A Little About Japanese Hosta Terms

Japanese Name	in Japanese Writing	Western Name
Akebono Tokudama	アケボノトクダマ; 曙トクダマ	H. 'Tokudama Aureonebulosa'
Akikaze Giboshi	アキカゼギボウシ	H. cathayana
Amagi Iwa Giboshi	アマギイワギボウシ, 天城イワギボウシ, 天城岩ギボウシ	H. longipes var. latifolia
Ani Giboshi	阿仁ギボウシ	H. 'Ani Machi'
Baran Giboshi	バランギボウシ	H. alismifolia
Choko Nishiki	朝光錦	H. 'On Stage'
Fugire Giboshi	フギレギボウシ	H. yingeri
Fukurin Ohatsuki Giboshi	フクリンオハツキギボウシ, 覆輪オハツキギボウシ	H. 'Undulata Albomarginata'
Hachijo Giboshi	ハチジョウギボウシ, 八丈ギボウシ	H. rupifraga
Hime Iwa Giboshi	ヒメイワギボウシ	H. gracillima
Hitotsuba Giboshi	ヒトツバギボウシ, 一ッ葉ギボウシ	H. hypoleuca
Hyuga Giboshi	ヒュウガギボウシ, 日向ギボウシ	H. kikutii
Iwa Giboshi	イワギボウシ, 岩ギボウシ	H. longipes
Izu Iwa Giboshi	イズイワギボウシ, 伊豆イワギボウシ, 伊豆岩ギボウシ	H. longipes var. latifolia
Kanzashi Giboshi	カンザシギボウシ	H. nakaiana
Keirin Giboshi	ケイリンギボウシ	H. minor
Kifukurin Murasaki Giboshi	キフクリンムラサキギボウシ, 黄覆輪ムラサキギボウシ	H. ventricosa 'Aureomarginata'
Kifukurin Oba Giboshi	キフクリンオオバギボウシ, 黄覆輪オオバギボウシ, 黄覆輪大葉ギボウシ	H. montana 'Aureomarginata'
Kifukurin Renge Giboshi	キフクリンレンゲギボウシ, 黄覆輪レンゲギボウシ	H. 'Fortunei Aureomarginata'
Kifukurin Tokudama	キフクリントクダマ, 黄覆輪トクダマ	H. 'Tokudama Flavocircinalis'
Kinakafu Renge Giboshi	黄中斑レンゲギボウシ	H. 'Fortunei Albopicta'
Koba Giboshi	コバギボウシ, 小葉ギボウシ	H. sieboldii
Kofuki Iwa Giboshi	コフキイワギボウシ	H. longipes hypoglauca
Kogarashi Giboshi	コガラシギボウシ	H. 'Tortifrons'
Kuro Giboshi	クロギボウシ	H. nigrescens
Maruba Tama No Kanzashi	マルバタマノカンザシ	H. plantaginea
Michinoku Nishiki	ミチノクニシキ, みちのく錦	H. 'Ani Machi'
Mizu Giboshi	ミズギボウシ	H. longissima
Murasaki Giboshi	ムラサキギボウシ	H. ventricosa
Nagasaki Giboshi	ナガサキギボウシ	H. tibae
Nameru Giboshi	ナメルギボウシ	H. montana var. glabra
Nankai Giboshi	ナンカイギボウシ	H. tardiva
Nishiki Giboshi	ニシキギボウシ	H. 'Opipara'
Oba Giboshi	オオバギボウシ, 大葉ギボウシ	H. montana
Ohatsuki Giboshi	オハツキギボウシ	H. 'Undulata Erromena'
Ohigan Giboshi	オヒガンギボウシ	H. aequinoctiiantha
Omoto Giboshi	オモトギボウシ	H. rhodeifolia
Otahuku Giboshi	オタフクギボウシ	H. 'Decorata', 'Thomas Hogg' (in the U. S.)
Otome Giboshi	オトメギボウシ	H. venusta
Renge Giboshi	レンゲギボウシ	H. 'Fortunei'
Saikoku Iwa Giboshi	サイコクイワギボウシ	H. longipes var. caduca
Saji Giboshi	サジギボウシ	H. 'Lancifolia'
Sakuhana Giboshi	サクハナギボウシ	H. clausa var. normalis
Sazanami Giboshi	サザナミボウシ	H. 'Crispula'
Setouchi Giboshi	セトウチギボウシ	H. pycnophylla
Shiro Kabitan	シロカビタン, 白カビタン	H. 'Haku Chu Han', H. 'Silver Kabitan'
Shirofukurin Ohatsuki Giboshi	白覆輪オハツキギボウシ	H. 'Undulata Albomarginata'
Sudare Giboshi	スダレギボウシ	H. kikutii var. polyneuron
Suji Giboshi	スジギボウシ	H. 'Undulata'
Tachi Giboshi	タチギボウシ	H. rectifolia
Tō Giboshi	トウギボウシ	H. sieboldiana
Tsubomi Giboshi	ツボミギボウシ	H. clausa
Tsushima Giboshi	ツシマギボウシ	H. tsushimensis
Ubatake Giboshi	ウバタケギボウシ	H. pulchella
Unazuki Giboshi	ウナズキギボウシ	H. kikutii var. caput-avis
Urajiro Giboshi	ウラジロギボウシ, 裏白ギボウシ	H. hypoleuca
Urajiro Hyuga Giboshi	ウラジロヒュウガギボウシ, 裏白日向ギボウシ	H. kikutii f. leuconota
Yae No Maruba Tama No Kanzashi	ヤエノマルバタマノカンザシ, 八重マルバタマノカンザシ, 八重丸葉タマノカンザシ	H. plantaginea 'Aphrodite'
Yakushima Giboshi	ヤクシマギボウシ, 屋久島ギボウシ	H. sieboldii f. spathulata

How to Pronounce Japanese

Jump to Japanese Hosta Terms | Hosta Name Cross Reference

    So you are interested in learning how to pronounce Japanese words in your favorite hosta names. Great! I would love to help. But please remember this is a quick refenrence to help you say the hosta names. It explains basic pronunciation, and does not include any details or exceptions.

    Unlike French or Chinese languages, Japanese pronunciation is rather simple. Each Japanese sound is accompanied by a vowel, with an exception of "n," and there are five vowels:

a,   e,   i,   o,   u

    There is only one way to pronounce each vowel. In English, for example, the letter "a" sounds differently in the words magic, many and mate. That does not happen in Japanese.
   Now let's try to pronounce these five vowels.

   The letter "a" sounds almost like: "u" in but or fun.
However, "ah" sound like in almond or father is also acceptable.

   The letter "e" sounds almost like: "eh" just like echo or pen

   The letter "i" sounds almost like: "ee" just like feet or keep.

   The letter "o" sounds almost like: "o" just like over or so.

   The letter "u" sounds almost like: "oo" just like cook or wood.

Once you master the vowels, the rest is easy. You break a word into syllables, and presto! Now here are some exercises for you.

Name Syllables Pronunciation

Amime Tachi A - mi - me ta - chi ah - mee - meh tah - chee

Gaijin Ga - i - ji - n gah - ee - jee - n

Geisha Ge - i - sha geh - ee - shah

Hime Hi - me hee - meh

Hirao Hi - ra - o hee - rah - oh

Ko Mame Ko Ma - me koh mah - meh

Maekawa Ma - e - ka - wa mah - eh - kah - wah

Renge Re - n - ge reh - n - geh (like in get or guess)

Sagae Sa - ga - e sah - gah - eh

Saishujima Sa - i - shu - ji - ma sah - ee - shoo - jee - mah

Tamanokanzashi Ta - ma - no - kan - za - shi tah - mah - no - kah - n - zah - shee

"Tamanokanzashi" - that's a long word! Did you wonder which sound you should put stress on? Glad you wondered. Japanese does have some stress and intonation, but it is much flatter than English. As long as you pronounce vowels (a, e, i, o, u) correctly, you can assume your pronunciation of the hosta name is good enough. Good luck!

References
"The Hostapedia, An Encyclopedia of Hostas" by Mark R. Zilis (Rochell, Illinois: Q & Z Nursery, 2009)
"Giboshi Zukan (ギボウシ図鑑)" by Japan Hosta Society (Tokyo, Japan: Seibundo-Shinkosha, 2010)
"The Observation and The Cultivation of Hosta"(ギボウシの観察と栽培) by Kenji Watanabe (Tokyo, Japan: New Science, 1985)
the Hosta Treasury; Hosta Species Update by W. George Schmid; HOSTA LIBRARY
..and many other English and Japanese catalogs, publications and web sites

Please be reminded that above lists are not complete nor official.
They are based on my interpretation and view as a native Japanese speaker, and limited to my knowledge.
I am not responsible if someone has different opinions or does not agree with me.

Once you master the vowels, the rest is easy. You break a word into syllables, and presto! Now here are some exercises for you.


	Name	Syllables	Pronunciation
	Amime Tachi	A - mi - me ta - chi	ah - mee - meh tah - chee
	Gaijin	Ga - i - ji - n	gah - ee - jee - n
	Geisha	Ge - i - sha	geh - ee - shah
	Hime	Hi - me	hee - meh
	Hirao	Hi - ra - o	hee - rah - oh
	Ko Mame	Ko Ma - me	koh mah - meh
	Maekawa	Ma - e - ka - wa	mah - eh - kah - wah
	Renge	Re - n - ge	reh - n - geh (like in get or guess)
	Sagae	Sa - ga - e	sah - gah - eh
	Saishujima	Sa - i - shu - ji - ma	sah - ee - shoo - jee - mah
	Tamanokanzashi	Ta - ma - no - kan - za - shi	tah - mah - no - kah - n - zah - shee