once; for a short time; briefly; (arch.) one morning
to turn back (e.g. half-way); to return; to go back; to recover (e.g. something lost); to be returned; to rebound
hot spring; onsen; hot spring resort; hot spring spa
plans; arrangement; schedule; program; programme; expectation
life; lifetime; career; for life; all one's life; throughout one's life
3rd day of the month; three days
Hokuriku region (of Honshu; incl. Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui prefectures)
route; road; distance travelled in a day; one's ... (age, e.g. 40s, 60s)
clear weather; cloudless weather; good weather
fine weather; fair weather
heavy; weighty; heavy (feeling); depressed; slow; sluggish; important (position, responsibility, etc.)
northern country; northern provinces; northern regions; northland
to be piled up; to lie on top of one another; to come one after another; to happen over and over; to overlap (each other); to occur at the same time
to remember; to recall; to call to mind; to imagine; to picture in one's mind; to visualize
unbecoming; improper; unsuitable; ill-matched; unworthy of
inner thoughts; real intention; at heart; deep down; inner center (centre)
dark; gloomy; depressed; dispirited; dark (in colour); dull; ill-boding
disliking; hating; tendency; smack (of); distinction; discrimination
imagined landscape; scenery in one's mind's eye
even if; no matter (what); if; though; although; supposing
to decide; to determine; to resolve; to break and overflow (e.g. levee); to collapse; to give way
past (times); bygone; olden; former
to blow up (i.e. wind); to blow upwards; to spout into the air
joy; delight; rapture; pleasure; gratification; rejoicing
gap; opening; spare moment; interval; unguarded moment; carelessness
listless; languid; sluggish; irritating; exasperating; tiresome
cannot (due to external circumstances); cannot afford to; must not; impossible to; no way one can (do)
just one person; only one
flour; meal; powder; heroin
to knead; to thicken into a paste (stirring over a flame); to polish (a plan, etc.); to refine; to train; to drill; to gloss (silk)
working earnestly; sincerity; diligence; effort; pains
item; article; dish; course; finest item
or something; for instance ... (though there are other suitable options); ... or ...; as soon as; right after; while still
buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum); soba; Japanese buckwheat noodles; Chinese-style wheat noodles
whim; caprice; fancy; capricious; fickle; whimsical
yes; that is correct; um; errr; huh?; grrr
draining basket (traditionally made of bamboo); colander; something full of holes; zaru soba; strong drinker; someone who can drink like a fish
dropping; unloading; grated vegetables, fruit, etc.; grater; using new tools (or clothes, etc.); new tools (or clothes, etc.)
to be transparent; to be see-through; to be clear; to be clear (of a voice or sound)