Japanese Symbol for
川kawa
river · stream · flow
Readings
Meaning
River, stream. 川 is one of the most recognizable kanji — three vertical lines depicting flowing water. Rivers are sacred in Japanese culture: many shrines are built near rivers, and water purification (禊 — misogi) in rivers is a Shinto practice.
Example words
川岸
kawagishi
riverbank
川流れ
kawa-nagare
flowing downriver, going with the flow
大川
ōkawa
large river
川柳
senryū
comic haiku (willow-river)
川床
kawayuka
riverside dining platform (Kyoto)
三途の川
Sanzu no kawa
River of Three Crossings (Buddhist afterlife)
三途の川 (Sanzu no kawa — River of Three Crossings) is the river souls must cross to reach the afterlife in Japanese Buddhist belief — the equivalent of the River Styx. Kyoto's 川床 (kawayuka) — wooden dining platforms built over rivers for summer dining — is one of Japan's most distinctive cultural experiences, combining food, nature, and the sound of flowing water.
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