Yesterday the temperature topped 30 C for a record 38th day in a row (and that was just before 10 am !). My Japanese language teacher claims that an even longer heat wave led up to the Great Kanto Earthquake that destroyed Tokyo and Yokohama in 1923. On September 1st (soon). Now this could be just an urban legend, but while the Meteorological Agency states that the previous record was set in 1995, they have started making their observations in 1923.

Side note about our new apartment: If the earthquake strikes down the building before we are given the key (next March), it voids the contract and we are refunded our money. If it strikes after that, it is our problem.