upper tier; upper section; place of honor; place of honour; dais; raised part of floor
lower tier; lower step; lower column; low position (of a sword in kendo, etc.)
contemporary novel; modern novel
twenty-fourth day of the month; twenty-four days
inevitable; inescapable; unavoidable
calamity; disaster; misfortune
folding into four; quarto
daily publication; daily issue
rapid economic growth (esp. that of Japan in the post-WWII period)
major incident; major happening; big scandal
sample; specimen; pattern; model; example
meeting; assembly; gathering; congregation; convention; rally
university entrance examination
running away from home; elopement; (arch.) outing; (arch.) going out; (arch.) becoming a Buddhist monk; (arch.) entering the priesthood
filling a vacancy; supplementation; substitute; deputy; alternate
subterranean drain; culvert; conduit
mountain ascetic; practitioner of Shugendō
to become spring-like; to show signs of spring
fully loaded; full load; loaded condition
around there; near there; or thereabouts; or so; such a matter; such a thing
covered with; stained; smeared
one's registered domicile (as recorded in the family register); one's legal domicile (as opposed to where one lives)
one's background; one's history; one's circumstances; one's merit; asset; strong point
favourable terms; favorable terms; favourable conditions; favorable conditions; place in the sun
to do what one is told to; to take someone's advice; to listen to what someone says
written notification; notification (written)
message; informative matter
what sort of; what kind of; what way
to begin to attend (e.g. school)
to be talked about behind one's back
to oppress; to persecute; to tyrannize
to tell all; to give a full account
to keep one's temper; to maintain one's composure; to remain calm; to keep presence of mind; to preserve one's equilibrium