while it may be true that; just because; nevertheless; not necessarily
careful; scrupulous; thorough; conscientious; elaborate; deliberate
to re-cover; to reupholster; to repaper; to renew (e.g. a plaster)
(on a) closer look; closer scrutiny; second look
sauce (esp. soy or mirin-based dipping sauce); hanging; something hanging (flap, lappet, etc.); (kendo) loin guard; kanji radical enclosing the top-left corner of a character; -ass
to seclude oneself; to shut oneself away
unhappiness; sorrow; misfortune; death (usu. of a relative); bereavement
defense; defence; protecting; preventing
to smoke; to breathe in; to suck; to sip; to absorb; to soak up
puberty; adolescence; youth
ore; unprocessed metal; ground metal; (one's) true character
whole; all; general; gross; entire; overall
to be disgusted with; to be fed up with; to run out of patience with
to make; to produce; to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol); to raise; to grow; to till
provision of expenses; scholarship
inner; intrinsic; mental; inherited
homecoming; returning home
to hardly recognise; to mistake for something or somebody else
able-bodied; robust; sturdy; strong
to fling; to throw off (clothes); to kick off (boots)
to open one's heart; to throw off reserve; to be frank
for the present; for the time being; at present; in the meantime
paltry amount of money; cheapness; worthlessness; three one-mon coins
surface; appearances; exterior
to do what one is told to; to take someone's advice; to listen to what someone says
substance; essence; real (in economics, vs. nominal, e.g. real interest rate); substantive; substantial
backdoor; rear entrance; rear exit; unauthorized; illicit; illegal
to rise; to swell; to be promoted
crown (of head); summit (of mountain); easy win for one; something received
halfway up (down) a mountain; mountainside
soon; before long; shortly; close (by); near; nearby
Yamagata (city, prefecture); mountain shape; chevron; cone
to rise to the surface; to surface; to stand out (e.g. against a background)
depression; melancholy; dejection; gloom; despondency
sparse; thin; scattered; straggling; sporadic
namahage; folklore demon of the Oga Peninsula (people dress up as them on New Year's Eve to admonish children)