OMIHACHIMAN, Shiga Pref. -- When the wind blows, common reeds in front of Yoshihiro Nishikawa's house make a unique sound. Inside, the house is filled with all kinds of products made of the reeds. Nishikawa's head is also filled with reeds, or at least knowledge about them.
With his extensive study of reeds and a collection of 5,000 various reed-related products, he's ready to open a museum on reeds next month in the storehouse next to his house. The goods to be displayed include various kinds of reed specimens found by Lake Biwa, a special sickle for cutting reeds, music CDs and books related to reeds, and ceramics decorated with reed designs.
"I hope this museum will help people realize how closely the reed is related to our lives at home and abroad," said Nishikawa, head of the Institute of Reed Research.