Onmyou-za (陰陽座) - Dictionary
"Akuro-Ou" (悪路王) is the name for the evil spirit of Aterui, the leader of the Emishi, one of Japan's ancient indigenous populations. After a devastating victory over the Japanese emperor to keep their people from being colonized Aterui and his Chief General of Staff More had to surrender and were eventually executed. As a result, Aterui was demonized well into the 20th century as a vengeful ghost (see here and here).
"Aoki Dokugan" (蒼き独眼): The song is about Date Masamune, a powerful daimyo who lost one eye (original source).
"Araragi" (蘭) is based on motives of the events surrounding Mori Ranmaru (森 蘭丸), Oda Nobunagas loyal servant. As you can see, his name is written with the character for "orchid".
"Ashioto" (跫音) can also be translated as "Anticipation of something approaching".
"Ayako" (奇子) is based on Tezuka Osamu's work of the same name. The title literally means "strange child".
"Fugutaiten" (不倶戴天) describes the scene of an execution of a criminal.
"Gainagateya" (がいながてや): According to this site "gainagateya" is written in Iyo dialect and is equivalent to the Japanese "sugoi desu, ne".
"Hebimiko" (蛇蠱): According to a tsukimono folk tale from the Shoudou isle in Kanagawa a snake spirit will possess someone's body out of its "owner's" hatred beginning to cause him pain until his innards have been completely devoured by snakes causing him to die (original source). This song is about a person inflicting a hebimiko on someone they fell in love with but began to hate because their love was not requited (original source).
"Hitokabemaru" (人首丸): A "handsome young man", apparently Akuro-Ou's son, who refused to submit to the emperor and therefore met a violent end (original source).
"Hougan" (判官/Judge) was a title awarded to the suite's main character Minamoto no Yoshitsune who is a famous figure of tragic heroism in Japanese history (original source). Probably because of this "Akki" is written with the kanji for "sorrow" (忌/ki).
"Hyaku no Oni ga Yoru wo yuku" (百の鬼が夜を行く): Based on the tale "Hyakki Yagyo" (Night Parade of one hundred demons).
A "Hyousube" (ひょうすべ) is a kappa covered with hair.
"Ichimokuren" (一目連): the one-eyed god of wind, storms and smithery in Japanese mythology.
"Inoko" (亥の子/young boar) is a harvest festival celebrated at the time of the boar (between 9 PM and 11 PM) on the day of the boar in the tenth month of the lunar calendar. The term is also used for the rice cakes eaten on the occasion.
"Izayoi no Ame" (十六夜の雨): The sixteenth night is the night after the full moon.
"Kamikaze" (神風): Originally a name for the typhoons in 1274 and 1281 which destroyed Mongolian fleets under Kublai Khan on their way to invade Japan. Later used to designate special suicide units among Japan's aerial fighting force during WW2 (original source).
"Kannari Ninpouchou" (神鳴忍法帖) continues the story told in "Manji" (卍)."Koori no Kusabi" (氷の楔) is about the unfulfilled love of a yuki onna.
"Kumikyoku 'Kurozuka'" (組曲「黒塚」): The suite is based on the Noh play "Kurozuka" or "Adachigahara" about a man-eating demon woman. "Adachigahara" (安達ヶ原) literally means "fields of Adachi", this being the place where the demon woman lives.
"Kuraiau" (喰らいあう): Literally "meeting each other in devouring".
"Maiagaru" (舞いあがる) is written in Iyo dialect.
"Manji" (卍): In Japan swastikas are symbols connected to buddhism and denote the position of buddhist temples on maps (original source). According to Matatabi, the sufferings of an invincible female ninja who was created to be a war machine (original source)."Memaizaka" (眩暈坂) is the name of a hill in Natsuhiko Kyogoku's "Summer of Ubume" and can be translated as "dizzying slope".
"Oni Hitokuchi" (鬼一口) refers to a tale about a man-eating demon in the Akutagawa of the Ise-Monogatari (伊勢物語).
"Oni Koroshi" (鬼ころし) is also the name of a brand of sake.
"Orabinahai" (おらびなはい): Written in Iyo dailect. Translates into "Sakebinasai" (叫びなさい) for common Japanese.
"Oumagatoki" (逢魔刻) is "the quiet time during twilight when disasters are said to arise." (original source)
"Sesshouseki" (殺生石): According to legend Tamamo no Mae's spirit haunted the Sesshouseki (Killing Stone) after her death and kills everyone that comes into contact with it (original source).
"Shiki wo karu Mono" (式を駆る者) is about Onmyouji (Yin-Yang-Masters). Shiki are their paper familiars.
"Shoumakyou" (照魔鏡): A "shoumakyou" is a magic mirror that reflects the true nature of a demon.
"Tanuki-Bayashi" (貍囃子) (lit.: badger dog backing group) are the sounds of tanuki (badger dogs) hitting their huge bellies or testicles (original source).
"Tenkyouin Kuruito Kuruwa" (癲狂院狂人廓): The word "tenkyouin" (癲狂院) was used in the Meiji era to denote an asylum.
"Ushi Oni Matsuri" (牛鬼祀り) is celebrated in Uwajima of the Ehime Prefecture. The Ushi Oni is depicted by a group of people covered in cloth forming its body and someone holding up its head with a stake.
"Yaobikuni" (八百比丘尼) (lit. 800-year-old Buddhist nun): According to an old folk tale from Wakasa beach Yaohime, a rich man's daughter who is afraid of old age, becomes immortal after eating a mermaid's flesh. Suffering from seeing many husbands die and her regrets over devouring the flesh which made her immortal she eventually atones for this sin by becoming a nun. After 800 years Yaoihime meets a mermaid fairy and begs for forgiveness finally allowing her to die (original source). However, this song is actually about the "Strange Beings" portion of the manga "Phoenix" by Osamu Tezuka (original source).
"Yoaruki Kawara Botan" (夜歩き骨牡丹) is about the ghost of an ugly woman who notices how beautiful her skeleton looks after death and then continues to walk it around at night in an attempt to show it off (original source).
"Yugamu Tsuki" (歪む月): According to Kuroneko "Yugamu Tsuki" (歪む月) deals with the unhappy love and atonement of a mermaid woman.
"Yumemushi" (夢虫) are worm-like insects living inside pillows and eating the dreams of humans (original source).
"Aoki Dokugan" (蒼き独眼): The song is about Date Masamune, a powerful daimyo who lost one eye (original source).
"Araragi" (蘭) is based on motives of the events surrounding Mori Ranmaru (森 蘭丸), Oda Nobunagas loyal servant. As you can see, his name is written with the character for "orchid".
"Ashioto" (跫音) can also be translated as "Anticipation of something approaching".
"Ayako" (奇子) is based on Tezuka Osamu's work of the same name. The title literally means "strange child".
"Fugutaiten" (不倶戴天) describes the scene of an execution of a criminal.
"Gainagateya" (がいながてや): According to this site "gainagateya" is written in Iyo dialect and is equivalent to the Japanese "sugoi desu, ne".
"Hebimiko" (蛇蠱): According to a tsukimono folk tale from the Shoudou isle in Kanagawa a snake spirit will possess someone's body out of its "owner's" hatred beginning to cause him pain until his innards have been completely devoured by snakes causing him to die (original source). This song is about a person inflicting a hebimiko on someone they fell in love with but began to hate because their love was not requited (original source).
"Hitokabemaru" (人首丸): A "handsome young man", apparently Akuro-Ou's son, who refused to submit to the emperor and therefore met a violent end (original source).
"Hougan" (判官/Judge) was a title awarded to the suite's main character Minamoto no Yoshitsune who is a famous figure of tragic heroism in Japanese history (original source). Probably because of this "Akki" is written with the kanji for "sorrow" (忌/ki).
"Hyaku no Oni ga Yoru wo yuku" (百の鬼が夜を行く): Based on the tale "Hyakki Yagyo" (Night Parade of one hundred demons).
A "Hyousube" (ひょうすべ) is a kappa covered with hair.
"Ichimokuren" (一目連): the one-eyed god of wind, storms and smithery in Japanese mythology.
"Inoko" (亥の子/young boar) is a harvest festival celebrated at the time of the boar (between 9 PM and 11 PM) on the day of the boar in the tenth month of the lunar calendar. The term is also used for the rice cakes eaten on the occasion.
"Izayoi no Ame" (十六夜の雨): The sixteenth night is the night after the full moon.
"Kamikaze" (神風): Originally a name for the typhoons in 1274 and 1281 which destroyed Mongolian fleets under Kublai Khan on their way to invade Japan. Later used to designate special suicide units among Japan's aerial fighting force during WW2 (original source).
"Kannari Ninpouchou" (神鳴忍法帖) continues the story told in "Manji" (卍)."Koori no Kusabi" (氷の楔) is about the unfulfilled love of a yuki onna.
"Kumikyoku 'Kurozuka'" (組曲「黒塚」): The suite is based on the Noh play "Kurozuka" or "Adachigahara" about a man-eating demon woman. "Adachigahara" (安達ヶ原) literally means "fields of Adachi", this being the place where the demon woman lives.
"Kuraiau" (喰らいあう): Literally "meeting each other in devouring".
"Maiagaru" (舞いあがる) is written in Iyo dialect.
"Manji" (卍): In Japan swastikas are symbols connected to buddhism and denote the position of buddhist temples on maps (original source). According to Matatabi, the sufferings of an invincible female ninja who was created to be a war machine (original source)."Memaizaka" (眩暈坂) is the name of a hill in Natsuhiko Kyogoku's "Summer of Ubume" and can be translated as "dizzying slope".
"Oni Hitokuchi" (鬼一口) refers to a tale about a man-eating demon in the Akutagawa of the Ise-Monogatari (伊勢物語).
"Oni Koroshi" (鬼ころし) is also the name of a brand of sake.
"Orabinahai" (おらびなはい): Written in Iyo dailect. Translates into "Sakebinasai" (叫びなさい) for common Japanese.
"Oumagatoki" (逢魔刻) is "the quiet time during twilight when disasters are said to arise." (original source)
"Sesshouseki" (殺生石): According to legend Tamamo no Mae's spirit haunted the Sesshouseki (Killing Stone) after her death and kills everyone that comes into contact with it (original source).
"Shiki wo karu Mono" (式を駆る者) is about Onmyouji (Yin-Yang-Masters). Shiki are their paper familiars.
"Shoumakyou" (照魔鏡): A "shoumakyou" is a magic mirror that reflects the true nature of a demon.
"Tanuki-Bayashi" (貍囃子) (lit.: badger dog backing group) are the sounds of tanuki (badger dogs) hitting their huge bellies or testicles (original source).
"Tenkyouin Kuruito Kuruwa" (癲狂院狂人廓): The word "tenkyouin" (癲狂院) was used in the Meiji era to denote an asylum.
"Ushi Oni Matsuri" (牛鬼祀り) is celebrated in Uwajima of the Ehime Prefecture. The Ushi Oni is depicted by a group of people covered in cloth forming its body and someone holding up its head with a stake.
"Yaobikuni" (八百比丘尼) (lit. 800-year-old Buddhist nun): According to an old folk tale from Wakasa beach Yaohime, a rich man's daughter who is afraid of old age, becomes immortal after eating a mermaid's flesh. Suffering from seeing many husbands die and her regrets over devouring the flesh which made her immortal she eventually atones for this sin by becoming a nun. After 800 years Yaoihime meets a mermaid fairy and begs for forgiveness finally allowing her to die (original source). However, this song is actually about the "Strange Beings" portion of the manga "Phoenix" by Osamu Tezuka (original source).
"Yoaruki Kawara Botan" (夜歩き骨牡丹) is about the ghost of an ugly woman who notices how beautiful her skeleton looks after death and then continues to walk it around at night in an attempt to show it off (original source).
"Yugamu Tsuki" (歪む月): According to Kuroneko "Yugamu Tsuki" (歪む月) deals with the unhappy love and atonement of a mermaid woman.
"Yumemushi" (夢虫) are worm-like insects living inside pillows and eating the dreams of humans (original source).
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