46894


Character of Shakugan no Shana, Hecate, has a title of 頂の座, which is supposed
to be read いただき・の・くら (and is pronounced as such in anime) being translated as
"Master/Supreme Throne".  
_Info about about readings and meanings was checked with / found on Jisho.org_

While 座 has similar meanings (seat/place/status/pedestal) and is also used in
a compound for throne (王座) it has no reading くら and くら does not mean "a
throne" (saddle/warehouse/treasury/contest). That said, there's a word for
throne 位 with strikingly similar reading くらい.

Is it a play on something? Is it really switch between 座 and 位 (and would the
くらい -> くら change signify something) or just an undocumented reading of 座?  
(does not have to be an official explanation)

Maybe maybe even 頂 plays a role here? 頂 also means to "receive" and if くら
means a "depository; treasury" maybe it can be a play on the - allegedly she's
somewhat different in anime vs manga, but at least in the anime iirc she
seemed to be sort of a shell/container (くら) yearning for receiving (頂)
experience/emotions? Just a brainstorming


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question
japanese-language shakugan-no-shana
Reason for kanji and reading in 頂の座 Hecate


**_Kura_ is a valid reading for 座.**

[Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%BA%A7#Japanese) stated that
it's another kun-reading for 座 which means "high place" as a suffix.

> **Readings**
>
>   * Kun: すわる (suwaru, 座る, Jōyō); くら (kura, 座); います (imasu, 座す)
>

>
> **Affix**
>
> 座 (hiragana くら, rōmaji **kura** )
>
>   1. high place
>

This also complies with [Kotobank](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BA%A7-22252),
an online Japanese-Japanese dictionary:

> **デジタル大辞泉** の解説
>
> **くら【 ▽座】**  
>  座る場所、また、物をのせる所。他の語の下に付いて、複合語として用いられる。「天磐座(あまのいわくら)」「高御座(たかみくら)」
>
> * * *
>
> **大辞林 第三版** の解説
>
> **くら【座】**  
>  高く設けられた場所。「天の石座いわくら」「高御座たかみくら」「御手座みてぐら」など、複合語中にのみ用いられる。

Translation:

> Explanation on **Digital Daijisen**
>
> **_kura_ (-座)**  
>  A place to seat, alternatively, a place capable to put a thing. Used in
> compound words. 天磐座 ( _amanoiwakura_ ), 高御座 ( _takamikura_ )
>
> * * *
>
> Explanation on **Daijirin**
>
> **_kura_ (座)**  
>  A highly established place. 天の石座 _iwakura_ 高御座 _takamikura_ 御手座 _mitegura_.
> Only used in compound words.

* * *

(For the explanation regarding her name and title, please read [кяαzєя's
answer](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/46895/2516))


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answer


Hecate, her title, and her role has a deeper meaning that just the words.

First let us examine her name. The origin of her name seems to be the goddess
Hecate of the underworld of Greek mythology.

Originally she was a matron god related to witchcraft and the moon, whose
appearances have changed with time, she has been depicted as mistress of
witchcraft with three faces, a girl, and a mature woman, an elderly woman, and
a three-way road.

In Volume SIII of the light novel series, its revealed that she went by
another name in the past, ["Nüwa"
(女媧)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCwa). Nüwa is the matron goddess of
Chinese mythology, who created humans. The myth 女娲补天 recounts her mending the
heavens after one of the pillars holding up the sky and breaking the rope the
connected the earth and sky, tilting the direction the sun and moon moved in
the sky and changing the direction the rivers causing them to flow towards the
ocean on earth. In the myth, she is described as having the body of a snake, a
human head, and the virtue of a divine being, carrying a builder's compass in
one hand.

Now lets get back to the title at hand, 頂の座. 頂 refers to the highest point
overhead. 座 here likely refers to star constellations, as in 星座. In other
words can refer to the highest overhead constellations, given her divine
origins associated with the sky. Likely in reference to her high authority
amongst the Crimson Denizens. Additionally, her most powerful Unrestricted
Spell is called Aster, which means Star in Greek. Marjorie Daw also refers to
her as, 星の王女様, Princess of the Stars. The throne room of the Seireiden also
has a starry atmosphere.

But that's not all. 座 here likely has refers to a pedestal to sit on. Not just
any pedestal, but one fit for a heavenly being, which may refer to traditional
[sacred Shinto dances](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagura) former refered to
as 神座 (kamukura or kamikura). The distinction here is that shrine maidens,
through sacred dance, become vessels to convey the will of God. The
distinction with Hecate is that the title may also refer to her as "the
highest seat of god", referring to her role as Priestess. After all she is the
Priestess/Shrine Maiden to the Snake of the Festival, 祭礼の蛇, the Creator God of
the Crimson Denizens. Therefore title also refers to here status as top
ranking representative (i. e., High Priestess) of the Crimson Denizens.


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