We had a big event at the Fujimae Tidal Flat Activity Center last Sunday, and the weather was sunny and warm. It was a great day to be outside. We had a ceremony for the children who took part in our year-long junior ranger program. They came with their families, and we had a lot of volunteers, too. In the morning, we chopped wood and made fires so that we could made “mochi” and “yakisoba” in the open air. Everyone had a good time, and the food tasted great! After we ate and cleaned up, some of the young volunteers organized games on the grass in front of the center. Then we all went inside for presentations and the ceremony. Even when it was all over, the children didn’t want to go home.   (133 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

When I was driving around Nagoya on Wednesday last week, I saw lines of cars waiting in the road near gas stations. I remembered the news report from the day before. The reporter said that the price of gasoline would go up. The price of one liter of gasoline was 150 yen at the gas station near my house. When I heard the news, I thought that a liter might go up 5 or 10 yen, but on Thursday, I couldn’t believe my eyes. One liter of gasoline was over 180 yen. The price went up about 20%! Now I understand why so many drivers were waiting in line to buy gasoline.   (112 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

When I went to Tokyo, I stopped by an “izakaya.” It was winter, so I ordered “oden.” I really wanted to eat “suji.” I ordered it, but they brought me something white. It looked like “hampen.” I thought, “Huh? What’s this? I didn’t order it.” But I ate it. I thought maybe they had made a mistake, so I ordered it again and spoke more clearly. They brought me white “hampen” again. A few days later, I learned that “suji” means different things in western Japan and eastern Japan. In western Japan, it is beef, but in eastern Japan, it is white fish or something like “hampen.” Every time I ordered “suji,” they were actually giving me the correct thing—for Tokyo. When I told this story to other people, everyone was very surprised. It was a really funny experience.　　　(140 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

The other day, I went to a coffee shop near my house with a friend. When we left, we walked to the subway station. At the entrance, we saw a man selling bread. I really like the walnut bread that he sells, but he doesn’t always have it. This time he had two packs. I decided to buy one. I gave the man a \1,000 bill and waited for the change. He counted his coins, but he didn’t have enough. “I have enough change if you buy both packs,” he said. I smiled and said, “You are a good businessman!” I bought both and gave one to my friend.   (109 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

Most people use straws when they drink cold drinks like soda, smoothies, and bubble tea. I thought straws were a 20th century invention, but they have a long history. They go back at least 4000 or 5000 years. There is a painting from ancient Egypt showing someone using a straw. At that time, they had special straws for drinking beer. The beer wasn’t filtered, so the end of the straw had small holes. Only the liquid could come up. This kind of straw is still used in South America. It is made of metal, and it’s used to drink “mate.” Most straws are made of plastic now, but that’s a problem for the environment. We need to find a way to make straws with something else.    (126 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

It was 8:45 last Friday morning. I was walking my dog in the neighborhood when I saw one couple walking in the street. They were dressed up, but they didn’t look like they were going to work. Later, I saw a Japanese flag flying in front of a junior high school. Why was it there? March 6 isn’t a public holiday. Then, I saw couples walking into the school. “That’s it! The third-year students are having their graduation ceremony today!” I realized. The couples were the parents of the students, and they were going to attend their children’s graduation ceremony. (100 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com