EF English Proficiency

The 2025 EF English Proficiency report is available now. (Check it out in the link.)

Japan is tied at 96th with Afghanistan in the Very Low Proficiency category.

The report is long, but the Table of Contents is helpful and there are many maps and charts. The Forward to the report is “English in the Age of AI”. I found it very interesting.

Work In Progress Wednesday

Sneek Sampler progress

The Great Wave progress

Paisley Purse progress - rings and beads attached.

Stitch Group Sunday

We met on Sunday and did what we always do. They are getting close to finishing the gardens, so next time we meet, we will start a new, simpler project.

Tea time

I love stitching with my friends!

National Parks Quilt-a-Long - Block 4 The Schoolhouse Block

I read about this interesting quilt-a-long on this Piecework magazine website. This article directs participants to the Park’s Website for instructions for blocks 1-6. 

The fourth block is the Schoolhouse Block. I am using small scrappy pieces of fabric that I have and am hand sewing the blocks. 

Previous three blocks -

Woman Arrested After Pet Wolfdog Injures 92 Year Old

 

Wolfdog photo from internet, not actual animal in this case

(I’m not familiar with what a wolfdog is, but I read online that they are a hybrid mix of a wolf and a dog).

A 67 year old woman has been arrested after her wolfdog pet escaped her home in Naie town, Hokkaido and seriously injured a 92 year old woman. According to police, Motoko Okazaki allowed her wolfdog to escape her home between midnight and 1am on July 8. Later that morning the 24 kilogram wolfdog bit a 92 year old woman who was out for a walk. The wolfdog caused injuries to both legs of the woman, which required more than a month to heal. 

At the time of the incident, both the wolfdog’s indoor cage and the home’s front door were open. The pet had escaped previously, having bitten and injured a pedestrian last year.  

How much trouble is this wolfdog owner in? What do you think?

A quick google, came up with these results - 

Key Rules for Dogs in Public

Mandatory Leashing: Letting a dog roam or walk off-leash in public parks, streets, or footpaths is prohibited by local and prefectural animal welfare ordinances. 
Short Control: Leashes must be kept short and secure enough that you maintain total physical control over your pet at all times to avoid startling pedestrians or interfering with bicycles and traffic. 
Exceptions: The only legal places where a dog can be off-leash are fully enclosed, designated  dog parks. 
Cleanup Duties: Owners are legally required to clean up after their pets, which includes picking up solid waste and carrying water to rinse away urine on public or shared property.

Owner Liability and Compensation

Civil Liability: Under Article 709 of the Japanese Civil Code, a dog owner is legally responsible for tort liability if their pet injures someone due to negligence or failure to properly control the animal. 
Damages Covered: Victims can claim compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress (pain and suffering). Many pet owners carry specific liability insurance to cover these costs. 
Criminal Penalties: If an owner acts with severe gross negligence (such as letting a known aggressive dog off-leash in a crowded area), they can face criminal charges for professional or accidental bodily injury under the Penal Code.

Another Typhoon Approaching Japan

Typhoon 25 passed through Japan last week. In my area, there was a day of rain but no real damage. As the storm moved east, it was a different story. I read 11 people lost their lives, and four are still missing. Over 10,000 homes in Chiba and Kanagawa are still without power. There are landslides and fallen trees, so it may be a while until power is restored. Water outages are also a problem. 

Typhoon 26 is now headed this way. The Japan Meteorological Agency is calling on the public to heed warnings.

The average number of storms per year in the area of Japan is 25, with an average of three making landfall in Japan.

Friday Little Finishes

Added photo - yes, this beaded fob is a loop.  It is stitched flat, then the top and bottom joined.

Virtual Zoo in Children’s Hospitals

More than 30 hospitals across Japan are giving children the opportunity to explore zoos and other destinations through virtual reality. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a child with issues requiring a long hospital stay. This project gives young hospital patients the opportunity to interact with others, to have something to look forward to during treatment, and to ease the loneliness and isolation. 

In mid-July, 15 children aged 4 to 16 met in a playroom in Okayama University Hospital’s pediatric ward. They put on virtual reality headsets for a virtual trip to Osaka’s Tennoji’s Zoo. They found themselves in a recreation of the zoo’s African Savana area, with giraffes and zebras.  The virtual space was developed jointly by Osaka-based Kintetsu Real Estate Company and Cluster Inc., a Tokyo metaverse developer. 

Ten year old Takeru Kuwahara, who has been hospitalized since March said he was not comfortable around animals, but found the virtual experience reassuring. Yuka Kawaguchi, a childcare worker in the pediatric ward, said children who lost strength  and normally lacked the energy to leave their rooms were able to go to the event after looking forward to it all morning. Children who took part included those being treated for cancer, heart conditions, and Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. 

This program is helping sick children all over Japan.

Work In Progress Wednesday

New start and probably a quick finish. This will be a beaded loop fob.

 

The Great Wave progress

Comparing the finished piece on the package, you can see it will look better after the outlining.

The Paisley Purse - I haven’t worked on this for a very long time, but there is a good reason. The little clear rings that get covered, were lost in my apartment. They should have been in the bag with the rest of this project, but they weren’t. The bag of rings is little and from time to time, I looked in little places. Finally, I found the little plastic bag inside another little bag that was in another unfinished project. I want to get back to working on it again and hopefully finish it.

Bears, a Boat, and Some Trains

(Not the actual bear in this post)

I read in the news that a bear climbed into a moored tuna fishing boat by its gangway about 8 pm and fell asleep. The report said it later went overboard around 1:30 am and disappeared in the sea. This happened in the city of Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan. Three crew members on the boat were able to lock themselves in a room and were not harmed.  

On Saturday, in Iwanuma, Miyagi, a train struck a bear, causing a temporary service suspension. None of the passengers or crew were injured, but the bear was killed. The bear became trapped under the train and it took about two hours to remove the animal. Trains in both directions were stopped and 490 passengers were delayed.

National Park Quilt A-long, Block 3 Double Pin Wheel

I read about this interesting quilt-a-long on this Piecework magazine website. This article directs participants to the Park’s Website for instructions for blocks 1-6. 

The third block is the Double Pinwheel. There are step by step instructions, as well as diagrams, photographs, and stories. I am using small scrappy pieces of fabric that I have and am hand sewing the blocks. I have to say, the instructions are good, and there are a couple of videos explaining how to cut the blocks with both a rotary cutter/ruler and with templates and scissors.

Trash Talk

 Please take your trash with you.

Silver Week 2026

Today begins a rare five consecutive day holiday in Japan. The last Silver Week was in 2015.  The third Monday in September is always Respect for the Aged Day. It is a Happy Monday holiday, meaning it falls on a Monday and not a fixed number day. The Autumn Equinox holiday falls on the day of the Autumn Equinox, which could be September 22 or 23. 

So, how do we get to five consecutive days from these two holidays? The first two days are the weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Monday is Respect for the Aged Day. Japan has a special holiday rule - a day that falls between two holidays becomes a citizen’s holiday. Since Wednesday is the Autumn Equinox holiday, Tuesday is also a holiday. 

Trains run on either a weekday schedule, or a weekend/holiday schedule. All five of these days are the weekend/holiday schedule, which means fewer trains during the normal “rush hour” times. Public offices, banks, and post offices are all closed, but other businesses are usually open. Most museums in Japan are normally closed on Mondays, but when Monday is a holiday, they are open and they close the next non-holiday day. Usually that means Tuesday, but since Tuesday and Wednesday are also holidays, Thursday becomes the day they are closed. 

Unfortunately, Typhoon 25 is heading straight for Silver Week, so that may affect our holiday plans.

Friday Finish - Padded Covered Hangers

I bought some plain metal hangers at Seria (set of two hangers are only 100 yen). First, I covered the hangers by hand sewing some leftover batting, then covered the batting covered hangers with fabric. I like how they turned out.

Record High Number of Centenarians in Japan

The number of people 100 years and older in Japan reached a record high of 107,677 in September, topping 100,000 for the first time. According to Health Ministry data this is the 56th consecutive year the number has climbed. Women now make up 87.6% of the centenarians (94,298 women). 

At age 114, Kyoto resident Fuyo Kishimoto, born December 20, 1911, is the oldest woman in Japan. Hikari Kato, a112 year old man from Kumamoto, born May 2, 1914,  is the oldest man in Japan. The average life expectancy in 2025 was 87.33 years for women and 81.35 for men.

Work In Progress Wednesday

The Great Wave progress

The Sneek Sampler

A Possible Solution to the Trash Problem

I often hear/read about tourists who complain about having to carry around their trash when they are visiting Japan and about Japanese residents who complain about tourists leaving trash around because they can’t find a trash can. East Japan Railway (JR East) has come up with a solution that solves the problem and is fun to use.

These mobile trash can robots will be rolling around Shinjuku Station on a trial basis for now. They are designed to look like little train cars, with labels to show what trash goes where. I think they are cute.

Shinjuku Station is known for being the busiest station in the world, so if the trial goes well here, it should work at other stations.

National Parks Quilt-a-Long - Block 2 Churn Dash

I read about this interesting quilt-a-long on this Piecework magazine website. This article directs participants to the Park’s website for instructions for blocks 1-6. 

The second block is the Churn Dash. There are step by step instructions, as well as diagrams, photographs, and stories. I am using small scrappy pieces of fabric that I have and am hand sewing the blocks.

Here are the first two blocks

Please Get In Line

 

Hikone Castle Seeks UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Designation

(Photo from my August 2018 visit to Hikone Castle)

The Japanese government is nominating Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture for registration as a Cultural World Heritage site. It is one of the twelve original castles in Japan and is already designated a national treasure. Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture already holds the Cultural World Heritage designation.

Information from J-Castle website:

For his participation in the Battle of Sekigahara, Ii Naomasa was awarded the lands surrounding Sawayama Castle. Due to its inconvenient location and poor condition, he soon started planning for a new castle on a new location that would become Hikone Castle.

Unfortunately, Naomasa died soon after and the castle was actually begun under his son Naotsugu. It took 20 years and was completed under Naotsugu's brother Naotaka who had become lord of the castle in 1615. The main keep of Hikone-jo is famous for having used several types of gables and construction techniques to make it well fortified. The main keep and connected yagura are designated National Treasures. The Ii family maintained their rule over Hikone Castle for over 250 years from the beginning of the Edo Period until the Meiji restoration.

First Autumn Leaf Maps for 2026

(I’m having problems posting pictures on my blog and have read others are too. If you have a solution, please let me know. Thanks!)

Every year, the Japan Meteorological Corporation prepares maps with dates for the best color show. This will get updated as the season progresses. Here are the first maps. For my area, it looks like 12/2 for maple leaves, and 11/17 for ginko leaves.

(These maps are also prepared in the spring for cherry blossom viewing.)

Summer 2026 Mt. Fuji Stories

(photo from my 2019 Mt. Fuji climb)

Today the 2026 climbing season ends for this year. There have been some sad and strange stories in the news this year.

1) 99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji

A 99 year old woman from Iwate, Fukushima began climbing the Fujinomiya Trail on July 15th with friends. She stumbled and hurt herself that day, then spent two nights in a mountain hut near the 7th of the 10 stations.  At 7 am on July 17th, her friend called emergency services and rescue workers evacuated her from the mountain to a nearby hospital. She received medical treatment for back pain and her life was not in danger.  

2) First death of the season  

On July 17th, a 65 year old man from Nara fell and hit his head on a hard surface on the Fujinomiya Trail. Emergency rescue and medical services were called but the man died from his injuries. 

3) Foreign hiker becomes the second fatality  

On July 21st, a 58 year old man from Switzerland was hiking on the Fujinomiya Trail with his son. They stopped for a rest at a mountain hut near the 7th station when the father fell unconscious. The son alerted the hut staff, who called Shizuoka Prefectural Police’s mountain rescue team. They were able to resuscitate the man and take him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The medical investigation is ongoing.

4) German woman rescued, then went on to climb again

On August 19th, a 33 year old German woman began hiking with a companion, beginning at the fifth station on the Fujinomiya Trail. By the time she reached the eighth station, she was suffering from altitude sickness, including dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. After a medical examination at the eighth station medical center, the woman was able to secure an overnight space at a mountain hut where she slept overnight.  Before dawn the next morning, she was back on the trail and continued on to reach the top. Unfortunately, she was not able to make it down on her own and had to be rescued and taken down by Shizuoka Prefectural Police’s mountain rescue team, then taken to the hospital for treatment.

5) Father leaves 7 year old son alone on mountain

On August 20th, a 48 year old father and his two sons, age 7 and 12, started climbing the Fujinomiya Trail at the fifth station.  Around the sixth station, the 7 year old became fussy and began complaining he was tired. The father told the 7 year old to “wait here”, and continued climbing to the top with the older child. At 7:40 the next morning, when it was raining and fog was forming, a worker at a mountain hut invited the young boy inside, and contacted the police. The police learned the father’s name and were able to call him and tell him to come down now and get his 7 year old. The dad and the older child were at the eighth station. Thankfully, the 7 year old was not physically harmed.  

6) Two unconscious climbers

Two climbers were found unconscious in separate incidents at different places on the mountain on September 9th. One climber was found collapsed near the summit about 5:40 am.  The other was found at 7:00 am at the New 7th Station on the Fujinomiya Trail.

7) Landslide at Mt, Fuji Fujinomiya 5th station

Finally, yesterday, September 9th, just after midnight, a landslide occurred at the Fujinomiya 5th Station parking lot, which buried three cars. No drivers, passengers, or climbers were in or near the cars and there were no injuries. Debris blocked the roadway and heavy machinery was dispatched but continuing bad weather makes the recovery and reopening time unknown. 

And so the 2026 climbing season will end.

Work In Progress Wednesday

Sneek Sampler (small) progress

The Great Wave progress - I finished the upper right quarter and have been working on the upper left quarter.

Mechanical Pencil Museum

I love this story.  This university student has turned his passion since childhood into a museum so he can share this interest with others.

Since he was a young elementary school student, Kengo Hirose asked his father to take him to stationery stores. Kengo was fascinated by mechanical pencils. He is now 20 years old and a university student, majoring in architecture.  And, he still loves mechanical pencils. 

In June, he opened the Museum of Mechanical Pencils in Kyoto’s Nakagyo Ward. He has thousands mechanical pencils from Japan and abroad, many of them from the 1980’s, and no longer being made. Visitors are allowed to try out many of the pencils and he also has some pencils for sale. The museum is open from 1 pm to 7 pm on Sundays, with reservations in advance. Visit https://hiroseteppitudo.stores.jp/reserve/kyoto-512 

(Text in Japanese only) for reservations.

National Parks Quilt-a-Long - Block 1 Nine Patch

I read about this interesting quilt-a-long on this Piecework magazine website. This article directs participants to the Park’s website for instructions for blocks 1-6. The first block is the nine patch. There are step by step instructions, as well as diagrams, photographs, and stories. I plan to use small scrappy pieces of fabric I have to hand sew the blocks. Will you join me with this Quilt-a-Long? 

Nine Patch 12 inch block, plus quarter inch seams.