Vocabulary

withdrawal (of money); payment; contribution; investment; financing

the place one comes from; one's birthplace; one's hometown

nonsense; irresponsible remark; codswallop; hogwash; rubbish

workmanship; craftsmanship; execution; finish

technical term; terminology; nomenclature

to twinkle (e.g. stars); to flicker; to waver

season (for fruit, seafood, etc.); best time of the year (for)

semi-; quasi-; associate

to liken to; to compare to

semi-express train; local express train; sub-express train

to meet fortuitously; to meet by chance; to happen across

observance (of laws, rules, etc.); adherence; obeying; following; abiding by; compliance

for the first time

first shrine visit of the New Year

place; spot; scene; site

what is called; what you call; what they call; so-called

after all; in the end; anyway

owner

written word; written language

to write down (what someone says); to take down dictation; to take notes (e.g. of a lecture)

various; many; several

various countries; various regions; various provinces

archipelago; group of islands

woman

girls' high school

female high school student

opportunity; occasion; chance

soon; before long; any time now; momentarily

to remove; to get rid of; to take away; to eliminate

to wound; to injure

shopping district; shopping street; downtown

child (esp. one of elementary school age or younger)

fraction (part of); decimal fraction

little by little; bit by bit

(not) at all; (not) a bit; (not) in the least; (not) in the slightest

besides; furthermore; on top of that

still more; even more; all the more

floor

barbershop; barber shop; barber

to invite; to ask