busyness; a lot of things to do; frequent use; heavy use (of); many uses
means of making contact; intermediary; go-between; connections; influence; pull
pile; heap; counter for things that are stacked, piled up (or layered, etc.); layers of clothing worn under one's overcoat; combination of colors created by layering of garments (colours)
Tosa (former province located in present-day Kochi Prefecture)
ukiyo-e; ukiyoe; Edo-period woodblock print
inking the outlines of a picture
briefly drawn picture; haiku picture
to take the form of (esp. in ref. to a spirit, fox, raccoon dog, etc.); to assume the shape of; to disguise oneself as; to change radically; to metamorphose; to improve unexpectedly and dramatically (esp. of an actor, artist, rikishi, etc.)
to visit; (arch.) (original meaning) to make a noise
beautiful riverside location; lakeside district; canal district
late at night; small hours of the morning
type of picture book popular in the late Edo period
creation; production; creative work (novel, film, etc.); fabrication; fiction; invention
as expected; sure enough; after all (is said and done); in the end; too; also
two times; twice; two degrees
to examine; to look up; to investigate; to check up; to sense; to study
result; consequence; coming to fruition; bearing fruit; as a result; consequently
river; stream; River; the ... river
stronghold; inner citadel; base; headquarters
fresh water (i.e. not salt water)
to be broken; to break; to fall through; to come to nothing
millionaire; one's superior; one's elder; (arch.) virtuous and gentle person; (arch.) female owner of a whorehouse in a post town; (arch.) chief of a post town
residence; estate; grounds; premises; mansion
to wave; to shake; to sprinkle; to throw (dice); to cast (actor); to allocate (work); to turn down (somebody)
to throw into disorder; to disarrange; to disturb (order, peace, etc.); to corrupt (public morals); to dishevel (hair)
to come for the first time; to become for the first time
suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly
to extend (building); to build on
soaked; drenched; sopping; incessantly (raining); drizzling
tatami mat; Japanese straw floor coverings
to (an extent); up to; doesn't amount to doing ...; not significant enough to require ...; even if ...
in the end; on top of that
wife (esp. one's own wife); court lady; female court attache; (arch.) woman (esp. as a love interest)
disliked; hated; tendency; smack (of); distinction; discrimination
in an instant; in a moment; immediately; suddenly; all of a sudden; all at once
to disappear; to vanish; to go out (of a fire, light, etc.); to die; to fade (of a feeling, impression, etc.); to vanish (e.g. of hope); to go away (e.g. of a smell, itchiness, sleepiness)
rock; boulder; crag; cliff; anchor
something broad and flat; common; ordinary; low-ranking employee; freshman