Watching TV shows has changed a lot since I was a child. When I was growing up, there were no streaming services. If you wanted to watch a TV show, you had to watch it when it was on. If you missed it, you didn’t have another chance. These days, people can watch anything they want, and they can watch it whenever they want to. They can buy DVDs or use streaming services. Some people watch a whole series in one day! That’s called “binge-watching.” I try not to binge-watch, but when I get to the last few episodes of a show, I can’t wait. I binge-watch to the end.   (110 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

I live near a university, and on the campus, there is a large burial mound, “kofun” in Japanese. It goes back to the 4th and 5th centuries, about 1600 years ago. Who built it? Who is buried in it? I’m not sure that we know the answers to these questions, but last year, the university started digging a hole for a new building near the burial mound. They stopped when they found some very old pottery and stones. They are learning more about the people who made it and how they lived. I like my neighborhood because it has a lot of history. People keep finding out more about history here every year. What about your neighborhood? Is there any history under the ground near your house?   (127 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

It’s time to go back to school. The spring holidays are over, and the new school year is starting. Yesterday I saw a lot of parents walking in my neighborhood with their six-year-old children. They were all dressed up. The fathers and their sons were wearing suits, the mothers and their daughters were wearing dresses. They were going to the entrance ceremony at the local elementary school. Today will be the children’s first day at school. It’s a new experience for them. They are probably excited, but they are also nervous. They are probably thinking, “Will I know anyone in my class? Will I be able to make friends? Will my teacher be nice?” (114 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

Last Friday, I took a friend to the Flower Festival at a Buddhist temple in Nagoya. The festival always starts on April 1 and ends on April 8, the Buddha’s birthday. Friday was a great day to go there because it was warm, and the cherry trees around the temple were in full bloom. There weren’t many people there because it was a weekday. When we went into the main hall of the temple, we found a small statue of Buddha in a bowl. We poured “ama-cha” over the statue, and then we were given small cups of tea and deep-fried Tibetan-style biscuits. I liked “ama-cha.” It didn’t taste sweet at first, but it finished with a pleasant sweet taste.   (120 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com