I’ve been saying for some time that I believe Japan’s excellent services are going to start breaking down. Many things we’ve come to take for granted will probably no longer be possible in the future. Today, I went to send a package by courier to a place where next-day delivery had always been possible, but I was told, “That’s not possible.” I wasn’t even surprised. It’s only natural. From now on, we’ll need to prepare even further in advance. I pray for the safety of everyone affected by the disaster in Kumamoto.

The photo shows cattails you often see in parks. They’ve grown big again this year.