Lit.: Earth-energy; the 'mood' or 'energy' of the earth, generated by the accumulated energies of both living beings and spirits who live in that location. Conversely, the earth-energy also influences the energies of its inhabitants.

Lit.: "Fire demon"; clumps of pathos left behind by those who died in fires. They are an immaterial type of tsukumogami which invite disasters associated with fire.

A military dictatorship which ruled Japan from 1185 (formally recognized in 1192) to 1333. The Kamakura Shogunate began when Minamoto no Yoritomo seized power from the imperial court in 1158 and made himself de factor ruler of the country. This militant goverment gave rise to a powerful warrior class, which had previously been considered subordinate and inferior.

After Yoritomo's death, Houjou Tokimasa, head of the Houjou Clan, claimed the title of regent over Yoritomo's son and heir Minamoto no Yoriie. He eventually made the title hereditary, and the Houjou Clan became the real power behind the shogunate. in 1333, the Kamakura Shogunate came to an end when its most powerful general, Ashikaga Takauji, sided with the emperor and destroyed the Houjou Clan. Ashikaga Takauji then established the Ashikaga Shogunate.

Lit.: "pour onto the head"; a mikkyou ceremony wherein water is poured onto the head to anoint the successor to a position. Originally from India, where this ceremony was held at the enthronement of a king or the investiture of a crown prince. In Japan, this ceremony was held at the entronement of the Emperor from the Kamakuri Period to the end of the Edo Period.

"Shogun's Deputy", a high political post in feudal Japan.

Those who possess others by driving out the soul from a body and making it theirs.

Unlike normal spirits, kanshousha cannot exchange bodies at will; they can only switch to another host body when their current body dies. Because kanshousha become the owners of their bodies, choubuku does not work on them. It is, however, still possible to exorcise kanshousha when they are in spirit-form (i.e. between possessions).

A tsukumogami flute owned by Katsuragi Ichizou made of human bone which feeds on human energy and turns it into sound, placing whoever hears it under the flute's owner's control. When striking, it looks like a two-headed white snake.

Lit. "barrier exorcism"; a ritual exorcism that first encloses the target and the caster in a spiritual shield, strengthening the caster's power and preventing the target from escaping.

Also known as: Gotsuu (五通), huko (巫蠱), ko (蠱)

A curse used to kill an opponent by summoning the spirits of insects or animals. This spell can be used not only to kill a person but to steal their assets.

Handmade painted wooden dolls with simple limbless bodies and large heads, traditionally from northern Japan.

A unit of volume used in ancient Japan which is equal to approximately 278.3 liters. It was originally defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year.

During the Edo Period, the wealth of a han was defined in koku, and many samurai received stipends in koku.

Lit.: "land skeleton tribe"; relatives of the Kotsuhizoku; presumably they look alike but without the wings.

Lit. "light-enclosing exorcism"; a type of exorcism which uses the incantation noumakusamanda... and summons Tobatsu Bishamonten. Described as bomb-like, as opposed to ressa-choubuku.

A book containing detailed descriptions and statistics of the military exploits of the Takeda Clan, compiled by Kousaka Danjou Masanobu and completed by Obata Kagenori. It chronicles strategy, tactics, and outcomes of the major battles of the Takeda, including those of Takeda Shingen and Takeda Katsuyori.

The Kuro Habaki-gumi, or "Black Greaves Corps," was a ninja corps originally composed of 50 members said to have been founded by Date Masamune either in the late Sengoku or early Edo Periods. However, based on the fact that the name suddenly appeared in the "Date Hikan (伊達秘鑑)", or "Secret Records of the Date Clan" in the middle of the Edo Period (1770), the possibility exists that the group was fictional.

The Black Greaves Corps was so-named because they bore an emblem of black shin guards. According to the Date Hikan, they participated in the Battle of Hitotoribashi when Date Masamune fought against Satake Yoshishige, Ashina Yoshihiro, Iwaki Tsunetaka, Ishikawa Akimitsu, Nigaidou Yukichika, and Komine Yoshichika et. al, though they are not mentioned in other records of the battle.

Also known as: Kurohoro-shuu (黒母衣衆)

The name for an elite group of Oda Nobunaga's bodyguards, selected from his cavalry. The name breaks down into "kuro"—black, "horo"—a type of cape worn by soldiers on horseback as protection against stray arrows, and "gumi" or "shuu"—group.

Also called: Lake Shore Tribe/Clan

A people characterized by violet hair and eyes, often born with strong magical abilities. They act as teachers and guards in Shinma Kingdom.

A term which comes from the Sanskrit "circle" or "completion" used to refer to any metaphysical or symbolic representation of the cosmos from the human perspective. Mandalas are used for focusing attention and as an aid to meditation.

Lit.: "demon clan" or "demon tribe", the people of Shinma Kingdom. They are much more long-lived than humans, and their actually age is usually five times that of their physical appearance.

meditation

Mito Koumon is the longest-running and most famous historical drama series in Japan with over 1000 episodes, which began broadcasting on Aug. 4, 1969, and continues today. Its main character is based on Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the retired (goinkyo) daimyo of Mito, who is one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's grandsons. In the drama he wanders around Ibaraki disguised as Mitsuemon, a retired crêpe merchant from Echigo, with two samurai retainers, Sasaki Sukesaburou (Suke-san) and Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san), helping the oppressed.

Other regular characters include the food-loving commoner Hachibei, reformed thieves Kazaguruma no Yashichi and his wife Kasumi no Oshin, and ninjas Tsuge no Tobizaru and Kagerou Ogin of the Iga School.

A stone tablet at Uozu Oomachi Private Elementary School bears this inscription, which was a tanka poem composed by Uesugi Kenshin at Uozu Castle.

Since the poem was originally spoken, there are several written versions:

もののふの鎧の袖を肩しきて 枕に近き初雁の声

武士のよろいの袖をかたしきて 枕に近きはつかりの声

武士の鎧の　袖をかたしきて　枕に近き　初かりの声

武士の鎧の袖を片敷きて枕にちかき初雁の声

One possible interpretation is

"The warrior makes
Of his armor a pillow
For his head alone:
A solitary repose.
The first wild geese cry nearby."

"A pillow for his head alone" refers to the practice of lovers rolling their garments together to make a pillow for two. The "first wild geese" is oft-used imagery implying the approach of autumn and winter, the months these birds fly south from the Siberian regions to spend in Japan. Of course, they may in turn imply the autumn and winter of a person's life...

The first version of the poem, which is rather rare and the one used by Kuwabara-sensei in Mirage, implies more of a "carrying" or "shouldering" than a lying down; it may perhaps be interpreted as "The warrior shoulders his armor, though the first wild geese cry near his pillow."

National Route 1 is a major highway on the main island of Honshuu in Japan which links Tokyo to the important prefectural capitals of Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture), Shizuoka, Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture), Otsu (Shiga Prefecture), Kyoto, and Osaka.

Lit.: "power of telekinesis"; one of the two types of spiritual abilities of the Yasha-shuu which uses spiritual energy to affect a substance. Naoe levitating pebbles against Takaya is one example.