The Kyoto Shimbun
  • Home
  • Local topics
  • News
  • "War" Selected as Kanji of 2022
    Reflecting Invasion of Ukraine, North Korean Missiles, etc.; Announced at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto

    13 March 2023 - Local topics//Temples/Shrines

    Kanji of the Year 2022 "war," reflecting the invasion of Ukraine, North Korean missiles, etc., was announced at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto

    Kanji of the Year 2022 "war," reflecting the invasion of Ukraine, North Korean missiles, etc., was announced at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto

    The kanji character for "sen," which means war, battle or fight, was selected as "Kanji of the Year," or the character best representing the social trends in 2022. It was announced by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, based in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, on December 12, and written calligraphically on a large sheet of Japanese paper by Seihan Mori, the chief priest of Kiyomizu-dera Temple in the same ward. There were 223,768 entries in total, of which "war" received 10,804 votes.

    The world was greatly shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been going on since February 2022. Also, the successive missile launches by North Korea caused many people to feel fear and anxiety about war.

    Many people have faced battles in their daily lives against sharply rising prices and power shortages due to the record low yen and soaring oil prices. The battle against COVID-19 still continues as well.

    At the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in the Middle East, Japan's national team defeated powerful nations and advanced to the round of 16 for the second consecutive tournament. At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Japanese athletes won a record 18 medals. The whole of Japan was excited by the heated sporting battles at those world-class events.

    Launched in 1995, "Kanji of the Year" marked its 28th anniversary in 2022. It has become an annual event in December. The character selected for 2021 was "kin," which means "gold," as the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were held. The character for 2020 was "mitsu," which means "close" as a new lifestyle to avoid close contact was advocated amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    (Translated by Mie Hiuzon, Psyche et l’Amour, Inc.)
  • Also in Local topics//Temples/Shrines:

    Bad Manners at Fantastic Mine Ruins, "Laputa of Shiga"
    Series of Trespassing Incidents Leads to Fence Installation
    6 December 2022

    Man Who Left Yahoo! to Become a Ninja
    What He Wanted Even at the Cost of His Career
    31 October 2022

    Mao Asada "Feels Elated" over New Story
    Self-Directed Ice Show Opens
    31 October 2022

    110,000 Visitors Cheer the Blue Impulse Soaring in the Blue Sky
    "Self-Defense Force Festa" in Takashima City, Shiga
    30 August 2022

    Bitter gourd curtain helping to beat summer heat at Kyoto Pref. park
    26 August 2022

News Archive
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • December 2022
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • More...
Categories
  • Sightseeing/Events
  • Temples/Shrines
  • Tradition/Culture
  • Local topics
  • Education/University
  • Business/Company
  • Traffic
  • Gourmet
  • 1min Kyoto
  • Kyoto
  • Shiga
Web site
Introducing Privacy Policy Japanese Site
Copyright © 1995-2023 The Kyoto Shimbun Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
We use cookies for a number of reasons, such as keeping our websites reliable and secure, providing social media features and to analyze the performance of ads. Accept & continue Read More
Privacy Policy