The Japanese word for boar is inoshishi. A more precise word is yama kujira (mountain whale) which refers to a species of boar that is native to Japan.
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| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boar いのしし | Inoshishi | 猪 | |
| Mountain whale A boar subspecies native to Japan. やまくじら | Yama kujira | 山鯨 |
Interesting facts about boars in Japan
The kanji for boar
The kanji for ‘boar’ is 豚. The character consists of two components – the top part, 豕, means pig or boar, and the bottom part, 土, means earth/soil. So the kanji as a whole represents a pig/boar that lives in the earth/soil.
The ‘boar’ kanji is also used in other Japanese words related to ‘pig’ and ‘pork’. Some examples include 豚肉 (butaniku), which means pork meat and 豚丼 (butadon), which is a rice dish that contains cooked vegetables and pork slices. Another example is 豚汁 (butajiru), a popular Japanese soup that contains vegetables and pork.
What do boars symbolize in Japan?
Wild boars are known for their courage and aggression which is why in Japan they symbolize prosperity, fertility, recklessness, and bravery.
Are there boars in Japan?
Japan is home to the yama kujira – a subspecies of boar that is native to Japan. They are found in the rural areas of every prefecture except for Hokkaido and the Okinawa Islands. These boars oftentimes damage infrastructure, farmlands and even attack humans for no reason. Read more about them here.