holy mother; birth mother of a holy man (or woman); Virgin Mary
nickname; alias; pseudonym; pen name; nom de plume; other name
Kyushu region (sometimes incl. the Nansei Islands)
spirit; psyche; god; deity; divinity
in short; in a nutshell; in a word; to cut a long story short
easy delivery; easy childbirth; safe birth
public institution; public organization; official body
all over Japan; throughout Japan
rate; ratio; proportion; percentage
single-mother household; fatherless family
rate; ratio; comparatively; contrary to expectations
prefectures (of Japan); largest administrative divisions of Japan: Tokyo-to, Osaka-fu, Kyoto-fu, Hokkaido and the remaining prefectures
guarantee; security; assurance; pledge; warranty
offer; tender; providing; sponsoring (a TV program)
heading; headline; index; headword
field; plain; prairie; tundra; moor; wilderness
god of fire (in Japanese mythology, usu. Kagutsuchi no Kami)
to kill by burning to death
to be in a fit (of anger); to rage
Kagutsuchi; fire deity who burned to death his mother Izanami during childbirth (and was therefore beheaded by his father Izanagi)
to kill with a sword (knife, dagger, etc.); to slay; to put to the sword
innumerable; countless; numberless
to dance down (leaves, petals, etc.); to fall as if dancing
country; state; region; national government; central government; home (i.e. hometown, home country); (arch.) province (of Japan)
June; sixth month of the lunar calendar
to enliven (e.g. a conversation); to animate; to engage in enthusiastically; to become successful and well known
tray; family; household; O-Bon; Bon Festival; gambler's den
paper lantern; Chinese lantern; Japanese lantern
to bear fruit; to produce fruit
Solanaceae (nightshade family of plants)
soul; spirit; departed soul; ghost
seeing (or dropping) off, then later picking up or going to meet (the same person)
shelf with offerings for welcoming the spirits of one's ancestors during the Bon Festival
minuscule amount; extremely small quantity
shrinkage; contraction; economy; retrenchment
action; operation; effect; function