Dear friends,     How are you?     I'm fine.     The newspaper says that Tropical Storm Dennis hit the south-east coast of the U.S. and did great damage.     Japan is also hit by several tropical storms which are called typhoons, every year.     So this time we'll read about "typhoon" from "Japan - an illustrated Encyclopedia"(Kodansha). "typhoons(taifu)     Tropical storms occurring in the western Pacific. The Pacific equivalent of the hurricanes of the Western hemisphere, these tropical storms are prevalent in Japan during the late summer and early autumn.     Historic typhoons include those that thwarted the MONGOL INVASIONS OF JAPAN in 1274 and 1281. Typhoons during recent history that have been exceptionally destructive include the Muroto Typhoon of 1934(over 3,000 people left dead or missing), the typhoon associated with the TOYA MARU DISASTER of 1954(over 1,000 dead or missing), the Kanogawa Typhoon of 1958(over 1,000 dead or missing), and the Ise Bay Typhoon of 1959(over 5,000 dead or missing). Named for their place of entry into Japan or the area of heaviest damage, since 1953 typhoons have also carried serial numbers by year and order of formation. For example, the Ise Bay Typhoon is also called Typhoon No.5915(i.e.,59-15), as it was the 15th typhoon to form in 1959. Thanks to flood control works and improved warning systems, no typhoon since 1959 has left more than 1,000 people dead or missing."     Fortunately no big typhoon hit Japan so far this year, but some tropical depressions came to Japan and as I said in the last letter, caused the heavy rain.     Japanese have loved and enjoyed the nature traditionally, for example through moon viewing(tsukimi), snow viewing(yukimi), cherry-blossom viewing(hanami) and so on. But we should remember that the nature is also violent and merciless.     By the way, Sep.24 is the day when the moon is the most beautiful in the year according to the old calendar.(chushu no meigetsu) We display sprays of susuki(eulalia) on the veranda and offer tiny dumplings(dango) and vegetables to the moon and enjoy moon viewing.     Well, see you next month!

Dear friends,     How are you getting along?     I'm a little tired, but all right.     There have happened lots of natural disasters all over the world since I wrote the last letter; Hurricane Floyd, Taiwan Earthquake, the floods in Mexico and so on.     Also in Japan Typhoon Bart hit Kyushu and left about 30 dead and missing.     But now the weather is improving and it will be the best season for outing. The sky is clear and the air is fresh and cool and the leaves of the trees will turn red and yellow.     So today I'll read about "momijigari" from "Japan - an illustrated Encyclopedia"(Kodansha). "   momijigari     The traditional pastime of viewing autumn foliage. Like cherry-blossom viewing(HANAMI) in the spring, it was popular among the court aristocracy of the Heian period(794-1185). The nobles went boating on ponds in the gardens around their mansions, playing music and composing poetry while viewing the fall colors, or went on excursions into the mountains to gather brightly colored leaves. In the Edo period(1600-1868) the custom spread among the common people. With the improvement of public transportation after the Meiji period(1868-1912), people began to visit distant places noted for their beautiful foliage. The tradition continues to be popular today."     I used to climb Mt.Tsurugi which is the second highest mountain in Shikoku(1,955m=6,414ft) to see its beautiful colored leaves, but I didin't go these three years. I want to climb it this year.     I always climb on its southern slope and I seldom meet climbers, but this is my favorite path to the mountaintop. They say there are some black bears around there, so I should be careful, but I've never met them.     By the way, several years ago I visited Boston in October, where the leaves of the trees are as beautiful as that in Japan, I thought. I was deeply moved.     Well, see you next time!

Dear friends,     I hope you are getting along quite well.     I'm fine, too.     News says that giant cyclone slammed India's eastern coast and that tousands of people were dead. Nature rages everywhere in the world. Don't you think so? But I've never heard of it on Japanese TV or newspaper. Why?     It has been mild weather in Japan.(Oh! I remembered. A depression grew stronger and caused heavy rain in Kanto area once. But not in Shikoku.) We Japanese call the mild weather in November "Koharubiyori" which is often translated "Indian summer". In fact "Koharu" literally means "small-spring" and is another name of October according to old calendar.     Today I'll read about "All Saints' Day", though it passed away. I didn't know the origin of Halloween, so it is very interesting.     "ALL SAINTS' DAY is a religious festival honoring all Christian saints. It is observed on November 1 by Roman Catholics and members of the Anglican Communion, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost (Whitsunday) by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The festival was instituted (May 13, 709) by Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Virgin Mary and all Christian martyrs. Its date was changed to November 1 when Pope Gregory III (reigned 731-741) dedicated a chapel in the basilica of St. Peter to all saints. In 835 Pope Gregory IV ordered its universal observance . The festival originally was called All Hallows in English, and the night before was called All Hallows Eve, which became known as Halloween.     In many American churches a custom has developed of making the Sunday nearest November 1 the occasion of a service in memory of those who have died during the year."     By the way I went to the Horagai Fall which is on the southern slope of Mt.tsurugi. I didn't climb to the top of the mountain, but the leaves turned red and yellow around the Fall were beautiful. Then see you next month!

Dear friends,     It is getting colder and colder, isn't it?     I hope you don't have a cold.     These days there have been winds blowing from the north-west and it snows hard in Hokkaido and the area on the side of the Sea of Japan, TV says.     In Shikoku it seldom snows except the villages among mountains and is relatively warm.     Christmas and New Year is drawing near. Some of you may be busy at the end of the year because of the Y2K problem.     This month I'll read about "joya no kane" from "Japan - an illustrated Encyclopedia"(Kodansha).     "joya no kane(New Year's Eve bells) .    Beginning on New Year's Eve and continuing into New Year's Day, the bells in Buddhist temples in Japan are rung each year to announce the passing of the old year and coming of the new. Because of the Buddhist belief that human being are plagued by 108 earthly desires or passions(bonno), the bells are rung a total of 108 times; with each toll of the bell, one desire is dispelled."     I won't do anything particular at Christmas except reading "Holy Bible" alone this year because I'm not a Christian, but I love the story about the Birth of Jesus Christ.     At the end of the year I am to celebrate New Year of A.D.2000 hearing "joya no kane" from the near-by Buddhist temple and to go to see the sunrise on New Year's Day. Then, I wish you all A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!