Katasumi

Katasumi is a Japanese term meaning "corner" or "nook." Written in kanji as 片隅, the compound combines 片 (kata) meaning "one side" or "part" with 隅 (sumi) meaning "corner." In ordinary use, katasumi denotes a physical corner of a space and can also convey the idea of a peripheral or hidden area.

In language, katasumi is used both literally and metaphorically. Phrases may refer to keeping something in a corner, setting something aside, or focusing attention on a marginalized area or audience. The term can appear in literature, poetry, and everyday speech to evoke imagery of distance, the outskirts, or quiet spaces away from the center.

As a place-name element, katasumi may occur in various localities or administrative divisions within Japan, often implying a small, out-of-the-way area. Because it is a generic descriptive element rather than a fixed, widely recognized place or subject, specific locations bearing the name depend on local naming conventions and may not be widely documented in global references.

In popular culture and media, katasumi is occasionally used as a title or motif due to its evocative sense of margins and retreat. However, there is no single, universally acknowledged work or entity that is widely known simply as "Katasumi." When encountering the term in a title, publication, or place name, it usually requires contextual clarification to identify the intended reference.

See also: 隅, 片, katasumi in Japanese dictionaries, list of Japanese place names that include katasumi as a component.