to saw; to grind (e.g. coffee beans); to mill
handmade; homegrown; hand-crafted; homemade
obsession; fixation; complaining; criticizing; speciality (e.g. of restaurants)
fine product; masterpiece
composition; construction; formation; makeup; structure; organization
to be completely boiled; to be boiled to a turn
egg boiled, peeled, and steeped in soy sauce marinade
one more; another; the other; not quite; not very good
large and rough; big and tough; unrefined; rustic; extreme; excessive
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it,...; I mean
regrettable; disappointing; precious; dear; too good for; deserving better
wartime fire; war; wartime destruction; horrors of war
cheap-looking; tawdry; insignificant
unsatisfied; unsatisfactory; insufficient
authority; expert; counter for messages, letters, notes, documents, etc.; understanding (esp. of male-female relations); tact; supernatural powers
throng; gathering of people
to find fault (with); to cavil (at); to carp (about); to throw a wet blanket (on); to throw cold water (on); to jinx
high praise; great admiration; rave reviews
vocabulary; lexicon; lexis; terminology
to use up; to exhaust; to devote oneself (to); to do one's utmost (for); to do to exhaustion; to do completely
ideally; if one were to wish for more
excellent article; fine item; rare beauty; masterpiece; gem
spirit of a true artisan; (a craftsman's) pride in one's work
buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum); soba; Japanese buckwheat noodles
udon; thick Japanese wheat noodles
frustrated (over a failure, humiliation or injustice); annoyed; chagrined; (bitterly) disappointed; bitter; vexed
adzuki bean (Vigna angularis)
fermented milk drink (e.g. Yakult, Calpis, Calpico); lactic fermenting beverage
cattle (Bos taurus); cow; beef; Chinese "Ox" constellation (one of the 28 mansions)
famous mineral water; famous spring; famous river
disposition; temperament; nature; mentality; spirit; character
to save; to leave over; to spare
proof; testimony; demonstration; verification; certification
(not) anywhere; nowhere; everywhere; anywhere
to arrive (at one's destination); to reach; to come to a head; to reach a conclusion; to culminate (in)
long time (since the last time); first in a long time
total darkness; pitch dark; bleak future; poor prospects