(approximate) age; years; elderly; old; older (than); senior
abundant; plentiful; rich; ample
pointing up; pointing upward; upturn; uptrend; upward tendency
easygoing; unconventional; happy-go-lucky; light
look (in someone's eyes); expression (of the eyes); eyes
to get used to; to grow accustomed to; to become skilled in; to become experienced at; to become tame; to become domesticated
story; tale; talk; discussion
the truth; fact; as it is; as you are; frank; bare plain
once; one time; exclusively; only; alone
often; again and again; over and over again; repeatedly; frequently
kimono; Japanese traditional clothing (esp. full-length); clothing; clothes
part of the fabric that is wrapped farthest from the skin when wearing a garment that is wrapped in front of one (such as a kimono); percentage; commission
I'm sorry; my apologies; excuse me; pardon me
to look toward; to have one's eyes drawn towards something
having done that; if that is done; if it is done in that way
to recommend (someone to do); to advise; to recommend (a book, someone for a position, etc.); to suggest; to offer (a drink, cigarette, seat, etc.)
to miss out on going; to fail to go
now that; since; so long as; because
regular customer; regular patron; frequenter; constant companion
birth; birthplace; born in (country, month, imperial era, zodiac year, etc.)
group; party; team; organization; organisation; association
I'm off; see you later; to go (and then come back)
after that; afterwards; thereafter
beforehand; in advance; previously
order; sequence; procedure
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
grasping; gripping; handful; fistful; handle; grip; rice ball
to stop (in one's tracks); to come to a stop; to halt; to pause; to stand still
New Year's Day; New Year's morning; morning of New Year's Day
Prayer to the Four Quarters (Japanese imperial New Year's ceremony)
Japanese residents in another country; Japanese expatriates
(a) little; somewhat; somehow
nonexistent; not being (there); not having; not
careful thought; consideration; deliberation; reflection; rumination; pondering
private citizen; civilian
deplorable; regrettable; disappointing; vexing; unfortunate
carelessly; thoughtlessly; inadvertently
thirty-first day of the month; thirty-one days
continuation; rest (of the story, work, etc.); flow (e.g. of a piece of writing); pacing (of a story); succession (of); sequence
coincidence; chance; by chance; unexpectedly; contingency
to steel oneself to; to brace oneself
meticulous; careful; discreet; scrupulous; prudent
bag; sack; skin of an orange (and other like fruits); dead end; plot of land surrounded by water
to pay attention; to be watchful
characteristic; feature; idiosyncrasy; spot color (in printing)