Readers' Corner

Readers‘ Corner: The Healing Power of Nature

I live in Nagoya, and last month, I took the train to Arako River Park to see the lavender. I experienced the healing power of nature in two ways. One way was seeing the beautiful colors. The other way was smelling the flowers. The lavender’s scent could be smelled even from a distance. The two experiences helped me feel relaxed and refreshed. This was also the best time to see hydrangeas in the park. When I go out to see living things like plants, birds, and fish in a nearby river or park, I sing the phrase, “We are all living…” from the song “Put Your Hands up to the Sun,” with lyrics by Yanase Takashi and music by Izumi Taku.   (121 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

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Suspense that Makes You Think

Alfred Hitchcock made more than 50 movies in his lifetime, and most of them were murder mysteries and thrillers. He was called the “Master of Suspense” because his movies keep you on the edge of your seat. I watched “Rear Window” a few days ago. The main character is a photographer with a broken leg. He can’t move and has to stay in his apartment for almost two months. He starts to watch the people who live in the buildings around him. At first, he does it because he is bored, but then he thinks he has discovered a murder. He starts to use binoculars and his camera to spy on a man. You want him to find out if it is a murder, but it also makes you think. Is it okay to spy on someone like that?   (139 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

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Hungry Bears

What do bears like to eat? If you know the story of Pooh Bear, then you know that bears like honey. This is certainly true for European brown bears. Two brown bears in a wildlife park in Britain escaped from their cage at the end of last month. They didn’t go far, and they didn’t hurt anyone. They stayed in the park and went to the place where the food is kept. They found the honey, and they ate a lot. When the zookeepers found them, they got the bears to go back into their cages. The bears were full from the honey and went to sleep for a long time. That sounds like me. After a big lunch. I get very sleepy and sometimes take a nap.   (128 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

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Dirt is Cool

Everyone is looking for ways to keep cool now, and my daughter’s dog is no different. I walk the dog almost every morning. He enjoys being outside, and we usually go to a park about a kilometer away from home. It’s a long walk, and the weather is hot now, so we stop in the shade to rest. His tongue hangs out, and he pants. Panting helps dogs keep cool. By the time we get to the park, he is hot and thirsty. I take him to the water fountain and make a cup with my hand. He drinks out of it until he is no longer thirsty. Then he lies down on the ground and rubs his body in the dirt. He doesn’t want to get up, so I’m sure the dirt feels cool. (135 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

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Thunder and Wind: Rice Paddy Art in Nagoya

Rice paddy art first started in Aomori, but Nagoya has its own rice paddy art. With the help of its citizens, Nagoya has been making pictures with different kinds of rice since 2011. People who live in Nagoya can take part in the following events: planting the rice in spring, going to a special viewing of the rice paddy art in summer, harvesting the rice in autumn, and getting rice and sake (or rice wine) in winter. I went to see this year’s rice paddy art over the weekend. It’s a picture of the god of thunder and the god of wind. Each god sits on a cloud. The god of thunder is pounding a drum, and you can see bolts of lightning under the cloud. The god of wind is holding a bag behind him and blowing wind out of his mouth.   (143 words) You can send me a comment or your

Readers' Corner

Readers’ Corner: What’s the WBGT today?

Wednesday’s Jaremaga was about staying safe in hot, humid weather. There is a way to measure how dangerous this kind of weather is. It is called the WBGT, and it stands for Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. It was developed by the American military to keep soldiers safe from heatstroke during training exercises. The number comes from the air temperature, the humidity, the strength of the sun’s rays, and the effect of the wind. I found out recently that Japanese schools use the WBGT to decide whether it is safe for the students to do sports. If it is 31 degrees or above, children in Japan are not supposed to exercise outside. You can easily check the WBGT by installing an app on your phone. Just search for WBGT on the app store.   (132 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com