˜a (wa) is one of the ancient names of Japan, and one of the most commonly used to refer to traditional Japanese things. ˜a•— (wafuu) means 'Japanese-style' or just 'Japanese' as in 'Japanese food' (˜a•——¿—). Wa-pedia is therefore a sort of encyclopedia of Japanese matters, or more precisely a website dealing with all aspects of Japan, with an emphasis on the academic and reference knowledge.

Wa-pedia is a sister website of Eupedia, which handles European matters.