If you have a smartphone, you probably use QR codes. You can add a friend to your LINE address book by scanning their QR code. Many stores ask you to scan a QR code to pay with electronic money, and restaurants have started using QR codes instead of menus. The QR code was invented by Hara Masahiro at Denso Wave in 1994. There were barcodes at the time, but they were mostly used in supermarkets. Besides, they were not always easy to scan. Hara wanted to make a better code that was easy to scan and could hold a lot more information. One day, while playing Go, a board game with black and white stones, Hara had an idea. If he used small squares, he could make made a “quick response” (QR) code. He did it, and his invention has changed our lives.       (143 words) You can send me a comment or your

I usually write about the winners in sports. Today, however, I want to talk about a team that is not a winner. I have lived in Nagoya for many years, and I’m a fan of the Chunichi Dragons. I remember the great years between 2004 and 2012 when Ochiai Hiromitsu was the manager. Under him, the team won four league championships and the Japan Series. Since then, the team hasn’t done very well. In fact, they came in last place from 2022 to 2024. This year, they have a new manager, and they are doing better. They won the last two games, and I’m happy that my team is going to be in fourth place. They won’t go to the Climax Series this year, but there is always next year. Go, Dragons!   (132 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

I am writing this on Sunday. I am at Cape Irago on the Atsumi Peninsula, and I am looking out at the Pacific Ocean. I brought my binoculars and my camera with me. There are a lot of people here with binoculars and cameras. We are birdwatchers, and we are looking for birds of prey like hawks and eagles. They fly over this place in autumn on their way south for the winter. I met a university student that I know from Nagoya. He came with his birdwatching club. We had a great day and saw five different birds of prey.    (101 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

I work at an environmental center a few days a month, and when people visit the center, I tell them about Fujimae Tidal Flat. In our fish tanks, we have fish and crabs that live around the tidal flat. I like to show the visitors one tank in particular. I ask them, “Can you see it?” They look into the tank, but they can only see sand. I tell them that I can see a fish. When they look again more closely, most of them can see the fish. It is called “magochi” in Japanese and “flathead” in English. This fish can change color and blend in with the sand. The camouflage helps it to hide from predators and to catch shrimp and fish for food.   (132 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com