Kōhaku Uta Gassen; annual singing contest between famous male and female singers on New Year's Eve; sponsored and broadcast by NHK
New Year's sake; spiced sake
mochi; small rice cake made from glutinous rice
to hear; to be told; to know; to receive (order); to undertake; to comply
mochi; small rice cake made from glutinous rice
buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum); soba; Japanese buckwheat noodles; Chinese-style wheat noodles
territory; domain; field; area; domain; region
osechi; food eaten during the New Year's Holidays
soup containing rice cakes and vegetables (New Year's dish)
grill or grate for toasting rice cakes
carbonization; carbonisation
to stick to; to cling to; to adhere to
victim (esp. someone killed); casualty
fate; destiny; predestination
living; lifestyle; living room
first sunrise of the year; sunrise on New Year's Day
pine, bamboo and plum (an auspicious grouping); high, middle and low (ranking); top, middle and bottom; upper, medium, lower
announcer; presenter; broadcaster; in-house television talent who does on-location fluff pieces for variety shows
to finish reading; to read through
morning edition (of a daily newspaper); morning paper
sunken kotatsu; low table over a hole in the floor (may have a heat source underneath and a hanging quilt to retain warmth)
lower half of the body; nether parts
to slip into; to crawl into (under); to conceal oneself (under); to sneak into; to infiltrate
postman; mailman; mail carrier; letter carrier; postie
motorcycle; motorbike; bike; bicycle
with a squeaking sound (of metal)
postbox; mailbox; post; position; post (e.g. goalpost); post (on a blog, social media, etc.)
swing and a miss; (punching and) failing to make contact; (ending in) failure; fruitless effort
public road; highway; righteousness; justice; right path
(flight of) stone steps; stone stairway
one bundle; one sheaf; one hundred
aim; object; expectations; prospects; something that can be relied upon; snack served with alcoholic drink; pad
compilation (of a text); editing; volume (of a text); completed literary work
six; six years of age; six o'clock (old time system)
to pile up; to make a heap; to lay (e.g. bricks); to acquire (e.g. experience); to build (a reputation)
humanity; empathy; kindness; human nature; common sense; customs and manners
warning; caution; admonition; keikoku (penalty in judo)
bride; (one's) daughter-in-law; wife
scolding; telling-off; rebuke; complaint; grumbling; fault-finding
to assort; to classify; to journalize (in accounting); to journalise