years gone by; earlier years; former years; the past
long (time that has passed); old (story)
not writing or contacting for a while; neglecting (failing) to write (call, visit, etc.); long silence
one's later years; final years (in life)
to have learning; to be educated
to attack the enemy in his unguarded moment
Bakumatsu period; closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate; end of the Edo period
poverty; destitution; privation; indigence; penury
agricultural community; farm village; rural
credit; money owed on an account; bill; hot noodles in broth; proportion (of wholesale price, as tenths of list price); in the midst of; rest
independent living; means of earning one's living
principles underpinning an agriculturally based economy
mutual aid; cooperation; benefit
white; unseasoned; undyed; very much; precisely; playing dumb
feudal domain (Edo and early Meiji periods, precursor to current prefectures); fiefdom; province
proposal; offer; request; application
to go to; to visit; to call on
to relax; to make oneself comfortable
unrelated; irrelevant; unconcerned; unconnected
correction; rectification; mending; repair
account of a dream; fantastic story; wild tale; empty dream
to pause; to have a short intermission
long time; long interval; for quite some time
promotion of industry; inauguration of a new industrial enterprise
chimney; smokestack; funnel (of a ship); carrying a passenger without turning on the taximeter
multi-floor building; multi-storey building; tall building
soft; fragile; weak; poorly built; insubstantial
continuously; from beginning to end; from first to last
wobbling; tottering; wavering (e.g. over a decision); dithering; boiling up; dizzily
to take into account; to bear in mind; to consider; to learn from; to take warning from
anticipation; expectation; plan; preparation
if you think about it; come to think of it