situation in which one can move neither forward nor backward; (lit.) Benkei's last stand
house of parliament (congress, diet, etc.); graduate school; postgraduate school; institution (often medical); institutional building; sub-temple; minor temple building
wife of a shogun or a highest-ranking nobleman
spring labor offensive; annual spring wage bargaining round
thick noodles; thick pasta
study subject; course of study; department (university, etc.)
eleven-faced Avalokiteshvara; eleven-faced Kannon
scarcity of eligible men; difficulty for a woman to find a man; man shortage
promotion of regional development; encouragement of local development
to place on (something); to take on board; to give a ride to
bed of salted rice bran used for pickling
the "sa" column of the Japanese syllabary table (sa, shi, su, se, so)
job (responsibility) of a section
Sanriku (the three former provinces of Rikuzen, Rikuchū and Rikuō)
to approach the finale; to come to a close
in bad taste; problematic; of poor character
chicken bones; chicken carcass
barfin flounder (Verasper moseri)
Nichiren sect; Tendai sect; Lotus Sutra
revitalization of a town; town renewal (project)
depopulation; declining population
first sunrise of the year; sunrise on New Year's Day
splint; brace; epithesis; splice; support (e.g. for a plant); prop
first person to say something; first person to suggest something
big corporation; major firm; leading company
a dime a dozen; two a penny
abuse of authority; abuse of public office; misfeasance
electrical machinery; appliances
inexperienced person; incompetent person; ignoramus