Glossary

Rules and Resources: Various Resources for L5R
Akodo
Founding Kami of the Lion Clan
ashigaru
Peasant warriors under the command of a samurai
Bayushi
Founding Kami of the Scorpion Clan
Benten
The Fortune of romantic love and the arts
bisentō
A heavy polearm with a large blade
Bishamon
The Fortune of strength
biwa
A short-necked fretted lute (musical instrument)
A quarterstaff
bokken
A wooden practice sword
bonge
The laborer caste, see heimin
budōka
The personal armed retainers of a samurai
buke
The samurai caste that does not wield authority over other samurai “Those who serve.”
burakumin
The lowest caste of “non-people,” see hinin
bushi
A warrior
Bushidō
The code of the samurai, consisting of seven tenants: Compassion, Courage, Courtesy, Honor, Honesty, Loyalty and Sincerity
chokutō
A straight, single-edged sword
courtier
A samurai whose primary duties are in court
Daikoku
The Fortune of wealth, who is associated with death
daikyū
A longbow
daimyō
Lord of a family, clan, or territory
daishō
The weapons which mark a samurai’s status, traditionally made up by a katana (longsword) and wakizashi (shortsword)
Doji
Founding Kami of the Crane Clan
dōjō
A place of instruction, practice, and study
Ebisu
The Fortune of honest work
Fu Leng
The Lost Kami and lord of demons
Fukurokujin
The Fortune of wisdom and mercy
gaijin
A foreigner to Rokugan
geisha
A host and entertainer who is hired by a samurai for the joy of their company
gempuku
The coming-of-age ceremony for samurai. Occurs between ages 13-21, typically 16
hakama
A divided skirt worn over a kimono, primarily by men and warrior women
Hantei
The divine first emperor of Rokugan
haori
A hip or thigh-length jacket worn over other clothes
heimin
“The common folk,” or the peasants that make up the bonge caste
Hida
Founding Kami of the Crab Clan
hinin
“The non-people,” or members of the burakumin lowest caste
Hōtei
The Fortune of contentment
iaijutsu
A form of swordfighting focusing on draw speed and precision
ji
A polearm weapon with a hooked blade at one end
jian
A straight, double-edged sword
jitte
A hooked tool used to disarm an opponent’s sword, typically worn by guards and government officials
jizamurai
Smaller groups of samurai, such as vassal families, small Minor Clans, or officially-sanctioned bands of rōnin
jūjutsu
A form of martial arts that does not use weapons
Jigoku
The realm of evil
Jurōjin
The Fortune of longevity
Kabuki
A stylized type of theater that focuses on the heroism or tragedy of the samurai
kabuto
A samurai’s helmet
kama
A sickle-like farming implement often used as a weapon
katana
A longsword, the weapon of the samurai
kata
A martial technique
kami
Spirits that inhabit the natural world
Kami
The gods that fell to Rokugan and founded the Great Clans
kenjutsu
The art of swordsmanship
kihō
A mystical technique used by monks
kimono
A robe with a collar and large sleeves that falls to the ankle, the primary garment worn by samurai
kiseru
A smoking pipe
Kisshōten
The Fortune of happiness, fertility, and beauty
kuge
The samurai caste that wields authority (Imperials, daimyō, clan champions, etc) “Those who rule”
kubi bukuro
A netted bag used to carry the severed head of one’s enemy
kusari-gama
A weapon composed of a kama attached to a long chain
kyūjutsu
A combat style focusing on archery
li
A unit of length rough equal to a third of a mile
naginata
A polearm with a blade at one end
Ningen-dō
The physical, mortal, world
mahō
Blood magic
masakari
A hatchet
Meido
The realm of the dead where souls go to be judged for reincarnation
meishōdō
“The way of names,” the style of magic wielded by the Unicorn clan that uses a spirit’s name to bind and command it
mon
The crest or symbol of a clan or family
nodachi
A massive two-handed sword
nunchaku
A weapon consisting of two rods connected by a short chain or rope
omamori
A small rectangular amulet of wood or paper meant to provide spiritual aid or protection
oni
A demon of Jigoku
ono
An axe
ōtsuchi
An immense wooden hammer
oyumi
A crossbow
Rokugan
The setting of Legend of the Five Rings, a land of samurai, honor, and spirits
rōnin
A samurai with no lord, an outcast
sake
A popular alcoholic drink made of fermented rice
samurai
Members of the highest caste, either kuge or buke depending upon their hierarchy within the caste
scimitar
A curved sword originating from the Burning Sands
shaku
A unit of length roughly equal to one foot
shamisen
A three-stringed lute (musical instrument)
Shiba
Founding Kami of the Phoenix Clan
Shinjo
Founding Kami of the Unicorn Clan
Shinsei
“The Little Teacher,” the wise figure who spoke with the first Emperor and inspired the philosophical understandings of reincarnation and the elements
shinobi
A covert operative and infiltrator
shugenja
A priest with a strong bond to the kami, who invokes supernatural feats
shūji
A rhetorical technique
shuriken
An easily-concealed bladed weapon intended to be thrown
Tao of Shinsei
The sacred text that recorded the conversation between Shinsei and the first Emperor
Tengoku
The realm of heaven
tessen
A war fan
tetsubō
A large studded club
Togashi
Founding Kami of the Dragon Clan
torii
A gate that indicates the transition between the mundane and the sacred, often found at the entrances to shrines
yari
A spear
yōjimbō
A bodyguard
yumi
A shortbow
wakizashi
A shortsword worn by all members of the samurai caste to indicate their status
zanbatō
A large single-bladed sword designed to combat cavalry