JAPANESE SHIP-NAMES
The names of a few Japanese ships are singularly beautiful and poetical in their meanings; the majority, however, have little significance. As the meanings of Japanese ship-names are not given in Captain Prince Louis of Battenberg's interesting “Men-of-War Names,” a glossary of them is here inserted for reference and information.
All names with the prefix Chin (Chinese Chen) are Chinese. The names of captured Chinese ships have always been retained by the Japanese, but they have been translated into their own language, i.e. as though, when in the past we took the Téméraire, we had taken to calling her The Rash.
I am indebted to my friends Commander Takarabé and Lieutenant Yamamoto, both of the Imperial Japanese Navy, for the meanings of these ship-names.
- Adsuma = a mountain with a poetical history.
- Asama = a sacred volcanic island in Japan. The present is the second
- ship of the name. The first was a pirate frigate that put into
- a Japanese port to refit and was seized.
- Akagi = a mountain in Japan.
- Akashi = a beautiful seaside place near Kobé. Akebono = dawn.
- Akitsushima = an old name for Japan (poetical).
- Asahi = “the (rising) morning sun.”
- Amagi = name of a mountain in Japan.
- Atago = name of a mountain in Japan.
- Chitose = “long life.”
- Chiyoda = the name of Shogun's castle and Emperor's palace. The
- present Chiyoda is the second of the name. ([See p. 402].)
- Chin Yen = “striking from a long way off.” The name is Chinese.
- This ship was formerly the Chinese Chen Yuen.
- Chin Nan = striking south.
- Chin To = striking east.
- Chin Sei = striking west.
- Chin Hoku = striking north.
- Chin Chaiu = striking midway.
- Chin Pen = striking everywhere near.
- Fuso = “Japan.”
- Fuji = name of the celebrated Japanese mountain, Fuji-Yama.
- This is the second ship of the name.
- Hashidate = name of a Japanese port.
- Hatsuse = a place in Japan celebrated for its maple woods.
- Hi-yei = a famous battle mountain in Japan.
- Hei Yen = “pacifying a long way off.”
- This is a captured Chinese ship, Ping Yuen.
- he-Sho = name of a scare bird.
- Inadzuma = “lightning.”
- Idzumi = a country of Japan.
- Ikadzuche = “thunder.”
- Itsukushima = a Japanese island.
- Idzumo = a province of Japan.
- Iwate = name of a place in Japan.
- Kaimon = “sea gate.”
- Kasagi = a mountain in Japan.
- Katsuragi = a mountain in Japan.
- Kagero = “the shimmering mist that rises from the earth on a hot day.”
- Kotaka = “a hawk.”
- Kasauga = a mountain in Japan.
- Kon-go = a famous battle mountain in Japan.
- Mikasa = a mountain.
- Maya = a Japanese mountain.
- Matsushima = a Japanese island.
- Musashi = the province in which Toku is situated.
- Miyako = a place in Japan.
- Murákumo = “a cloud cluster.”
- Niji = “rainbow.”
- Naniwa = a palace of the Emperor's.
- Nisshin = “daily progressing.”
- Oshima = “a large island.”
- Ousougumo = “thin clouds.”
- Obero = “Dim.”
- Rio-jo = “powerful as a dragon.” This is a Chinese word.
- Shinonome = “daybreak cloud.”
- Sai Yen = “helping from a long way off.”
- Sazanami = “the pretty, small waves raised by a zephyr.”
- Shikishima = an old poetical name for Japan.
- Saikio-maru = the merchant steamer Saikio.
- Shiranöi = “will-o'-the-wisp.”
- Suma = a place in Japan close to Akashi.
- So-Ko = Chinese.
- Takao = a Japanese town.
- Tateyama = name of a Japanese mountain.
- Takachiho = name of a sacred place in Japan.
- Takasago = “Darby and Joan.” It is the name of a town associated
- in poetry with a couple of that nature.
- Tatsuta = name of a Japanese mountain.
- Tenriu = a river in Japan.
- Tsukuba = a mountain in Japan.
- Tokiwa = “evergreen.”
- Tsukushi = a Japanese town.
- Yashima = “Japan.”
- Yaxyama = an island mountain.
- Yamato = a Japanese province. Also an old name for Japan (poetical).
- Yoshino = a mountain in Japan famous for its beautiful cherry-blossom;
- hence “cherry-blossom.”
SHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST
BY SHIPWRECK
Taiebo No. 1 (small gunboat). Wrecked about 1870.
Unebi (cruiser). Mysteriously lost, with all hands, at sea about 1890. Believed in Japan to have been destroyed by the Chinese.
Tschishima (torpedo cruiser). Foundered on her trial trip in the Inland Sea, 1891. Most of her crew were drowned.
Kohei, ex-Kwang Ping (gunboat). Formerly Chinese. Wrecked off the Pescadores, 1895.