| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 二十四節気 | にじゅうしせっき | the 24 solar terms |
| 七十二候 | しちじゅうにこう | the 72 five-day micro-seasons |
| 移ろい | うつろい | shifting transitions of seasons, ephemerality |
| 暦 | こよみ | seasonal calendar, almanac |
| 旬 | しゅん | peak culinary seasonality |
| 走り | はしり | very first appearance of seasonal ingredients |
| 名残 | なごり | lingering tail-end of a season, parting remnants |
| 芽吹き | めぶき | budding, early sprouting of plants |
| 気候 | きこう | seasonal climate |
| 恵み | めぐみ | natural blessings, bounties |
| 採取 | さいしゅ | gathering, harvesting wild plants |
| 風物詩 | ふうぶつし | iconic seasonal feature or tradition |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 白子筍 | しろこたけのこ | premium subterranean white bamboo shoots |
| 地割れ | じわれ | soil surface fissures, ground cracks |
| 朝掘り | あさぼり | morning-dug produce |
| 掘削 | くっさく | digging out, excavation |
| 鍬 | くわ | farming hoe, grubbing tool |
| 日光 | にっこう | direct sunlight |
| 軟質 | なんしつ | soft, tender structural texture |
| 瑞々しい | みずみずしい | lush, juicy, fresh |
| えぐみ | えぐみ | harsh, throat-catching astringency |
| 鮮度低下 | せんどていか | loss of freshness, degradation |
| 粘土質 | ねんどしつ | heavy clay soil conditions |
| 手際 | てぎわ | manual finesse, dexterity |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 沢山葵 | さわわさび | water-grown mountain stream wasabi |
| 根茎 | こんけい | underground plant rhizome |
| 清涼 | せいりょう | refreshing coolness, crisp air |
| 湧水 | ゆうすい | natural spring water |
| 砂利地 | じゃりち | gravelly bed, pebble ground |
| すりおろし | すりおろし | grating down finely |
| 鮫皮 | さめがわ | traditional sharkskin wasabi grater |
| 揮発 | きはつ | volatilization, evaporation of aroma |
| 辛味 | からみ | pungent heat, spicy kick |
| 甘み | あまみ | underlying sweet finish |
| 刺激 | しげき | olfactory and palate stimulation |
| 自生 | じせい | growing wild, naturally occurring |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 天婦羅 | てんぷら | tempura frying craft |
| 太白胡麻油 | たいはくごまあぶら | unroasted white sesame frying oil |
| 衣 | ころも | tempura batter coating |
| 揚がり | あがり | crisp fried state, finish |
| 油切れ | あぶらぎれ | draining of surface oil |
| 脱水 | だっすい | moisture dehydration, extraction |
| 凝縮 | ぎょうしゅく | condensation, concentration of flavor |
| 軽快 | けいかい | light, non-greasy mouthfeel |
| 菜箸 | さいばし | long wooden cooking chopsticks |
| 泡立ち | あわだち | foaming bubbles on oil surface |
| 油温 | ゆおん | cooking oil temperature |
| 焦げ付き | こげつき | scorching, burning |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 山女魚 | やまめ | landlocked cherry salmon, yamame |
| 遡上 | そじょう | upstream river run, run against current |
| 渓魚 | けいぎょ | wild mountain stream fish |
| 桜色 | さくらいろ | delicate cherry blossom pink |
| 脂の乗り | あぶらののり | fat distribution, oil richness |
| 魚体 | ぎょたい | fish body, physique |
| 寄生虫 | きせいちゅう | marine and freshwater parasites |
| 酢締め | すじめ | vinegar curing, marinade preservation |
| 昆布締め | こんぶじめ | kelp wrapping and curing |
| 弾性 | だんせい | flesh elasticity, springiness |
| 腹腔 | ふくこう | abdominal body cavity |
| 職人技 | しょくにんわざ | master artisan craftsmanship |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 賀茂茄子 | かもなす | heirloom round Kamo eggplant |
| 京野菜 | きょうやさい | traditional Kyoto heritage vegetables |
| 肉質 | にくしつ | interior flesh texture |
| 緻密 | ちみつ | extremely dense, tightly packed |
| 田楽 | でんがく | miso-glazed broiled dishes |
| 吸油 | きゅうゆ | oil absorption rate |
| 輪切り | わぎり | round transversal slice cuts |
| 瑞々しさ | みずみずしさ | interior water content, freshness |
| 伝統農法 | でんとうのうほう | traditional agricultural methods |
| 品種 | ひんしゅ | botanical heirloom cultivar |
| 収穫 | しゅうかく | seasonal harvesting |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 粽 | ちまき | steamed bamboo-leaf wrapped dumplings |
| 笹の葉 | ささのは | broad green mountain bamboo leaf |
| 藺草 | いぐさ | rush cordage, rush grass |
| 包装 | ほうそう | wrapping, binding envelope |
| 防腐効果 | ぼうふこうか | natural preservative and antiseptic effect |
| 清涼感 | せいりょうかん | cooling sensation, summer ambiance |
| 蒸煮 | じょうしゃ | steaming and boiling process |
| 紐結び | ひもむすび | tying knots, cord binding |
| 端午 | たんご | seasonal Boy's Day festival, Tango no Sekku |
| 儀礼食 | ぎれいしょく | ceremonial courtly food |
| 芳香移り | ほうこううつり | aroma permeation into rice |
| 手並み | てなみ | culinary dexterity, skill execution |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 蛍烏賊 | ほたるいか | firefly squid |
| 発光器 | はっこうき | bioluminescent photophore organ |
| 酢味噌 | すみそ | sweetened miso-vinegar dressing |
| 辛子 | からし | spicy yellow mustard paste |
| 目玉取り | めだまとり | eye removal preparation step |
| 軟骨 | なんこつ | internal clear quill cartilage |
| ぷりぷり | ぷりぷり | plump, springy mouthfeel texture |
| 内臓 | ないぞう | liver, internal ink and viscera |
| 青磁 | せいじ | celadon pale-jade glazed stoneware |
| 盛付 | もりつけ | artistic plating arrangement |
| 旨味凝縮 | うまみぎょうしゅく | concentrated umami density |
| 一品 | いっぴん | single specialized course or dish |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 鱸 | すずき | Japanese sea bass |
| 洗い | あらい | sashimi chilled and shocked in iced water |
| 氷水 | こおりみず | ice-cold water bath |
| 縮れ | ちぢれ | curling, crimping of fish fibers |
| 脱脂 | だっし | rinsing out excess surface fats |
| 歯触り | はざわり | firm, crunchy textural sensation on teeth |
| 涼味 | りょうみ | cool, refreshing seasonal culinary quality |
| 引き締め | ひきしめ | firming up, tightening |
| 半透明 | はんとうめい | semi-translucent appearance |
| 洗練 | せんれん | refinement, polish |
| 盛り籠 | もりかご | woven bamboo serving basket |
| 水滴 | すいてき | fresh dewy water droplets |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 燻し | いぶし | delicate wood-smoking process |
| 排気 | はいき | exhaust ventilation, air draft |
| 煙突 | えんとつ | hearth flue, chimney |
| 桜片 | さくらへん | wild cherrywood smoking wood chips |
| 風向き | かざむき | wind direction, air current drift |
| 温度管理 | おんどかんり | precision thermal management |
| 燻香 | くんこう | woodsmoke aromatic bouquet |
| 客席 | きゃくせき | guest dining chamber |
| 熱気 | ねっき | searing ambient heat, thermal draft |
| 換気扇 | かんきせん | air extraction fan mechanism |
| 差配 | さはい | master stewardship, coordination |
| 快適 | かいてき | serene comfort, pleasant ambiance |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 丹波栗 | たんばぐり | heirloom Tamba giant chestnuts |
| 毬 | いが | spiky thorny chestnut burr |
| 虫食い | むしくい | insect puncture or bore hole |
| 収穫期 | しゅうかくき | agricultural harvest window |
| 鬼皮 | おにかわ | hard, woody outermost chestnut shell |
| 渋皮 | しぶかわ | thin, bitter brown inner skin |
| 糖度上昇 | とうどじょうしょう | rise in sugar concentration during cold storage |
| 追熟 | ついじゅく | post-harvest cold ripening |
| 泥濘 | ぬかるみ | muddy forest floor, damp clay |
| 棘 | とげ | sharp prickly thorns, spines |
| 豊作 | ほうさく | bumper crop, abundant harvest |
| 重量感 | じゅうりょうかん | solid, hefty weight in hand |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 栗甘露煮 | くりかんろに | sweet candied simmered chestnuts |
| 梔子 | くちなし | cape jasmine / gardenia fruit seed pods |
| 煮汁 | にじる | simmering cooking liquid, cooking syrup |
| 黄変 | こうへん | changing to vivid golden yellow |
| 濁り | にごり | cloudiness, unwanted opacity |
| 落とし蓋 | おとしぶた | floating drop-lid for even simmering |
| 弱火調理 | よわびちょうり | gentle low-heat slow cooking |
| 照り出し | てりだし | imparting a gleaming glossy sheen |
| 蜜 | みつ | rich sugar honey syrup |
| 銘菓 | めいか | renowned traditional confection |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 万願寺唐辛子 | まんがんじとうがらし | sweet mild Manganji sweet peppers |
| 伏見唐辛子 | ふしみとうがらし | slender heirloom Fushimi peppers |
| 炭火焼き | すみびやき | charcoal-grilling over open embers |
| 焦げ目 | こげめ | pleasant charred grill marks |
| 甘辛 | あまから | sweet and savory flavor balance |
| 種子 | しゅし | interior botanical seeds |
| 薄皮 | うすかわ | delicate exterior skin layer |
| 生姜醤油 | しょうがじょうゆ | fresh ginger soy dipping sauce |
| 秋気 | しゅうき | autumn crispness, seasonal air |
| 芳ばしい | こうばしい | toasty, nutty roasted aroma |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 落ち鮎 | おちあゆ | autumn river sweetfish descending to spawn |
| 子持ち | こもち | carrying eggs, egg-swollen |
| 串打ち | くしうち | skewering technique along body axis |
| 踊り串 | おどりぐし | wave-shaped animated skewering |
| 鰭化粧 | ひれげしょう | decorative salt crusting on fins to avoid burning |
| 遠火 | とおび | roasting at a distance from embers |
| 強火の遠火 | つよびのとおび | strong heat from a distant radiant source |
| 抱卵 | ほうらん | carrying clutch of eggs, roe development |
| 卵粒 | らんりゅう | fine roe beads, egg texture |
| 滴り | したたり | dripping of rendered oils onto embers |
| 炭灰 | すみはい | fine charcoal ash bed |
| 絶技 | ぜつぎ | matchless artistic skill |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 舞茸 | まいたけ | hen-of-the-woods / wild maitake cluster mushroom |
| 倒木 | とうぼく | fallen decaying tree trunk |
| 腐葉土 | ふようど | rich mountain leaf-mold humus |
| 菌糸 | きんし | underground fungal mycelium threads |
| 群生 | ぐんせい | clustering growth, growing in colonies |
| 歯切れ | はぎれ | crisp, snapping bite texture |
| 採取地 | さいしゅち | foraging location, secret harvesting ground |
| 自然林 | しぜんりん | primary old-growth broadleaf forest |
| 収穫の喜び | しゅうかくのよろこび | primal joy of foraging discovery |
| 天然物 | てんねんもの | wild uncultivated specimen |
| 神秘 | しんぴ | profound natural mystery |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 寒露 | かんろ | cold autumn-winter dew, frost phase |
| 聖護院大根 | しょうごいんだいこん | round winter Shogoin daikon |
| 霜降り | しもふり | frost-touched, cold-weather sweetening |
| 寒熟 | かんじゅく | winter cold-sweetened maturation |
| 鰤大根 | ぶりだいこん | braised winter yellowtail with daikon |
| 下茹で | したゆで | preparatory blanching in rice water |
| 出汁染み | だししみ | deep absorption of seasoned broth |
| とろける | とろける | melting, dissolving softly on palate |
| 煮汁浸透 | にじるしんとう | deep penetration of savory cooking liquor |
| 繊維融解 | せんいゆうかい | breakdown of fibrous wall structure |
| 滋味 | じみ | rich, wholesome, nourishing flavor |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 真牡蠣 | まがき | Pacific winter oysters, Crassostrea gigas |
| 殻剥き | からむき | oyster shell shucking technique |
| 貝柱 | かいばしら | adductor muscle anchor |
| 外套膜 | がいとうまく | delicate outer mantle edge, frill |
| 塩水洗い | えんすいあらい | gentle cleansing in cold saline brine |
| 破膜防止 | はまくぼうし | preventing puncture of outer membrane |
| 亜鉛 | あえん | rich natural dietary zinc and minerals |
| 生食 | せいしょく | consuming raw on the half-shell |
| 殺菌海水 | さっきんかいすい | purified ultraviolet sterilized seawater |
| 鮮度保持 | せんどほじ | maintaining vitality and freshness |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 虎河豚 | とらふぐ | wild tiger pufferfish, Takifugu rubripes |
| 白子 | しらこ | pufferfish milt, soft roe sacs |
| 炭火炙り | すみびあぶり | gentle surface searing over radiant coals |
| とろみ | とろみ | thick unctuous liquid creaminess |
| 破裂 | はれつ | bursting, rupture under high internal pressure |
| 焦香 | しょうこう | nutty, charred surface fragrance |
| 陶然 | とうぜん | enraptured, intoxicated with flavor |
| 酢橘 | すだち | fresh sudachi citrus juice |
| 濃厚さ | のうこうさ | rich decadent density |
| 珍味 | ちんみ | rare gastronomic delicacy |
| 火傷注意 | やけどちゅうい | warning against scalding heat |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 口子 | くちこ | salt-dried sea cucumber ovary strands |
| 海鼠卵巣 | なまこらんそう | sea cucumber reproductive ovaries |
| 天日干し | てんぴぼし | natural sun-drying on wooden frames |
| 三味線バチ | しゃみせんバチ | plectrum-shaped dried triangle |
| 炙り | あぶり | light surface toasting, warming |
| 酒肴 | しゅこう | sophisticated alcoholic accompaniment |
| 凝固 | ぎょうこ | protein coagulation, drying |
| 希少価値 | きしょうかち | extreme scarcity value |
| 珍重 | ちんちょう | prized, treasured as precious |
| 熟成味 | じゅくせいみ | deeply aged and dried savory notes |
| 珍味中の珍味 | ちんみちゅうのちんみ | supreme delicacy among delicacies |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 冬至 | とうじ | winter solstice astronomical turning point |
| 節気会席 | せっきかいせき | banquet structured on solar terms |
| 献立表 | こんだてひょう | formal calligraphy menu bill of fare |
| 厳選食材 | げんせんしょくざい | meticulously curated seasonal ingredients |
| 饗宴 | きょうえん | grand seasonal feast, banquet |
| 滋味溢れる | じみあふれる | brimming with rich, nourishing, natural depth |
| 批評 | ひひょう | critical review, formal appraisal |
| 地産地消 | ちさんちしょう | local production for local consumption, terroir fidelity |
| 感銘 | かんめい | deep, moving emotional impression |
| 伝統の息吹 | でんとうのいぶき | living breath of cultural tradition |
| 輪廻 | りんね | endless seasonal cycle, renewal of life |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 山葵菜 | わさびな | wasabi spring leaf shoots |
| 雪解け | ゆきどけ | mountain snow thaw, spring runoff |
| 辛味配糖体 | からみはいとうたい | sinigrin glucosinolate chemical precursor |
| 密封 | みっぷう | airtight container sealing |
| 刺激臭 | しげきしゅう | sharp pungent sinus aroma |
| お浸し | おひたし | dashi-soaked blanched green dish |
| 早春 | そうしゅん | early spring micro-season |
| 葉茎 | ようけい | edible leaves and stems |
| 鮮緑色 | せんりょくしょく | vivid, radiant emerald green |
| 苦辛い | にがからい | delightfully bitter and pungent |
| 活性化 | かっせいか | chemical enzyme activation |
| 旬の走り | しゅんのはしり | very first seasonal vanguard |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 真子鰈 | まこがれい | spring marbled flounder |
| 五枚卸し | ごまいおろし | five-piece flatfish butchery technique |
| 骨筋 | ほねすじ | spinal skeletal line, rib seam |
| 縁側 | えんがわ | muscular fin dorsal frill, engawa |
| 柳刃包丁 | やなぎばぼうちょう | willow-leaf slicing knife |
| 刃筋 | はすじ | knife cutting line, blade path |
| 無駄 | むだ | waste, leftover scrap meat |
| 澄んだ身 | すんだみ | clear, crystalline flesh |
| 身離れ | みばなれ | separation of flesh cleanly from bone |
| 活魚 | かつぎょ | live swimming fish |
| 熟練の技 | じゅくれんのわざ | practiced artisan technique |
| 解体 | かいたい | precision butchery, dissection |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 玉露 | ぎょくろ | shade-grown high-grade gyokuro green tea |
| 新茶 | しんちゃ | first-flush spring picked green tea |
| 一番摘み | いちばんづみ | earliest virgin tea harvest |
| 覆い下栽培 | おおいしたさいばい | straw shade canopy cultivation |
| テアニン | テアニン | theanine relaxation amino acid |
| カテキン | カテキン | catechin astringent polyphenols |
| 低温抽出 | ていおんちゅうしゅつ | low-temperature gentle brewing |
| 湯冷まし | ゆざまし | cooling pitcher for boiling water |
| 出汁のような | だしのような | broth-like savory thickness |
| 一滴 | いってき | final concentrated golden droplet |
| 喫茶 | きっさ | mindful tea partaking |
| 至福 | しふく | pure bliss, absolute supreme joy |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 木の芽 | きのめ | fresh young sansho pepper leaves |
| 木の芽和え | きのめあえ | dressed in sweet sansho herb paste |
| 白味噌 | しろみそ | sweet fermented Kyoto white miso |
| ほうれん草の搾り汁 | ほうれんそうのしぼりじる | spinach chlorophyll juice for green color |
| 若竹煮 | わかたけに | simmered bamboo shoots with fresh wakame kelp |
| 季節の出会い | きせつのであい | harmonic seasonal pairing of earth and sea |
| 鮮烈 | せんれつ | striking, vivid sensory impression |
| 筍の穂先 | たけのこのほさき | tender triangular shoot tips |
| 歯触りの良さ | はざわりのよさ | delightful pleasant chewiness |
| 春告草 | はるつげぐさ | harbingers of spring plants |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 鱧の湯引き | はものゆびき | parboiled pike conger curled blossoms |
| 氷敷き | こおりしき | bed of hand-carved crushed crystal ice |
| 梅肉 | ばいにく | tart red pickled plum puree |
| 涼感 | りょうかん | visual and palate sense of cooling relief |
| 酷暑 | こくしょ | intense midsummer heat |
| 水鉢 | みずばち | carved stone water basin vessel |
| 盛夏の宴 | せいかのうたげ | high summer formal banquet |
| 透き通る | すきとおる | crystalline, clear, transparent |
| 白梅 | はくばい | white plum blossom appearance |
| 酸味 | さんみ | clean tart acidity |
| 食欲増進 | しょくよくぞうしん | stimulation of flagging summer appetite |
| 納涼 | のうりょう | cooling off, enjoying evening summer breeze |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 伊賀焼 | いがやき | porous coarse Iga clay earthenware pot |
| 茸鍋 | きのこなべ | wild forest mushroom hotpot |
| 土の香り | つちのかおり | rich earthy aroma of damp loam |
| 滋養 | じよう | wholesome nourishment, stamina |
| 自家抽出 | じかちゅうしゅつ | self-extracting natural broth moisture |
| 粘土 | ねんど | natural refractory coarse clay |
| 蓄熱 | ちくねつ | long-term thermal retention |
| 煮立ち | にたち | slow, rolling, fragrant boil |
| 雑木林 | ぞうきばやし | diverse natural deciduous grove |
| 胞子 | ほうし | fungal spores, wild aroma |
| 味の深み | あじのふかみ | extraordinary layered flavor depth |
| 山の秋 | やまのあき | mountain autumn landscape |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 牡丹鍋 | ぼたんなべ | wild boar meat hotpot fanned into peony petals |
| 猪肉 | ししにく | wild boar game meat |
| 赤味噌 | あかみそ | aged dark red soybean miso |
| 笹がき牛蒡 | ささがきごぼう | thinly shaved mountain burdock strips |
| 白身 | しろみ | firm, sweet white animal fat layer |
| 獣肉 | じゅうにく | wild game meat, venison/boar |
| 煮込み | にこみ | deep slow stewing, simmering |
| 臭み皆無 | くさみかいむ | zero unpleasant gaminess |
| 体温上昇 | たいおんじょうしょう | thermal warming of the body |
| 厳冬 | げんとう | bitter midwinter freeze |
| 脂の甘み | あぶらのあまみ | natural sweet richness of wild forest fat |
| 野趣溢れる | やしゅあふれる | overflowing with rustic, wild, untamed energy |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 茶道精神 | さどうせいしん | spirit of the tea ceremony Way |
| 一期一会 | いちごいちえ | once-in-a-lifetime encounter |
| 茶花 | ちゃばな | humble wild seasonal tea flowers |
| 一輪挿し | いちりんざし | single-blossom bamboo or ceramic vase |
| 床の間 | とこのま | formal tatami display alcove |
| 掛軸 | かけじく | seasonal ink calligraphy hanging scroll |
| 亭主 | ていしゅ | formal tea host, master of ceremonies |
| もてなしの心 | もてなしのこころ | spirit of sincere hospitality |
| 静寂の中の美 | せいじゃくのなかのび | beauty born within silence |
| 設え | しつらえ | seasonal spatial arrangement and curation |
| 気配り | きくばり | delicate, attentive thoughtfulness |
| 客席の調和 | きゃくせきのちょうわ | spatial harmony with seated guests |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 植物目録 | しょくぶつもくろく | botanical species catalog and inventory |
| 固有種 | こゆうしゅ | endemic native plant species |
| 方言名 | ほうげんめい | local regional dialect names |
| 自生地保護 | じせいちほご | conservation of wild natural habitats |
| 生態系 | せいたいけい | natural ecological balance, ecosystem |
| 採集日誌 | さいしゅうにっし | daily field harvesting logbook |
| 薬効 | やっこう | natural medicinal efficacy, herbal properties |
| 学名対照 | がくめいたいしょう | cross-referencing with Linnaean Latin names |
| 乱獲防止 | らんかくぼうし | prevention of over-harvesting |
| 先人の知恵 | せんじんのちえ | ancestral wisdom and lore |
| 継承義務 | けいしょうぎむ | solemn duty of heritage transmission |
| 敬服 | けいふく | profound respect, deep admiration |
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|
| 四季録 | しきろく | master chronicle of four seasons |
| 調印 | ちょういん | formal signature and stamping with cinnabar seal |
| 百年後の継承 | ひゃくねんごのけいしょう | transmission a century into the future |
| 記憶の保全 | きおくのほぜん | archival preservation of cultural memory |
| 循環 | じゅんかん | perpetual natural cycle, circulation |
| 天地自然 | てんちしぜん | the cosmos and wild nature |
| 畏敬の念 | いけいのねん | reverent awe towards natural forces |
| 技の粋 | わざのすい | culmination of culinary artistry |
| 銘匠たちの誇り | めいしょうたちのほこり | collective pride of master craftsmen |
| 新たな門出 | あらたなかどで | fresh embarkation, new departure |
| 永久不滅 | えいきゅうふめつ | eternal, imperishable |
| 讃歌 | さんか | hymn of praise, anthem to nature |
