Why rabbits and hares are called "usagi" in Japanese?

Once upon a time in Japan, eating animal meat was prohibited; but the fish and birds were not. The "usagi", composed of "u" (the cormorant) and "sagi" (the heron), thus meant outside the limitation by this law -- though I'm not sure it is a fact or not.


Return to HomePage

Return to Daisaku Nogami's page


vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Powered by ooruri technology