putting that aside; that said; apart from that; anyway; be that as it may
dear me!; good gracious!; well; let me see; now
meeting; greeting; welcome; person sent to meet a visitor
to head out (for); to head (to); to go (to); to leave (for)
to inquire (about); to enquire; to ask; to interrogate; to question intensely; to grill (someone about something)
to take on; to undertake; to take over; to inherit; to guarantee; to vouch for
to face the wrong way; to go in the wrong direction
to grow senile; to be childish with age; to be mentally slow; to be befuddled; to play stupid; to say something stupid (oft. on purpose; esp. as part of a comedic routine)
putting one's life on the line; staking one's life (on); risking one's life; life and death situation
to throw oneself (into an activity)
to be born under a (certain) star; to be born with a certain destiny; to be fated
indescribable; having no way to express
banning of books; banned book
protagonist; main character; hero; head (of a household); proprietor (of a store)
pet saying; favorite phrase; stock phrase; manner of talking
black curtain; wirepuller; mastermind; backroom manipulator
leisurely; slow; deliberate; easygoing
falsehood (as one of the five sins in Buddhism); lie
hidden village (esp. hidden retreat for nobles or refuge for soldiers of a defeated army); isolated village; legendary land (deep in mountains or underground); Shangri-La
opposition; resistance; antagonism; reverse; opposite; inverse
very difficult to ...; nearly impossible to ...
base; basis; bedrock; platform
skillful words; deceitful words; glibness
diligently; assiduously; industriously; beavering away
rural community development; rural community activation
to work hard; to try hard; to strive; to endeavour; to endeavor; to devote oneself to
consequently; as a result; in the end
to plan; to attempt; to plot; to conspire; to deceive; to trick
handmade; handcrafted; homemade; homegrown
Izu (former province located on the Izu Peninsula in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture, and the Izu Islands)
ex post facto report; report after the event
one chance; only opportunity; maybe; perhaps; one-night stand
giving two or three light tugs (or pushes); (arch.) worrying about; (arch.) moping; (arch.) suddenly angry; (arch.) feeling a surge of anger
to ask a question; to ask questions
well, ...; right, ...; so; then; that way (would mean ...); if that is the case
hokora; small wayside shrine
an ideal topography for the four Taoist gods, with a river in the east, a broad avenue in the west, a basin in the south, and a hill in the north
east, west, south and north
four; 4; four years of age; ten o'clock (in the old time system); burakumin; cross grips
plan; scheme; (payment) plan; package; deal
to control; to take the lead in; to have under one's thumb
large country; major nation; great power; province of the highest rank (ritsuryō system)