[1] Translated as “administrative scrivener,” this is a specialized legal profession unique to Japan. A gyōsei shoshi helps prepare various legal documents, including wills, inheritance claims, vehicle registrations, articles of incorporations, etc. They also regularly deal with immigration matters.
[2] Just under $20,000 US.
[3] In Japan it is common to mark important documents with a personal registered seal, a jitsuin, in lieu of a signature. The format and contents of these seals is tightly regulated, with most being made by professionals and used for many years. When not needed, they are kept in a safe or other well hidden place along with the registration certificate verifying the person’s identity.
[4] A type of matchmaking meeting that could lead to marriage if the couple feels they are compatible.
[5] Gift giving in Japan is highly ritualistic. There are customs about how to hand someone a gift, how to accept it, what to say, and when you can open it. It is considered particularly impolite to accept most gifts without declining them first. The giver is also expected to belittle the gift they are giving, no matter what its true value may be.
[6] A standard greeting called out upon returning home that is generally translated to “I’m home.”
[7] A mat made of rice straw and covered with woven soft rush straw that is always twice as long as it is wide; they are used to cover the floors in traditional, Japanese-style rooms.
[8] A low wooden table with a heater built into the underside and usually covered with a heavy blanket or futon. People sit at the table with their legs under it and the cover over their laps, trapping the heat by their legs and enabling them to stay warmer.
[9] A personal shrine.
[10] A door consisting of a wood frame and a lattice of wood or bamboo that is covered in a translucent paper called washi.
[11] A supernatural creature with characteristics similar to a fox, often believed to be one that has lived fifty to one hundred years, at least.
[12] A legendary type of being in Japanese folk lore, thought to take the form of a bird of prey, particularly a crow.
[13] A yokai that shares characteristics with a badger.
[14] In Japanese schools, students are expected to help keep the school and classrooms clean, with pairs of students often assigned small, daily morning and afternoon work, such as cleaning, preparing the board for the next day, and completing a class log for the day that documents absences and events.
[15] The classroom number indicates the students’ year. Japanese high schools have three grades rather than four, so third-year students are equivalent to American seniors.
[16] “Arigato” is the general Japanese word for “thank you.” In adding the “gozaimasu,” however, Kazuki is giving the phrase a more formal and respectful tone. Similar to the difference between “Thanks” and “Thank you very much.”
[17] A unit measuring about 6’ x 12’.
[18] Roughly translated to “The Demon World.”
[19] Japanese futons are bedding sets consisting of a padded mattress and a quilt that are pliable enough to be folded up and stored out of sight when not in use. American-style futons were inspired by the Japanese futons, but are usually dual-purpose mattresses, larger, thicker, and less pliable than the originals, that act as both sofa and bed thanks to the folding frames they rest on.
[20] A type of omelet made by rolling together several layers of egg using a rectangular pan; the eggs are flavored with rice vinegar and sugar or soy sauce.
[21] Approximately $20 US.
[22] A rice ball made with sticky rice that is lightly salted and formed into a shape, usually a triangle or an oval. They can be served plain or wrapped in seaweed and/or filled with various ingredients, such as ume (pickled plum), salted salmon, bonito flakes, or salty cod roe.
[23] The term used in Japan for what is commonly referred to in the US as schizophrenia.
[24] The first successful heart–lung transplant in Japan was performed in February of 2013. The recipient, a 35-year-old man, had been on the transplant list 66 months before suitable organs were found.
[25] Due to beliefs about life, death, and medical ethics, organ transplants were banned in Japan in 1968, until the Organ Transplant Law was passed in 1997. In the twelve years following, however, only 81 transplants were carried out, as few people were willing to be donors. Further, transplants for and donations by children under fifteen remained illegal until July 2009.
[26] The traditional response to the entry greeting, often translated to “welcome home.”
[27] “Hot pot” refers to a variety of dishes, particularly popular in winter, in which a simmering pot of stock is placed in the center of the table. Then diners place ingredients into the pot themselves and watch them cook at the table. The ingredients vary based on the particular dish being served. Sukiyaki is the most popular form of Japanese hot pot; it features thin sliced beef, vegetables, and tofu in a sweet soy sauce base. Before consuming the individual items, they are often dipped in raw, beaten eggs.
[28] A popular snack food that’s shaped like a fish. Made with pancake or waffle batter, it usually has a sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste, custard, chocolate, or sweet potato, but it can also be filled with a more savory, meat-based mixture.
[29] A pork cutlet breaded with panko and then deep-fried, usually served with a thick Worcestershire sauce called tonkatsu sauce. Also popularly used as a sandwich filling or with curry.
[30] “Gomen kudasai” is the formal greeting one calls out when visiting a home; it can be literally translated to “please forgive me for bothering you.”
[31] Likewise, Sakura’s response is part of the formal ritual of visiting; she is basically welcoming them and inviting them inside.
[32] One phrase used when offering the customary gift one brings when visiting someone’s home. As Hina already considers Sakura a friend, she uses this more casual form, meaning “this is for you,” rather than the more formal “tsumaranai mono seu ga” (“This is a trifling thing, but please accept it”).
[33] Though trams are not as common in Japan as a whole, Hakodate has an extensive network of these streetcars throughout the city. They go to most major locations or close enough to connect to a bus to get the rest of the way.
[34] Crema Catalana, or as it is commonly called in the West, crème brûlée, is a rich custard-based dessert made from milk, eggs, and vanilla with a caramel crust on top. In Japan, the custard is a little thicker than what you might expect, and it is often served cut into squares rather than in a ramekin.
[35] Lattes made with matcha, aka green tea, instead of coffee.
[36] Fried ramen-style noodles, made from wheat flour, with a thick, sweetened sauce, vegetables, and a protein.
[37] A popular festival food made by taking a frozen banana, jabbing a stick in it, and then dipping it in a thin coat of chocolate. It is often topped with sprinkles before the chocolate sets. Many vendors offer variations featuring white chocolate coatings flavored with green tea, strawberry, mint, or the like.
[38] Long divided trousers or a long, slightly pleated skirt tied with a bow.
[39] A kimono jacket.
[40] Shrine maiden—the closest equivalent in the West might be a shaman. Whether they are working in a shrine or outside, miko traditionally perform various spiritual rites, such as divining, driving out evil spirits, and performing sacred ceremonial dances.
[41] A popular Sanrio character, Chococat is a large-eyed black cat, similar in general structure to fellow Sanrio character Hello Kitty.
[42] A rice porridge commonly given to someone who is sick because it is easy to digest.
[43] A traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans.
[44] Pickled ume fruits, which are often called “plums” but are closer to apricots in taste and appearance; unlike either fruit they resemble, ume have a salty, somewhat sour taste.
[45] A rice wine, a core ingredient of Japanese cooking.
[46] An extra apologetic apology, usually translated to “Truly, I am very sorry.”
[47] Death god, believed to collect the soul of one who has died, though some also see it as one who leads a person to death.
[48] A polite, but more casual way of referring to one’s older brother. While it’s often translated as “big brother,” the original is more nuanced, as there are many words for “big brother,” with differing levels of respect and formality.
[49] A frying technique similar to tempura.
[50] A dish consisting of a protein (fish or meat), vegetables, and/or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice. Ika, i.e., squid, is a signature topping for donburi in Hakodate. The fresh squid is known to “dance” when soy sauce is poured over the tentacles.
[51] In Japan, the legal drinking age was 16 until 2014, when it went up to 18. However, you must be 20 to actually purchase alcohol.
[52] “Empty cup” or “Bottoms up”—a traditional cheer used when drinking. If drinking sake, one would give the cheer then down the whole cup (which is like a shot), but for beer and wine, it’s normal to sip as the characters do.
[53] Grilled meat on a stick, usually chicken, though some places, such as Hasegawa—which is particularly famous for its pork—offer several meats.
[54] Shabu-shabu is another form of hot pot, featuring a kelp-based broth in which ingredients are “swished” back and forth. They are then dipped in ponzu sauce before being eaten. The remaining broth is combined with any remaining rice and eaten as a soup to finish the meal. As the beef is only cooked to a rare state, high-grade meat is used, resulting in Shabu Shabu predominately being “fine dining,” unlike more common forms of hot pot.
[55] A basic stock used in many Japanese dishes, made by boiling edible kelp (kombu) with shaves of preserved fermented tuna (kezurikatsuo) and straining; considered one of the five basic tastes of Japan.
[56] A thin, dark-brown, citrus-based sauce known for its tart flavor.
[57] A raccoon dog yokai; tanuki are canines with raccoon-like features, hence the name raccoon dog.