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

I went back to the university where I worked for more than 30 years. When I was working there, they had several cafeterias, a bakery, a small shop for candy and snacks, and a bookstore. They still have the bookstore, but there is only one cafeteria, and the bakery and the shop are gone. I guess it’s too expensive to hire people to sell food these days. Instead, they have machines that sell food and snacks. They also have a self-service Starbucks. I went in and made my own drink. The machine asked me to choose the type of drink, hot or cold, and the size, short or tall. You can choose from many kinds of coffee and cocoa drinks. I bought an iced caramel cappuccino and paid with PayPay.   (130 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

The weather report says that there will be rain for the next few days around Japan. That is good news for farmers. Rice and vegetables need a lot of water, especially when it is hot. However, this weather can be dangerous. There is too much water in the air. We call this “humidity.” Nagoya has high humidity, and that makes it difficult for your body to cool off. When the humidity is low, your sweat dries quickly and cools you. When the humidity is high, the sweat doesn’t dry, so you feel hotter. It is hot and humid now, so be careful and stay safe with these tips. 1) Drink enough water, 2) do easy outdoor activities, 3) wear clothes made of cotton or linen, and 4) take a regular break in an air-conditioned place.     (135 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

What is the difference between “watch” and “look at”? There is only one word in Japanese, “miru,” so this can be a little difficult for Japanese students. Basically, you “watch” something that moves, and you “look at” something that doesn’t move. For example, you watch someone dancing, but you look at the dancer’s clothes. I watch birds, and then I look at my field guide. I used to have an interesting mug that said, “The Clock Watcher.” Donald Duck is at his desk in his office, and he is watching the clock. Why don’t we say “look at” here? Because he wants to go home, and he is waiting for the clock hands to move to 5 p.m. If he just wanted to know the time, he would look at the clock quickly and go back to work.   (138 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

(I wrote and recorded this last Friday.) I like birdwatching, and this weekend, I’m going to be at a conference in Yamanashi Prefecture. I asked a birdwatching friend where to go, and he recommended Mt. Fuji. If you go to the fifth station, there’s a little restaurant and shop, and next to the shop, there are two little ponds. This is the only water in the area, so many birds come here to drink and wash themselves. And many birdwatchers come to look at the birds. When I got here today, there were about 10 or 15 birdwatchers. I saw five or six different kinds of birds. They came and washed themselves, and they jumped out of the water, shook their feathers, and flew off. This happened again and again. I don’t know how many photos I took, but I’m sure I took more than 200. Remember, if you are looking for birds,