July and August are very hot. Some flowers don’t do well in this weather, but one flower that does is the crepe myrtle. Actually, it isn’t a flower. It is a flowering tree. The flowers bloom for a long time, so the Chinese name means “red for 100 days.” It has a Japanese name with a different meaning. “Sarusuberi” translates as “monkey slipping” in English. They say that the bark of the tree is so smooth that even monkeys slip and fall when they climb it. Pink is a common color in Nagoya, and these trees look beautiful with their green leaves and pink flowers against the blue summer sky. Look around, and you will probably find these trees in your neighborhood.   (122 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

Everyone talks about Ohtani Shohei these days, but there was another player who was just as famous in MLB. In 2001, Suzuki Ichiro joined the Seattle Mariners. He was small for a professional player, and many people wondered if he could make it in the Major Leagues. He showed everyone that he could. He got more than 200 hits for 10 seasons in a row, and, in 2004, he broke an 84-year-old record for the most hits in one season. He was a great runner and stole more than 500 bases in his career. He was a great defensive player, too, and got the Gold Glove award 10 times. Last Sunday, he became the first Japan-born player to enter the MLB Hall of Fame. In his speech, he thanked another Japanese player, Hideo Nomo, for making it possible for Japanese baseball pros to play in the Major Leagues.  (148 words) You can send

The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament took place from July 13 to July 27. I am a big sumo fan, so I tried to get a ticket, but they were all sold out. This tournament was very popular for two reasons. First, everyone wanted to see the new Yokozuna, Onosato. Second, the tournament was held at Nagoya’s new IG Arena. I watched the tournament every day on TV. Instead of the two Yokozuna facing off at the end, the top-ranked wrestlers lost to lower-ranked wrestlers. On the last day, Kotoshoho, one of the lowest-ranked Maegashira, won the tournament with 13 wins and 2 losses and became the new champion. Although I couldn’t go to the tournament, I was able to go to the Tatsunami stable’s after-tournament party. It was really exciting to meet the other Yokozuna, Hoshoryu.   (136 words)

People drive on the right side of the street in most countries. When they walk or ride their bicycles, they also keep to the right. In Japan, people drive on the left and usually keep to the left when they walk or ride their bicycles. As long as everyone stays on one side, it’s not a big problem. However, I use two stations on an old subway line in Nagoya, and each is different. At one station, there are signs telling people to keep to the left. At the other station, there are signs telling people to keep to the right. I sometimes bump into people because we can’t remember which side we should be on. Why can’t they make up their minds and choose one side? It’s the same subway line.  (132 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

I studied Japanese in the United States many years ago when I was a university student. I took a class during the summer. There were only two students in the class, so our Japanese teacher invited us to her house. She wanted to serve us Japanese food. I remember eating strange-looking noodles. They were clear and didn’t have any color. They didn’t look like food to me, but I ate them anyway. I have since learned to like “tokoroten” noodles. My wife and I had some the other day. The noodles were flavored with vinegar and soy sauce, and they were a little sweet. They were very refreshing.   (108 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com