Every time the wind blows, people blame it on global warming. Well,the wind is blowing very strong right now in Tokyo---about 22 mph---and the weather has been unusual recently. I cycle a lot, around 4,500 to 5,000 miles a year and keep a log in which I record the weather during training among other things. So I do have some basis for comparison.

I don't know if it is as related to global warming as we all seem to think, but today's strange weather is not so bad. The strong wind blows some of the pollution out of Tokyo and perhaps tomorrow morning we might even be able to see Mt. Fuji which is a rare event this time of year in Tokyo. It also smells very clean tonight, I can actually detect a trace of pine in the air. It reminds me of northeastern Washington state, and makes me wonder why I ever came back to Tokyo. I often miss the outdoors, and nature, and wild places, things, and animals. They exist, of course, in Japan but you have to get pretty far out of Tokyo to find it.

We are taking another trip to Nagano this weekend. Maybe, if it doesn't rain for two solid days, we can actually enjoy some more or less natural environment. Of course where we are going there will be other people too. walking in the woods chatting and laughing loudly, singing---in general acting like the typical urbanized folks and wondering why they can't see any wildlife. I suppose this shows the unique relationship with nature here. Somehow.