Hi there
Anyone know the word that means “Spirit of Japan”?
Thanks
Adam K. White
Are you looking for a Japanese word? Can you provide the context? The English word “Spirit” has many different meanings and connotations.
Sake?
I spent a couple of years in Japan in high school (a million years ago), and while I did manage to learn a fair bit of the culture, I don’t recall any single word that meant “spirit of Japan.” I also don’t recall having known it and forgotten it, if you know what I mean. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, though.
Maybe “gambatte,” which is a generally encouraging word meaning “go for it” or “continue to fight,” something along those lines.
But yeah, if you’re looking for a specific word, you’ll need to tell us the context in which you heard of it, where you heard of it, etc. There are at least two or three Dopers in Tokyo (probably more), and they can probably enlighten you. And us.
‘Yamato Damashii’ or ‘Wakon’. Both mean ‘the Japanese spirit’. I believe the first one is the more common of the two, though the latter was used in the motto ‘Wakon Yousai’, “Japanese Spirit, Western Learning” during the Tokugawa era. .
Damn maybe someone just made it up then. I mean as in “national spirit” or “that which makes us japanese”. I seemed to recall that it started with “nippo…”
Thanks cerberos that must’ve been it 