trend; tendency; momentum
to a surprising degree; to a remarkable extent; surprisingly; astonishingly; amazingly; alarmingly
rare; extraordinary; unparalleled; unparallelled
high praise; great admiration; rave reviews
tide; current; sea water; opportunity; chance; thin soup of fish or shellfish boiled in seawater
price; cost; value; worth; value
usual; ordinary; normal; regular; general; common
to return to normal; to recover; to restore
excellence; superiority; preeminence; prevalence
quotation; citation; reference
to leave (to someone, esp. after one's death); to bequeath
undermentioned (statement); the following; at left
random thoughts; occasional thoughts; desultory thoughts
written language; literary language; classical (or formal) written style based on Heian-period Japanese
creator (of a work); author; writer; artist; composer; playwright
narrowness; meanness; humbleness; lowliness
overserious; deeply sincere; very earnest
narrow; cramped; small-sized
defense of one's country; defence of one's country
urgent business; pressing need; imperative
opinion; point of view; visual point
broad policy; overriding principle
great man; hero; master mind
transfiguration; transformation; change of appearance
moving from place to place; being passed around repeatedly; rolling about
greeting; a fine thing to say
old; former; the old; old things; old times; bygone days
(Japanese) empress; queen
Emperor Meiji (1852-1912, reigned 1867-1912); Emperor Mutsuhito
red and white; colours for festive or auspicious occasions (colors); two teams; two groups; Kōhaku Uta Gassen; annual contest between male and female popular singers on New Year's Eve (sponsored and broadcast by NHK)
piece; fragment; one (object)
grant; bestowal; giving something to someone of low social standing (by a person of very high social standing)
after an interval of ... years; for the first time in ... years