natsume

Natsume is a Japanese term that can function as a surname or given name, and it also refers to the jujube fruit. It is commonly written with the kanji 夏目 for the personal name and 棗 for the fruit.

As a personal name, Natsume appears in many contexts. The most famous bearer is Natsume Sōseki (夏目漱石), the pen name of Natsume Kinnosuke (夏目金之助), a leading novelist of modern Japan whose works include Kokoro, Botchan, and I Am a Cat. The name also appears in fiction, for example Natsume Takashi (夏目貴志), the protagonist of Natsume’s Book of Friends (Natsume Yūjin-chō), a manga and anime series by Yuki Midorikawa about a boy who can see spirits and inherits a book of supernatural names.

In another domain, Natsume Co., Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer and publisher; its North American arm published several titles, most notably the Harvest Moon series.

Finally, natsume is the Japanese term for the jujube fruit, produced by the tree Ziziphus jujuba. The fruit is eaten fresh or dried and features in Japanese sweets and cuisine.