traditional ordering of the Japanese syllabary; fundamentals; the ABCs of ...
Kōji era (1555.10.23-1558.2.28)
Kannon (Bodhisattva); Kwannon; Goddess of Mercy; Bodhisattva of Compassion; Guan Yin; Kuan Yin
usual; unchanging; eternal; same as always
to do drugs; to take (illicit) drugs
Wood Rat (1st year of the sexagenary cycle, e.g. 1924, 1984, 2044)
life circumstances; lifestyle; (family) finances
turret; watchtower; high wooden stage; scaffolding; wooden frame (of a kotatsu); yagura
Eiroku era (1558.2.28-1570.4.23)
(acupuncture) needle; acupuncture
to take the blame; to take responsibility; to assume liability; to bear the burden
ronin; masterless samurai
(staring) piercingly; (looking) hard
commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force against the barbarians; great, unifying leader
Nara prefecture (Kinki area)
decayed tree; rotted tree; decayed wood; obscure, meaningless life (metaphor)
official notice; Edo-period proclamation issued by the shogunate (or a daimyo, etc.) usu. to the general populace
don't be absurd; that's out of the question; nonsense; don't mention it
pioneer; leader; taking the initiative; leading an attack; charging ahead of others (towards the enemy)
to come; to go; to be (somewhere); -ing
proclamation; official notice; touch; contact
sharp ear; long ears; ability to remember everything one hears
name of an imperial era (e.g. Heisei, Shōwa); Japanese era name
gambling; competition; game (of chance)
zest for living; energy to live
negotiations; bargaining; talks; making demands
freely; frankly; without reserve
to scale (mountain, flight of stairs, etc.)
having to be; must be; should be; ought to be
attack under the cover of darkness; surprise attack; sneak attack
Kawachi (former province located in the east of present-day Osaka Prefecture)
excessive; unmerited; generous; past participle
disturbance; agitation; commotion; upheaval; riot
mourning; (arch.) calamity; (arch.) misfortune