July 29: Kumamoto Earthquake reminds us of the one ten years ago. Not again! It must be tough to evacuate during the extreme heatwave; heartfelt condolences to all the victims.
We have been having unstable weather this week. After cloudy, muggy, and humid weather yesterday, intense heat is back to us today. Stay cautious!
July 22: Japan is experiencing another tortuously hot summer. In some cities, the temperature exceeded 40℃. More than 10,000 people were rushed to the hospital for heat stroke in a week up to July 19. You need extra care when walking in Tokyo. A cool net rink is a popular summer gadget in Japan. They freeze in spaces below 88°F (28℃). Sunglasses, cool towels, and ice bags are selling well. Please stay cool because heatstroke alerts are being issued in many cities.
July 19: Had lunch with my friends at “Le Beurre Noisette Tokyo” at Nijubashi Square in Marunouchi. We met in NY in the good old days and deplored current world politics, especially in the US and Japan. It’s all been a bit doom and gloom over the years. We’re all disappointed with the female PM over policies on the economy, diplomacy, and theImperial House Law Amendment.
Le Beurre Noisette Tokyo
Nijubashi Square, 3-2-3 Marunouchi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
telephone: 050-3033-9150
On the way back, I stopped by Ueno to see the solo exhibition by Masashi Ishigai. He is a Japanese-style painter, but I like his authentic paintings, with a humorous and warm feeling.
Masashi Ishigai Exhibition
Matsuzakaya Ueno, Art salon 7th fl. July 15-July 21, 2026
July 12: Hot summer is back. Today is cloudy with a little rain, but the rainy season will end soon, and an extremely hot day is expected with temperatures over 35℃ in Tokyo. Make sure you stay hydrated and turn on the AC inside.
I went to Yokohama, my second hometown, for guiding. We visited Hikawa Maru, which has been kept at Yamashita Park. It is a cargo-passenger liner built in 1930 for the Japan-Seattle line by the NYK Line. Hikawa Maru was a state-of-the-art ship when it was built. Hikawa Maru was designated as a Nationally Important Cultural Property in 2016. We could see the inboard interior decoration and the shipping technology room. The weather was beautiful, and the view from the window was gorgeous.
“Takeshi Wei” Exhibition is being held at Mizoe Art Gallery in Denenchofu. It runs from July 11th to July 26. The artist’s lyrical description of his inner feeling is really touching.
July 5: The weather is gloomy, but a recent government bill made us even more depressed.
On June 30, the Japanese government adopted a bill to revise the Imperial Household Law to address the shrinking size of the imperial family. However, the revision does not change the rules barring women from succeeding to the emperor.
Also, it includes a provision granting Imperial succession rights to the male descendants of male-line males from former Imperial Family branches that left the Imperial Household about 80 years ago. That means the male descendants of adoptees who were born and raised as commoners could one day become emperor.
If the Takaichi administration pushes ahead with a bill that is far from the will of the people, it should be revised through Diet deliberations to secure public consensus.
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July 3: July started with gloomy weather in Tokyo. After a big earthquake and flood in June, we braced for a very hot summer. I went to a piano concert, “A World of Piano Transcription” by Kotaro Fukuma at Tokyo FM Hall. Maybe because of his popularity and music, it was full, and 95% of the audience were women, well-dressed. A wide variety of tones, his talk, and the program, including the Chang song and the Japanese popular music, made us happy! There are several Japanese male pianists, including Tsujii Nobuyuki, Sumida Hayato, and Sorida Kyohei, to name a few. They are all talented and good-looking, too.
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