merchant class culture that flourished in Edo during the Bunka-Bunsei period
showy; brilliant; gorgeous; florid; gay
Bakumatsu period; closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate; end of the Edo period
among (other things); especially; particularly; inter alia; above all (else)
living; life (one's daily existence); livelihood
very busy (person or thing)
two legs; two feet; two pairs
to follow (road); to pursue (course); to follow up; to follow (hyperlink)
footprints; record of page visitors (e.g. in social networking sites)
to grow fat; to gain weight; to grow fertile; to be refined (palate); to be discerning (eye, ear); to become rich
riddle; puzzle; enigma; enigmatic; mysterious
ability; capability; skill
creator (of a work); author; writer; artist; composer; playwright
entrusting (something to a person); consignment (of goods); putting in someone's charge; trust; commission
to check through; to thoroughly investigate
detailed; minute; articulate
liver; innards; courage; spirit; crux; essential point
outskirts; environs (of a city); surrounding area; surroundings
important position; strategic point; important point; main point; essentials
maintenance; servicing; putting in place; establishment; development
(navigable) canal; waterway
means of transportation; transportation system; way of getting around
waterway; canal; channel; swimming pool lane
(within) the (Tokyo) metropolitan area
highway; freeway; expressway; motorway
subterranean drain; culvert; conduit
another; one more; not quite; not very good; lacking
growth; development; growing up; growth (of a company, the economy, etc.)
market price; speculation (e.g. on stocks); reputation (according to conventional wisdom); estimation
market (financial, stock, domestic, etc.); marketplace; exchange; (street) market
to destroy; to crush; to break by striking; to spoil; to ruin
top and bottom; high and low; going up and down; rising and falling; going and coming back; upper and lower classes
necessities; necessary article; requisite; essentials
Japanese person; Japanese people
to leave words (behind one, e.g. after death); to say (for posterity); to utter last words; to leave some things unsaid
verge of death; dying moments