also: すなばち
Archaic term for the top of the head; not used in modern Japanese.
flower arrangement in a shallow vase using sand
Only when written 砂鉢 · Only with reading すなばち
A specific style of ikebana using a shallow container with sand; restricted to the kanji 砂鉢 and reading すなばち.
Kōchi's sawachi cuisine is served by arranging various dishes on a large platter.
In old language, 'sahachi' referred to the crown of the head.
In flower arrangement using a sunabachi, the flowers are fixed with sand.
sawachi ryōri; assorted cold food on a large plate
Standard kanji spelling for the platter sense; reading さわち is the most common.
Used specifically for the flower arrangement sense; reading すなばち is restricted to this kanji.
Variant kanji form; rarely used.
Compound of 皿 (sara, 'plate') and 鉢 (hachi, 'bowl'). The reading さわち is a sound shift from さらはち. The archaic sense 'crown of the head' may be a separate word or a metaphorical extension, but the exact derivation is uncertain.