dramatic (improvement); remarkable (difference); marked; (far) better; exceptional
someone working behind-the-scenes; scene shifter; lady consort (to a high personage)
to penetrate; to sink in; to devote oneself (to); to do intently and exclusively; to do throughout (e.g. the night)
(program of) entertainments; special events; exhibitions; amusements; attractions
the very best; excellent; superb
to smack one's lips (over a dish); to eat with relish
neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity
good-quality; superior in quality
to take over; to hand over
handicraft; industrial art object
domestic animals; livestock; cattle
shortage of stock; scarcity of goods
to give the stamp of approval
to offer; to present; to serve (food and drink); to offer (to the gods); to set up (before an altar)
to keep one's mouth shut; to refuse to talk
on the way; en route; in the middle of; midway; halfway
agreement; consent; same opinion; same view; same meaning
to push; to press; to apply pressure from above; to press down; to stamp (i.e. a passport); to apply a seal; to affix (e.g. gold leaf)
to scratch; to perspire; to shovel; to paddle
to open one's mouth (to talk); to (start to) tell
intimacy; friendship; familiarity
concerning; regarding; per (e.g. 100 yen per person); for every
shopkeeper; storekeeper; proprietor of a shop
to associate with; to keep company with; to go out with; to go along with; to follow someone's lead; to accompany someone
cheap; inexpensive; calm; peaceful; quiet
as a test; as an experiment; by way of experiment; by way of trial; tentatively
engagingly; cordially; amiably; sociably; hospitably
in proportion to; according to; depending on
nervous; highly strung; sensitive; fussy; worried about petty things
(one's) workload; amount of work (to be) done by one
remnant; fragment; fraction; odd sum; halfway; half-hearted
to work too hard; to try too hard; to strain oneself; to overdo it; to go too far
to fall (over, down); to collapse; to be destroyed (in a collapse); to collapse; to be confined to bed (with an illness); to come down with; to die
to laugh away; to laugh off
participation in a war; going to war; taking part in a competition or contest
hot topic; talk of the town