improvement (e.g. in skill, ability); advance; progress; communication of opinions of the general populace to those of high rank
divine grace; divine favour; blessing; benefit; help
(our) company; (my) company; small company; small shrine
to be called ...; to be referred to as ...
dear (old); fondly remembered; beloved; missed; nostalgic
to look happy; to look pleased; to make eyes (at someone); to ogle
granny; grandma; gran; old lady; old woman
to drop in; to go see (someone); to come to hang out
always; without exception; necessarily; certainly; without fail; positively
here; this place; this point; here; these past ... (e.g. three years); these last ...
this; last (couple of years, etc.); these; you (as in "you liar")
long (distance, length); long (time); protracted; prolonged
it does not mean that ...; I don't mean that ...; it is not the case that
as a child; when one was a child
familiarity; intimacy; acquaintance
diligently; seriously; perfectly; properly; sufficiently; satisfactorily
greeting; greetings; speech (congratulatory or appreciative); address; reply; response; courtesy visit (to offer condolences, say congratulations, pay respect, introduce oneself, etc.)
grounds (esp. of shrines and temples); compound; churchyard; precincts
torii (Shinto shrine archway)
to go under; to pass under; to dive (into or under the water); to evade; to get around; to survive
extent; degree; limit; bounds; (span of) time; (a) distance; the state of
company; firm; (Shinto) shrine; regional Chinese god of the earth (or a village built in its honour); counter for companies, shrines, etc.; incorporated body
as one would expect from ...; given that ... (naturally ...); precisely because ...; all the more because of ...; on account of ...; ... being what it is
tiny area; tiny surface; (lit.) cat's forehead
to set foot into; to enter; to step inside; to cross the threshold
only; just; merely; as much as; to the extent of; enough to
unusual space; other dimension
wonderful; marvelous; strange; strangely enough; oddly enough; for some reason
softly; gently; stealthily; secretly; to leave alone; to leave as it is
to put one's palms together (e.g. when praying or asking for something); to place one's hands together; to compete against someone; to play (a game, match, etc.) against someone
it's been a long time; long time no see
from now on; after this; in the future; from here; from this point
for a short while; for a while; for some time; for the time being
please remember me; please help me; please treat me well; please do; please take care of
inside one's heart; in one's mind
to mutter; to murmur; to grumble; to tweet; to post on Twitter
how long; how far; how much
to have been decided (so) that; to have been arranged (so) that; to be the result (of); to be the outcome; to be the reason (for)
endorsing and questioning the preceding statement; lamenting reflections on the preceding statement
in that manner; like that
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
sound of thin metal or plastic surface caving in and springing back; action of quickly bowing or lowering one's head; with a bob of the head
slight bow (as a greeting or sign of gratitude); nod; salutation; consideration; thoughtfulness
truth; reality; proper; right; genuine; authentic
machiya; traditional wooden townhouse; tradesman's house (esp. a home with a shop in front); merchant's house; merchant's family
store's appearance (esp. shop front, signs, etc.)
to catch sight of; to come into view; to happen to see