noun:

• Great Kobe earthquake of 1995 (the epicenter was located on Awaji island) ➜ 阪神大震災

noun:

• prostitute from the Yoshiwara district of a fairly high rank (Edo period)

noun:

• obi that is not tied but merely wrapped around the body

noun:

• pavilion used as the emperor's habitual residence (in Heian Palace) ➜ 十七殿

noun:

• ceremony for appointing officials other than ministers (from the Heian period)

noun:

• Golden Light Sutra (as translated into Chinese by the monk I Ching) ➜ 金光明経

noun:

• Maitreya (buddha appearing 5.67 billion years after the death of Gautama) - Buddhism term ➜ 弥勒・前仏

noun:

• low class samurai, who guarded the shogun on outings (Edo period)

noun:

• appearing rustic
• ancient song played at the court
• comical tanka ➜ 狂歌

noun:

• double election (e.g. of the lower and higher chambers) ➜ 同時選挙

noun:

• economic boom created by the Tokyo Olympic Games (1962-1964)

noun:

• bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo, species of hammerhead shark found in the Western Hemisphere)

expression:

• the importance of creating an environment conducive to a child's learning

expression:

• the importance of creating an environment conducive to a child's learning ➜ 孟母三遷の教え

expression:

• time when moles transform into quails (second climate of the third month) ➜ 七十二候

noun:

• the shogun's eighty thousand guards, comprising hatamoto and lower-ranking vassals - archaism ➜ 旗本【はたもと】

noun:

• supporter; cheerer (e.g. from the sidelines at a sporting event); rooter

noun:

• upstage left pillar (on a noh stage), next to the flute player

noun:

• place on bridge passageway next to the rear of a noh stage - where the interlude kyogen actors wait ➜ 間狂言

noun:

• theatre staff who deals with the audience (e.g. ticket-taker, usher) ➜ 裏方

noun:

• action taken to soften the impact of something - From English "one cushion"

noun:

• Oreochromis; genus of tilapiine cichlids in the fish family Cichlidae

noun:

• dapeng (giant bird in Chinese mythology, similar to the roc or Garuda)

noun:

• Elatostema umbellatum var. majus (variety of plant related to the nettles)

noun:

• Japanese sweets in the form of long blocks (e.g. yokan, uiro)