(いこくふう)

いこくふう
noun, adjective (no)
foreign style; exotic style
1. foreign style; exotic style
Having the appearance, atmosphere, or characteristics of a foreign country. Used to describe architecture, food, fashion, or scenery that evokes a distinctly non-Japanese feel.
異国風(いこくふう)建物(たてもの)
A building in a foreign style.
この(まち)には異国風(いこくふう)雰囲気(ふんいき)がある。
This town has an exotic atmosphere.
港町(みなとまち)には異国風(いこくふう)料理(りょうり)()すレストランが(おお)い。
There are many restaurants in the port town that serve exotic cuisine.

Composed of 異国(いこく) (foreign country) and (ふう) (style, manner). Describes things that look or feel foreign, often with a positive connotation of being attractively exotic.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 異国風(いこくふう)建物(たてもの): foreign-style building
  • 異国風(いこくふう)雰囲気(ふんいき): exotic atmosphere
  • 異国風(いこくふう)料理(りょうり): foreign-style cuisine
  • 異国風(いこくふう)街並(まちな)み: exotic streetscape

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • エキゾチック: exotic — loanword, more fashionable and modern-sounding
  • 異国情緒(いこくじょうちょ): exotic charm; foreign ambiance — emphasizes the emotional impression
  • 洋風(ようふう): Western style — specifically refers to Western/European influence

USAGE:
Often used with の to modify nouns. Frequently appears in travel writing and descriptions of places like Nagasaki, Kobe, and Yokohama that have historical foreign influence.