long-established shop; shop of long standing; old shop
frontage; width (of a building, plot of land, etc.); breadth (e.g. of one's knowledge); scope (e.g. of one's work); range
to be imminent; to loom; to be approaching; to be impending
untidy (room, pile, etc.); messy; cluttered; disorderly; jumbled (e.g. thoughts); chaotic (lifestyle, atmosphere, etc.)
to wither while standing; to die standing (of plants)
various kinds of small trees; assorted trees
nageire; free-style flower arrangement
to dry up; to shrivel (up); to go (completely) dry; to wither (of talents, feelings, etc.); to become desiccated (e.g. of ideas)
resting place between inn towns (Edo period); town situated between two post towns
out of character; unlike one
to change; to alter; to mistake; to make a mistake; to fail to keep (e.g. one's promise); to sprain (a muscle)
to shout with exultation; to shout for joy
one person; ordinary; common
staying in the same inn or hotel; rooming together
Echigo (former province located in present-day Niigata Prefecture)
to cut into (a line, conversation, etc.); to force oneself into (e.g. a crowd); to fall below (of stock prices, sales, etc.); to drop below; to wedge; to play a wedge
to take offense (at); to take offence (at); to feel hurt (by)
this area; around here; this point; this much; this extent
rice-flour dumplings mixed with mugwort; mugwort rice cake
rice-flour dumplings mixed with mugwort; mugwort rice cake
mochi cut thin, dried, and baked or fried
to make laugh; to set to laughing
beautiful woman; pretty girl; high-quality goods; special article
clincher; pick-up line; honeyed phrase; telling phrase; phrase that brings someone around, esp. in personal relationships
first-class; first-rate; characteristic (of); peculiar (to); school (e.g. of flower arrangement); one flag
to chatter pointlessly; to waste one's breath
zori; traditional Japanese thonged sandals
shamisen; samisen; three-stringed Japanese lute
sparsely growing cogon grass; short cogon grass
unhappy; sad; miserable; wretched; gloomy; melancholic
beginning; commencement; first (one comes to); approaching; affability; approachability
bodhisattva; one who has reached enlightenment but vows to save all beings before becoming a buddha; High Monk (title bestowed by the imperial court); title bestowed to Shinto kami in manifestation theory
just as (each) one likes; as (each) one pleases; as (each) one prefers; (each) in one's own way
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much as possible; as much as one can
learning by ear; memory of having heard something before