to live; to reside; to inhabit
to assemble (in a hall); to meet together (in a room)
twelve; 12; queen (playing card)
osechi; food eaten during the New Year's Holidays
chopsticks used to move food from a serving dish to one's own dish
to do something without any particular intention or mind to do so
Saitama (city, prefecture)
long distance relationship
job transfer; job relocation; intra-company transfer
lonely person; someone who easily succumbs to loneliness
care-taking; house-sitting; house-watching; caretaker; house-sitter
uncle; old man; mister; manybar goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus)
old tale; folk tale; legend; reminiscence
to cut out; to clip from; to extract
to stand in the way; to bar someone's way; to block the way
government office; public office
one's relatives by blood and marriage (in blood and law); one's kith and kin
increase in the average age of marriage
to give birth; to bear (child); to lay (eggs); to produce; to yield; to give rise to
pouring alcohol; person pouring alcohol for guests or customers (typically a woman); (apprentice) geisha; dancing girl
although at this late hour; now, although it is too late; afresh; anew; again
prime location (for offices, housing, etc.); best district (in town); excellent piece of land
to feign friendliness; to play the hypocrite
presence; sitting with; being with
soba noodles eaten at night on New Year's Eve
visiting a shrine on New Year's Eve and staying there until (or returning on) New Year's Day
indicates concession or compromise; indicates permission
(Shinto) shrines and (Buddhist) temples
first shrine visit of New Year
New Year's Eve; December 31
twelve o'clock; midnight; noon
to step over; to step across; to stride over; to stretch over; to span; to bridge
form (as opposed to substance); formality; method; system; format; mode
zero degrees (Celsius); freezing point; zero (on a scale)
to fall below (esp. figures: profits, unemployment rate, etc.); to be less than; to be lower than; to fall just short of; to be just under
to warm oneself; to sun oneself; to warm up; to get warm
temple bell rung 108 times on New Year's Eve
thrust; stab; tsuki; thrust to the throat (in kendo); tsuki; thrust to the chest