For the summer heat, frozen flowers go on the block

KYOTO--To provide a sense of cool during the summer months, a company here is creating blocks of ice that contain flowers.

Arakawa Himuro, an ice-making company, has been embedding roses, sunflowers andr other plants in ice on the request of customers, some of whom have ordered other unusual items, such as illumination encased in ice.

Concerns are rising in the Kansai region about possible rolling blackouts to deal with expected electricity shortages during peak demand periods this summer.

A company official said orders for ice were increasing as well as inquiries about the availability of dry ice.