fool; someone beneath one's contempt
participation; taking part in; participating in; being concerned in
controversial work (art, literature, etc.); work that caused public criticism; work of art dealing with contemporary questions; succès de scandale
Japanese fir (Abies firma); momi fir
jam-packed (physically or of schedule, etc.); grinding noise; precisely; correctly (e.g. when working, etc.); acrida cinerea; oriental longheaded locust
to be refined; to be polished; to be stylish; to be sophisticated
soba noodles eaten at night on New Year's Eve
terraced house; terrace house; row house; (detached) house with a terrace
slightest connection; slender connection; sliver (e.g. of hope); one thread
skateboard; skateboarding
around 40 (years of age, esp. women)
appearing as if something doesn't exist; casual; offhand
piece of cake; a walk in the park
temple bell rung 108 times on New Year's Eve
waterway; channel; wake (of a ship)
cost performance; cost effectiveness; price-performance ratio; value for money; bang for one's buck
silently (as the grave); quietly (as in death)
such a thing; something like that
satisfaction; pride; one's strong point; one's forte; regular customer; regular client
Emishi; historical term for non-Yamato peoples in northern Japan; Yezo (northern part of Meiji-era Japan, esp. Hokkaido, but also Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands)
famous piece of music; excellent song; (musical) masterpiece
keepsake; memorabilia; memento
mountain hamlet; mountain village
rod; pole; neck (of a shamisen, etc.); shamisen; beam (i.e. the crossbar of a balance); single line (esp. as a flying formation for geese); penis