakemono)

WALL MOUNTED HOT WATER HEATER see: yuwakashiki (The Anime Companion 2 p.120)

WANGAN EXPRESSWAY see: shuto kōsoku wangan sen (The Anime Companion 2 p.90)

wankosoba わんこそば or 椀子蕎麦: A way of serving cold soba (The Anime Companion 2 p.90) that originated in Iwate Ken (The Anime Companion 2 p.33). In this method the soba is served in very small bowls, each holding a mouthful of soba. As the customer eats fresh bowls are placed on the table as fast as the earlier one was emptied. When one is full they simply cover their dish as a signal for the waitress to stop. Accompanying the soba are garnishes usually six of seven kinds and dipping broth. Each year the All-Japan Wanko-Soba Eating Contest is held at Hanamaki-shi in Iwate Ken.
Anime:
Ran suddenly pops up saying "wanko buckwheat noodles" in Super Gals! (ep 4)
Sources:
Ashburne, John & Abe Yoshi. World Food Japan p.129
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.169
Illustrated Eating in Japan p.110

warabi (bracken) わらび or 蕨 (The Anime Companion 2 p.113): Sources:
Eating in Japan p.83, 100
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.169

WARAJI see: zōri (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.151)

wara ningyō (straw doll) 藁人形 (The Anime Companion 2 p.112): Sources:
Baten, Lea Identifying Japanese Dolls p.95 & 123

WAR LITERATURE see: sensō bungaku (The Anime Companion 2 p.82)

WARNING STAFF see: keisaku (The Anime Companion 2 p.44)

WARRING STATES PERIOD see: Sengoku jidai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.113

WARRIOR see: bushi (The Anime Companion 2 p.43)

WARRIOR PILGRIMAGE or JOURNEY see: musha shugyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.58)

wasabi わさび or 山葵 (The Anime Companion 2 p.113): Sources:
Eating in Japan p.94, 113, 160
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.82, 170, 233
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman. Japan From A to Z p.122

Waseda Daigaku (Waseda University) 早稲田大学 OLD FORM 早稻田大學 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.144): Sources:
A Look Into Tokyo p.160
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1688
Who's Who of Japan p.156 Web Site:
The Waseda University Web site:
The top page in Japanese
The English top page

WASEDA UNIVERSITY see: Waseda Daigaku (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.144)

WASHCLOTH see: oshibori (small damp towel)

WET WASHCLOTH see: oshibori (small damp towel)

water holding as punishment (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.145): Sources:
Who's Who of Japan p.163

WATER LILY see: suiren (water lily)

WATER MARGIN see: Suikoden (The Anime Companion 2 p.92)

WATER, POURING OVER SHOULDER see: mizugori (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)

WATER, STANDING UNDER A WATERFALL see: mizugori (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)

WATER TRADE see: mizushōbai

WATER, USED IN PURIFICATION see: misogi , mizugori (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)

WATERMELON see: suika (The Anime Companion 2 p.92)

WATERMELON SMASHING WITH A STICK see: suika-wari (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.126)

WAVING see: Gestures (sidebar) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p. 148)

WAY OF TEA see: cha-no-yu (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.17)

WAY OF THE FIST see: kempō (The Anime Companion 2 p.44)

WAY OF THE WARRIOR see: bushidō (The Anime Companion 2 p.11)

WAY OF YIN AND YANG see: Ommyōdō

WEAPON, DECEPTIVE see: shikomibuki (deceptive weapon)

WEAPON, HIDDEN see: kakushibuki (hidden weapon)

WEAPONS see: WEAPONRY/WAR - WEAPON in the subject index.

WEARING HEADBAND WITH CANDLES see: ushi no toki mairi (The Anime Companion 2 p.111)

WEARING SURGICAL MASKS ON THE STREET see: Surgical Masks Worn In Public (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.127)

WEARING SWORDS FORBIDDEN BY LAW see: Haitōrei (The Anime Companion 2 p.25)

WEASEL SLASH see: kamaitachi (weasel slash)

WEATHER PREDICTING BY KICKING A GETA see: geta-uranai

WEDDING CEREMONY see: shinzen kekkon (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.121)

WELSH ONION see: negi (The Anime Companion 2 p.61)

WESTERN PURE LAND see: Gokuraku (The Anime Companion 2 p.24)

WHITE COSTUME FOR RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES see: saifuku (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.107)

White Day ホワイトデー or ホワイトデイ (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.145): Sources:
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.124

WHITE ROBE FOR CORPSE see: katabira (unlined kimono)

WHITE SQUARE MASK see: zōmen (The Anime Companion 2 p.123)

WHITE TIGER BRIGADE see: Byakkotai (The Anime Companion 2 p.11)

WHITE TRIANGLE ON CORPSE OR GHOST HEAD see: hitaikakushi (triangle on forehead)

WHITING see: kisu (fish)

WILD BOAR see: inoshishi (The Anime Companion 2 p.32)

WILD GREENS see: sansai (The Anime Companion 2 p.78)

WILDCAT see: Iriomote yamaneko (Iriomote wildcat)

WILLOW see: yanagi (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.146)

WIND BELLS see: fūrin (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.30)

WIND, FOREST, FIRE, MOUNTAIN see: fū-rin-ka-zan (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.31)

WIND INSTRUMENT WI SEVERAL PIPES see: shō (mouth organ)