Home » Uncategorized » The kanji for my last name is 波奈池 It is pronounced as “pa na chi” The direct translation is waves (波) Nara – a former capital of Japan（奈) and pond (池). Read together they evoke the image of ripples or waves on a pond in front of a temple (this translation is complements of my sensei and fellow Kenjutsu classmates). so I left a little mark that I had made it this far in my journey by having my name and wish added to the east walkways roof, which is part of the temple complex.