the past, old times / ancient

now / just now / soon

bamboo / the middle of a 3-tier ranking system

(archaic) used in the beginning of narratives or story literature: once upon a time, long ago

bamboo cutter

ancient times, a very long time ago

昔: old time, past time

仕置き, 仕置: to deal with something; to control; to punish; to garrison a conquered or subjugated area

塩木: wood used to heat salt water for the manufacture of salt / 仕置き, 仕置: a means of dealing with something; control; punishment; the garrisoning of a conquered or subjugated area; how something is made

(honorific) venerable; old; father