area including Nagoya and Kobe
high-speed; rapid; express; highway; freeway; expressway
to interfere (with); to hinder; to be hindered (from doing); to become impeded; to have difficulty; to suffer inconvenience
shape; form; appearance; state; situation; suitable
papier mâché; something that looks good superficially
red rice (beans and mochi) for auspicious occasions
to cook (grains, e.g. rice); to boil; to simmer; to stew
the eighties (age, years, etc.)
the same as it was long ago; unchanged; traditional
to stamp one's feet (in frustration, impatience, etc.)
to find an excuse; to rationalize; to find a pretext
hurriedly; in a hurry; in haste; (arch.) sudden
urban area; urban district
beside a nobleman; close aid (of a nobleman, etc.); place where a high ranking person resides; one's own city (of a shogun, lord, etc.); place under one's direct control; one's own turf
to smile (at); to grin (at)
the country; countryside; outskirts; suburbs; presence; being in attendance
crushed flat; flattened; flat-chested girl; sound of a sticky rice cake sticking to something
fine view; beautiful sight
pregnancy stretch mark; striae gravidarum
unbecoming; improper; unsuitable; ill-matched; unworthy of
kindness; intimacy; friendship
Amamiooshima (island approximately 215 kilometers NE of Okinawa)
Bon holidays; Bon holiday period (in mid-August)
propeller-driven aircraft; prop plane
low-ranking soldier; graduation; moving on (from); outgrowing (something); low-ranking samurai (1870-1872); death (of a noble, etc.)
bulky; massive; thick; heavy
vital; lively; energetic; vital signs
immediately; instantly; with nary a pause; without a moment's delay
taking turns; in rotation
to insert; to put in; to plant (a cutting); to strike; to arrange (flowers); to wear (a sword) in one's belt
(sheet) music; (musical) note; genealogy; family tree; record of a game of go, shogi, chess, etc.
lying on one's back; lying face upward; lying supine
change; conversion; transformation; transformation