beginning of the year; early in the New Year
the New Year begins; the New Year starts; to end (e.g. apprenticeship, service)
every year; yearly; annually
losing a battle; lost battle; battle one cannot win; battle one is doomed to lose
to keep (a person) waiting
association; socializing; socialising; fellowship
store's appearance (esp. shop front, signs, etc.)
unfashionable; uncouth; unrefined; unpolished; unsophisticated
long-established shop; shop of long standing; old shop
to strengthen; to emphasize; to emphasise
office work; clerical work; administration; business; affairs
when push comes to shove; when needed; when necessity arises; when the moment arrives
losing one's nerve; feeling awkward; feeling timid; feeling hesitant; feeling nervous; feeling diffident
to stay indoors; to be confined indoors
nap; short sleep; first sleep of silkworms
sleeping a long time; oversleeping
back country; remote countryside
executive; government; administration; governance; the authorities
railway station; train station; staging post on a highway (in pre-modern Japan); counter for railway stations and bus stations
entertainment; amusement; fun
entertainment district; amusement area; pleasure quarter; red-light district
length and width; length and breadth; every direction; all directions; as one wishes; as one pleases
to stand side by side; to stand in a row
disorder; chaos; confusion
pasture; grassland; meadow
good; fine; excellent; favorable; favourable; satisfactory
means of transportation; means of transport
the way in which something came about; origin; structure; organization; the way something is constructed
principal street; main street; major road; thoroughfare
mark; sign; to mark; to put a mark on; trademark; paying attention to
opening credits; title sequence; theme song (played during the opening credits of a TV show, etc.); overprint
systems engineer; systems engineering; sales engineer; sound effect
hipbone; innominate bone; fortitude; perseverance; endurance
special guest (e.g. on a TV show); guest performer
charge (for admission, a meal, etc.); fee; price
cosplay (dressing up as a character from an anime, manga, video game, etc.)