Flask of the Drunken Master (30 page)
Read Flask of the Drunken Master Online
Authors: Susan Spann
O
obi
: A wide sash wrapped around the waist to hold a kimono closed, worn by people of all ages and genders.
oe
: The large central living space in a Japanese home, which featured a sunken hearth and often served as a combination of kitchen, reception room, and living space.
P
Pontocho
: One of Kyoto’s
hanamachi
(geisha and courtesan) districts, containing geisha houses, teahouses, brothels, restaurants, and similar businesses.
R
ronin
: A masterless samurai.
ryu
: Literally, “school.”
Shinobi
clans used this term as a combination identifier and association name. (Hattori Hiro is a member of the Iga
ryu
.)
S
sake
(also “
sak
é
”): An alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.
samurai
: A member of the medieval Japanese nobility, the warrior caste that formed the highest-ranking social class.
-
san
: A suffix used to show respect.
seppuku
: A form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment, originally used only by samurai.
shinobi
: Literally, “shadowed person.”
Shinobi
is the Japanese pronunciation of the characters that many Westerners pronounce “ninja.” (“Ninja” is based on a Chinese pronunciation.)
Shinto
: The indigenous spirituality or religion of Japan, sometimes also called “
kami-no-michi
.”
shirazu
: A pit of white sand where criminals knelt during trial and to receive their sentences from the magistrate.
shogun
: The military dictator and commander who acted as de facto ruler of medieval Japan.
shogunate
(also “
bakufu
”): A name for the shogun’s government and the compound where the shogun lived.
shoji
: A sliding door, usually consisting of a wooden frame with oiled paper panels.
shuriken
: An easily concealed, palm-sized weapon made of metal and often shaped like a cross or star; used by
shinobi
for throwing or as a handheld weapon in close combat.
sugi
: Also known as “Japanese cedar” (
Cryptomeria japonica
). A type of tree indigenous to Japan, often used for sake casks. The wood imparts a flavor that overpowers the delicate notes of high-quality sake, so sugi barrels are customarily used for ceremonial casks or aging lower-quality sakes.
T
tatami
: A traditional Japanese mat-style floor covering made in standard sizes, with the length measuring exactly twice its width. Tatami usually contained a straw core covered with grass or rushes.
torii
: A traditional, stylized Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance to Shinto shrines.
U
udon
: A type of thick wheat flour noodle, often served hot in soup or broth.
W
wakizashi
: The shorter of the two words worn by a samurai. (The longer one is the katana.)
Z
za
: A guild.
For additional cultural information, expanded definitions, and author’s notes, visit
http://www.susanspann.com
.
Susan Spann
is a transactional attorney with a lifelong love of Asian history and culture. When not writing or practicing law, she enjoys traditional archery, martial arts, horseback riding, and raising seahorses and rare corals in her marine aquarium. Susan lives in Northern California. Visit her online at
www.susanspann.com
and on Twitter @SusanSpann or sign up for email updates
here
.
ALSO BY
SUSAN SPANN
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Contents
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER.
Copyright © 2015 by Susan Spann. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
Cover photograph by Lisa Adams
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-02706-1 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-02707-8 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781250027078
First Edition: July 2015