I have been in Nagoya for about two weeks now, and think it is time to make it official: Nagoya is the greatest place on Earth.

My official reason for being here is to set up a research project with some wonderful collaborators at Aichi University (who generously hosted me to give two talks last week), but let’s face it, we can’t be researching all the time, now can we?

No, we can not. So when I am not learning about soybeans (granted, I am always thinking about them), I get to see Nagoya, which in case you have forgotten, is the greatest place on Earth.  Why so, you ask?  Well, for starters, the day I got here (which was a Sunday), there were no fewer than 8 bands rockin out just right there in the street. Some I liked, some I didn’t — one was awesome. They reminded me of mid-90s Green Day, but Japanese. I managed to record about one minute of them before I had to put down the camera and join the mini mosh pit that was forming just behind be. Why a mini-mosh pit, because it was mostly children. Now that’s what I call a well adjusted society.