haniwa; hollow unglazed terracotta figure from the Kofun period
(Ogura) Hyakunin Isshu; classical Japanese anthology of one hundred Japanese waka by one hundred poets; hyakunin isshu karuta; hyakunin isshu poetry cards; deck of 200 cards, the 100 waka of the Hyakunin Isshu split between them, to be matched together during the game
twelve-layered ceremonial kimono (worn by a court lady); ajuga (Ajuga nipponensis); bugle
fukuwarai; New Year's game in which blindfolded players place cutouts of facial features onto the outline of a face
whichever one chooses; either way
Oklahoma mixer (folk dance); Turkey in the Straw
to look at from the outside; to view from an outsider's perspective; to be seen from the point of view of an onlooker
Christmas cake; unmarried woman above the age of 25
count; counting; count of balls and strikes; count (after a knock-down); count (of radioactivity)
refined; elegant; graceful; modest; reserved; restrained
kabuki; traditional form of drama and music performed by male actors wearing makeup mainly in white and red
to bud; to sprout; to arise; to begin to grow
will (urge) to create; creative urge; appetite for writing
medium-ranked councillor in the Department of State
Kamakura period (1185-1333)
kaki; Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
cut; slice (meat, fish); fillet
keeping well (of food); keeping for a long time
lieutenant general; vice-admiral
one's mind; one's heart; one's intention
major general; rear admiral; air commodore
half- (sibling by a different mother); paternal
kai-awase; Heian-period shell-matching game; kai-awase; Heian-period shell comparison game; tribadism; tribbing
between-season wear; spring and autumn clothing; together; condition; situation; -ish
any; all; every; both; either; none (with neg. verb)
elegance; refinement; grace; aroma
emperor (of Japan); mikado
wife (esp. one's own wife); court lady; female court attache; (arch.) woman (esp. as a love interest)
entering (government) service; attendance (at one's office); presenting oneself for duty
the present age; these days; (present) head of the family
young nobleman; scion of a noble family; princely young man; man with an aristocratic air
wisteria (esp. Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda); wistaria
naming (esp. of a commercial product or company); branding
moderate; reserved; modest; temperate; restrained; low-key
Moomin (troll characters in Tove Jansson's series of books)
round-faced; bulging at the bottom; swelling toward the bottom
fine line; weight of thread; slit-eyed
legendary; folkloric; traditional
The Tale of Sagoromo (ca 1060 CE)
all over; filled in; complete; total; clichéd; hackneyed; plaintext