New Year's Eve; December 31
occasionally; once in a while; now and then; rarely; seldom
to fit; to get into; to be fit for (a job, etc.); to be suited for; to fall into; to plunge into
red and white; colours for festive or auspicious occasions (colors); two teams; two groups; Kōhaku Uta Gassen; annual contest between male and female popular singers on New Year's Eve (sponsored and broadcast by NHK)
battle; fight; fighting; engagement; contest
rich (taste); full-bodied (flavour, flavor); mellow; laid-back (lifestyle); relaxed; comfortable
alright; all right; right on; looking good; OK; okay
rakugo; traditional Japanese comic storytelling; comic story (told by a professional storyteller)
slowly; quietly; steadily; soon; momentarily; before long
New Year's Eve; end of the year
buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
speaking of ...; when it comes to ...; as for ...; if one were to say ...
as expected; sure enough; after all (is said and done); in the end; too; also
fine white noodles served flowing in a small flume
roller coaster; big dipper
cool; chilly; feeling nice and cold
very; considerably; by no means; not readily; middle; half-way point
to be good (at); to go well; to look (taste, etc.) good; to hold one's liquor; to be able to hold one's drink
under (guidance, supervision, rules, the law, etc.); under (a flag, the sun, etc.); beneath; with (e.g. one blow); on (the promise, condition, assumption, etc. that ...); (somebody's) side
particular; special; exceptional; particularly; especially; exceptionally
look!; look out!; hey!; look at me!; there you are!
a little; a bit; just a minute; for a moment; somewhat; rather; (not) easily
cold (e.g. weather); uninteresting (esp. joke); lame; dull
that being the case; because of ...; the reason is ...; given that ...
elegance; taste; refinement
moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens); tall bamboo cultivated for its edible shoots
(a) little; (a) few; slight; only; just; merely
a blink of time; (lit.) the time it takes to say "Ah!"
to meet (by chance); to come across; to meet (e.g. of rivers, highways, etc.); to emerge and engage (an enemy)
spring; springtime; New Year; prime (of life); height (of one's prosperity); adolescence
cherry blossom viewing; flower viewing
was it?; I think it was ...; if I've got it right; (I, we) used to ...; I remember ...; it was ...
to perform; to do; to conduct oneself; to carry out
child (esp. a boy); viscount; founder of a school of thought (esp. Confucius); master; masters and philosophers (categorization of Chinese classical literature); (arch.) you; -er (i.e. man who spends all his time doing...)
watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)
to stick into (of something with a sharp point); to prick; to pierce; to resonate emotionally; to move
to be given the cold shoulder; to be jilted; to be rejected; to be dumped