shiso (Perilla frutescens var. crispa); perilla; beefsteak plant
acquaintance; friend; familiar face
un-Japanese in appearance or character
juice pressed from a bitter orange; ponzu (Japanese sauce made primarily of soy sauce and citrus juice)
French beans; string beans
oh well, fine; fine, I guess; alright, I suppose; OK, then
to bother; to meddle; to poke one's nose (into another's business); to be too helpful
quite; utterly; (not) at all; completely; wholly; entirely
failed creative work; flop; dud; bomb
to adhere to; to stick to; to cling to
salt and pepper; seasoning with salt and pepper
coarsely ground (e.g. coffee, grain); minced (e.g. meat)
fate; destiny; predestination
sticky; thick (e.g. thickly plastered); ikky; to stick closely
katsuobushi; small pieces of sliced dried bonito
trying the food at various restaurants; eating tour; walking while eating; eating while walking
a few minutes later; after a few minutes
anyhow; anyway; somehow or other; generally speaking; in any case
faithful; devoted; loyal; honest; true
to be understood; to be comprehended; to be grasped; to become clear; to be known; to be discovered
state ceremony; laborious; troublesome; irksome
one's nature; one's destiny; custom; tradition; habit
top brass; upper echelon; higher-ups; top management; upper reaches; top of the pile
secret information; intelligence
mediocre; ordinary; commonplace; banal
disorderly crowd; mob; rabble
(arch.) it is not so; no; never mind
absolutely normal; perfectly commonplace; taken for granted
absolutely; positively; decidedly
spreading around (news, rumor, etc.); making widely known; making public; publicizing; proclaiming
conversion; diversion; changeover; commutation; switchover
wheat field; barley field; cornfield
scheme; tactic; stratagem; trick
to go on the defensive; to play it safe
to store; to save up; to accumulate (e.g. knowledge); to build up (e.g. experience); to grow (a beard, moustache, etc.); to wear
present condition; existing state; status quo; current state
sorrow; grief; anguish; trouble; affliction; anxiety