Mikado

Mikado is:

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• (jap. 帝) a dated term for "emperor"; specifically for "Emperor of Japan".
• common European name of a pick-up sticks game variation. see Mikado (game)
• a railroad steam locomotive type; in the Whyte notation, a Mikado is a type 2-8-2
• The Mikado, a comic operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan
• a jam-band based in Austin, Texas

With respect to occurrences in Europe:

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• In 1866 a Mr. Schwarz founded a marketing company in Vienna for coffee and tea named "Mikado". The company was taken over in the 1960s from Arabia that was also taken over from the Julius Meinl company and the label "Mikado" was removed because the name was broadly associated with the pick-up sticks game.
• Some European Japanese-Import-Export companies were named "Mikado" in the 19th century. There is still a loose chain of Japanese import stores catering mostly to expatriates througout the world named "Mikado".
• A paper company called Brauns still produces a coloring paper for easter eggs named "Mikado".
• Between railroad workers, this term was used for special gray loden coats for bad weather.
• The "Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd." an Asian food company produces edible chocolate "Mikado" sticks, decorated with Japanese symbols (flag, fuji mountain). See Pocky.