Crashing thunder, heavy rainfall, and river's bursting banks, the summer exodus has finally begun. Nebuta is in full swing as has been reported several times this week. Yet, amid all these atmospherics, a political storm is brewing too, near the Senkaku islands, a stone's throw from Okinawa and the northern tip of Taiwan. Nancy Pelosi had visited the island in her capacity as Speaker and third in line to the U.S. President. It has sent Beijing officials into a tiswas of acrimony and threatens to spill over into Japanese waters. Perhaps amid the madness, the annual summer festivals sending off dead spirits to welcome in cooler months, some calm can be found in food and song, from the Japanese work songs of 'Soran Bushi' to food made at COOK DAN, a curry shop in Hachiobori by chef and rapper Raita Danjou, providing rhythm and beats that bind work, the environ