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Insects including Hercules beetles added to hometown tax gifts in Japanese town July 18, 2021 (Mainichi Japan) A Hercules beetle, with a long horn, is seen in Kamimine, Saga Prefecture, on July 14, 2021. (Mainichi/Shizuka Takebayashi) KAMIMINE, Saga The local government here has added five insect species including the Hercules beetle one of the largest beetles in the world to its hometown tax gifts, aiming to make them one of the popular topics to revitalize the town, an official said. According to Saga Prefecture, Kamimine collected a preliminary figure of 4.4 billion yen (about $40 million) in local tax donations in fiscal 2020 the highest amount among all 20 municipalities in the prefecture. The town is targeting 4 billion yen (about $36 million) in fiscal 2021. ....
Self-taught fisherman pianist in SW Japan finds inner soul playing La Campanella May 3, 2021 (Mainichi Japan) Yoshiaki Tokunaga plays La Campanella in the city of Saga on April 25, 2021. (Mainichi/Shizuka Takebayashi) SAGA Fishermen are often known to have tough leathery hands like old boots, but in southwest Japan one seaweed fisherman is famous for his talented fingers that play the piano. Yoshiaki Tokunaga, 60, the miracle fisherman pianist from Kawasoe in the city of Saga, farms nori seaweed. He uses his large hands to play Franz Liszt s masterpiece, La Campanella. Tokunaga is self-taught and has been playing the piano for nine years. When he posted a video on YouTube of himself practicing, he quickly drew attention from all over Japan. ....