Nature in Japanese: Words, Kanji and Readings

Japan is a country of varied natural landscapes, from snowy mountains to white sandy beaches. In this article, we will share a list of nature words in Japanese, including words like sun, forest and sea, each with its kanji, reading and meaning in English.

The Japanese language has many words connected to nature. A good starting point is 自然 (shizen), the word for nature itself; it appears in compounds such as 自然現象 (shizen genshō, natural phenomenon) and 自然保護区 (shizen hogoku, nature reserve).

List of Japanese Words about Nature

• 自然 (shizen) - nature
• 山 (yama) - mountain
• 森 (mori) - forest
• 海 (umi) - sea
• 川 (kawa) - river
• 草 (kusa) - grass
• 花 (hana) - flower
• 桜 (sakura) - cherry blossom
• 木 (ki) - tree
• 雨 (ame) - rain
• 風 (kaze) - wind
• 雲 (kumo) - cloud
• 雪 (yuki) - snow
• 太陽 (taiyō) - sun
• 月 (tsuki) - moon
• 星 (hoshi) - star
• 空 (sora) - sky
• 虫 (mushi) - insect
• 鳥 (tori) - bird
• 動物 (dōbutsu) - animal
• 空気 (kūki) - air
• 魚 (sakana) - fish
• 緑 (midori) - green
• 果物 (kudamono) - fruit
• 土 (tsuchi) - soil
• 砂 (suna) - sand
• 石 (ishi) - stone
• 岩 (iwa) - rock
• 泉 (izumi) - spring
• 温泉 (onsen) - hot spring
• 水 (mizu) - water
• 湖 (mizuumi) - lake
• 滝 (taki) - waterfall
• 海岸 (kaigan) - coast
• 島 (shima) - island
• 山脈 (sanmyaku) - mountain range
• 山頂 (sanchō) - mountain top
• 森林 (shinrin) - forest, woodland
• 枝 (eda) - branch
• 植物 (shokubutsu) - plant
• 葉 (ha) - leaf
• 根 (ne) - root
• 種 (tane) - seed
• 果実 (kajitsu) - fruit, berry
• 紅葉 (kōyō) - autumn leaves
• 景色 (keshiki) - landscape
• 天気 (tenki) - weather
• 気候 (kikō) - climate
• 風景 (fūkei) - view
• 晴れ (hare) - clear weather
• 曇り (kumori) - cloudy weather
• 霧 (kiri) - fog, mist
• 雷 (kaminari) - thunder
• 虹 (niji) - rainbow
• 雪山 (yukiyama) - snow-covered mountain
• 星空 (hoshizora) - starry sky

Many of these words are tied to the seasons. 桜 (sakura) marks the start of spring, while 紅葉 (kōyō) announces autumn. The article Sakura in Japan: Meaning, Hanami and Cherry Blossom Varieties explains what lies behind the blooming season.

In winter, 温泉 (onsen) and 雪山 (yukiyama) go together. Bathing etiquette and the difference between an onsen and a sento are covered in Onsen in Japan: Hot Springs, Etiquette and Bath Types.

Anyone who wants to expand this vocabulary further will find the terms for the kitchen, the restaurant and the supermarket in Japanese Food Vocabulary: 100+ Words for Meals and Drinks.