[Etymology] Nihon Shakumei (6) Geography (Iso, Gata, Ushio, Shima, Nawate, Ama-to-hina, Kochira-achira, etc.)
Iso (Rocky Shore)
"Iso" should be "ishi-sou" (stones added). It is a place where stones are added to the beach. A seaside without stones is not called an iso. Also, it means "ishi-sosogu" (water pouring over stones). It is a place where water pours over stones.
Gata (Tidal Flat)
"Gata" means "kawaki-hitaru" (drying and submerging). It is called "gata" because it is a place where the tide ebbs and flows. When it ebbs, it dries; when it flows, it is submerged.
* "Kawaki-hitaru" means drying and submerging.
Nagisa (Shoreline)
It means "nami-gishi" (wave edge). "Shi" and "sa" are interchangeable. One theory is that "nami-gi" is a shallow place.
Ushio (Tide)
"U" means "umi" (sea). "Shi" means "sashi" (thrusting/rising). "Ho" means "noboru" (rising). Ushio is something that rises from the sea. The advancing of the tide is called "sasu" (to thrust). The receding is called "hiku" (to pull back).
Tsu (Port)
The meaning is "atsumaru" (to gather). "Tsu" is a place where people gather. Also, it has the meaning of "tsudou" (to assemble).
Shima (Island)
"Shima" means "seba" (narrow). That land is narrow. "Seba" and "shima" are phonetically related. One theory is that "shima" is a place in the water where people live. "Sumu" (to live) and "shima" are related. Another theory says "su" is a place in the water where one can stay, which is a "su" (sandbank). "Su" and "shi" are related. "Ma" is a village. The reverse of "mura" (village) is "umi" (sea). It is a village on a sandbank.
Kouji (Alley)
It means "komichi" (small path). "U" is the elongated sound of the character "ko".
* "Elongated sound" refers to inserting the sounds "i", "u", or "n" between words to pronounce them with a long, drawn-out voice.
Dake (Peak)
A high mountain is called "dake". "Take" means "taka" (high). "Ke" and "ka" are related. Also, it is called "mitake". "Mi" is an honorific prefix. It is a word of respect. "Dake" and "[ta-with-circle]ke" can be read with or without the voiced consonant.
Peak (Mine)
It means 'visible' (mite). It refers to something that can be seen from afar and stands high. 'Te' and 'ne' are interchangeable. The 'ne' in Takane, Tsukubane, and Kaigane all use the character for 'peak' (mine). The 'mi' is omitted.
* 'Takane' is a high mountain or high peak. * 'Tsukubane' is Tsukubane (Mount Tsukuba), an ancient name for Mount Tsukuba. * 'Kaigane' is Kaigane, a high mountain in Kai Province.
Offing (Oki)
'Oki' means 'oku' (inner/deep). It refers to the inner part of the sea or river, where the water is deep. Dictionaries define the inner part of the water as 'oki'.
Corner/Inlet (Kuma)
The entrance to water, or a place where the land (kuga) bends. 'Ku' is 'kuga' (land). 'Ma' means 'to bend' (magaru). It is where the land bends. Dictionaries define the area outside the water as 'kuma'.
* 'Kuga' means land.
Cape (Saki)
It is called this because it protrudes forward. 'Misaki' (cape) is 'water-saki'. It is a 'saki' (point) that protrudes into the water.
Foot of a mountain (Fumoto)
It means 'fumu-moto' (the base where one treads). It is the base where one treads on the mountain.
* 'Yamabumi' means mountain trekking, or walking through the mountains.
Slope (Saka)
It means 'sagashiki' (steep). The 'shita' (down) is omitted. One theory suggests it comes from the meaning of 'upside down' (sakasama), as it is an uneven path.
Mountain pass (Yama no kai)
It means the space between mountains. 'A' and 'ka' are interchangeable. It is a narrow place between mountains.
Cave/Passage (Kuki)
A hole in a mountain. A hollow place inside is called 'kuki'. Terms like 'mizukuki' (water stem/passage) also refer to places where water passes through. The 'kuki' (stem) of a plant is called so because it is hollow and allows things to pass through inside. It is based on the 'kuki' of a plant. In Chikuzen Province, there is a place called 'Kuki no Umi' (Sea of Kuki). This is because seawater passes through a narrow space in the mountains. Also, in the same province, there is a place called the Port of Mizukuki no Oka, which is also a place where seawater passes through the mountains.
* 'Kuki no Umi' is the ancient name for Dokai Bay in Kitakyushu City. * 'Mizukuki no Oka no Minato' is the Port of Mizukuki no Oka. In the Manyoshu, there is a poem that says, 'The wind seems to blow from the direction where the sky is misty, and waves rise at the port of Mizukuki no Oka'.
Cave
"Hora" comes from "hogaraka" (bright/open). It refers to a place on the side of a mountain where a hole passes through from front to back, making the inside bright. In China, there are many caves, so there are many names for them. In Japan, there are few caves.
※ "Morokoshi" refers to China.
Barrier
"Soko" means "sakai" (boundary). "So" and "sa" are interchangeable, and "ka" and "ko" are interchangeable. The "hi" is omitted. It refers to a difficult, strategic pass that separates the inside from the outside at the boundary of another region.
Pasture
"Ki" means "kitsuku" (to fence in). It is where people fence in horses that are let loose.
Market
"I" means "iru" (to gather). "Chi" means "ji" (road). It is a road where people gather. "Jikishishō"
Fork
"Chi" means "michi" (road). "Mata" means "mata" (limb/fork). It is a place where roads diverge.
Fence
"Kaki" means "kagiri" (limit/boundary).
Raised Path
Refers to a path between rice fields. "Nawa" means "rope." It is narrow like a rope. "Te" is interchangeable with "chi." "Chi" means "road." "Na" means "road." Also, "nawa" means "nao" (straight). It is a straight road.
Remote Country
"Jikishishō" says it means to be distant from the heavens. This means to be far away. It likens the Imperial Court to the heavens, meaning it is far from the Imperial Court. Another theory is that when you look toward a distant direction, the sky appears to descend and look low. In the Man'yōshū, it is written as "Amasakaru" and read as "amasakaru".
※ "In the Man'yōshū, it is written as 'Amasakaru' and read as 'amasakaru'" refers to a poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro. ... Although it is a remote country, in the land of Ōmi where the rocks rush, at the palace of Ōtsu in Sazanami ...
Over There and Over Here
"Anata" (you) is "ano kata" (that person). "Ano" is "kano" (that). "Ka" and "a" are interchangeable, and "no" and "na" are interchangeable. "Konata" (this way/you) is "kono kata" (this person).
|Achikochi (Here and there)
"A" and "ka" are interchangeable. "Achi" is "kanochi" (that place). "Kochi" is "konochi" (this place). In both cases, "no" is omitted. "Chi" uses the sound. However, since "chi" is a reversal of "tsuchi" (earth/ground), perhaps "chi" is also a Japanese reading. Also, "soko" is "that place." "Koko" is "this place."
|Ochikochi (Far and near)
"Ochi" is "achi." "A" and "o" are interchangeable. "Achi" is "the far side." "Kochi" is "konochi." It is "the near side." Alternatively, it might be the sound of |onchi konchi (far place, near place).
|Gawa (Side)
The "gawa" in "minamigawa" (south side) or "kitagawa" (north side) is "katahara" (side). "Ta" and "ra" are omitted.
|Yomichi (Dark road)
It is "yamiji" (dark road). It is the underworld.
|Yamanoha (Mountain edge/ridge)
It is "yama no hashi" (edge of the mountain).
|Sogai (Back to back)
Refers to "sujikai" (diagonal/crosswise). It means "turning away and facing." The character for "sogai" appears in the Manyoshu.
* "Somukimukai" means |turning away and |facing.
Su (Sandbar/Island)
It is "sumu" (to dwell). Just as in Chinese texts, a place in the water where people can dwell is called a "su." "Suhama" is a sandbar beach.
* "Kara no sho" means |Chinese books.
Machi (Town/Street)
"Ma" is "ma" (space/interval). "Chi" is "michi" (road). It is the road between fields or between markets. Alternatively, "chi" is "suji" (line/streak). It is the line of the street between fields.
* "Denkan" (field-between) refers to the space between fields. It also refers to the countryside.
|Moyori (Vicinity)
Nowadays it is called "moyori". It means "to approach" (mukahi-yoru).
|Itadaki (Summit/Top)
The top of a mountain is called "itadaki". It is commonly used to refer to the top of a person's head. The word "itadaku" (to receive/to place on one's head) is explained in the section on human affairs.
* "Jinji-mon" (Human Affairs Section) is thought to be one of the classifications of Chinese terms. Reference: "Jukuji Hayabiki (Table of Contents: Human Affairs Section) (Human Affairs Section) (National Diet Library Digital Collection)
|Hashi (Bridge)
It means "watashi" (ferry/crossing). "Wa" and "ha" are interchangeable. The middle part is omitted.
|Seto (Strait)
It refers to a narrow place in the sea where there are mountains on both sides. It means "semaru-to" (narrowing door/passage). Also, even if it is not the sea, a narrow place between mountains is called a "seto".
|Tsuji (Crossroads)
A place where there are roads going in various directions is called a "tsuji". "Tsu" means "tsudou" (to gather). It means "to assemble". "Chi" means "michi" (road). Taking the "tsu" from "atsumaru" and the "chi" from "michi", the beginning and end are omitted. It means "gathering road". It is also written as "tsuzu". "Chi" and "shi" are interchangeable. The term "jujigaito" (crossroads) in Chinese texts also refers to a "tsuji". It is like a "chimata" or "juji" (cross) where roads branch off in four directions.
* "Kata-gata ni" means in various directions. * "Tsudou" means to gather. * "Jujigaito" refers to a crossroads. * "Chimata" means a fork in the road or a wide intersection.
Tonari (Neighbor)
It means "tonarabi" (row of doors). "Ri" is the return of "rabi".
|Ta (Rice Field)
|Taira (Flat). Fields have variations in height. Rice paddies are flat, with each location having no difference in height.
|Hatake (Field)
It means "|Hitaki (Fire-burning)". When first opening a field, one burns the grass in the field with fire, and then turns the soil to sow seeds. Also, because it is a dry and high place, it is called "hatake". "Ha" means "kawaku" (to dry). "Take" means "takaki" (high).
* "Kahakitetakaki tokoro" means a dry and high place.
Soba (Cliff/Side)
It is 'soba'. It refers to the side of a mountain or a place that stands upright.
Sumi (Corner)
It comes from 'somuku' (to turn away). The 'ku' is omitted. 'So' and 'su' are interchangeable. East, West, South, and North are the front. The four corners turn away from the true West. 'Mi' and 'mu' are interchangeable.
Dote (Embankment)
This is a sound-based term, not a native Japanese reading. It is 'tsutsumi'. 'Doi' (earthen wall) is the same.
* 'Doi' is an earthen wall. It refers to a 'tsutsumi' (embankment) made by piling up earth.
Gake (Cliff)
This refers to a place where the shore is high and steep. It is a sound-based term, not a native reading. Even in ancient poems, it is read as 'hokiji', which is 'gake'. 'Ho' means 'fukaki' (deep). 'Fu' and 'ho' are interchangeable. 'Ki' means 'kishi' (shore). It is 'fukakishi' (deep shore). The lower part is omitted. Even now, in Tsukushi, it is called 'hoki'.
* 'Koka' means ancient poems.
* 'Hokiji' is a cliff path. It refers to a path on a steep place like a mountainside, a cliff road.
Kakehashi (Suspension bridge/Gallery road)
This refers to building a bridge to create a path where the road along the mountainside is cut off. The Kiso Kakehashi is like this. It is not a 'hashi' (ladder) for climbing to a high place. Nor is it a 'hashi' (bridge) spanning water.
* 'Kiso no kakehashi' is the Kiso suspension bridge. It refers to a bridge that was built along the Kiso River.
Between Fukushima and Agematsu, there is the Kiso Kakehashi (suspension bridge). It is located in Oaza Kutsukake, Komagane Village. During the Keian era, the Lord of Owari had stones piled up on both banks to serve as bridge foundations, and a wooden bridge 56 ken long and 3.5 ken wide was built; it was repaired again during the Kanpo era.
Author's note: ● indicates characters that could not be deciphered.
I will update this as I decipher new characters or notice typos/misreadings. For details, please read the 'Self-introduction/Disclaimer' section. 📖