near; nearby; not far off
opposite side; bottom; rear; back; lining; inside; in the shadows
alley; alleyway; teahouse garden; path through a gate (or through a garden, etc.)
appearance; shape; form; atmosphere; look; feel
stepping stones; stone skipping; ducks and drakes
sprinkling water (to keep down dust, cool pavements, etc.)
to line up; to stand in a line; to rival; to match; to equal
garden lantern; hanging lantern
to shine on; to illuminate; to compare (with); to refer to
in some way; somehow or other; somewhere or other
obscurity; mystery; abstruseness
to be born and raised (in); to be born and brought up; to be born and bred
townhouse (i.e. house in the middle of a town); traditional townhouse; tradesman's house (esp. a home with a shop in front); merchant's house; merchant's family
(bearing a) close resemblance; vivid reminder (e.g. of the past); dim; faint; vague
exerting care; attention; consideration; thoughtfulness
to go out to meet; to receive; to welcome; to accept (e.g. as a member of a group or family); to call for; to summon
proprietress (of a traditional Japanese inn or restaurant); landlady; hostess; mistress
to open out (of a view, scenery, etc.); to spread out; to improve (of luck, prospects, etc.); to get better; to develop (of a town, civilization, etc.); to become civilized; to be sensible
fusuma; Japanese sliding screen
welcome!; nice to see you!
to relax; to make oneself comfortable
to rank next to; to come after
form; shape; figure; visage
request; favor; favour; reliance; dependence; trust
feeling obliged; being grateful; being thankful; (arch.) shrinking back in fear
nature; natural; spontaneous; naturally; spontaneously
smirkingly; broadly (grinning)
to step aside; to move (i.e. out of the way); to make way; to resign; to retire; to quit
well-bred; of good upbringing
one cup (of sake); (going out for, treating someone to) a drink; small drinking party
fireplace or hearth dug into the ground or floor
advantage; benefit; profit; interest
receiving in advance (e.g. wages, interest); taking before others; anticipation; being ahead of (e.g. the times); prefetch; anticipatory completion (i.e. finishing another's sentence)
ice; shaved ice (usually served with flavored simple syrup)
to train; to teach; to acquire (information); to learn; to stock; to stock up on
to satisfy (conditions, one's appetite, etc.); to meet (e.g. demands); to fulfill; to fill (e.g. a cup); to pack; to supply
drinker; person who can hold their drink
draining basket (traditionally made of bamboo); colander; something full of holes; zaru soba; strong drinker; someone who can drink like a fish
that kind; competition; match
does not match (one's, its) appearance