The rice paddies in Gyoda, Saitama Some rice paddies in Gyoda, Saitama have been decorated with Minecraft art! Bees, pigs, dogs, baby chicks and the iconic creeper are represented in the art. The pattern is created using varieties of rice that grow in 4 different colours. I can't imagine how difficult that was to coordinate... There is a 50m tall tower you can view the art from. 1000 volunteers helped plant the rice in June. What an effort! The art can be viewed until Oct

Julián Quiñones scoring the opening goal Mexico have beaten South Africa 2-0 in the first game of the World Cup. South Africa had two players sent off. Mexico also had a player red carded...　That's not great for both teams... Mexico weren't great but played much better than South Africa. I hope the World Cup improves later as this game wasn't the best. Read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/11/mexico-south-africa-world-cup-2026-group-a-match-report to

Freedom Gundam ZGMF-X10A Justice Gundam ZGMF-X09A Shirakawa Daruma Sohonpo in Fukushima have just announced Gundam Daruma! Daruma are small carved wooden doll heads. Traditionally when you buy one, you paint a pupil on one of the eyes and make a wish. When your wish comes true, you paint in the other pupil. There are two types: Justice and Freedom. They also come in two sizes, a small at 15cm and a larger one at 18cm. The large ones are 4,950yen and the smaller ones are 3,3

Daniel Yaakob A Swedish man has played keepy uppy for 28 hours, 21 minutes and 2 seconds. He had 15 minute breaks every 3 hours. Keepy uppy (of keepie uppie) is when a person juggles a ball with feet, knees or head (but not hands) to stop it touching the ground. Daniel said "I want to inspire others to push their limits, [...] This record is the perfect combination of my passion for football, [...] and personal growth." I don't think I have done keepy uppy for longer than

The International Space Station (ISS) 4 crew members have been evacuated from the ISS. It is the first time that NASA crew have returned early due to health reasons. Mike Fincke (USA), Zena Cardman (USA), Oleg Platonov (Russia) and Kimiya Yui (Japan) will arrive back later today (15th January 2026). NASA haven't said which crew member is affected. They have said that the medical issue is not an emergency however. The ISS will shut down and taken out of orbit in 2030. crew

Chris Rea singing Driving Home For Christmas Chris Rea has died. He was 74 years old. Chris Rea was a famous singer from the UK. He was wellknown in the 80s. His most famous song was probably Driving Home For Christmas. It is played every Christmas in the UK. Now that song feels a little sad. It was my favourite Christmas song by far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jckb3dnS5fw&list=RDJckb3dnS5fw&start_radio=1 to die, died: 死ぬ、亡くなった wellknown: よく知られている in the 80s: 80年代 pro

Social media stress Australia has banned social media for under 16 year olds. It is a bold move and Australia is the first country in the world to do it. People 15 and under can't use social media anymore. This is to protect children from the stresses caused by social media. It can be addictive for children. Social media can also be a dangerous place if you are not careful. They can easily be bullied and aren't so easily protected by parents. There is opposition however. S

Languages are difficult. I studied German and Spanish at University. I studied those languages for 6 years. It was difficult, but fun. I loved studying at university. Japanese is different. I learned Japanese when I was 16 for 2 or 3 years. Then I stopped because my interests and my job changed. But while I was studying for my degree, the idea came to work in Japan. So, I started learning again. I have studied Japanese (again) since 2016 (so, for about 8 years) and I have li

A couple are moving house: Wife: Have you packed your clothes? Husband: Yes, I have already done it. Wife: Have you called the moving company? Husband: Yes, I have. I did it this morning. Wife: Have you called the electric company? Husband: Ah, no, I haven't done it yet. Wife: Can you call them now? I have already called the gas company. Husband: Yes, I can. I will do it now. [husband talks on the phone] Wife: Have you called the electricity company yet? Husband: [sigh] Yes,

Interviewer: Hello Mario, thank you for the interview. Mario: Hello! Let's a-go! Interviewer: Where do you live? Mario: I live in Brooklyn, New York. Interviewer: Have you ever been to the Mushroom Kingdom? Mario: Mama Mia! Yes, I have. Interviewer: Have you ever punched Bowser? Mario: Yes, I have! Many times! Yahoo! Interviewer: Have you ever eaten ramen? Mario: Oh, no! No, I haven't... Interviewer: What food do you like? Mario: Here we go! I like pasta! Yahoo! I have eaten

I have been a teacher for 4 years now. But, before I was a teacher, I worked in kitchens in several different countries. It was sometimes a difficult job, but I really enjoyed it. Each restaurant, hotel or bakery I worked at was a new challenge. Sometimes, it was really difficult for me. I remember one job was just too much. I helped breakfast, made cakes and scones for a cafe and did lunch for 100+ people every day. It was so hard at first. I quickly realised I just had to

I love coffee! I drink it every day. Do you like coffee, too? In Tsubame and nearby, we have lots of nice coffee shops. Here are some nice coffee shops in the area: Tsubame coffee is my favourite. I have been there many times. I like to sit outside when it is nice weather. They have many books there too. I also like Itoya cafe in Sanjo. I have drunk coffee there just once. The coffee is really good and it is quiet and peaceful. When I went there it was summer and the trees