February 2022– date –

【The trick to have a good conversation】 Do you know the secret to having a good conversation on the first date? At least in Japan, I believe many people know it: You must reserve seats facing the same direction! Do you know why that is...

Why do the colorful feathers of male peacocks attract female peacocks? Some people may accept the simple explanation: “Because they are beautiful,” but I never did. In all through my school days from primary to university, I was an enthu...

【Tragic inflation will attack Japanese school kids】 Are bananas categorized as snacks for a trip? I ensure this phrase never fails to make Japanese people laugh. Japanese elementary school students (6 to 12 years old) go on a school da...

【We Hokkaido people reach enlightenment by clearing snow】 Nothing can stay the same. This is very famous Buddhist terminology, meaning “Life is fleeting and empty.” Even on weekend, I always wake up very early and leave home before six...

【How the green flash appears? Let secrets be secrets】 Do you know the green flash? Fairly infrequently, at the moment of sunrise or sunset, the upper rim of the Sun looks to flash in green. You might have learned it from the movie “Pir...

【Asahikawa, Hokkaido, it's the city of rivers】 This is the central station of our hometown, Asahikawa, seen from due south. The two bridges are still new, built about 10 years ago. In the days without the two bridges, the city center w...

【Can you judge apples by appearances?】 Apples are the most popular seasonal fruit in Japan in winter. You can see a lot of them piling up everywhere. My wife always goes straight to an apple stand in any supermarkets, though I don’t kn...

【Godzilla becomes an academic research subject in Japan】 In my childhood, I memorized even the height and weight of many monsters in Godzilla movies, let alone their names. I'm sure I would have annoyed many people around me by proudly...