Vocabulary

poems inscribed beside the stone Buddha Foot monument at Yakushi Temple in Nara

form of poetry found on the stone Buddha Foot monument at Yakushi Temple in Nara (following a 5-7-5-7-7-7 moraic pattern)

three-day weekend; long weekend; three holidays in a row

to go on a trip with someone; to accompany on a trip

depends entirely on; depends above all on

broadcast writer (TV and radio)

striped pattern (textiles, pottery)

to emphasize; to state emphatically; to speak loudly about; to raise one's voice; to lift one's voice

to say it out loud; to yell out; to emphasize

solo (musical work)

solo instrument

to appear uneasy; to appear anxious

cacomistle (Bassariscus astutus); ring-tailed cat; ringtail; civet

Central American cacomistle (Bassariscus sumichrasti)

local warriors, or provincial or district officials, who developed paddy field lands

haltingly; stutteringly

Buddhist precept prohibiting the consumption of alcohol

Soto Zen

spoiled; half-rotten; decaying

to deal a blow in return; to hit back; to punch back

to place both hands on the ground (to express respect, apology or to present a request)

to have stiff shoulders

to feel blocked (of one's chest or throat, due to grief, anxiety, illness, etc.); to feel pressure; to feel pain

Ten Bulls (ten stages of the herding of an ox, used as an analogy for training the mind on the path to enlightenment)

proof of concept

to hold up; to be steady

restructuring of the financial industry; reorganization of financial systems

consolidated taxation system; consolidated tax payment system

Short-Term Economic Survey of Enterprises in Japan (Bank of Japan's quarterly economic survey); Tankan survey

oil resources; petroleum resources

to compete; to vie; to contend

East Asian age reckoning; traditional system of age reckoning whereby newborns are considered one year old and on New Year's Day one year is added to everyone's age

chemical plant; chemical factory; chemical works

processing plant; processing facility; processing equipment

high price

North Sea oil fields

public referendum ordinance

double collision

class-A; A class; A grade

emergency contraception