stencil dyeing produced with various shades of indigo
sparsely; drop-by-drop; on par with; as good as; (vertical) iteration mark used to represent repetition of the previous kanji (to be read using its kun'yomi)
Boshin War (Japanese civil war between Imperial and shogunate forces; 1868-1869)
Earth Dragon (5th year of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1928, 1988, 2048)
businessman with political ties
courtier; noble; people serving the Imperial Court
growth; development; one's early life; upbringing; personal history
by (from) choice; by (for) preference; of one's own accord; of one's (own) free will; on purpose; deliberately
Emperor Meiji (1852-1912, reigned 1867-1912); Emperor Mutsuhito
area on Japan Sea side of Japan, including Niigata
scent bag; sachet; scent gland
being battlewise; being skilled in battle; experienced warrior
nursing; (protective) care
origin; beginning; genesis; primeval; primordial; primitive
to grow; to develop; to grow up
to guess; to sense; to presume; to sympathize with; to sympathise with
to take the blame; to take responsibility; to assume liability; to bear the burden
losing initiative; being forestalled; second move (in go or shogi); moving second; rear guard
weight (e.g. paperweight); pressing down; keeping control; exercising authority; having self-control; exercising self-discipline
to sell (well); to be well known; to be popular; to be famous
I don't need it; I don't want it
beginning; start; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it,...; I mean
Keiō era (1865.4.7-1868.9.8)
fabric; cloth; textiles; measure of kimono material
to become poor; to be poor
when it comes to the cause; when you get right down to it; as for what started it; as for the reason; originally
88 years old; (arch.) rice
sound of a gun; roar of cannon
surrender (fall) of a castle
to give; to present; to offer; to do for someone's sake