New Year's Eve; end of the year
to extend from one year to the next; to go to the next year
lighthouse; old-fashioned interior light fixture comprising a wooden pole with an oil-filled dish and a wick atop it
companion; fellow; group; company; member of the same category (family, class)
completely ordinary; plain; commonplace; everyday
laughing while crying; smiling through one's tears; (alternately) laughing and crying; tears and laughter; joy and sorrow
public commitment; public promise; campaign pledge; official vow
to be foolish; to be stupid; to be ridiculous
embrace; hug; holding in one's arms
exchange; conversion; replacement; switching (to); switchover
ceremony; rite; ritual; service
solemn (ceremony, atmosphere, etc.); austere; grave; majestic; dignified; stately
time; (the) hour; favourable time; opportunity; chance
Seven Gods of Fortune; Seven Deities of Good Luck; Seven Lucky Gods
to swear; to vow; to take an oath; to pledge
eternity; perpetuity; permanence; immortality
hum; hmm; hm hm (light chuckle with mouth closed); uh-huh; mm; hmm
carelessly (throwing, tossing, etc.); nonchalantly; casually
after an interval of ... years; for the first time in ... years
beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
certainly; absolutely; (not even) a little bit; diligently; dreams
to receive; to get; to eat; to drink; to be crowned with; to wear (on one's head)
one way or another; in many ways; in various ways
to grow long (e.g. hair, nails); to lengthen; to extend; to reach out; to hold out; to straighten; to smooth out
to call; to invite; to eat; to drink; to put on; to wear; to ride
vitality; (one's) life force
harmful insect; noxious insect; vermin; pest
miscreant; scoundrel; villain
threshold (esp. one with grooves for sliding doors); sill
to step over; to step across; to stride over; to stretch over; to span; to bridge
impossible to do (although wants to)
university; college; former central university of Kyoto (established under the ritsuryo system for the training of government administrators); the Great Learning (one of the Four Books)
in spite of; nevertheless; although; despite; no matter the; regardless of
to change one's place of residence; to migrate; to move
to drive away; to clear; to scatter; to disperse
to knock at the gate; to request an apprenticeship; to ask to be made a pupil
finally; in the end; on top of all that