Can you translate these Japanese characters?
September 20, 2012 5:38 AM Subscribe
Can you translate the Japanese characters on this antique sake jug?
I recently acquired a 14"-tall antique Japanese sake jug which has Japanese characters on three sides. Pictures are here. I believe a couple of the characters on Side 1 are the numerals 6 and 2. Also I've found pictures of similar jugs that show the same side-by-side characters as are on the top of Side 1 of my jug, and the same bottom character, but with different numerals.
In any case, what I'm looking for is:
-- Interpretation of the characters on all 3 sides
-- Any information on when/where this jug may have been made (online sources suggest this type was made late Edo or early Meiji through early Showa periods. The jug was bought from a dealer in Maine who acquired it in Japan in the late 1940s.)
-- How was it principally used (I'm assuming it would be for household storage. There is a bung-hole at bottom of side 2 where a spigot of some kind could be inserted.)
-- Any information on the Pitcher in the fourth picture? (It is 9.75" tall. I'm assuming the squiggles painted on it are just decorative, not characters of any kind, and that it was used for table service of sake. This pitcher was acquired years ago in an antique shop in Kyoto.)
I recently acquired a 14"-tall antique Japanese sake jug which has Japanese characters on three sides. Pictures are here. I believe a couple of the characters on Side 1 are the numerals 6 and 2. Also I've found pictures of similar jugs that show the same side-by-side characters as are on the top of Side 1 of my jug, and the same bottom character, but with different numerals.
In any case, what I'm looking for is:
-- Interpretation of the characters on all 3 sides
-- Any information on when/where this jug may have been made (online sources suggest this type was made late Edo or early Meiji through early Showa periods. The jug was bought from a dealer in Maine who acquired it in Japan in the late 1940s.)
-- How was it principally used (I'm assuming it would be for household storage. There is a bung-hole at bottom of side 2 where a spigot of some kind could be inserted.)
-- Any information on the Pitcher in the fourth picture? (It is 9.75" tall. I'm assuming the squiggles painted on it are just decorative, not characters of any kind, and that it was used for table service of sake. This pitcher was acquired years ago in an antique shop in Kyoto.)
Second one says "Yamashita Liquor Store"
Third one is 用宗, which Google tells me is a place name.
Not even my Japanese wife could read the last one.
posted by zachawry at 6:08 AM on September 20, 2012
Third one is 用宗, which Google tells me is a place name.
Not even my Japanese wife could read the last one.
posted by zachawry at 6:08 AM on September 20, 2012
Okay, I'll give it a shot.
1. Yeah, first is Telephone number 62.
2. It's Yamashita (under mountain), then I'm in the same boat as Nevan.
3. I believe that the 2nd kanji is 宗 (religion) and not 泉 (spring). Searching on my Japanese dictionary brings up the name of a city in Shizuoka Prefecture: "Mochimune" （用宗）
4. Not a clue!
posted by Kamelot123 at 6:09 AM on September 20, 2012
1. Yeah, first is Telephone number 62.
2. It's Yamashita (under mountain), then I'm in the same boat as Nevan.
3. I believe that the 2nd kanji is 宗 (religion) and not 泉 (spring). Searching on my Japanese dictionary brings up the name of a city in Shizuoka Prefecture: "Mochimune" （用宗）
4. Not a clue!
posted by Kamelot123 at 6:09 AM on September 20, 2012
Denwa 6-2 (Phone number 6-2)
Under Yamashita is the character for sake 酒. I think the last character is nari 也, which is a way of saying "desu."
In the last image the characters are definitely 用 and 宗, probably a brand name.
posted by vincele at 6:42 AM on September 20, 2012
Under Yamashita is the character for sake 酒. I think the last character is nari 也, which is a way of saying "desu."
In the last image the characters are definitely 用 and 宗, probably a brand name.
posted by vincele at 6:42 AM on September 20, 2012
I read about Mochimune castle ruins, located near present-day Mochimune station, on Wikipedia Japan. I don't see any mention of sake-brewing or spring water in the area. Also a quick google search doesn't bring up any brand names of sake with that name. I'm pretty sure that it's something along those lines though.
posted by vincele at 6:49 AM on September 20, 2012
posted by vincele at 6:49 AM on September 20, 2012
Best answer: Everyone's already translated, but for those who want the Japanese:
1. 電話 六二番 (the phone number)
2. 山下酒店 (Yamashita liquor store) (not 山下酒也)
3. 用宗 (Mochimune)
The pitcher is illegible to me.
For what it's worth, I did some Googling and did find a Yamashita liquor store in Mochimune, but given that this jug is so old, it is impossible to know if it is the same shop, but it very well may be. I am actually of the mind to send an inquiry to the store to see if they recognize the jug as theirs.
And yes, that bunghole is for a spout. This picture in this blog post is a bit small, but the display shows how it is done.
posted by Tanizaki at 8:02 AM on September 20, 2012
1. 電話 六二番 (the phone number)
2. 山下酒店 (Yamashita liquor store) (not 山下酒也)
3. 用宗 (Mochimune)
The pitcher is illegible to me.
For what it's worth, I did some Googling and did find a Yamashita liquor store in Mochimune, but given that this jug is so old, it is impossible to know if it is the same shop, but it very well may be. I am actually of the mind to send an inquiry to the store to see if they recognize the jug as theirs.
And yes, that bunghole is for a spout. This picture in this blog post is a bit small, but the display shows how it is done.
posted by Tanizaki at 8:02 AM on September 20, 2012
Response by poster: Tanizaki, if you can communicate with the shop and get any further info about the jug that would be fantastic.
posted by beagle at 9:57 AM on September 20, 2012
posted by beagle at 9:57 AM on September 20, 2012
Response by poster: Based on the leads so far, I've located this page listing the former sake breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture. Among them is Sekibe Fujinami Brewery formerly located in Mochimune. There was also a Yamashita Brewery in Iwata, but as noted by nevan, Yamashita is is common surname.
posted by beagle at 10:14 AM on September 20, 2012
posted by beagle at 10:14 AM on September 20, 2012
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The second one starts 山下, or "Under mountain". Also a popular surname. Not sure about the next characters.
The third one looks like 用泉, but I don't know the meaning. Possibly "Using spring water"?
The fourth just looks like squiggles, but might be the "grass-like" hiragana writing.
posted by nevan at 5:49 AM on September 20, 2012