yōkan; jellied dessert made from red bean paste, agar, and sugar
to leak out; to escape; to find expression; to give vent; to leak out; to be divulged
seiza; kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor, and sitting on the soles
regrettable; vexing; upsetting; unthinkable; wholly unexpected
to start the debate; to get the ball rolling; to fire the first shot; to start a conversation
most of all; extremely; supremely
your house; your home; your husband; your organization; you
to make a fresh start; to turn over a new leaf; to call again; to visit again; to come again
to let the tension out of one's shoulders; to relax; to not take oneself too seriously
like this; in this way; as you see
kneeling down on the ground; prostrate oneself
clock to be placed on tables, bookshelves, etc. (as opposed to a watch)
straightforward approach; playing it straight; fair deal
not serious; frivolous; insincere; unsteady
to speak frankly; to speak unreservedly; to open up to each other; to talk candidly; to speak by laying everything on the table; to talk straight from the gut
what the?; what's that?; what are you doing?; what's going on?
a little bit; a little while
clicking one's tongue; tut-tut; smacking one's lips (with relish)
minute; micro; detailed; delicate; subtle
untouched; unused; intact
Saran Wrap; plastic wrap; cling wrap; cling film
to omit; to leave out; to exclude; to curtail; to save; to cut down
to be surprising; to be shocking; to be jaw-dropping
a piece; a scrap; a fragment; iota; modicum; trace
rapid succession (e.g. questions)
zabuton (flat floor cushion used when sitting or kneeling; usu. rectangular)
tea gathering (for the tea ceremony); some matter concerning tea; family tea gathering held in memory of deceased ancestors
command; lead; generalship; leadership
young person; youth; young
quietly; slowly; gracefully
(bearing a) close resemblance; vivid reminder (e.g. of the past); dim; faint; vague
greeting; a fine thing to say
to think, feel, consider, know, etc.
to do over; to remake; to resume
attention; kind attention; courteous attention
world; society; life; lifetime; age; era; reign
to go out of use; to become obsolete; to die out; to go out of fashion
black ships; Western ships that came to Japan between the 16th and 19th centuries, esp. those of the Perry Expedition in 1853; foreign disruptor (of the Japanese market); product, person, etc. arriving from the West and disturbing the Japanese market
arrival of ships (from abroad); arrival by ship