Claws of the Cat (30 page)
noren:
A traditional Japanese doorway hanging, with a slit cut up the center to permit passage.
nuki-ashi:
A specialized method of walking with sweeping, careful steps to minimize noise; one of many stealthy movements utilized by shinobi.
O
obi:
A wide sash wrapped around the waist to hold a kimono closed, worn by people of all ages and genders.
odoshi:
A lacing technique used to connect the plates of lamellar armor.
oe:
The large central living space in a Japanese home, which featured a sunken hearth and often served as a combination of kitchen, reception room, and living space.
P
Pontocho:
One of Kyoto’s
hanamachi
(geisha and courtesan) districts, containing geisha houses, teahouses, brothels, restaurants, and similar businesses.
R
ronin:
A masterless samurai.
Ryogin-an:
One of the subtemples located on the grounds of Tofuku-ji.
ryu:
Literally, “school.” Shinobi clans used this term as a combination identifier and association name. (Hiro Hattori is a member of the Iga
ryu
.)
S
sake
(also
saké
)
:
An alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.
sakura:
An ornamental cherry blossom tree (
Prunus serrulata
) or cherry blossoms.
-sama:
A suffix used to show even higher respect than
-san
.
samurai:
A member of the medieval Japanese nobility, the warrior caste that formed the highest-ranking social class.
-san:
A suffix used to show respect.
seppuku:
A form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment, originally used only by samurai.
shamisen:
A traditional Japanese instrument with a long neck and resonating strings strung across a drum-like wooden base. The instrument is played by plucking the strings with a plectrum.
shinobi:
Literally, “shadowed person.” Shinobi is the Japanese pronunciation of the characters that many Westerners pronounce “ninja.” (“Ninja” is based on a Chinese pronunciation.)
Shinto:
The indigenous spirituality or religion of Japan, sometimes also called
kami-no-michi
.
shogun:
The military dictator and commander who acted as de facto ruler of medieval Japan.
shuko
(also
tegaki-shuko
)
:
Spiked metal bands worn on the hands to aid in climbing walls, trees, and other vertical surfaces.
shuriken:
An easily concealed, palm-sized weapon made of metal and often shaped like a cross or star, which shinobi used for throwing or as a handheld weapon in close combat.
T
tabi:
An ankle-length Japanese sock with a separation between the big toe and other toes to facilitate the wearing of sandals and other traditional Japanese footwear.
tanto:
A fixed-blade dagger with a single- or double-edged blade measuring 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) in length.
tatami:
A traditional Japanese mat-style floor covering made in standard sizes, with the length measuring exactly twice its width. Tatami usually contained a straw core covered with grass or rushes.
tengu:
A supernatural demon (“monster-spirit”) from Japanese folklore, often depicted as a human-avian hybrid or with a long, hooked nose reminiscent of a beak.
tessen:
A bladed war fan with ribs made of sharpened metal. The bladed ribs were disguised so that, when closed, the
tessen
looked like a harmless wood and paper fan.
tetsubishi:
Metal caltrops, often used by shinobi to distract or slow pursuers.
Tofuku-ji:
A Zen Buddhist temple located in Kyoto.
tokonoma:
A decorative alcove or recessed space set into the wall of a Japanese room. The tokonoma typically held a piece of art, a flower arrangement, or a hanging scroll.
torii:
A traditional, stylized Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance to Shinto shrines.
Tsuten-kyo:
A covered wooden bridge located on the grounds of Tofuku-ji (a Buddhist temple in Kyoto).
W
wakizashi:
The shorter of the two words worn by a samurai. (The longer one is the katana.)
Y
yoriki:
An assistant magistrate, tasked with supervising
d
ō
shin
and other practical and administrative law enforcement duties.
For additional cultural information, expanded definitions, and author’s notes, visit
http://www.susanspann.com
.
About the Author
Susan Spann is a transactional attorney focusing on publishing law and a former law school professor. She has a deep interest in Asian culture and has studied Mandarin and Japanese. Her hobbies include Asian cooking, fencing, knife and
shuriken
throwing, traditional archery, martial arts, rock climbing, and horseback riding. Susan keeps a marine aquarium where she raises seahorses and rare corals. She lives in northern California with her family.
Visit her Web site at
www.susanspann.com
.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
CLAWS OF THE CAT.
Copyright © 2013 by Susan Spann. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
Cover photograph by Bill Miles
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Spann, Susan.
Claws of the Cat: a Shinobi mystery / Susan Spann.—First Edition.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-250-02702-3 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-02703-0 (e-book)
1. Ninja—Fiction. 2. Samurai—Fiction. 3. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. 4. Kyoto (Japan)—Fiction. 5. Mystery fiction. I. Title.
PS3619.P3436C58 2013
813'.6—dc23
2013011675
e-ISBN 9781250027030
First Edition: July 2013