On this episode of Ichimon Japan we ask: Are rabbits counted as birds because eating meat was taboo in Japan? Topics Discussed The practice of counting rabbits as if they were birds in Japanese Whether Japanese people eat meat What exactly qualifies as meat The history of meats "bans" in Japan The hypocritical and dubious nature of meat "bans" in Japan What the earliest written Japanese records say about meat consumption in Japan The influence Buddhism had on the practice of eating meat in early Japanese history The declaration by Emperor Tenmu in April of 675 AD that prohibited people from eating meat in Japan How the consumption of wild game was tacitly permitted throughout much of Japanese history A description of a Heian era feast involving bear paws and rabbit spleens Possible penalties faced by those who ate meet Having to fast for eating meat The arrival of the Portuguese in Japan and the hard time they supposedly had adjusting to the Japanese diet The Tokugawa's promotion of Buddhist culture and ideas Meat bans and meat eating during the Edo Period Shops in Edo that sold the meat of wild game The discrimination faced by people who slaughtered animals and tanned hides Consuming meat for medicinal purposes How meat consumption was looked at in a much more positive light during the Meiji Period An incident in 1872 in which Buddhist priests broke into the Imperial Palace due to opposing the Emperor's promotion of meat consumption The death of the historical Buddha The counter system in Japanese What the Japanese counter -hiki (匹)is usually used for What the Japanese counter -tō (頭) is usually used for The supposed "correct" way to count rabbits in Japanese Various theories about why -wa, the counter that is normally used to count birds, is supposed to be used to count rabbits as well The rabbits are counted using -wa because their ears resemble wings theory The similar flavor and net theory A theory that says that -wa is supposed to be used to count rabbits because of the kanji used to write rabbit in Japanese The theory that people decided to count rabbits in the same way they count birds because they wanted to create a loophole in order to get away with eating meat An atypical reading of the kanji for rabbit How butterflies are counted using the same counter used for livestock in Japanese And much more! Support on Patreon If you enjoy Ichimon Japan and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. You can join for just $1 a month and that comes with perks like early access to episodes, a shout-out at the beginning of a future episode, bonus content, and discounts to Kimito Designs. For $3 a month you get all that plus access to Japanese Plus Alpha, a podcast produced by me (Tony Vega) that focuses on the Japanese language and its many quirks. Whether you are studying Japanese or just enjoy learning about language and linguistics, you'll enjoy Japanese Plus Alpha. And it goes without saying that if you sign up, you'll also get my undying gratitude. Thanks in advance! Support on Patreon Sources, Links, Videos, Etc. For mroe information about Japan's relationship with so-called meat bans, you can check out the article below. This is the one that was found on the Kikkoman website. Removal of the Ban on Meat: The Meat-Eating Culture of Japan at the Beginning of Westernization (Dr. Zenjiro Watanabe) Here is another English-language reference. Why Eating Meat Was Banned in Japan for Centuries Here are some of the Japanese-language articles used as sources for this episode. 肉食禁止の歴史 第２回　ウサギは鳥の一種？名前と数え方の由来の謎(なぞ) うさぎの数え方の謎！「匹」と「羽」どっちが正しいの？由来も併せて紹介！ なんとなんとｍお以外で不思議な数え方鳥