beginning character or characters that uniquely identify a poem in the Hyakunin Isshu (esp. used in competitive karuta)
sparsely growing cogon grass; short cogon grass
Buckleya lanceolata (species of parasitic deciduous shrub)
autumn breeze; fall breeze
hibernation; staying indoors during winter
encouragement of learning
Ogura Anthology of One Hundred Tanka by One Hundred Poets
player put on starting list to be replaced by another when the opponent's pitcher is known
creepers; trailing plants
professional go players' championship series; professional shogi players' championship series
Thai; person from Thailand
regrettable defeat; defeat by a narrow margin
olden-day; hidden in the past
strange; weird; odd; strange thing; strange person
colored thing (clothing, fabric, paper, etc.) (coloured); variety shows
to favor; to favour; to show favor to; to show favour to; to be partial to; to be a regular customer of
Naniwa (former name for Osaka region)
(Ogura) Hyakunin Isshu; classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese waka by one hundred poets; hyakunin isshu karuta; hyakunin isshu poetry cards
(taking a) spectacular photograph; photo taken at just the right moment
teething fever; developmental fever; fever that brings with it an intellectual or psycho-developmental growth spurt
whitecaps; white-crested waves; thief
shrine office; office of a Shinto shrine
greatest mistake of one's life
steady advance; carrying all before one
imitation; fake; phony; pseudo-
to come to an end; to lower the curtain
within the borders of a country; domestic soil; inland; interior; Japan proper (as opposed to its overseas colonies); homeland
email with attached photos sent from a mobile phone; photo taken with a mobile phone; taking a photo with a mobile phone
to win through (e.g. to finals); to advance
heavy; weighty; heavy (feeling); depressed; slow; sluggish; important (position, responsibility, etc.)
having done ... by mistake; having messed up ...