Last weekend, we threw all the bad insects off our island in a ceremony called Mushi Okuri (seeing off the insects).

The island people didn't exactly kick the insects off the island, but rather, they asked them to leave. Leave it to the Japanese to be so polite as to assist the insects to the water's edge, put them into a special insect boat, and wave bye-bye.

It's a wonder they didn't send them off with cash envelopes.