kobayashi fukuzo is a farmer of recognized skill. at 71, he knows how unforgiving the weather can be. he worries constantly about what he should do to protect and raise his rice. mechanized agriculture allows an aging population to continue to farm. the fields are irrigated. irrigation is crucial. the rice seedlings depend on water, rather than soil, for much-needed nutrients. rice farmers in northeastern japan have a traditional enemy. called yamase, this cold wind can blow through the region anytime from june to mid-august. while it can be absent for years, in 1993, yamase caused extensive crop damage in tohoku. when the cold winds blow, temperatures drop, fog develops, and the plants don't get enough sunlight. stunted stalks are a bad omen. the flower clusters, which precede the grains of rice should be much bigger. kanno hiromitsu is an atmospheric geographer. he is currently studying weather patterns in northeastern japan. in particular, he is studying the yamase phenomenon. ( speaking japanese ) translator: in the normal summer