Photo: Cool as a morning breeze

JAPAN NEWS-YOMIURI
Cool as a morning breeze: A staircase at the front gate of JR Kumagaya Station is painted to show a woman surrounded by morning glories, meant to distract passersby from the blistering summer heat. The original picture, drawn by a 27-year-old company employee living in the city, won the top prize in a contest themed on evoking a sense of coolness. The government in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, a city known for its high summer temperatures, hosts the annual contest, and six staircases in JR Kumagaya and Kagohara stations currently bear prize-winning drawings.
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