In the Japanese traditional koyomi almanac, the tsuyuiri, or start of the rainy season, is set at June 10th. The actual date, however, varies annually and by region. The weather front that brings the rains, known as the baiu-zensen, moves steadily up from the southwest. For the Kanto-Koshin Region (Kanto plus Yamanashi and Nagano prefecture), …
During the past several decades I have written uncountable newspaper and magazine essays about Japanese nature and culture, in both Japanese and English. One golden rule relentlessly drummed into my head by editors is the need to spotlight food culture when writing for a Japanese audience. This has always posed a challenge for me. Growing …
A long-awaited sunny day in a stretch of warm but cloudy weather. In the traditional Asian almanac, these are the last days when farmers have to worry about damaging nighttime frosts. For a satoyama naturalist, it’s time to pull the trusty insect nets out from the back of the closet. Foldable nets with telescoping poles …
These past few days have been warm with strong westerlies, seasonal trade winds that carry fine-particled yellow sand all the way from the Taklamakan and Gobi Deserts to Japan. At this time of year TV weather reports include satellite images showing the disribution of the yellow-sand clouds. Amazingly, people around here are still enjoying cherry …
Another warm day. I get an early start, planning an ambitious ride down the Shinkawa River bike path to Tokyo Bay to look for migratory sandpipers and plovers on the flats. Nice idea, but not even close. I find myself pedaling furiously into a powerful wind from the south and southwest. I’m only doing 8~9 …
A warm weekend with daytime highs over 20 degrees. The Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms are still hanging in there, but the air around them and the ground beneath them are filled with fallen petals. Families are out on the grass in the park, eating the last sakura-mochi sweet bean rice cakes of the season, and enjoying what …
According to the traditional Japanese almanac, cherry blossoms first open on Marach 25th. In central Tokyo the average opening date, determined by a particular tree at the Yasukuni Shrine, is March 24. This year the blossoms have been a little but late, and the Tokyo opening was not announced until March 29th. Out here in …
March 30 Some of My Next Door Neighbors My condominium is situated alongside a large man-made pond, constructed as a holding reservoir to prevent runoff water from the Chiba New Town streets from flooding the downstream farming areas. The pond was constructed simply by damming a narrow valley. The rice paddies were wiped out, but …
Once upon a time, long, long ago, a dragon came to live in Inba Marsh. This dragon was young and inexperienced, but very friendly. He loved the people who lived in the small villages around the marsh. The dragon especially enjoyed the village festivals. He wanted to join in the fun and dancing, so he …