koto (13-stringed Japanese zither); (arch.) stringed instrument
plate; dish; serving; helping; kanji radical 108 (at the bottom)
to begin (doing); to start (doing)
stylish; smart; high collar; hair dressed in a western style; to dress in the latest Western fashion
revival (e.g. musical); come-back; restoration; rebirth; resurrection
indicate reason; infers some protest
to dance (orig. a whirling dance); to flutter about; to revolve
speciality; specialty; subject of study; expert; area of expertise
indeed; really; absolutely; truly; actually; very
anything and everything; all sorts of things; by all means
imitating; copying; mimicry; behavior; behaviour; action
native place; birth-place; one's old home; province; region; locality
serving (of food); helping; chilled soba served on a dish (often on a wicker basket or in a shallow steaming basket) with dipping sauce
so much; so often; oh, yes!; that's it; that's right; quite
slow-paced style of shamisen music with vocal accompaniment (popular during the late Edo period)
skill; skillful; dexterity; flattery
next (year, spring, etc.); coming; since (last month, etc.); for (20 years, etc.)
thoughtless; reckless; rash; excessive; unreasonable; immoderate
(geisha) teahouse; establishment where patrons are entertained by geisha
direction; orientation; suited to; suitable for; tendency; inclination
family-oriented; familial
songs with samisen accompaniment; musical performance
fault; defect; flaw; failure (in an examination); failing grade
ambition; aspiration; sinister designs; treachery
flour; meal; powder; dust
dressing up in fine clothes; splendid clothes; one's best clothes
flapping (of a flag, fan, etc.); fluttering; pitter-patter (of footsteps); quickly (making progress); in quick succession
no sooner than; as soon as; immediately after; at the thought of; when I think about
successive; consecutive; back-to-back; one after another
three; three years of age
sneeze; spoken twice in response to someone sneezing as a charm against an early death
by some chance; somehow; in some way; somehow or other; one way or another; by any means possible
is not; am not; are not; isn't it?
woven mat (of sedge, hay, etc.)
superior; first-class; excellent; (that's) just fine!; bring it on!
to attempt; to test; to try out
fashion; trend; vogue; prevalence (of a disease); epidemic
already; now; by this time; quick; early; fast