middle; centre; center; midpoint; heart
taking a commemorative photo
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
osechi; osechi-ryōri; traditional food eaten during the New Year's holidays
rice cakes; pounded mochi rice
New Year's gift (usu. money given to a child by relatives and visitors)
first shrine visit of New Year
standard item; usual thing; (a) classic; basic item (with stable demand); staple goods
as a child; when one was a child; childhood
thundering; purring; something large and heavy starting to roll; scattered about; common; idleness; idling about
mochi; (sticky) rice cake
springy (texture); doughy; elastic
wild rocambole (edible plant, Allium grayi)
to mediate; to intervene; to smooth
maturing; ripening; aging; ageing; curing; fermenting
promotion; acceleration; encouragement; facilitation; spurring on
to soak (in); to steep; to dip; to dunk
omission; abbreviation; abridgment; abridgement
water system; river system; drainage system
memorization; memorisation; learning by heart
adzuki bean (Vigna angularis)
red bean paste; red bean jam; kudzu sauce; filling (of a dumpling, etc.); filling; stuffing
roll (e.g. of cloth); winding (e.g. watch); volume (of book); speeding up; heel (of a Japanese sandal)
great fortune; good luck; rice cake stuffed with bean jam
wagashi; traditional Japanese confectionery
on this occasion; now; in these circumstances; with this opportunity
to turn over; to turn upside down; to knock over; to tip over; to overturn (e.g. a decision); to upset
very interesting; of absorbing interest; having a keen interest (in); being immensely curious (about)
why?; what for?; how?; by what means?
to adhere to; to stick to; to keep close to; to go along with; to get involved with; to be thick with
main purpose; primary objective
fearfully; nervously; timidly; gingerly
to make round; to roll up; to seduce; to cajole; to round off (a fraction); (arch.) to lump together
ouch!; hot, hot, hot!; something hot; fire
to cover (smear, sprinkle) (with)
judging from; on the basis of; from the point of view of
to correct; to touch up; to smarten up; to put one's hand in (e.g. pocket)
aaah!; oooh!; oh no!; oh boy!