As you may know, I do tap dancing. This weekend, we had a two-day performance at a small theater in Nagoya. There were about 80 performers, from beginners to veterans. The teachers choreographed dances for their classes, and the guests included a jazz pianist and bass player. Altogether, there were more than 20 dances. This time, I was in four dances with four different kinds of music, from rap to a jazzy samba. It was hard work, and it required teamwork, but we enjoyed it and got to know each other much better. I know that the people who came to the performance also enjoyed it. They clapped so long and loud that we came back out on stage for a second bow.  (123 words)

Have you ever seen a comet? If you look up at the western sky just after the sun sets, you should be able to see one. It looks like a star with a tail. This comet is called Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Comets come back regularly, but scientists say that this comet will not come back for another 80,000 years. Now is your only chance to see it! People are posting photos of it all over the Internet. According to the news last night, you should be able to see it until the end of this week. You can see it with the naked eye, but it’s better if you use binoculars or a telescope. (112 words)

The Nagoya Festival is next Saturday and Sunday, but we had our neighborhood festival last Sunday. I went to help in the morning, and it was a lot of fun. We blocked off part of the street for children to play. It was a good chance to meet and talk to my neighbors. My neighborhood is changing. The old houses are disappearing, and new apartment buildings are going up. Although I miss the old houses, I’m happy to see more children in the neighborhood. After everyone arrived, some adults and the children went around the neighborhood carrying a portable shrine and chanting “Wa-shoi, wa-shoi” We stopped at the local shrine to pray. There, they gave us refreshments. The children got snacks, and the adults got tea or sake to drink.  (130 words)

Congratulations to Nihon Hidankyo for winning this year’s Nobel Peace Prize! The group, called “The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organization” in English, has been working for years for peace. The members of Nihon Hidankyo have all suffered because of nuclear weapons, and they are trying to teach people around the world how dangerous these weapons are. They want countries that don’t have nuclear weapons to promise never to make them. They want the countries that have nuclear weapons to promise never to use them. They hope that there will be a world without nuclear weapons one day. Some countries have started talking about using nuclear weapons recently, so this Nobel Peace Prize comes just at the right time.    (121 words)