early on; earlier on; from early
to fasten one's eye on (a person); to stare at
cooked rice; meal; food; one's living; livelihood
offering (e.g. to the gods); votive offering
substitution; material; price; margin (e.g. for stapling, etc.); area required for something; (arch.) shiro (unit of land area equal to one-fiftieth of a tan; approx. 19.83 m.sq.)
swan (Cygnus spp.); white-feathered bird
to recommend; to endorse (e.g. a candidate); to infer (from); to deduce; to think (something) through; to ponder deeply
because; the reason is; if you want to know why
(abstract) symbol; emblem; representation
to change into; to be transformed; to be transfigured; to transform; to alter; to convert
nature; natural; spontaneous; naturally; spontaneously
charge; cost; generation; age; era; a representative of; on behalf of
kagami mochi; New Year offering consisting of two mochi stacked on each other with a bitter orange on top, cut and eaten on January 11
to offer; to sacrifice; to dedicate
central pillar (of a building); mainstay (e.g. of an economy); backbone (e.g. of a family); provider
base (of a plant, tree, pillar, etc.); (part near the) root; roots (of one's hair); root (e.g. of a problem); source
to place (in position); to fix; to install; to seat (someone); to settle (upon something); to fix (e.g. one's gaze)
kami celebrated at the beginning of New Year (usu. to pray for a good harvest); goddess of (lucky) directions
substance; real form; main part; main unit; this machine; this appliance; object of worship (at a shrine, temple, etc.)
famous; noted; renowned; celebrated; well-known
Nagasaki (city, prefecture)
by all means; at any cost; whether (one is) willing or not; willingly or unwillingly; on no account; by no means
shintai; object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity, typically housed in a shrine
to eat; to live; to make a living; to bite; to sting (as insects do); to tease; to torment
necessary; needed; essential; necessity; need; requirement
crops; agricultural produce
stubbornly sticking to old ways; dislike of new things; narrow-mindedness
adherence (to custom, tradition)
mooncake; disc-shaped confection of wheat-flour dough filled with bean paste, usu. eaten during Autumn in China
to hull (rice, barley, etc.); to pound (rice); to polish (rice); to stamp (ore)
people; race; nation; ethnic group; ethnos
to congratulate; to wish (someone) well; to celebrate
to set out (on a journey); to start (a task)
decision; judgment; resolution
compilation (of a text); editing; volume (of a text); completed literary work
to advance; to move forward; to carry forward (plans, work, etc.); to proceed with; to raise; to elevate
to make clear; to clarify; to disclose; to make public
play put on in a village; play put on by villagers
fields (of rice and other crops)
beginning; start; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
pure and clear; "clear and bright" solar term (approx. April 5)