request; commission; entrusting (with a matter); dependence; reliance
originator; ringleader; perpetrator; main culprit; person responsible
mountain road; mountain trail
to ascend; to go up; to climb
to be transparent; to be easily seen through; to be obvious; to be apparent
regular; normal; formal; legal; established; legitimate
trap (for catching animals); snare; trap; trick; ruse
to restore one's energy; to restore one's spirits; to recharge one's batteries
to take (someone) by surprise; to do something unexpected
to hide; to conceal oneself
nothing special; nothing significant; not a problem
to pretend to be tough; to put on a brave front; to whistle in the dark; to bluff
midwinter; dead of winter
what?!; what did you say?!; why?; what for?; anyone; anything
using every trick in the book; using every trick one knows; by one rouse or another; with careful coaxing; carefully (e.g. nursing a damaged vehicle)
to a greater or lesser extent (degree); more or less
no, not like that (but like this)
(someone else's) parents; both parents
antics; buffoonery; clowning; clown; jester
intangible; incorporeal; unreasonable; preposterous; absurd
discouragement; despondency; dejection; disappointment
unreasonable request; asking for something unreasonable
having a loose tongue; being talkative; speaking without thinking; being unable to keep a secret
incommunicative; taciturn
papier-mâché; something that looks good superficially; sham
portable painting used as part of the backdrop (in kabuki, etc.)
(many) trees; every tree; all kinds of trees
to push aside; to push one's way through
unattractive; ugly; unstylish; uncool
unattractive; ugly; unstylish; uncool
buttocks; behind; undersurface; bottom; last place; end
biggest; greatest; largest; maximum
to get back; to regain; to recover; to make up (for); to catch up on
if anything; conversely; putting it the other way around; coming at it from the opposite angle
evening; night; dinner; evening meal; counter for nights
to let (something or someone) go past; to do too much
fox (esp. the red fox, Vulpes vulpes); fox (i.e. a sly person); soba or udon topped with deep-fried tofu; light brown; golden brown
playing at (something); game of make-believe; something done together
tanuki (Nyctereutes procyonoides); raccoon dog; sly dog; sly old fox; sly fox
going round in circles; game of cat and mouse; pointless and repetitive back-and-forth; itachi-gokko; Edo-period children's game in which two players alternately pinch the back of the other's hands and stack them on top of each other while saying "itachi-gokko, nezumi-gokko"
barren; sterile; infertile; unproductive (e.g. discussion); fruitless