fortunately; luckily; thankfully
immersing oneself in; being absorbed in; devoting oneself to; giving oneself up entirely to
sense of language; feeling of a word; impression a word makes; nuance
Edo (shogunate capital; former name of Tokyo); Yedo
Owari (former province located in the west of present-day Aichi Prefecture)
castle town; city in Japan that developed around the castle of a feudal lord
to become animated; to liven up; to become active
barrier; checkpoint; checking station
from afar; over a great distance; all the way
national isolation; closing the country (to foreigners); sakoku; policy of national isolation enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate
transportation access; access to (public) transportation; convenience of access (by road or rail); transport links
Western-style clothes (cf. traditional Japanese clothes)
draft; draught; handprint; signed hand-print; permit (for passing a barrier checkpoint during the Edo period); pass
pass (e.g. backstage pass); permit (to pass or travel); laissez passer; passport
foreigner; foreign citizen; foreign national; alien; non-Japanese
monetary unit; currency unit
currency exchange counter; bureau de change
(handling) fee; charge (e.g. for a cancellation); commission; brokerage
historical play; period drama
ascent; climbing; up-train; train heading toward the starting point of its route; upbound (esp. toward Tokyo); upstream
sharp-eyed; keen-eyed; easily awakened
ramen; Chinese-style noodles
secret; clandestine; covert; spy (for a daimyo, shogun, etc.); secret agent
Ninja clan master; highest-ranking ninja
brambling (bird) (Fringilla montifringilla)
unit; (small) group (esp. in music or entertainment); band
well-known store; famous shop
guidance; leading (the way); information; notice; announcement (of one's arrival); invitation
to hold back (e.g. emotions); to rein in (e.g. a horse, unruly people); to get the better of; to control; to command
couch; bench; ottoman; settee
product name; name of an article
wakame (species of edible brown seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida)
somewhat below; slightly below