castle wall; town walls; defensive wall; rampart
inside; interior; inner part
to be at a loss how to continue an offensive; to be frustrated by impregnable defences
front line of (trenches for) deployed soldiers
how long; how far; how much
to be blown off; to be blown away; to disappear; to vanish; to rush; to hurry
broken into small fragments; smashed to atoms; fragments and splinters; smithereens
muscle stiffness (esp. in shoulders)
maid-in-waiting in the domestic quarters of a shogun or daimyo (Edo period)
malice; malicious intent; intent to kill
to be elegant; to be graceful; to be refined
Shima (former province located at the eastern tip of present-day Mie Prefecture)
legal wife (of a noble) (as opposed to a concubine); room for receiving guests; heir; successor
househusband; stay-at-home dad
calling by name; designation; nomination
peremptorily; willy-nilly; forcibly
farmland; rice field or paddy
whole nation; whole land; whole country
report (of news); reporting; news; information; (media) coverage
steamship; steamboat; steamer
grand; magnificent; lavish; forceful; powerful; vigorous
English-language newspaper
the shogunate period; the days of the shogunate regime
(United States of) America; USA
harmony; concord; agreement; unity; union
subjugation; attacking; conquering
civil war; insurrection; rebellion; domestic conflict
immediate; prompt; quick; rapid; urgent; pressing
hard-to-do; difficult; tough; awkward; tricky
hibernation; staying indoors during winter