to engrave in one's heart; (lit.) to inscribe on one's liver
bamboo tea spoon for making Japanese tea
cord for attaching a sword scabbard tightly to the obi; sword strap; sword knot
to win one's first battle (game, match)
first flower of the season or year; first flowering on a plant; first menstruation; woman who has just reached adulthood
man of refined tastes; refined person; tea ceremony master; lewd man; lecher
Ashikaga Yoshiaki (1537-1597.10.9), Shougun 1568-1573
western citadel; west wing of the Edo castle (where the heir apparent or retired shogun would live)
apologies; excuse me; I'm sorry
complete destruction; demolition
being raised in the mountains; person raised in the mountains
news; tidings; information; correspondence; letter
to spend all of one's time in idle amusement
taxpayers' (precious) money; hard-earned tax money; heavy tax; conscription; compulsory military service
green tract of land; green space
to steal or sneak or slip into
boorish; inelegant; unpolished; unromantic; tactless
Chikuzen (former province located in the west of present-day Fukuoka Prefecture)
surrender (fall) of a castle
stronghold; fortress; strategic position; key position
hard to get; hard to come by
papier mâché; something that looks good superficially
house-sitting; house-sitter; caretaker or keeper (official post in the Edo period)
blame; censure; rebuke; reproof
to smell sweet; to be fragrant
eastern country; eastern provinces; Kanto provinces