Final answer:
The hiragana above a kanji word is called furigana and is used to show pronunciation. Hiragana and katakana developed during the Heian Period, influenced by Japanese court life and other Asian scripts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hiragana above a kanji word in Japanese writing is known as furigana. Furigana are small hiragana characters written next to or above kanji to indicate their pronunciation. They are especially helpful for learners of Japanese and for instances where the kanji may have an uncommon reading or be difficult to read. Hiragana is one of the syllabaries of the Japanese writing system, developed along with katakana, during a period when Japanese culture experienced artistic and cultural growth, particularly in poetry and literature. This growth occurred during the Heian Period, continuing from the Nara Period.
It is interesting to note that katakana may have originated from Korean phonetic script and mixed with Chinese characters, indicating that Japanese writing did not develop solely from Chinese texts but was also influenced by the kingdoms of Paekche and Silla.