The Ring Of Water Part 28

For the Pocket Money Puffin series

VIRTUAL KOMBAT.

j.a.pANESE GLOSSARY.

Bushido Bushido, meaning the 'Way of the Warrior', is a j.a.panese code of conduct similar to the concept of chivalry. Samurai warriors were meant to adhere to the seven moral principles in their martial arts training and in their day-to-day lives.

Virtue 1: Gi Gi Rect.i.tude Rect.i.tude Gi is the ability to make the right decision with moral confidence and to be fair and equal towards all people no matter what colour, race, gender or age. is the ability to make the right decision with moral confidence and to be fair and equal towards all people no matter what colour, race, gender or age.

Virtue 2: Yu Yu Courage Courage Yu is the ability to handle any situation with valour and confidence. is the ability to handle any situation with valour and confidence.

Virtue 3: Jin Jin Benevolence Benevolence Jin is a combination of compa.s.sion and generosity. This virtue works together with is a combination of compa.s.sion and generosity. This virtue works together with Gi Gi and discourages samurai from using their skills arrogantly or for domination. and discourages samurai from using their skills arrogantly or for domination.

Virtue 4: Rei Rei Respect Respect Rei is a matter of courtesy and proper behaviour towards others. This virtue means to have respect for all. is a matter of courtesy and proper behaviour towards others. This virtue means to have respect for all.

Virtue 5: Makoto Makoto Honesty Honesty Makota is about being honest to oneself as much as to others. It means acting in ways that are morally right and always doing things to the best of your ability. is about being honest to oneself as much as to others. It means acting in ways that are morally right and always doing things to the best of your ability.

Virtue 6: Meiyo Meiyo Honour Honour Meiyo is sought with a positive att.i.tude in mind, but will only follow with correct behaviour. Success is an honourable goal to strive for. is sought with a positive att.i.tude in mind, but will only follow with correct behaviour. Success is an honourable goal to strive for.

Virtue 7: Chungi Chungi Loyalty Loyalty Chungi is the foundation of all the virtues; without dedication and loyalty to the task at hand and to one another, one cannot hope to achieve the desired outcome. is the foundation of all the virtues; without dedication and loyalty to the task at hand and to one another, one cannot hope to achieve the desired outcome.

A Short Guide to p.r.o.nouncing j.a.panese Words Vowels are p.r.o.nounced in the following way: 'a' as the 'a' in 'at'

'e' as the 'e' in 'bet'

'i' as the 'i' in 'police'

'o' as the 'o' in 'dot'

'u' as the 'u' in 'put'

'ai' as in 'eye'

'ii' as in 'week'

'o' as in 'go'

'' as in 'blue'

Consonants are p.r.o.nounced in the same way as English: 'g' is hard as in 'get'

'j' is soft as in 'jelly'

'ch' as in 'church'

'z' as in 'zoo'

'ts' as in 'itself'

Each syllable is p.r.o.nounced separately: A-ki-ko Ya-ma-to Ma-sa-mo-to Ka-zu-ki

arigato gozaimasu thank you very much thank you very much bitasen copper coin copper coin bo wooden fighting staff wooden fighting staff bojutsu the Art of the Bo the Art of the Bo bokken wooden sword wooden sword bushido the Way of the Warrior the samurai code the Way of the Warrior the samurai code Butokuden Hall of the Virtues of War Hall of the Virtues of War Butsuden Buddha Hall Buddha Hall Cho-no-ma Hall of b.u.t.terflies Hall of b.u.t.terflies daikon long, large white radish long, large white radish daimyo feudal lord feudal lord daisho pair of swords, pair of swords, wakizashi wakizashi and and katana katana, that are the traditional weapons of the samurai doshin Edo-period police officers of samurai origin (low rank) Edo-period police officers of samurai origin (low rank) futon j.a.panese bed: flat mattress placed directly on j.a.panese bed: flat mattress placed directly on tatami tatami flooring, and folded away during the day flooring, and folded away during the day gaijin foreigner, outsider (derogatory term) foreigner, outsider (derogatory term) geta traditional j.a.panese sandal with an elevated wooden base traditional j.a.panese sandal with an elevated wooden base hachimaki headbands, sometimes reinforced with metal strips headbands, sometimes reinforced with metal strips hakama traditional j.a.panese trousers traditional j.a.panese trousers hamon artistic pattern created on a samurai sword blade during tempering process artistic pattern created on a samurai sword blade during tempering process hanami cherry-blossom viewing party cherry-blossom viewing party haori a hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket, which adds formality to an outfit a hip- or thigh-length kimono-like jacket, which adds formality to an outfit hashi chopsticks chopsticks Ho-oh-no-ma Hall of the Phoenix Hall of the Phoenix inro a little case for holding small objects a little case for holding small objects janken j.a.panese name for the hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors j.a.panese name for the hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors jutte (or (or jitte jitte) an iron truncheon or rod with a short pointed hook an iron truncheon or rod with a short pointed hook kami spirits within objects in the Shinto faith spirits within objects in the Shinto faith kamon family crest family crest kanabo large oak club encased in iron or with studs large oak club encased in iron or with studs kanji the Chinese characters used in the j.a.panese writing system the Chinese characters used in the j.a.panese writing system kataginu a winged, sleeveless jacket of the samurai a winged, sleeveless jacket of the samurai katana long sword long sword kenjutsu the Art of the Sword the Art of the Sword kesagiri diagonal cut, or 'Monk's Robe' cut diagonal cut, or 'Monk's Robe' cut kiai a shout; also used in Go to describe a player's fighting spirit in the face of adversity a shout; also used in Go to describe a player's fighting spirit in the face of adversity kimono traditional j.a.panese clothing traditional j.a.panese clothing kissaki tip of sword tip of sword koan a Buddhist question designed to stimulate intuition a Buddhist question designed to stimulate intuition koban j.a.panese oval gold coin j.a.panese oval gold coin komuso Monk of Emptiness Monk of Emptiness koshakushi traditional oral j.a.panese storyteller traditional oral j.a.panese storyteller kuji-in nine syllable seals a specialized form of Buddhist and ninja meditation nine syllable seals a specialized form of Buddhist and ninja meditation manj j.a.panese steamed bun made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat with a sweet or savoury filling j.a.panese steamed bun made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat with a sweet or savoury filling metsuke technique of 'looking at a faraway mountain' technique of 'looking at a faraway mountain'

mon family crest family crest musha shugyo warrior pilgrimage warrior pilgrimage nagare flow or roll flow or roll netsuke toggle for helping attach toggle for helping attach inro inro cases to the cases to the obi obi belt belt ninja j.a.panese a.s.sa.s.sin j.a.panese a.s.sa.s.sin ninjutsu the Art of Stealth the Art of Stealth ninniku the philosophy of the ninja, 'cultivating a pure and compa.s.sionate heart' the philosophy of the ninja, 'cultivating a pure and compa.s.sionate heart'

Niten Ichi Ry the 'One School of Two Heavens' the 'One School of Two Heavens'

obi belt belt ofuda a talisman issued by a Shinto shrine, made of paper, wood or metal, inscribed with the name of a a talisman issued by a Shinto shrine, made of paper, wood or metal, inscribed with the name of a kami kami and used for protection in the home and used for protection in the home okonomiyaki grilled or fried savoury pancake grilled or fried savoury pancake omamori a Buddhist amulet to grant protection a Buddhist amulet to grant protection onryo vengeful ghost vengeful ghost origami the art of folding paper the art of folding paper ronin masterless samurai masterless samurai sageo cotton or silk cord attached to the cotton or silk cord attached to the saya saya of a samurai sword of a samurai sword sake rice wine rice wine sakura cherry-blossom tree cherry-blossom tree samurai j.a.panese warrior j.a.panese warrior sasumata a pole with a U-shaped p.r.o.ng used to trap the neck and limbs to immobilize an opponent a pole with a U-shaped p.r.o.ng used to trap the neck and limbs to immobilize an opponent saya scabbard scabbard Senbazuru One Thousand Origami Cranes One Thousand Origami Cranes sencha green tea green tea sensei teacher teacher sente term in Go for holding the initiative of the game term in Go for holding the initiative of the game Sha ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for ninja hand sign, interpreted as healing for ninjutsu ninjutsu purposes purposes shakuhachi j.a.panese bamboo flute j.a.panese bamboo flute shin.o.bi another name for ninja, literally 'stealer in' another name for ninja, literally 'stealer in'

shin.o.bi aruki stealth, or silent, walking stealth, or silent, walking Shinto the indigenous spirituality of j.a.pan and the j.a.panese people the indigenous spirituality of j.a.pan and the j.a.panese people Shishi-no-ma Hall of Lions Hall of Lions Shogun the military dictator of j.a.pan the military dictator of j.a.pan shoji j.a.panese sliding door j.a.panese sliding door shuriken metal throwing stars metal throwing stars soba buckwheat noodles buckwheat noodles tabi traditional j.a.panese socks traditional j.a.panese socks taijutsu the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat) the Art of the Body (hand-to-hand combat) tanuki j.a.panese racc.o.o.n dog j.a.panese racc.o.o.n dog tanto knife knife Taryu-Jiai inter-school martial arts compet.i.tion inter-school martial arts compet.i.tion tatami floor matting floor matting torii a distinctive j.a.panese gate made of two uprights and two crossbars denoting the separation between common s.p.a.ce and sacred s.p.a.ce, found at the entrance to Shinto shrines a distinctive j.a.panese gate made of two uprights and two crossbars denoting the separation between common s.p.a.ce and sacred s.p.a.ce, found at the entrance to Shinto shrines ukemi break falls break falls uki-ashi floating feet technique floating feet technique umeboshi pickled dried plum pickled dried plum umeshu plum wine plum wine wagashi traditional j.a.panese confectionary often served with tea traditional j.a.panese confectionary often served with tea wakizashi side-arm short sword side-arm short sword yamabushi Lit. 'one who hides in the mountains'; Buddhist hermits who live in the mountains Lit. 'one who hides in the mountains'; Buddhist hermits who live in the mountains yukata summer kimono summer kimono Zai ninja hand sign for sky or elements control ninja hand sign for sky or elements control zazen seated meditation seated meditation zori straw sandals straw sandals

j.a.panese names usually consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world where the given name comes before the surname. In feudal j.a.pan, names reflected a person's social status and spiritual beliefs. Also, when addressing someone, usually consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name, unlike in the Western world where the given name comes before the surname. In feudal j.a.pan, names reflected a person's social status and spiritual beliefs. Also, when addressing someone, san san is added to that person's surname (or given names in less formal situations) as a sign of courtesy, in the same way that we use Mr or Mrs in English, and for higher-status people is added to that person's surname (or given names in less formal situations) as a sign of courtesy, in the same way that we use Mr or Mrs in English, and for higher-status people sama sama is used. In j.a.pan, is used. In j.a.pan, sensei sensei is usually added after a person's name if they are a teacher, although in the Young Samurai books a traditional English order has been retained. Boys and girls are usually addressed using is usually added after a person's name if they are a teacher, although in the Young Samurai books a traditional English order has been retained. Boys and girls are usually addressed using kun kun and and chan chan, respectively.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

For an author to reach his fifth t.i.tle in a book series is quite an achievement and I couldn't have done it without the support of all my fans, friends, family and the fantastic team behind me.

Like the Five Rings, the stability of Earth has been provided by my gorgeous wife Sarah, my mum and my dad, Sue and Simon, Steve and Sam (the best bro and sis-in-law I could wish for!) and all my wonderful friends, in particular Karen and Rob Rose, Geoff and Lucy Roy, Matt Bould, Charlie Wallace, Russell and Jackie Holdaway, Nick and Zelia O'Donnell, Laura Colussi et al.... thank you for your unwavering belief and patience in me.

The adaptability and strength of the Ring of Water is found in Charlie Viney, my ever dependable agent and firm friend; at Puffin, Shannon Park, an editor whom I admire greatly and am so lucky to work with; Wendy Tse and Helen Gray, my hardworking copy-editors; Tessa Girvan, Franca Bernatavicius and Nicki Kennedy, my overseas agents at ILA; and Trevor at Authors Abroad.

The energy and pa.s.sion of the Ring of Fire shows both in the efforts of the fantastic Puffin PR and marketing team (Lisa Hayden, Vanessa G.o.dden, Jayde Lynch, Tania Vian-Smith, Kirsten Grant et al.) and, above all, Francesca Dow, the daimyo daimyo of Puffin Books), as well as the growing legion of dedicated fans and readers around the world thank you for continuing to spread the word. of Puffin Books), as well as the growing legion of dedicated fans and readers around the world thank you for continuing to spread the word.

The freedom of the Ring of Wind is seen in the understanding and patient tuition of Sensei David Ansell of the Shin Ichi Do Shin Ichi Do dojo ( dojo (www.shinichido.org) and Sensei Peter Brown at the Shin.o.bi Kai Shin.o.bi Kai dojo ( dojo (www.shin.o.bi-kai.net), and also in the constant movement of booksellers, both independent and major, and school librarians who are always working hard to shift copies of the series and promote it to new readers I truly appreciate your support.

Finally, the creative force of the Ring of Sky that helps me write these books thank you, but could you make it a little easier next time! I have deadlines to keep, you know!

You can keep in touch with me and the progress of the Young Samurai series on my Facebook page, or via the website at www.youngsamurai.com Arigato gozaimasu!