Vocabulary

oak (esp. Quercus serrata)

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

heron (Ardeidae)

stone statue of Jizō (often found along roads)

capturing something alive

the Japanese Alps

market share

logogram; indicative; character depicting an abstract idea

Gothic Lolita (type of teenage fashion)

P-wave (e.g. of earthquake); primary wave

S-wave (e.g. of earthquake); secondary wave

land-tax system during the Edo period under which the government took 40% of the year's crop and the farmers kept 60%

land-tax system during the Edo period under which the government took half of the year's crop and the farmers kept the other half

Mongolian (language)

common spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)

medium egret (Ardea intermedia); intermediate egret

yellow bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis)

yellow bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis)

little egret (Egretta garzetta)

common crane (Grus grus)

flamingo (Phoenicopteridae)

crows and herons

the four stages of existence: birth, life, death, and limbo

the instant of birth (rebirth)

the instant of death

bardo; state (or period) of intermediate existence between one's death and rebirth (in Japan, 49 days)

Mongolia (country)

state (or period) of life

(approx.) six o'clock (am or pm, old time system)

(approx.) four o'clock (am or pm, old time system)

two o'clock (old time system)

the six historical styles of writing kanji: large seal, small seal, clerical, triangular-swept clerical, running, and cursive

large seal script (dating from China's Spring and Autumn period onward)

small seal script (arising during China's Warring States period)

obstetric care

midwife

tough negotiations; forceful negotiations

aggressive negotiations; hard-line bargaining

answers in the Diet