wise ruler; enlightened monarch; benevolent lord
residence maintained by a daimyo in Edo
rotation; making the rounds; spreading; effect; efficacy; by way of; via
role; assignment; position (of responsibility); post; part (in a play, film, etc.); role
personal security; personal protection; provision of a bodyguard
class (of students); group (of people); party; lot; bunch; crime family; organized-crime syndicate
armed might; military power; the sword; force
particularly; especially; in particular; expressly
to take (seat, position, course, office, etc.); to assume; to ascend (the throne); to accede; to start (on a journey); to commence
conventionality; triteness
(art of) fencing; swordsmanship
practice; practising; training; study
to strive; to endeavour; to endeavor; to make an effort; to be zealous
though; notwithstanding; although
leading; prominent; eminent; counting on one's fingers
great swordsman; master fencer
as (i.e. in the role of); for (i.e. from the viewpoint of); apart from... (used to change the topic); even (e.g. "not even a single person"); thinking that...; trying to...
to distinguish oneself; to stand out
male coming-of-age-ceremony; shaving one's eyebrows, blackening one's teeth, and wearing one's hair in the marumage style (of a newly married woman; Edo period)
table; chart; list; memorial to an emperor
only; merely; approximately; about; just (finished, etc.); as if to; (as though) about to
arm; skill; efforts; ability
to anticipate; to expect; to place confidence in; to put trust in; to find promising; to see good prospects (in)
at hand; on hand; way of moving one's arms; skill; money at hand; pocket money
to put; to place; to leave (behind); to establish (an organization, a facility, a position, etc.); to set up; to appoint (someone to a certain position); to hire
about; roughly; generally; on the whole; completely; quite
Chidorigafuchi (famous place in Tokyo for cherry blossoms, location of the Budokan)
cherry tree; cherry blossom; fake buyer; paid audience; hired applauder; horse meat
flower; blossom; cherry blossom; beauty; blooming (esp. of cherry blossoms); ikebana; hanafuda
to fall (e.g. blossoms, leaves); to scatter; to be dispersed; to disappear; to dissolve; to spread
cherry tree in leaf; cherry tree whose blossoms have fallen, revealing the young leaves
day of spring; spring sun
one's superior; higher-up; boss; senior
to call out (to); to call; to summon (a doctor, etc.); to invite; to designate; to name; to garner (support, etc.)