unexpectedly; surprisingly
valid; effective; yuko (judo)
beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
sweets (desserts, candy, etc.)
extravagant; lavish; opulent; luxurious; magnificent; splendid
insertion; letter drop; things sent to a prisoner; supply of provisions, refreshments, etc. to someone carrying out a task
easy; simple; there's no way that ...
laying the groundwork; behind-the-scenes maneuvering; consensus-building process; digging around the roots of a tree (before transplanting)
middle of the night; dead of night
always; without exception; necessarily; certainly; without fail; positively
condition; term; requirement; qualification; prerequisite
to steam (food, towel, etc.); to be hot and humid; to be sultry
steamed bun; steamed bread
favorable reception; good reputation; popularity
sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
to use (in cooking); to mix (in)
cookie; biscuit; cookie (browser-related file sent from a WWW server)
sum; harmony; peace; Japan; Japanese-style
red bean paste; red bean jam; kudzu sauce; filling (of a dumpling, etc.); filling; stuffing
acquisition; obtaining; coming to hand
legume (esp. edible legumes or their seeds, e.g. beans, peas, pulses); bean; soya bean (Glycine max); soybean; female genitalia (esp. the clitoris); kidney; small
white bean jam; sweet white bean paste
-like; pseudo-; comical character who mocks or apes the main character (in Japanese performing arts); (arch.) criticism; (arch.) censure
previous day; day before; eve; prior day; preceding day
to train; to teach; to acquire (information); to learn; to stock; to stock up on
great fortune; good luck; rice cake stuffed with bean jam
system; lineage; corollary; system (range of strata that correspond to a particular time period); (taxonomical) series
kneading; gloss; paste (e.g. bean paste, mustard paste); parading of portable shrines and floats at festivals
given the situation; now that it has come to this; if it comes to this
suddenly; all of a sudden; abruptly
this time; now; next time; another time; recently; lately
by the way; incidentally; sometimes; occasionally; precisely (at that time); exactly
Wednesday; shaved ice (served with flavored syrup); water (fifth of the five elements)
manjū; steamed yeast bun with filling
difficult; hard; impossible; unfeasible; fussy; particular; gloomy
ice house; ice room; cold room
safe (e.g. choice); secure; innocuous; acceptable; passable; satisfactory
dorayaki; dessert sandwich of two small sweet pancakes and red bean paste
matter; affair; counter for (received) emails, text messages, voicemail messages, etc.; counter for accounts (on a website, email service, etc.)
to line up; to set up; to enumerate; to itemize; to be equal (to); to compare well (with)
elegance; grace; article; item; counter for items (of food, etc.); counter for dishes or courses (at a restaurant)