Vocabulary

envelope containing betrothal money and given as part of a betrothal gift

son of a bitch; piece of shit

price war; cutthroat competition

self-affirmation; self-approval

Ideonella sakaiensis (plastic-eating bacterium)

moulting season; molting season

average-quality article

high-quality article

top-quality article

imperial subject

resident in South Korea; situated in South Korea

mainland dialects (of Japanese, as opposed to the Ryukyu languages)

Japan proper (sometimes excluding the Ryukyu islands and other remote islands); mainland Japan

staged wedding photographs; photo-only wedding; having wedding photography taken without holding an actual wedding

staged wedding photographs; photo-only wedding; having wedding photography taken without holding an actual wedding

thyratron

ignitron

semiconductor device

release from suspension (of a newspaper, magazine, etc.; Meiji period); removal of suspension

black university (e.g. in the US); black college

konbu as a betrothal gift (representing fertility and having healthy children)

Washington, DC

stage show featuring superhero characters from tokusatsu films and TV series

storeroom (attached to a house)

shabu-shabu

rei-shabu; cold shabu-shabu; shabu-shabu where the meat is cooled before dipped in sauce

to be partly responsible for; to have a part in; to play a role in

immediate ruling; immediate decision

guest vocalist; guest singer

wonton noodles; wonton noodle soup

magnum opus; (one's) best work

honorary award

to say something is all right; to give the all-clear (e.g. to do something)

as-new car (for sale); pre-registered car; ex-demo car; demonstrator car

purchase date

hyperesthesia; hypersensitivity

pocket-sized hanafuda; small hanafuda

(open) a little; slightly; narrowly; (cut) finely; thinly

there are no tricks or gimmicks (phrase used at magic shows); perfectly ordinary (e.g. mirror, pack of cards)

half a ken (3 shaku, approx. 0.91 m)