Kame

Kame is a term with multiple meanings across languages and disciplines. In Japanese, kame (亀) means turtle or tortoise, a creature that appears in folklore, art, and everyday language. The word is often used symbolically to evoke longevity, wisdom, and endurance.

In Japanese culture, turtles are common motifs in stories, crafts, and design. The term appears in popular media as well, most notably in the Dragon Ball series, where the Turtle School and its mentor are associated with the name kame, and the home of the mentor character is known as the Kame House. The word also features in the series’ iconic techniques, such as the Kamehameha, a signature energy attack linked to the Turtle School.

The KAME Project refers to a collaborative effort to develop and provide a freely available IPv6 and IPsec protocol stack for BSD-derived operating systems. Initiated in the late 1990s by researchers and engineers in Japan and elsewhere, the project helped advance open-source networking and influenced subsequent IPv6 implementations in BSD systems.

Beyond language and technology, kame may appear as a personal or place name in various contexts, reflecting its cultural resonance as a short, recognizable term. The different uses share a common root in the character meaning “turtle,” but their meanings and implications vary significantly by domain.