Kumamoto International Archive

Kirk here with a news item. We just observed a minute of silence for the victim…

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 03:28:43 +0000

Kirk here with a news item. We just observed a minute of silence for the victims at my university.

Kirk here with some mascot news. There are quite a few articles having to do wi…

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:56:07 +0000

Kirk here with some mascot news. There are quite a few articles having to do with the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto earthquakes that I need to share. I’ll try to do that soon.

Kirk here. I've posted links to many articles about these statues over the year…

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:08:59 +0000

Kirk here. I’ve posted links to many articles about these statues over the years but this one taught me something about the connection to the quakes that I had either forgotten or missed entirely:

— start quote —- The fact that One Piece statues were erected only in disaster-affected areas added a deeper meaning: a “pilgrimage to wounded lands.” Taking commemorative photos in front of the statues and sharing their stories became a ritual that echoed the manga’s theme of camaraderie—“never leaving anyone behind.” — end quote —

Kirk here with another news item (video) about Andrew Mitchell and how the earth…

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:55:34 +0000

Kirk here with another news item (video) about Andrew Mitchell and how the earthquakes affect foreigners living in Kumamoto.

— start Claude translation —

“It Felt Like Entering Hell”: What Do Foreign Residents Need During Disasters? Lessons from the Kumamoto Earthquake

April 14, 2026, 17:00

“It felt like entering hell”

One of the challenges that emerged when the Kumamoto Earthquake struck in 2016 was how to support foreign residents. Differences in language and culture made it difficult for assistance to reach them. We explore what will be needed when the next disaster strikes.

Kirk here with a Japan Times article about the restoration work on the castle.

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:27:38 +0000

Kirk here with a Japan Times article about the restoration work on the castle.

I think the article is basically fine but I’d like to add a footnote to this sentence: “The stone walls are expected to take longer to restore. Recognized as a national special historic site, they are characterized by mushagaeshi steep inclines at the top that make it difficult for enemies to climb over them.”

The word mushagaeshi (musha 武者 warrior; gaeshi [kaeshi] 返し causing to topple back) does imply that the walls were designed to be difficult to scale. However, as this quote from a very detailed webpage about the castle points out, the shape was primarily intended to make them more quake resistant.

Kirk here. To be honest, not exactly my cup of tea, but for those of you who mig…

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:40:23 +0000

Kirk here. To be honest, not exactly my cup of tea, but for those of you who might be interested:

熊本地震から10年シンポジウム

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:33:48 +0000

Kirk here. Today is the 10th anniversary of the first major earthquake of the series of quakes that hit Kumamoto in 2016. It registered 7, the highest level, on the Japanese seismic scale in Mashiki, Kumamoto.

A symposium has been planned to discuss how those quakes impacted foreigners in Kumamoto and Kumamoto International’s own Hari Devkota will be one of the speakers. The event will be in Japanese but here’s an English translation of the webpage announcing it.

Kirk here with another news article about Andrew Mitchell.

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:33:53 +0000

Kirk here with another news article about Andrew Mitchell.

— start Claude translation — oreign Residents as Disaster Preparedness Contributors: Shifting from “Vulnerable” to “Active Participants” Through Multiculturalism — Local Government Support Has Its Limits —

(Sankei Shimbun, April 11, 2026)

As the number of foreign residents and inbound tourists in Japan continues to grow, questions are being raised about how to approach disaster preparedness given language barriers and cultural differences. Past disasters — including the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake — saw numerous cases of confusion among foreign nationals who could not understand disaster-related terminology. While local governments work to support affected foreign residents, smaller municipalities face limits in both staffing and budget. Experts are calling for a fundamental shift: rather than treating foreign residents as “disaster vulnerable,” they should be recognized as active contributors to disaster preparedness, working together to get ready for the next crisis.

Pierrock Troupe Puppet Theater Performance & Marionette-Making Workshop

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:14:59 +0000

Atsuko here,sharing my favorite Puppet theater in Kahoku town. ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و♪ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Pierrock Troupe 🎪 Puppet Theater & Toy Factory 🏭 We are happy to announce that we will now be open every other weekend (Saturday & Sunday) each month ☺️❣️✨ Our next performance & workshop will be: April 25 (Sat) & April 26 (Sun) ☺️✨ Schedule: 1:00 PM – Puppet Theater Performance (about 40 minutes) 2:00 PM – Marionette-Making Workshop (about 2 hours) You are welcome to join either one or both! If you’re interested, please make a reservation via Facebook or Instagram message 🙇✨⭐️ Admission: Adults: 1,300 yen ✨ Children: 500 yen ✨ Workshop Fee: One marionette: 3,300 yen ✨ For those who want to fill their hearts with dreams, fantasy, and imagination 🌈✨ we highly recommend the performance. For those who want to bring their imagination to life from the universe within themselves ✨ we recommend the workshop ☺️❣️✨ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー We aim to create a place where people from all over Japan 🗾 and the world 🌏, who carry a childlike spirit, can gather and connect ❣️✨🙇⭐️ At Pierrot Troupe Puppet Theater 🎪 & Toy Factory 🏭, we will continue to create and share many wonderful fantasies ❣️ We sincerely look forward to welcoming you ☺️

A notable consequence of the quakes was that stores quickly ran out of food. Wit…

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:22:46 +0000

A notable consequence of the quakes was that stores quickly ran out of food. With the roads and railroads damaged, it was up to the SDF to bring in food. Inspired by this, a man has developed an instant meal that requires neither water nor cooking and can be stored for up to three years. Read about it here: - William

Kirk here. Here's something related to the upcoming earthquake anniversary.

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 03:33:41 +0000

Kirk here. Here’s something related to the upcoming earthquake anniversary.

Kumabon Book Club Discussion - Wade in the Water

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 08:43:56 +0000

From the book club , this message seems to have gotten overlooked , but here it is , hopefully better late than never: Annnnnnd, another Book Club post

It’s me again Kuma Friends, your friendly neighborhood book club leader (Megan)!

This month, Kumabon is reading “Wade in the Water” by Nyani Nkrumah.

The discussion will be at a restaurant downtown (we’re hoping for Happy Hour at Ni no Ni!) on Saturday, April 25th at 5:30 pm. If you’re interested, please use the QR code to join our Line group and get more information.

Book swap event

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:16:18 +0000

Joe Tomei here. I’m in the process of reducing my library and in doing that, support the Tonokai project. Here’s the details

I’ve started on an online catalogue here https://www.librarything.com/catalog/eibeigakka/allcollections

and if you see a book that you are interested in, please let me know. I’m going to ask for ¥100 (or more if you want to donate more) for each book, which will go to the Tonoka project.

I’m planning on organizing one evening a month for the book swap, which I hope will take place at the end of the month at Kumamoto Gakuen University, though I’m still negotiating about that.

Mt Kinpo Hike to Kawachi Seaport

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:06:33 +0000

This hike is for the more seriously-minded. First, hike to the top of Mt Kinpo, and then descend by its rear.The views of Ariake Sea are beautiful, and you pass through a labyrinth of citrus fields (mostly mikan, but also grapes and pears). If you continue along the multitude of farm roads (which has sightseeing treasures), you’ll arrive at the seaport of Kawachi. From there, you can take a bus back. It’s a full day hike, so leave early in the morning. There are few shops en route, so bring your own supplies. - William

Post

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:08:42 +0000

This is an ideal time of year for hikes. A good day hike is to Hanaokayama 花岡山, …

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:13:23 +0000

This is an ideal time of year for hikes. A good day hike is to Hanaokayama 花岡山, the hill behind the train station. You can take JR or the city tram to a somewhat proximate location and walk up a whole lotta steps past cherry trees to the peak. Note along the route many old inns that were used as leprosy hospitals in the 1920s. It was also a site from which the Kagoshima army bombarded Kumamoto Castle, and there are graveyards dating from that era. Reading the tombstones is interesting. At the peak is a stupa gifted to Kumamoto by Prime Minster Nehru of India. If you go by car, the night view of Kumamoto is unsurpassed. - William

Kirk here. The "follows" (likes + follows, actually) of the page recently passe…

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 02:02:38 +0000

Kirk here. The “follows” (likes + follows, actually) of the page recently passed the 6,000 mark. Thanks to everyone (editors and readers) for participating.

I went for quite a long time without posting much. The reasons were that I had become rather disappointed in the Facebook platform (i.e. what Cory Doctorow has termed en***tification) and also found that I was spending too much time on the page and not able to do other things. Recently, I’ve been feeding news to the page in a way that I think will be more sustainable. What follows is for nerds like me. If you don’t have any particular interest in how the sausage is made, so to speak, please feel free to stop reading here.

Kirk here. I saw something on TV about this local product but haven't had a cha…

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:58:37 +0000

Kirk here. I saw something on TV about this local product but haven’t had a chance to try it out yet.

Kirk here with an article about the 2016 quakes.

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:49:59 +0000

Kirk here with an article about the 2016 quakes.

Kirk here with something from my news feed.

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 03:02:53 +0000

Kirk here with something from my news feed.

Kirk here with some TSMC news.

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:53 +0000

Kirk here with some TSMC news.

From 1 April, a new type of bin bag will become available.

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:38:40 +0000

From 1 April, a new type of bin bag will become available. You can put both burnable waste and non-burnable waste in these bags. You can continue to use the existing bags as well. Although you can put both burnable and non-burnable waste in these bags, you must choose to put either burnable waste or non-burnable waste in them—not both. The message seems to be that whilst the bags can be used for both types, you must sort the contents and put them out separately.

Kirk here. Every April 1st, I've been publishing April Fools' posts on the page…

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:00:41 +0000

Kirk here. Every April 1st, I’ve been publishing April Fools’ posts on the page for many years now. This year, however, I’m afraid I just can’t do it. You see, to be honest, I’m not well. I’ve been diagnosed with a degenerative cognitive disease: ICVS (Inane Cat Video Syndrome). My docs tell me that it’s caused by the overexposure to infinitely scrolling videos of cute kittens, babies laughing at sneezes, goats screaming like humans, and hamsters eating tiny burritos. It has left me unable to focus on any single task for more than . . oh, look, raccoons stealing things . . . that’s so cute! And those dogs in costumes are absolutely adorable . . . um . . . well . . bye!

Kirk here. To be honest, I don't have a deep interest in the repair of this Shi…

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:32:05 +0000

Kirk here. To be honest, I don’t have a deep interest in the repair of this Shinkansen car, which was damaged in the 2016 earthquakes. It has been interesting, however, to see the numbers of people who care enough about it to show up to cheer it on.

Kirk here. No shortage of news about this guy -- though most of it doesn't ment…

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:22:04 +0000

Kirk here. No shortage of news about this guy – though most of it doesn’t mention his hometown.

NHK WORLD JAPAN

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:23:48 +0000

NHK WORLD JAPAN The Kumamoto castle’s secrets are revealed through demolition. Atsuko ʕʘ̅͜ʘ̅ʔ

Kirk here. From the article:

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:13:14 +0000

Kirk here. From the article:

— start quote — The following excerpt is from The Thorn Puller, the first novel by the Japanese poet Hiromi Ito to be translated into English. With dark humor and refreshing candor, the novel explores the complexities and absurdities of illness, aging, and death as the narrator navigates the challenges of caring for her aging parents in Japan and her husband and children in California. The chapter below draws from Ito’s conversations with the novelist Michiko Ishimure, as well as from a variety of Japanese folktales, poems, and sutras. — end quote —

Community Event

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:55:38 +0000

Kirk here. I may not be able to send out a reminder so mark your calendar: April 11th!

Suizenji Festival

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 06:43:12 +0000

Kumamoto is now filled with beautiful cherry blossoms, especially in Suizenji. Suizenji Jojuen is crowded with many visitors enjoying the Suizenji Festival. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, creating a stunning scene. People are gathering to celebrate and enjoy the wonderful spring of Kumamoto, Japan. The event runs until tomorrow—don’t miss this chance to experience it! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)وAtsuko

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18TC4XXGkW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.facebook.com/share/1JNe92yimf/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Cassie here: There’s been a lot of bad news lately so here’s some good news. Kum…

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:21:05 +0000

Cassie here: There’s been a lot of bad news lately so here’s some good news. Kumamoto’s Munetaka Murakami (Kyushu Gakuin Graduate) hit a home run in his opening game for the White Sox. It’s pretty amazing to hit a home run in your first game in the MLB.

Kirk here. The article I introduced about the anti-immigration demonstration th…

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:24:56 +0000

Kirk here. The article I introduced about the anti-immigration demonstration that occurred here in Kumamoto included the following statement from an organizer: “While Japanese people are struggling, it is wrong to spend large sums of tax money bringing in foreigners.” In fact, however, the majority of economists that responded to a survey (image) answered that an increase in foreigners in Japan tended to improve living standards for Japanese nationals. These survey results were originally published in Japanese. I’ll put links to both the English-language and Japanese-language articles in a comment.

Suizenji Seisui-en Festival 2026

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:52:56 +0000

🌸🌸🌸 Suizenji Seisui-en Festival 2026

We’re holding the ‘Suizenji Seisui-en Festival’ again this year! 😊

Highlight 1: Japanese Cultural Experiences Try your hand at the Hosokawa-style bonsai, experience yabusame (horseback archery), and enjoy tea ceremonies and ikebana flower arranging… There are plenty of fun activities to try! 🥰

Highlight 2: Food Food trucks and collaborations with Kumamoto Commercial High School, a gathering of delicious treats 🤤

Highlight 3: Events at Izumi Shrine Miko dance workshops and observing Shinto wedding ceremonies, be sure to check out these unique shrine events that you don’t get to experience every day 👀✨

Kirk here with some unfortunate news. I'm glad to say, though, that some people…

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:52:30 +0000

Kirk here with some unfortunate news. I’m glad to say, though, that some people are pushing back. I’ll put the citation in a comment but first here’s a translation by Claude.

— start translation —

50 Attend Anti-Immigration Policy Demo… Nationwide Simultaneous Action Monday, March 23, 2026

On March 22, anti-immigration policy demonstrations were held at 18 locations across the country. In Kumamoto City, where the number of foreign residents has been increasing, a rally was also held in which approximately 50 people voiced opposition to policies being advanced by the government. This was the third such event in Kumamoto, following one on November 30 of last year.

One Piece exhibition

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:14:56 +0000

Kirk here. This One Piece exhibition will last until May 24.

Kirk here. I was near the castle today and was surprised to see the cherry bloss…

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:13:28 +0000

Kirk here. I was near the castle today and was surprised to see the cherry blossoms on some trees nearly in full bloom. On other trees, the flowers were much fewer and farther between.

Kumamoto Kogyo vs Osaka Toin

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:47:45 +0000

Kirk here. Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9AM Kumamoto Kogyo takes on Osaka Toin, a school with a history of doing well in the Koshien tournament.

Kirk here. This has gotten a fair amount of coverage in Japan. At first, I had…

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:16:20 +0000

Kirk here. This has gotten a fair amount of coverage in Japan. At first, I had trouble verifying it in English but I was finally able to do so. The overall rating for the airport is 4 stars (out of 5) and there are airports in the world with that 5 of 5 rating. But, for a little regional airport. I think Aso Kumamoto Airport is doing quite well.

https://skytraxratings.com/2026-world-airport-awards-are-announced

Kirk here. The other day Hari posted about Kumamoto-ben. (Thanks Hari! Enjoyed…

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:25:53 +0000

Kirk here. The other day Hari posted about Kumamoto-ben. (Thanks Hari! Enjoyed the post!) Here’s my dialect related news item, translated and adapted by Claude AI.

— start translation —

“Please Say It in Japanese” — Grand Sumo’s “Too Real” Kumamoto Dialect Commentary Leaves Fans Baffled: “I Can’t Understand You” / “Give Us Subtitles”

Grand Sumo | March 20, 2026, 9:10 PM

THE MATCH

Grand Sumo Spring Tournament — Day 13 — March 20 — Edion Arena, Osaka

Kirk here with an AI translation of something I found interesting. It rings tru…

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 02:03:02 +0000

Kirk here with an AI translation of something I found interesting. It rings true to me because I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some young people from other countries as they walk to work in a nearby hospital.

Foreign Care Workers in Kumamoto Prefecture Reach 1,107 — A Thousand-Person Increase in Five Years 2024-12-06 Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun

Article Summary The number of foreign nationals working in care facilities in Kumamoto Prefecture has grown from 134 in fiscal year 2019 to 1,107 in fiscal year 2024. Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines are the most common countries of origin, and approximately 60% of these workers hold “Specified Skilled Worker” residency status. The prefecture has begun offering rent subsidies to facilities that employ foreign care workers, and is working to further strengthen its capacity to receive them. Against a backdrop of nationwide labor shortages in the care sector, Kumamoto Prefecture is projected to face a shortfall of 4,820 care workers in fiscal year 2026 and 9,554 by fiscal year 2040, making foreign workers an increasingly vital part of the workforce.

Kirk here with a translation of news about recent tremors.

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:45:13 +0000

Kirk here with a translation of news about recent tremors.

— start of ChatGPT translation —

A series of earthquakes continuing in southern Kumamoto Prefecture is believed to be a “swarm,” possibly indirectly linked to the Hinagu Fault Zone, experts say, urging residents to prepare for further shaking.

Seismic activity has intensified over the past several days. At around 4:44 a.m. on March 18, an earthquake measuring intensity 3 was recorded in Minamata City and Tsunagi Town.

The Kengun Self-Defense Force base is in the news as the site of new long-range …

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 21:36:29 +0000

The Kengun Self-Defense Force base is in the news as the site of new long-range missiles that can reach the Asian mainland. I guess that puts us in the crosshairs once missiles start flying. - William

Kirk here. I once had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ono. My impression was favora…

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 03:36:02 +0000

Kirk here. I once had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ono. My impression was favorable. Nonetheless, as he himself admits, 152 kph cannot be condoned.

Kirk here with some strange local news. By the way, this driver survived but don…

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:22:54 +0000

Kirk here with some strange local news. By the way, this driver survived but don’t try to keep driving like this guy if your sweet potato truck catches fire. Parking and standing back is a much better strategy (though you get more views on YouTube if you keep driving ;) ).

I guess this is a rare case of someone delivering the fire to the fire station so the fire station didn’t have to come and find him.

Kumabon Book Club Meeting

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 05:42:24 +0000

Our friend Megan Pavlak announces another meeting of the Kumabon, Kumamoto’s international book club. She mentions that you need not have read the book - it is the discussion that is important. - William

Kumamoto Prefecture has released a “Kumamoto Dialect Handbook" for Foreign Work…

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:51:19 +0000

Kumamoto Prefecture has released a “Kumamoto Dialect Handbook" for Foreign Workers! 🌸 Designed to ease communication and help foreign employees feel more at home, the handbook introduces useful Kumamoto dialect phrases for daily life, healthcare, caregiving, and agriculture. It’s a great resource for building stronger connections between local residents and international workers in Kumamoto! 💬🤝

Links: Prefecture’s news page: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/58/258611.html Kumamoto Dialect Handbook (Spread/Double-Page Version) https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/life/258611_794494_misc.pdf Kumamoto Dialect Handbook (1-Page Version) https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/life/258611_794495_misc.pdf

-Hari

Kirk here. Here's a link to an article about pets in public housing. As an eld…

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:24:19 +0000

Kirk here. Here’s a link to an article about pets in public housing. As an elderly guy who appreciates the company of a pet, it sounds like a good idea to me.

Japan’s Kumamoto Pref. to trial pets in public housing complex to combat elderly isolation https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260224/p2a/00m/0li/011000c

Kumamoto made the LA Times due to plans to deploy long-range (620-mile) missiles…

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 03:59:53 +0000

Kumamoto made the LA Times due to plans to deploy long-range (620-mile) missiles to the Kengun Jietai base. A concern is that this would make Kumamoto a target should hostilities with China break out. - William

Kirk here. This is from the Japan Times but, naturally, what is happening here …

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 03:53:53 +0000

Kirk here. This is from the Japan Times but, naturally, what is happening here is not just national news; it’s international news. If you Google “Kumamoto missiles” you’ll get lots of hits. I was there for a short time Sunday night but went home before the missiles arrived. There were reporters at the main gate and the gate on the other side (where there were no protesters when I was there). I really respect the protesters who stuck it out in the cold at the main gate until the trucks arrived. I also admire the media people who had to bear the cold temperatures and put up with fatigue as they waited to record the event.

Kirk here. A few weeks ago, Atsuko posted about Okoshiki Beach. Shortly after …

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:02:04 +0000

Kirk here. A few weeks ago, Atsuko posted about Okoshiki Beach. Shortly after that, RKK broadcast this. The occasion was the confluence of several key conditions (sunset timing, low tide, good weather, etc.). Such ideal conditions come around just a few times a year.

Kengun Garrison抗議集会

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:28:59 +0000

Kirk here. I just posted the news about missiles arriving in Kumamoto. Here’s a call from a colleague of mine to gather in protest at Kengun:

— translation of Japanese post by Claude —

Tonight, long-range missile equipment will be transported to Kengun Garrison!

Today, Sunday, March 8, at 9:30 PM

Please gather in front of Kengun Garrison.

These missiles, with a range of 1,000 kilometers, are unconstitutional.

This is war preparation that cannot be ignored.

Demonstration against missile deployment

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:24:17 +0000

Kirk here with a local report (RKK) on a local issue (missiles in Kengun) that is also a national issue (was on NHK’s news last night).

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/2515930?display=1&mwplay=1

P.S. A demonstration is planned for 9:30 tonight (Mar 8). I’ll post about that separately.

—- Claude translation —-

Long-Range Missile Deployment at Kumamoto City Base — Defense Ministry Says “Transport Could Begin as Early as the Night of March 8” — Governor and Mayor: “We Were Not Informed in Advance”

Andrew Mitchell and KEEP in the news again. Here's Claude's translation of part…

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:00:01 +0000

Andrew Mitchell and KEEP in the news again. Here’s Claude’s translation of part of the article (the rest is behind a paywall). – Kirk https://mainichi.jp/articles/20260307/ddl/k43/040/267000c

Keeping Foreigners Safe: “KEEP” — Disaster Preparedness Activities Nationwide After the Kumamoto Earthquake — Andrew Mitchell, Special Assistant Professor at Kumamoto University / Kumamoto Mainichi Shimbun, March 7, 2026 — Regional Edition, 659 characters Andrew Mitchell (41), a British-born special assistant professor at Kumamoto University, was caught in the Kumamoto Earthquake in April 2016. Having never experienced a major earthquake in his home country, he had no idea what to do. “Even after coming to Japan, there are few opportunities to learn about earthquakes. I don’t want others to go through the painful experience I had” — with that feeling, he launched an organization in May of that year to share disaster preparedness knowledge with foreigners, and has continued the work ever since. Aamoto University’s doctoral program in April 2014, at the age of 29. On the night of April 14, 2016, when the first powerful shock — the “foreshock” — struck, he was at his apartment in Kumamoto City. “The only thing I knew was that I had to protect my head,” he recalled. He scrambled to hide under the mattress of his bed.And

Aso Noyaki.

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 11:08:25 +0000

Aso Noyaki. Beautiful spring,Aso. Atsuko٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

Kirk here with some architectural news.

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:32:51 +0000

Kirk here with some architectural news.

Kirk here with Claude's translation of an article about an event at Kumamoto Cas…

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:12:34 +0000

Kirk here with Claude’s translation of an article about an event at Kumamoto Castle. I don’t have a firm opinion about such events at the castle but it seems rather problematic to have three religious facilities (Kato Shrine, Inari Shrine, Kumamoto Daijingu) on the grounds and, at the same time, say that all activities held there must be completely secular. Of course, specifics about how the even is conducted, etc. may be relevant.

Kirk here. A fan of Japanese dramas I know has stopped watching NHK's "Bakebake…

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:22:12 +0000

Kirk here. A fan of Japanese dramas I know has stopped watching NHK’s “Bakebake” (the drama about Hearn and his wife) since the story moved to Kumamoto. Her complaints were primarily about the meaningless, dramatically inane series of Kumamoto tropes and stereotypes. I wondered if this was a criticism shared by many viewers and apparently it is. I am presenting an image from one article and the translation of the Japanese text from another article in this post. I’ll provide the URLs in a comment.

Blue Impulse Kumamoto Earthquake Recovery 10th Anniversary Event

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:08:54 +0000

Kirk here with news about plans for a Blue Impulse airshow on April 11. Should be impressive. I remember the last one, which was visible from where I live in Obiyama (not too far from central Kumamoto City). I assume this one will also be visible from most points near the heart of Kumamoto City and perhaps from much farther away as well.

—- translation by Claude —-

[Breaking News] Blue Impulse to Fly at Kumamoto Earthquake Recovery 10th Anniversary Event — 2026 Fiscal Year Schedule Announced The Ministry of Defense has announced that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s aerobatic team “Blue Impulse” will perform a demonstration flight at a recovery event marking 10 years since the Kumamoto earthquake, to be held on the 11th of next month. Along with this, the flight schedule for fiscal year 2026 has also been announced. Planned appearances include a flight at the air show at Matsushima Base in Miyagi Prefecture — Blue Impulse’s home base — on October 4th, as well as flights at events such as the Tokyo Marathon next March and the 2027 International Horticultural Exposition. The Blue Impulse flight schedule is as follows: ◆ Saturday, April 11 — Kumamoto Earthquake 10th Anniversary Recovery Event

Kirk here with some cherry blossom news.

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:36:50 +0000

Kirk here with some cherry blossom news.

Kirk here with something for One Piece fans.

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:39:22 +0000

Kirk here with something for One Piece fans.

This film just opened in Kumamoto and I went to see it last night. It's playing …

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:33:41 +0000

This film just opened in Kumamoto and I went to see it last night. It’s playing at most cinemas and is in Japanese and English. Although mainly set in Tokyo, some scenes were filmed close to home! It’s beautifully acted and well worth watching. (Fiona)

Kirk here with a YouTube video about a new Taiwanese restaurant in Kumamoto Cit…

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:23:10 +0000

Kirk here with a YouTube video about a new Taiwanese restaurant in Kumamoto City.

The name is 街角饅頭店吉祥天 (Kisshoten) and it’s located in Oe at the following address (pop it into Google maps to get the exact location): 熊本県熊本市中央区大江4丁目18-18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nuE-EZwMKU

Here’s a Japanese-language blog introducing it:

https://somekenblog.net/gourmet/kissyouten/

Kirk here. Today this detailed article about the online sweets shop "Kiyomasa S…

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 02:25:43 +0000

Kirk here. Today this detailed article about the online sweets shop “Kiyomasa Store” (“Kiyomasa” as in KATO Kiyomasa, the guy who built the castle) was in my feed about “Kumamoto”:

Discover Kumamoto Through Sweets: Order Local Souvenirs Online from Kiyomasa Store Authentic Kumamoto sweets and gifts delivered across Japan for foreign residents and souvenir lovers. https://www.prlog.org/13129711-discover-kumamoto-through-sweets-order-local-souvenirs-online-from-kiyomasa-store.html

It’s a press release, written by the company as an advertisement. It includes this:

— start quote — For foreigners living in Japan, finding meaningful and unique gifts can sometimes be difficult. Kiyomasa Store provides a convenient way to order regional souvenirs that are perfect for personal enjoyment, gifts for friends, or special occasions. Whether you want to send a Japanese-style sweet to someone abroad, prepare a thoughtful omiyage for colleagues, or simply explore local flavors from home, the store offers reliable nationwide delivery within Japan. — end quote —

20th Kumamoto City St. Patrick's Day Parade

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:10:16 +0000

💚 Come on out to the 20th Kumamoto City St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday 7th March!! ☘️ Gather at 2pm at Sun Road ShinShiGai downtown and set off at 2:30pm! It’s a very short parade, although there is an after-party at Josaien! Check the link and posters for more info - Ruth

https://parade.kumamoto-ireland.org/2026/spdp2026.pdf

Kirk here. Feeling underpaid in Kumamoto? Well, if we compare ourselves to Laf…

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 06:34:19 +0000

Kirk here. Feeling underpaid in Kumamoto? Well, if we compare ourselves to Lafcadio Hearn, I think we all are. Read this AI generated summary (Claude, my favorite) of a PRESIDENT online article to see just how much better Hearn was paid. ;)

—- start AI-generated summary —

Key Takeaways: Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) and His Time in Kumamoto

WHY HE WENT TO KUMAMOTO Hearn moved from Matsue to Kumamoto in November 1891 primarily for a salary of 200 yen/month at the Fifth Higher Middle School — double what he earned in Matsue. In today’s terms, this equates to roughly 96 million yen per year (about $619,000 USD). He also struggled with the cold in Matsue, having spent years in the tropics beforehand.

Kirk again. I just posted about how RKK and other local media don't seem to be …

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:41:14 +0000

Kirk again. I just posted about how RKK and other local media don’t seem to be inclined to tell people about local demonstrations against missiles in Kengun. For reasons that are not hard to understand, the PRC is keen to do so. I’m not a fan of Chinese propaganda but, just the same, it’s interesting to me that one can learn things from foreign news reports that the local media (at least RKK in this case) doesn’t cover.

Kirk here with a share from Mieko Ueno, our local (my neighborhood) member of th…

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:29:38 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Mieko Ueno, our local (my neighborhood) member of the city council. Here’s an AI translation of the Japanese text:

— start quote —

Stop Long-Range Missile Deployment at Kengun Self-Defense Force Base! Ring of Peace

On February 23rd, an action called “Stop Long-Range Missile Deployment! Ring of Peace” took place, forming a human chain around the Kengun Self-Defense Force base in Kumamoto City to demand the withdrawal of plans to deploy long-range missiles there.

Kirk here. Yesterday the weather was nice so my wife and dog and I went for a l…

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:23:06 +0000

Kirk here. Yesterday the weather was nice so my wife and dog and I went for a little walk in the Ezuko area. I forgot the name of this kind of sakura but every year it blooms quite early in the season. Spring is on its way!

Kirk here with a local issue that is part of a global phenomenon: bees are in t…

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 02:10:18 +0000

Kirk here with a local issue that is part of a global phenomenon: bees are in trouble. Here’s a summary from Claude (my favorite AI service) that I think helps put the issue in Kumamoto in perspective:

—– start of text from Claude —– This article fits into a genuinely concerning global story that has been building for about two decades. Let me put the pieces together for you.

The US “Colony Collapse Disorder” backstory

Kirk here for anyone who might be interested in vintage 'gacha'.

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 05:22:40 +0000

Kirk here for anyone who might be interested in vintage ‘gacha’.

Atsuko here.

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 22:50:00 +0000

Atsuko here. Sharing a beautiful winter sunset viewpoint in Kumamoto.(⁎ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈⁎)

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BdKXru4Pm/?mibextid=wwXIfr

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 21 February 2026
Day two of spectacular views. By evening, approximately 350 visitors had gathered, quietly captivated by the breathtaking sight of the setting sun merging with the sandy tidal flats. We are grateful to have shared this moment with everyone who came! Tomorrow the weather will take a turn for the worse, but the day after tomorrow promises clear skies all day long! We look forward to meeting you all at the Okoshiki Coast Viewing Point. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Okoshiki Kaigan place

Kirk here. Now, at least the families can get some closure and mourn.

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:20:09 +0000

Kirk here. Now, at least the families can get some closure and mourn.

Exchange Event with Dr. David Iwashita

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:22:39 +0000

Joe Tomei here with an exchange event at my school, Kumamoto Gakuen on 3 March. It’s an exchange event where my colleague, Dr. David Iwashita, will first give a presentation to be followed by short talks by students who are returning to Kumamoto and some opportunities to discuss March 2 (Monday) 13:00-14:30 Shin 1 gokan, Kumamoto Gakuen University

If interested, please contact ip-kgu@kumagaku.ac.jp. Hope to see you there!

Kirk here with an article comparing Kurokawa's hot springs with Yufuin and Beppu…

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:35:31 +0000

Kirk here with an article comparing Kurokawa’s hot springs with Yufuin and Beppu. Of course, they all derive their heat from Mt. Aso.

Kirk here with a share I happened across today.

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 03:52:11 +0000

Kirk here with a share I happened across today.

Kirk here with a screenshot from a news segment about an exhibit at the local mu…

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:43:58 +0000

Kirk here with a screenshot from a news segment about an exhibit at the local museum (Kumamoto Hakubutsukan) about Lafcadio Hearn. The image you see is from a lesson Hearn gave to his son, helping him learn English. I was interested in how the standard English of the time was different from English today.

–> No, I do not have a dog. Do you have a cat?

I can’t think of a good example off hand but I occasionally bump into English in dictionaries that may have be OK at one point but that is obsolete now. I suspect that good scholars of English taught their students what they learned in the Meiji period and that, in some cases, those lessons have been repeated without going back to check contemporary usage.

Kumabon Book Club Meeting - Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:06:05 +0000

Hey Kuma Friends!

I wanted to share some information about the local Book Club, Kumabon.

This month we’re reading “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan.

(We realize that this is short notice, we’ll be choosing March’s book at the meeting and sending information out right away!)

The meeting is on Saturday, February 28th at the Kurokami Community Center. (Address in the Flyer)

Come on over even if you haven’t finished the book (or maybe haven’t even started it yet!) as we’re a close group that loves to chat.

Kumamoto Castle Free Public Opening

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:11:57 +0000

Atsuko here. [Notice] Kumamoto Castle will be open to the public for free.(੭˙꒳˙)੭ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー In April, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto earthquake, Kumamoto Castle will be open to the public free of charge.

Please come and see the state of Kumamoto Castle as it continues to be restored. We look forward to your visit.

Period: April 18th (Sat) and 19th (Sun)

Target All park visitors

Fee free

International mini-soccer tournament

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:26:45 +0000

Hi, Joha here. An international mini-soccer tournament is planned in Kumamoto on March 1st, 2026. Please refer to the info on the flyer for details. Mixed (international) teams would be preferred, yet, it’s not mandatory. The registration deadline has been extended, so, don’t care if you see the 13th there ;-) Ciao!

The direct registration pages are here: Japanese version https://forms.gle/dazgBaxXZXd1Jgp97 English version https://forms.gle/tq7qbqZ1YvQw42uTA

Kumamoto City Marathon 2026

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:34:49 +0000

This Sunday, 15th February will see 1000s milling around for Kumamoto City Marathon 2026!! If you’re participating and want a cheer let us know your bib number or tracker details! 🎽✨📣 If you hope to spectate with others, or if there’s a foreign cheer group contingent, surely also holler here… for noise in numbers!!

A few of us intended to cheer from a friend’s apartment near KumaDai hospital but, as they have been hospitalized, we may stay street-based around there! 頑張れ!! Good luck to all taking part! 🏁💦🔥👣 - Ruth

Kirk here. According to the report, Kumamoto is expect to join the frontlines o…

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:33:38 +0000

Kirk here. According to the report, Kumamoto is expect to join the frontlines of chip production. 3-nanometer chips are not the absolute frontline (2-nanometer chips exist) but they are near the frontline and amazingly small, nonetheless.

By the way, according to ChatGPT:

2 nm is the fastest growing advanced node, 3 nm is the current high-end workhorse, and 5 nm still represents the largest share among the advanced nodes — but in the overall market (all nodes), larger mature nodes like 28 nm and above still account for most products due to volume.

Fiona here, posting an opening for a teaching position in Kumamoto city.

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:58:27 +0000

Fiona here, posting an opening for a teaching position in Kumamoto city.

Baker’s English House requires an enthusiastic native English Teacher. The job is full time, a total of 32 hours with a maximum of 24 teaching hours a week. With Sundays and Mondays off. Some Japanese ability and teaching experience would be helpful but not required. Location - Higashi Ku, Kumamoto City� Benefits: From 260,000 yen/month (Negotiable). 20 paid holidays per year. Starting Date: Immediately but can wait till start of April� Please send resume and recent photo to:�info@eikaiwa-bakers.com�Only successful applicants will be contacted. Thank you.

NHK broadcast program on Lafcadio Hearn's time in Kumamoto

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 02:58:25 +0000

Kirk here with a note for folks who understand Japanese and/or know Alan Rosen. For those of you who don’t know, Alan is an American with a long history of teaching at Kumamoto University. You can read about his books (both English and Japanese) and get a little sense of his expertise regarding Lafcadio Hearn from the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064554018003/search/?q=Alan%20Rosen

Tomorrow (Saturday, Feb 7) beginning at 8:15, NHK will broadcast a program that deals with Hearn’s time in Kumamoto. The occasion is the beginning of the depiction of Hearn’s time in Kumamoto in the TV drama “Bakebake.” You can see a Japanese notice about the Saturday morning show (including the video I took a screenshot of) at the following address:

Liz here , with a recommendation for anyone interested in heading to Minamata fo…

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:22:29 +0000

Liz here , with a recommendation for anyone interested in heading to Minamata for the day . A few days ago , on the recommendation of a friend , we headed to the private Minamata Disease Museum there. https://www.minamatadiseasemuseum.net Sorry that my explanation didn’t copy paste correctly as text, but became a photo instead!

Kirk here with news about some young Indonesian women who may have saved the lif…

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:34:23 +0000

Kirk here with news about some young Indonesian women who may have saved the life of an elderly Japanese woman that was unable to get out a a drainage channel on her own. The English below was translated from the Japanese by Claude, my favorite AI service. I asked Claude to translate the article into Indonesian too. That translation follows the English. Terjemahan bahasa Indonesia dari artikel ini mengikuti terjemahan bahasa Inggris. Silakan gulir ke bawah untuk melihatnya.

Joe Tomei here, passing on a notice about French classes. Allons-y!

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:30:37 +0000

Joe Tomei here, passing on a notice about French classes. Allons-y!

Kirk here. It seems that a helicopter carrying two Taiwanese tourists and one p…

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:14:30 +0000

Kirk here. It seems that a helicopter carrying two Taiwanese tourists and one pilot has gone down in the Aso crater. I just saw an image of the wreckage inside the crater on NHK’s national news program. In the NHK segments I saw, the people involved in the search were all wearing gas masks to protect themselves from the intense fumes. Even if the passengers and pilot survived the crash, I doubt they would be able to remain alive for long inside the crater. NHK said that the search will resume at 7:30 AM tomorrow.

Report on the earthquake evacuation drill.

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:36:31 +0000

Report on the earthquake evacuation drill. Ten years since the Kumamoto Earthquake. I believe we must widely share what we experienced and learned, Atsuko (ง •̀_•́)ง

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1a9Amzr2Vr/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Post

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:53:13 +0000

Kirk here. First of all, happy new year! Secondly, sorry to post something that…

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 03:06:18 +0000

Kirk here. First of all, happy new year! Secondly, sorry to post something that is not Kumamoto-specific. The topic is “expat-specific” and, as many expats read the page, I hope you’ll agree that it’s not too far off topic.

In many ways, I have considered the U.S. to be more enlightened regarding issues of immigration or the treatment of non-citizens (well, that is, before 2016). And, even though Japanese politics have taken a fairly anti-foreigner turn recently, it hasn’t gotten THIS bad. Once upon a time, if the Japanese government had put such a discriminatory policy in place, I would have been indignant and thought “this could never happen in the U.S.!” Well, here’s hoping it doesn’t happen in Japan in 2026!

Got snow around Ezuko. Atsuko ☆。.:＊・゜

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:46:20 +0000

Got snow around Ezuko. Atsuko ☆。.:＊・゜

In Ezuko today. Even the best strike out occasionally. -- Kirk

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:37:08 +0000

In Ezuko today. Even the best strike out occasionally. – Kirk

P.S. Facebook made it very hard to get this video into this post. It basically tried to force me to publish it as a REEL, making me REELy unhappy. I’m wondering how to leave Facebook with Kumamoto International in tact.

Kirk here. Munetaka Murakami has signed with the Chicago White Sox. A Japanese …

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:58:53 +0000

Kirk here. Munetaka Murakami has signed with the Chicago White Sox. A Japanese TV show I saw noted that he’s been in pinstripes since Kyushu Gakuen High School, here in Kumamoto (his Yakult Swallows uniform also featured a pinstripe pattern). If you would like to check out how he greets fans in English, you can do that here:

https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/video/munetaka-murakami-says-hello-to-white-sox-fans?t=t145-default-vtp

Kumamoto Prefecture Prevention Training for Foreign Residents - Disaster Prevention Training

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:49:29 +0000

Atsuko here.(ง •̀_•́)ง Information about earthquake drills. Mizuno-san who organised the disaster preparedness drill (if you’re from Kumamoto, you’ll likely recognise his voice from FM radio), hopes many children, students and families with foreign roots will participate.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Kumamoto Prefecture Prevention Training for Foreign Residents Disaster Prevention Training

Japan experiences frequent earthquakes. Do you know what to do during an earthquake?

participation Free We will be conducting earthquake drills. Participation is free of charge (¥0). For Japanese families too. You can participate with your Japanese family and friends. We speak in simple Japanese.

Team Tonakai at Sunatori Community Center

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 05:00:01 +0000

Whatcha up to this afternoon? Team Tonakai is at Sunatori Community Center until 5pm today so pop on by for a cuppa if you want to give a contribution 🎁 ✨🦌場所は神水の江津湖近く、八丁馬場電停から徒歩すぐです。

Comedian: It was so warm today in Kumamoto . . .

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 08:00:23 +0000

Comedian: It was so warm today in Kumamoto . . . Audience: HOW WARM WAS IT? Comedian: It was SO warm, kids were SWIMMING under the Kokai bridge! – Kirk (not a comedian)

Kyushu ELT Convention & Expo

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:13:17 +0000

Ruth here, passing on this request for presenters to register for next year’s Kyushu English Language Teaching (ELT) Convention which will be held in Fukuoka City on Sunday, 22nd February 2026, with the cooperation of the English Teaching Japan (ETJ) community!!✨

It’s a great opportunity for educators to share research and ideas, browse and buy teaching resources, make new friends, and mingle!! Registration for presenters is currently underway, so send your abstract and details through ASAP!! 📄

Thanks for the super cool support, Jeff.

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:18:50 +0000

Thanks for the super cool support, Jeff. Christmas must be happy and warm for both children and adults! ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧Atsuko

Team TONAKAI https://www.facebook.com/share/17vuBaK42v/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1SYmrAjxMf/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Kirk here. I've been waiting for Johnny Depp to come to Kumamoto (hoping to bump…

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 03:28:26 +0000

Kirk here. I’ve been waiting for Johnny Depp to come to Kumamoto (hoping to bump into him on Shimotori) but that hasn’t happened yet. He has, however, met Minamata Disease patient Shinobu Sakamoto in Tokyo – though it took him a while to do so.

Atsuko here.

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 13:17:18 +0000

Atsuko here. II attended a bamboo marimba-making workshop held at the International Exchange Hall. Aix En Provence in France is Kumamoto City’s sister city. An artist who creates bamboo marimbas there held a morning performance and lecture at the International Exchange Hall, followed by a bamboo marimba-making workshop in the afternoon. Kumamoto and France, music and art, measuring bamboo and considering angles involved maths, pitch involved science, and using saws and files involved technical skills. It was a STEAM education experience encompassing diverse learning. I hear they plan to return next year. I do hope they might perform in front of the International Exchange Hall during the Mizuakari Festival’s bamboo lantern display.

Team Tonakai Charity Bazaar and Teatime

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 05:37:03 +0000

Hi, all! Ruth here!! 🦌 Once again this year our Team Tonakai charity group is fundraising for gifts for about 300 children in 7 Kumamoto care homes… 4 in the city, and 3 that bit further away!! 🎁✨🦌

We’d love to see many of you next Sunday, 21st December at our bazaar and teatime at Sunatori Community Center anytime between 1-4:45pm!!

Sunatori CC address: 6-29 Kuwamizuhonmachi, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto, 862-0955

Kirk here. I have a long-standing interest in the variety of work that non-Japa…

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:07:20 +0000

Kirk here. I have a long-standing interest in the variety of work that non-Japanese do here in Kumamoto. Of course, quite a few people are involved in education, particularly the teaching of English, but there’s actually an amazing amount of diversity. Here’s a story (video included / narration and text in Japanese) about a taxi driver from Kenya.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/2340688?display=1

I thought the actual news segment was quite good but, personally, I would prefer fewer question marks in the headline. ;)

Free HIV and Syphilis Screening

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:50:52 +0000

Ruth here passing on some information about free HIV and syphilis screening at Sakuramachi this Sunday, 7th December.

It seems to be in conjunction with an AIDS conference and this free health service will be available from 1-3pm. You get the results about 2 hours later, from 3-5pm on the same day. No appointment, fast and anonymous.

HIV is on the rise in Japan (and elsewhere), so this is a good opportunity to get checked.

Kirk here. If you live in the Kumamoto City area, I highly recommend walking in…

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 13:16:48 +0000

Kirk here. If you live in the Kumamoto City area, I highly recommend walking in the Tatsutayama area – particularly on sunny autumn days like today.

Location via a Google map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tatsudayama/@32.824716,130.7316399,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x3540f140c219c885:0x61c82f702414503!8m2!3d32.8269205!4d130.7322642!16s%2Fg%2F1224zml2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTEyMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Joe Tomei, passing this on from Huy Tran. It looks like it is Sunday 30 Dec?

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:52:51 +0000

Joe Tomei, passing this on from Huy Tran. It looks like it is Sunday 30 Dec?

Christmas market

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 23:43:31 +0000

Atsuko here.٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و♪ The Christmas market in front of Kumamoto Station has started! Sofas to relax on, beanbag cushions. Chocolate drinks, chocolate-infused alcohol. A log circuit kids climb all over. Christmas is for families to enjoy together, but also for couples. Adults and children alike can have fun. That kind of planning, and the city’s ability to make it happen, made me incredibly happy and moved. It was delicious 💕 Tatami-floored sake festivals are nice, but the Christmas market with its luxurious sofas comes even more highly recommended ✨ Amu plaza is formidable 👍👍👍

Kirk again. Yesterday I posted about the demonstrations, studiously ignored by …

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:40:06 +0000

Kirk again. Yesterday I posted about the demonstrations, studiously ignored by most local television stations, against the deployment of long-range missiles in Kumamoto. Here’s a related article.

Kirk here. There was newspaper coverage of this demonstration (which occurred on…

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 14:11:47 +0000

Kirk here. There was newspaper coverage of this demonstration (which occurred on the 9th, 1200 people) against the placement of long-range missiles in Kengun. However, only KKT provided a video report; all other TV stations ignored it.

I was oblivious to this major political uprising until I saw a report about it today on TBS’s Hodo Tokushu, a national program. Sometimes it’s necessary to watch national TV programs to find out what the local broadcasters don’t want to cover. :(

Computer Science in English Season 7 Special Edition

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 09:30:46 +0000

Anyone who likes drones should also like programming and English.Atsuko ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bqq8xj2S5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー On 7th December, as part of the global educational campaign ‘Hour of AI’, we will host an event in Kumamoto where participants can learn about AI in English from North American engineers. This is an excellent opportunity to experience the joy of mastering technology ‘using English’, rather than just attending a lecture. ▼ This year’s ‘Hour of AI’ features a miraculously impressive line-up! This event has realised a miraculous collaboration connecting the world with Kumamoto. Composer Kazuma Jinnai (Music for the film ‘Suzume no Tojimari’) (Special Online Guest) Associate Professor Masanori Kanasaka, Berklee College of Music 【Kumamoto Venue Guest】 Yune Sasaki from the girls’ performance unit “Setsugekka” A performance featuring dancing with digital characters is planned! NPO Waffle (Advertising Partnership) Furthermore, our activities are featured on the official website as a partner of CSforALL (US). https://csforall.org/en-US/hour-of-ai/partners#sponsor We promise this will be a day where children learning English truly realise, “Being able to speak English opens up the world like this!” We would be delighted if you could kindly inform your students and their parents/guardians. 【Event Overview】 Event Name: Computer Science in English Season 7 Special Edition Date & Time: Sunday, 7th December 2025, 9:20–12:00 Kumamoto Venue: Ueki Future Space (72-1 Tekisui, Ueki-machi, Kita-ku, Kumamoto City) Participants: Primary & Secondary School Students (Groups organised by English level; Japanese support available) Participation Fee: Free Capacity: 15 participants (first-come, first-served) ▼ Details & Registration (Common for Kumamoto, Kawasaki, Kobe) https://kidscodeclub.jp/csinenglish_on-site_20251207 ▼ Media Coverage This event has attracted significant attention and has been featured in the following media outlets: PR TIMES https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000016.000036248.html

Surprise Drone Show @ Kumamoto Castle

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:47:24 +0000

Atsuko here.☆٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و☆ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー【Surprise Drone Show @ Kumamoto Castle This Weekend】

This weekend, Saturday 22nd November, we’ll be holding a surprise drone show in the night sky over Kumamoto City, symbolising support for disaster recovery! The first-ever drone show in Kumamoto City!

Though it’s a surprise, we want as many people as possible to enjoy it, so we’re announcing it via social media.

Please spread the word to those around you.

Ludoni Grand Opening

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:22:09 +0000

Funky Friday Find for all you board gamers - and just anyone who just likes to try new spots!! 🎲👑⏳ 大江6丁目27-28 has a new board game cafe, Ludoni, and the grand opening is happening this weekend!!

Look for Ludoni next time you’re in that part of Oe 🏰🃏🪄🎟️🌎🐺 They have about three times as many games as pictured here! - Ruth

Check them out on IG, too! https://www.instagram.com/ludoni_kumamoto?igsh=bDNhNjNqcWxzbTRr

Joe Tomei here with another Funky Friday Find. Actually, my wife noticed this pl…

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 09:43:33 +0000

Joe Tomei here with another Funky Friday Find. Actually, my wife noticed this place and we went the day after we visited Spice Restaurant Bonga. It’s called Teishokuya Suiyougohan and is a Japanese shokudo. It’s across the street from Jikka, a Thai/SE Asian curry place and is your traditional Japanese lunch. They also do a lot of takeaway, so you need to get there early. The lunches were big and tasty and I’m hoping to pick up two of the bentos and going Ezuko park to eat next to the lake. As always, thanks to the official FFF fotographer!

Joe Tomei here, it's been a while, but here is another Funky Friday Find for all…

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:00:03 +0000

Joe Tomei here, it’s been a while, but here is another Funky Friday Find for all of you. (It may have gone up on Kirk’s Instagram, which is connected to this, so apologies if you see this two times)

My wife and I wanted to get some steps in our Pikmin Bloom app (ask me if you are curious), so we went to Kawaramachi. A bit down from the station, there is a side street that actually has three or four places, but on this day, they were closed except for Spice Restaurant Bonga https://maps.app.goo.gl/mXLyBxvAgZz4JDoT8

Kirk here. I received a request from the International Center to share this inf…

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:03:23 +0000

Kirk here. I received a request from the International Center to share this information. If you’ve got an issue you’d like to talk with someone about, please consider the good people at the International Center.

Having grown up in the countryside of Kumamoto, I love rice paddies filled with …

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:05:03 +0000

Having grown up in the countryside of Kumamoto, I love rice paddies filled with water, rice paddies planted with seedlings, lush green paddies in summer, and golden paddies bowing under autumn’s bounty. It’s a shame I couldn’t photograph the paddies with their fields of red clover, but I’ll share these. Atsuko ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

ZINEフェス熊本

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:24:27 +0000

Joe Tomei here, an announcement from Patrick 井島 Washburn.

The ZINE FEST series run by ZINE FARM TOKYO holds its first event in Kumamoto! Based on past events in Fukuoka and Nagasaki, you’re sure to find many unique and original handmade zines, postcards, prints, crafts, etc. Booths from the international community include zines and prints from local artist patokon, Kumamoto-based literary zine Shiranui, and also crochet crafts and stickers from The Riverside Forge. Entry fee is 300 yen. Stop by and check this quickly growing art scene.

Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens visit

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 08:34:24 +0000

Atsuko here٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ Let’s go to Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens! The scent of osmanthus and cosmos fields! Come see the elephants and giraffes—they won’t be here after 5th November! Plenty of acorns have fallen too.

As it’s the replanting season for the cosmos fields, you’re welcome to take some home. I took some myself.

Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens has closed part of the grounds from 5 November 2025 for the ‘Savannah Area Development’ project, marking its centenary. Due to this construction, viewing of the ‘Masai giraffes’ and ‘African elephants’ will be unavailable until the end of fiscal year 2026 (planned).

Joe Tomei here passing on a post from my colleague, David Iwashita (né Ostman) w…

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 02:41:17 +0000

Joe Tomei here passing on a post from my colleague, David Iwashita (né Ostman) who is doing some research related to overseas Japanese. Quick summary, if you know of any Japanese who are living or have lived in Singapore, please let him know! Even if they aren’t 1st generation, they may be able to help David find some people who fit.

===== Research participants who are living in Singapore wanted! Payment provided.

Paper & Letterpress 紙と活版印刷

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:34:33 +0000

Joe Tomei here. It’s been a long minute since I posted, but this is from Patrick Ijima-Washburn (he’s supposed to be listed on the post, but who knows with Facebook)

Paper & Letterpress 紙と活版印刷 At Mifunemachi Machinaka Gallery @御船町の街中ギャラリー https://maps.app.goo.gl/SWLqHeqTQyKfYZNK7 Sat - Sun 10/25-10/26 10 to 18:00 on Sat 10 to 16:30 on Sun Zines, Prints, Stamps and chance to try out letterpress yourself. *I’ll be there on Sunday with zines, prints, and mini stamp books made to look like goShuincho.

Autumn Grand Festival at Kawasiri Shrine

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 00:49:32 +0000

Atsuko here.٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و The four days from Thursday to Sunday mark the Autumn Grand Festival at Kawasiri Shrine. The Grand Festival at Kawasiri Shrine sees four neighbouring districts take turns every fourteen years to bear responsibility for the festival offerings.The festival is a wonderful occasion where not only the local organisers but also parents and children, including the little ones, participate in large numbers. This is a good thing, as it allows for prayers for the region’s peace and prosperity, expressions of gratitude, and wishes for the children’s healthy growth. It was also lovely to see the young people, reunited like at a school reunion, enjoying themselves and celebrating their meeting. This year, our district is responsible for dedicating. The festival continues today, featuring the Sagariuma and Yabusame events.

Atsuko here.

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 12:33:54 +0000

Atsuko here.

For cat lovers! My friend found a ~8 month old kitten the other day. With the help of her friend she took the kitten to the vet and had him neutered and given all his shots/and tests. He’s very friendly and very well trained.

She is seeking a new home for her cat. My friend is a newly arrived ALT at the high school, having just come from America in September, so I advised her to put up flyers in Japanese and English at her high school. Thinking there might be cat lovers and those interested in international exchange here too, I’ll share the flyer here as well. I hope you have a good encounter.

Kumamoto Castle AKI no OSHIRO MATSURI

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 22:46:04 +0000

Kumamoto castle AKI no OSHIRO MATSURI! Mizuakari around Kumamoto castle 100yen beer @sakuramachi are also recommended. Atsuko ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Kumamoto Castle’s top event of the year‼️ Currently running for a limited time only✨

Do your homework beforehand and you’ll enjoy it all the more☺️

Weekdays are comparatively less crowded than weekends and you can borrow lanterns, so they come highly recommended.

During the period, the opening hours for the special viewing area at Kumamoto Castle are extended! Various events will be held.

Kirk here. If you search for "one piece flag protest" you can find lots of arti…

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:55:15 +0000

Kirk here. If you search for “one piece flag protest” you can find lots of articles about how the One Piece pirate flag (created, of course, by Kumamoto’s own Eiichiro Oda) is being used in protests all over the world.

Kumamoto Living People Festival Mizuaakari

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 03:12:25 +0000

Atsuko here.(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ On Saturday, I participated as a volunteer for the Mizuaakari event. What made me happy was meeting four international volunteers. As a resident of Kumamoto, I think it’s wonderful that international people volunteer and interact with local residents. I believe it has a positive impact on local residents, children, Mizuakari staff people, and international residents alike. The participants are apparently ALTs from Kumamoto City and Kumamoto Prefecture. Though they didn’t know each other beforehand, they connected there, forming new bonds. I was happy and felt reassured. Another joy was seeing a local Japanese volunteer with excellent English skills willingly offering translation and work support. The Mizuaakari staff don’t speak English, but they seemed able to understand the work through simple English and body language. Mizuakari volunteers are still working at Josai-en. They were also recruiting volunteers for the event day. It’s fun to watch, but participating is even more fun. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 9/20 ~ Production Day 7 ~

Watch now!

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:31:10 +0000

Watch now! @Kumamoto city Ezu area,

The most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. A perfect semicircle, A double rainbow, Vivid and beautiful colors ( In Japan rainbows have 7 colors). Atsuko ( * ॑꒳ ॑*)

20th Kumamoto Kurashihito Festival Mizuakari

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 04:10:26 +0000

Atsuko here Mizuakari season is coming! I plan to volunteer this year too .(* ‘ᵕ’ )☆ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 2025/08/30 - 1st day of production

The production work for the 20th Kumamoto Kurashihito Festival Mizuakari began today!

Familiar faces arrived at 8:30 a.m., and after a greeting from the steering committee chairperson, a total of about 20 people began work. Some foreign residents also came as volunteers. We set up fans in the shade and worked under tents, which was more comfortable than we had imagined, but we had to keep hydrated.

Atsuko here.

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 05:03:40 +0000

Atsuko here. Small Travel Recommendations. Last week, a coworker gave me some Osaka Expo snacks as a souvenir from her summer vacation trip. I asked her what she enjoyed the most at the Osaka Expo and she answered the post office. She told me that she had stamped the stamps from the Osaka Expo. I asked her why the post office. She told me that they had stamped the stamp of the Osaka Expo. It was a landscape stamp, a date stamp with a landscape design unique to that post office. She showed me her collection of stamps and I was so impressed with the beauty of the stamps that I will share them with you. It is wonderful that it contains various places, specialties, and history. To get a landscape stamp, you have to go to the post office and ask the staff to stamp a landscape stamp. Or, you can send a return postcard to the post office of your choice and ask them to stamp it with a landscape stamp. It is a small trip around the nearby post offices, but I think you will make a nice collection. ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Kirk here. Atsuko's post about Amakusa reminded me of this bit of news from RKK…

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 03:53:04 +0000

Kirk here. Atsuko’s post about Amakusa reminded me of this bit of news from RKK. Even if you don’t understand Japanese, the combination of the English text and the images in the video should give you a clear idea of what’s nice about the Ryugatake Summit Natural Park (which I’ve never been to yet myself).

=== start ChatGPT translation of Japanese article ===

Headline: “The Best Starry Sky in Japan” Should Be Seen from the Summit of Mt. Ryugatake! How ‘Mountain Amakusa’ Doubled Its Revenue and Offers More than Just the Sea — Kumamoto

Dear Amakusa Mogushi, Onikizaki fans.

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 07:11:23 +0000

Dear Amakusa Mogushi, Onikizaki fans. Amakusa is fine. I went there for the first time last Sunday.

Kumamoto’s summer recommendations. I visited Mogushi Beach and Onikizaki Beach in Ushibuka-cho, Amakusa City for the first time. Migushi is very famous and I had heard for a long time that the sea is very beautiful, but this was my first time there. Last Sunday, the effects of the heavy rain had been completely repaired, and I arrived at Mokushi in two and a half hours from Kumamoto City without any traffic jams or traffic restrictions. The sea of both Mokushi and Onikizaki were very beautiful and full of red, blue, orange, and striped tropical fish. Unfortunately I didn’t bring my underwater camera, but I enjoyed snorkeling for 5 hours. Summer is the season in Amakusa. However, it is a waste of time this year because of cancellations due to the flood. Roads and stores are recovering. Please enjoy the summer in Amakusa a lot! Atsuko (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ

Kirk here. When a falling star is very bright it can be called a "fireball" (火球…

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:40:32 +0000

Kirk here. When a falling star is very bright it can be called a “fireball” (火球; kakyuu). Well, a very bright one fell near Kyushu last night. Kagoshima and Nagasaki had some cool shots (most news reports feature those) but this video has the best I’ve seen from Kumamoto.

Anyone out there notice it in real time?

One of my favorite cartoons depicts a foreign jogger sweating through the heat.…

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 01:58:20 +0000

One of my favorite cartoons depicts a foreign jogger sweating through the heat. A bystander remarks, “Henna gaijin,” to which is companion replies, “Isn’t that redundant?” - William

We've got a typhoonette coming. - William

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 05:24:48 +0000

We’ve got a typhoonette coming. - William

Kirk here. It's been a while since I've visited this tunnel. It's not my favori…

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 23:02:19 +0000

Kirk here. It’s been a while since I’ve visited this tunnel. It’s not my favorite place in the Aso area but it’s cool inside and kind of unique. Might be good to put it on your itinerary if you’re going to in the area. :)

William has written a couple of times about the history of the tunnel (originally planned as a train tunnel but project abandoned). I’ll post links to to those posts in a comment.

Kumamoto Tokai Dai Seisho Second Round Game - Koshien Baseball Tournament

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:22:40 +0000

Kirk here with a heads up for high school baseball fans. Kumamoto’s representative plays their second game in the Koshien elimination tournament today. Should be exciting.

Go Tokai Dai Kumamoto Seisho!!

https://koshien.hanshin.co.jp/

P.S. Here’s a translation of a Kumanichi article about the first game. I haven’t found anything in English but the Japanese media covered how the supporters could get to the game because of the rain Monday. They are SURE to be there today!

About collection of disaster garbage due to heavy rain damage.

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 01:01:34 +0000

About collection of disaster garbage due to heavy rain damage.

I too have experienced flooding above floor level twice as a child. I know it’s a lot to clean up, but hang in there. It’s hot, so don’t get dehydrated. Atsuko ( ｰ̀֊ｰ́)و♡

Before you clean up the damage, you should take pictures of the damage (how deep it was, where it flooded, what was damaged). Information on the damage certificate was shared by Kirk also.

Kirk here. I complained about EVERYONE getting repeated midnight warnings and r…

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:19:47 +0000

Kirk here. I complained about EVERYONE getting repeated midnight warnings and reports that gave the impression that everyone had to evacuate. But, it’s also true that a lot of people were put in harm’s way and quite a few suffered significant damage, particularly in the Tamana area.

If you are one of those whose property was damaged, you may be able to get compensation. Check out this page from the prefecture.

Kirk here. In a comment I'll put a link to this video showing how Shimotori flo…

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 18:23:35 +0000

Kirk here. In a comment I’ll put a link to this video showing how Shimotori flooded yesterday. It was particularly sad for folks with shops below street level. :(

Fun fact: When Kato Kiyomasa built the castle, the Shirakawa flowed through this part of town. After he used the river to carry all those heavy boulders to the construction site, Kiyomasa diverted the flow, producing the state we know today. The diversion of the river was very successful and invaluable to the building of what we now know as downtown Kumamoto. But, even Kyomasa couldn’t change the fact that Shimotori used to be a riverbed and, as such, is subject to flooding at times like this. Next time you walk down Shimotori look around and imagine how the street used to be a river. :)

Kirk here. I have found the quality of journalism in the Japan Times to be pret…

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:57:08 +0000

Kirk here. I have found the quality of journalism in the Japan Times to be pretty good in the past but not so much so in this case. As I posted previously, it may be true that the “literal” message sent to millions of people was an “evacuation order.” But, it’s also true that most of the millions who were not in a flood plain and not near a steep incline had the good sense to stay put – a point that the article doesn’t explain.

Good morning.

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 23:27:38 +0000

Good morning. Be careful. Watch out for the rain, everyone.Atsuko(ง •̀_•́)ง

Kumamoto city River flood monitoring system. https://city-kumamoto-pub.e-monitor.jp/city-kumamoto/.

https://www.nhk.or.jp/kishou-saigai/city/status/43100004310100/

Kirk here after a very long hiatus. The screenshot you see is from this website…

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 20:30:23 +0000

Kirk here after a very long hiatus. The screenshot you see is from this website:

https://city-kumamoto.my.salesforce-sites.com/#

But don’t panic; the “evacuation order” is very, very misleading – despite the wording, we have not actually been ordered to evacuate.

Here’s a post I made a long time ago that explains what this “evacuation order” REALLY means:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02HaDrsnR5wfsRQzQZWQSmZZjHz7ndPxTRKx3PciVuRRVTsJtiPRhWspXfhBTTDJMrl

So, if you got up in the middle of the night because you were worried about your alarmist phone (mine was very noisy!), you can probably go back to sleep as long as you are not living on an incline (danger of landslides) or in a low lying area (danger of flooding). I’m in neither situation so I would prefer that my phone be quiet but, alas, I’m not sure if that is even an option.

Just so you know what the castle looks like when it is struck by lightning. - Wi…

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 13:58:10 +0000

Just so you know what the castle looks like when it is struck by lightning. - William

Orugated Kids - August 2025 Schedule

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 01:58:25 +0000

Sharing information for children from abroad and their mothers and fathers.Atsuko (* ‘ᵕ’ )☆ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー We are pleased to announce the August 2025 schedule for “Orugated Kids,” a study group for children from abroad and their mothers and fathers. At “Orugated Kids”, children can learn how to pronounce and use Japanese correctly, and mothers and fathers can consult with the children about things they don’t understand or worry about at kindergarten or school. The program is open to children between the ages of 5 and 8 and their mothers and fathers (guardians).

The argument over rebuilding Kumamoto City Hall is ridiculous.

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 08:23:56 +0000

The argument over rebuilding Kumamoto City Hall is ridiculous. Here is my hometown city hall. Notice the dates. - William

KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA "HANABI GARDEN"

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:29:17 +0000

Atsuko here. Sharing Hanabi and Nihonshu,Shochu. You can enjoy Japanese summer night, cool!!

KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA “HANABI GARDEN” will be held 🍉✨!

KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA “HANABI Garden” will be held!

Friday, August 15, 2025 16:00 - 20:30 Venue: Kawajiri Kanko Parking Space 4-10-28 Kawajiri, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture (in front of Zuitaka Kawajiri Honzo) ★500 meters to Kasegawa riverside, the venue of the Shoryo Nagashi Fireworks Festival

In conjunction with the Kawajiri Syoryo Nagashi Fireworks Festival, the KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA “HANABI Garden” will be held, where you can enjoy Japanese sake and shochu from the long-established local sake brewery “Zuiyo” with fireworks at !

1st Yamaga Lantern Women's Marathon Running Session with Yuko Kawakami

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 08:21:05 +0000

Fiona here, sharing updated details of the running session to be held in Yamaga.

Running session for ladies runners supported by the 1st Yamaga Lantern Women’s Marathon ambassador Yuko Kawakami. This is a running session leading up to the event to enjoy running. The main aim is to build a community among runners, including those who want to start running, and jogging.

[Overview] Running session with Yuko Kawakami, Ambassador of the 1st Yamaga Lantern Women’s Marathon in Kumamoto.

Suizenji park summer festival

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 06:26:04 +0000

Sharing Suizenji park summer festival. ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭ Atsuko

Fiona here, passing along a job opportunity for Russian speakers. Anyone interes…

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 12:12:11 +0000

Fiona here, passing along a job opportunity for Russian speakers. Anyone interested can contact the organisation by email.

We are a Supporting Organization based in Kumamoto and currently looking for someone from Uzbekistan or Russia who can translate Japanese (daily conversational level) for a part-time online position.

📌 Requirements:

Able to understand and translate normal Japanese conversation

Part-time

Online work (remote)

📩 If you or someone you know is interested, please feel free to message us directly.

Fiona here, passing on a message from former long-term Kumamoto resident Greg Ra…

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 04:32:26 +0000

Fiona here, passing on a message from former long-term Kumamoto resident Greg Rammit about an apartment for rent that’s available in Mashiki.

Hi everyone. Our old landlord has reached out to us to see if there’s anyone interested in renting a 1LDK in Mashiki, Souryou. Comes with a parking space and is ¥55,000 per month. I believe there is no key money, but I can look into that further for anyone interested. It is situated next to a bus stop, supermarket, and Daiso. Close by to Costco, Mashiki Interchange, and the tram in Kengun. Awesome place where we lived for 15 years. It has been recently renovated. Anyone interested can send me a message on Facebook. Thank you.

Hi, Joe Tomei here. We've gotten a stray cat, it's a female and, unfortunately, …

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:26:04 +0000

Hi, Joe Tomei here. We’ve gotten a stray cat, it’s a female and, unfortunately, we can’t keep it. It’s about 1.5-2 months old, a very sweet calico. If anyone is looking for a cat, please contact us. It seems to have been abandoned by her mother, we took it to the vet and got the medicine for mites and parasites administered. If anyone is willing to take her, we’d also get the cat vaccinated and if it is a first cat for you, we can give you help and details.

Lafcadio Hearn/Koizumi Yakumo Talk and Irish Music Workshop

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:26:38 +0000

On August 9th, Kikuchi City will host a talk about Lafcadio Hearn/Koizumi Yakumo’s life and works, as well as an Irish music workshop ✒️👻🍃 Free entry, but sign up in advance to secure a seat!🪉♫🎻 - Ruth

(Fiona) China Eastern started flights connecting Kumamoto Airport with Shanghai …

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:31:47 +0000

(Fiona) China Eastern started flights connecting Kumamoto Airport with Shanghai today. This should give long-distance travellers a few more flight options, and make Kumamoto a little easier to reach for overseas visitors. Initially there will be three flights a week, decreasing to twice weekly from August 20th.

Run with 川上優子第一回山鹿灯籠ウィメンスマラソン

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:13:16 +0000

Fiona here, passing along information about an opportunity for women to experience running with a former Olympic athlete and professional coach. For further information please check the details and links below.

[Overview] Running session with Yuko Kawakami, Ambassador of the 1st Yamaga Lantern Women’s Marathon in Kumamoto.

Target: Female runners only (beginners to experienced runners)

All sessions (Total 5 sessions), only the first 25 people. Tea time after each session (drinks and snacks included).

JICA Kyushu and Roasso Kumamoto Multicultural Co-Creation Event

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:37:57 +0000

Hi all, Johannes here.

Today, I’d like to forward an info by a friend.

JICA Kyushu and Roasso Kumamoto are pleased to announce a multicultural co-creation event to be held during the home game on Sunday, July 6. The event will bring together high school students and foreign residents of Kumamoto. With Roasso Kumamoto’s cooperation, approximately 200 foreign residents of Kumamoto will be invited to attend the Jubilo Iwata game FREE OF CHARGE. Japanese people are also welcome to attend as long as they are accompanied by a foreigner. High school students from Kumamoto Prefecture are involved in planning this event. We plan to have a Thai food stall and exchange activities on the day of the event. Regardless of nationality, let’s support Roasso Kumamoto together! ――――――――――――――――――――― [Event Outline] Date: July 6, 2025 (Sun) Venue: Egao Health Stadium (2776 Hirayamacho, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto City) ・15:00〜 Stadium food starts ・18:00〜 Kick-off (Roasso Kumamoto vs. Jubilo Iwata) *JICA booth: Ticket distribution, exchange program information, etc. *Please see the attached flyer for details

So sad news.

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:20:10 +0000

So sad news. I’m also her big fan. RIP. ーーAtsuko.

Articles about her. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bv6TLFeTr/ https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18xBjPGHVe/ https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ap7XgLiru/ https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BuHr883H6/ https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C2iJ2PzsZ/

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EeqXiwYcc/

Eid al-Adha

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:24:32 +0000

Hi Johannes here. As society gradually opens up to foreigners, religious life here in Kumamoto is also becoming increasingly diverse. In this context, I would like to point out an interesting festival that will take place on Saturday at 10:00 am in the park of Kumamoto Castle. The Eid al-Adha is the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, which is the climax of the Hajj. Anyone is invited to join the venue.

Fiona here, passing on a job opportunity with a local English school.

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:38:11 +0000

Fiona here, passing on a job opportunity with a local English school.

Freedom English School, located in Kamitori, Suizenji, and Musashigaoka in Kumamoto City, is seeking an English teacher for a full-time position with an August or September start. Applicants must be native-level speakers, and should be comfortable teaching children of all ages, ranging from kindergarten age through to Junior High School students. Experience is preferred, but not essential for the correct candidate. Pre-employment and on-the-job training will be provided. We offer a competitive financial package - details of which will be provided on request - and an excellent working environment. If you are interested in joining our growing teaching team and would like to find out more information, please contact Greg Howes at fes@kumazemi.co.jp or 096-322-7100.

Kumamoto has its fair share of published authors among the international communi…

Fri, 30 May 2025 00:42:52 +0000

Kumamoto has its fair share of published authors among the international community. Tales of Old Zen was released just a few weeks ago and is written by long-term resident Alan Rosen who arrived here in the early 1970s. It’s available in paperback and digital formats and looks like an interesting read for anyone who has ever spent time in Kumamoto. (Fiona)

William

Sun, 25 May 2025 08:26:36 +0000

William An excellent photo of our castle.

Local Gospel Choir Concert

Sat, 17 May 2025 12:18:54 +0000

A local gospel choir will be holding a concert next Saturday evening (24th May) at Shintoshin Plaza 🎵🎤 🎶

See the link to the advert on Instagram for more details! - Ruth

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJHhfvgTCLF/?igsh=OG9qYWhkeTl0dXFy

Fiona here, with a few suggestions for outdoor activities in Kumamoto.

Sat, 17 May 2025 10:05:00 +0000

Fiona here, with a few suggestions for outdoor activities in Kumamoto.

Go Nature offers kayaking, SUP (Stand-Up Paddle boarding) and river trekking in various locations around the prefecture. Their new splash trekking tour also includes an optional onsen visit. While I haven’t tried that yet, I can vouch for the Ezu-ko sunset and Midorikawa Dam kayaking tours as being very fun with friendly and professional guides. https://go-nature.club/

Forest Adventure Misato has zip-lining, Tarzan swing and ropes courses in a beautiful setting with camping also available nearby. This place has great activities on offer for both children and adults. https://foret-aventure.jp/park/fa-misato/

Good day, everyone!

Fri, 16 May 2025 04:23:28 +0000

Good day, everyone!

Sean here, and I’m offering a great opportunity for anyone interested in English or considering teaching in the future—perfect for high school or university students!

I’m looking for a co-teacher to assist me on the following dates: • Shift 1: May 22nd (Thu) 15:30–18:30 • Shift 2: May 26th (Mon) 15:30–18:30 • Shift 3: May 28th (Wed) 15:30–18:30 • Shift 4: May 29th (Thu) 15:30–18:30

Pay: ¥2,500 per shift

William here with one more word about water.

Wed, 14 May 2025 07:13:50 +0000

William here with one more word about water. Granted, I’m a bit elderly so am more susceptible to heat. I have passed out on the street due to heat exhaustion twice. As summer comes about, choose a bottle that you like, fill it with water every night, stick it in the fridge, and enjoy it the next day. Drink at least 500ml. And enjoy the sweet taste of Kumamoto water.

William here with a word about water.

Wed, 14 May 2025 03:29:20 +0000

William here with a word about water. Kumamoto is the largest city in the world to be served entirely by artisanal water. The granite substrate created by repeated Aso eruptions ensures that fresh water remains towards the surface. The water from your tap is far superior than anything you can buy at a store. (My sister, visiting from the States, once sent me out to get her a bottle of water, and the clerk looked at me as if I were insane.) I fill up a pet bottle with tap water nightly, stick it in the fridge, and drink it the next day. Stay hydrated.

JLPT preparation classes at KIF

Thu, 08 May 2025 01:24:11 +0000

JLPT preparation classes at KIF! Are you living and working—or planning to work—in Kumamoto? If you’ve registered for the JLPT exam on July 6th, don’t miss this useful preparation session! Join these sessions organized by Kumamoto International Foundation (KIF) to learn, practice, and boost your confidence for the test. -Hari https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji0032980/index.html

GW Enjoy Kumamoto Report by Atsuko( ᐛ )و

Sun, 04 May 2025 13:26:21 +0000

GW Enjoy Kumamoto Report by Atsuko( ᐛ )و

News of the new Kinpouzan Boys Nature House has been seen everywhere, but today I am going to introduce you to the Amakusa Youth House in Kumamoto, 熊本県立天草青年の家.

The plan is to promote family use on under-utilised and under-used Saturdays and Sundays, holidays.

Children under high school age can use the campsite for 100 yen and adults for 320 yen.

Tents, barbecue sets, rice cooking sets, etc. can be rented free of charge.

Michi-no-Eki Miyajidake Kakashi no Sato - Scarecrow Search

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:57:30 +0000

(Fiona) Looking for something a little offbeat and off the beaten path this Golden Week? This event comes highly recommended by a student of mine who said it’s well worth the long drive to a remote village in Amakusa that is filled with scarecrows every spring. Michi-no-Eki Miyajidake Kakashi no Sato was once an elementary school that closed down due to the shrinking population. Locals have turned the premises into a roadside station selling produce, and replaced the humans with hundreds of scarecrows, some of which are scarily lifelike. Tourists are challenged to search for the ‘Wanted’ scarecrows with prizes on offer. Here’s the website (in Japanese) with more details. There may be heavy traffic jams during Golden Week so allow for around three hours or more if driving there from Kumamoto city!

Liz here. Information about the services for Allan to be held in Scotland on the…

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:55:49 +0000

Liz here. Information about the services for Allan to be held in Scotland on the second. I am still at a loss for words , but am sure Ayako and Hannah know how much Allan touched our lives, and how much he will be missed.

Learn Computer Science in English Season 7 "Tree Algorithm" - 4th session

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 14:25:12 +0000

Join a workshop in Kumamoto to learn programming while using English.

Learn programming while using English, with on-site support in Kumamoto City (Ueki), while connecting online with children from around the world.

Teachers are engineers from Google.

Act Local, Think Global.( ᐛ )وAtsuko ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー [5/11 Onsite event in Kumamoto, Noto, and Kobe!] Call for participants for the 4th session of “Learn Computer Science in English” Season 7 “Tree Algorithm”

https://kidscodeclub.jp/csinenglish_on-site_20250511

Kirk here. In a comment to Joe's post informing us of Allan Sutherland's passin…

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:37:25 +0000

Kirk here. In a comment to Joe’s post informing us of Allan Sutherland’s passing, I wrote that “Allan was a man of many talents: music, photography, cooking . . . a very erudite person.” Here’s a comment from Allan that gives you a sense of that erudition. Like Eugene Smith he was extremely knowledgable about jazz and photography, and a very sensitive person.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0RtKmLgidPXxN2kEqzZGqP2iA1zbicpKcFReDXCNnwiSWWhuL2rb8iusHzm6qcBHEl

Joe Tomei with the sad news that Allan Sutherland has passed away. Allan was par…

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 23:42:43 +0000

Joe Tomei with the sad news that Allan Sutherland has passed away. Allan was part of the Kumamoto-i community early on, when it was a Yahoo group email list and he and his wife were key supporters of the the foreign teachers at Kumamoto Prefectural University. I’m sure that Kirk may have some things to say, but a memory that stands out for me was that Allan often organized informal home jazz concerts for jazz musicians visiting Fukuoka, and I went to a few of these. He’s survived by his wife Ayako Chinen Sutherland and daughter Hannah.

KOINOBORI Carp Streamer Festival

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 13:07:19 +0000

KOINOBORI, Carp streamer season is here again.@ TSUETATE Onsen.Atsuko(^ _ ^)/~~ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー The Carp Streamer Festival in Oguni Town, TSUETATE Onsen, a spring tradition in Kumamoto, is now under way! The sight of over 3,000 carp streamers soaring through the sky is a sight to behold.

Tourist guide training course organised by the NPO Discovery Kumamoto

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:04:45 +0000

This is an announcement of a tourist guide training course organised by the NPO Discovery Kumamoto! ーAtsuko( ᐛ )و ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Tourist guide training course organised by the NPO Discovery Kumamoto!

Date: 24 May 2025 (Sat)

Place: Multipurpose Room, 2nd floor of Josaien Tourist Information Centre, Kumamoto Castle

Registration: 9am-

Part 1: 9:30-10:45

‘Transition of Kumamoto Castle - from Medieval Kumamoto Castle to Modern Kumamoto Castle’

Lecturer: Mr. Katsuji Aoki (Japanese)

zazen (meditation) session

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 22:59:35 +0000

Sean here – Discover zazen (meditation) Open to all – When: April 25th Time: 20:00 ~ 21:00 Place: “Unusual” 〒862-0959 Kumamoto, Chuo Ward, Hakuzan, 2 Chome−13−9 富士ビル 1F

In this Zen meditation session, a priest (roshi or sensei) will guide participants in Japanese, but no language proficiency is needed—mindfulness is a universal language, and the essence of the practice transcends words. You’ll receive simple instructions on posture, whether seated on a cushion (zafu) in seiza, half-lotus (hankafuza), or full lotus (kekkafuza), or comfortably on a chair—with the reminder that there is no right or wrong way, only what feels natural to you. The session is entirely non-religious and open to all, with no expectations or beliefs required.

Well, Ozu made the Japan Today over a case of a government employee who forcibly…

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 22:25:04 +0000

Well, Ozu made the Japan Today over a case of a government employee who forcibly kissed a woman. To newbies here: I learned long ago never to touch woman except, perhaps, for a brief handshake. Hugs are a big no-no. Keep your hands to yourself at all times. - William

For Kumamoto Castle and Sakura fans.

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 08:58:44 +0000

For Kumamoto Castle and Sakura fans. 2025, spring. Atsuko( ᐛ )و

日本語の説明を最後に書きます。

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 16:00:06 +0000

日本語の説明を最後に書きます。 Can you believe it? I’ve been deported!! My crime: Participating in some political (“anti-Japanese”?) demonstrations, one related to a labor dispute at the Prefectural University of Kumamoto way back in 1999 and the other a demonstration in support of the Palestinians in Gaza last year. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s April 1st and this is my “April Fools” post for this year. I’m pretty sure I won’t be deported (or lose my job) for participating in a couple of demonstrations but news from my own country, the U.S., has made me consider that possibility. Deporting people for participating in peaceful demonstrations SHOULD be a joke, not real news. これはエープリルフールのギャグで、私は実際に強制送還されていません。大学もまだクビになっていないはずです。でも、母国のアメリカではイスラエルのガザに対する軍事行動に抗議するデモに参加しただけで、強制送還されようとしている人がいます。平和的な意見表明をしただけで強制送還されるということは実際の出来事ではなく、冗談であってほしいという思いで、今年のエープリルフールのテーマにしました。お騒がせいたしました。

Cassie here

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:03:20 +0000

Cassie here If you want to enjoy a drive enjoying cherry blossoms Mikan Yama on the way to Kinpo San is amazing. There is even a spot on the opposite side of the road you can pull over to take pictures. Every time I have driven it the past two days other cars are also pulled over to take pictures.

It may not be unusual for people who lived or worked near Kumamoto Castle, but I…

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 12:52:47 +0000

It may not be unusual for people who lived or worked near Kumamoto Castle, but I spent every day of the past year in the immediate vicinity of Kumamoto Castle. And that year went without a hitch.

I was born and raised in Kumamoto Prefecture but wasn’t that much of a fan of Kumamoto Castle. Unless I got guests from abroad, I didn’t climb Kumamoto Castle either. However, after spending a year with Kumamoto Castle, I became a big fan of its beauty.

International Party with drinks and food

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:29:42 +0000

International Party with drinks and food at La Luz, near Sakuramachi, happening next Saturday, 29th March 🍻🇦🇷🍖🇲🇽 Choice of either a 6pm or 7pm start! Contact the Argentinian owner, and local Tango instructor, Hernan, to book your spot! 🎵🍷🎶

Posted by Ruth

Joe Tomei here, and in this edition of (the highly irregular) Funky Friday Finds…

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 02:29:57 +0000

Joe Tomei here, and in this edition of (the highly irregular) Funky Friday Finds, we salute Amu Amu, a Napolitan pizza place. It’s below Ezuko, just off the bypass, and is a 20 minute walk from the Kuwamizu densha stop Just go down and take the first big left after Batten no Yu, one of those super sento places and go about 50 meters. Its on the left with the orange canopy. The picture of the banner is facing in the other direction.

Kirk again. My post about the earthquake came after a long hiatus. I'm afraid …

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:19:37 +0000

Kirk again. My post about the earthquake came after a long hiatus. I’m afraid my posting will be pretty sporadic in the future too. One reason is that I’m quite busy with another community-building project that is unrelated to Kumamoto (I hope to post about that later this year). The other issue is that the slow decline of Facebook has made posting to it rather ungratifying. Young people are leaving and even old folks like me are getting fed up.

Kirk here with some information about the earthquake warning that woke me up thi…

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 03:54:12 +0000

Kirk here with some information about the earthquake warning that woke me up this morning at about 5 AM. I got this huge warning but couldn’t feel anything. I ignored it and went back to sleep, assuming it was some kind of false alarm. Well, for my neck of the woods (central Kumamoto City) it was a false alarm but folks to our southwest may have felt significant shaking.

I looked at news reports but couldn’t find anything about significant damage – just confirmation that there was an earthquake but that a tsunami was not forecast.

What I liked about this news was that the graduating ninth graders are in their …

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 12:51:57 +0000

What I liked about this news was that the graduating ninth graders are in their teens to seventies, including two foreigners. When I was a junior high school student 35 years ago, I had four foreign-rooted classmates in a rural junior high school in northern Kumamoto Prefecture. They were two to five years older than me, but we learned together, played together, and I learned their language,加油, 再見. My world expanded. Learning is a right. The night junior high school is a wonderful place to learn.( •̀ω•́ )و✧Atsuko ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー On the evening of the 6th, the first graduation ceremony was held at the first “night junior high school” in Kumamoto Prefecture, where people who were not able to receive a full compulsory education can study, and 12 students of various ages received their diplomas.

Pop-up Event @ Junction Coffee - Artificer Japan

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 12:20:46 +0000

Michaela here. If anyone is in the Ōe area tomorrow please grab a coffee from Junction Coffee. They are hosting a pop-up for a well known coffee roaster and shop based in Sydney Australia, Artificer. They have just started a venture in Japan so are sharing their wares.

In my opinion they serve the best flat white around so if you’re an Aussie craving one, or anyone who likes a good coffee please go along! Details below.

St. Patrick's Day parade in Kumamoto

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:11:04 +0000

Get your green garments out, as it’s that time of year again!!! ☘️🎶 St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kumamoto this Saturday, 8th March… Gathering at 2pm, at Sunroad Shinshigai・サンロード新市街, by Karashimacho tram stop, and going down Shimotori… Take care as we do not start, nor go into, Kamitori at all!! 🎻🎵🌍 After-party at Celts Pub from 4-6pm for 4000 yen 🍻 See the poster for details!!

今年もこの季節がやってきました!!! ☘️ 3月8日(土)、熊本でセント・パトリックス・デーのパレードが行われます。午後2時、サンロード新市街集合。上通からスタートするわけでもなく、上通に入るわけでもないのでご注意を! 🚨 午後4時から6時まで、CELTSパブで4000円で二次会 🍻 詳しくはポスターを見てね!!

Kirk here. First of all, sorry for the long absence -- I've been working on ano…

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 01:51:53 +0000

Kirk here. First of all, sorry for the long absence – I’ve been working on another project.

I thought I’d share this video about how Ryunosuke Tokuda has been helping Lena Bereznaya (apologies if my Romanization is incorrect) who is from Ukraine. According to the article, Dr. Tokuda saw something on TV in which Lena expressed an interest in working with animals. This led him to reach out to Lena and invite her to come to Kumamoto to work as an assistant / apprentice at his animal clinic.

Cassie here. Just found this reading news. 2 Kumamoto police officers have gotte…

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 05:51:21 +0000

Cassie here. Just found this reading news. 2 Kumamoto police officers have gotten in trouble.

https://japantoday.com/category/crime/2-kumamoto-police-referred-to-prosecutors-over-sex-crimes

Kyushu ETJ Convention

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:46:22 +0000

Fiona here with an event in Fukuoka this weekend that should be of interest to language teachers working in Kumamoto. The Kyushu ETJ Convention is on Sunday at Seinan Gakuin University, with all the details here:

https://ltprofessionals.com/conventions/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIlUidleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHU0qnGobIbSFS6cPX1qrCms7B5fyqruWM_J-9bxz5580UYE8zU3KL639RA_aem_7IJW5lmGuykD7IOCm4DliA

The presentation schedule includes a few teachers from Kumamoto, and features practical and inspiring talks on school ownership, legal rights, teaching ideas, etc. There will also be an opportunity to look at teaching materials and pick up sample copies of textbooks.

＼Winter Light＼

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 05:57:07 +0000

＼Winter Light＼

Winter lighting event will be held on February 8 Sat,9 Sun.2025 16:30-20:00 @俵山交流館萌の里 Tawarayama, Moenosao. Moe no Sato will also be open until 8:00pm .

Stay warm and have fun! Atsuko(^-^)

Hitoyoshi Widegame/Rogaining

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 04:29:49 +0000

Ruth here sharing information about a fun ‘widegame’ in Hitoyoshi on Sunday, 9th March!!!! 🔏📲🖲 👣 It’s a race against the clock to all the checkpoints!! It’s surely a great way to explore, exercise and excite your senses!! The deadline to sign-up is February 23rd. You can enter as an individual or team (2-5人) running and walking over 3 or 5 hours, or cycling within 3 hours. Full details here: https://local-gain.com/hitoyoshi-rogaining/

Hi, Joe Tomei here, passing on some information about Japanese language lessons.…

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 01:56:27 +0000

Hi, Joe Tomei here, passing on some information about Japanese language lessons. Please use the contact below!

==== Hello! I’m Takae. I am a freelance Japanese language teacher. I would like to announce that I have more hours open for online lessons during the day (around 9a.m. to 5p.m.) on weekdays. I teach from beginner level to advanced level, for all levels of the JLPT. If you are interested in taking online Japanese lessons, please contact me through my Facebook page. Students do not need to be Kumamoto citizens, they can be from anywhere in the world as long as the time differences work and payment can be done via Paypal. Currently there are no open slots in the evenings (Japan time). https://www.facebook.com/kaseczek.cc

Joe Tomei here. Haven't had much to report on the restaurant front as we have ou…

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 05:57:31 +0000

Joe Tomei here. Haven’t had much to report on the restaurant front as we have our rotation of places and I’ve been on a diet, however, happy to say that a new restaurant has been added! It’s Saigon Pho, it was originally in Nishi-ku, but has moved to in front of the Kengun Jietai base, across the street from Kono’s Coffee https://maps.app.goo.gl/FgqKVgxaw6GSQm3r8

Had the Banh Mi and Pho set as well as some Cha Gio (deep fried Spring rolls) and Vietnamese coffee. Two parking spaces in the front, or you can walk up from the Kengun tram terminus (about 15 minutes)

Atsuko here.

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 05:53:57 +0000

Atsuko here. Kumamoto Castle and Dondoya.

The PTA of Joto Elementary School and local residents held a Dondoya right near of Kumamoto Castle. Wishing everyone in Kumamoto good health and prosperity in 2025.

It was wonderful to have a traditional annual event in the middle of the city of Kumamoto. We grilled rice cakes and ate them. The children roasted marshmallows. It’s so modern. I have been roasting marshmallows every time I go to Dondoya since I saw the Sponge Bob cartoon. I share this with you all for your health and prosperity!(´︶`)ﾉ

For those interested, here are details of full-time work in Kumamoto. Please get…

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 03:32:17 +0000

For those interested, here are details of full-time work in Kumamoto. Please get in touch with Mr. Greg Howes as per the details below 📧

Freedom English School, located in Kamitori, Suizenji, and Musashigaoka in Kumamoto City, is seeking an English teacher for a full-time position with an immediate or as soon as possible start.

Applicants should be comfortable teaching children of all ages, ranging from kindergarten age through to Junior High School students. Experience is preferred, but not essential for the correct candidate. Pre-employment and on-the-job training will be provided.

Kirk here. Sonoda is the oldest continuously operating business in Kumamoto -- …

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:31:40 +0000

Kirk here. Sonoda is the oldest continuously operating business in Kumamoto – a business that has been up and running for over 400 years! They make Chosen-ame, a mildly sweet sort of mochi that got its name because it was carried into Korea as food for soldiers when Kato Kiyomasa led troops there at Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s behest. They are a luxury item (a sort of dessert) now but at the time they were carried into war because the soft mochi would dry (not spoil) and then simply adding water would make it edible again.

Kirk here. There was a fairly powerful earthquake in Miyazaki. Seismic intensit…

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 12:32:16 +0000

Kirk here. There was a fairly powerful earthquake in Miyazaki. Seismic intensity (Japanese scale) of -5 near the epicenter and quite a few 4s and 3s in Kumamoto. The magnitude was 6.4 and the depth was 30km.

https://www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/quake/quake_detail.html?eventID=20250113212438&lang=en

Job seekers among us! Here's a job posting for your consideration. Please direct…

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 02:21:01 +0000

Job seekers among us! Here’s a job posting for your consideration. Please direct your inquiries to Mr. Baker at the email below 📧

A small eikaiwa requires an enthusiastic native English teacher for full time employment primarily teaching kids. The job is full time, a total of 32 hours with a maximum of 24 teaching hours a week. With Sundays and Mondays off. Some Japanese ability and teaching experience would be helpful but not required.

Sharing beautiful Mt. Aso. /•᷅‎‎•᷄\୭Atsuko

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 09:16:39 +0000

Sharing beautiful Mt. Aso. /•᷅‎‎•᷄\୭Atsuko

Japanese Culture Experience Day for Foreigners

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 06:44:33 +0000

Japanese Culture Experience Day for Foreigners ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶Atsuko

Date： 26th of January, Sunday Time： You can reserve the following time slots Venue: Kumamoto City International Center 5th floor Participation fee: 500 yen

Kumamoto Children's Home Christmas Gift-Giving & Team Tonakai Tatami Teatime

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 02:46:24 +0000

Kumamoto Children’s Home Christmas Gift-Giving!! Team Tonakai Fundraiser this Sunday, near Ezuko, 9:30-4pm, and today until 14:30pm✨🦌See images for details! 22日(日)、砂取コミュニティセンターで、チーム・トナカイによるTatami Teatimeが開催されます!! 🧣ご寄付と引き換えに、クリスマスの宝物をゲットしてください🎄💛☕お時間があれば、温かいお茶もお楽しみください!! Drop by with a donation and get some Christmas treasures - or just a cuppa if you don’t need any more tinsel or teddies! 🎁 PS: Some freshly-baked, pumpkin and chocolate chip cakes still available!! 😋 - Ru…Dolph AKA Ruth

Eirfoyl Live Performance at Christmas Market

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:41:31 +0000

(Fiona) Looking for some festive music to listen to this Christmas? Local band Eirfoyl, featuring Irish, Dutch and American musicians have recently released their song Under the Mistletoe, available to download in all the usual places. They will also be performing live at the Christmas market outside Sakuramachi on Sunday December 22nd from 18:40. With a sound reminiscent of The Pogues, they are well worth checking out!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5LFMuWKlqxLtrisFNeQSBc?si=6kq-0d06SDmWeCC4mI-8eQ&utm_source=copy-link

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ie/album/under-the-mistletoe-feat-nicky-boriban-single/1785175504?ls

Projection Mapping on Tawarayama

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:45:53 +0000

Projection Mapping Information.Atsuko( * ॑꒳ ॑*) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Santa Claus will be projected on Tawarayama: ✨️

Projection mapping will be held on December 20 and 21 at Moe-no-sato in Nishihara Village!

Fantastic images will color the night sky in the magnificent nature of Tawarayama!

There will also be many stalls where you can enjoy Nishihara Village’s attractive specialties and gourmet foods, and there will be a bonfire spot!

Kumamoto 'Team Tonakai' Christmas Gift-Giving - Event ①

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 13:49:51 +0000

Hi there, lovely people!🤩🥳 If you’re feeling generous, please donate to the Kumamoto ‘Team Tonakai’ Christmas Gift-Giving which fundraises and buys gifts for about 300 kids in 7 Kumamoto care homes. JETs may remember us from the SDC last year, and thanks to foreign friends in the community, many other fundraising events have been hosted over the years 💕

If you’re able to pop along to an event this year please do so! ① 13 Dec. at 県立大学 from 4-7pm🎄 ② 20 Dec. from 9:30-2:30pm near 渡鹿昇立公園 🎁 ③ 22 Dec. at 砂取コミュニティーセンター from 9:30-4:30pm ☕ For more details see the images attached!

ETJ Convention - Presentations, Workshops, Book Fair, Jobs

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 03:47:21 +0000

(Fiona) Here’s an event taking place in Fukuoka early next year that may be of interest to English language teachers based in Kumamoto. For anyone wishing to give a presentation, the deadline is December 31st. It’s also possible for writers/materials creators to have a display table at the convention.

INFORMATION, REGISTER TO ATTEND https://ltprofessionals.com/conventions/ Presentations • Workshops • Book Fair • Jobs • Meet other teachers

ADMISSION FEE ETJ members: ¥1,000. Non-members: ¥2,000 . Non-members can join ETJ when registering to attend. There is no fee for joining ETJ.

Cassie Here.

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 08:00:08 +0000

Cassie Here. I have a Japanese person I know in search of certified translation for a visa. Does anyone know or recommend someone that can do it in Kumamoto? I should add certified translation is different than a translation certificate.

Fiona here, sharing a heartwarming local news story related to Jikei Hospital's …

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:22:43 +0000

Fiona here, sharing a heartwarming local news story related to Jikei Hospital’s pioneering baby hatch.

Yukari Maeda Solo Show

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 05:08:34 +0000

Liz here.ART SPACE はね is featuring a solo show by Yukari Maeda , copperplate etcher and mixed media artist. Her work is amazing and full of detail and stories. Check out the Art Space Hane page for a video walkthrough, and then go and experience it in person.The gallery is also a wonderful space .( photo of the artist and her work)Location and information on hours can be found on the Art Space はねFB page.

Christmas markets have started and it is suddenly getting colder.

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:34:53 +0000

Christmas markets have started and it is suddenly getting colder. Today’s news is not useful but personal, but I would love to share this surprise and excitement with Kumamoto International’s readers, so I share it here.

Do you know what the plants in these photos are? If you are from a tropical country, you will know. It is my favourite fruit, which I was so impressed to share this year, even though it is grown in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B2k2DBtfh/ Yes, my favourite, papaya. I planted the seeds in the school field, but forgot about them and they grew into a magnificent tree. In six months, the tree is more than one metre tall. Six months ago, I was very impressed that papaya was being grown in Hitoyoshi, and I was really surprised and thrilled that the papaya seed had sprouted and become a magnificent tree with flowers before I knew it. I didn’t know it was a papaya tree, and I was super surprised when I found the word ‘papaya’ in a Google search. It was hot in Kumamoto this year, but it was hot enough for papaya to grow. It’s been cold for the past week or so, but I think November in Kumamoto was much colder when I was a kid. I am very sad to think that the papayas I have grown will die. In the future, if you see papaya trees growing in the flowerbed next to the playground from the Kumamoto Castle tower, and if a papaya festival starts in Josaien, please remember that the papayas in Hitoyoshi, planted by Atsuko, are the origin of the papayas. It was a record that Kumamoto was hot in 2024. Atsuko(ᐛ)ᒃ

Sean here:

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 21:59:33 +0000

Sean here: My partner is looking for someone to fill this parttime position.

★急募★

Dramatique で働いてくれるスタッフを緊急募集しています場所は鶴屋NewS館2Fになります

求めているのは：ジュエリーや雑貨が好きな方海外に興味がある方人とお話しするのが好きな方 SNSでの発信が得意な方楽しいことが好きな方

興味がある方がいらしたらぜひ下のリンクよりご応募くださいご紹介も大歓迎ですどうぞよろしくお願いします！

Dramatique スタッフ応募フォーム https://forms.gle/LVPpEqcF7hffbSxd6 https://forms.gle/LVPpEqcF7hffbSxd6

Fiona here, sharing a link to information about Kumamoto's various Christmas mar…

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 03:40:01 +0000

Fiona here, sharing a link to information about Kumamoto’s various Christmas markets. The one outside Kumamoto station has already started, with Hanabatacho and Suizenji markets opening soon.

県大マルシェ (Prefectural University Sundown Market)

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:37:51 +0000

Ruth here, inviting you to come to the Prefectural University’s ‘Sundown Market’ this Friday, 22nd Nov. from 4-7pm 🍁 Anyone is welcome!! It’s across from the Red Cross Hospital 🏥 Come browse, buy, chat and relax! 県大マルシェにお越しください!! ✨11/22（金）、12/13（金）（雨の場合、11/29、12/20）時間：午後4-7時💡場所：図書館とグローカル棟の間 🌚🌝見て、買って、おしゃべりして、くつろいでください!! 🎶

And, next month, on Friday, 13th Dec. I’ll be there again for Team Tonakai, selling items as part of our annual gift-giving fundraising efforts, for orphans in childcare homes 🎁 Hope to have hot drinks at the ready in exchange for direct donations, too! ☕ そして来月、12月13日（金）には、チーム・トナカイのメンバーとして、熊本子供養護施設の募金活動の一環として商品を販売します!! 🌲 直接の寄付も大歓迎です🦌

Autumn Thanksgiving 2024

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:41:45 +0000

If you’re out and about this Sunday, 17th Nov. head to Kumamoto-shi Seibukoryu Center in Nishi-ku.

From their webpage: Western Community Center will be holding the Autumn Thanksgiving 2024 from 9:00 am on Sunday, November 17th!! On the day, the Thanksgiving festival will include a variety of events, including free classes, experience sessions, and a flea market! See you there! - Ruth

Fiona here with a recommendation for a cafe that opened recently in a great down…

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:26:30 +0000

Fiona here with a recommendation for a cafe that opened recently in a great downtown Kumamoto location. Across from the International Centre and close to Sakuramachi, LA LUZ is owned by international couple Hernan and Maki, who also run the Casa de Arte tango studio. The restaurant/cafe offers pizza, burritos, quesadillas and can also put on an Argentinian barbecue for groups of 10 or more (reservation required). I think it would be a great choice for an end of year party. Coffee and alcohol are also served with happy hour on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (half price beer!). It’s inside the City Theatre (Shimin Kaikan) building, very easy to find, and staff speak Japanese, English and Spanish.

第7回熊本城下町お菓子祭り

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:57:44 +0000

Atsuko here. The ginkgo between the Kumamoto Museum and the former Residence of Hosokawa Gyobu is changing from green to yellow. If you are going to the confectionary festival at Fujisakidai Stadium next Sunday, please enjoy the beautiful ginkgo as well! ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Announcement of the 7th Kumamoto Castle Town Sweets Festival to be held on November 17th

The 7th Kumamoto Castle Town Sweets Festival will be held at 10:00 am on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at the grounds of Kumamoto Prefectural Gokoku Shrine, next to Fujisakidai Baseball Stadium. A variety of events will be held on the stage in the center of the shrine grounds. The Seiwa Bunraku performance “Snow Woman” will draw you in with its puppets that seem to have life. There will also be a variety of performances such as dancing, singing, and theater.

熊本市電『3両編成の新型車両』運行開始

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 05:43:21 +0000

Cassie here: For train enthusiasts Kumamoto City is introducing two new three car street cars on the 24 this month. Also don’t forget that public transportation won’t be accepting national cards like Suica soon. You can only use the Kumamoto Kumamon card. Nimoca will also not be accepted.

“九州最大” 熊本市電『3両編成の新型車両』が24日運行開始　（RKK熊本放送） - Yahoo!ニュース https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d3e546fea5ab0f3403afeb3bf5cf3735d600c140

Translation of Japanese news article below.

The mayor of Kumamoto City, Onishi, announced that the new three-car train to be newly introduced on the Kumamoto City Tram, will begin operation on November 24.

LUX NIGHT kumamoto 2024

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 03:03:28 +0000

LUX NIGHT kumamoto 2024 Starting November 8, to December 8, 18:00-21:00 at Suizenji Seishuen! The theme is the life of Garasha Hosokawa, expressed with bamboo lights and light art. You can enter places that are normally inaccessible.

There will also be the following workshops on Saturday and Sunday. You can enjoy the fantastic garden at night and experience Hosokawa culture. Please come to Suizenji Seishuen!

Higo koryu tea ceremony experienceHosokawa-ryu Bon-ishi experienceIaido experience at the Noh theater Higo Zogan experienceFor

県立大学第60回白亜祭

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:33:16 +0000

Come along to the Prefectural University of Kumamoto’s 60th Culture Festival this weekend!! Celebrate with music, dance, food stalls, country booths, comedy, art and more! 🍡🥻🖌️♠️ 今週末(11月9日(土)・(日))、県立大学の第60回"白亜祭"が開催される! 音楽、ダンス、屋台、カントリーブース、お笑い、アートなど、さまざまな催しで盛り上がろう!! 🎶🔮💬🎤

Address: 3-1-100 Tsukide, Higashi Ward, Kumamoto, 862-0920

Uploaded by Ruth

WRO International Competition - Kumamoto Elementary School Team

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:05:35 +0000

Atsuko here. Sharing Kumamoto elementary school students team challenge WRO(ง •̀_•́)ง ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Kumamoto Elementary School Team to Participate in International Competition】

A team of elementary school students selected at the “WRO Kumamoto Qualifier” robot contest held in the summer will participate in the international competition as a member of the Japanese delegation❗

At the Japan Final held in Toyama Prefecture in August, 48 teams representing each region participated, winning second place in the advanced elementary school division and being selected to represent Japan. This year’s international competition will be held in Turkey.

Gourmet burger festival

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 01:37:56 +0000

Fiona here with another event happening in Kumamoto over the long weekend - a gourmet burger festival taking place at Hanabatacho, the area in front of Sakuramachi.

Kumamoto University Culture Festival

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:26:41 +0000

(Fiona) Kumamoto University has its big culture festival over the long weekend with various events including performances, a strongman contest, crafts, exhibits, food and drinks stalls, a haunted house….the full schedule can be found online here:

https://www.sigmafes.com/%E5%BD%93%E6%97%A5%E3%81%AE%E3%81%94%E6%A1%88%E5%86%85

Use public transport or a bike if possible as traffic congestion is likely and there is not much parking available.

Yesterday Hari posted a notice about a seminar for foreign entrepreneurs and bus…

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:17:19 +0000

Yesterday Hari posted a notice about a seminar for foreign entrepreneurs and business people with an ([gyōsei shoshi] . . . a legal profession in Japan which files government licenses and permits, drafts documents, and provides legal advice around such interactions. – Wikipedia):

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0dHVRY1pUL2vd8912XcR4tuN7ceEjvBRiWrm7ABxTeSPTh4kugiVJzTPXqDtjU4q5l

(Thank Hari!) The following event will also be help on that day (11/17). – Kirk

Let's Start a Business in Japan! Free consultation for interested international residents in Kumamoto

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 06:24:26 +0000

Let’s Start a Business in Japan! Free consultation for interested international residents in Kumamoto Date/Time: November 17 (Sunday) 16:30-18:30 Venue: Kumamoto City International Center

Atsuko here.

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 11:47:24 +0000

Atsuko here. Share to Mom and Baby ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー “Hello! Baby Boxes” to expectant and nursing mothers in situations such as economic hardship and young pregnancies!

Save the Children is now accepting applications for the “Hello! Baby Box” program, which provides necessary childcare items for newborns in order to guarantee children’s rights to “grow up in a healthy, safe, and secure environment” from birth, and to reduce childcare costs for expectant mothers, their partners, and families facing economic hardship and various other difficulties! Baby Box", which provides necessary childcare items for newborns. We encourage you to apply.

International culture festival

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:41:23 +0000

An international culture festival happening in Kumamoto city on October 27th with an appearance from Kumamon. (Fiona)

Computer Science in English at Kumamoto On-Site

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 12:25:30 +0000

Atsuko here. Introducing a workshop to learn programming using English.

As previously introduced in Kumamoto International, a Google engineer from Kumamoto is running an online workshop to learn programming in English.

This time, he will be holding an on-site workshop as well as an online workshop. We are looking forward to your participation both online and onsite.

Participants will be divided into groups according to their English ability, and Japanese language support will be provided.

Fiona here, with exciting news for fellow adrenaline junkies. Amakusa has a new …

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:21:01 +0000

Fiona here, with exciting news for fellow adrenaline junkies. Amakusa has a new 350m long zipline attraction which just opened a few days ago. Reservations can be made online, and it costs 3000 yen for adults, 2000 yen for children, open 5 days a week (closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Kirk here with a letter to the editor, translated by ChatGPT, that was published…

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 01:51:40 +0000

Kirk here with a letter to the editor, translated by ChatGPT, that was published in the Kumanichi.

— start translation — Increasing Japanese Language Signage

October 19 (Saturday), 9:49 a.m. Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun (Photo: Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun)

There is something that has been on my mind ever since I visited Kumamoto Castle a few years ago with an acquaintance from the Philippines. At the main keep, which was damaged in the Kumamoto Earthquake and later restored, there are many exhibits showcasing the history of Kumamoto Castle. However, the English explanations were limited to titles and a few other parts, which left my acquaintance disappointed, saying, “Even though I came all the way here to see it, I couldn’t fully understand the content, so I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted.”

Kirk here with a video of samurai swimmers. Generally speaking, swimming with c…

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 13:59:14 +0000

Kirk here with a video of samurai swimmers. Generally speaking, swimming with clothes is supposed to be really hard so I was amazed to see someone swim in full armor!

I’m posting this in response to a question about a news article I posted on the topic:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0233W1idb1cs5RaWATt7ZyYATvqPmm91FjefcTuTRxLzoy11KrsKWxgoHxVY4CqM2Nl

Here’s the link to the YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OlNqhPJ_eU

There are actually quite a few. You can find them but searching with 小堀流踏水術水守.

Milk Festa - Rakunou Milk 50th Anniversary Celebration

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 05:03:34 +0000

Atsuko here, sharing Aso Milk Farm Events Admission is free on 11/2.(ᐛ)ᒃ

Last Thursday, I enjoyed the Aso Milk farm in autumn with my class. I found some good deals there, so I will share them with you. The last picture is a picture of the onigiri action at the Milk farm with the rice balls for lunch. If you are a Kumamoto International reader, you know the onigiri action I share every year. Please share your love from Kumamoto to the world too. Think global by working locally.

Kirk here. Here's some news from a couple months ago. I suspect the technique …

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 23:13:32 +0000

Kirk here. Here’s some news from a couple months ago. I suspect the technique is similar to what water polo goalies have to learn to do – keep your body fairly high in the water without relying on your hands. I can understand its usefulness in water polo but I’m not quite sure how it would be useful to samurai “when fighting on water”. Perhaps it might allow them to shoot a bow and arrow or something from within the water.

Kirk here. Even though I've lived in Kumamoto and have been writing about all …

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:27:35 +0000

Kirk here. Even though I’ve lived in Kumamoto and have been writing about all things Kumamoto for a while (today, Oct 17, is our 25th anniversary), I’ve never thought about a connection between Miyamoto Musashi and world-class fishing equipment. Well, according to this article, one exists:

Swords, Samurai, and the Art of Making World Class Fly Rods https://www.yardbarker.com/general_sports/articles/swords_samurai_and_the_art_of_making_world_class_fly_rods/s1_17329_40891002

In a nutshell, the idea is that craftsmanship that goes into G. Loomis fishing rods made at the Shimano factory in Kumamoto is rooted in the samurai spirit of which Miyamoto Musashi is emblematic. Somehow, Joe Rogan gets brought into the discussion because he is so enamored of Musashi that he has him tattooed on his arm. (Sorry Joe, your homage to Japanese culture will cause you to be excluded from quite a few onsen here. :( )

Kirk here with pastry news. Chez Tani (formerly popular pastry shop near Ezuko)…

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 23:10:29 +0000

Kirk here with pastry news. Chez Tani (formerly popular pastry shop near Ezuko) may resume business today (?) after falsifying expiration dates.

— start ChatGPT translation —- Title: Pastry Shop “Chez Tani” Falsified Expiration Dates—Sold Products Meant to Expire in 3 Months Over a Year Period in Kumamoto Date: 10/15 (Tuesday) 19:24 Source: RKK Kumamoto Broadcasting

Kumamoto Broadcasting has revealed that the pastry shop “Chez Tani” in Kumamoto City sold leftover products after falsifying their expiration dates.

Daily flights between Kumamoto and Incheon starting November 24. -- Kirk

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 23:03:30 +0000

Daily flights between Kumamoto and Incheon starting November 24. – Kirk

Kirk with another post about the artificial (but cool nonetheless) mist at the c…

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 08:28:03 +0000

Kirk with another post about the artificial (but cool nonetheless) mist at the castle.

Kirk here with some local news about power harassment in a high school.

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:54:19 +0000

Kirk here with some local news about power harassment in a high school.

Atsuko here.

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:20:34 +0000

Atsuko here. I could see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in Kumamoto!!!

It is a beautiful day today with no clouds. It was visible in the western sky after the sun set, around 6:30 p.m. today. I managed to take a picture of it with my cheap smartphone without a lens. It will probably be visible again tomorrow if conditions are good. This is a comet that appears only once every 80,000 years, so please try to see it. With the moon on your left shoulder, face west and look for Venus in the western sky at about the same angle. I will report again if I can take a proper and beautiful photograph.

Some of those who went to see Mizuakari yesterday may have heard the sound of fi…

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 22:27:20 +0000

Some of those who went to see Mizuakari yesterday may have heard the sound of fireworks near Kumamoto Castle. Last night, there was an autumn festival held by the PTA and the local community association at Joto Elementary School near Kumamoto Castle. I didn’t share it in advance because it was a festival for the children of the school district, but I will share these pics with you because the match of the fireworks display by the family fireworks prepared by the children’s parents and Kumamoto Castle was magnificent. I think you can feel the love for Kumamoto Castle from the residents.(^O^)／Atsuko

Kirk here with an announcement from Josh, who has a job announcement from Kiyomi…

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 04:19:20 +0000

Kirk here with an announcement from Josh, who has a job announcement from Kiyomi.

— start quote — Hello everyone. An old student of mine who works at the Kashima Board of Education is looking for an evening class English teacher for May 2025 to March 2026 (11 months). Details as below:

Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. (time can be changed a little if needed) twice a month, any weekday fine Location: Kashima Chomin Kainan Pay: 6,000 per lesson (=12,000 a month for 2 lessons) No transportation allowance. (Having a car might be better because public transportation not convenient.) Work details: English conversation class for beginners. Can use textbook or your own materials Native English speaker preferred. Call (096)237-0058 if interested. Contact person: Kiyomi Osaka — end quote —

Kirk here. Thursday "Kumamoto International" will be a quarter of a century old…

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 01:13:50 +0000

Kirk here. Thursday “Kumamoto International” will be a quarter of a century old. It started as a mailing list on October 17, 1999. I remember the date because eGroups (later taken over by Yahoo!Groups, now defunct) used to show the “founded” date on the group’s webpage. I wish I had a screenshot of that but can’t seem to locate one.

Five years ago we had a big celebration, which was a lot of fun:

Kirk here with another view of the castle, take from this web page:

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 14:03:44 +0000

Kirk here with another view of the castle, take from this web page:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/524f66bbf97787ea5a8149bc185136c3e3b9cd16

For details and this mist-eerie-ous scene, see the following post of mine:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02p8Cq3KR2Qf9hytjC7xLyWtsjMfYCkJQRc4ULQpufjhmjFncvD8HQpyuR1yTo6CqWl

Artificial Sea of Clouds near Kumamoto Castle Stone Walls

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 13:59:04 +0000

Kirk here with some information about how to get mist-eerie-ous perspective on the castle.

— start ChatGPT translation — Artificial Sea of Clouds near the Stone Walls of Kumamoto Castle, Creating a Fantastical Atmosphere for Many Tourists October 11, 17:22

On the 11th, an initiative began to create an artificial sea of clouds near the stone walls of Kumamoto Castle, captivating many tourists with its magical atmosphere.

This initiative was planned for the first time by the city, in conjunction with the “Autumn Kumamoto Castle Festival,” which started on the 11th to attract more visitors.

第19回熊本暮らし人まつり「みずあかり」

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 13:03:55 +0000

Mizuakari is tomorrow and the day after. Please enjoy not only watching but also volunteering to light the lights. Please also find the welcome triangular lantern I made. Atsuko (∩^o^)⊃━☆ﾟ.*･｡ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 🌟The 19th Kumamotol Mizuakari 🌟 🌟Date 🌟Time October 12 (Sat), 18:00-18:00, 2024 Saturday, October 12, 18:00-22:00 (tentative) October 13 (Sun) 18:00-21:00 (tentative) 🌟Venue 🌟Venue Hanabatacho area, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City

🌟Map 🌟 https://maps.app.goo.gl/LAnbV2VAeUwJcVUx5

🌟Mizuakari official website🌟 http://mizuakari.net/ (You can see the details such as the place of the event)

Post

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 10:19:45 +0000

Autumn BBQ party in Kumamoto YWCA's garden

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 10:31:08 +0000

. Atsuko here. Information about international BBQ @YWCA near Kumamoto University.٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Autumn BBQ party in Kumamoto YWCA’s garden✨

This is Halal BBQ🍖 From 11:30 noon on Saturday, October 19.

All meat and seasonings used are halal-compatible🙌🏻 It’s gotten cooler and it’s easier to spend lunch, so I’d like to enjoy it in the garden!!

The participation fee will be 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children as spring campaign support prices. Please refer to the leaflet for details♪

Ezuko Trick or Trash Halloween event

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 11:48:50 +0000

Sean here - Teen Dirven’s next 2024 Ezuko Trick or Trash Halloween event is just around the corner. Sunday October 27th

I hope many of you will be able to join us. Please message the group if you can. The teens are working very hard to make this a successful event.

Your support would be appreciated.

If you have kids clothes/ books /toys in good condition, we will have a small bazaar. The proceeds will go to out charity org. What is not sold will be donated to Jiaien (Local orphanage)

Please share this with anyone you think might be interested. We need to get the…

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:14:08 +0000

Kirk here, asking that you help Takemura-sensei. I think many of you know of her work. For those who don’t please read the following brief description which ChatGPT and I translated from the website where you can donate:

— start translation — Message from the Organizer We provide Japanese language instruction and create safe spaces for children with foreign roots who are living in Kumamoto Prefecture, helping them achieve their dreams. We kindly ask for your continued support so that we can keep these efforts going!

Joe Tomei here, passing this on. Details in the flyer

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 23:36:14 +0000

Joe Tomei here, passing this on. Details in the flyer

Kirk here with news about preparations being made for the start of Kumamoto Univ…

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 14:00:35 +0000

Kirk here with news about preparations being made for the start of Kumamoto University’s new international school in 2026.

https://www.educ.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/kokusai/

The website has both English and Japanese explanations and surveys. You can check out the English on your own so here’s an English translation of the Japanese (prepared with ChatGPT’s help):

— start translation — Date: September 2024 Kumamoto Title: University Elementary School International Class Establishment Survey (For Japanese Students’ Parents)

Sean here - For yoga practitioners and or those who are Yoga curious:

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 13:46:51 +0000

Sean here - For yoga practitioners and or those who are Yoga curious:

ヨガをやっている、もしくはヨガに興味のある方へ：私たちは月に2回ヨガをやっています。よく「体が硬いからヨガをするのは難しそう」という方がいますが、ヨガには曲芸師のような柔らかさは必要ありません。その人の柔軟性に応じて行うのがヨガで、それで十分です。心を落ち着けるストレッチのようなものだと考えてください。

クラスは日本語で行われます。

私たちはこのヨガの集まりを週1回に増やすことを考えています。もしあなたやあなたの知り合いがヨガの先生で、教える場所を探している場合、ぜひご連絡ください。

They have classes twice a month, Sunday mornings. You don’t need to be a contortionist to participate—think of this as mindful stretching. Classes are conducted in Japanese.

They are considering expanding our meetings to once a week. If you or someone you know is a budding entrepreneur yoga teacher looking for a venue to practice, please message me (Sean) or contact them directly using the QR code found on the flyer.

クリーンパークファイブ環境フェスタ2024

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 13:04:23 +0000

Hi there! If you’re near Nagasu Port this Sunday (6th Oct) the クリーンパークファイブ環境フェスタ2024 will be taking place from 9am-2pm. It’s an Eco/Community Festival at a recycle center by the coast, with a flea market, performances by local kindergarten kids, emergency vehicles on display, an environmental poster display, food trucks, etc.

Address: 熊本県玉名郡長洲町大字名石浜４２番地１クリーンパークファイブ Closest Station: 長洲駅・Nagasu Station (4.4km / 1 hour walk away if you’re feeling it!)

See the Japanese link for more info: https://www.ariake-kouiki.or.jp/gyousei/oshirase/320658

Post

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:53:22 +0000

Kirk here. Another item for bushido fans. I've provided a complete English tra…

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 15:00:33 +0000

Kirk here. Another item for bushido fans. I’ve provided a complete English translation (ChatGPT, of course) for the entire segment.

— start translation — Experience Iaido in the “Sacred Land of Miyamoto Musashi” — Over 100 Foreign Visitors! Samurai Tourism in the Spotlight Thanks to Drama and Film

October 3, 2024 (Thursday) 19:07

Currently, Japan’s “Samurai Spirit” is gaining renewed attention.

The drama SHOGUN, produced and starring actor Hiroyuki Sanada, has won an Emmy Award. Additionally, the movie Samurai Time Slipper has become a hit.

Japanese Language Class (熊本日本語クラス)

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:41:47 +0000

Hi! Kirk here. I actually found this information in Japanese. Sometimes, I guess you have to be more-or-less fluent in Japanese in order to find out where you can study Japanese in order to become fluent. :(

Here’s a ChatGPT translation of part of the text of the Japanese article:

— start translation — Application Period: October 2, 2024 (Wednesday) until the class reaches capacity Eligibility: Foreign residents aged 15 and older living in Kumamoto Prefecture Cost: ¥4,800 (tax included, bank transfer fee not included) — one-time payment for ¥800 per month Requirements:

ぱとこん個展レセプション

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 11:54:19 +0000

Kirk here with an announcement from Megan. (Thanks Megan! Congratulations Patrick!)

— start announcement — Local community member Patrick Ijima-Washburn is hosting an art show beginning Tuesday October 1st! Come out and support him at a reception held on the first night: snacks and drinks provided!

English follows レトロポップイラストレーター「ぱとこん(patokon」個展のレセプションを開きます。「ぱとこん」として絵を描いてる井島ワッシュバーン・パトリックのクリエーティブ活動30年記念展示です。2016年に発表した絵本『がっぱちゃんとぐまくんの一二三(ひふみ)』の原画を特別にこの日だけに展示します。他の作品18点を1日から31日まで未来会議室下通店で展示します。ワインとチーズを飲食しながらぱとこんさんのアートトークを楽しみましょう！

A reception will be held for the solo exhibition of retro-pop illustrator “patokon.” This exhibition commemorates 30 years of creative activity by Patrick Ijima Washburn, who draws under the name “patokon.” The original illustrations from the picture book “Gappa, Guma and the Words of Wisdom,” published in 2016, will be exhibited specially on this day only. 18 other works will be on display at Mirai Kaigi Shitsu Shimo-tori from the 1st to the 31st. Enjoy Patokon’s art talk over wine and cheese! — end announcement —

Fiona here, posting on behalf of a member of Kumamoto-i who has created a new gr…

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 01:34:46 +0000

Fiona here, posting on behalf of a member of Kumamoto-i who has created a new group for foreigners living in this prefecture. Please check it out and share the info. :

Hi everyone, I am making a community Facebook group much alike the ones for Tokyo or Osaka, but for our beloved Kumamoto. The objective is to create a community to chat about daily stuff. Things like where to find a good dentist, any good Indian supermarkets, anyone interested in meeting up, etc. The more people the group has the better. So please join and let’s grow our Kumamoto Expat Network. https://www.facebook.com/share/g/ShcAPPAGXZY1yP1G/?mibextid=K35XfP

Volunteer activity for Mizuakari preparation

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 05:04:26 +0000

Volunteers are needed at 城彩苑Josaien to help with preparations for Mizuakari. We are waiting for those who are interested. Till 4pm today. Atsuko is also there.( * ॑꒳ ॑*)

Tomorrow they will not work. Next Saturday and Sunday there will be another volunteer activity at the same place in Josaien from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/U1ae4roY3BQFb1RH/

Do As Infinity 25th anniversary Free LIVE in KUMAMOTO

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 23:44:57 +0000

Atsuko here. Free concert at Hanabata Hiroba.(ﾉ˶>ᗜ<˵)ﾉ Do As Infinity is a band from Kumamoto, Japan.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー On September 29, 2024, the anniversary of their debut, Do As Infinity will hold a street live performance at Hanabata Hiroba in Kumamoto, which can be said to be the starting point of Do As Infinity! Admission will be free.

Do As Infinity 25th anniversary Free LIVE in KUMAMOTO Date & Time: September 29, 2024 (Sun.), 1:00 p.m. - start (tentative) / free admission Place: Hanabata Hiroba, Kumamoto　 7-7 Hanabatacho, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto 860-0806 https://hanabatahiroba.jp/about/

Kirk here. We had an earthquake earlier this evening. Nothing earthshaking, we…

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:17:39 +0000

Kirk here. We had an earthquake earlier this evening. Nothing earthshaking, well, maybe a little earthshaking, but not a huge one.

Time: 20:35 Magnitude: 3.7 Depth: About 10 kilometers Highest shindo reading: 3

https://www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/quake/quake_detail.html?eventID=20240926203919&lang=jp

Kirk here with something for Volters (basketball) fans.

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 08:29:42 +0000

Kirk here with something for Volters (basketball) fans.

University Admissions Counselling for International Students at Kumamoto

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 02:26:12 +0000

University Admissions Counselling for International Students at Kumamoto

Attention all international students studying at Japanese language schools with the goal of entering a university or graduate school!

Would you like to hear an explanation about universities in Kumamoto?

Consortium Kumamoto will be holding an online information session about university admissions on Tuesday, October 22, at 3:00 PM.

Please apply for online session if you are interested! https://consortium-kumamoto.jp/kokusai/ryugaku/

#熊本県立技術短期大学校 #熊本学園大学 #東海大学 #崇城大学 #尚絅大学 #尚絅大学短期大学部 #熊本大学 #大学コンソーシアム熊本

Kirk here. As you know, the drama series "Shogun" has made quite a splash. It …

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:38:19 +0000

Kirk here. As you know, the drama series “Shogun” has made quite a splash. It seems that it has added to already significant interest in samurai culture. This Japanese-language news report includes a section about foreigners who come to enjoy experiencing and learning at the “Kumamoto Musashi-Kan Dojo.”

https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/094d80cdf13e47b495b6a6166608d14e

Here’s an English-language article:

Become a samurai in Kumamoto! In an “Iai Experience”, learn about swordsmanship developed by Musashi Miyamoto https://kumamoto.guide/en/season/detail/174

Kirk here. The caption says "This file photo taken in May 2023 shows a large-sc…

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:30:33 +0000

Kirk here. The caption says “This file photo taken in May 2023 shows a large-scale solar power plant built in Oguni, Kumamoto Prefecture. (Kyodo)” I like the idea of renewable energy. In fact, I have solar panels on my house. But, I can’t help but be concerned about replacing trees and other vegetation with them. :(

Salut! Sean here -

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:31:25 +0000

Salut! Sean here - To all the Francophiles in the group. Tout le monde ! Voulez vous parler le français? フランス語、話してみたい？ Hello World! Want to learn how to speak French? Contact here ~ https://www.instagram.com/chez.ruri

Kirk here with some links to English-language pdf pamphlets about things to do i…

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 07:26:22 +0000

Kirk here with some links to English-language pdf pamphlets about things to do in the Amakusa area:

https://www.t-island.jp/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/amakusaguide_en2-1.pdf (pictured)

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/amakusa/8513.html This page has links to identical pamphlets in Japanese, English, and Chinese. So, you can use the English to study the Japanese if that appeals to you. :)

Kirk here with a share from Mr. Yagi of the International Center.

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 04:09:06 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Mr. Yagi of the International Center.

https://www.facebook.com/hiromitsu.yagi/posts/pfbid02dfRUJ6FvCMiay6LQ6vTdst8Aw2zSNpPb6RQYbx2L3vX7yy4gHw49PyMkr2vrTnASl

Kirk here. Kedah State is in Malaysia and is famous for its rice paddies. The g…

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 03:29:07 +0000

Kirk here. Kedah State is in Malaysia and is famous for its rice paddies. The group seems to have come to learn about groundwater recharging in Kumamoto:

— start quote — In a statement issued today, it clarified that Sanusi is in Kumamoto City to learn about underground water catchment management to be built in Langkawi, which is slated to become the first-ever project of its kind in the country and Southeast Asia. — end quote —

Post

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:34:06 +0000

Kirk here with a ChatGPT translation of a nice article about the 30th anniversar…

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 08:46:03 +0000

Kirk here with a ChatGPT translation of a nice article about the 30th anniversary of Kumamoto City’s International Foundation. If you’ve had any interaction with the foundation or the International Center downtown (which I suspect many of you have), I highly recommend that you read the article (I think this English translation is quite readable).

— start translation — Supporting Foreign Residents in Kumamoto for 30 Years: Kumamoto City International Center Contributes to Mutual Understanding and Coexistence through Consultation Services and Japanese Language Classes

Kirk here. I'm posting this because I assume that Steffen Riley has some friend…

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:13:33 +0000

Kirk here. I’m posting this because I assume that Steffen Riley has some friends who read this page (but, personally, I don’t happen to have had the pleasure of meeting him).

One point: Kumamoto FEELS tropical (especially this year) but, technically, the climatic designation of Kumamoto (except the Aso region) is “humid subtropical” (温暖湿潤気候), not “tropical.”

Kirk here. Here's a URL of a video with some scenes from Monday's festival.

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 02:35:31 +0000

Kirk here. Here’s a URL of a video with some scenes from Monday’s festival.

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/kyushu/news/20240917-OYTNT50054/

Kirk here. Looks like people with land in Kikuyo-machi area are in a position t…

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 02:14:18 +0000

Kirk here. Looks like people with land in Kikuyo-machi area are in a position to make some money. Unfortunately, though, this isn’t good news for people who might want to live there in the future.

Kirk here with a rather extensive article on the new Children's Book Forest, des…

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:54:05 +0000

Kirk here with a rather extensive article on the new Children’s Book Forest, designed by Tadao ANDO. We discussed the library on this page before. You can find some of those posts here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064554018003/search/?q=Book%20forest

A new forest of books: Tadao Ando’s project in Kumamoto https://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/gallery/2024/09/04/tadao-ando-children-library-project-kumamoto-books-forest.html

Tour de Kyushu - Final Stage Finish

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 01:06:03 +0000

Attention cyclists! (Kirk)

— note from an insider — . . . we are looking for (international) cycling fans to attend the finish of the final stage on Mon. Oct 14 - public holiday - and their is some “hospitality” for those who are selected. It’s a ways from Kumamoto - but if you or anyone you know is a cycling fan - this will be fun — end note —

Kirk here. If you've been in Kumamoto for a while, you probably have at least s…

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:40:20 +0000

Kirk here. If you’ve been in Kumamoto for a while, you probably have at least some familiarity with “shiranui.” The basic meaning is “unknown fire” or “unknown light” (in reference to an optical illusion) but it has come to be used in a variety of proper nouns (see the following Wikipedia “disambiguation” for an English-language list of all of the usages):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiranui_(disambiguation)

Well, some high school students have succeeded in reproducing the “rare type of atmospheric optical phenomenon that can be glimpsed in the Yatsushiro Sea and nowhere else in Japan.”

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit.

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:23:04 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit.

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid0ThooCHcAvbyGNh7sPYQNKQadXLtx6Rg7Qsqc5oSDre4bzSMbpBzB9sBMLQbkuReyl

If you haven’t already “liked” Kuma Visit please do so. I think you’ll find many worthwhile posts there . . . and I’m only able to share a few of them here.

William A bit more about the Kumamoto Autumn Festival (colloquially known as "B…

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 01:20:58 +0000

William A bit more about the Kumamoto Autumn Festival (colloquially known as “Boshita Matsuri”: The festival originated in Ho-jo-e (the ritual for releasing living beings), a festival of letting wild animals go into the fields, a Buddhist custom (many local shrines are called “放牛” for this reason). The Zuibyo, or parade of following samurai, originated from the returning samurai of Katō Kiyomasa from Korea during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598). The decorated horses were originally those for Shinto priests (kannushi), twelve in number,　and in the Hosokawa clan period, only upper-class samurai families presented horses. Neighborhoods or trade associations bond to create the groups, which have ballooned to more than 50. The festival has undergone many alterations since its inception. In particular, following Kato Kiyomasa’s invasion of Korea (1592-1598), the phrase “Boshita! Boshita! Horo boshita!” (We destroyed! We completely destroyed!" was introduced. Due to completely understandable reasons, this was replaced in the ’80s with the (lame) “Dokai dokai!”, which is Kumamoto dialect for “How’s it going?” The procession winds through city streets to the castle, where participants take a break, and then back to Fujisaki shrine in the evening. In my opinion, the evening return is the best time to watch: the participants, particularly the horses, are exhaust, and one can easily mingle with the throng.
Many valid complaints regarding cruelty towards the horses are presented. It is, though, just one day, and the horses are treated as humanely as possible given the situation. Perhaps it is better than eating them (though I do so love basashi!) Photo ripped from the Web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Festival_of_Fujisaki_Hachimangu_Shrine

Horse Chasing Festival (umaoi matsuri)

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 07:51:29 +0000

Kirk here with a map of the parade route tomorrow, which I found here:

https://nikko-kumamoto.co.jp/_data/files/2024/09/11/abbeef1fe6c27751131f7b02a35110a6a93c911d.pdf or https://fujisakigu.or.jp/reitaisai/koutsukisei/

Check the URLs for the afternoon map.

It starts at (A) on the map (Fujisakigu Shrine) and proceeds to Otabisho, north of (I). The area with dark red lines near G is where “horse chasing” (umaoi) occurs. I feel rather conflicted about promoting it, especially because I fear that some of the horses are likely to suffer from heat exhaustion tomorrow, but as I assume that some of you might want to witness the event, I’ll share the following translation of a Japanese-language description:

神幸式ー随兵行列（飾馬60頭）

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 04:39:44 +0000

Kirk here with information about tomorrow’s festival with I’ve used ChatGPT to translate from the following web page:

https://fujisakigu.or.jp/reitaisai/info/

神幸式ー随兵行列　　　飾馬（60頭） Shinkoshiki - Retinue Procession with 60 Decorated Horses

午前2時　朝御食祭 2:00 AM - Morning Meal Ceremony

午前6時　本宮御発輦 6:00 AM - Departure from the Main Shrine

午前8時30分　御旅所御着輦 8:30 AM - Arrival at the Otabisho (temporary resting place for the deity)

午前9時　御能（於御旅所） 9:00 AM - Noh Performance (at the Otabisho)

Nakayoshi Club

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 03:19:55 +0000

Atsuko here.(*´∀`)ﾉ This is a continuation of the information on the Kumamoto YWCA from the other day. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/PvoBzyKDcMSfSiR3/

The YWCA, located next to Kumamoto University, holds a Nakayoshi Club every Saturday from 10:00 to 12:30. The Nakayoshi Club was started by us 6 years ago to provide support for Kumamoto’s international students coming from overseas, university teachers, their families, and children with foreign roots. It was also the reason I started to write in Kumamoto International.

Kirk here with some information about an opportunity to study Japanese. A link t…

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 09:24:02 +0000

Kirk here with some information about an opportunity to study Japanese. A link the the online application form an other material is available here:

https://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page357.htm

William https://www.kikuyouhp.jp/ (Kikuyou Byouin - Kikuyou Hospital) is a safe…

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 08:39:01 +0000

William https://www.kikuyouhp.jp/ (Kikuyou Byouin - Kikuyou Hospital) is a safe place so unique to Kyushu that patients visit from Kagoshima to Fukuoka. The second floor is for recovering alcoholics; the third, for those with miscellaneous issues. I had been in deep depression since my wife died and reached out for help, not having eaten for a week, and was assigned to the third floor ward - one can stay there for quite a while before asking why my roommates were there. We eat together and attend sessions together and walk the hall together and eventually become friends - even the most recalcitrant . If you have any trouble of any kind, please do not hesitate to reach out. Shout out my name and they’ll smile (patiently).

Cassie here. Here’s a great example of local kids doing amazing things in sports…

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 04:01:11 +0000

Cassie here. Here’s a great example of local kids doing amazing things in sports. Kyushu Gakuin’s high school and junior high school teams both won the national tournaments in August. They visited the prefecture office and met with the governor.

I put the article through translation software. It turned out pretty good. However the kendo coach’s name is Komeda not Yoneda. There are several ways to read his kanji.

On the 12th, the boys’ kendo clubs of Kyushu Gakuin High School and junior high school visited the prefectural office to report that they had each won the national tournament in August.

Fujisaki Hachimangu Grand Festival

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:55:52 +0000

Kirk here. Providing advance notice about festivals is something I’ve always wanted to do but haven’t been able to follow through with for the most part. This video is a news report about the Hassaku Festival in Yamato-machi which was held recently.

Monday (the 16th) the Fujisaki Hachimangu Grand Festival will be held here in Kumamoto City. I’ve always thought that early morning (about 6 AM or maybe even a little earlier?) was the best view time. Now that autumn feels like midsummer, I think the case for getting out early in the morning is even stronger.

Kirk here. I'm sure many residents of Kumamoto would like to have 60% more inco…

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 02:04:27 +0000

Kirk here. I’m sure many residents of Kumamoto would like to have 60% more income as a result of TSMC’s arrival but, personally, I’m not holding my breath. ;)

Yatsushiro National Fireworks Competition Festival

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:24:14 +0000

KIrk here. First, here’s the basic information about the fireworks in Yatsushiro:

Date and Time

Saturday, October 19, 2024
Fireworks starts at 6:00 pm doors open 1:00 pm *Rain-or-shine event, postponed to Saturday, November 9th in case of stormy weather Place
The flood plain of Kumagawa River in Yatsushiro City (Upstream of Shin Hagiwara Bridge) Sponsored by the Executive Committee of Yatsushiro National Fireworks Competition Festival

Now, here’s an inquiry we received:

Kirk here with an update on how pathogens in river caused illness in Amakusa:

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:31:35 +0000

Kirk here with an update on how pathogens in river caused illness in Amakusa:

— start quote — Osamu Doi, a doctor who heads the Kumamoto branch of the Japanese Alpine Club, said the number of deer, boars and other wild animals has sharply increased in mountains across the Kyushu region. “I see their bodies and feces while climbing. It is only natural for them to flow into rivers and become a source of infection,” he said. — end quote —

Here is some information about events to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Moon.

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 13:35:38 +0000

Here is some information about events to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Moon. I was worried about the lack of rain this summer. But this year, even though it is Kumamoto, there are fewer clouds at night than usual, and I think the starry sky and moon are beautiful. I hope the mid-autumn moon will be beautiful as well. Atsuko( ¯ ꒳¯)

https://castle-kumamoto--guide-jp.translate.goog/events/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Attn: Indonesia young people interested in studying in Kumamoto. -- Kirk

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 09:53:03 +0000

Attn: Indonesia young people interested in studying in Kumamoto. – Kirk

Atsuko here.

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 09:12:00 +0000

Atsuko here. Some September communications. The typhoons have gone and fall is here. I went to volunteer yesterday to prepare for Mizuakari. I felt like there were fewer volunteers this year, perhaps because of the change in location. I love this festival, where we work with the local residents to make the town more lively by crafting bamboo. The members are almost exclusively Japanese, but it is a lot of fun. There was also a girl from France who interned at the recent Mizuakari in Sakuramachi. I sometimes participate in the festival too. The volunteer place is right next to TKU. Please go to TKU for parking and for those who come by bus. To participate, please fill out the participation form.

Kikuchi hot spring tour

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 09:52:12 +0000

I am very disappointed that the Japanese recruitment is over. This tour is to heal your fatigue at a hot spring in Kikuchi. English information is below. “(ﾉ*>∀<)ﾉAtsuko

Details web page in English https://www-city-kikuchi-lg-jp.translate.goog/article/view/1091/10538.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawFJAhZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdFxJ-UIj-xrPKQLgKUEwjKgjGR0q9UeHlb4-0aL5B65b9tOGZeZW1mQDA_aem_xH2kkRmub0B4OsVZVmJoDg&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Google form in English https://logoform-jp.translate.goog/form/fJeH/698441?fbclid=IwY2xjawFJApxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRtMDvVjv-Ov0ot4f9awayQYQrKBRMz5Ewe75mz2Zzc26mU28AvaGxmzLA_aem_jUXn13yw8mX8ZDnD5xk4lA%2Fform%2FfJeH%2F698441%3Ffbclid%3DIwY2xjawFJApxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRtMDvVjv-Ov0ot4f9awayQYQrKBRMz5Ewe75mz2Zzc26mU28AvaGxmzLA_aem_jUXn13yw8mX8ZDnD5xk4lA&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_hist=true

Attn: Coffee lovers. Please share your reviews of this article and great places…

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 08:19:03 +0000

Attn: Coffee lovers. Please share your reviews of this article and great places not mentioned in it. – Kirk

https://www.tokyoweekender.com/food-and-drink/where-to-get-an-incredible-coffee-in-kumamoto/

First meeting - 7th Annual 2024 Halloween Four R Trick or Trash Event

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 21:53:05 +0000

-Update -Update -Update -Update -Update

         First meeting September 14th from 19:00 - 20:30
             Location: 5 min walk from Shin Sui Zen Ji Eki.
 Questions: Message here or email: SeanNYLC@gmail.com

Sean here-

Attention Parents and Teachers (or anyone else)! Help Us Find Teenagers for the 7th Annual 2024 Halloween Four R Trick or Trash Event!

Do you know a teenager who is passionate about the environment and eager to make a difference in their community? We’re looking for enthusiastic teens to join us for our 7th Annual Halloween Four R Trick or Trash event! This event is dedicated to teaching children the importance of recycling, reducing, reusing, and refusing waste.

" . . . you want to make sure anyone who’s preparing fugu for other people to ea…

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 07:12:02 +0000

" . . . you want to make sure anyone who’s preparing fugu for other people to eat knows exactly what they’re doing, and one person who does is Karin Tabira, a 10-year-old girl from Kumamoto Prefecture who’s now the youngest person in history to pass the fugu preparation certification test."

A couple of videos are embedded in the article. – Kirk

Parade with period costumes and horses

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 01:10:04 +0000

The main event (the parade with the period costumes and horses) is scheduled for Monday, September 16 (Respect for the Elderly Day) this year. – Kirk

Cassie here. Big news for Chuo-ku specifically Oe. Aeon is closing in February n…

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:39:39 +0000

Cassie here. Big news for Chuo-ku specifically Oe. Aeon is closing in February next year. It was originally Daiei than changed to Aeon. It has not been decided what will happen to Gran Paleta where the movie theater is yet. As someone that lives and works near Aeon this was a big shock especially since they only remodeled it in the last few years to put in Viva Homes. The article is below but so far there are only Japanese articles.

Kirk here with a news article, translated by ChatGPT. (There's a video news rep…

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:07:01 +0000

Kirk here with a news article, translated by ChatGPT. (There’s a video news report on the page I’m linking to.)

— start translation — Kumamoto Prefecture Holds First Meeting of its Multicultural Integration Promotion Headquarters: Addressing Challenges such as ‘Wage Levels and Childcare Systems’ Amid the Highest Growth Rate of Foreign Residents Nationwide

September 3, 2024 (Tuesday) 18:48

With the number of foreign residents in Kumamoto Prefecture on the rise, the prefecture held the first meeting of a promotion headquarters it established to further multicultural integration and secure additional human resources.

Taijin here. This is my first posting to the group.

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:55:17 +0000

Taijin here. This is my first posting to the group.

[Interactive Exchange Meeting Between Local Residents and Foreign Residents]

This afternoon, I participated in an [Interactive Exchange Meeting Between Local Residents and Foreign Residents] at the invitation of the district’s neighborhood association federation. After listening to a presentation on the current situation of foreign residents in Kumamoto City, we broke into nine groups to introduce ourselves and discuss the challenges foreigners face.

The typhoon has gone and it has cooled down a bit.

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 02:32:44 +0000

The typhoon has gone and it has cooled down a bit.

Unfortunately, it is narrated in Japanese, but it is my hometown, Nagomi machi !
Come visit Nagomi machi ! Atsuko٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

Kirk here with a link to a YouTube video about Kumamoto. The video editing is v…

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 07:27:05 +0000

Kirk here with a link to a YouTube video about Kumamoto. The video editing is very well done. On the other hand, it’s not always easy to figure out how to find the places shown in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF_WXCZ0fW

Kikikuru (Japan Meteorological Agency's Disaster Hazard Distribution) shows land…

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:35:50 +0000

Kikikuru (Japan Meteorological Agency’s Disaster Hazard Distribution) shows landslides, flooding, rivers likely to overflow, and flooded areas. So far, Kumamoto doesn’t seem to be too much affected, but I am worried that the typhoon is now heading for my mother’s house, Nagomi machi. Everyone should still be vigilant.“‎꜀Atsuko(๑•̀ㅁ•́ฅ✧

Kikikuru https://www-jma-go-jp.translate.goog/bosai/risk/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_hist=true#zoom:10/lat:32.739361/lon:130.638981/colordepth:normal/elements:flood&hazardmap

Live camera river. https://www-qsr-mlit-go-jp.translate.goog/kumamoto/bousai/kasen_live/index.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Here's Joha. Here's an online Hazardmap provided by Kumamoto prefecture. To be p…

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:09:24 +0000

Here’s Joha. Here’s an online Hazardmap provided by Kumamoto prefecture. To be prepared for a network breakdown an offline one would make more sense, yet, I thought this one might be better than nothing. https://portal.bousai.pref.kumamoto.jp/?p=hazard&ll=32.637061996573436%2C130.77850341796875&z=9 As an advise it might be good to know the exact locations of evacuation shelters (multiple is better) in your surroundings and possible safe routes to get there. Such shelters can have different purposes (tsunami, fire etc.) so make sure to choose the right ones. Last but not least, in case of evacuation keep your stuff at a minimum (ID card etc.) to maintain mobility. It’s also good to prepare a Rucksack or similar handy carry bag in advance. There are numerous sites for foreigners providing infos on disaster preparedness. A good choice is the Tokyo Fire Department. https://tokyo-resilience.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/assets/pdf/DisasterPreparednessTokyo.pdf Stay safe folks!

Atsuko here.

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:07:58 +0000

Atsuko here. With a typhoon approaching, I believe the announcement of school closures for elementary and junior high schools in Kumamoto City came through the “Suguru” system. Recently, I’ve been studying ChatGPT, and as a writer, I’m enjoying how interesting and impressive it is. I thought this would be a good time to test it out with a post.

To all my readers around the world, what do you think of the translation my ChatGPT, Chappie, provided? Is the information being conveyed accurately?

Cassie here. I’m sure most of you have heard, but typhoon number two is approach…

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 04:45:19 +0000

Cassie here. I’m sure most of you have heard, but typhoon number two is approaching us. It’s moving slowly but they expect it to affect us from tomorrow night to Thursday night. Be careful.

Kirk here with an article I recommend highly. Here's a blurb to give you a sens…

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 09:42:04 +0000

Kirk here with an article I recommend highly. Here’s a blurb to give you a sense of the piece:

— start quote — Twenty years ago, Teruyuki Otaguro, a lifelong Kumamoto resident, saw something “surreal” at Lake Ezu, a popular spot for locals to fish and boat. As he walked around the lake, he saw hundreds of carp trying to squeeze through a narrow waterway, some swimming on top of each other, as they tried to get out of the lake. It was hot, and rain hadn’t fallen in days. “The image stuck with me for a long time,” Otaguro told Nikkei Asia. The main source of the lake, water gushing from underground, had been significantly declining since the 1970s. The fish appeared to be attempting to escape the evaporating lake into connecting rivers. — end quote —

Here's an extended article for One Piece fans. -- Kirk

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 13:14:17 +0000

Here’s an extended article for One Piece fans. – Kirk

Kirk here with some statistics about our local tram:

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 08:28:22 +0000

Kirk here with some statistics about our local tram:

“The tram began operation on Aug. 1, 1924, when the city took over the rights to run it from a private company. The tram originally had two lines but gained more over time. By 1959, the length of its lines totaled 25 kilometers. The tram reached peak ridership in 1964, when it saw an average of 116,097 passengers per day.”

Kirk here. Cassie has already posted about this (thanks Cassie!) but I found th…

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:22:39 +0000

Kirk here. Cassie has already posted about this (thanks Cassie!) but I found this English-language article with updated information so I thought I’d share it.

It may take a while for the exact nature of the microbe is determined but one theory I heard mentioned on TV is that the higher temperatures we’ve experienced recently may be one factor that contributed to this unusual phenomenon.

Cassie here. Last night the Shinkansen was shut down at Shin Tamana station. Thi…

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 22:36:49 +0000

Cassie here. Last night the Shinkansen was shut down at Shin Tamana station. This was on the route from Osaka to Kagoshima. It says that someone was hit by the train. Living in Tokyo I heard this a lot. I don’t hear about suicides as much on trains in Kumamoto. It doesn’t say suicide specifically but they usually don’t say the word. No matter how it happened it’s so tragic. I am coping and pasting the Japanese article I found in here.It’s from Kyodo news and I found it in my yahoo weather app.

Cassie here. It seems 46 people including high school students went swimming in …

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 11:05:25 +0000

Cassie here. It seems 46 people including high school students went swimming in Amakusa on August 13. Since then they have become sick with stomach problems like diarrhea and nausea. They have been receiving medical treatment. This is the Japanese article below. So be careful when swimming in rivers etc. and avoid swallowing water.

Kirk here. "TSMC estimates that its two wafer fabs in Kumamoto will consume app…

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 08:01:05 +0000

Kirk here. “TSMC estimates that its two wafer fabs in Kumamoto will consume approximately 8 million cubic meters of groundwater daily by 2028, which accounts for about 5% of the region’s current annual groundwater supply.” 5% of the groundwater supply every 4 years or so would suck it dry in about 80 years if if weren’t for recharging. The article says that TSMC will redirect its used/waste “water into fallow fields” so that it can seep into the aquifer (i.e. recharge it) but my guess is that it’s going to be easier to get the water out of the aquifer than it will be to put it back in.

Kirk here with strange news of a convenience store worker being involved in the …

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 06:17:43 +0000

Kirk here with strange news of a convenience store worker being involved in the apprehension of a suspect in Kumamoto.

P.S. I had trouble making sense of the headline when I first saw it but the idea is that the suspect confessed to the convenience store worker, who then called the cops while the suspect waited for them to arrive.

https://japantoday.com/category/crime/man-arrested-after-telling-convenience-store-worker-that-he-assaulted-robbed-woman-in-hotel

Here’s a Japanese news video about the arrest:

https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/kkt/category/society/kkff4569d6c2144a72b85d80f57dd7b762

Cassie here about a local restaurant. Today I went to Wah Gwaan with a friend in…

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 09:14:23 +0000

Cassie here about a local restaurant. Today I went to Wah Gwaan with a friend in Ueki. It’s a Jamaican restaurant with a great atmosphere. The staff are really friendly. We actually stayed for 2.5 hours until they closed for their break time before dinner. There is also easy parking available in front of the restaurant. I had the fish and chips because I can’t eat spicy food.

Google エンジニアによるIT業界キャリアワークショップ

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 04:33:14 +0000

Atsuko here. Want to work at Google?

Dear Parents and English Teachers,

We are planning to hold a workshop for children on careers in information technology with engineers working at Google.

It all started when Kirk shared a news article here on the Kumamoto International Facebook page about people in Yamaga using Nintendo Switch to teach programming to elementary school kids:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/858381926323600

I saw that and, in a comment, introduced my friend Kenji from Google, who is also from Kumamoto. I wrote that he also does online programming workshops for kids.

Kirk with an English translation (ChatGPT) of this Japanese news article about i…

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 04:13:09 +0000

Kirk with an English translation (ChatGPT) of this Japanese news article about improving life in Kumamoto for foreign residents:

Kumamoto Prefecture to Establish a New Promotion Headquarters Next Month for Improving the Environment for Foreign Residents

August 15th, 16:23

As the number of foreign residents in Kumamoto Prefecture increases due to the expansion of Taiwan’s semiconductor giant, TSMC, Kumamoto Prefecture has decided to establish a new promotion headquarters to improve the environment for accepting foreign residents.

Atsuko here. This is a great spot for parents who are tired of their children no…

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 13:01:14 +0000

Atsuko here. This is a great spot for parents who are tired of their children not being able to leave the media during summer vacation. くまりば, Kumariba in Hitoyoshi City. https://kumariva.com/ You can enter a hot spring that will smooth your skin for 400 yen and read manga. There is also a core working place for parents.You can spend time with children together whether you have work to do, want to read, take a bath, or read manga. I have also taken two baths and done some work. My daughter enjoyed the manga. The fireworks looked beautiful tonight.

Kirk here. I received this inquiry about accommodations near Aso Farmland from …

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 12:23:58 +0000

Kirk here. I received this inquiry about accommodations near Aso Farmland from someone who is concerned about animal welfare. Please respond in a comment if you have any information to share.

I wonder if anyone can help:

We are looking for a hotel, where we could stay for about 2 weeks, on the bus route to Aso Farmland. The Arden Hotel would have been perfect but they don’t have rooms available. Higo–ozu – does anyone know of a good hotel here? Or anywhere else on the bus route to Aso Farmland? (Unfortunately we don’t have an international driving licence and we can’t get one over the Internet.)

"Located on the charming island of Kyushu, Kumamoto boasts a cost-efficiency rat…

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 09:49:45 +0000

“Located on the charming island of Kyushu, Kumamoto boasts a cost-efficiency rating of 8.3 out of 10. With Mount Aso (one of the world’s largest active volcanoes on its periphery that lends the prefecture its title of ‘The Land of Fire’), 17th-century castle grounds, and traditional onsens, Kumamoto promises a well-rounded getaway in Japan.”

Not sure how the “cost-efficiency” rating is calculated but I would agree that Kumamoto offers quite a lot at relatively modest prices. – Kirk

Cassie here. This is related to all of Japan. I’m sure most of you are aware tha…

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 03:46:11 +0000

Cassie here. This is related to all of Japan. I’m sure most of you are aware that Japan is going more and more digital for customs when returning to Japan. I have used the Visit Japan site on my last several trips home to the US. However there were still paper forms available on the plane. When I came back to Japan from a school trip in Australia they no longer give the paper forms on the plane. You can find paper ones after you pick up your luggage. However using Visit Japan web is easier if you have an account. If you don’t have one yet I suggest you make one before leaving or returning to Japan. The link to the website is below. I’m wondering if eventually the paper forms will no longer be available.

". . .openings for engineer jobs related to the production of semiconductors or …

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:33:01 +0000

“. . .openings for engineer jobs related to the production of semiconductors or chipmaking equipment in fiscal 2023 jumped 14.24-fold from 10 years before” – Copy and pasted by Kirk

Kirk here. For better or worse, this community is set up as a "page," not a "gro…

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 06:28:59 +0000

Kirk here. For better or worse, this community is set up as a “page,” not a “group.” That means only “editors” can post, and participants can only comment on threads initiated by editors. However, anyone can become an editor. So, I’d like to encourage all of you who are willing to do a little volunteer work or have content you’d like to share to contact me. I’ll be more than happy to give you editing privileges. And being an editor doesn’t mean you have to post—it just gives you the option to do so when the spirit moves you.

Kirk here. TSMC pledges to be environmentally friendly (?). Hope the water is O…

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:30:11 +0000

Kirk here. TSMC pledges to be environmentally friendly (?). Hope the water is OK.

Yamaga Festival

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 06:46:17 +0000

Kirk here. I’m a fan of Yamaga. There’s a big festival there this week (15th and 16th). If you can make it, the details for this year are spelled out in Japanese here:

https://yamaga-tanbou.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/bb3f3c2242242840c9d4b6ad87c36a1c.pdf

An general overview of the festival in English can be found here:

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/458/

And here’s the article that prompted me to post about Yamaga today:

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20240811-204258/

Kirk here. One Piece statues still popular.

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 09:23:04 +0000

Kirk here. One Piece statues still popular.

Recently, earthquakes have been increasing again. Let's be careful! Atsuko(๑•̀ㅂ•…

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 22:54:59 +0000

Recently, earthquakes have been increasing again. Let’s be careful! Atsuko(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/i8d8QG5PnBWPKNVv/

Kumamoto Kogyo vs Hiroshima - High School Baseball Tournament

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 12:11:27 +0000

Kirk here. If you’re interest in the high school baseball tournament, Kumamoto Kogyo plays Hiroshima in the first game Monday morning.

https://www.jhbf.or.jp/sensyuken/2024/tournament/

P.S. The schedule say “Day 6,” I think be cause the schedule is always vulnerable to changes in the weather, but it looks like the game will probably be played on Monday (the 12th) as planned.

Screening of the animated film 'Stallone Princesses' from Ukraine

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 10:41:09 +0000

Support Ukraine by watching the film. Atsuko(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Place : Ubuama-mura Aso Time : 23 August Open19:00～ Screening 19:40～ Admission: Free.

Please make sure. It’s not Yamaga city.

That Yamaga elementary School is the Yamaga elementary School in Ubuyama Village in Aso. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

[Friday 23 Aug] Screening of the animated film ‘Stallone Princesses’ from Ukraine!

Date & Time: 23 Aug (Fri) Doors open 19:00, screening 19:40

Place: Former Yamaga elementary School ground Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9fwu9Kdy9RZ5D4vE7 (460, Yamaga, Ubuyama-mura, Aso-gun, Kumamoto)

More TAKEAARI @SAKURAMACHIヽ('▽')ﾉAtsuko

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 04:32:51 +0000

More TAKEAARI @SAKURAMACHIヽ(’▽’)ﾉAtsuko

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-clt2zPgCo/?igsh=bmptbTdvN2l0ZXEx

Kirk here with an article that, like the one I posted yesterday, warns of "a big…

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 04:28:26 +0000

Kirk here with an article that, like the one I posted yesterday, warns of “a big one” (my phrase, “megaquake” is the term used in this article) that we are at increased risk of experiencing following the recent quake in Miyazaki.

By the way, the caption on the picture says “Kumamoto Castle” but it’s actually Kumamoto Daijingu Shrine (熊本大神宮), which is on the castle grounds.

Night zoo with Projection mapping

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 23:36:32 +0000

Information about night zoo, especially “Projection mapping Today and tomorrow” @Kumamoto zoo I put some flyers for the night release in the comments section.Atsuko⸜(* ॑꒳ ॑* )⸝ Details https://www-ezooko-jp.translate.goog/kiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=3&type=top&id=914&_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/iL5uQdZupxDtXHzc/

Kirk here with a bit more about our earthquake situation.

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 12:25:15 +0000

Kirk here with a bit more about our earthquake situation.

After yesterday’s earthquake, Japan is, as the article states, “on alert for the heightened possibility of a huge earthquake that could cause immense loss of life and property across a wide stretch of the central and western parts of the country.” The article provides some basic information about what the “Nankai Trough” is and how to prepare for a major earthquake that might hit it.

Kirk here. A large earthquake just hit Miyazaki Prefecture. I was sitting at m…

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 08:00:29 +0000

Kirk here. A large earthquake just hit Miyazaki Prefecture. I was sitting at my desk here in Kumamoto and was amazed by the slow undulating motion I felt – rather unlike anything I’ve experienced before.

https://www.data.jma.go.jp/multi/quake/quake_detail.html?eventID=20240808164625&lang=en

This may not be a significant problem for people in Kumamoto (at least if it ends here) but people in Miyazaki may have suffered serious damage as there was at least one 6- on the Japanese scale. For those of us in Kumamoto, this may end as merely a scary event or there may be more earthquakes to come. As many of you probably remember, in the case of the 2016 Kumamoto quakes, a large shock was followed by an even bigger one the next day. Take care!

Kaguyahime no Hikaru Niwa in Sakuramachi Kumamoto

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 05:32:51 +0000

For みずあかりたけあかり fans.

A permanent exhibition of Mizuakari is on the rooftop of Sakuramachi. As a Mizuakari fan, I participated in helping with the production until yesterday. The opening is tomorrow. I have included a few photos of the work in progress, but the real thing is 100 times more beautiful when you see it at night with your own eyes along with the scenery. Please enjoy this beautiful light with your own eyes, with your own camera and with your loved ones, together with the crescent moon in the cool of the evening. It’s really beautiful and makes you happy. (ꕤ ॑꒳ ॑*)ﾉAtsuko ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ‘Kaguyahime no Hikaru Niwa in Sakuramachi Kumamoto’

Kirk here with an update on Hertz's policy toward expats with driver's licenses …

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 03:55:02 +0000

Kirk here with an update on Hertz’s policy toward expats with driver’s licenses and passports from different countries.

First, for background, here’s the URL of my post on the issue from last year:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0ue3eC5LrJp3LAsUhLQUe7PCwfK7dSuNYeQ5ezzY33LGcw8wke1v5h2ff9ik2VSFxl

In a nutshell, I was told at the Hertz office at the airport in Madison, Wisconsin (USA) that if I have a Japanese driver’s license I should have a Japanese passport; or, since I’m an American citizen, I should have a driver’s license from a state in the U.S.

Sad news about a girl from Ozu, Kumamoto who drowned in Hastings, Nebraska, USA.…

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:40:33 +0000

Sad news about a girl from Ozu, Kumamoto who drowned in Hastings, Nebraska, USA. – Kirk

P.S. I’ll put links to other articles and video in comments.

News: It's hot! -- Kirk (The NHK webpage features a video news report in Englis…

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 06:13:41 +0000

News: It’s hot! – Kirk (The NHK webpage features a video news report in English.)

Here's an inquiry that came to the page. Please share any wisdom you may have i…

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:39:40 +0000

Here’s an inquiry that came to the page. Please share any wisdom you may have in a comment.

We’re looking for ways to send our household items to the U.S. next spring by ship. We’ve found that the post office charges about half of what a shipping company charges per large cardboard box of 25 kg. We’re wondering if the shipping company is better for any reason other than coming to our apartment to pick up the boxes. Any advice?

In local crime -- Kirk

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 06:27:10 +0000

In local crime – Kirk

Record setting heat (38.8°C or 101.8°F!!!) in Kumamoto today. -- Kirk

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:47:07 +0000

Record setting heat (38.8°C or 101.8°F!!!) in Kumamoto today. – Kirk

— start ChatGPT translation of article —

Extreme Heat in Nearly All Locations in Kumamoto Prefecture: Record High Temperatures at Five Sites August 4 (Sunday) 18:53 Report

KAB Kumamoto Asahi Broadcasting

On the 4th in Kumamoto Prefecture, almost all observation points recorded extremely hot days, with record high temperatures observed at five locations, including Kumamoto City.

Due to being covered by a high-pressure system, the strong sunlight, and the continuous inflow of warm air from last week, temperatures have risen in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Here's a newspaper article about the reopening of the bike racing stadium (Kumam…

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 13:37:51 +0000

Here’s a newspaper article about the reopening of the bike racing stadium (Kumamoto Keirinjo) that I posted about the other day. – Kirk

takigi noh performance - Tamura

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 09:49:33 +0000

Kirk here announcing that this year’s takigi (touch-lit) noh performance in Suizenji Park will be held tomorrow (August 3). The time of the evening and free admission will be the same as last year (see last year’s post, shown below). This year’s performance will be of Tamura, which you can read about in English here:

https://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/data/program_028.html

Someone (I wonder who? hint: it ain’t me, but I’ve been helping with the text) will read a 5-minute or less description in English about the play and some key aspects of noh theatre at the beginning of the program. Otherwise, everything will be in Japanese.

Artwork Exhibition

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:59:55 +0000

Joe Tomei here, hope I’m not overstepping. My wife will be showing her artwork at hair studio KR, she’s planning on being there every morning if you want to talk to the artist.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pTBQxvjjXUwoUrRq9

Are you enjoying your summer holidays?

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 14:20:28 +0000

Are you enjoying your summer holidays? I went to Kumamoto Airport and found a good leaflet on sightseeing in Kumamoto, so I will share it with you. The city is on standby for the HINOKUNI MATSURI.

My latest recommendation is to dip a Tokyo banana, a souvenir from Tokyo, into Kuma shochu and eat it soaked in sake. I recommend it as the sweetness of the banana matches the aroma of the shochu. Hoping you also enjoy Kumamoto summer well. (* ‘ᵕ’ )☆Atsuko

Tis the season!! 🤽🏼‍♀️ ⚽ 🥇 Some new Kumamoto residents are asking about casual, …

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 09:56:50 +0000

Tis the season!! 🤽🏼‍♀️ ⚽ 🥇 Some new Kumamoto residents are asking about casual, local sports teams and social gatherings 🎲 🏀 🤸🏼‍♀️ If any of you sporty folk know of soccer kick-abouts or casual basketball meetups, please post the details! - Ruth

Fiona here, with a recommendation for delicious ways to cool off during these ho…

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:57:35 +0000

Fiona here, with a recommendation for delicious ways to cool off during these hot summer days. Kumamoto Gelato is located in Koshi city, offers a wide variety of flavours and it’s possible to have up to six in a cone or cup if you are spoilt for choice. As the reviews on Google Maps suggest, the owner can be quite pushy in the flavours he wishes you to try - I ended up with a weird combination of mango, matcha and Hawaiian blue in my cone, but it made for a funny and memorable experience.

Kirk here with Kumamoto City tram (shiden) news. The latest is a derailment.

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 09:19:58 +0000

Kirk here with Kumamoto City tram (shiden) news. The latest is a derailment.

Recently, there have been a slew of tram-related problems. Lack of public confidence in how the tram system has been run led the mayor to cancel a centennial celebration that had been planned (see Yahoo link, in Japanese, below).

Tram service was started in 1924 when TAKAHASHI Morio was mayor. Takahashi went on to become the first president of what is now called Kumamoto Gakuen University, where I work. His establishment and development of the tram network was one accomplishment that led to the creation of Takahashi Park (高橋公園), which is located by Inari Jinja on the castle grounds.

Kirk here with news about collective punishment in Hitoyoshi.

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 02:17:14 +0000

Kirk here with news about collective punishment in Hitoyoshi.

A few students were late so everyone was made to suffer collective punishment. This became news because the kids (including those who had done nothing wrong) got blisters on their feet from the extreme heat. Personally, I find the the idea of collective punishment itself (which never would have warranted a news article had it not been for the burns) to be about as abhorrent as the idea of making kids run on a hot surface.

"According to data from the Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade, and Industry, from …

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 01:03:51 +0000

“According to data from the Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade, and Industry, from April 2021 to June 2024, there have been 100 new semiconductor-related investments announced or reported, covering areas such as semiconductor materials and logistics. Among these, TSMC’s investment in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, stands out as the largest.”

Copied and pasted by Kirk

Another Suica and Pasmo article. -- Kirk

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:11:18 +0000

Another Suica and Pasmo article. – Kirk

According to this news report, the foreign population living in Kumamoto was 25,…

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:16:36 +0000

According to this news report, the foreign population living in Kumamoto was 25,121 residents in January of this year – 4,891 more than the previous year. This represents a 24.2% rise – the largest rate of increase for any prefecture in Japan. – Kirk

Parutama (that big stone ball in front of what used to be Parco) is back. [It ha…

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 12:43:42 +0000

Parutama (that big stone ball in front of what used to be Parco) is back. [It had be wrapped up for a while because it was in need of repairs.] – Kirk

Kirk here. On the one hand, I wonder how long this "history" might be, since all…

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:39:22 +0000

Kirk here. On the one hand, I wonder how long this “history” might be, since all of the earthquakes listed are in fairly recent memory. On the other hand, I think it does show how the Kumamoto earthquake was very notable, not just within Japan, but internationally as well. I was also interested to see that 4 of the top 10 occurred in Japan and that the 2024 Noto earthquake isn’t even included (too recent?).

Fiona here, getting excited about the Paris Olympics which will be starting in j…

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 11:09:50 +0000

Fiona here, getting excited about the Paris Olympics which will be starting in just a few days. One Kumamoto-born Olympian to watch out for is Ryotaro Araki from Yamaga who formerly played football for Kumamoto Roasso. Check out his stats and match schedule below.

Hitoyoshi's recovery from the 2020 floods continues. -- Kirk

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 07:02:47 +0000

Hitoyoshi’s recovery from the 2020 floods continues. – Kirk

For Tonkotsu Ramen Fans.

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 08:05:02 +0000

For Tonkotsu Ramen Fans. Report on the 1st Kumamoto きくらげ Kikurage ( wood ear mushroom) Festival.

The 1st Kumamoto Kikurage Festival was held today in Hitoyoshi City. I love Kikurage too. Kikurage is an indispensable ingredient in tonkotsu ramen, Taipien, and Chukadon. Hitoyoshi Kuma is one of the leading Kikurage production areas in the prefecture. There were kikurage croquettes and kikurage pudding, but I bought fresh kikurage (dried kikurage is often seen, but fresh kikurage is only available in the production area) and grilled Hitoyoshi ayu fish. I was too late to go to the market, so I did not have a chance to experience the harvesting process. Hoping you love Kumamoto tasty Kikurage too. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶Atsuko

Kirk here with a fairly extensive article about the internationalization of Kuma…

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 02:17:06 +0000

Kirk here with a fairly extensive article about the internationalization of Kumamoto that is being accelerated by the arrival of TSMC. Here’s a quote that I found particularly interesting:

— start quote — The Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) set up a committee in May to advance discussions on the acceptance of foreign nationals. Keidanren Chief Tokura Masakazu often quotes Swiss author Max Frisch who wrote “we asked for workers; we got people instead.” When workers are called in from overseas to tackle labor shortage, the country who invites them only deems them as “labor power.” However, the workers who actually come are, of course, people who have families and lives. — end quote —

Attn Keirin fans: Bicycle racing has returned to Kumamoto for the first time sin…

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 09:22:03 +0000

Attn Keirin fans: Bicycle racing has returned to Kumamoto for the first time since the track was damaged in the 2016 quakes. – Kirk　

I used to work near Ezuko (Lake Ezu) and noticed many banana trees whose bananas…

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 04:27:02 +0000

I used to work near Ezuko (Lake Ezu) and noticed many banana trees whose bananas never seemed to ripen. Curious, I asked an older employee why they never ripened, and he said it was because the soil was poor - but that answer didn’t satisfy me, so I researched it and found that they are fiber bananas, raised not for their fruit but for their stalks, which could be harvested yearly and turned into cloth. (This is called “seni banana” - 繊維バナナ - and clothing made from the fiber can still be found online.) The Hosokawa lords, who had a summer house nearby (still marked by a plaque), raised them mostly as a vanity project. Kasegawa (加瀬川), which originates from the springs at Suizenji Park, flows under Densha Dori and is added to by the springs behind the library, which is chock full of banana trees and deliciously cool natural water, as can be seen by the photos at the link. Parking is plentiful here and there, and the walk from the tram stop not too far. Small pools originating from springs abound, and Kasegawa itself is clean enough to drink this far up from Ezuko. There is also a large boulder (pictured) which is popular among the youngsters to jump from into the stream. If you have children, it is an accessible location to cool off on a day off. There is no shopping in the area, so bring a picnic. Much info at the link. - William

Warning level for Aso volcano back to 1 (lowest level). Access to the crater sh…

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:13:12 +0000

Warning level for Aso volcano back to 1 (lowest level). Access to the crater should be good this summer. – Kirk

We'd written recently about Shimabara, on the Nagasaki peninsula just across Ari…

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 01:51:00 +0000

We’d written recently about Shimabara, on the Nagasaki peninsula just across Ariake Sea. Below is an addendum. In 1792, there was an event that became known as 島原大変肥後迷惑 (Shimabara taihen, Higo meiwaku, which translates as “Terrible day for Shimabara; an annoyance for Higo” - an understatement). Google it for interesting photos: it sculpted the geology that remains to this day. In a nutshell, volcanic activity on Mt Unzen created a massive protuberance which broke loose, resulting in a landslide falling into Ariake Sea. This unleashed a tsunami in the bowl-shaped sea which washed several kilometers across the Higo lowlands and then bounced back to Shimabara, making what was already a bad day there much worse. I had to take a laboratory science class in college so chose geology (“rocks for jocks”) as it was the easiest, but it spawned a lifelong interest in the topic. Often in Kumamoto you’ll come across a geological feature that doesn’t seem to belong. That event in 1792 answers many questions about the unique features to be found on the Shimabara peninsula. Unzen is currently dormant, but its potential to resume activity remains very high. It makes for a fascinating visit. - William https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B3%B6%E5%8E%9F%E5%A4%A7%E5%A4%89%E8%82%A5%E5%BE%8C%E8%BF%B7%E6%83%91

Kirk here with three questions I've received and need to respond to when I get s…

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 14:01:57 +0000

Kirk here with three questions I’ve received and need to respond to when I get some time:

Does anyone know if there is a notary service in Kumamoto for English documents? How do you recommend getting rid of an old computer? Does anyone know how to rent a fridge in Kumamoto city?

Hi there! We'd like to ask our members to share information about reliable, prof…

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:46:14 +0000

Hi there! We’d like to ask our members to share information about reliable, professional mental health options; in-patient or out-patient in Kumamoto are preferred, but further afield or online mental health counselling is very welcome too.

English-speaking practitioners are greatly sought after, but, of course, details about compassionate Japanese professionals are also welcome.

If you have some information please post links or details.

Online options, including international mental help therapists are also a great resource; especially if overseas, please add JST hours, payment currency/methods, speciality, free first consultation, regular fee info, etc.

As you can see from the numbers of average cases per medical institutions on the…

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:25:34 +0000

As you can see from the numbers of average cases per medical institutions on the map, Kumamoto is ranked 4th (behind Okinawa, Kagoshima, and Miyazaki) in terms of new COVID-19 cases. People around me are getting sick. Take care! – Kirk https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/life/cfd3614bed2743d599faabb798679f93

A place to go to beat the heat: Kashima Machi is an attractive farming town that…

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:48:24 +0000

A place to go to beat the heat: Kashima Machi is an attractive farming town that has grown in recent years due to a major shopping mall. It is also known for its natural spring-fed pool (嘉島町湧水公園天然プール, Kashima-chō yūsuikōen ten’nen pūru). There are two pools, one shaped like a normal pool and one a bit more natural. They were formed by runoff from Aso meeting an ancient volcanic substrate. You’ll need a car to get there, but there is plenty of free parking. Pack a picnic and the kids and bring inflatable toys! - William https://kumaon.kumamoto.jp/kashima-yuusui-pool

Kirk here with an inquiry from someone who is looking for a good place to swim:

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 01:49:05 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry from someone who is looking for a good place to swim:

— start quote — I am looking for a swimming pool in Kumamoto. I am living in Honjo but no worries any place that I can reach by transportation will be fine. — start quote —

Now that it’s about to get REALLY hot, it might be a good time to exchange tips on this healthful way of cooling off. I’m posting one link I found but I think tips that those of you reading this may share in comments will be much more valuable.

Kirk here. This article is fairly old now but I think the "stay tax" (宿泊税) is s…

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:57:29 +0000

Kirk here. This article is fairly old now but I think the “stay tax” (宿泊税) is still in the works. The headline refers to the “negative effects of foreign tourism” but the article doesn’t explain those effects in detail. As far as I can tell from looking at a few Japanese articles, Kumamoto City needs to find funds to allow it to provide appropriate services for the growing numbers of visitors, but I’m not exactly sure what services are needed. At any rate, the tax would be a few hundred yen per hotel guest, regardless of citizenship.

Kirk here with an update about Minamata disease. I think I wrote earlier that M…

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:37:26 +0000

Kirk here with an update about Minamata disease. I think I wrote earlier that Minister Ito finally promised to start health surveys in a couple years. (Amazingly, a proper health survey of affected areas has never been undertaken; we only know about the people who have come forward on their own.) The first line of this article points to an even more serious issue – the refusal of the government to relax the certification criteria:

To our American friends: That the upcoming election is important does not need t…

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 08:30:59 +0000

To our American friends: That the upcoming election is important does not need to be impressed on anyone paying attention. The Center for US Voters Abroad allows confirmation that one is registered to vote in one’s state and links to register if not. My wife voted without fail - she was of the generation that understood the sacrifices Japan had made for that right. I understand that this is not directly related to Kumamoto, but it is tangentially; as it’s said, when America sniffs, Japan catches a cold.

Mudball - Japanese new sport PK (Football) World Cup in Rice Field

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 12:36:31 +0000

(Fiona) This event is taking place on Monday July 15th and looks very fun. Apologies for the late notice.

Time to get dirty! Mudball!! Japanese new sport “PK (Football) World Cup“ in Rice Field Date: July 15th 10am - 3pm Place: Ryumon Primary School https://maps.app.goo.gl/kvoWZtDZnF6pdsCR8?g_st=ic Fee: ￥1,000 (3 - 10 people / team) Prizes ⭐️1st: Natural grown Rice 30kg ⭐️2nd: 10 Onsen tickets at Shirokane no Mori ⭐️Most Point Player: Goyado (whole old house) one night ticket ⭐️MDP: Twinstar 10 gelato tickets https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8MMkMFxxSG/?igsh=MWQwNnA3OTR0dG9tbw== If you are interested in, please message on Instagram. 菊池市立龍門小学校 · Primary school

Kirk here with something that is not specific to Kumamoto but is definitely rele…

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 06:37:52 +0000

Kirk here with something that is not specific to Kumamoto but is definitely relevant to the lives of folks in Kumamoto who are working as ALTs. I saw this article you see pictured in Japanese and thought it would surely have been published in English but, at this point, no such luck. But, never fear, AI to the rescue – I’ll append a ChatGPT translation of an abridged version of the article to this post.

Special Opening of the Inside of the Uto Tower Roof

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 02:12:53 +0000

Information about Kumamoto castle Today. Atsuko(*•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Special Opening of the Inside of the Uto Tower Roof NEW A special open house will be held on Sunday, July 14th to view the inside of the bare roof of the Uto Tower, which is currently undergoing dismantling and preservation work. *The event is scheduled to be held on the second Sunday of every month, but may not be held in some months due to construction work.

Shimabara Peninsula is a cool 30-minute ferry ride from Kumamoto New Port on an …

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 01:42:36 +0000

Shimabara Peninsula is a cool 30-minute ferry ride from Kumamoto New Port on an air conditioned ferry which takes both cars and passengers (those on foot can take a bus from Kotsu Center). The small town, known as “the city of water”, has long had close connections with Kumamoto; it was the last refuge for rebels seeking refuge during the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion (島原･天草の乱, 1638), when Amakusa Shirō rebelled against the local daimyo’s efforts to prohibit Christianity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimabara_Rebellion Today, several bukeyashiki (samurai houses, 武家屋敷) draw tourists, These houses are fronted with narrow canals from which the residents once drew water. In 1978, the town hit upon a further attraction: they stocked these canals with koi (the colorful ones are known as nishikigoi, 錦鯉, inspired by a nearby house dating to the late Meiji era which has a pond also with koi. https://shimabaraonsen.com/guide/shimeisou While the town itself is no cooler than Kumamoto, the abundance of water makes it feel so. The nearby sea, full of grotesque islets created by eruptions of Unzen volcano, is also a delightful place for a dip. This guide is an excellent read: https://zekkeijapan.com/article/index/705/ - William

Fukuoka makes for a wonderful day trip from Kumamoto, with beautiful beaches, a …

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 07:43:35 +0000

Fukuoka makes for a wonderful day trip from Kumamoto, with beautiful beaches, a deep culture, fascinating history, and excellent food. It is a magnet for Kumamoto youth who find our town too small (it’s said that the town has the most beautiful women in Japan as it attracts many Kyushu lasses who long for city life but don’t want to venture so far as Kansai or Kanto). And no trip is complete without an evening meal at the yatai located at the southern end of Nakasu Island. To my surprise, the yatai have a deep connection with Kumamoto: virtually all of them were built by a husband-wife team who hail from Amakusa. If you see Akagi -san prowling the stalls, give her a big ”どうかい！" shout out. The Asaihi has the story: https://ajw-origin.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15304295 - William

Kirk here with Tsuruya Department Store news:

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:04:44 +0000

Kirk here with Tsuruya Department Store news: “Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is ramping up production at its first Japanese plant, drawing attention from local department stores eager to cater to the incoming executives. Tsuruya Department Store in Kumamoto is one such retailer. It boosts its luxury offerings, including fine wines and designer bags, to attract high-spending visitors.”

Kirk here with an article about continuing talks related to Minamata disease.

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:28:06 +0000

Kirk here with an article about continuing talks related to Minamata disease.

— start quote — Ito responded to a joint request from the groups for a review of the scheme for recognizing Minamata disease patients and for appropriate health surveys. He said he aims to start within two years a health survey on the effects of methylmercury exposure on residents. — end quote —

Regular readers of this page may recall that I’ve been pretty critical of how the Ministry has dragged its feet regarding demands to conduct a proper health survey to determine the extent of the impact on local residents’ health. Well, finally, we have a promise to start “within two years”. Even that strikes me as another delay but it’s better than what we have seen so far.

Another place to beat the heat, this time not too far from the castle. According…

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 11:53:28 +0000

Another place to beat the heat, this time not too far from the castle. According to chronicles, a son of Emperor Jinmu (born 711 BCE) was sent to tour Hinokuni and, looking for a cool spot to wash his hands, found a spring which resulted in a delightful waterfall - hence, its name, Ochyouzu (お手水 - funky reading of that kanji). Its proximity to the sweltering castle later made it a favorite cooling-off spot for Kato Kiyomasa and the Hosokawa lords. The waterfall remains (go ahead - climb up the rocks and stand under it!), surrounded by a large park with a lake and a fishing pond called Ochyozu no Mori (お手水の森) which is stocked with ayu (鮎, trout). A simple bamboo rod (竿, sao) can be rented with bait, and the question is not catching a fish but how many: no catch-and-release is allowed; you catch it, you buy it. They’ll cook ’em there for you or you can have ’em cleaned for you and take ’em home. There is also a restaurant and a koi pond (buy some koi food and watch the lil’ rascals suck ’em up - it’s a great place for kids). A walk around the area on tree-shaded lanes (its solitude now sadly bisected by an elevated highway) will take you to several temples, most with spring-fed ponds and their own stories (one pictured below). A visit is a wonderful, full day adventure that will certainly beat the heat.

Another installment on places to go to cool off in summer. In 昭和48年 (1973), the …

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 10:02:16 +0000

Another installment on places to go to cool off in summer. In 昭和48年 (1973), the national government began work on a tunnel to connect the southeastern corner of Aso’s caldera to Takachiho. They dug a bit and water spurted out; they dug more, and more water spurted out. Turns out, the further they dug, the more water there was, so they gave up. Now, it is a prefectural park called Takamori yūsui ton’neru kōen (高森湧水トンネル公園). The tunnel sports trippy, artsy works along its walls which play on strobe lights and water droplets - they sometimes appear to travel upwards. It also decorates the central lane which separates the two outer paths - one in, one out, streams of frigid water in between - with decorations befitting the season. Now is Tanabata, (七夕, a rare pan-Asian holiday not celebrated in the west - interesting read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanabata), which features its most popular display: a whole lotta Tanabata lanterns.. Plunge into the immense imagination which created these works of art as well as the sublime coolness of the cave. The tunnel is a ten-minute walk from the Minami Aso Takamori station - and the train ride is gorgeous as well. - William https://www.town.takamori.kumamoto.jp/kanko/kankomap/kanko/yusui.html

Celebrating new currency featuring Shibasaburo Kitazato in his hometown. -- Kir…

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 08:36:03 +0000

Celebrating new currency featuring Shibasaburo Kitazato in his hometown. – Kirk

— start quote — In Oguni, Kumamoto Prefecture, a cash-exchange event took place at the Shibasaburo Kitazato Memorial Museum, which commemorates Shibasaburo Kitasato, a pioneer of Japanese modern medicine who was born in the town and is featured on the new ¥1,000 bill. “I’ve waited a long time for this,” local resident Eiji Anai, 73, said at the event. “It’s the best experience of my life. I won’t use the bill. I’ll put it in a frame and display it.” — end quote

Mifune is an attractive small town, a gateway to central Kyushu, but there was r…

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 07:49:10 +0000

Mifune is an attractive small town, a gateway to central Kyushu, but there was really no reason to go there - until Costco put it on the map. “The name recognition of our town has rapidly improved. It’s just like a theme park,” says Mifune mayor Masayuki Fujiki. The Mainichi has the full story here. To our readers who have been there, please note your thoughts in the comments section. - William

Kirk here. Recently, William mention the new Kyushu Chuo Expressway. I missed…

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 01:47:28 +0000

Kirk here. Recently, William mention the new Kyushu Chuo Expressway. I missed it at the time but it seems to have opened in February. Eventually, it will allow people to get from Kumamoto City to Nobeoka in Miyazaki Prefecture. Currently, however, it makes a trip to Yamato (previously known as Yabe, where Tsujunkyo is) much easier. Here’s a YouTube video (from which the screenshot was taken) about the opening:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVEVwQ7sQA8

Information about workshops on hands-on science learning.

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 01:36:30 +0000

Information about workshops on hands-on science learning.

Unfortunately, lectures and explanations are in Japanese, but children should be fine. I also participate as a volunteer. I recommend programming, making things, etc. Kumamoto Boys and Girls Inventors Club is active all year round at Sojo University and other places, and if 8/11 is too difficult for you but you want to learn, please join the regular course as well. We are looking forward to seeing you. Atsuko( ˙-˙ )౨💗 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Let’s try various experiences!

Y'know when you're trekking and much of your day is spent worrying about the log…

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 03:24:42 +0000

Y’know when you’re trekking and much of your day is spent worrying about the logistics of where you’ll eat and sleep? This company has come with a unique idea: it arranges for the nitty-gritty of accommodations, meals, intermediate transportation (obviously, you’re not going to walk around the entire island) on a pan-Kyushu tour including Kumamoto, etc., allowing you to focus on the fun of your trek. Whether you do it yourself or recommend it to visitors, it sounds like a wonderful way to discover Kyushu. - William https://okujapan.com/trips/kyushu-hidden-history-self-guided-walk-and-explore/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3tS3I2-swfrl-7t9oyWM3hbe80dvCV_xobeqO_ecUGx3NyPeOVwRT5VwU_aem_IovCatATBgKw_F6fc54OpQ

Beautiful Higo Asagao @ Suizenji park

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 00:34:29 +0000

Beautiful Higo Asagao @ Suizenji park. Atsuko (ᐛ)ᒃ✨

Time: July 7th, 2024 8:30 -12: 00 @ Kokin Denju-no-ma (special exhibition) 8：30～12：00 古今伝授之間（特別展覧） July 8th to 10th 2024 8:30 to 12:00 @ Exhibition hall in Suizenji Seihoen 8：30～12：00 水前寺成趣園内　展示館 Fee: Admission to Suizenji Jojuen

With rainy season over and that infernal cauldron which is summer upon us, perha…

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 02:48:02 +0000

With rainy season over and that infernal cauldron which is summer upon us, perhaps you would like to flee Kumamoto for the relative coolness of the mountains. My wife’s family hails from Yabe (now referred to as Yamato-cho); family business took me there recently, and I drove the new trans-Kyushu expressway (Kyushu Oudan Kousokudorou 九州横断高速道路, photo below). Not only has it turned what was once a two-hour drive into a 45-minute one, it is a gorgeous, surprisingly straight road with few tunnels and many bridges from which tiny hamlets and rural scenery can be viewed. Yabe is most famous for its late-Edo era aqueduct bridge Tsujinkyo (通潤橋), which most people look at and promptly depart. Too bad as there is much more. To the right of the bridge is a stairway cut into a cliff which descends to the marvelous Gorō ga Taki waterfall (五郎ヶ滝). Though frowned upon, it is possible to swim to the side of the waterfall (hint: swim backwards as the ricocheting water comes like bullets), climb up a shelf on the cliff, and then move directly behind the waterfall. This is both refreshing and thrilling. The path continues through a gorge along a pathway suspended above the river, eventually leading to stairs which lead out of the gorge to rice paddies and back to the bridge. Note the different rock types on the gorge walls - this is due to the area being formed by two different eruptions of Mt Aso. The walk is only moderately strenuous: it is short but contains long flights of stairs. There are few dining options in Yabe (mom-n-pop ramen shops, a Joyfull), so you might want to pack a picnic, though the new highway may well change this by making Yabe more accessible. Finally, the expressway will eventually connect Kumamoto with Beppu, Oita, which has some excellent beaches. More about that later. - William

Heavy rains are always a possibility in the later summer and early autumn here. …

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 14:50:49 +0000

Heavy rains are always a possibility in the later summer and early autumn here. They tend to be particularly severe when they come in the early morning hours, when folks are asleep. If we get some storm warnings (as we already have this year) please take them seriously. – Kirk

Four years ago . . .

The Asahi points out that Taiwanese have surpassed Koreans as the largest source…

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 04:09:36 +0000

The Asahi points out that Taiwanese have surpassed Koreans as the largest source of Kumamoto tourists, leading to a spike in sales at such stores as Tsuruya, which has added signage in the traditional Chinese characters used there (the mainland uses the simplified form). One visitor was quoted saying something I’m sure we can all agree upon: “Kumamoto, I like the tempo here. It’s more relaxing than in Tokyo and other big cities.” - William

Crane Game Workshop for Parents and Children

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 07:06:56 +0000

Dear Crane Game Fans! There is a crane game workshop for parents and children on Saturdays and Sundays at グランパレッタ熊本 the Grand Paletta game center in Oe. There is also a children’s cafeteria on Saturdays. The owner of the game center and the owner of the children’s cafeteria are both very nice people. I recommend it. Please enjoy with your parents and children. Atsuko(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Children’s cafeteria https://www.facebook.com/hagukumikomyu

A final chapter in a long saga:

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 05:12:28 +0000

A final chapter in a long saga: “The unoccupied property was owned by farmer Shigeru Ogata, who lived in it until 2017. He had refused to relocate, calling on the government to provide an alternative site on higher ground. But his demand was never met.” – Kirk

This is Shirakawa, which is on my way to work right now.

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 22:45:07 +0000

This is Shirakawa, which is on my way to work right now. Watch out for the rain, everyone.Atsuko(ง •̀_•́)ง

Kumamoto city River flood monitoring system https://city-kumamoto-pub.e-monitor.jp/city-kumamoto/

Another example of inhumane treatment of leprosy patients at the Kikuchi-Keifuen…

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 23:01:03 +0000

Another example of inhumane treatment of leprosy patients at the Kikuchi-Keifuen. This one is new to me. – Kirk

The topic of foreign tourism has been the zeitgeist recently now that COVID trav…

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 09:28:34 +0000

The topic of foreign tourism has been the zeitgeist recently now that COVID travel restrictions have been lifted. While the central government is doing all it can to increase tourism, local governments have complained about the burden these tourists supposedly cause. The Mainichi reports that Kumamoto is jumping on the tax-the-foreigners bandwagon: “The city of Kumamoto will introduce an accommodation tax in early 2026 to raise funds in part to combat the negative effects of foreign tourism, Mayor Kazufumi Onishi stated recently” which will apparently be “a few hundred yen per person per night.” Seems kind of xenophobic to me: tourism infrastructure is burdened by Japanese tourists equally. Pictured: a bureaucrat twists logic. English-language article at the link. - William

This is a continuation of Hitoyoshi Local Vegetable Shop.

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 08:00:25 +0000

This is a continuation of Hitoyoshi Local Vegetable Shop. Hitoyoshi’s Super Kid, which recently I mentioned having blue and yellow papayas. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/TfXRmRFXUWJvFio2/ https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2cdxdDSDi7VdBFf3/

Then I found a banana tree at a shrine in Hitoyoshi and was surprised to see yellow bananas also at Superkid the other day. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/wBdDPsKPYXw7NS7X/ But I thought that international readers would surely want green bananas more, and lo and behold, green bananas were also sold. Tomatoes I had left in the kitchen sprouted. Is Hitoyoshi a power spot?

Yatsushiro now has a wood-burning biomass power plant. --Kirk

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 12:06:37 +0000

Yatsushiro now has a wood-burning biomass power plant. –Kirk

For foreigners studying Japanese in Kumamoto.

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:46:22 +0000

For foreigners studying Japanese in Kumamoto. Very surprisingly, this is not the standard language, apparently. I think I have always read it this way. Sorry 🙏.

If you want to call it hard, you have to call it Kibishii. You should read 厳か as Ogosoka not Kibishika. If you want to say strong you have to say it Tsuyoi. You should read 強か as Sitataka not Tsuyoka. If you want to say sweep you have to say Haku. You should read 掃く as Haku not Hawaku. Kibishika, Tsuyoka, Hawaku are not correct, these are dialect, not standard language. If you are in Kumamoto, you have probably heard of [Kibishika Tsuyoka Hawaku]. So interesting ! Atsuko(＞∀＜)‼︎

Matsuki Nobuhiro, from Kumamoto, is one of at least 17 people abducted by the No…

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 07:14:41 +0000

Matsuki Nobuhiro, from Kumamoto, is one of at least 17 people abducted by the North Korean government in the 1970s and 80s. – Kirk

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240614_01/

“Matsuki is from the Japanese city of Kumamoto. He was abducted in 1980 at the age of 26, when he was studying in Spain.”

William Kumamon had a meeting with Myaku-Myaku, the mascot of the Osaka World's…

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 05:00:00 +0000

William Kumamon had a meeting with Myaku-Myaku, the mascot of the Osaka World’s Fair and mutant Elmo, who had travelled to the Kencho to publicize his doomed event. 国内での抜群の知名度と海外からの人気の高さ (kokunai de no batsugun no chimeido to kaigai kara no ninki no taka-sa) means"Outstanding domestic recognition and popularity overseas," referring I assume to Kumamon, not Myaku-Myaku. A link to a short video:

Hey there, Kumamotans! (Or is it 'Kumamotites'?) It's KumaKitty here with some …

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 01:19:05 +0000

Hey there, Kumamotans! (Or is it ‘Kumamotites’?) It’s KumaKitty here with some advice about how to take advantage of information, particularly news articles, published on this page. Over the years, the Facebook algorithm has gotten more and more finicky. If you give it a link to a news article, it seems to assume that nobody is interested. So, even though this page has over 5,000 “likes,” a post that is primarily a link to a news article will only appear in the feeds of a handful of those folks. So, if you would like to use this page to keep up with local news, you should probably make a point of actually navigating to it from time to time to see what has been posted recently.

William Kumanichi reports that northern Kyushu has entered rainy season, 13 day…

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:16:02 +0000

William Kumanichi reports that northern Kyushu has entered rainy season, 13 days later than normal and 19 days later than last year. Pictured are hydrangea, known as “ajisai” (アジサイ, or 紫陽花 - the katakana is more common) in Japanese. The flower is a symbol of rainy season.

Kirk here with some news and a little commentary about what I think makes a good…

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 05:39:29 +0000

Kirk here with some news and a little commentary about what I think makes a good translation and what makes a bad one.

I’ll put the commentary about what I find to be problematic about this “greenery season” translation of 新緑の季節 (shinryoku no kisetsu) in a comment or two.

English immersion event volunteer

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 06:50:31 +0000

Hello all, Olivia here, posting an advert on behalf of a friend,

💫Looking for volunteers 💫

Need some female foreign volunteers for an overnight English immersion event in Oguni on Aug. 7th & 8th.

It’s more of a volunteer work so it’s not much of compensation Honorarium is about 7,000 yen for the whole event.

The accommodation is great though as well as the food since it’ll be an overnight stay in a traditional Japanese inn with a really nice onsen.

Fiona here, with a recommendation for anyone wanting to try water sports in Kuma…

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 02:04:27 +0000

Fiona here, with a recommendation for anyone wanting to try water sports in Kumamoto city. I used to live very close to Ezu-ko and always enjoyed it as an area for walking, and for my children to paddle, practice cycling, go fishing etc. Yesterday was the first time for me to get out on the lake in a kayak to enjoy the sunset and see the surroundings of the lake from a different angle. I didn’t know it was possible to rent kayaks here but a friend visiting from Tokyo set it all up. The company we used (Go Nature) offers kayaking and SUP experiences and also operates at Midorikawa dam. They can cater for groups of up to six people and children over the age of three are able to participate. Since the lake is very calm it’s an easy place for beginners to kayak, and it’s a great way to show our beautiful city to visiting friends and family.

News about a fire in the residence of 6 interns from Indonesia. Fortunately, th…

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:59:30 +0000

News about a fire in the residence of 6 interns from Indonesia. Fortunately, they were out when the fire occurred. – Kirk

Kirk here with a little report about something happening at my workplace, Kumamo…

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:17:36 +0000

Kirk here with a little report about something happening at my workplace, Kumamoto Gakuen university. It’s about a program for students from the U.S. and India who are interested in studying manga at Coamix, a Japanese manga and anime production company with an office in Kumamoto. Here’s a ChatGPT translation from the report:

— start translation — The agreement includes provisions for executives from Coamix to give lectures at the university and for students to provide Japanese language support to people who come to Japan from countries like the United States and India to train at Coamix’s second headquarters in Kumamoto, aiming to become manga artists. — end translation —

More "Kumamoto as semiconductor hub" news, this time as related to Yatsushiro. …

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 22:16:58 +0000

More “Kumamoto as semiconductor hub” news, this time as related to Yatsushiro. – Kirk

Another article on a topic we've discussed before. -- Kirk

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 05:47:25 +0000

Another article on a topic we’ve discussed before. – Kirk

熊本大学教育学部附属小学校外国人児童入学者選抜情報説明会

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 04:11:32 +0000

Kirk here. This is a translation (ChatGPT) of the Japanese article:

— start translation — Kumamoto University announced that from October this year, they will accept several foreign children into their Elementary School attached to the Faculty of Education.

Kumamoto University also announced that next month they will conduct entrance exams to accept foreign children at the Elementary School attached to the Faculty of Education.

The university plans to accept a few first-grade students, holding an informational session on the 25th of this month and conducting an English-language exam on the 27th of next month.

Surely a temporary setback, probably due to some sort of glitch in Instagram's a…

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 03:20:36 +0000

Surely a temporary setback, probably due to some sort of glitch in Instagram’s algorithm. ;) – Kirk

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/3367/

Kirk here. This video of Starlink satellites (Space X, Elon Musk) was recorded i…

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:59:11 +0000

Kirk here. This video of Starlink satellites (Space X, Elon Musk) was recorded in California last year (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8OxL4twwrU) but I’m prompted to post it today because a similar sight has been reported here in Kumamoto:

Good still shot: https://kumanichi.com/articles/1129996

Video (but not quite as good): https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/kkt/category/life/kk874e00e94d1c4cb6aeed45f7e0071a2b

If you are a night owl (or an EXTREMELY early riser) you can see the satellites on their next flyby which is as follows:

Timings with good visibility 3:43 am, 12 Jun 2024 Starlink-170 (G10-1) (new), BRIGHT (3.1) for 4 mins Look from NORTHWEST to SOUTHEAST (details) Elevation (from horizon): start: 10°, max: 58��, end: 11° 4:03 am, 12 Jun 2024 Starlink-171 (G8-8) (new), BRIGHT (1.6) for 4 mins Look from NORTHWEST to SOUTHEAST (details) Elevation (from horizon): start: 10°, max: 72��, end: 11°

Kirk here. The photo you see is of a clean room at Kumadai.

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 07:00:05 +0000

Kirk here. The photo you see is of a clean room at Kumadai.

“Kumamoto University – located in Kumamoto prefecture, where TSMC is building its chip production complex – established a semiconductor device curriculum in fiscal 2024. Students wearing protective suits receive hands-on training in a clean room built on the school’s premises.”

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tech/Semiconductors/Japan-universities-gear-up-to-train-new-generation-of-chip-talent

I'm not a big fan of the horses-for-meat industry but, nonetheless, I'm very sor…

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 06:02:07 +0000

I’m not a big fan of the horses-for-meat industry but, nonetheless, I’m very sorry to hear about this incident. – Kirk

Kirk here. Kumamoto and Miyagi Prefectures will be the first in Japan to get sp…

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 11:09:20 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto and Miyagi Prefectures will be the first in Japan to get special treatment that will allow them to bring in foreign workers more quickly. The headline refers to “semiconductor-related personnel” (半導体関連の人材), but I suspect that they are really talking about bringing in foreign construction workers (folks willing to take jobs Japanese people tend to avoid); TSMC has had plenty of time to screen and prepare to bring in highly-trained engineers.

Here's something about an educational innovation in Yamaga. -- Kirk

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 01:53:12 +0000

Here’s something about an educational innovation in Yamaga. – Kirk

Here's the first in a series, done by local high school students, on historical …

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 06:07:53 +0000

Here’s the first in a series, done by local high school students, on historical figures in Kumamoto. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/pfbid02DomsyWemEGP4HRFVB9P4zX4SLTp7SUVsMvnh2Z5xEov1YedqViYZVympPnPerx5Vl

Kirk here. Kumamoto Castle has been (temporarily?) overtaken. But the numbers a…

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:38:25 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto Castle has been (temporarily?) overtaken. But the numbers are still close. This shall not stand!! :)

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20240529-188961/

Here’s where you can follow Kumamoto Castle and help it fight back!

https://www.instagram.com/kumamoto_castle/

Kirk here. Michaela posted about this the other day. (Thanks Michaela!)

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:41:47 +0000

Kirk here. Michaela posted about this the other day. (Thanks Michaela!)

Kirk here. This came to me via a Google news feed for "Kumamoto" because of the…

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:42:44 +0000

Kirk here. This came to me via a Google news feed for “Kumamoto” because of the following sentence:

“On May 24, the Kumamoto city government, in effect, threw its hands in the air and posted a notice on its website stating that people who need certificates quickly should contact the local government of their registered domicile.”

The phrase “local government of their registered domicile” refers to the fact that the system is designed to help people who don’t live in the community where their family register (koseki; 戸籍) is kept obtain the documents they need quickly and easily. If you should be in a position to use it, beware that it’s been very buggy.

William Sawako died (if you need advice on Japanese funerals, contact me), and …

Fri, 31 May 2024 07:13:59 +0000

William Sawako died (if you need advice on Japanese funerals, contact me), and I broke me knee, so I don’t get out much. But my two kids are headed home, one from Tokyo and one from Baltimore, at the same time! Sawako and I used to run around the castle each Sunday. The walkway they have installed as reconstruction continues looks amazing, and I greatly look forward to visiting it. Please plan a visit while it is up!

This article from Kumanichi (paywalled) says that from the middle of next year t…

Thu, 30 May 2024 10:41:13 +0000

This article from Kumanichi (paywalled) says that from the middle of next year they are planning to stop payments on Kumamoto buses and trams using national transport IC cards such as Suica. The reason is due to the cost of updating the payment machines. Options such as tapping/touching with debit or credit cards will still be possible. I’m wondering if you will still be able to use the Kumamon IC card?? If anyone has access to the full article ask they can share more details that would be great! Michaela

William A reminder to all US citizens to register to vote. https://www.facebook…

Thu, 30 May 2024 09:58:08 +0000

William A reminder to all US citizens to register to vote. https://www.facebook.com/CenterForUSVotersAbroad

Beautiful bright blue sky and the beautiful fresh green of Kumamoto Castle.

Wed, 29 May 2024 15:34:42 +0000

Beautiful bright blue sky and the beautiful fresh green of Kumamoto Castle. Since April this year, I have been at Joto Elementary School very close to Kumamoto Castle. This is an elementary school that values the Kumamoto spirit of Lord Kiyomasa and aims to excel in both the academic and athletic fields. You can see Kumamoto Castle from all the classrooms. I can even see the figures of the castle tower. I shared this photo because I like to see Kumamoto Castle in early summer surrounded by fresh greenery, although it is nice to see Kumamoto Castle during the cherry blossom season. If you climb the keep this week, you’ll see me dancing on the playground. ٩(•ᴗ• ٩)Atsuko

Kirk here. I saw something on RKK today about "COST MANIA," a shop that special…

Wed, 29 May 2024 12:15:30 +0000

Kirk here. I saw something on RKK today about “COST MANIA,” a shop that specializes in selling (reselling) COSTCO items. Just opened in Arao, fairly far north for many of us but, if you’re in that part of the prefecture or passing through, it may be worth taking a look. Unlike COSTCO, you don’t need to be a member and they take things that COSTCO only sells in large quantities and sells them in smaller sizes / quantities.

If you, like me, like to travel by bullet train, you should check this out. -- …

Wed, 29 May 2024 07:35:52 +0000

If you, like me, like to travel by bullet train, you should check this out. – Kirk

There seems to have been a glider accident in the Aso area. The young pilot (a …

Sun, 26 May 2024 09:04:59 +0000

There seems to have been a glider accident in the Aso area. The young pilot (a university student from Fukuoka) is reported to have been injured but not killed, thank goodness. – Kirk

Fiona here, back from a long Kumamoto-i hiatus to share a recommendation for S'p…

Sat, 25 May 2024 07:41:47 +0000

Fiona here, back from a long Kumamoto-i hiatus to share a recommendation for S’ping, a newly opened book cafe in Kengun. Situated on Densha-dori, it’s easy to reach by public transport and is a lovely spot to do some quiet reading or writing. The shelves are lined with books, all in Japanese as far as I could tell, and the menu offers pasta, hot sandwiches, drinks and desserts. I have a feeling this will be a popular place during the rainy season. https://maps.app.goo.gl/2XGyrxFjmAmJVGRk8

Iris Festival with Kumamoto Ramen

Sat, 25 May 2024 04:15:57 +0000

Tamana made the NHK world service so I thought I’d share it with you all. The home of Kumamoto Ramen! Please come and enjoy a bowl while taking in the irises at the festival this weekend!

Joe Tomei here, and FFF goes downtown to check out some South Indian food! Becau…

Fri, 24 May 2024 01:00:03 +0000

Joe Tomei here, and FFF goes downtown to check out some South Indian food! Because of demographics, when we think of Indian cuisine, we think of Northern India. A lot more wheat so naan bread, and the curries are heavier and creamier and almost all of the Indian restaurants in Kumamoto are based on that style. So I was really happy to find Toddy’s, (https://www.instagram.com/toddy_shop_kumamoto/) which does a veg and non-veg thali (set with small bowls of different curries). Toddy’s is a bit of a pop-up shop, only open on Saturdays and Sundays for lunch in a 4th floor space that is a bar/snack (aramatsu bar) the rest of the week. Located behind the shiyakusho, the sign has Malayalam script and is only open from 12 to 2. He sometimes takes the day off, so check the instagram. A pick of the store front and last weekend’s non-veg thali.

William Kumamoto deserved a mention in Japan Today as the Japanese city least e…

Wed, 22 May 2024 01:44:43 +0000

William Kumamoto deserved a mention in Japan Today as the Japanese city least expensive to bear a child (Tokyo was highest, 605,000 yen and 361,000 yen respectively - so we’ve basically got two for one here!) https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-weighs-incentivizing-childbirth-by-fully-covering-expenses I’d like to give a shoutout to Fukuda Byoin https://www.fukuda-hp.or.jp/ , the birthplace of my two children, as a comprehensive and compassionate maternity hospital. (It’s also located next to a fascinatingly old section of the castle.) Most doctors there speak English quite well, prenatal care is extensive, and post-natal care is thoughtful, with a congratulatory in-suite dinner. (Also, it’s on the tram line.)

Kirk here with a news article about our new governor. It doesn't really seem to…

Tue, 21 May 2024 13:56:30 +0000

Kirk here with a news article about our new governor. It doesn’t really seem to have “legs” in the sense that I haven’t seen much media coverage about it after it first came out. I suspect the governor simply failed to recognize the need to be careful when disposing of leftover flowers but, still, avoiding even the appearance of impropriety is import.

The latest edition of The YOKA is out. Have a look! -- Kirk

Tue, 21 May 2024 07:45:47 +0000

The latest edition of The YOKA is out. Have a look! – Kirk

William Following up on Kirk's wonderful photo of Ezuko is a bit of geological …

Sun, 19 May 2024 04:15:43 +0000

William Following up on Kirk’s wonderful photo of Ezuko is a bit of geological knowledge I picked up from students. Aso has seen several eruptions over the last 50,000 years, the foremost causing a strata of impermeable granite followed later by permeable ash. This is shaped in a wedge-like formation, allowing artesian water to flow downhill until the substrate surfaces at Ezuko as well as Suizenji. (One reason why the zoo is located there is the abundance of water.) Look around there and you’ll notice much granite - some of those boulders must have been hurled from a 100 kilometers away! Be glad you were not there when that happened.

Kirk here. I feel fortunate to live close enough to Ezuko to walk there fairly …

Sat, 18 May 2024 10:33:19 +0000

Kirk here. I feel fortunate to live close enough to Ezuko to walk there fairly regularly. Today my wife and I saw a grey heron catch a large fish right before our eyes (only a few meters away). Then, as we were returning to the parking lot to head home, we happened upon this scene.

Found this in my news feed this morning. -- Kirk

Sat, 18 May 2024 03:17:07 +0000

Found this in my news feed this morning. – Kirk

ANINOVA - Anime Song Event

Sat, 18 May 2024 01:04:02 +0000

For anime fans and anime song fans. Anime song event information , 26 May, Kumamoto. Atsuko＼(*⌒0⌒)♪ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ANINOVA Date and time: 26 May 2024 (Sunday) 12:00 Opening. 12:30 START～19:00 END

Entrance fee: 2000 yen (all-you-can-drink soft drinks!) Chocolate fountain free! Minors and first time attendees of Anikura are also welcome! All ages are welcome! Junior high and high school students: 500 yen! Free for primary schools students and younger! (with a parent or guardian).

Joe Tomei here with FFF as we go by the Prefectural University of Kumamoto and i…

Fri, 17 May 2024 01:00:27 +0000

Joe Tomei here with FFF as we go by the Prefectural University of Kumamoto and introduce two places.

The first is nice little cafe just across from the uni, behind the AU store on the corner called Cafe Puu (https://www.instagram.com/puucafe/) The couple does sandwiches and curry lunches, along with coffee. Parking is a bit troublesome, but if you are at the uni or the Red Cross hospital, it’s just across the street.

Here's some sad news about a local bonsai artist becoming the victim of a major …

Thu, 16 May 2024 08:05:13 +0000

Here’s some sad news about a local bonsai artist becoming the victim of a major heist. If you are interested in bonsai, the Japanese name and address should help you find the place:

雅松園〒861-3203 熊本県上益城郡御船町高木3242-1

Some of the most valuable items have been stolen but I would guess that there are still plenty of more reasonably priced pieces, and I’m sure they would appreciate getting more business. – Kirk

Kirk here with another helicopter crash update (apologies to those who are not i…

Wed, 15 May 2024 07:10:31 +0000

Kirk here with another helicopter crash update (apologies to those who are not interested).

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3262615/2-hongkongers-among-3-seriously-injured-japan-after-helicopter-makes-crash-landing

A possible third TSMC fab (semiconductor fabrication plant) in Kumamoto? -- Kirk

Tue, 14 May 2024 14:52:47 +0000

A possible third TSMC fab (semiconductor fabrication plant) in Kumamoto? – Kirk

— quote — Kumamoto’s newly appointed governor, Takashi Kimura, who took office in April, stated in an report from Bloomberg on May 11th that he would spare no effort to persuade TSMC to establish a third fab in the region. — end quote —

Correction: The governor was elected, not “appointed.”

Kirk here with a follow-up to yesterday's post about the helicopter accident. H…

Tue, 14 May 2024 05:48:21 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to yesterday’s post about the helicopter accident. Here’s an article in English:

— quote — Two Hong Kong tourists were injured when sightseeing at Japan’s largest active volcano after their helicopter made an emergency landing due to engine failure. Japanese media reported that the helicopter was carrying two passengers from Hong Kong to Aso Volcano in Kumamoto… — end quote

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/sections-news-print/262773/Two-Hongkongers-hurt-after-volcano-copter%27s-engine-fails

The picture was taken from here:

Kirk here with a a Claude (AI service) translation about a helicopter accident i…

Mon, 13 May 2024 12:23:12 +0000

Kirk here with a a Claude (AI service) translation about a helicopter accident in Aso:

—- start translation —- Around noon on the 13th, a sightseeing helicopter made an emergency landing in Aso City, leaving a total of three men and women, including the pilot and passengers, with serious and minor injuries. Although the fuselage of the helicopter that made the emergency landing remains intact, parts of the tail rotor are scattered, telling the magnitude of the impact. [TV Nishinippon reporter Kenta Sato, from the heliport] “This is above Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture. A helicopter can be seen making an emergency landing in an open space. A white sheet has been placed over the aircraft.” Just after noon on the 13th, a call was made to the fire department reporting that “a sightseeing helicopter had an engine failure in mid-air and made an emergency landing” near the nursing home facility ‘Miyamasou’ in Kurokawa, Aso City. It is reported that there were a total of three people on board the helicopter: one man in his 50s, the pilot, and two men and women in their 30s, believed to be tourists from Hong Kong with Chinese nationality. According to the fire department, the male pilot suffered a suspected pelvic fracture and is in serious condition, while the male and female passengers complained of pain in their chests and backs and were taken to the hospital. They are conscious. According to the company operating the helicopter, the aircraft that made the emergency landing was a sightseeing helicopter heading from the nearby theme park ‘Aso Cuddly Dominion’ to the crater of Mt. Nakadake in Aso. The sightseeing helicopter took off around 11:50 a.m. and was scheduled to fly for about 7 minutes, but it made an emergency landing on a grassland 300 to 400 meters away from its intended destination. This is the footage from an information camera installed at Kusasenri just before noon on the 13th. On the right side of the screen, a helicopter can be seen heading from the direction of Mt. Eboshidake toward Mt. Nakadake and turning north. Although the footage alone cannot identify the aircraft as the one involved in the accident, it matches the scheduled time and flight route of the accident aircraft. No signs of trouble can be confirmed from the footage. [Staff of a nearby facility] “At the time, the sound of the helicopter was louder than usual. It didn’t particularly feel like it had crashed. I never thought it would crash.” According to the company operating the sightseeing helicopter, “no abnormalities were found during the pre-flight inspection.” The person in charge also stated that the cause of the emergency landing “may have been engine trouble.” —- end translation —-

Sorry to not get out of Kengun yet, but I need to share some info about tram ter…

Fri, 10 May 2024 01:00:15 +0000

Sorry to not get out of Kengun yet, but I need to share some info about tram terminus in Kengun. It ends at Piacres covered shopping street. Back in the day, Japanese sararimans (sararimen?) would stop there to have drinks before going home. However, that culture has disappeared and so the area is changing with a number of food places and here are a couple of them.

After getting off the tram, cross the intersection and go left up the big street and on your right is Si-Sa, one of the two Okinawan restaurants I know of in town (the other is Nuchigusui, at the end of Kamitori and up the street, you can recognize it from the Orion sign)

I suspect I'm much more interested in this issue that 99% of the readers of this…

Thu, 09 May 2024 14:09:43 +0000

I suspect I’m much more interested in this issue that 99% of the readers of this page but, nonetheless, here’s another article on the developing story. I found last night’s 報道ステーション (Hodo Station) to be particularly informative. There’s a good deal I might say but I’ve got other things to attend to so I’ll just offer this article for now. – Kirk

Kirk here with a Minamata related article, similar in content to what I posted o…

Mon, 06 May 2024 13:10:10 +0000

Kirk here with a Minamata related article, similar in content to what I posted on Friday. Here’s a quote from the article:

— quote — When Ito was asked about the various individuals whose speaking time was cut off, he said, “I did not believe the mike had been turned off.” — end quote —

I remember that the word he used in Japanese was “認識する” (ninshiki; be or become aware of). I wasn’t there but, from the video, everyone else seemed to be aware of what was going on so why couldn’t he figure out was happening?

Atsuko with Hitoyoshi Enjoy information for those who go to Hitoyoshi to buy pap…

Mon, 06 May 2024 06:29:11 +0000

Atsuko with Hitoyoshi Enjoy information for those who go to Hitoyoshi to buy papaya. Recommendation①. The cool Sekisuiji Temple, decorated with wind chimes. You can write your wishes on wind chimes and folded paper cranes and dedicate them. It is said that if you stroke the stroking Buddha and make a request, the bad part of your body will be cured. I saw banana flowers in the car park for the first time. Hitoyoshi seriously interesting. https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/xFPwyS41jkR5FgXD9

William Of concern has been traffic considerations on the narrow roads connecti…

Sun, 05 May 2024 03:35:59 +0000

William Of concern has been traffic considerations on the narrow roads connecting to the new TSMC and related facilities. Kumanichi reports on the popularity (?) of new express bus routes. Many Silicon Valley (セミコン in Japanese) companies also provide their own buses Once on a train in San Jose, I attempted conversation with a seatmate only to be castigated, “Can’t you see I’m WORKING?!” Such is the life of IT employees.

GW Pizza Making and Eating Experience at 食と農の体験塾

Sat, 04 May 2024 11:22:34 +0000

Atsuko here. GW Outing Recommendation.

How about a pizza making and eating experience with your friends? Usually reservations are required and only available for groups, but for one day every GW, you can experience it with a small group without reservations. The view from the top of the MISUMI mountain is great. The owner is particular about making pizzas with prefectural flour and handmade bacon. Both children and adults can enjoy it. Pizza 700 yen, rice balls 100 yen, delicious. I can’t go this year due to other commitments, but please give my best wishes to the owner.(｡•̀ᴗ-)و ̑̑✧

Teens celebration event

Fri, 03 May 2024 21:13:14 +0000

Sean here. File under: Teens are alright.

A follow up to a previous post.

It is great to see local media celebrating teens and all the understated contributions they make every day.

This event will continue until tomorrow. Head down to Shimotori and let your trash vote for you.

Kirk here. The elderly gentleman you see was describing the suffering of his mo…

Fri, 03 May 2024 10:20:08 +0000

Kirk here. The elderly gentleman you see was describing the suffering of his mother, who died from Minamata disease, to Ito Shintaro, Minister of the Environment, when he was prompted to “wrap it up” (matomete) by a ministry bureaucrat. Not particularly nice but sort of understandable given the need to limit each speaker to three minutes that had been conveyed earlier. But, what came next was something that has really made lots of people (including me) angry. Seconds after the gentleman began to try to conclude his short presentation, his mic was cut.

Atsuko(｡•̀ᴗ-)و ̑̑✧

Fri, 03 May 2024 02:53:53 +0000

Atsuko(｡•̀ᴗ-)و ̑̑✧ Joe asked for the location of the Papaya and Watermelon Market, so here is some additional information. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/kmQ3HQKExNLdzKpc/

Hitoyoshi Super Kid is here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/ti8kBKV4qF5TaTpV9 There were yellow papayas and green papayas this morning too. White strawberries, boiled (scrubbed) bamboo shoots, yuzu miso (It is delicious to eat cucumber and cabbage dipped in this miso.) and yuzu pepper are also recommended. The best recommendation is onigiri wrapped in pickled takana (instead of nori). These are really tasty. I want people who like the taste of spring takana to try it.

Joe Tomei here. While strolling down from Tatomiya cafe and the Kohaku ramen sho…

Fri, 03 May 2024 01:00:05 +0000

Joe Tomei here. While strolling down from Tatomiya cafe and the Kohaku ramen shop is Chez Tani, a sweets shop. As I mentioned before, many shops in Kumamoto are linked and Chez Tani is another example. Today, we’ll talk about the Ezuko branch https://www.chez-tani.com/shop/ezu/

but there are six other branches, all worthy of Funky Friday Find status.

[ed.] Just went to Tatomiya today and just down from that is a new curry place called トルネード. Also, the parking lot across the street is public, so park there, though be careful crossing the street!

Kirk here. I saw a notice in my Google news feed for "熊本" (Kumamoto) and "外国人" …

Thu, 02 May 2024 13:55:46 +0000

Kirk here. I saw a notice in my Google news feed for “熊本” (Kumamoto) and “外国人” (foreigners) about this opening of a Kumamoto branch of GTN (Global Trust Networks). The translation on their website says “GTN, foreigners support organization, to launch on May 1st Kumamoto branch opened ~ Supporting coexistence with foreigners in Kumamoto, a semiconductor booming region, and further expanding regional revitalization～”. Even after looking at the website for a while, I’m still not exactly sure what they do but it would seem that, in part at least, they function as a recruitment agency or temporary staffing agency that specializes in foreigners. Their arrival in Kumamoto seems to be connected to the arrival of TSMC.

ポイ投票社会実験 2024 GW

Wed, 01 May 2024 21:54:21 +0000

Sean here: File under: Kids are alright. Raku san, a local teen, with out of the box solutions to a global problem - trash.

Trash Gets Fun! Dispose of trash with trivia questions in this playful event. It’s from May 3rd to 5th at Shimotori, mark your calendars! Participate, have fun, and show your love for the planet! ⁡ 📣GWは下通で楽しくゴミを捨てちゃおう📣 ⁡ 楽が @goodlife_on_earth で取り組んでいるプロジェクト【ポイ投票】。「ポイ捨て」と「投票」をかけ合わせた言葉です。 ⁡ 2つのゴミ箱と看板を設置し思わず投票したくなるような二択クイズを用意。ゴミを捨てることで投票に参加してもらいます。 ⁡ 投票形式のゴミ箱があれば、ゴミをポイ捨てせずゴミ箱に捨てたくなるのではないか。そんな発想から生まれたプロジェクトです。 ⁡ この企画の肝は「ゴミを捨てる」という行為を楽しめるものとして再定義したこと。投票という遊び心のある行動に置き換えることで気軽に参加してもらい環境問題について考えるきっかけを提供するとてもユニークで面白い取り組みです。 ⁡ 心理学を応用して、ゴミ捨てを「やらなくちゃ」から「やりたい」に変えていく。彼が小学生の頃に思いついたアイディアを GLE の力を借りて形にしました。 ⁡ そしてこの度、下通繁栄会のご協力を得て GW中の5月3日〜5月5日の3日間熊本市中心街・下通にて社会実装に向けた実験を行います。 ⁡ お近くをお通りの際はぜひお立ち寄り・応援お願いします😘 そして偶然にもゴミをお持ちであればぜひご参加いただけると幸いです😂 ⁡ ⁡ 【ポイ投票】社会実験 2024 GW 期間: 2024.5.3〜5.5 時間: 11am〜7pm 場所: 熊本市中央区下通内容: 二択クイズの投票形式でゴミを捨てる社会実験目的: 楽しくゴミを捨て、環境問題への関心を高める ⁡ 【参加方法】

Kirk here with more architectural news:

Wed, 01 May 2024 04:21:46 +0000

Kirk here with more architectural news:

“Hotakubo Housing was completed in 1991, the first housing complex built under Kumamoto Prefecture’s Kumamoto Artpolis project. There are a total of 110 units, of which 89 are currently occupied.”

Another high-tech company to come to Kumamoto? -- Kirk

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:20:00 +0000

Another high-tech company to come to Kumamoto? – Kirk

Kirk here. I saw a segment about this little vegan ice cream shop in Yamato-cho…

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 07:00:18 +0000

Kirk here. I saw a segment about this little vegan ice cream shop in Yamato-cho (not far from Tsujunkyo) the other day. I haven’t had a chance to taste the ice cream yet but I fully expect to enjoy it when I finally get a taste. If my memory serves me correctly, in the news segment ARBOL (see picture) said she tasted vegan ice cream while traveling abroad and decided she wanted to do something similar in her home town of Yamato-cho.

Kirk here. I saw an interesting segment about an unusual festival in Yatsushiro…

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 12:58:07 +0000

Kirk here. I saw an interesting segment about an unusual festival in Yatsushiro – Funatori Shinji – on this evening’s RKK news. I was pleased to see the person pictured referred to as “a local resident” (地元の人) rather than as a visitor from a foreign land. She commented on the festival in fluent Japanese, but my guess is that she’s probably from an English-speaking country (perhaps a reader of this page?). It’s nice to see a person who has taken up residence here recognized as a member of the local community. :)

Kirk here with Uto-Yagura news. This tower (yagura or "keep" is another English…

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 09:56:49 +0000

Kirk here with Uto-Yagura news. This tower (yagura or “keep” is another English translation) is smaller than the main one (the tenshukaku) but it has survived for over 400 years. The main part of the castle was burned to the ground in the Satsuma Rebellion (Seinan Senso) of 1877.

Vegetable Market - Direct Sales by Farmers

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 01:49:00 +0000

Here are some recommendations for local, inexpensive and delicious fruit shops. Atsuko(❁´∀`❁)ﾉ𖤐´- Recommendation① I discovered that my favorite fruit, papaya, is grown in Hitoyoshi. I knew that mangoes were grown in Tensui, but I was SO surprised to find sweet yellow papayas, not green papayas, on sale there. My grandparents were Hawaiian immigrants (they came back to Kumamoto before WWII), and my father used to buy them as souvenirs for my grandmother when he used to go to the prefectural office on business. Papayas, which are still hard to buy in supermarkets, are made in Hitoyoshi! and sold at Superkid in Hitoyoshi!. I had sometimes seen green vegetable papaya at vegetable shops in the countryside, and Super Kid had them, and I ate them in curry and miso soup, but I had no idea that the yellow fruit papaya could be found in Kumamoto. I can’t believe I can buy it in Kumamoto, in Hitoyoshi!! They are sweet and delicious. Hitoyoshi’s Superkid! I recommend it. Recommendation②. GW is the season of watermelon in Kumamoto. My volunteer friend has a vegetable market by farmers every Tuesday morning from 10am to 12pm at Ramen Party in Mashiki. Mashiki is also famous for watermelons. They are very cheap and tasty, out of standard products that cannot be sold in the market. You can also enjoy delicious ramen at the Ramen Party. Proceeds from the sales will be used to fund a soup kitchen for disaster relief. The team did a lot of soup-runs during the Kumamoto earthquake, and I have taken Kumamoto University international students to volunteer many times, so I am sure they will welcome international customers as well. They also run a community space, so please come and have a cup of tea and get to know the local farmers. The vegetable market is every Tuesday morning.

Sean here:

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 21:20:52 +0000

Sean here: File under: A shout out to a teen hero. A local hero and 3rd year student reminding us that not just athletes come out of Kyugaku.

Miharu-san, our intrepid hero, has embarked on a mission. In a world inundated with processed and fast food, she wants to remind us and the world of a humble food staple that has nourished people for over 2000 years: the Onigiri. The Onigiri, literally at our fingertips, or in the palm of our hands?🍙

Joe Tomei with another Kami Ezu FFF. This time, it's the Tatomiya sandwich cafe,…

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 01:00:04 +0000

Joe Tomei with another Kami Ezu FFF. This time, it’s the Tatomiya sandwich cafe, which is just across the street from the Ezuko Boat House, with parking in front. The google map link, with tons of photos, is here https://maps.app.goo.gl/EJdEzwvAyn2t4qLj7

As I mentioned last week, you can get to it by going to Kami Ezu and walking across the bridges that span the lake. The place has a nice airy feel with some outdoor seating, I believe Tatomiya is connected to the former MissFruitsParlor in Oe. (it seems that a lot of eating places in Kumamoto are in groups, which, with the price of raw ingredients, makes sense)

Here's a share from Kuma Visit. -- Kirk

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 23:05:42 +0000

Here’s a share from Kuma Visit. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02Z5dVnSLKEtCNn6ppWSqqYcS3f65STTx1EbSG2eDa11VimxZ4naH9Uum3P8yi5uc4l

Kirk here. Today I'd like to share something that is tangentially related to Ku…

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 02:02:40 +0000

Kirk here. Today I’d like to share something that is tangentially related to Kumamoto (TSMC specifically) and something I think is just plain amazing, regardless of whether or not it’s connected to Kumamoto. First of all, if you are like me until recently, you may not know that Nvidia is the third largest tech company in the world as measured by market capitalization. That puts it ahead of Google and Amazon!!

Kirk here with a list, in simple Japanese, of various expat communities in Kumam…

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 03:16:42 +0000

Kirk here with a list, in simple Japanese, of various expat communities in Kumamoto. This kind of information is very welcome because I think a lot can be gained by bringing communities together, even if only through the sharing of information online, especially in emergencies (national disasters, etc.). There are several communities with which I am not familiar (and therefore haven’t been able to introduce on this page) so I’m glad to learn about them. There are also several groups and sources of information that I know well and have mentioned or quoted on this page many times. Among them (in alphabetical order):

It we can get beyond the "yuck" factor, it's probably a good idea. -- Kirk

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:27:35 +0000

It we can get beyond the “yuck” factor, it’s probably a good idea. – Kirk

Kirk here. A while ago I posted about the opening of the new Kumamoto Children'…

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 08:02:00 +0000

Kirk here. A while ago I posted about the opening of the new Kumamoto Children’s Book Forest (children’s library; こども本の森　熊本) and asked if anyone had been inside to check out the collection of books in English. Although I got quite a few comments, no one reported on what they actually observed inside in that regard (see the url at the end of this post). Part of the problem may have been that it’s not at all easy to gain admission. It’s a very popular place and so, to prevent little kids from being trampled by a stampede of curious adults, they require that you have a reservation and limit the number of reservations they will take for any single period.

According to the article, the luminescence is caused by the presence of a large …

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 08:11:29 +0000

According to the article, the luminescence is caused by the presence of a large number of noctiluca, a plankton that glows when stimulated. The article says that the video was recorded on April 16 in Amakusa. A map in the video that’s embedded in the article shows the exact location:

https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/articles/2021z0f0qg7be5yx5adz.html

Ironically, this old guy seemed to imagine that he was teaching some elementary …

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 06:03:08 +0000

Ironically, this old guy seemed to imagine that he was teaching some elementary school girls good manners by punching one of them in the face. – Kirk

Kirk here with a job notice from Greg Howes at Freedom English School

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:10:31 +0000

Kirk here with a job notice from Greg Howes at Freedom English School — start quote — Freedom English School is looking for a native-level kids’ English teacher to teach part-time at our new Musashigaoka branch, opening in mid-May. The hours are Friday 4pm to 7pm, and Saturday 10:30am to 2pm. Experience is preferred but not absolutely essential. Applicants should love interacting with young children, and be willing to bring lots of energy into the classroom. The pay is 2,500 yen for each 40 minute lesson. Please contact Greg Howes at Freedom English School on 096-322-7100 or fes@kumazemi.co.jp. — end quote — The photo is one I stole from the school’s website:
https://www.freedomenglishschool.com/ I hope that’s OK – I usually like to have something visual to give folks an immediate sense of the topic.

Joe Tomei with Funky Friday Finds. Just down the road from where we were last we…

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 01:00:04 +0000

Joe Tomei with Funky Friday Finds. Just down the road from where we were last week, Tatomiya sandwich cafe is Kohaku ramen, alternatively Shoyusobakohaku.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z5ogTDvAumK2HcFq5

Their insta page is here https://www.instagram.com/shoyusobakohaku/?utm_medium=copy_link

and it is lunchtime only (11:30-14-30) with Wednesdays and the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.

URL copied and pasted by Kirk (It's hard work but someone's gotta do it. ;) )

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:13:50 +0000

URL copied and pasted by Kirk (It’s hard work but someone’s gotta do it. ;) )

As one might expect, the arrival of TSMC is making life difficult for farmers in…

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:24:02 +0000

As one might expect, the arrival of TSMC is making life difficult for farmers in the area. – Kirk

There was an earthquake after 11 PM. The shaking in Kumamoto City was relativel…

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:37:23 +0000

There was an earthquake after 11 PM. The shaking in Kumamoto City was relatively mild but my phone went nuts (wake up and run for cover!!). Shikoku had more intense shaking. – Kirk

Kirk here. I got this is my feed today:

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:02:35 +0000

Kirk here. I got this is my feed today:

https://thesmartlocal.com/read/farmstays-japan/#4_Nakamura_Ranch_Kumamoto

Since it mentions the Nakamura Ranch, I went to the source (for anyone who might be interested).

https://en.stayjapan.com/area/kumamoto/aso/pr/1231

Kirk here with some notes on pdf publications in various languages that provide …

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 01:19:19 +0000

Kirk here with some notes on pdf publications in various languages that provide information for residents. The languages are やさしい日本語 (Easy Japanese), Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), 中文（簡体字） (Simplified Chinese), 中文（繁体字） (Traditional Chinese), Tagalog, bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian), नेपाली (Nepali), English, 한국어 (Korean), မြန်မာ (Burmese), ខ្មែរ (Khmer). They are available at the following URL:

http://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page338.html?type=top

I recommend that you download both the Easy Japanese version and the version in your target language (English or whatever). That way, you’ll be able to find the key Japanese words you will need to get Japanese people to understand what you’re talking about.

Here's an article on the machiya (traditional wooden townhouses) of Uki City. K…

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:09:24 +0000

Here’s an article on the machiya (traditional wooden townhouses) of Uki City. Kyoto is famous for such buildings but you can see them right here in Kumamoto. – Kirk

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15230058

Here’s a Wikipedia article on the buildings:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiya

Don't be fooled by the headline -- Kumamoto is actually recognized as one of the…

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:00:10 +0000

Don’t be fooled by the headline – Kumamoto is actually recognized as one of the BEST mannered places in Japan. Of course, I can’t vouch for the scientific reliability of the survey – but I’m pleased with the result just the same. ;) – Kirk

Kirk here with a video report (in English) on the eighth anniversary of the quak…

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:31:55 +0000

Kirk here with a video report (in English) on the eighth anniversary of the quakes.

Kirk here with something about Kumamoto Square. The URL of the website I took a…

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:00:23 +0000

Kirk here with something about Kumamoto Square. The URL of the website I took a screenshot of is here:

https://www.kumamon-sq.jp/en/

Here’s a bit of news (translated from the Japanese by the Claude AI service) about it:

Headline: Visiting Japan to meet Kumamon - Visitor center sees 4-fold increase, with majority being foreigners

Text: Kumamoto Prefecture’s PR character “Kumamon” is popular among inbound tourists (foreign visitors to Japan). Among the 30,000 monthly visitors to “Kumamon Square” (Kumamoto City), which was renovated in July 2023, more than half are foreign tourists, mainly from Asia. The number of visitors in fiscal year 2023 has nearly quadrupled compared to fiscal year 2022, and as of the end of March 2024, the cumulative number of visitors reached 3.5 million.

Kirk here. It's been eight years since the 2016 quakes. In addition to being a …

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 07:49:06 +0000

Kirk here. It’s been eight years since the 2016 quakes. In addition to being a life-changing event for everyone who experienced it, the disaster kept the volunteer editors of this page (including yours truly) quite busy. I may write a bit about that some other day.

Kirk here. We need to utilize sustainable solar energy but there can been probl…

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 04:00:36 +0000

Kirk here. We need to utilize sustainable solar energy but there can been problems associated with solar panels as well.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/environment/20240405-178623/

To view a previous post on this topic (having to do with erosion), click or tap on the following:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064554018003/search/?q=solar%20panels

Kirk here. In keeping with the anniversary of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes (th…

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 02:34:42 +0000

Kirk here. In keeping with the anniversary of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes (the first of which was on the 14th), an article has been in published in Japanese about Andrew Mitchell and the Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project - KEEP. Even if you don’t read Japanese, those of you who know the people involved may enjoy the photos.

https://www.nhk.or.jp/fukuoka/lreport/article/001/82/

The Facebook page of the project is here:

https://www.facebook.com/kumadaiquake/

Kirk here. The new children's library has opened! Has anyone checked out the c…

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:53:05 +0000

Kirk here. The new children’s library has opened! Has anyone checked out the collection of books in English?

Funky Friday Finds leaves Kengun and heads towards Kami Ezuko. Hop off the tram …

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 01:00:14 +0000

Funky Friday Finds leaves Kengun and heads towards Kami Ezuko. Hop off the tram headed to the Kengun terminus at Kuwamizu kosaten and head south down Higashi bypass. The road will branch off after 100 meters, follow that road down about a half a kilometer and you’ll be at one of the parking lots for Kami Ezuko. Another 200 meters down on the side where Higashi bypass runs is Yard, one of those hard to describe stores that Japan seems to specialize in. The reason I recommend it is they have a cafe with lunch dishes, coffee and deserts. More info is at their website https://www.com-project.jp/com/

Kirk here with a Claude (AI assistant from Anthropic) translation of the article…

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:13:27 +0000

Kirk here with a Claude (AI assistant from Anthropic) translation of the article I’m linking to. (If you are interested in AI and why I’m using Clause instead of ChatGPT, please scroll down to the bottom.)

— start translation — Kumamoto University to Establish Japan’s First “International Class” with New School Building for Affiliated Elementary and Junior High Schools by 2026, in Response to TSMC’s Expansion

April 10, 2024 (Wednesday) 19:00

Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art - Museum Collection Exhibition (Two-Phase)

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 08:04:16 +0000

Kirk here with some news for art lovers.

— start quote from article — This is a two-phase exhibition that comprehensively introduces the Hosokawa Collection held by the Eiseibunko Foundation and the collection of the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art, which houses a wide variety of art objects from the East and West. The first phase of the exhibition features the Hosokawa Collection, which includes armor and tools of the Hosokawa family, feudal lords who once ruled Kumamoto, as well as modern paintings collected by the 16th head of the family, Moritatsu Hosokawa, who was known as a collector of art objects. In addition, the museum will introduce art related to Kumamoto and modern French paintings from the museum’s collection. First period: April 9 (Tue) - May 26 (Sun) Second period: May 28 (Tue) - June 23 (Sun) — end quote —

Kirk here. This has been rumored but now it's official: Second TSMC plant to be…

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:20:07 +0000

Kirk here. This has been rumored but now it’s official: Second TSMC plant to be built in Kumamoto.

Kirk here. I had not realized that Luther was starting an English-language "int…

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 09:00:24 +0000

Kirk here. I had not realized that Luther was starting an English-language “international” school. The girl you see pictured is reciting a prepared statement in English.

https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/kab/region/kab-20240406-00009372.html

Kirk here. This news article says the government will spend 1.2 trillion yen or…

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 05:33:42 +0000

Kirk here. This news article says the government will spend 1.2 trillion yen or $7.9 billion to support TSMC in Kumamoto. I asked AI (I’m using “Claude” lately) to calculate how much that would be per person if distributed to everyone in Kumamoto and the answer was 690,055 yen or $4,542 per person. Sure hope I get that level of benefit! ;)

Discovery Kumamoto Suizenji Seishuen Guided Tour

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 06:10:21 +0000

Information about Suizenji Park guide tour in English. Hoping lots foreigners also enjoy it⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝Atsuko.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Starting in April, Discovery Kumamoto will be available on Thursdays and Fridays as a sightseeing guide at Yusui-Tei. Today was the first day. The guides will mainly guide visitors around Suizenji Seishuen. Guided tours will start at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, and 45 minutes. Capacity: 8 people Guide fee (English, Japanese) 1,000 yen per person (tax included) 5,000 yen (tax included) for 6 to 8 people

Vintage Automobiles Journey

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:04:31 +0000

For classic car fans. :) – Kirk

“On April 6, the vintage automobiles will start and finish their journey at Hanabata Hiroba Square near Kumamoto Castle.”

Joe with Funky Friday Finds. I realize that I said that we were leaving Kengun, …

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:30:07 +0000

Joe with Funky Friday Finds. I realize that I said that we were leaving Kengun, but with the posts about Hanami, I thought that I should tell you about the bakeries in Kengun, all of which are nice to pick up a lunch for your explorations of Kami and Shimo Ezu parks and beyond.

So let’s do the equivalent of a pub crawl (a bakery bender?) for these spots. All are on the FFF map as well.

Kirk here. I was a bit surprised that there is actually going to be an eSports…

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 12:47:43 +0000

Kirk here. I was a bit surprised that there is actually going to be an eSports high school so I looked on the web for the main website of the school. Here it is:

https://esports-hs.com/faq/

It says that you can get certified as a high school graduate but I still don’t understand the details well.

By the way, because eSports events are often held internationally, English will be stressed in the curriculum (at least, according to the school’s site).

Kirk here. As I recall this is the second knifing crime in Kumamoto in less than…

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 01:35:25 +0000

Kirk here. As I recall this is the second knifing crime in Kumamoto in less than a month. Yikes! Note that when foreigners are involved in any illegal activity some folks inevitably complain about those $#!% foreigners and all their “foreign crime.” As people following events in the US know, the same sort of use of individual crimes to demonization entire populations of people occurs there too so it’s not at all unique to Japan. But, just the same, posting about this incident makes me want to point out that, whereas you may occasionally hear talk of “foreign crime” (外国人犯罪) in Japanese, you won’t hear discussion of “Japanese crime” (日本人犯罪), no matter how long the string of incidents like this gets.

The first news I heard about this mentioned "no vital signs" (心肺停止) but it seems…

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 14:54:42 +0000

The first news I heard about this mentioned “no vital signs” (心肺停止) but it seems that at least one of the most seriously injured kids is going to be OK after all. Sure hope the other one pulls through too. 😟 “Two of the students from Kamoto High School were initially in serious condition but one of them later regained consciousness, school officials said.” – Kirk P.S. Kamoto High School is in Yamaga, Kumamoto.

Here's a nice English-language video about the damage done to the Aso Shrine and…

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 12:12:14 +0000

Here’s a nice English-language video about the damage done to the Aso Shrine and how it was rebuilt. – KIrk

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/3016171/?fbclid=IwAR3NrPOfHKyU7oO_UXo01cY2zBybIlfEMdd57I6PAzstLKSYTtnVEwxO5GQ_aem_ASJ2TgkkZK98yAGsXSGkh5xNpQbLLUl7yaNltxibbPb59lUk5w-L2IT1QH3Z_jlF6Lq4TDsB9US4zAgvIYyyW52H

Kirk here. I'm getting older (as you can see in this selfie) and so I've taken …

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 15:03:03 +0000

Kirk here. I’m getting older (as you can see in this selfie) and so I’ve taken up hiking to try to stay in shape. The other day I felt a little ambitious and thought I’d attempt a little hike near the volcano. When I decided to take this selfie everything seemed to be going well. But, when I looked at the screen of my phone, holy smokes Batman, Mt. Aso had just started going crazy! Yikes! I wanted to get some exercise but Mt. Aso got my heart pumping for all the wrong reasons!

This is an old article and most of it doesn't relate to Kumamoto but the caption…

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 14:05:01 +0000

This is an old article and most of it doesn’t relate to Kumamoto but the caption for the picture does: “A V-22 Osprey with the Japan Ground Self-Defense flies over Kumamoto, Japan”. Yikes! I didn’t happen to notice at the time. – Kirk

Oppenheimer can now be seen in Kumamoto. I don't have a single URL to share but …

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 04:54:39 +0000

Oppenheimer can now be seen in Kumamoto. I don’t have a single URL to share but if you search for “Oppenheimer showtimes near Kumamoto” you should find relevant information. – Kirk

Here's something about the proposed revisions to the trainee program. It's not …

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 04:17:53 +0000

Here’s something about the proposed revisions to the trainee program. It’s not specific to Kumamoto but, naturally, applies here too. And, of course, the issue of how trainees are treated has been an important topic of discussion on this page. – KIrk

Ezuko was quite pleasant today. This photo was taken in Shimo Ezuko (Lower Ezuk…

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:02:37 +0000

Ezuko was quite pleasant today. This photo was taken in Shimo Ezuko (Lower Ezuko), near the zoo. – Kirk

Sakura Lanterns at Honmyoji Temple 桜灯篭本妙寺

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 09:28:42 +0000

Atsuko again.(*´∀`)ノ Tomorrow evening, information about Sakura Lanterns and Honmyoji Temple, 桜灯篭本妙寺。 The cherry blossoms will be just beautiful. No parking, please use public transportation.

http://hanatourou.com/

Sharing Higo journal, Kumamoto local information.⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 08:36:12 +0000

Sharing Higo journal, Kumamoto local information.⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝ I share this because the local information in Kumamoto, which I often read on LINE, has been published in English and traditional language versions. It often contains interesting topics and new stores. /Atsuko.

Higo journal English https://higojournal.com/en/ Higo journal 繁体語 https://higojournal.com/tc/

LINE https://linevoom.line.me/user/_dV7BsV7e86zybij6205_MyKFtZIvVsi_6zbtRrE

FB page, https://m.facebook.com/higojournal/?wtsid=rdr_0nXxqus8rRypLLD9h

William Heading into peak cherry blossom season this weekend, here is a suggest…

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:04:56 +0000

William Heading into peak cherry blossom season this weekend, here is a suggestion to two sites to visit. The park on Shirakawa between Taikobashi and Meigobashi is interesting - it was begun by common citizens following the ravages of war, and though now maintained by the city, it retains a home-spun vibe. Convenient access by tram or bus, and you can enjoy the burbling of the stream while hanami-ing. Another is the castle’s Sannomaru. A small park sunk behind the museum and baseball stadium, it is greatly overshadowed by its more expansive, famous, and (mostly) cherry tree-less Ninomaru. Take the free castle shuttle bus, alight at the museum stop, and it’s a short downhill walk directly behind. Happy hanami to all! - looks like we’re in for excellent weather ’til Tuesday.

The last spot for this month of Funky Friday Finds in Kengun is JiccA, a small r…

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:00:04 +0000

The last spot for this month of Funky Friday Finds in Kengun is JiccA, a small restaurant that serves southeast asian dishes, including Green curry, Pad Thai, Ka Pao rice and Nasi Goren. The shop is just a little ways down from the Kengunko tram stop and there is some parking behind the real estate agent a few doors down.

Their instagram page is here https://www.instagram.com/jicca0423/

And now, a little more detail about the area we have been talking about. If you are into history, Kengun jinja (previously knows as Takamiya shrine) is the oldest shrine in Kumamoto. It is said to have been built in 500 AD because the Emperor Kinmei couldn’t travel to Aso jinja because of heavy snow, hard as that weather may be to imagine. From this page https://www.kyushu-jinja.com/kumamoto/kengun-jinja/index.php

William An earthquake occurs when some parts of a plate scream "Yikes!" and ske…

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:39:12 +0000

William An earthquake occurs when some parts of a plate scream “Yikes!” and skedaddle in one direction while others stay put. Kumanichi posts that the Kumamoto Disaster Prevention Center in Suizenji has an earth cut displaying the fault rupture. Yikes.

Kirk here. In my view, the arbitrary drawing of lines is part of what is behind …

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 02:41:54 +0000

Kirk here. In my view, the arbitrary drawing of lines is part of what is behind this disappointing decision in the Minamata disease saga. Another issue is the argument that “symptoms could have been caused by something other than the condition.” Even though it is acknowledged fact that Chisso poisoned the fish that the plaintiffs consumed and that mercury poisoning can cause the kinds of symptoms the plaintiffs are suffering from, the plaintiffs are still forced to prove that their illnesses could not have been caused by something else. Such logic protects the polluters and puts an unfair burden of proof on the victims. :(

It's getting to be that time of year. The cherry trees in my area are not in fu…

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:04:26 +0000

It’s getting to be that time of year. The cherry trees in my area are not in full bloom yet but some branches are looking very nice. – Kirk

Here's an eight-minute video segment from NHK World. -- Kirk

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:02:04 +0000

Here’s an eight-minute video segment from NHK World. – Kirk

Goodbye, SL Hitoyoshi! Well done! -- Kirk

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 23:46:40 +0000

Goodbye, SL Hitoyoshi! Well done! – Kirk

Kirk here. Kumamoto Kokufu plays Ananhikari of Tokushima today at 2PM. We're a…

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 01:59:14 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto Kokufu plays Ananhikari of Tokushima today at 2PM. We’re already in the second round of the Koshien Tournament. If Kumamoto Kokufu win today, they will be one of eight teams to move on to the next round.

Kirk here. It seems Mr. Kimura has won the governorship. I have nothing agains…

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 12:25:11 +0000

Kirk here. It seems Mr. Kimura has won the governorship. I have nothing against him personally but I was rooting for Mr. Koyama (former Kumamoto-city mayor), in part because I know him but also because Mr. Kiyama campaigned with the support of the LDP and the LDP has given me numerous reasons to dislike them (connections to the Moonies, recent financial scandals, xenophobic and nationalistic stances of various individual politicians, etc.). The race was seen as a sort of referendum on the LDP and, sadly, it looks like the response from the people of Kumamoto was “no problem.”

Kirk here. This isn't local news but there is a Kumamoto connection. On this e…

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 12:14:34 +0000

Kirk here. This isn’t local news but there is a Kumamoto connection. On this evening’s NHK news, Takerufuji’s mom said that she frequently sends him basashi. The people of Kumamoto are the leading consumers of basashi but the delicacy is also enjoyed in Aomori, Takerufuji’s home prefecture, Fukushima, and Nagano.

By the way, we’re approaching sakura (cherry blossom) season and “sakura niku” (cherry blossom meat) happens to be a common euphemism for basashi. There seem to be at least a couple of theories about the reason why but I’m pretty sure that the pink or red color has something to do with it.

Kirk here with a must-read for train fans:

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 03:56:15 +0000

Kirk here with a must-read for train fans:

Kirk again. Wish I could have given readers of this page advance notice. But, …

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 13:44:04 +0000

Kirk again. Wish I could have given readers of this page advance notice. But, if you live here, you might want to put it on your calendar for next year.

Kirk here. I passed by this place on Friday afternoon, several hours after the …

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 13:18:50 +0000

Kirk here. I passed by this place on Friday afternoon, several hours after the incident. The only odd thing I noticed at the time was that there were TV cameras and people with media arm bands in the area:

— quote from Yomiuri — Kumamoto central police received an emergency call at around 9 a.m. Friday saying someone had been injured after being stabbed with a knife in the Chuo Ward of Kumamoto City. Officers rushed to the scene and found three women, believed to be in their teens to twenties, to be injured. All three were responsive when they were transported to the hospital by ambulance. The police apprehended a 29-year-old man nearby on suspicion of attempted murder. — end quote — https://japantoday.com/category/crime/man-arrested-after-3-women-stabbed-in-kumamoto-building

Boneless Lanterns advance screening

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 07:52:13 +0000

Atsuko, with information about the advance screening of the Yamaga movie(*´∀`)ノーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー The advance screening of the movie “Boneless Lanterns,” set in Yamaga, will finally begin March 22 (Friday) at Denkikan (Kumamoto City) ✨✨.

In addition, from March 22 to 25, there will be stage greetings by the lead actors and the director after the screenings 😊.

Please come and see the film! Screening times. From March 22 (Friday) to March 28 (Thursday), there will be two screenings per day 1st screening: 10:50am 　2nd screening from 15:10 Movie theaters Denkikan Address: 8-2 Shinshigai, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City Phone number: 096-352-2121

Kirk here. In order to rely on wind and solar energy as primary power sources i…

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 01:34:39 +0000

Kirk here. In order to rely on wind and solar energy as primary power sources it’s necessary to come up with some way of storing excess power for times when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. A facility intended to help solve that problem has been build in Kawashiri.

Joe Tomei and here at the Funky Friday Find department, we aren't just about foo…

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 01:00:03 +0000

Joe Tomei and here at the Funky Friday Find department, we aren’t just about food and drink. This next FFF is an honest to goodness old fashioned sento, the Kuwamizu Koshu Yokujo (神水公衆浴場) Nothing fancy, but nice to go and relax. There is parking next to it, though you have to get off Higashi Bypass and go down the side road It is just up from the Baskin Robbins 31, so after a nice soak, you can get your cup or cone of Rocky Road.

Atsuko here.

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:53:32 +0000

Atsuko here. Here is a good video introducing the streets of Kumamoto.( ˊᵕˋ*)

I have attached a video introducing Kawashiri, but there are also videos introducing Kumamoto Castle, Shinmachi and Furumachi. It is good to know not only the interesting buildings but also the history of how they were built. Please come to the place of ‘‘あんたがたどこさ’’= Senba. (Sembabashi and Tanuki are located in the Shinmachi Furumachi area. Both raccoon dogs and shrimps (shrimps are in the second verse of the song) are there.)

Kirk here with more TSMC news:

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:06:38 +0000

Kirk here with more TSMC news:

— start quote — One option the chipmaking giant is considering is bringing its chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) packaging technology to Japan, according to one of the sources who was briefed on the matter. CoWoS is a high-precision technology that involves stacking chips on top of each other, boosting processing power while saving space and reducing power consumption. Currently, all of TSMC’s CoWoS capacity is in Taiwan. — end quote —

Kirk here. In response to Joe's post about Charichari (the bicycle rental servi…

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:11:52 +0000

Kirk here. In response to Joe’s post about Charichari (the bicycle rental service), Atsuko shared this link. Thanks Atsuko! Thanks Joe!

https://charichari.bike/blog/chari-guide-2023-en

Original post by Joe: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02mJPBJ913rYKteDntQDiz4j14aha9bjCpCeP3wkvdjMEoRJCBj6cA3fobcfmBR9x9l

Kirk here with an AI translated article on the election that I tweaked slightly:

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 06:22:55 +0000

Kirk here with an AI translated article on the election that I tweaked slightly:

— start translation — Kumamoto governor election, Kimura and Koyama compete - Effectively a ruling vs. opposition party showdown

The Kyodo News Agency conducted a telephone survey on the 15th and 16th regarding the Kumamoto prefectural governor election (voting and ballot counting on the 24th). The leading canditates are vice-governor Kei Kimura (49) [recommended by the LDP and Komeito] and former Kumamoto City mayor Masashi Koyama (58).

Kirk here. This item, which came to me via a Google news alert for "Kumamoto," …

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 05:21:08 +0000

Kirk here. This item, which came to me via a Google news alert for “Kumamoto,” made me smile. I imagined an intrepid explorer and his expedition party, trudging through the “unexplored regions” of Kumamoto in search of liquid gold – honey. 😉

It seems that “unexplored” is the word used to translate the Japanese 秘境 (hikyo). Here’s how ChatGPT defines hikyo:

— start ChatGPT explanation — The Japanese word “秘境” (hikyō) refers to a “hidden or secret place,” often implying a location that is remote, secluded, or difficult to access. These places are usually untouched or unspoiled by human activity and can be thought of as hidden gems in nature, offering pristine and often breathtaking environments. They are often sought after for their untouched beauty, mystery, and the sense of adventure they evoke in exploring unknown or little-known locales. — end ChatGPT explanation —

William If you've got a car, a tent, and a bit of cash, you could do worse than…

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 01:45:22 +0000

William If you’ve got a car, a tent, and a bit of cash, you could do worse than to visit Toimisaki 都井岬（といみさき） in Miyazaki Prefecture. The location is famed for its native breed of horse called “Misaki uma” 「御崎馬（みさきうま）」. They’re a unique example of dwarfism, when an animal migrating to an area with minimal resources evolves to a smaller size. https://www.tabirai.net/sightseeing/tatsujin/0000480.aspx Recently, the American television “Shogun” has featured these horses - due to their small size, they make riders appear larger. Compared with most horse breeds, they are quite docile, with even the feral types allowing people to visit closely and pet them. For a taste of ancient Japan, Toimisaki is a must-visit. (Disclaimer: I am unaware of the exact breed of the horse used in the film, but it’s small size indicates that it is a Misaki uma.) The Guardian reports on the success of the series: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/mar/15/the-guide-130-shoguns-tv-mastery

Kirk here looking forward to delicious watermelons arriving in my local supermar…

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 05:55:18 +0000

Kirk here looking forward to delicious watermelons arriving in my local supermarket! :)

Joe Tomei here. It's Friday and you know what that means! Another Funky Friday F…

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 01:00:11 +0000

Joe Tomei here. It’s Friday and you know what that means! Another Funky Friday Find! This week, I’d like to introduce Kanelujah, a newly opened coffee shop. It’s a short walk from the Dobutsuen mae tram station. There are two parking spaces just down the street.

It’s a short walk for me, being just behind Kengun jinja, so it’s become a go-to place, but they also have some baking classes and a small video theatre and I’ve posted the notices they have, though you’ll have to check on how that works. For me, it’s the coffee and baked goods!

Kirk here. The image you see is of a newspaper (Asahi) article about KDS (Kumam…

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 07:42:33 +0000

Kirk here. The image you see is of a newspaper (Asahi) article about KDS (Kumamoto Driving School) classes in various languages for foreigners. There have been several Japanese-language media reports about such classes, most or all of which are indexed on the school’s website at the following address:

https://www.k-ds.net/international_blog/international

This page has a subtitle that reads as follows: “Foreign staff support foreigners in obtaining their driver’s licenses” （外国の方の免許取得を外国人スタッフがサポートします）. I’m not sure but I think I recognize one person in the picture who I’ve met and is a native speaker of English (apologies if my memory is incorrect).

William I eat at McDonalds maybe twice a year when my daughter returns from Ame…

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 03:07:53 +0000

William I eat at McDonalds maybe twice a year when my daughter returns from America. It always reminds me of why I don’t eat there more often. Kumanichi points out that their largest US competitor, Burger King, will make Higo inroads with a stand in Yatsushiro, maybe targeting the cruise ship crowd. There are, really, very few reasons to visit Yatsushiro, and this has made it one fewer.

NHK WORLD TV Direct Talk - CHIKAKEN Introduction

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 11:16:52 +0000

For MIZUAKARI fans. Atsuko⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Today! It’s finally on the air! CHIKAKEN will be introduced to 160 countries and regions around the world! NHK WORLD TV’s

NHK WORLD TV’s “Direct Talk” program! Please watch it!

The first broadcast: Tuesday, March 12, 10:15~. Second broadcast: Tuesday, March 12, 14:15 Third broadcast: Tuesday, March 12, 20:40 - *Fourth broadcast: Tuesday, March 12, 20:40 Fourth broadcast: Wednesday, March 13, from 1:15 p.m. The program will be broadcast a total of four times.

Kirk with a note on the governor's race. The gentlemen in the picture is MOHRI …

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 10:15:08 +0000

Kirk with a note on the governor’s race. The gentlemen in the picture is MOHRI Hidenori (毛利秀德). The bad news is that he’s taking an anti-foreign stance. The good news is that I don’t think he has any real change of winning.

— quote from interview in Kumanichi — Q: Your motto is “Politics by the Japanese, for the Japanese” but there are many foreigners living in Kumamoto. A: Appropriate measures should be taken for those who are currently living here, but when it comes to the use of various systems such as welfare and health insurance, there should be a distinction between Japanese and foreigners. The number of foreigners is increasing due to the country’s immigration policy, and there are many foreigners and foreign capital buying land in Japan. If this continues, Japanese culture will disappear. If I become governor, I will also consider stopping the prefecture’s efforts towards multicultural coexistence. — end of disturbing quote — Translated by ChatGPT with a little tweaking by Kirk https://kumanichi.com/articles/1352081

Kirk here sharing this nice post from Michi No Eki Aso. Reading the post made m…

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:55:26 +0000

Kirk here sharing this nice post from Michi No Eki Aso. Reading the post made me want to visit Tarutama Onsen, in part because I’m particularly interested in facilities with private baths.

Kirk here, forwarding information from an e-mail I received from the Prefectural…

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 09:15:13 +0000

Kirk here, forwarding information from an e-mail I received from the Prefectural Advisors.

— start quote — Can you believe it’s already March? I hope you guys are keeping well! Without further ado, we present you with the YOKA Winter 2024! The newest edition of the YOKA is now available for your reading pleasure on KumamotoJET.

This issue of the YOKA features… First Winter - Melanie Wakefield “The Right to Bear Arms” - Shane Meekin Come Join - KUMAJET JET Spotlight - Ryan Pascua Winter in Kumamoto - Alexander Gilmour “JP VS NZ” - Megan Wilson “How Far to Home” - Paige Turner “The Oil Squisher” - Austin Fontenot Artist Statement - Quinlan Fletcher Winter Fashion - Shawna Kay Lipscombe Photos Exhibition - Austin Fontenot, Lily Nguyen, Tiffiany Tsang, Shane Meekin International Recipes - Julie Pearl Guanzon This YOKA was Designed by Megan Wilson — end quote —

Joe Tomei here, apologies is this has been posted before but I picked up this En…

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 03:23:09 +0000

Joe Tomei here, apologies is this has been posted before but I picked up this English postcard for the red Charichari bikes that have popped up around town explaining the process. I’ve never used one so anyone who has experiences with the bikes, please comment!!

William The history of the Buddhist temple (and former Shinto shrine) Honmyoji …

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 07:03:38 +0000

William The history of the Buddhist temple (and former Shinto shrine) Honmyoji is complex. It got its start in 1585 - in Osaka, actually - to pray for the repose of the soul of Kato Kiyomasa’s father, Kiyotada. In 1600, after Kiyomasa became the lord of Kumamoto Castle, it was moved to within Kumamoto Castle grounds. Kiyomasa died in 1611, and according to his will, a statue of himself was enshrined at Jochi-byo Mausoleum on Mt. Nakao, to which the temple and shrine were relocated and co-occupied from 1614. Due to the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism ordinance during the Meiji period, the temple and shrine were separated, with the shrine moved to Kumamoto Castle to become Kato Jinja and the temple remaining as we know it today. Leprosy (or “Hansen Byo,” as it’s known in Japanese) affected the temple greatly. Afflicted beggars lined its steps, and inns were created along the slope to accomodate both beggars and pilgrims alike. Devote pilgrims donated stone lanterns which proceed up the center of the double steps, and many cherry trees were planted. It is the cherries that will catch your attention at this time of year. Rather than a sit-and-drink hanami, consider a mobile (and rather strenuous) one, drinking in the fragrance of the cherries and the historical ambience (as well as a beer or two) while you enjoy what really should be a World Heritage Site. During this season, the stairs are illuminated at night, when it’s also less crowded. It’s a very long walk from the tram stop Honmyoji to the top and back. Your legs may hate you the next morning, but your memories (and camera) will not. (Photos ripped from Web.)

For Kumamon fans who might need to rent a car in Kumamoto. -- Kirk

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 03:44:04 +0000

For Kumamon fans who might need to rent a car in Kumamoto. – Kirk

Won't be long until the cherry blossoms start to pop! :) -- Kirk

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 08:00:13 +0000

Won’t be long until the cherry blossoms start to pop! :) – Kirk

Children's Book Forest Kumamoto Opening Ceremony

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 06:35:49 +0000

William Kumanichi notes that the new library `annex “Children’s Book Forest Kumamoto” (Honnomori, 本の森 - “Book Forest” in Japanese), designed by architect Tadao Ando, will open with a ceremony to be held on April 7th. The library is a two-story building of reinforced concrete and wood and a design featuring an atrium structure with tall bookshelves lining one wall containing about 10,000 books, mainly for children. General admission will begin at 1:30 pm on the 8th. In order to enable comfortable usage, participant numbers will initially be limited to 50 for admission up to 100 minutes, and reservations will be required which can be made on the Honnomori website from March 25th (probably a good idea to wait a few weeks for the hype to die down):　https://kodomohonnomori.kumamoto.jp/ This looks to be an incredible asset to Kumamoto. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1349236

Oshiro Matsuri

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 06:27:50 +0000

Postscript: Atsuko posted a useful Google-translate link that makes this site pretty intelligible, even if you don’t read Japanese: https://kumamoto--guide-jp.translate.goog/oshiromatsuri/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&fbclid=IwAR3EZGvP7NKk4L1OLjT9Vh9l5CY1_5oYQSUeXgrxZ7DYoFLdyrVDxsKMlxo Thanks Atsuko! — original post — Kirk here with a bit about the Oshiro Matsuri (“castle festival”) that’s starting today. A large number of events is planned but, alas, nobody seems to have thought about how to share information about the events with people who don’t read Japanese. Even though I can read Japanese pretty easily, I still find it to be a bit of a pain in the *** to look through events by clicking on all of the buttons they have used to segregate the information. If they would just give us one page with all of the events and brief explanations listed in chronological order, in text that can be copied, I could then copy the text, use AI to translate it, and share it here. :(

Kawashiri Kuramae Street Festival

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 06:16:27 +0000

Atsuko here with an introduction to the spring festival in Kawashiri, which will be held tomorrow, March 10.

Kawashiri is an interesting town. It is full of old streets with many temples and rice warehouses, old stores such as cutlery and sake breweries, Japanese sweets, delicious bread and ramen shops. The remains of the oldest public toilet in Japan is also located near the Kasegawa River. Last week I went to Kawashiri Elementary School for an exchange program, and the third graders taught me about it.

I didn't know that there was such an event in Hong Kong. :) -- Kirk

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 06:01:14 +0000

I didn’t know that there was such an event in Hong Kong. :) – Kirk

Kirk here with some geothermal news.

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 12:38:41 +0000

Kirk here with some geothermal news.

For Fortnite fans. -- Kirk

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 07:38:04 +0000

For Fortnite fans. – Kirk

Joe Tomei here. In response to the almost audible cry for Funky Friday Finds, we…

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 01:00:23 +0000

Joe Tomei here. In response to the almost audible cry for Funky Friday Finds, we will be dusting off the FFF desk and scheduling those posts. The next two months will be places in and around Ezuko and Kengun Jinja.

The first Funky Friday Find is the ramen shop Mensho Kinoe (麺処きのゑ the shop sign uses the hentaigana for we). It is located where the old 2nd Sunny Place hamburger shop was, just down the street from the Jinja and the shop has 2 parking spots just behind it. I highly recommend the miso ramen, made with 3 different types of Kumamoto miso, with an added softboiled egg (ajitama) and a second order of noodles (kaedama). I’ve not gotten past that to order the special gentei ramen. It’s a tiny place and can often be busy around lunch time.

Letting students nap for a short time during the day strikes me as a very good i…

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 14:17:34 +0000

Letting students nap for a short time during the day strikes me as a very good idea. This enlightened approach is being practiced at Uto Junior and Senior High School. – Kirk

Kirk here recommending that you check out this NHK World interview with Andrew M…

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:07:56 +0000

Kirk here recommending that you check out this NHK World interview with Andrew Mitchell. NHK World videos don’t usually stay up forever so take a look before it’s taken down.

Good work, Andrew!!!

P.S. Here’s the the Facebook page of the KEEP project:

https://www.facebook.com/kumadaiquake/

KEEP stands for Kumamto Earthquake Experience Project

Kirk again. I've posted quite a few articles about the arrival of TSMC but this…

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 04:00:26 +0000

Kirk again. I’ve posted quite a few articles about the arrival of TSMC but this one has some new information you might want to check out. Major topics:

Kumamoto Driving School’s “international” division and special classes for foreigners
Kyushu Lutheran School’s new “international educational institute for elementary school children”
Skyrocketing land prices
Ripple effects (more investment in Kumamoto)

Kirk again, catching up with posts I should have made earlier. This one is adve…

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 23:07:02 +0000

Kirk again, catching up with posts I should have made earlier. This one is advertising an opening for a homeroom teacher assistant of 5–6-year-olds. Please read the quoted text below:

—- start quote —-

Hilltop International School (English kindergarten), located in the Tatsuda area of Kumamoto City, is looking for a full-time teacher to join our staff from the end of March or by the first week of April 2024. (Start date is negotiable.)

Kirk here with a recommendation for people in need of a good lawyer who speaks E…

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:24:04 +0000

Kirk here with a recommendation for people in need of a good lawyer who speaks English. The man whose image you see is KITAZATO Toshiaki. My wife needed some legal advice (NOT regarding how to divorce me, thank goodness ;) ) and decided to enlist his services. I first met him when my wife and I visited his office. It was only then that I learned that he had studied at Harvard Law School, which seems to be considered to be a pretty good place to study law – at least that’s what I hear. ;)

ミフネ古本市・大山鹿古本市

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 12:45:53 +0000

Kirk here with some information from Megan.

— start quote — Upcoming Used Book Fair in Mifune: March 9 & March 10, 2024 A great way to support a wonderful local community! 2024年 3月9(土),10(日) 11: 00-18: 00 ( 10日は ~17 : 30 ) 街なかギャラリー〒861-3207 熊本県上益城郡御船町御船 794 【ミフネ古本市・大山鹿古本市について】古本タケシマ文庫:096-223-5145 — end quote —

Apologies to Megan for being so late. Megan, do you have any idea about whether or not any English-language books might be available? Even if not, I think this will be worth visiting. Ikeda Movable Print (my translation of 池田活版印刷所) is participating in the event. It’s a Japanese typesetting printshop that started in 1890 (!!):

William Kumanichi reports that Mt Aso is acting up a bit and provides two lovel…

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 04:32:28 +0000

William Kumanichi reports that Mt Aso is acting up a bit and provides two lovely photos. The article describes a “fire phenomenon” in which high-temperature volcanic gas ejected from underground causes the walls of a crater to become red-hot. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised the eruption alert level from 1 to 2 (restrictions around the crater) and warned of risk of volcanic blocks and pyroclastic flows within a radius of about 1 km from the crater. Click on the photos for a better view. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1347306

Kirk back after a bit of an absence. Today I read that YAMAMOTO Riken has won t…

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 03:10:36 +0000

Kirk back after a bit of an absence. Today I read that YAMAMOTO Riken has won the Pritzker Architecture Prize. The statement on the Pritzker website includes the following sentence: “As founder and principal of architecture studio Riken Yamamoto & Field Shop, Yamamoto’s major works include Hotakubo Housing (1991) in Kumamoto, Japan, a complex of 110 units that share a central green space and adjacencies . . . " They listed the ken’ei jutaku (県営住宅; the low-cost housing development run by the prefecture) first!!

William Marijuana is a tricky subject. When I lived in China, I travelled to Ma…

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 01:51:02 +0000

William Marijuana is a tricky subject. When I lived in China, I travelled to Manchuria and found wild plants growing the size of Christmas trees (though being wild, I found, they contained little THC). Legalization is spreading in America from medical marijuana to recreational use. I know from experience that, when my wife was dying from cancer and had lost her appetite, a THC-infused gummy would have helped her immensely. “When in Rome, do not do what is illegal” is my policy, so I refrain from partaking while in Japan. Some do not share that agenda, as police noticed when they found a greenhouse full of the green in Hagiwaramachi worth 9400万円 (not sure how they figured that figure - some dude in blue must have known the street price).

Ireland's Saint Patrick's Day parade in Kumamoto

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 06:30:24 +0000

Ireland’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade will be held in Kumamoto next Saturday, 9th March from 2:30pm, with the start at SunRoad Shinshigai 🎶🎻 We’ll gather from 2pm!! ☀️ The real date is always March 17th, so don’t forget to wear something green both days this month - to keep your lucky charms intact!! Anyone can join in the parade, so bring your ‘green genki’, tricolour or spoons!!! アイルランドのセント・パトリックス・デーのパレードが来週の3月9日(土)の14時半〜、熊本市で開催されます - サンロード新市街で、14時から集合。本番は3月17日なので、今月は2日間とも緑色の服を着るのをお忘れなく💚 自分の"グリーン元気"を見せてください!!!! ☘️ Ruth from Ireland!

William A nice thing about having my daughter (who is Higokko to the core) home…

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 07:24:11 +0000

William A nice thing about having my daughter (who is Higokko to the core) home is that she does the shopping and buys stuff I wouldn’t know about. She recently brought home some “Aso Jersey Milk Donutsbou” (which also come in donut shape), and they’re my new favorite thing - caramelly, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. They are made in Kumamoto from locally-sourced ingredients. Put them on your shopping list.

NPO法人外国から来た子ども支援ネットくまもと相談会

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 02:08:59 +0000

For parents and children who came from foreign countries to Kumamoto! Do you have any troubles before starting school or advancing to a new grade in the spring?

NPO Kumamoto Support Network for Children from Abroad (NPO法人外国から来た子ども支援ネットくまもと) is going to organize a consultation session for parents with children aged 5-8 years in collaboration with KIF and other organizations on March 10 (Sunday). Please join if you have any issues or please share among your friends who might be interested to join.

Kirk here with an inquiry from our friends Chuck and Julie Waterman:

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 02:21:39 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry from our friends Chuck and Julie Waterman: — start quote — Julie and I are paying 介護保険. (we’re both over 65 now.) Since we’re returning to the US in Spring of 2025, and won’t need any special nursing care before then (knock on wood) I wonder if we really need to pay this? We don’t want to be bad citizens, but it’s 20,000+ a month for the two of us…. Can anyone shed light on the requirement, expectation on foreign non-permanent-residents paying this? — end quote — Please share any experiences or words of wisdom you might have in a comment so that other people might benefit too.

I may have mentioned this before, but this article says that "Taiwan's CTBC Bank…

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 02:04:24 +0000

I may have mentioned this before, but this article says that “Taiwan’s CTBC Bank has operated in Japan for a decade and recently expanded to Kumamoto to capture demand related to the chip industry boom.” It also presents an overview of the huge investments being made here. – Kirk

ORUGATTA SOUDAN - 新学期準備相談会

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:45:13 +0000

Atsuko here. Information about consultations to help you prepare for and address concerns related to new enrollment and daily school life at a public elementary school. Children with foreign roots are quite common in Kumamoto City.I hope that they will look forward to the new school year with less anxiety.It is very good for both children, parents, and schools to be informed and communicated in advance. For this reason, I think it is very important to exchange information.I hope you will consult with your school and teachers carefully and increase the number of friends.(´▽`)❀

Here's a video (TV news report) of some students from Kumamoto University and th…

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 02:57:21 +0000

Here’s a video (TV news report) of some students from Kumamoto University and the Prefectural University of Kumamoto making wagashi, tasting halal dagojiru, and talking about places to see and things to do in Kumamoto. The narration is in Japanese but the students all speak in English. – Kirk

William I had the pleasure of living in Taiwan twice, once for a month as a col…

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:22:20 +0000

William I had the pleasure of living in Taiwan twice, once for a month as a college freshman with a paltry three months of Chinese language and history study to shakenly rely on; second following graduation for 18 months, after which I came on a one-way ticket to Japan by freighter with $100 and a phone number. I learned much about Taiwan and retain a deep love for the country. With TSMC moving in, those with little knowledge of Taiwan may want to fill in gaps of this tumultuous and controversial time. Of surprise to me during my first visit was that the elderly only spoke the Taiwanese dialect - and Japanese, due to the 50-year period under Japanese rule. A movie popular during my time there portraying the time in ‘45 when the defeated Japanese colonists were leaving for the uncertainty of their war-devastated country was quite controversial as it portrayed positive aspects of Japan’s colonial rule. I couldn’t find that exact movie, but it turns out many in the same vein have been made since - IMBd reviews many, as this list http://tinyurl.com/5dhs3t39 shows, some of which are available with English subtitles on Youtube. In addition, this short article from Asianometry titled “How Japan Nurtured Taiwan’s Colonial Economy: A complicated legacy, with long-lasting repercussions” is a must-read: http://tinyurl.com/yc57hs35 TSMC’s move is an historical game-changer for our city. Let’s catch up with the history behind it.

Kirk here with more TSMC-related news. The article says that "TSMC's new fab in…

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 04:48:50 +0000

Kirk here with more TSMC-related news. The article says that “TSMC’s new fab in Kumamoto, Japan, scheduled to open on February 24, has already had a positive impact on the local housing market.” Well, I guess if you have housing that you want to rent or sell the tight housing market might be good for you but I’m rather surprised to see the housing shortage portrayed as a “positive impact.” I would agree, though, that it’s good that the number of flights between Kumamoto and Taiwan will increase.

Earlier today I posted about the scandal that a prefectural assembly member may …

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:39:12 +0000

Earlier today I posted about the scandal that a prefectural assembly member may have bet on golf. That made me wonder why various kinds of gambling are OK in Japan and others not so. This article gives a good answer in my view. – Kirk

Kirk here was news about MASUNAGA Shin'ichro, a member of the Prefectural Assemb…

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 04:16:08 +0000

Kirk here was news about MASUNAGA Shin’ichro, a member of the Prefectural Assembly. He’s accused of being involved in an extramarital affair and betting on golf. Granted, if true, the allegations are problematic. But, what about bigger scandals that have been swept under the rug? I’m thinking of MIZOGUCHI Koji, the politician who introduced the Moonie-sponsored bill called the “Kumamoto Home Education Support Ordinance” (くまもと家庭教育支援条例), leading it to become the first Unification-Church-related law of it’s kind to be passed in Japan. I’ll link to a page on Mr. Mizoguchi site where he explains his reasons for supporting the Moonie-sponsored ordinance (without, of course, mentioning his connections to the Unification Church). There’s much more I could say about this guy but suffice it to say that, for some reason, deep corruption in the form of connections to the Unification Church is viewed as a less serious matter than betting on golf and infidelity to your spouse. Go figure!

Another article from Kumamoto Scoop. -- Kirk Masden

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:42:16 +0000

Another article from Kumamoto Scoop. – Kirk Masden

Kirk here. Any of you been looking at the "Kumamoto Scoop" website? I just lea…

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 08:00:18 +0000

Kirk here. Any of you been looking at the “Kumamoto Scoop” website? I just learned about it, ironically from a Japanese-language article reporting on this site with information for foreigners. Here’s the article that’s listed as its most popular. I’m particularly pleased to find this article because the spa is quite near where I live. :)

Suizen Luxury Sauna https://en.akumamoto.jp/archives/220746

Japanese news article where I learned about this website https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000004.000109953.html

Kirk here with information about an exhibition that is in progress and the Conte…

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 02:46:19 +0000

Kirk here with information about an exhibition that is in progress and the Contemporary Art Museum of Kumamoto.

https://www.tokyoartbeat.com/en/events/-/Alfons-Mucha-Multitalented-Artist/30F1158F/2024-02-10

Unfortunately, English side of the museum’s website only mentions previous exhibitions and not this one:

https://www.camk.jp/english/information/

It is properly listed, however, on the Japanese site:

https://www.camk.jp/

TSMC Kumamoto Facility Opening Ceremony

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 09:36:28 +0000

Kirk here. Princess Kako will be coming to Kumamoto for the opening of the new TSMC facility:

— start quote — With the Kumamoto plant slated to open on Feb. 24, the report said TSMC founder Morris Chang (張忠謀), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Princess Kako will cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony. — end quote —

I guess I should have mentioned Prime Minister Kishida and Morris Chang too but, well, Princess Kako is cuter than the two of them combined. She’s a real-life princess that could be in a Disney movie.

William "Otsukaresama" to all of our friends who participated in today's marath…

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 04:43:40 +0000

William “Otsukaresama” to all of our friends who participated in today’s marathon. Those with stories and/or photos to share, please PM us and we will ensure that your voice is shared. Shown: Kumamon at the Kanakuri Marathon.

Liz here. I am posting the translation of a post made earlier this weekend by No…

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 01:38:06 +0000

Liz here. I am posting the translation of a post made earlier this weekend by Noriko Kimoto , a tea ceremony teacher here in Kumamoto. I think most foreign residents are familiar with Shirakawa Park downtown , next to the police station, but you may not know about the historically and culturally important tea house that sits quietly in the back corner of the park. I had the good fortune to attend a tea ceremony event by Kimoto sensei last year.

William I don't get out much but visited the Gusto in Kuhonji for lunch and was…

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 13:27:32 +0000

William I don’t get out much but visited the Gusto in Kuhonji for lunch and was quite surprised to be served by robots. It was no gimmick - one orders by tablet, the food is delivered by robot, and the only human interaction is when you’re seated and when you pay. It was quite pleasant, actually. Is this the new normal that I’ve been missing out on?

Kirk here. Click on the photo to see a slideshow of some of the ways in which T…

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 11:56:27 +0000

Kirk here. Click on the photo to see a slideshow of some of the ways in which Tsujunkyo was lit up.

Kirk reporting that Amakusa used to have some BIG critters running around: "It …

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 01:00:17 +0000

Kirk reporting that Amakusa used to have some BIG critters running around: “It is the largest jawbone of a carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Japan, according to experts.”

Michaela here - Thanks to Kuma Visit for the post that the Kumamoto Marathon is …

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 04:45:27 +0000

Michaela here - Thanks to Kuma Visit for the post that the Kumamoto Marathon is being held this Sunday. As the map indicates there will be some impacts in terms of road closures and public transport routes particularly in town.

Good luck to any members participating 🏃 🏃🏼‍♀️ 🏃‍♂️

William Reihoku is a peninsula tipped by a large hill on Amakusa island, former…

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 02:04:36 +0000

William Reihoku is a peninsula tipped by a large hill on Amakusa island, formerly known as Tomioka until it merged with several nearby villages. It even has a small castle, built in 1601 atop the hill, which came in handy in 1637, when rebels from Shimabara crossed the sea and attacked during the Shimabara-Amakusa Rebellion. It takes less than an hour to walk every small fork on the one road that crosses the tip; here and there are sandy beaches with fair-to-good water quality. Its small but deep harbor offers ferry service to Shimabara. For Amakusa fans, the sleepy town is a must-visit both for its past and present. Japan Today reports that a jawbone fossil from a tyrannosaurid dinosaur was recently discovered there from the Late Cretaceous period, when Kyushu was connected to the Asian mainland. Maybe Reihoku will become a little less sleepy. https://japantoday.com/category/national/tyrannosaurid-jawbone-fossil-found-for-1st-time-in-japan

Kirk here with a call to foreigners to improve their manners. The illustration …

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:13:42 +0000

Kirk here with a call to foreigners to improve their manners. The illustration you see was added by the Kumanichi to a letter to the editor from a woman who wrote to complain. One problem brought up in the letter was a group of people gathering with bicycles on the sidewalk in a way that made it hard for other pedestrians to get by. Granted, that’s not very considerate behavior. The other complaint (and what you see in the illustration) was about foreigners talking loudly on a bus and taking selfies. OK, having lived here a long time, I recognize that most Japanese people like for their bus rides to be quiet. However, I was very interested to hear from a Chinese student who gave a little presentation in a class of mine on “bus riding culture” that she found buses in Japan to be a bit too quiet. She said she actually preferred to hear people enjoying conversation and found the typical silence on Japanese busses to be a bit stifling.

Kirk here. Morris Chang is a huge figure in the history of microchips. He is o…

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 04:38:09 +0000

Kirk here. Morris Chang is a huge figure in the history of microchips. He is originally from mainland China then emigrated to the U.S., where he eventually became a vice president of Texas Instruments. Chang’s perception that racism would prevent him from moving any higher in the U.S. company is one consideration that led to his move to Taiwan in 1983. In Taiwan, his decision to separate semiconductor manufacture from chip design (TSMC focuses on manufacture) was an important factor in TSMC’s success.

Kirk here. This article says that the Ministry of Education is pushing public h…

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:00:16 +0000

Kirk here. This article says that the Ministry of Education is pushing public high schools to create special entrance exams etc. for foreign students to make it easier for them to continue their education. Kumamoto is one of the prefectures in that is in compliance. The prefectures in light green have not made a special entrance exam system to help foreigners but conduct interviews with individual students wishing to study at a high school (presumably, in lieu of an exam). The prefectures in grey are not taking either type of action to accommodate foreign students.

Happy Valentine's Day from Kumamoto.

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 12:32:54 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day from Kumamoto. Near Shaka-in Temple with 3333 stone steps. ⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝Atsuko

https://www.facebook.com/share/kqbXj2Mw2h2Vh6TE/

Hi! Kirk here with a repost and addendum to a post I made a while ago about "Hi…

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:45:29 +0000

Hi! Kirk here with a repost and addendum to a post I made a while ago about “Hi no kuni” (“land of fire” vs. “land of fat”). I’m afraid I had forgotten since posting about how learning a bit about these old “countries” (kuni) in Kyushu (Higo vs. Kumamoto, etc.) also helps one understand how Kyushu (literally “nine states”; 九州) got its name. If you count the number of prefectures that make up Kyushu today it’s not nine but seven. That’s because two “countries” to our south (Satsuma and Okuma) were combined to make what is now Kagoshima, “Hizen” was divided into Nagasaki and Saga, and the three “countries” of Chikuzen, Chikugo and Buzen (its western half) to our north were combined to make Fukuoka, thus resulting in a total of seven prefectures. Only Higo (Kumamoto) and Hyuga (Miyazaki) survived the transition from “countries” (kuni or han) to “prefectures” (ken) with little or no change in boundaries.

Marathon

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 22:43:30 +0000

The marathon is coming up this weekend. – Kirk

According to the article, in the Kumamoto quakes, 52 of the 186 who died held di…

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 09:02:36 +0000

According to the article, in the Kumamoto quakes, 52 of the 186 who died held disability certificates. Disasters, both natural and man-made, hit people who are already already vulnerable the hardest. – Kirk

International Traffic Safety Workshop

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 05:29:33 +0000

Kumamoto Driving School (KDS) is going to host the “International Traffic Safety Workshop” for foreign residents in Kumamoto, Japan! Join them on March 3rd, Sunday, from 10 AM to 12 PM at Kumamoto Driving School. Parents and children are welcome! Check out the details below: -Date & Time- March 3rd (Sunday) | 10 AM - 12 PM -Location- Kumamoto Driving School -Target Audience- Foreign residents in Kumamoto, parents, and children

William Teaching English at JHS or HS level in Japan oft requires instilling mo…

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 03:15:04 +0000

William Teaching English at JHS or HS level in Japan oft requires instilling motivation as students do not understand the utility of the subject. This could be a good motivator: Kyushu Gakuin High School graduate Yoshihiro Sonoda (46) has been appointed exclusive interpreter for MLB Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. (Disclaimer: the alma mater of my two children) Prior to this, Sonoda had been working as a lighting engineer at a film company in New York. “Maybe you, too, could someday be an interpreter - or work in the film industry,” you can tell your students. Kumanichi has the full story:

Kirk here. This came to me in a feed for "Kumamoto" because it includes a pictu…

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 11:45:22 +0000

Kirk here. This came to me in a feed for “Kumamoto” because it includes a picture from Kumamoto but the issue is national. The article includes the following sentence.

“Asked whether they want a higher percentage of foreigners in their community, 54.5 percent said they do not, with many citing concerns about increased friction or deterioration of the social order.”

Of course, friction can occur, particularly when it is assumed that it’s somehow “natural” to treat foreigns as second-class entities, but I’m afraid that many of the nay-sayers are basing their opinions on stereotypes that have little to do with reality. :(

Kurokawa Onsen.

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 13:50:55 +0000

Kurokawa Onsen. Atsuko⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝ https://www.facebook.com/share/vD4yaDhrA3zLm5Mo/

Kirk here. A while back I posted about how Kumamon is not allowed to enjoy cake…

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 05:59:53 +0000

Kirk here. A while back I posted about how Kumamon is not allowed to enjoy cake because “he” is supposed to be male and “real” men don’t go for sweets (at least that’s the theory). You can find that post here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02yCZvZY2MevZLKAtPF7MFmKX23nGKQ5kstTCBrpmW3UTAtHYJpEB5Mb1aawMyW1PTl

This post is a follow-up to that. The same “men don’t eat sweats” mentality is a topic of discussion in Alan Rosen’s thoroughly enjoyable memoir: “Tales of Old Zen.” Unfortunately for English speakers, the book is only available in Japanese:

William The Kumamoto District Court

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 06:59:14 +0000

William The Kumamoto District Court Wikipedia notes, “Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian_architecture Its austereness was contrary to the baroque popular at the time. “Georgian architecture is characterized by its proportion and balance; simple mathematical ratios were used to determine the height of a window in relation to its width or the shape of a room as a double cube.” Sounds like law. With spring approaching and a desire to stretch your legs, head out a bit behind Ninomaru, a bit up the road, and you will find the former Kumamoto District Court Building (熊本地方裁判所旧庁舎, Kumamoto chihōsaibansho kyū chōsha), which was constructed in 1908 and in use until being replaced in 1978. Currently, it is used as a museum and is certainly worth a visit. Call first for reservations. https://www.courts.go.jp/kumamoto/kengaku/mogitaiken/siryokan_syokai/index.html I once lived in Taiwan, a former Japanese colony. Many Georgian revival buildings from the Japanese colonial era remain. Below are two photos, one a former Japanese colonial building in Taipei, the other the former Kumamoto district court. Can you tell which is which?

Kirk here. It's official: a second TSMC plant will be built in Kumamoto.

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 12:28:15 +0000

Kirk here. It’s official: a second TSMC plant will be built in Kumamoto.

William Zoos excite in me mixed emotions. On one hand, when done well, they pro…

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 11:24:28 +0000

William Zoos excite in me mixed emotions. On one hand, when done well, they provide a wonderful discovery experience, particularly for children (drive-through parks, such as https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/#/sort=alpha/ , at least provide a semblance of the creature’s natural habitat); when done poorly, the are sense-killing life sentences for sentient creatures (see Kumamoto Zoo - or, actually, don’t). I’d heard of Aso’s “Cuddly Dominion” but hadn’t given it much thought until I came across this article: https://travel.gaijinpot.com/aso-cuddly-dominion/ The word “cuddly” should have been a tip-off: the last thing even a domestic animal wants to do is be “cuddled” all day by strangers, which apparently is what this park encourages (and fortunately, they are mostly domestic). The ultimate curse I devised when my kids were young was “May you be reborn as a kindergarten hamster.” I’d like to know if any of our readers have been there and, if so, what your impressions are.

William Every city in Japan has its signature department store: Fukuoka = Daima…

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:25:38 +0000

William Every city in Japan has its signature department store: Fukuoka = Daimaru; Osaka = Hankyu; Kyoto =Takashimaya; Tokyo = Mitsukoshi (this is all according to my daughter, whom you do not want to argue with). And, of course, Kumamoto = Tsuruya. Established in 1951 as a joint investment by Chiebuya Kimono Store and Furusho Honten, it opened its present location in 1952 with three floors above ground and one below, and has expanded since. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%B6%B4%E5%B1%8B%E7%99%BE%E8%B2%A8%E5%BA%97 A thing about Tsuruya is their paper bags. It is de rigueur when giving a gift in Kumamoto to enclose it in a Tsuruya paper shopping bag, no matter where the gift was purchased. A problem is that customers would accrue as many bags as possible on each visit, costing the company money and creating potential waste (though the bags tend to be reused multiple times). In an attempt to reign in cost and waste, the company has announced that it will now be charging for paper shopping bags under the attached schedule. They’re still cheap and probably worth it, particularly if you’re giving a gift. https://www.tsuruya-dept.co.jp/information/info/bag.html

Kirk here with some news about local and national politics. The local politici…

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 13:49:07 +0000

Kirk here with some news about local and national politics. The local politician at the heart of this story is not KAMIYA Sohei, the leader of the far-right SANSEITO party that you see pictured. Rather it’s about TSUKUSHI Rumiko, who was elected to serve in the City Assembly and who ran as a SANSEITO candidate.

The news is that Ms. TSUKUSHI has decided to leave the party because the leadership runs it as a dictatorship, not allowing members to “participate” in decision making, even though the very name of the party gives the impression that belief in participatory democracy is a core value.

Kirk here. The article begins " . . . police stationed in Kumamoto -- One Piece…

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:00:26 +0000

Kirk here. The article begins " . . . police stationed in Kumamoto – One Piece author Eiichiro Oda’s hometown – arrested two foreign citizens suspected of infringing on Weekly Shonen Jump’s copyright." I hope no one associated with page was involved in the crime.

Social afternoon - decorating cookies, speaking Japanese, playing games

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 05:07:43 +0000

Ruth here sharing an invitation to a social afternoon, decorating cookies, speaking Japanese, playing simple games and such, in Gofukumachi•呉服町 on Sat., 17th Feb.

The organiser is a local university student, who is big on organising international exchange events, so they asked to extend the invitation to our Kumamoto International community.

It’s 1500 yen to participate, and that includes a drink and the other activities. Students get a discount! ☕

Please see the image or FB page for more details: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122125299632106966&id=61553208980192&wtsid=rdr_0qpD9Ui27Ho78GNMl https://www.facebook.com/share/p/YZNMKBQuEC8xqcam/

William The new Tateno Dam is what is known as a "running water" dam (流水型ダム, ry…

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 01:43:50 +0000

William The new Tateno Dam is what is known as a “running water” dam (流水型ダム, ryūsui-gata damu) - that is, the three outlets at its base are kept open permanently, and the damn serves simply to control water flow. However, in the event of a “150 year flood” event, the reservoir may fill entirely, so the dam is designed to allow water to flow over its top. To test this functionality, recently engineers blocked the lower outlets to force an overflow. JR had arranged a special sightseeing train for tourists to witness this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. The photos are certainly alarming - hopefully, we will never have to see this occur naturally. Yomiuri has the scoop (Japanese),; photo from the Kumanichi. https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/kumamoto/news/20240205-OYTNT50172/

William To my friends in earthquake-land:

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 09:14:05 +0000

William To my friends in earthquake-land: When the first Kumamoto quake happened, my LCD toppled over and broke, so as soon as the stores opened again (TVs are kinda useful for info during quakes), I bought another. This then toppled over and broke in an aftershock, so I bought one more - and this time, I used an O screw on a wall stud and secured it. I still have that TV (though, ironically, no one uses it anymore). Now: buy a 90¢ O screw and secure your TV. Your neighbors will thank you for it when you’re left with the only working TV on the block (once the electricity comes back on).

William with an item tangentially related to Kumamoto: Though our local faults (…

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 07:24:40 +0000

William with an item tangentially related to Kumamoto: Though our local faults (geological, not moral) tend to be parallel, Japan itself is built atop a subductive fault, with the Pacific plate moving under the Eurasian plate (the one we’re on), which means that something has to be pushing the Pacific plate westward. That would be the mid-Atlantic rift, where the plates are spreading apart. Normally, all of this occurs deep underneath the Atlantic - except for Iceland (which is green, unlike Greenland, which is icy). The rift zone in Iceland is normally stone-cold, uh, stone, except for times like now. Google “Iceland eruptions” for more info and amazing photos, and remember: what happens in Iceland doesn’t stay in Iceland. Its ripples will, in geological time, to be felt here.

William here with a personal request.

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 10:58:58 +0000

William here with a personal request. I’ve broken my knee recently, so my exercise options are limited. I’m looking for a mountain/road bicycle, one that’s good for riding to Ariake Sea along Shirakawa. If anyone has one for sale or has recommendations, please let me know. Thank you.

Yamaga Toro Roman - Hyakka Hyakusai

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 06:02:34 +0000

William with more on Yamaga. Yamaga is holding a festival called “Yamaga Toro Roman - Hyakka Hyakusai,’’ started to encourage people to visit Yamaga during the winter by taking advantage of the picturesque streets of Buzen Kaido. 5,000 Japanese “wagasa” (umbrellas, the manufacture of which Yamaga is famous) and bamboo lanterns are lined up from Yachiyoza, the symbol of Yamaga City, to Yamaga Onsen. The event will be held every Friday and Saturday from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm until February 24th, and will feature Yamaga Taiko and Toro Odori performances at Yachiyo-za, as well as stalls set up by local restaurants at Sakurayu. It looks very magical.

復興デパートアマテラスチャリティーイベント

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 22:38:38 +0000

Atsuko.

③Since there were no comments on the auction, I took the refrigerator to the charity auction site.

If you want one, please go to 復興デパートアマテラスReconstruction Department Store Amaterasu on February 11, 10-4pm. There will be a charity event as well. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=404924948871811&id=100080629279975 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ②Sorry. I posted it in the morning, and when I looked at it in the evening, there were 3 wants, and a friend immediately contacted me directly to say she wanted it for the Ishikawa support charity auction, so I thought I would take it there. I thought that anyone who wanted it could buy it at the auction there. Happy thought it would be better to share it with many people.

Yamaga Lantern Romance Hyakka Hyakusai

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:27:05 +0000

Thanks Tran. My hometown, Nakomi town is next to Yamaga city. There are many beautiful places in Yamaga. Now is the season of Yamaga Lantern Romance Hyakka Hyakusai. Please enjoy Yamaga in winter too. Atsuko⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝

https://yamaga-tanbou.jp.e.zh.hp.transer.com/about/hyakkahyakusai/

Aso highlands burning festival

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:19:20 +0000

William The annual burning of the Aso highlands is necessary to kill off all of the saplings - without it, the mountain would be a forest instead of grassland for grazing. Explore Kumamoto notes that it will begin on 2/24 this year. Several festivals accompany the event, or you could just find a cozy spot with a picnic to view the magnificent torching of the winter grass to make way for the spring.

William Japan has some pretty fascinating footwear. Most are familiar with the …

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:54:22 +0000

William Japan has some pretty fascinating footwear. Most are familiar with the wooden geta, which allow the wearer to stay above the muck. The jikatabi are cotton boots with a rubber sole used by construction workers for their flexibility. They hook up the back, are very comfortable. come in different heights, and are often worn in festivals. A great place to buy such footwear is on Kokai shopping street. In particular, near the torii at the entrance is a large shoe shop which is popular among festival-goers, providing a wide selection of unique footwear. This is my jikatabi collection.

Agricultural Festivals - Shirakawa and Agricultural Park

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 08:17:01 +0000

William “February is the cruelest month” is said, along with “Gardening is the triumph of hope over experience.” To tide us over ’til the warm winds of March, two agricultural festivals are held. Both are rather different. One, along Shirakawa across from the train station, caters more towards home horiculturists; the second, at the Agricultural Park, more towards farmers. Both include long greenhouses toasting in the sun and ample stalls to compliment plant stuff - I love the stalls shilling antiques (rather expensive, they invite more browsing than bargain hunting, but ya never know). For gastronimy, the former allows dining sitting along the river edge where one can feed seagulls, while the latter offers a vast lawn and a wonderful playground for the kids. Motsunabe, a piping-hot stew made from pork intestine that originated in the Kumamoto area and is best seasoned with a healthy helping of shichimi spice, is the food of choice. Links are below, noting daily special events. As always, any questions may be directed to us. https://kuma-uekiichi.com/ https://kumanichi.com/articles/1306244

Kirk here. The student shown in the image you see actually said 'We call it noh…

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 01:17:03 +0000

Kirk here. The student shown in the image you see actually said ‘We call it nohgakuden in Japanese’; the mistake is that of whoever put the subtitles on the video at RKK. The TV report is about how this university student is studying to become a certified English-language guide.

In one sense, I can understand how staff at RKK might make mistakes with English subtitles like these. They are not specialists in English and they are usually under significant time pressure to prepare their videos for broadcast. On the other hand, I think such mistakes may be a significant problem for young people who are keenly interested in improving their English. If I were such a young person, I can imagine how confused these subtitles would make me. I’d probably assume that the subtitles must be correct and that I failed to hear what she said or that my knowledge of how English works (what’s OK and not OK) must be wrong.

Kirk here. This came in my news feed but it's from the Fuji Film website so it …

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 12:52:03 +0000

Kirk here. This came in my news feed but it’s from the Fuji Film website so it might be sort of a cross between an ad for the company and news, I do think it’s another indication of the growth of the high-tech sector in Kumamoto.

Kirk here. This painting by Tomikichiro Tokuriki (1902-1999) is mentioned in an…

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 23:11:55 +0000

Kirk here. This painting by Tomikichiro Tokuriki (1902-1999) is mentioned in an article about Japanese art and the crescent moon published in the Modern Tokyo Times.

https://moderntokyotimes.com/japan-art-and-the-crescent-moon/

Kirk here. I read this article about rules pertaining to the use Kumamon's image…

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 02:53:24 +0000

Kirk here. I read this article about rules pertaining to the use Kumamon’s image with interest. Here’s and odd one: Since Kumamon is considered to be male, he’s not allowed to like sweet things like cake (cake!!). I’ve heard the idea that, in Japan, people used to think that sweets were feminine and therefore it was thought that men and boys shouldn’t like them. But, I thought that was an old, discredited stereotype and so was a bit surprised to learn that it has been made an official rule. Read the whole article for more interesting tidbits.

Kirk again. The article I posted about a few hours ago mentioned the pamphlet d…

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:59:13 +0000

Kirk again. The article I posted about a few hours ago mentioned the pamphlet described on the page I’m linking to. Here’s a ChatGPT translation of the text on the page:

— start translation — The multilingual disaster prevention card ‘Anshin Note’, which includes information related to disasters and evacuation in multiple languages including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tagalog, and Nepali, has been created. It is distributed at various places including the International Exchange Hall, city offices, ward offices, and community centers. Please take one, fill in the necessary information inside, and always carry it with you. — end translation —

William For American denizens residing in Kumamoto, it is voting time! To reque…

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 04:53:05 +0000

William For American denizens residing in Kumamoto, it is voting time! To request an overseas ballot (they’ll generally consider that you are military), go to the below link. Here is a recent message from the Fukuoka Consulate:

Your vote counts! Did you know that many U.S. federal elections for the House of Representatives and Senate have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by absentee voters? All states are required to count every absentee ballot that is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline. Follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2024 federal U.S. election1. Request your ballot. Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2024 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2024 elections. Submitting the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. All local election officials in all U.S. states and territories accept the FPCA. You can complete the FPCA online at FVAP.gov. The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state. We encourage you to request your blank ballots be delivered electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state). Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option. Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website. The online voting assistant will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original ink signature. If you must return a paper version, please follow the same instructions below for returning your ballot. 2. Receive and complete your ballot. States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and generally send ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online. 3. Return your completed ballot. While some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically, others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope or in an envelope bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address them to the relevant local election officials.

TSMC Kumamoto Fab Opening Ceremony

Sun, 21 Jan 2024 06:09:20 +0000

Kirk here with another TSMC article. The formal start of the plant is approaching.
— start quote — “In Japan, we are building a special technology fab(rication plant) in Kumamoto which will utilise 12- and 16-nanometre and 28- and 22-nanometre process technology,” Liu said. “We will hold an opening ceremony for this fab on February 24 next month and volume production is on track for fourth quarter of 2024.” — end quote —

William with an inquiry from a British reader. At his request, please post respo…

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 02:30:47 +0000

William with an inquiry from a British reader. At his request, please post responses below, and thank you for your contribution to our international community. (Post) Good morning, please could you post this inquiry on your page for me. I need to get certified copies of my Passport, Driving Licence and Utility Bill to send to England. Can anyone recomend a qualified solicitor or certified accountant who could do this. Has anyone gone through this process? and any idea of cost? Regards,

William Looks like we may get some snow later in the week. Mt Kimpo is a good p…

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 01:18:52 +0000

William Looks like we may get some snow later in the week. Mt Kimpo is a good place to experience the phenomenon. There are two parking lots, the lower and upper, and in the event of snow, the former is greatly recommended. Also, hiking the road up is not only safer than the trail but preferable from a viewpoint point of view: the road winds around about 300° of the mountain, with wonderful views of the paddies of Tamana, Nagasaki’s Mt Unzen, and our city with Mt Aso. Go up one side and down the other. Make sure to bring bread crumbs for the birds that will feed from your hand at the peak.

Atsuko here with information about standing demonstration against genocide in Pa…

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 23:12:41 +0000

Atsuko here with information about standing demonstration against genocide in Palestine today.

Last night’s documentary film was very heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I attended with my college student and junior high school daughter, and with Japanese subtitles, I keenly felt that it is very important to know first. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=763244515837342&id=100064554018003

Unfortunately, I cannot attend the demonstration today due to my schedule, but I can share it with you. I hope that the voices from Kumamoto will be heard🍀*゜ https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10228051063213532&id=1582731582 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Standing demonstration against the genocide in Palestine January 14 2024 14:00-16:00 In front of New-S, Kumamoto

Relief supplies handover for Ishikawa

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:30:51 +0000

Atsuko here, this is an announcement for a support request for Ishikawa from Kumamoto.

I will leave the relief supplies for Ishikawa with my fellow volunteers.

The team to be supported is Bonjas. They are the team that helped us in the Kumamoto earthquake by serving food at various evacuation centers and temporary housing. This team and the team that worked with us at Akitsu temporary housing will be taking the relief supplies to Bonjus in Ishikawa.

Kirk here. I think it's cool that an article about an new development in AI sta…

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 08:00:21 +0000

Kirk here. I think it’s cool that an article about an new development in AI starts with a Kumamoto dateline.

Kirk here. The high tech investment news just keeps coming.

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:23:33 +0000

Kirk here. The high tech investment news just keeps coming.

Kirk here with a job offer.

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 13:47:02 +0000

Kirk here with a job offer. — start quote — Hilltop International School (English kindergarten), located in the Tatsuda area of Kumamoto City, is looking for a full-time teacher to join our staff from March or by the first week of April 2024. (The earlier the better.)

Position: Head classroom teacher of 2–3-year-olds. (You will have three licensed Japanese nursery school teachers in the classroom with you.)

Responsibilities: Conduct classes using our curriculum. Play with students outside. Interact with all Hilltop students in English. Other responsibilities will be discussed at the interview.

William　Once was a time that the only way to travel to Kagoshima to Kumamoto was…

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 03:58:44 +0000

William　Once was a time that the only way to travel to Kagoshima to Kumamoto was via the coast. With the advent of the expressway, though, the route has turned into a seldom-used backwater with its chain of small towns withering. Yet this adds to its charm, particularly if you have a few days and a tent (all you need can be purchased at a single outing to Hirose - avoid those expensive “trekking” shops) . Even a map is not required, though a bit of advanced research on onsen locations is recommended to plan overnight stays. Remember, you can camp anywhere as long as you leave your site as you found it. Gaijinpot has an article on the phenomenon of cranes gathering from Siberia in the wintered rice paddies of Izumi. Farmers leave gleanings of rice and the birds plenty of guano, so it’s a win-win. Best is to plan three or four days for a leisurely drive with plenty of unscheduled stops. The article contains links to other wonderful, woefully overlooked sites in the area. https://travel.gaijinpot.com/izumi-crane-observation-center/

Kirk here with some news: "Twelve people from Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto City a…

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 13:11:26 +0000

Kirk here with some news: “Twelve people from Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto City arrived in Ishikawa on Thursday with foodstuff for about 300 people.”

This is the Jikei Hospital that has led Japan in it’s efforts to prevent tragic cases of infant abandonment by providing alternatives to young women. Wow!

Green Slow Mobility (GRISLO) Demonstration Experiment - Kamitori Area

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 09:03:26 +0000

William Kumanichi reports on an interesting new transportation mode to be introduced in the Kami/Shimotori areas. This is a pilot program intended to identify problems which must be rectified if/when more widespread rollout can be conducted. Perhaps it is another tool in the box sagging shopping streets would have against their shopping megacenter rivals. Google Translate is as follows.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/1290663

Starting on the 13th, Kumamoto City will begin a two-month demonstration experiment of ``Green Slow Mobility (GRISLO),’’ a transportation service that utilizes small electric vehicles that run at low speeds, in the Kamitori area. The aim is to improve the ease of getting around the city center and encourage the use of public transportation. Demonstration tests are also planned for the Shimotori/Shinshigai area from mid-March to mid-May.

William Why camellia (椿 - tsubaki, literally, "spring tree" and also a common f…

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 02:55:47 +0000

William Why camellia (椿 - tsubaki, literally, “spring tree” and also a common family name) bloom at this time of year when pollenating insects are hibernating was a mystery to me ’til I learned that they’re pollenated by birds. That explains their splayed-open appearance and commodious pollen and nectar. A similar blossom is the sazanka (山茶花, known by that name in English), whose kanji - “mountain tea flower” - reveals that they are relatives of tea. Even today, some still steep dried camellia or sazanka leaves in hot water for a type of poor-man’s tea. Asahi has an illuminating article on the two. One point new to me: The sazanka tends to drop its petals one by one, while tsubaki flowers come off whole; thus, “some people in the past were said to disdain the flower because the manner in which the blossoms dropped to the ground reminded them of decapitations by feudal samurai warriors.” Eww. After being pummeled by Satsuma cannons in the Seinan War, the “maru” of the castle were left empty - the most famous being Ninomaru. A staircase from there, to the left of the museum, leads to a footbridge crossing to the stadium. At the foot of the bridge on the left is a small maru once occupied by a shrine (宮内神社、みやうちじんじゃ) which has been converted to a bird sanctuary, designed with trees to feed birds year-round. That it is filled with a contemplative (or eerie) silence is that no one visits. It is a marvelous place to view tsubaki and sazanka and ponder in solitude, and now is the time. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13039293 Info about the park: http://tinyurl.com/262esk9c

Kirk here. The other day I posted about the Crossroad Cafe in Amakusa (I'll link…

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 12:09:39 +0000

Kirk here. The other day I posted about the Crossroad Cafe in Amakusa (I’ll link to that post in a comment). Since then, I’ve found a copy of the article and used ChatGPT to translate it into English:

— start translation — Connecting with Foreigners: A Hub of Interaction

A civic group in the Amakusa area, “World Friends Amakusa,” dedicated to supporting the lives of foreign residents, has opened a café in Suwa Town, Amakusa City, to serve as a place of interaction. The café aims to be a hub where Japanese and foreigners acknowledge and connect through diversity. It was introduced to the local residents in late December last year.

Kirk here with news that you don't need to be able to speak Japanese to call 110…

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 07:46:07 +0000

Kirk here with news that you don’t need to be able to speak Japanese to call 110. Here’s a ChatGPT translation of the article:

— start translation — “Call 110 Even If You Don’t Understand Japanese”: International Students Experience Reporting Through an Interpreter-Assisted Three-Way Call January 10, 2024 (Wednesday) 19:20 Domestic News

On “110 Day,” international students learned how to make emergency calls.

In Kumamoto Prefecture, the number of emergency calls from non-Japanese speakers has sharply increased compared to the previous year, with 89 cases reported by the end of November last year (89 cases last year, 3 cases the year before).

Kirk here. The latest version of the YOKA is out. The publication is primarily…

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 13:12:03 +0000

Kirk here. The latest version of the YOKA is out. The publication is primarily for JETs and former JETs but is published on the web for all to read and enjoy.

Here’s a portion of the e-mail I received:

— start quote — This issue of the YOKA features… The Year So Far - KUMAJET JET Spotlight - Sheena Moore Artist Statement - Lauren Chidel Kumamoto Boardgames Club - Julie Waterman “Carefully Constructed Nest” - Beatrice Thorstensen Top 10 Albums of 2023 - Matthew Trecek Photos Exhibition - Austin Fontenot, Beatrice Thorstensen & Cricket Lee “Midday in Toyo Town” - Jesse Norman International Recipes - Iona Fleming & Nthatuoa Mabathoana KenJETkai Information This YOKA was Designed by Quinlan Flecther — end quote —

William Many unfamiliar foods introduced to unsuspecting populaces during the A…

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 07:14:05 +0000

William Many unfamiliar foods introduced to unsuspecting populaces during the Age of Exploration acquired names of their supposed location of origin, often wildly off the mark (particularly those from the Americas or from along the Silk Road - turkeys are no more native to Turkey [North America, actually - even Turkey is now insisting that it be known as Türkiye - try finding “ü” on your keyboard] than tangerines are to Tangiers [look to China] - the latters were just a more proximate stop along the way). Such comes the amazing story of the kabocha (南瓜 or カボチャ) - the use of katakana is a giveaway to its foreign origin. According to many researchers, the ancestor of kabocha was brought from North America to Europe, then transmitted to Dutch colonies in SE Asia, from which it was introduced to Japan, and when startled, starving denizens asked, “What’s this nutritious, delicious food that can be grown on marginal land?,” the answer was, “Dunno, but it came from Cambodia.” Which morphed into カボチャ, at least according to many anthropological linguists. Read a short intro here: https://gochisohistory.com/kabocha/ (In my hometown of Los Angeles, “kabocha” are called “kabocha pumpkin” - that was rather a long route from Peru) and look up the he Cambodian–Spanish War [1593-1597]). Kabocha are in season now. They can be cooked in dozens of ways - heck, make your own up! (I recently roasted one in my oven until soft, then fried it with plain oil - any flavored oil will ruin its delicate taste - until crunchy. Worked out better than I could have imagined.) They are cheap and healthy. And they are grown locally. Bon appétit!

William with a message from reader Greg Howes:

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 04:31:31 +0000

William with a message from reader Greg Howes:

Freedom English School, located in Kumamoto City, is seeking an English teacher for a full-time position starting late March / early April. Currently with branches in Kamitori and Suizenji, we will be opening a third branch from April this year. Applicants should be comfortable teaching children of all ages, ranging from kindergarten age through to Junior High School students. Experience is preferred, but not essential for the correct candidate. Pre-employment and on-the-job training will be provided. We offer a competitive financial package - details of which will be provided on request - and an excellent working environment. If you are interested in joining our growing teaching team and would like to find out more information, please contact Greg Howes at fes@kumazemi.co.jp or 096-322-7100.

Film Screening of Imprisoning a Generation with Director Discussion

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 02:02:02 +0000

Kirk here with a message about an opportunity to view an important film. The message is from Joshua Rickard, who teaches at Kumamoto University:

— start quote — On Friday January 19th we will hold a Film Screening of the award wining documentary Imprisoning a Generation. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director and producer Zelda Edmunds. The film will be shown with Japanese subtitles and discussion will be held in English. Friday January 19th, Doors open 18:00. Film Screening/ Seminar 18:30-20:00 Location: Center for International Education Lounge. Kumamoto University Admission is free, no registration required. Imprisoning a Generation is an award-winning documentary which follows the stories of four young Palestinians who have been detained and imprisoned by the Israeli military detention system. The children’s experiences, along with the voices of their families, form a lens into the complicated structures of oppression that go beyond the prison walls. — end quote —

William The Asahi provides a heart-stopping and heartwarming video of a man res…

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 11:19:26 +0000

William The Asahi provides a heart-stopping and heartwarming video of a man rescuing his elderly neighbor from an impending tsunami during the recent Noto quake. Unlike pretty much every other natural disaster imaginable, Kumamoto is not at risk of tsunami unless Unzen collapses again. But the video shows the man calling the old woman by name, proving that they were acquainted. Message here: Get to know your elderly neighbors. Not only are they repositories of knowledge, but you might someday be counted on to lend a hand in a natural disaster.

Kirk here. An article was published in the Kumanichi news paper about the openi…

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 08:42:03 +0000

Kirk here. An article was published in the Kumanichi news paper about the opening of Crossroad Cafe in Amakusa. The cafe is run by World Friends Amakusa. Their Facebook page is the second URL listed. The third URL is their website. The fourth URL is their Instagram page, which has the address of Hondo. If you’re in the area, you might want to check it out.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/1287340 https://www.facebook.com/WFAmakusa/ https://wf-amakusa.com/ https://www.instagram.com/crossxroadxcafe/

Kirk here. The images you see are made with folded oak leaves. The artist is a…

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 03:06:16 +0000

Kirk here. The images you see are made with folded oak leaves. The artist is a local man, Yoshihiro Watanabe, who, according to the article, is autistic.

Kirk here with some sad news about the death of Yashiro Aki. Her stage name was…

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 11:23:33 +0000

Kirk here with some sad news about the death of Yashiro Aki. Her stage name was an adaptation of the name of her hometown, Yatsushiro. :(

Kirk here with another story about MATSUNAGA Genrokuro (松永源六郎), who has, for man…

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 09:21:31 +0000

Kirk here with another story about MATSUNAGA Genrokuro (松永源六郎), who has, for many years, been educating groups of foreigners as well as Japanese about traditional sword-making methods and swordsmanship. In this picture, the woman attempting tameshigiri (the art of target test cutting) is from France. Unfortunately, this article is behind a paywall but I’m glad to see Mr. Matsunaga getting recognition in the media nonetheless. The headline points out that he has been doing this for 40 years now. I have enjoyed visiting him, as I know that many other readers of this page have.

William here with a note from "'Sup?" corner. In the runup to Valentine's Day, D…

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 07:00:40 +0000

William here with a note from “‘Sup?” corner. In the runup to Valentine’s Day, Daiso is selling bitter chocolate. Intended for baking, it is fabulous as is and the only time of year you’ll find my favorite snack available anywhere, and at a bargain price. (Dark chocolate is said to be rich in plant chemicals called flavanols, antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease.)

Kirk here. It was a nice day today so I enjoyed a stroll in the Ezuko area, whi…

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 08:53:29 +0000

Kirk here. It was a nice day today so I enjoyed a stroll in the Ezuko area, which is a great place to observe waterfowl. I know that this is a heron and not a swan (the music I set it to) but I enjoyed the dance nonetheless. The heron didn’t catch a fish while I was watching but I saw a cormorant (u or kawau in Japanese) dive down and then come up with a fish. Unfortunately, that was so unexpected that I didn’t have time to pull out my phone.

William Semiconductor manufacturing requires a tremendous amount of pure water,…

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 06:32:28 +0000

William Semiconductor manufacturing requires a tremendous amount of pure water, something Kumamoto is famous for and a main reason why TSMC chose our town as location for its new fab. But pure water is not an unlimited resource. Kumanichi points out several steps planned to be taken to ensure resupply of Kumamoto’s aquifers and aspects of its use. A few take-aways: ① The amount of groundwater extraction is projected to be about 3% of the greater Kumamoto City area - that is as lot. ② Water use is expected to be 12,000 cubic meters of groundwater per day - about 5 Olympic-size swimming pools every day all year. ③ Eleven municipalities have been designated as “priority areas” where groundwater levels are declining under the prefectural groundwater conservation ordinance in which area groundwater extraction will be regulated by the prefectural government and Kikuyo town. ④ The article notes, “In wells undergoing testing, not much of a drop in water levels due to water intake has been noted” (so they say - and “not much” is open to interpretation). ⑤ Growing severity of water shortages in Taiwan has been a major factor in the choice of Kikuyo, and TSMC is focusing on water recycling, targeting 70% - 75%. ⑥ Ancillary plants will require further water, though how much remains unclear. ⑦ On a positive note, farmers in the middle reaches of the Shirakawa River, mainly in the towns of Otsu and Kikuyo, will be payed to fill their farmland with water before and after planting to increase aquifer replenishment targeted at 416 hectares; however, due to a decrease in farming along with the aging society, only 362 hectares have thus far been secured. (Ironically, this could be good for Kumamoto rice farmers.) ⑧ The traditional May to October flooding of paddies may be extended to allow for greater percolation. We will keep an eye on this and try to let you know what is actually occurring.

William I live in a house which my wife's uncle built. Long ago, I had to pull …

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 06:04:19 +0000

William I live in a house which my wife’s uncle built. Long ago, I had to pull up the tatami to install a satellite cable to my TV and found that he built like this: a frame atop multiple stones rather than atop a complete concrete floor. This allows the building to flex during an earthquake rather than collapse. All of the older shrines in your neighborhood likely incorporate the same principle: that’s why they are old. Our ancestors had that knowledge. Consider it when buying or renting a house. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/06/style/japan-earthquake-architecture-dfi-hnk/index.html

William Kumamoto received an unfortunate mention in a Kyodo article: "The earth…

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 01:18:11 +0000

William Kumamoto received an unfortunate mention in a Kyodo article: “The earthquake is the first tremblor to kill more than 100 people in Japan since the 2016 Kumamoto quakes in the country’s southwestern region that caused 276 deaths including those related to the disaster.” https://japantoday.com/category/national/refiling-update4-woman-rescued-5-days-after-japan-quake-as-death-toll-tops-120#comment-4013232

Atsuko with lots of useful survival information.

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 22:15:38 +0000

Atsuko with lots of useful survival information. This is not information about Kumamoto, but it is necessary information for neighbors and friends.

Please share it with your friends in there.🍀*゜

https://www.facebook.com/share/RZiAzkYWamKUyfJA/

Yatsushiro Festival

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:17:31 +0000

Kirk here with old news. If you are planning to be in Kumamoto in November of next year (or any November in the future) and are interested in this festival you might want to mark your calendar. I’ve never been to it but it seems to be a big deal in Yatsushiro.

I recently learned about the "Kumamoto Guru" site. I particularly like this pos…

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 08:00:25 +0000

I recently learned about the “Kumamoto Guru” site. I particularly like this post about Reigando. – Kirk

Kirk here. According to this article, the number of foreign tourists coming to …

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:18:51 +0000

Kirk here. According to this article, the number of foreign tourists coming to Kumamoto returned to the pre-COVID-19 (that is, the 2019) level last year. The numbers on the left are in tens of thousands. So, there were just over 350,000 foreign tourists last year. https://www.shimotsuke.co.jp/articles/-/839187

There's so much TSMC-related news that I (Kirk) find it rather confusing at time…

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 04:07:59 +0000

There’s so much TSMC-related news that I (Kirk) find it rather confusing at times. I’m not sure if this is new or a reiteration of what I’ve already posted but there may be a third (!) TSMC plant in the works (but perhaps not in Kumamoto – who knows): “Analysts project that the production at TSMC’s Kumamoto Fab 2 plant will begin in 2027, and theoretically, the production for Fab 3 will commence in 2029. Considering seismic concerns in Japan, TSMC may choose locations outside Kumamoto for the Fab 3 plant. "

Kirk here with a review of articles published in the Mainichi Newspaper last yea…

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 03:11:52 +0000

Kirk here with a review of articles published in the Mainichi Newspaper last year that relate to the question “Is Japan ready to accept foreigners as part of its society?” Two of the articles listed are about Kumamoto:

Japan city drops plan to recognize foreigners as local citizens after opposition
Aging Japanese town faces challenge as foreign population grows by 20 times in 20 yrs

Both of these articles were introduced on this page last year. If you missed them or if you would like to see other articles related to this topic, see the following:

Kirk here. Apologies if you're not interested in lots of TSMC new. I'm getting…

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 05:13:34 +0000

Kirk here. Apologies if you’re not interested in lots of TSMC new. I’m getting a lot about TSMC in my Google news alert so I’m trying to share what I hope at least some people will be interested in.

Competitive pay at TSMC plant may ripple across Japan, beat inflation https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3246852/competitive-pay-tsmc-plant-may-ripple-across-japan-beat-inflation

I’ll post to another article, entitled “Japan retailers ready for demand surge from TSMC’s Kumamoto plant” in a comment.

Kirk here, wishing everyone a happy new year! 2024 will mark the start of TSMC p…

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 11:39:04 +0000

Kirk here, wishing everyone a happy new year! 2024 will mark the start of TSMC production in Kumamoto. (Not that this is the most important thing to say about 2024 – it’s just that I happen to be introducing an article on the topic.)

Kirk here with some useless but mildly interesting (?) information that came to …

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 08:13:17 +0000

Kirk here with some useless but mildly interesting (?) information that came to me in a news feed: “Eiichiro Oda, the mastermind behind the globally acclaimed manga series ‘One Piece,’ has amassed a substantial net worth of $220 million.”

As I think most of you know, Oda is from Kumamoto.

Sean here-

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 01:03:08 +0000

Sean here-

Having just read Kirk’s interesting post regarding “The practice of performing kuyo ceremonies” for the unborn, I was reminded of this ubiquitous stone guardian: The Compassionate Jizo.

Most of us have seen them – weathered stone figures, often adorned with red bibs and toys, standing sentinel on mountain passes, crossroads, and even in quiet neighborhood gardens. These are the Jizo, gentle Buddhist deities known as “Guardians of Children and Travelers.”

Kirk here with news about an interesting (in my view, at least) kind of kuyo (th…

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 02:55:58 +0000

Kirk here with news about an interesting (in my view, at least) kind of kuyo (thanksgiving) ceremony. The word kuyo (供養) normally refers to a ceremony in which worshipers pray for the soul of a departed person. The practice of performing kuyo ceremonies for miscarriages and abortions has found its way into American culture where funerals (at least as far as I know) are usually reserved for those who have been born live. Here’s an NPR piece about mizuko kuyo being adopted in the U.S.:

Kirk here with something about the schooling of the children of TSMC employees w…

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 10:53:42 +0000

Kirk here with something about the schooling of the children of TSMC employees who relocate here. I think a lot of this is review but, nonetheless, here it is:

— start quote — Kumamoto City in September. It was scheduled to open in April next year, but was moved forward by more than half a year. This is because expatriate employees and their families had to come to Japan in advance as the completion of Taiwan’s TSMC’s Kumamoto Plant 1 was approaching. When the factory is completed, the number of TSMC expatriates and their families is expected to reach about 750. Of the 20 employees selected by Kumamoto International during its expansion process, four are Taiwanese. It is an international school that uses 70% English and 30% Japanese, but plans to also hold Taiwanese language classes. Nearby Kumamoto University-affiliated elementary, middle, and high schools also decided to establish English classes for families of TSMC expatriates. — end quote —

Kumustaka Press Conference - Higo Bank Protest Letter Submission

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 08:29:30 +0000

Kumustaka (http://www.kumustaka.org/English/index.html) will submit a formal letter of protest to Higo Bank and then hold a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 27th) beginning at 11:30 AM. The venue will be the Kisha Club (記者クラブ) room on the 5th floor of the Kumamoto Shiyakusho（市役所）, downtown. I would like to attend but unfortunately I will not be able to be there tomorrow. If any of you who are interested in the issue can be there, I think it will help show that the foreign community is paying attention.

Kirk here. I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season.

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 07:58:54 +0000

Kirk here. I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season.

In this post I’d like to share a message from Miguel Varela who lives in Kami Amakusa in which he introduces himself to the community. I will be happy to post similar messages on behalf of other readers of the page. Just as Miguel mentions that he can do online tutoring in Spanish, I think it’s fine if others of you would like write about the work you are doing. I hesitate to publish posts that are merely advertisements but I think it’s fine to include notes about what kind of work you are doing and/or are interested in doing in a message to the group.

Santa at Cocosa

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 13:26:06 +0000

Sean here

Santa is back in town. Christmas Eve at Cocosa from 11 AM to 6:00 PM Good opportunities for some family photos, or 2024 Christmas cards. If you happen to be downtown doing some last-minute Christmas shopping.

Joe Tomei here with pho 4 breakfast!

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:11:22 +0000

Joe Tomei here with pho 4 breakfast!

Time (タイム), the pho restaurant that was next to the Kengun McDonalds, has reopened in their new place next to Kumamoto zoo. Their hours are 8 to 4 (check their instagram for their holidays) and my wife and I braved the snow (all 3 flakes) to have a pho ga and yam un sen set. There are 5 parking spaces, 3 on the road and two behind the restaurant. Instagram is here https://www.instagram.com/pho___time/

Joe Tomei here with a cruciferous vegetable request. I am trying to find some Br…

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 07:46:42 +0000

Joe Tomei here with a cruciferous vegetable request. I am trying to find some Brussels sprouts, ideally fresh, but frozen would work. I have seen them at 八百健 (map link here https://maps.app.goo.gl/jJeB2mFcDutNzed16 ) a neat little store that sells vegetables and fruit that don’t match up to the ‘perfect’ size/shape etc at very reasonable prices. I’ll check by later, but if anyone has seen them in town, please let me know in a comment here!

Atsuko with deals and interesting information.

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 23:58:51 +0000

Atsuko with deals and interesting information.

Tickets to anywhere in Kyushu during the winter holidays for 100 yen! Unfortunately, it is only for elementary school students and under, but still a very good deal. It will be a good experience.

If you have an adult with them, you can use the 青春18切符 Seishun 18 ticket together.You can buy and use Seisyun 18 ticket over 18, me, you, any age.

It seems that the buses in the city will be free on the 23rd. I recommend this as well.

Sean here,

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 01:11:03 +0000

Sean here, Does anybody have any recommendations or personal experience with the purchasing or renting of water dispensers/coolers?

I am not interested in water service, as Kumamoto water is the best. However, I like the convenience of having hot and or cold water on demand. Thanks.

Sean here,

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 07:45:12 +0000

Sean here, reporting from the “I read it on the Internet, so it must be true” desk

Tokyo’s PAWSitive Touch offers a unique experience: dog-on-dog massage therapy.

Picture a fluffy Shiba Inu kneading a nervous Chihuahua while a Basset Hound dispenses wisdom through barks.

Canine Zen awaits stressed pups, from Jack Russell deep tissue to pampered pug cucumber masks.

It’s not your typical spa, but if you’re ready for tail-wagging joy and canine camaraderie,

Kirk here, trying to get back to the issue of Higo Bank demanding that many fore…

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 10:01:58 +0000

Kirk here, trying to get back to the issue of Higo Bank demanding that many foreign residents appear at one of their banks with documents in hand to identify themselves.

A meeting that Mr. Nakashima of Kumustaka and I had with a bank representative helped me understand their position a bit better, though there are still many important questions left unanswered.

In regard to the question of why they would be asking people who have been here a long time (especially those with permanent residency) to appear, it seems that before 2018 they had not been collecting the information they are now required to collect. So, that would seem to explain – to some extent, at least – why old-timers would be hauled in, but there are many issues that cannot be clarified so easily. I’ve done very little at this point but Mr. Nakashima is continuing to work on these questions, going as far as to contact the relevant government authorities to get their official explanations regarding various points of contention.

UK trip pop-up

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 09:11:25 +0000

Sean here-

Raku Sato, a member of Teen Driven, has embarked on an exciting journey as a young entrepreneur.

If you believe that today’s teenagers are not merely lazy, overpampered smartphone zombies, but rather possess the potential to be innovative and driven individuals, then read on.

Let’s support Raku’s initiative and encourage his entrepreneurial spirit. -Japanese below- My name is Raku Sato.

I studied abroad in Oxford and London, England from August 12 to September 2 this year.

Kirk here. I've been in Kumamoto for a while now but until reading this article…

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 06:00:16 +0000

Kirk here. I’ve been in Kumamoto for a while now but until reading this article, I didn’t realize that poinsettias were a local product.

Kirk here. Good news! The restoration of Aso Shrine has been completed!

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 01:00:17 +0000

Kirk here. Good news! The restoration of Aso Shrine has been completed!

Kirk here with some recent news and some background.

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 11:21:52 +0000

Kirk here with some recent news and some background.
News: Governor Kabashima has decided not to run for a fourth term.
Background: There seems to be something of a tradition of stopping at three terms. In the early 1980s then Governor SAWADA Issei tried to ignore that unwritten rule but was interrupted by HOSOKAWA Morihiro, who later became Prime Minister. The image you see is from a video recounting that history. I’ll post a link the the video in a comment.

Kirk here with an update regarding a national issue (not limited to Kumamoto) th…

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 05:44:04 +0000

Kirk here with an update regarding a national issue (not limited to Kumamoto) that we’ve discussed here in the recent years: getting stopped and questioned by police merely because one happens to look foreign. I’m glad to say that the issue of treating people as potential criminals merely because of how they look (that is, racial profiling) has gotten increased attention in recent years. I say “I’m glad” because I’m hoping that such attention will help to keep such abuses of power in check, at least to some extent. The image is of a book published this year but a lawyer who is particularly concerned about the rights of foreigners. I’ve just started reading it but it seems quite good. I’ll put links in comments to this post.

Christmas Bazaar Fundraiser - Team Tonakai

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 22:58:46 +0000

Many thanks to the JET and JTE community who raised 3万 for Christmas gifts for kids in Kumamoto carehomes by buying seasonal goods from the チームトナカイ booth at their annual professional development conference!!!

This Sunday, 10th December Team Tonakai will hold a bazaar at Sunatori CC - it’s in Kuwamizu-honmachi 6-29, just a 5-minute walk from the Shogyo HS tram stop!

If you’ve some items to donate for sale please drop them off by 11am 💡 If your contribution is bigger than one shopping bag’s worth please contact Team Tonakai in advance - by Saturday 3pm.

William Dual nationality is a thing. If you're a foreign national in Japan, it'…

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 05:20:41 +0000

William Dual nationality is a thing. If you’re a foreign national in Japan, it’s not such a big deal, but if you have children here, it is. I taught my kids to show their Japanese passport when exciting and their US passport when entering. They still do this. It would be good if Japan just went ahead and allowed dual nationality.

Kirk here with something from the Fiji Times. Personally, I'm not a big fan of…

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 11:00:20 +0000

Kirk here with something from the Fiji Times. Personally, I’m not a big fan of how they plaster “@ The Fiji Times” on all of their pictures, but, setting that aside, some readers of this page my find their account of Kumamoto’s recovery from the earthquake and One Piece author Eiichiro Oda’s role in that effort to be of interest.

Kirk here. I'm not sure if this is related to the murder I wrote about last nig…

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:16:15 +0000

Kirk here. I’m not sure if this is related to the murder I wrote about last night, but, regardless, this proposed “Public Contract Ordinance” strikes me as a good idea. (I’ll link to the source in a comment.)

By the way, ChatGPT correctly translates “市独自の” as “unique” but other reports I saw indicated that there are already several cities with similar laws. The mayor cited their effectiveness in raising wage levels when proposing the ordinance.

Kirk here. I learned recently that there was a murder earlier this year in whic…

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 13:10:16 +0000

Kirk here. I learned recently that there was a murder earlier this year in which, according to reports, both the victim and the suspect are foreigners. I’ll refrain from going into details but I can say that reports indicate that “equal work, unequal pay” may have triggered the incident.

I’ll put a link in a comment.

Hidden Christians Documents Exhibition

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 11:00:12 +0000

Kirk here with something for history buffs. I’ll append a ChatGPT 4.0 translation, which I think is pretty good.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/874059?display=1

— ChatGPT 4.0 translation of article — New Documents Discovered Related to Hidden Christians: “Retaliation against the Village Headman for Leading Christian Hunts” Described December 4, 2023, Monday, 15:24

New documents related to hidden Christians, previously unexplored, have been discovered in Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture.

The newly found documents pertain to hidden Christians following the “Amakusa Collapse” (Amakusa Kuzure). The Amakusa Collapse refers to an incident in the late Edo period where many Christians were captured.

William I first came to Japan by ship (!!) - from Taiwan via Okinawa to Osaka. …

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:57:28 +0000

William I first came to Japan by ship (!!) - from Taiwan via Okinawa to Osaka. Without a word of Japanese and no knowledge of the culture, I spent a lonely week in Naha. Yet shop after shop offered what I termed “banana fish” - see, they were shaped like bananas but smelled like fish. Turns out they were katsuobushi 鰹節 - smoked bonito Later, I spent time in Kagoshima and visited facilities where they are made. (if you visit the area, you’ll see pile upon pile of wood for smoking). It is a lengthy process. But if you are a katusobushi fan (which I have become), Kagoshima is your Jerusalem. PM us for info - touring a factory is a wonderful experience. Katsuobushi flakes are available pretty much anywhere. They are good on anything - heck, put them on your toast! - and are healthy and nutritious. (If you’re a hardcore traditionalist, you buy a cutting board box specifically designed to shave katsuobushi.)

バザー fundraiser

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:43:41 +0000

Joe Tomei here, passing on a post by Ruth Maruki Kai. The fundraiser is for Christmas gifts for the orphanage.

An onegai, if you do donate 2nd hand items, you should try and swing by at the end and pick them up if they haven’t been bought.

====== 12月10日（日）10～16時、砂取公民館で開催されるバザーにぜひお越しください!!!!! 🎅中古品やハンドメイドアイテムをお持ちの方は、寄付金として販売することもできますので、たくさんの品物をリホームしてみましょう　✌ 👒🖊📚💖 Come to our bazaar fundraiser this Sunday, 10th December (10-4pm) at Sunatori Community Center. If you’ve second-hand items which can also be sold for donations so let’s try rehome many items! 🎨🪘 🫰 また、お菓子や飲み物をご持参ください!! 子供たちのクリスマスプレゼントのための信金繰りも兼ねて、楽しく交流しましょう。Bring baked goods and drinks to share if you can! Let’s enjoy mingling and putting the FUN back in FUNdraising!!!!! ☕🍪🍩🎁🎁✨ Address: 神水本町6-29 (Limited parking at the center! Please consider park at the gymnasium!) ナースパワーアリーナ(熊本市総合体育館・青年会館)から歩いて２分!!!!

Kirk here with news about an Indian restaurant I've posted about in the past. O…

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 03:25:13 +0000

Kirk here with news about an Indian restaurant I’ve posted about in the past. On RKK last night, I learned that the restaurant is located in the the area near the new TSMC facilities that has increased in price the most in the last year. In fact, the rate of increase the highest of any place in Japan. This has led to additional publicity for the restaurant. I’ll put some related links in comments to this post.

William A bit of private stuff but maybe of general interest

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 04:40:46 +0000

William A bit of private stuff but maybe of general interest

William I used to run along Shirakawa, passing a group of homeless living under…

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 01:59:29 +0000

William I used to run along Shirakawa, passing a group of homeless living under a bridge. They seemed to be doing quite well - they had pallets for flooring and even furniture that they’d scavenged. They always offered me sake, which I declined. And then, one day, their settlement had vanished. I hope that they had been moved into more suitable quarters, but I don’t know - they could have been just shunted off. There was an elderly man, a jieitai vet, who slept rough in our local park. My wife and I would feed him with bentos and allowing him in our house for food and sleep when it was particularly rough outside. He was found dead in the park from exposure. Maybe you notice someone like that. Extend a hand.

Kirk here with something about what is called "kanten" in Japanese (寒天) and "aga…

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:00:27 +0000

Kirk here with something about what is called “kanten” in Japanese (寒天) and “agar” in English. Here’s a quote from the article, which explains why it came up in a Google alert about new articles about “Kumamoto”:

“Ai Hosokawa, who grew up in Tokyo, has lived in Kumamoto for 14 years and is fascinated by its rich natural environment and clear water. Her house and atelier stand in the historical remains of Taishoji temple that used to be the family temple of the Hosokawa Clan, which once ruled the Kumamoto Domain.”

Flights between Kumamoto and Hong Kong have resumed after a

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 04:58:28 +0000

Flights between Kumamoto and Hong Kong have resumed after a 7 year hiatus. I’ll put citations to the English and Japanese articles in comments. – Kirk

Kirk here with a post about a little place I found in Ezuko. The entrance is ab…

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 08:35:38 +0000

Kirk here with a post about a little place I found in Ezuko. The entrance is about halfway between the Shimo Ezuko parking lot and the part of the zoo where the giraffes and the elephants are. The sign says that there’s a free gallery in the back. I’ll add some notes to each picture.

Here's an article about the Kumamoto Earthquake Disaster Museum KIOKU in Minamia…

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 00:52:03 +0000

Here’s an article about the Kumamoto Earthquake Disaster Museum KIOKU in Minamiaso Village. – Kirk

Sean here-

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 22:42:37 +0000

Sean here-

Update - Update - Update - Update - Update - Update

Thank you for your patience. Here is the response - “They would prefer men. They don’t care about the race that much. Japanese level should be enough to communicate with the church ppl.” If this interests anyone. Just pm me.

End update -

I’m writing to you today about a unique opportunity that may be of interest to some of you.

Kirk here with a post about reducing environmental mercury. This has a strong c…

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:46:02 +0000

Kirk here with a post about reducing environmental mercury. This has a strong connection to the Minamata disease issue but will impact people throughout Japan.

By the way, I have a pet peeve about the transition to LED as a replacement to the traditional, Japanese-style “pendant” lights. The problem is, when I had to replace a 10-year-old pendant LED light (even LED will wear out eventually), I could not just replace the main lamp (LED) part – I had to buy a new “set” (that is the core lamp and the “lamp shade” or kasa [笠]). This means more trash. In the past, I could just replace the fluorescent lamp and continue to use my old shade. Environmental improvement in one sense, more trash and a step back in another. :(

Kirk here with some images from an RKK segment on four young women from Myanmar …

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:27:27 +0000

Kirk here with some images from an RKK segment on four young women from Myanmar who are working in a facility for elderly people. It includes footage from an event in which they spent some time talking about their work and experiences with local high school students.

Learning to understand the dialects spoken by the elderly residents was one of the difficulties that the women from Myanmar talked about. In the second photo, a high school students explains that suu suu suu (スースースー) means “it’s chilly.”

Kirk here with an article about work by a local professor. If you're interested…

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 08:10:54 +0000

Kirk here with an article about work by a local professor. If you’re interested in studying Japanese, you can click on “Japanese version” to see the original.

Kirk again! Here's a share from Kuma Visit. I'll be interested to learn about …

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:06:29 +0000

Kirk again! Here’s a share from Kuma Visit. I’ll be interested to learn about the feedback that Kuma Visit gets. :)

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid031cs18d6BrFx9kE97J3Yo6TiM8agxEDcoi8NgX7WSeVnr34dg7AWofgyyr7SC98AXl

Kirk here with the results of a survey question directed to residents of Kumamot…

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 02:49:07 +0000

Kirk here with the results of a survey question directed to residents of Kumamoto. Here’s a translation of the question:

— start translation — The number of foreigners living in Kumamoto Prefecture is increasing year by year. What do you think about a society where foreigners and residents live together in the community? (Please mark only one with a circle.)

Desirable 32.9 Somewhat desirable 19.9 Neither 38.4 Not very desirable 6.6 Undesirable 2.2 — end translation —

Kirk here. Each year, Saishunkan Seiyakusho puts on a winter light show. The l…

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 07:47:10 +0000

Kirk here. Each year, Saishunkan Seiyakusho puts on a winter light show. The location is the East Bypass (Higashi Bypass) in the Obiyama area. The light show has already started this year and will last until the 25th. I’ll put citations and other information in comments.

Kirk here with some statistics on "foreign workers" in Kumamoto. The category o…

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 09:27:43 +0000

Kirk here with some statistics on “foreign workers” in Kumamoto. The category of “foreign worker” includes people like me (I’m a worker in the educational sector) but would not include foreign students at my university. I’m not completely sure but I think that the foreign children (those without Japanese citizenship, even if born here) may account for rest of the gap between the total foreign population (now nearly 20,000) and the approximately 15,000 figure in the report.

William with a heartwarming experience: I ran into my daughter's (who is now 26 …

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 07:43:03 +0000

William with a heartwarming experience: I ran into my daughter’s (who is now 26 and lives in Tokyo) kindergarten teacher, who remembered her and my family. Sekidai Kindergarten has a very long history, founded in 1888. A look at portraits of headmasters over the decades shows only males until the war and only females after. It has a wonderful location, just in front of Fujisaki Shrine, with its fresh air, broad road, and no traffic. Apparently, they even have English lessons now! Entering any kindergarten can be difficult due to lack of places, and unlike primary school, is not obligatory. Applications for the coming school year are now being accepted. I found the teachers there to be very welcoming of non-Japanese, both students and parents. If you have any questions, please let us know. http://www.kumamoto-kmm.ed.jp/sch/k/k-sekidai/

Kirk here. Former professional baseball player Bobby Rose will come to Kumamoto…

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 02:10:58 +0000

Kirk here. Former professional baseball player Bobby Rose will come to Kumamoto to coach the Hinokuni Salamanders. If you should happen to read this, Mr. Rose, welcome to Kumamoto!

I’ll put citations (picture sources, links to articles in English, etc.) in a comment.

Kirk here with something about the foreign Kumamoto in Kumamoto. The article sa…

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 11:46:53 +0000

Kirk here with something about the foreign Kumamoto in Kumamoto. The article says that the number of foreigners living in Kumamoto (those with a zairyu [residence] card) is roughly 20,000, about twice what it was 10 years ago.

A saw this segment on TV. I thought is was quite positive and well done. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find the video online. If I do, I’ll put the URL in a comment. I’ll also put the link to the RKK article in a comment. I’m not putting it here because I’ve learned through experience that I have to trick the Facebook algorithm into thinking that I’m just sharing some of my own pictures if I want more than a handful of people to see my posts.

William Obviously, I would never claim to have any particular knowledge of swor…

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 07:05:24 +0000

William Obviously, I would never claim to have any particular knowledge of sword smithy except for one interesting fact I learned long ago: Japanese swords were made from blended levels of steel, with a more malleable core which provided flexibility and a more brittle exterior which held quite an edge. A friend of mine once showed me a sword dating from the Muromachi period: it’s blade were like rings on a tree. A wonderful thing about crowdfunding is it allows accomplishment of worthwhile objectives that would otherwise be ignored, such as the recreation of the legendary “Hotarumaru” (蛍丸). Legend has it that during the Nanbokucho period, the Aso clan (the initial founders of Higo), who lost in a battle with Takauji Ashikaga, had a dream where fireflies gathered around a sword with a chipped blade, and the blade returned to its original state. A wonderful thing about this project is the skills it drew upon and fosterd. All pieces, such as the hilt, the tsuba (the part that is inserted between the blade and the handle), and the scabbard (the tube that holds the sword) were recreated, finished with wrapped pigskin, and coated with lacquer. Kumanichi has the full article for all of our sword nerds:

Kirk here. The TSMC news just keeps coming. The latest is that TSMC is conside…

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 01:03:18 +0000

Kirk here. The TSMC news just keeps coming. The latest is that TSMC is considering building a third factory in Kumamoto to manufacture 3 nanometer chips! I’ll put links to various articles in a comment.

Sean here -

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 06:49:48 +0000

Sean here - Sustainable, fair trade, small, local, upcycle, sustaining our community,our neighbors, our friends, ourselves one purchase at a time.

Ethical choices, Sustainable Futures. Check the pics for details.

Kirk here. Coming up soon.

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 00:35:21 +0000

Kirk here. Coming up soon.

https://www.facebook.com/shodoushaku/posts/pfbid02sucsqBESmUEyFRXqyWmktzwj5VH6J97mkpazHRQLccmTqSH3pUsUC3jc3UM5uxfwl

William This has little to do with Kumamoto other than it is Japan-related (and…

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 05:06:23 +0000

William This has little to do with Kumamoto other than it is Japan-related (and Tokyo-centric), yet it still hits a chord: A self-acknowledged pudgy junk-food addicted British guy tries to analyze life in Japan (one of a long series):

SL Hitoyoshi birthday run

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 04:01:13 +0000

Kirk here with some news about the “birthday run” of the SL Hitoyoshi, which is slated to retire next spring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEWHAB2edo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAIq2z6HMDI

Kirk here. Tomorrow is "Labor Thanksgiving Day" （勤労感謝の日; kinrou kansha no hi）in…

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 12:45:52 +0000

Kirk here. Tomorrow is “Labor Thanksgiving Day” （勤労感謝の日; kinrou kansha no hi）in Japan and “Thanksgiving Day” in the U.S. This coincidence made me wonder if it had something to do with the U.S. occupation of Japan and the imposition of American sensibilities on the country. I Googled the topic and found that the answer is “well, yes, in a way, but it wasn’t just a matter of importing the U.S. holiday.”

Kirk here with a little more about TSMC.

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:16:38 +0000

Kirk here with a little more about TSMC.

Kirk here with a nice post from Jeff about swordsmith Matsunaga, shared with per…

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 04:28:44 +0000

Kirk here with a nice post from Jeff about swordsmith Matsunaga, shared with permission.

https://www.facebook.com/shodoushaku/posts/pfbid02QyW4ZPKpPCFUJJFeXeaUf42NeLLtXZ1w2Z8vTjeZZut4s6DRbAktwyTNwVQbHoU1l

William Bit of sad news about an abandoned corpse of a mother in Amakusa. https…

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 05:59:10 +0000

William Bit of sad news about an abandoned corpse of a mother in Amakusa. https://japantoday.com/category/crime/72-year-old-man-arrested-after-remains-of-mother-found-buried-in-vacant-lot The death of a loved one can be sudden and entails many details, primarily bureaucratic and logistic. Death must be registered with City Hall and disposal of remains properly attended to (very most frequently by cremation, after which the contents of the urn may be treated at will within reason). Many, in their bereaved state, are ill-prepared to handle these tasks. I suppose that, technically, this belongs in JT’s “crime” section, but it might more reasonably belong to a “personal tragedy” section. Upon my wife’s recent demise, I found the process surprisingly easy when done through the proper channels. We went through https://hataosougisha.com/ in Suizenji, who very kindly attended to all of the details, even leaving us run of their entire hall during her wake for a full night. If you find yourself in this tragic situation, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for help. Many of us have been there. (Note: photo is from Website.)

William Due to an abundance of inattention (of which I have a plethora), I'd mi…

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 04:56:41 +0000

William Due to an abundance of inattention (of which I have a plethora), I’d mistaken my 4th round of corona vaccine for the flu shot (the former is free - if you’re a resident and haven’t received the docs, contact your local public office). But that got me thinking: Is the covid vaccine effective against the flu? Apparently, the answer is “No.” So my inattention requires another visit to the clinic for another jab, which is free for those over 65 but 1,500円 for all else. Still, I recommend it: the flu is really, really not fun. If you have questions, please let us know. One piece of advice for long-term residents: find a good local clinic and stick with it. My doctor knows my medical history and my children’s by heart. Here is some basic info:

Hosokawa clan old house open to visitors

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 04:42:38 +0000

William Without an understanding of the Hosokawa clan, understanding of Kumamoto is not possible. A bit of a long but important read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosokawa_clan Various relics from their reign remain, one of which is their old house which is located on the east side of Ninomaru (within the confines of the historic castle perimeter). It has not often been open to the public since renovation work began after the quakes. Kumanichi reports that it will be open to visitors until 12/3. A visit not only gives insight into how the high and mighty lived in that era (answer: pretty poorly, by today’s standards) but also some lovely autumn leaves. Parking is available nearby, and the castle circuit bus stops in front. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1236395

Kirk here. The arrival of TSMC is, of course, bringing Taiwanese people to Kuma…

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 03:35:43 +0000

Kirk here. The arrival of TSMC is, of course, bringing Taiwanese people to Kumamoto. The article I’m linking to discusses many ways in which preparations are being made for their arrival. One small aspect of that is Tsuruya stocking more Taiwanese food items that we can all enjoy.

— start quote Tsuruya department store in Kumamoto, which has already stocked duty-free merchandise for visitors from overseas, has been increasing its efforts to add products that would be useful for foreign nationals residing in the prefecture. In September 2022, it opened a special section in its food hall that carries about 50 items from Taiwan, from seasonings to instant noodles. — end quote —

William We've had some rough weather recently. Kumanichi reports on the first s…

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 03:03:10 +0000

William We’ve had some rough weather recently. Kumanichi reports on the first snow in Aso. Generally, the roads are clear enough to travel there without tire chains, but caution is advised. Sometimes, there is also snow on Mt Kimpo. It is great fun for the kids, but the road there is less well maintained, so if you go up in the snow, plan to drive very slowly and carefully. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1235599

Christmas donation party

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 06:24:30 +0000

Atsuko here. This is the Christmas donation party that Ruth shared with us the other day. As Kirk has pointed out here before, it’s hard to get the word out for reading without pictures, so I made a flyer.

We are looking forward to making fried food for lots of participation. Invite your friends and come! ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ Ruth’s share https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=727637032731424&id=100064554018003&sfnsn=mo

Last time before corona https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=716964753800047&id=100064595866098&sfnsn=mo ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Thank you for your big support in 2023!! I would like to say Thanks to you at this year end. And I would like to ask you to help out us to give X’mas PRESENTS for lots ORPHANS. They wait their X’mas presents this year also, as usual, with lots of hope. We would like to give X’mas presents for orphans as many as, as much as we can. So all amount of fee becomes donation for PRESENTS. So we should bring our foods, drinks, snacks, sweets by ourselves.We should bring enough to share friends. This year, the place will cost 1,500 yen. I will pay that. Please come and join us!! Many participants make lots DONATION. Many guests make many kids Happy!!! Please invite and bring your friends!! Enjoy Happy X’mas, being TONAKAI together!! 12/2(土) pm5:30～8:30 大人adult 2000yen 学生university students, ALT 1000yen 子どもunder 18years kids 500yen Potluck style Party!! You should bring enough foods or drinks, snacks or sweets for yours, for sharing others. Thanks😉💕 If you can’t bring your own food, you’ll have to pay an extra 2,000 yen for the meal. ALL amount of FEE becomes the DONATION💖 of X’mas PRESENTS for ORPHANS!!

Palestine Current situation facing Palestinians including Gaza and issues facing society

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:11:18 +0000

Atsuko here. Information about events to learn about Palestine and Gaza. This is a Kumamoto university event, but it is a hybrid sponsored event that you can participate in online without being a Kumadai student or going to Kumadai on the day of the event.( •̀∀•́ )/

https://fb.me/2NXOgqqXl1sjXK8 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Palestine Current situation facing Palestinians including Gaza and issues facing society.

Given the current violence and suffering among Palestinians and Israelis, there is renewed interest in the social and political situations in the Middle East. This talk will address the recent history in the region and some of the causes for the current situation, as well as a discussion about the possible prospects. There will be Q&A at the end of the talk.

Kirk here. RKK reports that there was a demonstration of about 50 people in dow…

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:58:44 +0000

Kirk here. RKK reports that there was a demonstration of about 50 people in downtown Kumamoto today calling for an end to the attack on Gaza and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

I’ll put the link in a comment.

Kirk here. Sometimes readers of the page kindly share essays and/or pictures wi…

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 06:11:49 +0000

Kirk here. Sometimes readers of the page kindly share essays and/or pictures with the editors. This essay and the pictures came from Gene Toda (Gene is on the left in the closeup photo). Thanks Gene! He generously shared many more photos with us but I picked out these two as “illustrations” for his essay.

— Essay from Gene —-

A few days ago, I came across an article about the US Marines conducting a joint exercise with JMGDF in Kengun, Kumamoto. The irony of it struck me as amusing. Currently, I am serving in the US Navy, with 18 years under my belt, and residing in MCAS Miramar base housing. However, my roots trace back to Kumamoto, Japan.

Kirk here. The other day I posted a YouTube link to this ABEMA News segment fea…

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:38:23 +0000

Kirk here. The other day I posted a YouTube link to this ABEMA News segment featuring Kumamoto International’s own Hari Devokta, talking about his meeting the other day with the mayor. I was amazed (and actually rather disappointed) to find the “reach” (number of viewers) of the post to be pretty dismal – a measly 116 at this point. That makes it one of the least popular posts on this page. I’m reposting it now without the link (in order to avoid any suppression by the Facebook algorithm) to double-check to see if people really just aren’t interested or if there’s something about the Facebook platform that caused this to get ignored.

Kirk here. A big badminton tournament is currently underway here in Kumamoto.

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 03:56:04 +0000

Kirk here. A big badminton tournament is currently underway here in Kumamoto.

Atsuko.

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 13:11:26 +0000

Atsuko. Here is a share of Hitoyoshi’s sky Lantern Festival.

I am from the northern part of the prefecture, so I don’t often go to the southern part of the prefecture, but I was very interested in this Lantern Festival and went there for the first time tonight.

It was fun and beautiful with lots of lanterns flying around. But it was very cold. It was so cold that I went to a nearby hot spring to warm up. Today was the Hitoyoshi Onsen Festival, so I could enter for only 200 yen for adults. It is very slippery.

Kirk here: "TSMC will soon announce a plan to build its second wafer fab in Japa…

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 11:11:46 +0000

Kirk here: “TSMC will soon announce a plan to build its second wafer fab in Japan, according to industry sources. The fab will be involved in 6nm process manufacturing, and the Japanese government has pledged at least JPY750 billion (US$4.96 billion) in subsidies…”

A billion yen here, a billion yen there and pretty soon you’re talking about real money. To put it in perspective, the budget for the entire government of Kumamoto Prefecture (education, public works, the whole shebang) was JPY900 billion last year so a figure that is close to the budget of the entire prefectural government will go to one factory.

Mifune autumn leaves celebration

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 07:15:11 +0000

NOTE It has been pointed out that the “Mifune” the onsen ad refers to is a “Mifune” in Saga, not the Mifune in Kumamoto. However, the remaining info is accurate, and the town does deserve a visit. Apologies for the mistake and thanks for the correction.

William Japanese place names tend to be based on physical attributes or economic purpose. Sometimes, though, you’ll note a 御 (a general honorific with multiple pronunciations and meanings: https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BE%A1-448357 ) or 御幸 (miyuki, a sure sign that one emperor or another has visited the location https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BE%A1%E5%B9%B8 ). One example is the main road up to the castle, 御幸坂 (Miyukizaka - good read here https://tinyurl.com/4fb9zauw ), which was carved out of the castle to facilitate the visit of the Meiji Emperor in 1902 to relieve him of the embarrassment of having to pass through the then-extant multiple, twisting gates designedhttps://tinyurl.com/4fb9zauw The town of Mifune (御船) has more ancient lineage. Apparently, when the Emperor Keiko (https://tinyurl.com/kdwj6de2) visited around the year 170 (obviously, time mileage may vary) during his campaign to incorporate Kyushu into the fledging Yamato state, which later became Japan, he traveled by boat. Hence, the name 御船. Mifune is eponymous with the Mifune River, long used to raft goods from Kyushu’s interior. It remains a center of lumber processing. It is a small, picturesque town and will celebrate the autumn leaves with a month-long event through December 3. This is a wonderful chance to discover the historical roots of Kumamoto. Much information at the link: https://www.mifuneyamarakuen.jp/autumn/?fbclid=IwAR2MhVMVEeDJ17j2k91VFaf5HiWS2LxneLiDm5uVmSRvgzdGW93w1uxS8yI

POT LUCK PARTY Fundraiser - チームトナカイ

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 13:04:05 +0000

Some of you know of Kumamoto’s TEAM TONAKAI and the hard work done by volunteers and supporters alike to create fundraising events and encourage people to give what they can so that some 300+ kids in orphanages in Kumamoto get their own presents at the end of the year… Well, among the line-up of events currently being arranged, チームトナカイ welcomes you to come along, dig deep, and join a delicious dinner party in Suizenji, on Dec. 2nd, that’ll give us all food for thought this season!!

NEWS FLASH: Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota is really smart!!!

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 07:12:59 +0000

NEWS FLASH: Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota is really smart!!!

Actually, this isn’t news – I think just about everyone who knows Hari is already aware of the fact. But, it seems to have been news to those who watched him on the Abema NEWS segment. Here are some comments on the YouTube page:

— start ChatGPT translations of YouTube comments — @711akikoo Hari-san is very proficient in Japanese. I also live abroad, so I often don’t know what year of Reiwa it currently is, and it’s troublesome when I have to fill in documents during my occasional visits back to Japan. 30 likes

Clothing exchange

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 03:30:46 +0000

Atsuko here. Information about Clothing exchange.😊 大江グランパレッタ Ooe Grand Palletta, Kumamoto City. by はぐくみ食堂 https://www.facebook.com/hagukumikomyu

I also took a bunch of my second daughter’s elementary school uniforms. Free to bring and receive.

William Kumamoto National Hospital (https://kumamoto.hosp.go.jp/patients_attend…

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:57:29 +0000

William Kumamoto National Hospital (https://kumamoto.hosp.go.jp/patients_attending_list.html) has history. During the Seinan War (which coincided with the American Civil War), it was carved out of the castle to “treat” those horribly wounded by muskets and shrapnel in an era before morphine (illustrated below). A good way to visit is to take the tram and walk up the hill; this gives an idea of what attackers were up against when faced by defenders. A delightful aspect about Japanese hospitals is that citizens paint absolutely wonderful works and donate them. The hospital is a museum in itself. Even if you are not in need of medical attention, it is worth a visit just for the art.

Here's another video about the mayor speaking with foreign residents and the bac…

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 05:56:57 +0000

Here’s another video about the mayor speaking with foreign residents and the backlash on Twitter (X). Highly recommended if you understand spoken Japanese. – Kirk

Kirk here posting about the much-ado-about-nothing regarding the meeting between…

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 04:13:57 +0000

Kirk here posting about the much-ado-about-nothing regarding the meeting between Mayor Onishi and local foreigners. The illustration is one I found searching with “伝言ゲーム” (dengon game). Dengon means “message” and “dengon game” is the Japanese equivalent of “telephone game” in English.

The major and/or the foreign participants got lots of criticism for the “unreasonable demands” made at the meeting. In this post I’ll present my own take on how what transpired in the media is an example of a telephone-game-like phenomenon and then I’ll present an English translation of an X (Twitter) message from the mayor that confirms my suspicions.

William During the war, California was underpopulated and ill-prepared - and wo…

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:21:36 +0000

William During the war, California was underpopulated and ill-prepared - and worried of a Japanese invasion. As preparation, a massive blimp container building was built near my hometown to house dirigibles capable of scouting the coast for Japanese warships. Nothing came from this, of course, but the giant building went on to serve several other purposes in its lengthy life (including as a movie set for such as “Back to the Future.”) Sadly, it recently burned down in mysterious circumstances. Suggestions are to incorporate the land into a great park. Most Nisei in my hometown (near Tustin) come from Kumamoto or its whereabouts. The language they speak and the ramen they eat are from here, I learned belatedly. That an artifact of warfare that dates to the fear of a Japanese invasion will now likely turn into a park is nice to witness.

I have been contacted by a representative of Higo Bank. We will be meeting on M…

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:33:20 +0000

I have been contacted by a representative of Higo Bank. We will be meeting on Monday morning but I can report that the bank is willing to be much more flexible than the letter we received would seem to indicate. In particular, am happy to report that I was told that it will not be necessary to appear in person if we can send copies of the required documents to the bank via the mail. On the phone I got the impression that they will be willing to be flexible regarding the deadline as well, particularly if they are contacted about the matter. I’ll hear more about how they can work with us in that regard on Monday. In preparation for the meeting, I’ll review all of the comments that have been made to Ruth’s original post and to this post and then make sure that all questions are addressed when I meet with the representative. If there is anything else you would like me to ask when I meet with the representative on Monday, please send me a personal message or put your thoughts in a comment to this post.

Kirk here with another example of backlash to the major's discussion with foreig…

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:29:09 +0000

Kirk here with another example of backlash to the major’s discussion with foreign members of the community.

— ChatGPT 4.0 translation — The comedian Honkon expressed his strong opinions on the 4th of November during his appearance on the Radio Osaka show “Saturday Afternoon is Totally Honkon!” He commented on the opinions raised at a dialogue meeting between the mayor of Kumamoto City and the foreign residents living there.

At the meeting, foreign residents had expressed concerns about administrative documents being difficult to understand due to their focus on Japanese era names instead of the Gregorian calendar. They also requested that school lunch menus consider cultural and religious practices. These comments sparked debates on social media, with some saying if they dislike it, they should just go back to their own country, while others argued that it’s normal for local governments to be aware of what issues settled foreigners might face.

Kirk here. This article is about the negative feedback the major received on X …

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 12:36:22 +0000

Kirk here. This article is about the negative feedback the major received on X (Twitter) as a result of sticking his neck out to listen to the views of foreign residents. I haven’t actually looked at the major’s X account but, according to the article many　opinions there were along the lines of “if those darn foreigners don’t like it here, they should leave.” It would probably be easier for a politician to do nothing but the major made the effort to hold a roundtable. If nothing else, I think that’s an important symbolic act; it sets a good example. And, as I’ve written before, I have good evidence that the major actually listens and modifies policies where appropriate.

Kirk here. The other day I introduced a short (about one minute) video about th…

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 11:51:18 +0000

Kirk here. The other day I introduced a short (about one minute) video about this meeting with the mayor. This video is over four minutes long. If you understand Japanese you can hear some astute comments by the participants directly. (I may add some notes in a comment later, if I have time.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raHOior1wIU

In addition to this YouTube video, here’s a text article that has come out recently:

https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/asahi/nation/asahi_region-ASRC70076RC3TLVB001.html

:::::::IMPORTANT UPDATE:::::::

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 13:16:32 +0000

:::::::IMPORTANT UPDATE::::::: I have been contacted by a representative of Higo Bank. We will be meeting on Monday morning but I can report that the bank is willing to be much more flexible than the letter we received would seem to indicate. In particular, am happy to report that I was told that it will not be necessary to appear in person if we can send copies of the required documents to the bank via the mail. On the phone I got the impression that they will be willing to be flexible regarding the deadline as well, particularly if they are contacted about the matter. I’ll hear more about how they can work with us in that regard on Monday. In preparation for the meeting, I’ll review all of the comments that have been made to Ruth’s original post and to this post and then make sure that all questions are addressed when I meet with the representative. If there is anything else you would like me to ask when I meet with the representative on Monday, please send me a personal message or put your thoughts in a comment to this post. :::::::END OF UPDATE:::::::

Kirk here with something that may not be of much interested to native speakers o…

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 10:07:42 +0000

Kirk here with something that may not be of much interested to native speakers of English but that Japanese students of English might want to use to study. It presents the text of a Yomiuri newspaper article called “Kumamoto Pref. pushes ‘Kumamon Land’ vision” in clear, easy-to-understand audio with subtitles.

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/stream/article/22320/

Here’s the original text of the article:

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20230902-133726/

William Ask any Japanese about Kumamoto food culture and they will mention basa…

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 06:28:32 +0000

William Ask any Japanese about Kumamoto food culture and they will mention basashi (horse sashimi). Many will disagree with the ethics of eating horse (or even eating meat at all), so let’s please stay with the menu: basashi and Kumamoto. Apparently, Japan’s domestic supply accounts for about 30% of consumption, with the remainder met by imports; Kumamoto accounts for almost half of domestic production. By far the greatest exporter is Canada at over 3,000 tons, trailed by Mexico at 730 tons. There is a caveat, though: the United States holds the slaughter of horses for human consumption illegal. Therefore, many American-raised (or feral) horses are shipped to Canada while still alive, where they are subsequently processed as basashi for the Japanese market. So if you buy basashi labeled as “Canadian,” it may in fact be American. This article (in Japanese) is a bit dated and was published by a Japanese supplier of basashi so may be a bit biased provides more details. Meanwhile: いただきます！ https://www.sabakitatebasashi.com/blogs/basashi/knowledge-005

Kirk here with "dust devil" news from Sunday. "Dust devils form when a pocket of…

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 04:00:17 +0000

Kirk here with “dust devil” news from Sunday. “Dust devils form when a pocket of hot air near the surface rises quickly through cooler air above it, forming an updraft.” The difference between the hot air on Sunday (30 degrees!) and the cooler air above seems to be what caused this to occur in Kumamoto (you can see the Aso mountains in the background of the video). In Japanese it’s called a つむじ風 (tsumuji kaze). Tsumuji is a “hair whorl” so tsumuji kaze is a “hair whorl wind” – a much cuter term than “dust devil.” :)

Kirk here with fun news for train lovers.

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 00:00:11 +0000

Kirk here with fun news for train lovers.

“The train also features a cow illustration on the rear side, a nod to Kumamoto, renowned for its beef, and wave patterns on the sides that resemble the track trajectory.”

風流街浪漫フェスタ Furumachi Romance Festival

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:47:04 +0000

Atsuko with information about interesting festival. It is the 風流街浪漫フェスタ Furumachi Romance Festival on Sunday, November 12 in the streets of Gofuku. This area was the castle town of Kumamoto Castle in the Edo period, and there are still many temples, shops, and traditional buildings. This festival aims to preserve and promote the goodness of the area. You will find unique shops, products and dances.

When I was writing this article, I wondered how best to convey the word 風流"furyu" in English. quaint? elegant? tasteful??? But I think the best way is to feel it for yourself.

Have you been summoned? Ruth here bearing such exhilarating news about Higo Bank…

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 05:54:03 +0000

Have you been summoned? Ruth here bearing such exhilarating news about Higo Bank’s (and other banking institutions’) ‘present yourself’ request due to ongoing anti-money laundering measures. I got a postcard from them last year and duly popped in thinking that they’d leave me alone for at least 5 years as my residence card was renewed in 2021. I wonder why am I now getting this letter!!

At any rate, nobody wants their account(s) frozen, so keep your details up-to-date and turn up as needed.

Kirk here. The temperature in Kumamoto got up to 30° Celsius (about 86° Fahrenh…

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 11:55:11 +0000

Kirk here. The temperature in Kumamoto got up to 30° Celsius (about 86° Fahrenheit) – an all-time record for November.

Here’s a video report about today’s heat: https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/818712?display=1

Source: https://weathernews.jp/s/topics/202311/050125/

銀杏のライトアップ

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 05:36:52 +0000

William The Ginkgo biloba is an example of mistransliteration done when people unfamiliar with Japanese wrote stuff down in soggy notebooks before the Hepburn romanization system was introduced. According to Wikipedia, the tree has been romanized as “ginkjo” or “ginkio” until “ginkgo” was settled on. As the tree originated in China, Japan, too, flirted with a few names such as 公孫樹 and 鴨脚樹 (you can read a fascinating history here https://domani.shogakukan.co.jp/755350 or here https://tinyurl.com/yc5xxp5p ) before finally settling on 銀杏 (Ichō - though some still pronounce the same kanji “ginnan” ギンナン). Ginnan also refers to its fruit, which is “edible” if prepared sufficiently to remove toxins; failure to do so could be fatal. It is one of the oldest extant tree species in the world - literally, the dinosaurs ate it - so a bit of awe is in order. Kato Kiyomasa planted so many ginkos within the castle precincts for use as horse fodder and fuel in case of seige that the castle became known as “Ichō-jō” (イチョウ城) or “Ginnan-jō” https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/n/564179/ ) Sadly, most gingko within the castle are gone. However, a wonderful place to see them in their autumn splendor is in front of Prefectural Hall. There, 54 ginkgo trees, symbolizing the 540,000 koku held by Higo (a unit of rice production used in the Edo era, 肥後54万石), will be illuminated until the end of the month. By day or night, it is an amazing sight, and the fallen leaves take on a pleasant acrid smell as autumn deepens. (Photos nabbed from the web.) https://kumanichi.com/event/1197070

Kirk here feeling rather warm today. Here are a couple of graphs I made with go…

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 04:15:42 +0000

Kirk here feeling rather warm today. Here are a couple of graphs I made with government temperature records to put things in perspective. The average temperatures (in blue) reveal a fairly steady rise while the high temperatures (in red) show this year as a huge jump from the norm. I think it’s also interesting to note that the average temperature so far is higher than highs of many years past.

Sean here - As a parent, I found Dr. Seuss to be one of the hardest books to rea…

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 12:52:42 +0000

Sean here - As a parent, I found Dr. Seuss to be one of the hardest books to read as a bedtime story. Anybody with kids who have tried, understand. Here’s a pretty good documentary on the author Theodor Geisel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qkTLghT1xA&t=1217s&ab_channel=PeterJonesProductions

William According to the Kumanichi, scaffolding has been removed from the castl…

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 07:59:48 +0000

William According to the Kumanichi, scaffolding has been removed from the castle’s Idemaru Five Story Turret (飯田丸五階櫓). This was built during the Kato family era and is believed to have been used as a lookout and a weapons storehouse. The turret was dismantled during the Seinan War to disarm Higo, leaving only the stone fortification. This almost completely collapsed during the quakes, saved solely by a single corner pillar, leaving it the nickname 一本石垣 (ippon ishigaki, single-legged stone wall). Tumbled stones were identified by numerous photographs, numbered, and laid out on a field before restoration work began using the skills of stonemasons from across Japan. One mason spoke of the difficulty: ``You can’t tell if the newly placed stone matches the original position just by looking at the photos taken before the disaster. If it’s one centimeter off, it may not fit." Restoration work on the turret is scheduled to begin in 2025 with completion expected by 2028. Good photos at the link. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1221434

Kirk here. I added some events to the "Kumamoto International" calendar, which …

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 03:36:14 +0000

Kirk here. I added some events to the “Kumamoto International” calendar, which is pinned to the top of the page:

https://kumamotoi.blogspot.com/2023/09/calendar.html

I can’t promise to pick up every event – I’ve missed several recently. But this calendar might help you keep track of events that I have been posted about several weeks before they actually come up.

Even if I’m late to add events to the calendar, I should be able to pick up most of the events that are posted significantly in advance. With posts about events that are only a few days off, I may not bother to add them to the calendar if I’m busy.

fireworks in Tamana

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 03:17:57 +0000

Kirk here with a last-minute reminder about the fireworks in Tamana today that Claire posted about. Here’s the link to Claire’s post:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02vbauqM6wBZmv5nzNSKqBpVyVbLXYtUFKFtigZRpEtVYCZ8hXL91NApAgBypJJPrYl

Kirk here here with a post about how the Kumamoto National Institute of Technolo…

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 01:22:05 +0000

Kirk here here with a post about how the Kumamoto National Institute of Technology in Koshi and other kosen (高専; schools that start at high school age but have curricula that last through what would be the 2nd year of college) are preparing young people to meet the growing demand for workers with technical skills.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/political-series/20231102-147007/

Here’s the address of the Kumamoto National Institute of Technology website (in English): https://kumamoto-nct.ac.jp/english-home.html

Sean here -

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 14:05:09 +0000

Sean here - Having lived in Northern California for a good portion of my life, the home to mountain biking. (If you ride or have ridden a Gary Fisher, Google him as he is one of the grand dads of mountain biking or Klunkerz, an interesting doc about the beginning of mountain biking).

Mountain biking is so popular in Northern California, that high schools have mountain bike teams. What a way to get kids interested in protecting our environment.

Kirk here. RKK aired a report about the meeting held today between the mayor an…

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 11:27:20 +0000

Kirk here. RKK aired a report about the meeting held today between the mayor and representatives of various local foreign communities and/or nationalities. I was glad to see Kumamoto International participant Hari Devkota there, along with several other familiar faces.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/816496

The video you can see at the URL shown above is shorter than what was broadcast on TV today. I got the impression from what I saw on TV that it was an open-ended discussion on various issues related to the lives of foreign residents.

Onigiri Action

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 11:21:49 +0000

Atsuko here. I would like to introduce a volunteer project I participate in every year that connects Kumamoto with the world.

Onigiri Action https://onigiri-action.com/en/

Post a photo of yourself holding an onigiri on a social networking site (FB, Instagram) or on the Onigiri Action website, and the sponsor will donate 100 yen (for 5 meals) for each post. All you have to do is post a photo. You can do it from Kumamoto. Even kids can do it without money. However, please make the SNS you post to public. If you don’t want to make it public, go to the website. The good thing about this activity is that it can be done by anyone, anywhere, even children, even if you don’t have any money. You don’t have to show your face, just a rice ball will do. Onigiri is Japanese culture. It is a mother’s love. From Japan, from Kumamoto, let’s send lots of love with rice!

William Two good pieces of news for those who enjoy transportation: The LCC Hong…

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 09:27:31 +0000

William Two good pieces of news for those who enjoy transportation: The LCC Hong Kong Airlines will resume service on the Kumamoto-Hong Kong route from December, adding another, likely cheaper option to flying abroad (HK generally has cheap flights to Europe and the Americas). Also, progress on the Kyushu Chuo Expressway connecting Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture and Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture is moving ahead, with a 10.4km stretch out near Yabe to be opened on February 11, 2024. This will both facilitate economic development in eastern Kumamoto and more closely connect our town with Nobeoka, a fine city with wonderful beaches and ferry service to Kansai and Kanto. (The old road to Yabe was notoriously difficult to drive, being so curvy.) Kumanichi has the news at the links. Photos: Expressway route and photo of a beach Nobeoka offers. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1220485 https://kumanichi.com/articles/1219275

Kirk here. Mercury poisoning (particularly low-level mercury poisoning) is a gl…

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 07:56:03 +0000

Kirk here. Mercury poisoning (particularly low-level mercury poisoning) is a global problem. This couple from Minamata has some lessons about it for the world.

— start quote — Hideki, 68, said, “The damage caused by mercury is still occurring all over the world. I hope many countries and regions will participate (in) the convention and make efforts to achieve its goals.” — end quote —

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/11/9499001b63ab-japan-couple-urges-fight-against-mercury-at-minamata-treaty-meeting.html

Alternative URL: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/11/01/japan/society/minamata-mercury-geneva-couple/

Team Tonakai Quiz Night Fundraiser

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 01:26:41 +0000

(Fiona) I am planning to host a Quiz Night to raise funds for this year’s Team Tonakai Toy Drive. It will be held on Saturday November 25th from 7:30pm. Check the event page for location and further details. Please book a spot as soon as possible if you plan to come! https://facebook.com/events/s/team-tonakai-quiz-night-fundra/6964605423577999/

Kirk here with old but still very relevant news from local author Sean Micheal W…

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 05:07:37 +0000

Kirk here with old but still very relevant news from local author Sean Micheal Wilson. In some personal correspondence with Sean, he pointed out to me that Kumamoto City has no policy to require home builders to replace trees they remove due to construction. I hadn’t thought about the need to create legal incentives to plant trees until Sean pointed it out to me but his word certainly ring true. Much of my neighborhood, some of which had been cultivated land bordered by trees until very recently, is now almost all paved over. Most of the land has become plots for houses but many of the home owners have elected to cover all of their land in pavement – no dirt, no trees. :(

蓮華院祭り

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 03:43:52 +0000

(Claire) Tomorrow November 3rd is the festival at Rengei in (蓮華院祭り) outside Tamana city. It was last held 4 years ago. There is a lot of parking at the temple but it’s not walkable from the station and there are no extra buses being laid on this year afaik. The Yokozuna won’t be in attendance but it is still a really good festival. The temple is on top of a mountain with gorgeous views over the Ariake sea.

Firework Festival

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 03:33:30 +0000

(Claire)Tamana city has a busy weekend coming up. November 4th Saturday is our Firework Festival. Very near to Bonfire (Guy Fawkes) Night for any Brits missing home. There are half the amount of fireworks compared to pre Covid days but 5001 is still a good few I think! The city is usually gridlocked afterwards but this is the first time to try holding the festival in November so not sure about this year. It was moved to November because the soaring summer temperatures make preparations really hard for the volunteers in August who work all through the day to prepare for the evening events. My husband (Sezakinosake) is one of those volunteers so if you buy a draft beer please say hello ! Scroll down this link to find train times etc.

Discussion with Foreign Residents: Revised Municipal Basic Ordinance Forum

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:17:07 +0000

Kirk here with a Kumanichi article that says that representatives of the foreign community have been invited to discuss the “foreigner as shimin” issue and other issues related to community building.

Here’s an English-language translation of the Kumanichi article:

— start translation — Discussion with Foreign Residents: In Light of the Implementation of the Revised Municipal Basic Ordinance - Kumamoto Mayor on November 3rd 2023.10.28 Morning Edition

Mayor Kazufumi Ōnishi of Kumamoto City will set up an occasion on November 3rd to directly hear from foreign residents living in the city regarding challenges they face. The event is organized in response to the enforcement of the revised Municipal Basic Ordinance, which emphasizes that “diverse citizens work together” in city planning. It will be held at the city’s International Exchange Hall in Chuo Ward, where 15 individuals will be invited to share their opinions.

Bazaar Event Supporting Jiaien

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 09:31:29 +0000

Sean here – A bazaar event, not to be confused with the bizarre author 😉

Here is a neighborhood opportunity to help a local church that supports Jiaien, a home for kids who are either temporarily or permanently separated from their parents.

Maybe it is too late to donate for the bazaar, but give them a call just in case they will. If you miss the cutoff date, you can still make donations throughout the rest of the year.

Sharing symposium announcement.

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:49:07 +0000

Sharing symposium announcement. Atsuko (๑˃ᴗ˂)و

Kirk with a note on whether it's "Kinbozan" (my personal favorite) or "Kinpozan,…

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:19:57 +0000

Kirk with a note on whether it’s “Kinbozan” (my personal favorite) or “Kinpozan,” another fairly popular reading of 金峰山. These are images of two signs that are very near Toge no chaya. People are told to say “Kinpo” when they head toward Kumamoto and then “Kinbo” when they leave. So, next time you think “Didn’t that sign say something else when I came?” don’t worry about your sanity; it really did.

Craftsmanship workshops (wagashi, tatami mats, flower arrangement, sushi, bread making)

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:07:41 +0000

Atsuko. This is information sharing for fans of Japanese sweets and craftsmanship.

There was a previous discussion on this page about a wagashi making experience, but unfortunately this time it is for parents and children. But it is a FREE workshop. All workshops are fascinating, aren’t they? My children are grown now, but I like these craftsmanship workshops and used to take them every year. Mini tatami mats are also nice. You can smell the nice smell of rush grass.

Itsuki Autumn Festival (五木紅葉祭)

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:24:30 +0000

William After the war, Japan, in a panic to quickly obtain material for rebuilding, replanted most of its deforested land with vast plantations of sugi (cedar, 杉), a fast-growing tree with the unfortunate characteristics of providing zero benefit to wildlife but triggering terrible allergies to anyone with a functioning nose. To walk in a cedar forest is to enter an eerie zone of complete silence. Fortunately, the gov’t has recently noticed this immense mistake and is taking steps to replace sugi with trees more suitable to the environment. One area left pristine, though, is in central Kyushu: Itsuki (五木). The village will hold a festival next weekend, 11/4-5, during the height of the autumn leaves season (紅葉, Kōyō). Festival info at the link; photo ripped from the Web.

Kirk here with local labor news.

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 06:13:54 +0000

Kirk here with local labor news.

Sean here – Adding to Kirk's previous post -

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 23:24:13 +0000

Sean here – Adding to Kirk’s previous post -

File under – Our collective backyard - a Kinpo san update -

It seems that the observation deck which has been under renovation the last couple of weeks is complete.

What is interesting is what seems to be this temporary Green Vision adventure swing. Maybe someone else knows more about it.

As if the views of Unzen could not get better, add a little adrenaline rush to spice it up.

Kirk here.

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 13:38:37 +0000

Kirk here. — start quote corrected for typos — The Kumamoto Flower Expo 2023, aimed at promoting the attractiveness of Kumamoto’s flowers and nature, opened in Kumamoto City on Saturday. On the opening day, floral artist Nicolai Bergmann enlivened the event with his bouquet-making performance. Events for the expo will be held mainly on weekends through Nov. 26 at a venue in the central part of the city, Suizenji Ezuko Park and Mt. Kinbo. — end quote —

Sean here again -

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 11:42:39 +0000

Sean here again - Super event today. 3 media outlets covered it. It is really good to see that there is an interest in kids doing positive things. I appreciated some of the comments of support displayed here. Local support by local kids, doing it locally.

We’ll be doing it again next year -

el Dia de los Muertos display

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 07:53:05 +0000

William Our friend Luz de Leon is the leader of the tiny Mexican community in Kumamoto. She has organized a display for el Dia de los Muertos at the International Center and would like to remind readers that it will run until November 2. Please do not mistake this very important festival with Halloween, a European, Americanized mess. El Dia de los Muertos is pre-Columbian and of great importance to the people of Mexico and other Hispanic cultures, perhaps most closely equated to the Japanese Obon holiday. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%ADa_de_Muertos

Kirk here with the following translation of an article that appeared in the Kuma…

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 05:19:56 +0000

Kirk here with the following translation of an article that appeared in the Kumanichi on the 23rd.

https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASRBQ7HC9RBPTLVB001.html

— start ChatGPT translation — Demonstration Against the Invasion of the Gaza Strip, Calls for Peace and Humanitarian Support

On the 21st, there was a demonstration in Shimotori, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, demanding the halt of the ground invasion into the Gaza Strip, an area of the Palestinian Autonomous Region, which the Israeli army is preparing for. About 40 participants raised slogans such as “Oppose violence against Palestine” and “Provide humanitarian aid, not weapons,” advocating for peace.

RKK Kumamoto Broadcasting 70th Anniversary Celebration - Beauty Perfected: Osaka City Museum of Art Collection

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 04:10:52 +0000

Kirk here. Saw an add about this on TV yesterday. Seems like a good opportunity to see works from the Osaka City Museum that one would not normally have access to here.

URL: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/museum/166519.html

Partial translation (courtesy ChatGPT):

RKK Kumamoto Broadcasting 70th Anniversary Celebration - Beauty Perfected: Osaka City Museum of Art Collection

Exhibition Period: September 16th, 2023 (Saturday) to November 12th, 2023 (Sunday)

Venue: Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art Main Building, Exhibition Room 2

Trick or Trash Halloween celebration/fundraiser

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 23:03:22 +0000

Sean here again 😀 A beautiful day. Not sure what to do today? Come celebrate/support the environment, the day, and tremendously awesome fantastic teens at Trick or Trash Halloween celebration/fundraiser at Ezuko. Global solutions start locally.

Kumamoto University Festival - Flower Bookmark Workshop & Photo Exhibition

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:26:10 +0000

Atsuko. I believe that the Kumamoto International page is a page that connects Kumamoto, a local city, with the world.

Today I would like to introduce a local but global event.

Next week, on 3 and 4 November, there will be a photo exhibition, workshop and fundraising event at the Global Building of Kumamoto University in support of street children, Ukrainian and Thai refugees who have become CDM. All proceeds from the pressed flower bookmarks made at the workshop will be donated.

Kirk here. It has come to my attention (via a message from a user) that some co…

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 02:13:57 +0000

Kirk here. It has come to my attention (via a message from a user) that some comments on this page may be from fake accounts. Personally, I don’t mind if individuals choose to use pseudonyms, even though that’s technically against Facebook policy. If I can be sure that the person using the pseudonym is using that pseudonym on their primary account (not one created to post comments anonymously), has a beating heart, and especially if I know that he or she actually lives in Kumamoto I’m OK it; I won’t insist that the account name be the name on the person’s passport. But, if I see comments from an account that is basically empty (no friends, no posts, recently made, etc.), I may ban that person from Kumamoto International without contacting him or her to try to verify their identity. Please do not create an account for the purpose of posting comments under an assumed identity or “pen name.”

川尻お寺deフェスタ

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:50:05 +0000

Atsuko here. William introduced this weekend’s events in Kawashirii, and while you’re there, there are temple festivals at many temples in Kawashiri, which you should visit.

The first recommendation is the coffin experience. It’s not easy to enter a coffin. When you put it in, it’s when you die, so it’s sure to look good on social media. I almost died twice, but I haven’t been in a coffin yet. I don’t think there is a Japanese person who can say how it feels to be in one.

Kirk here. We had some lightening and thunder today. This is a video from RKK's…

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:13:32 +0000

Kirk here. We had some lightening and thunder today. This is a video from RKK’s website:

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/802339?display=1

Fortunately, there does not seem to have been any damage to the castle.

el Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Exhibition

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 10:49:35 +0000

William Later is better than never, particularly when death is concerned. Our local Mexican community is planning an exhibition at the International Center to celebrate el Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 熊本市国際交流会館（Kumamoto City International Center）The purpose is educational, to instruct on the roots and meaning of this important holiday. There will also be face painting, a piñata, and, if you bring a shoe box, a chance to create your own altarpiece. Please plan to visit - before it’s too late!

Kirk here with news about a local educational issue.

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:20:30 +0000

Kirk here with news about a local educational issue.

William This blog regarding hiking in Kumamoto is three years old, but it is do…

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:17:30 +0000

William This blog regarding hiking in Kumamoto is three years old, but it is doubtful the info is out of date. Also included are some wonderful photos. Perhaps an autumn hike could be squeezed in, or you can start planning for next spring.

Kirk here with a ChatGPT translation of part of this Japanese article (the rest …

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 11:57:48 +0000

Kirk here with a ChatGPT translation of part of this Japanese article (the rest is behind a paywall):

— start translation — Growing Number of Foreigners in an Aging Town: Challenges of Coexistence Between the Elderly and Young Foreigners Society

Breaking News Mainichi Shimbun, October 25, 2023, 08:00 (Last updated 10/25 08:00) Paid article 2134 words. Caption: Mr. Matsushita Susumu (left) greets foreigners on their way to work = Taken at Nagasu Town, Kumamoto Prefecture on July 20, 2023, at 8:18 a.m. by Miyagawa Sachiko.

Kirk with more about TSMC:

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:12:12 +0000

Kirk with more about TSMC:

— start quote — The Japanese facility in Kumamoto is progressing the fastest. According to TSMC, process technologies for this semiconductor production facility will be 22/28 and 12/16 nanometers. This plant has already employed some 800 locals, and this month saw the start of the business’s equipment relocation. It is anticipated that production will start by the end of 2024. — end quote —

Kirk here. $10 in subsidies? Nice work if you can get.

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:09:47 +0000

Kirk here. $10 in subsidies? Nice work if you can get.

Teen Driven Trick or Trash Ezuko Halloween Party Fundraiser

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 02:42:30 +0000

Sean here -

3 days left to make a difference - English to follow Japanese.

Teen Driven（ティーン・ドリヴン＝ティーネイジャーボランティアチーム）にご協力を！

彼らは、今年で4回目となる恒例のキッズ向けハロウィンチャリティイベントを江津湖で開催します。

参加者枠はほぼ埋まりましたが、まだ若干の空きがあります。当日はTV取材も入りますので、可愛い仮装でぜひご参加ください！

お家に、まだ綺麗だけどもう使わない子ども服やおもちゃ、絵本が眠っていませんか？ぜひ Teen Drivenに寄付してください。バザーで売ったり交換したり寄付したりします。

当日ボランティアで手伝ってくれる人も募集します。ティーンに限りません。英語が話せなくてもOKです。

このイベントは以下の点で、一般的なハロウィンイベントとは違います。

全てをティーンが運営しているボランティアにただ参加するだけなく、自ら組織をオーガナイズすることは彼らにとって大きな意味を持ちます。このイベントを通して企画や運営、そして自分たちのコミュニティに貢献することの大切さを学んでいます。この経験は自信に繋がるだけでなく、実績として大学受験に使用することができます。
キッズが環境問題について学ぶゴミ問題が環境に与える影響を自分のこととして捉えることは、とても大切なことです。若い世代にとって環境問題はより切実です。教わる・教える関係の中で、キッズ・ティーン双方が学びを深めます。キッズに正しい振る舞いを教えることは、大人になって悪い行いを正すことより簡単です。
キッズの日頃の頑張りを称える褒められることは、子どもの自尊心を育む上でとても重要です。キッズは日々いろいろなことを頑張っています。成し遂げたことの大小は関係ありません。当日みんなの前で、大きなファンファーレと共にひとりひとりを祝福します。
ティーンの能力を改めて評価する彼らは日々勉強や部活で本当に忙しいですが、時間を作って一所懸命取り組んできました。「携帯見すぎ」「ゲームやりすぎ」と何かと批判される彼らですが、私は自信を持って宣言します。彼らは大丈夫。未来は明るいです。

このイベントの収益の全ては、「熊本市母子寡婦福祉連合会」に寄付します。

Teen Driven, the driving force behind the 4th annual Trick or Trash Ezuko Halloween Party Fundraiser, is asking for your help.

Do have good quality children’s clothes, toys and or books that are no longer in use? If so, please consider donating them to Teen Driven. They will be sold, traded, or donated to anyone who can use them.

Kirk here with news about the earthquake museum in Aso.

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 10:08:23 +0000

Kirk here with news about the earthquake museum in Aso.

https://www.kuam.com/story/49876625/museum-chronicles-2016-earthquakes-examines-lessons-learned-in-japan

The museum’s site is here:

https://kumamotojishin-museum.com/

It has an automatic translation function for English but it’s pretty lame. I would look at the Japanese site and then copy and paste into DeepL or ChatGPT as needed for help.

By the way, it doesn’t work with all web sites but ひらがなめがね works quite well with this site. Have a look:

Kirk here with another NEW WEB EASY article about Kumamoto. As I've written bef…

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 01:06:02 +0000

Kirk here with another NEW WEB EASY article about Kumamoto. As I’ve written before, I think this is a good site for folks interested in studying Japanese.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10014223751000/k10014223751000.html

William Here is a short summary of Kumamoto Castle restoration with several goo…

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 22:23:44 +0000

William Here is a short summary of Kumamoto Castle restoration with several good photographs. https://kumamoto-guide.jp/en/article/detail/254?fbclid=IwAR1NG76_rGWBxKxk0QJx2ON5gq8NNOl9vWSAaxIpJ08KKGyWB_72U_950mk

This article is behind a paywall so I can't read the whole thing but I can see f…

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 10:28:44 +0000

This article is behind a paywall so I can’t read the whole thing but I can see from the headline and picture that it’s about master sword smith Genrokuro Matsunaga and that the point is that foreign visitors have finally returned after the COVID-19 lull. – Kirk

https://kumanichi.com/articles/1208509

Here are some links to information about Mr. Matsunaga in English:

https://mountain-swell.com/info/2015/10/27/matsunaga-genrokuro-a-traditional-japanese-swordsmith

https://www.visit-kyushu.com/en/discover/blogs/world-katana-sword-making-kumamoto/

https://www.guidoor.jp/en/places/4128

yabusame (流鏑馬) archery event

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:42:03 +0000

Kirk here. This type of archery is called “yabusame” (流鏑馬). I think that, in combination, the first and third characters mean “running horse.” The second character refers to something that is put on the tip of an arrow to make a cool sound when the arrow flies (or perhaps when it hits it’s target). At any rate, the archery event will be conducted between 2 and 3:30 on November 3rd, Friday, which is “Culture Day” (文化の日). The venue is Ninomaru Hiroba (the castle).

川尻 Festival

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 08:20:45 +0000

William Kawashiri (川尻) is a small town in southern Kumamoto near the mouth of Midorikawa. Its location encouraged early manufacturing, with raw materials rafted down the river from the hinterlands and finished products shipped out to sea. It remains famous for sake and oke (bucket) manufacturing and metalwork such as knives and scissors. Wikipedia has more here: https://tinyurl.com/mrybf235 There will be a festival this Sunday, 10/29, during which you can visit some smitheries and sake breweries. Don’t miss the wonderful handicraft museum and the steps built by Kato Kiyomasa to serve as a wharf.

William Kochia (Japanese, "kokiya," also "houkigusa" ほうき草, meaning a plant for …

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:14:59 +0000

William Kochia (Japanese, “kokiya,” also “houkigusa” ほうき草, meaning a plant for making brooms) is an annual plant native to Eurasian and known for its unique round shape and fluffy texture. As they grow, their color changes from vibrant green in the summer to a greenish-red and finally to a bright scarlet in late October. Some enterprising locals in Minamiaso Village have taken to planting cosmos and Kochia together, which are both blooming now, to draw the delight of visitors. Kumanichi has the scoop:

Here's an article about how Naoko Shirane brought Kumamoto and San Antonio toge…

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:12:09 +0000

Here’s an article about how Naoko Shirane brought Kumamoto and San Antonio together. – Kirk

Kirk here with a note on dolphin's in Amakusa:

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:00:06 +0000

Kirk here with a note on dolphin’s in Amakusa: — start quote — “Dolphins and traditional skin-diving fishermen that can be traced back to the (ancient) Jomon period have long lived in harmony here,” Takasaki says. It’s natural to have dolphins right next to us, and that’s the value of Amakusa." — end quote —

US Marines train with Japan's Self-Defense Forces in Kumamoto from time to time.…

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:35:41 +0000

US Marines train with Japan’s Self-Defense Forces in Kumamoto from time to time. Here’s a recent example. – Kirk

https://www.stripes.com/branches/marine_corps/2023-10-17/marines-littoral-regiment-okinawa-11732639.html

Kirk here with national news made by KIHARA Minoru, who is from Kumamoto.

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 13:20:20 +0000

Kirk here with national news made by KIHARA Minoru, who is from Kumamoto.

— start quote — Defense Minister Minoru Kihara on Monday retracted comments he made over the weekend in which he appeared to imply that a vote for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a key by-election would be good for the Self-Defense Forces and their families — despite the SDF’s strict policy of political neutrality. — end quote —

William Lafcadio Hearn (also known by his Japanese name, Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲 …

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 04:35:51 +0000

William Lafcadio Hearn (also known by his Japanese name, Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲 - the surname taken from his Japanese wife https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn), was a peripatetic Anglo-Greek writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West. Hearn longed for the “true Japan,” which he found in Matsue - apparently, all else failed in comparison, particularly Kumamoto (where he spent three years, 1891-94), which he abhorred, finding it cultureless and blindly adoptive of anything Western. His Kumamoto house is directly behind Tsuruya; tours are free. Hearn was particularly well-known for his ghost stories. One of the scariest stories I’ve ever read is “A Passional Karma,” which can be read for free here: https://tinyurl.com/4wey3pmb. It’s a relatively short, hair-raising tale suitable for English students looking to read their first English literature. Happy Halloween!

This extensive (about 1500-word) article is chock-full of interesting tidbits ab…

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 23:00:19 +0000

This extensive (about 1500-word) article is chock-full of interesting tidbits about the Aso area.

Post

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 08:59:41 +0000

Post

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 08:43:17 +0000

Jeff Cairns (shakuhachi) and Hidehiko Kashihara (guitar)

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 04:30:44 +0000

William Our friend Jeff Cairns, a legend at the shakuhachi, will team up with Hidehiko Kashihara on guitar for what will certainly be a magical, mesmorizing evening. Jeff lives at the foot of Mt Kimpo, and his music incorporates the wonder of ancient Higo. Information at the link:

Sean here-

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:46:11 +0000

Sean here- File under: Been there. Done that. Don’t wanna do it again.

OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resorts (Tatsuro Sasaki Architects) won Best of Globe a…

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 05:23:42 +0000

OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resorts (Tatsuro Sasaki Architects) won Best of Globe at the 2023 Shaw Contract Design Awards! – Kirk

https://www.shawcontract.com/en-ap/Design/OMO-Kumamoto-by-Hoshino-Resort

night-time amusement park escape game

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 02:44:41 +0000

Fiona here with news for fans of escape rooms and immersive games. Scrap, one of the pioneers in the escape room industry, is running a night-time amusement park escape game at Greenland in Arao. The event will be held in November and tickets are on sale now. Having played a couple of their games in the past, I would recommend teaming up with people who can read Japanese well!

Two day pilot trip around Amakusa

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:01:00 +0000

Kirk here with a post from Leanne in Amakusa:

— start quote — This is Leanne, Canadian living in Amakusa with an opportunity for two lucky people. I’m involved in a project focused on creating a pilgrimage route in Amakusa. We are organizing a two day pilot trip around Amakusa. It is free of charge. We need 2 more English speaking participants for November 26th and 27th. Email me at vibromama@hotmail.com for more information. — end quote —

Sean here -

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 01:44:36 +0000

Sean here - File under: Really? Yeah really. Don’t let this be you.

Kirk here with an inquiry from longtime Kumamoto International participant Jacki…

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 23:10:37 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry from longtime Kumamoto International participant Jackie:

— start quote — Hi, I have a question for the Kumamoto International community. I have been charged with the task of developing a literature “repertoire” for the Lutheran International Primary School that will open at the Luther campus in April. I have a good background in American children’s literature, but am not well-versed in what books could represent other countries. The books must be in English, and it is helpful if they are available on amazon-japan. Wondering if any folks out there have recommendations from your home country of books (ages 5-12) that you think every kid should read. Feel free to send me a direct message or post here. If you have an author’s name to go with the title, that’s even better. Many thanks, gracias, merci, abrigado, danke, asante, and so forth! This ”repertoire” will eventually become the library at the school, so recommendations for good books that stand the test of time are appreciated. — end quote —

Kirk here with a fake image that illustrates what seems to be a historical fact.…

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:11:40 +0000

Kirk here with a fake image that illustrates what seems to be a historical fact. Here’s a translations of a Japanese news article from last year:

— start translation — Kumamoto City announced by the 21st that they conducted an archaeological excavation on the artificial hill in Suizenji Jōju-en (located in the Chuo Ward), a national scenic beauty and historical site. They have confirmed the locations where soil from the Edo period was used for construction and where, during the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877 (Meiji 10), part of the hill was carved out to place artillery batteries by the government forces. The city will hold an on-site explanatory meeting on the 23rd.

Sean here-

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 22:46:48 +0000

Sean here- 立野ダム.

I was fortunate enough to catch a sightseeing train (Minami Aso Railway) gliding past the mostly completed Tateno Dam. Cool weather brings the colors of autumn. A great time of year to catch a train. All aboard!

Some info below about both. Most in Japanese – Although Google translate isn’t perfect, if you have it, it suits the purpose in this case.

Williams original post https://www.facebook.com/search/posts?q=%E7%AB%8B%E9%87%8E%E3%83%80%E3%83%A0&filters=eyJycF9hdXRob3I6MCI6IntcIm5hbWVcIjpcImF1dGhvcl9tZVwiLFwiYXJnc1wiOlwiXCJ9In0%3D

Cool site about dam, and interesting videos. https://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/tateno/

Kirk here with some news for martial arts fans.

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 11:00:19 +0000

Kirk here with some news for martial arts fans.

Hi, Joe Tomei here. I’m not sure if this will make a difference, but I noticed t…

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 11:00:01 +0000

Hi, Joe Tomei here. I’m not sure if this will make a difference, but I noticed that the Kumamoto internatonal Facebook feed is full of ‘Sponsored’ and ‘suggested for you’ posts. I’m not sure how much of a difference this will make but I’d ask the other editors, when the have a few minutes, to click on the upper right corner and hide those ads so as to discourage the facebook algorithm from adding unconnected posts. For people who aren’t editors, if you know facebook channels or accounts/profiles for businesses that are local, please add them in the comments so we can list them as favorites. I’m not sure if this will work but it is worth a try. Thanks.

Here's a link to an article about Suizenji Jojuen (Garden) with some notes about…

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 03:21:29 +0000

Here’s a link to an article about Suizenji Jojuen (Garden) with some notes about the “mini Mount Fuji.” The article is correct; the grass-covered feature is indeed intended to look like Fuji-san as viewed from the Tokaido. What the article doesn’t say is that there’s a term for this kind of man-made garden mountain: tsukiyama (築山; literally “built mountain”). The mountain in Suizenji Jojuen is a representative example of the technique. In fact, if you look up the Japanese term on Wikipedia you’ll find a picture of Suizenji Jojuen. – Kirk

Hi! Kirk again! I got a request for eye doctor (optometrist) recommendations. …

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 23:09:02 +0000

Hi! Kirk again! I got a request for eye doctor (optometrist) recommendations. Information about English speakers and those who seem to be knowledgable about recent medical trends would be particularly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Kirk here posting an inquiry on behalf of a friend who is here in Japan due to s…

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 15:30:29 +0000

Kirk here posting an inquiry on behalf of a friend who is here in Japan due to serious medical issues that her family member is facing. She needs to receive money from her husband in the States and Japan’s Post bank has been recommended to her. Those of us trying to help her, though, wonder if there isn’t a better way. As our friend is not a long-term resident of Japan, she can’t be expected to deal with the Japanese language. Something that is convenient, has a decent exchange rate (no huge service costs), and doesn’t require knowledge of Japanese would be nice. If you could please share your recommendations and thoughts about various options in a comment, I’m sure our friend and many other readers would appreciate it (as will I, of course). Thanks in advance!

Service between Hong Kong and Kumamoto. -- KIrk

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 01:00:16 +0000

Service between Hong Kong and Kumamoto. – KIrk

Cool article about kids in Ashikita helping build schools in Cambodia. -- Kirk

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 07:10:01 +0000

Cool article about kids in Ashikita helping build schools in Cambodia. – Kirk

Kirk here. This bit about 6-nm chips is news to me. In the last post I made on…

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 04:43:08 +0000

Kirk here. This bit about 6-nm chips is news to me. In the last post I made on this topic, 12-nm chips were the smallest that were planned (at least according to my sources at the the time).

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid06LX5qcEazk8T2rH9uVM9AXfZhv1XNLWFExREiQMC9KYKJfkoYZbA6VEiXWzAvRo2l

Kirk here. Response to Mr. Yagi's morning tram photo has been amazing. It's "r…

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:36:45 +0000

Kirk here. Response to Mr. Yagi’s morning tram photo has been amazing. It’s “reach” has been about 200 times the norm for this page.

Click on the following link to see Kumamoto International’s greatest post ever (though I’m pretty sure that most anyone reading this is one of the 100,000 or so who have already seen it):

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0w1vhkEqcmvUs3CqTH631QUmid5M8U8je8ruG82udMpBbnrUEZDZVcSPtwCqsrrE5l

Kirk here with news that Kumamoto City if becoming more international. After a …

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:56:27 +0000

Kirk here with news that Kumamoto City if becoming more international. After a brief dip due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the foreign population in the city has grown to 7657, an all-time high (first image). On factor cited on the RKK news segment I’m introducing was TSMC and another was the return of foreign students after the pandemic (second image; they illustrated this with a replay of a segment with exchange students who were studying at my university). This uptick in the foreign population was enough to temporarily reverse the downward trend of the city’s population overall.

Kirk here with sad news on the Minamata issue. The government's decision to fig…

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:05 +0000

Kirk here with sad news on the Minamata issue. The government’s decision to fight the recent court’s decision is yet another illustration of why legal issues are still unresolved after more than half a century. The phrase “justice delayed is justice denied” comes to mind. I think the phrase is particularly apt because many of the plaintiffs are elderly. (For Japanese readers: “Justice delayed is justice denied” can be translated “裁判の遅延は裁判の拒否に等しい” but I think “justice” is a bit broader in meaning an nuance than “裁判.”)

Kirk here. Public transportation (trains in particular) can get you to Aso, but…

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 03:10:06 +0000

Kirk here. Public transportation (trains in particular) can get you to Aso, but how do you get around once you’re there? I got a notice today about a place in Aso that rents mopeds (they say “小型モビリティ” [small mobility]) for 650 yen an hour.

This came to me because I have a Google alert for 外国人 and 熊本 and the article says, basically, “Foreigners OK too.” Well, I should hope so! If they excluded foreigners that would be a real problem. But, on the other hand, it’s good to know that they wanted to make a point of saying that they welcome rentals by folks like us. :)

Kirk here with another news article.

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:25:29 +0000

Kirk here with another news article.

— start quote — Under the proposed reforms, local governments will be empowered to draw up plans and issue permits for the construction of factories in urbanization control districts (farmlands and forests), where development is currently restricted under the urban planning law. Japanese laws generally ban converting land set aside for agriculture for any other purposes. — end quote —

I glad to see economic development but can’t help but feel a little anxious about the loss of farmlands and forests.

Kirk here with basketball news:

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 05:48:10 +0000

Kirk here with basketball news:

More high-tech news:

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 06:44:59 +0000

More high-tech news: – Kirk

Roasso did very well this year against more highly ranked clubs. They got close…

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 03:50:57 +0000

Roasso did very well this year against more highly ranked clubs. They got close to making it to the Emperor’s Cup final but lost to Kashiwa. – Kirk

Football: Kashiwa hammer J2 Kumamoto to reach Emperor’s Cup final https://www.nippon.com/en/news/kd1083651217298669644/

Photo from this Kumanichi article: https://kumanichi.com/articles/1195848

Kirk here with another bit of TSMC news.

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 23:10:01 +0000

Kirk here with another bit of TSMC news.

— start quote – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is making remarkable strides in its $8 billion chip plant project in Kumamoto, Japan. Contrary to challenges faced in the U.S., the Kumamoto project is surpassing expectations, with tool installations scheduled to commence this October and full-scale production slated for 2024. TSMC’s success in Japan can be attributed to the proactive support from the Japanese government and streamlined regulations, enabling swift progress. — end quote —

Kumamoto Halloween Dance Contest

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 09:39:08 +0000

Kirk here. Shibuya in Tokyo is being quite emphatic that they don’t want people to celebrate Halloween there. Kumamoto, on the other hand, has a website devoted to promoting various Halloween events that are planned. One of them is this dance contest. Hey dancers, how ‘bout struttin’ you stuff?

Here’s the website with videos and information in Japanese about other events:

https://www.kumamoto-halloween.com/

P.S. Being 6'4" (193 cm) and relatively thin, I’ve always wanted to get professional make up, a good outfit (including thick monster shoes to make myself that much taller) and walk as Frankenstein, around handing out candy while continuing to look as scary as possible. Probably won’t be able to do that this year, though. Maybe someday. ;)

Kirk here with news about a bullying scandal regarding Ozu High School's soccer …

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 03:24:45 +0000

Kirk here with news about a bullying scandal regarding Ozu High School’s soccer team. The Japan Times article is behind a paywall but the NHK article and video are available for free.

I heard on the news yesterday that the soccer team will be rendered inactive for the time being due to the issue.

Probe launched over ‘serious’ Kumamoto soccer team bullying https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/04/japan/society/kumamoto-school-soccer-bullying/

Japanese student criticizes school’s response to soccer club bullying case https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20231004_11/

トリック・オア・トラッシュ2023

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 23:41:14 +0000

Sean here- この度私たちは、キッズ向けハロウィンイベント「トリック・オア・トラッシュ2023」を開催する運びとなりました。このイベントは、未来を担う子どもたちに環境問題を英語で学ぶ機会を提供するもので、今年で4回目となります。企画・運営は全て、Sean’s New York Language Club（SNYLC）所属の中高生ボランティアチーム「Teen Driven」が行います。

日程：2023年10月29日（日）時間：13時～16時場所：上江津湖・中の島対象：5歳～小学校高学年料金：1人500円目的：①身近な遊び場である江津湖の豊かな生態系を通して環境問題を学ぶ ②未来を担う子どもたちに、生きた英語に触れる機会を提供する ③集めたお金は「熊本市母子寡婦福祉連合会」に寄付する内容：５R（Reuse/Reduce/Recycle/Refuse/Rot）の紹介・アクティビティ・ゲーム・バザー・表彰式など

寄付、ボランティア、または参加に興味がある場合は、私にメッセージを送るか、Teen Drivenに連絡してください TeenDriven@gmail.com

Good morning, everyone. Support your community, our teens, our kids, our environment. Please share - The 4th annual Ezuko Trick or Trash fundraising Halloween Party is here. Last year we raised 30000 for our partner charity. This year all proceeds will be donated to Kumamoto City Federation of Maternal and Child Widows Welfare Association. If you are interested in donating, volunteering, or participating, please message me, or contact Teen Driven at TeenDriven@gmail.com

上色見熊野座神社 Kamishikimi Kumanoza shrine.

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 23:24:08 +0000

上色見熊野座神社 Kamishikimi Kumanoza shrine. Atsukoଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-oppo-rev1&sca_esv=571626697&hl=ja&cs=0&sxsrf=AM9HkKnB6YD4Xwc9Y2oXn05OfNgN9nJeRg:1696721136277&q=%E4%B8%8A%E8%89%B2%E8%A6%8B%E7%86%8A%E9%87%8E%E5%BA%A7%E7%A5%9E%E7%A4%BE&ludocid=8464286624988710782&ibp=gwp;0,7&lsig=AB86z5UQk7DI_tXv0gzkQov1SeZI&kgs=c08de150ea6eee06&shndl=-1&shem=lbsc,lsp&source=sh/x/kp/local/m1/4

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=369265525435140&id=100070550876674

1-day only Free Ride.

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 05:41:58 +0000

1-day only Free Ride. They ask you to get SEIRIKEN. Maybe, they want to find out how many people got on board. There is, of course, no charge. Atsuko.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Sean here -

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 05:22:03 +0000

Sean here - File under: I dunno, you tell me. Somewhere in Oe.

Kirk here reporting that an inadvertent post here by Mr. Yagi of the Internation…

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 10:00:08 +0000

Kirk here reporting that an inadvertent post here by Mr. Yagi of the International Center is EXTREMELY popular, with a post reach as of 1 PM Friday of well over 50,000. If, somehow, you missed it, Mr. Yagi’s wildly popular post is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0wNEiLXP6R1oZwHMBwh7a3zpVcKTdbVmjDojzviok3h6r1R5j2DVNRcFefde93yPzl

I say that the post was “inadvertent” because Mr. Yagi later told me he meant to post it to his own Facebook page but posted it to Kumamoto International instead.

Sean here-

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 09:30:00 +0000

Sean here- I saw this bird on Kinpo san this morning. It’s the second time. It looks like a roadrunner, and it runs, rather than fly when trying to avoid me.

Sorry about the quality of the photo. Any idea what this might be?

Liz here, I am very sad and disappointed to have to announce that the 13 th gig …

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 02:05:54 +0000

Liz here, I am very sad and disappointed to have to announce that the 13 th gig with Michelle Rounds has been canceled. Apparently she was not able to get her musician’s working visa ( don’t ask about it , as it will trigger a long rant from me) . I don’t know how to remove it from the events calendar , so I have to ask Kirk to kindly do that for me. There is still lots of jazz going on in Kumamoto though. Venues that frequently have gigs are Swing, Jazz in Okura, kuhonji Smile ,Basement, and Green River . I am probably forgetting a few ….

18th Kumamoto Livelihood Festival "Mizuakari"

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 01:00:06 +0000

Kirk here with information about Mizuakari events at various locations. “What’s Mizuakari?” It’s what you see in the picture.

The following ChatGPT translation is of Japanese text on the following page:

http://mizuakari.net/overview

— begin ChatGPT translation —

Event Overview:

Name: 18th Kumamoto Livelihood Festival “Mizuakari” Date: 2023 October 7th (Saturday) Lighting time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Scheduled) October 8th (Sunday) Lighting time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Scheduled) Location: Various areas in Kumamoto City, Chuo Ward, Hanabata-cho Hanabata Park Hanabata Plaza (In front of NHK) Road in front of the Citizens’ Hall Sears Home Yume Hall Misumi Park (In front of the Kato Kiyomasa Statue) Tsuboigawa River and Nagabei Josaien Miyukizaka Kumamoto Castle

2023 Tour de Kyushu - Stage 2

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 02:46:57 +0000

Sean here - A quick note for cycling fans. The second stage of the 2023 Tour de Kyushu is in Kumamoto / Aso region this Sunday. Here is the link -

Free bus and trolley rides in Kumamoto City

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 02:00:03 +0000

Reminder: As I posted a couple of days ago, they’ll be free bus and trolley rides in Kumamoto City on the 7th! – Shared by Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid0VVFJymMD9gDjnxEbfn1hyF4Vt3SgYxzzJb9Hzxjq7tcuyQm5vZP94ZmWgibth7b8l

Kirk here with a share from Michi No Eki Aso:

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 06:56:38 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Michi No Eki Aso:

https://www.facebook.com/eng.michinoekiaso/posts/pfbid0v2hPgAEubPYwRmxrbCcmU5a6s1kdbZ4vxGwQ6jmqdz9t3jvZkG8Epsa2WdF3DQsMl

In the morning on October 4.

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:30:34 +0000

In the morning on October 4.

Kirk here, partially answering my own question about where to experience wagashi…

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:44:36 +0000

Kirk here, partially answering my own question about where to experience wagashi making in Kumamoto with this web page from the Explore Kumamoto site:

https://explore-kumamoto.com/japanese-sweets-making-experience/

Still looking for feedback and more information, though. Here’s the address of my previous post on the topic:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid03wi1dxej83GTJhiwLSaVTHYfWsDWPCc5sN8nYpGxXCynio55bAt6QS6AUyEZ4FLTl

Kirk here. I met someone recently who has a special interest in wagashi (traditi…

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Kirk here. I met someone recently who has a special interest in wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) but isn’t fluent in Japanese yet. I looked on the web and found this but I wonder if this the best place to recommend. If any of you have had either positive or negative experiences learning to make wagashi in Kumamoto, please share your thoughts.

Hello Everyone 😃

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:06:02 +0000

Hello Everyone 😃

Olivia here, 😃

Helping a friend posting work opportunity in Kumamoto.

A Kindergarten in Kumamoto is looking for a part time English instructor (foreign teacher) for after school classes,

at least every Tuesday, from April 2024. Possible additional work days will also be considered. For further details & information, please contact:

marialourdes.kase@gmail.com

Look forward to hearing from you ! 😃

📚📙📚📙📚📙📚📙📚📙📚📙📚📙

Free bus and trolley rides

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:34:04 +0000

Free bus and trolley rides on Saturday! — Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/kumamototourism/posts/pfbid0EC8bHKSQoexVndbYVL6qqsmhYu7tHrM9ywzGmtUK9iEACe892WY664kYbJgZTwGRl

Kirk here with a quick follow-up to my previous post about places to experience …

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 09:09:47 +0000

Kirk here with a quick follow-up to my previous post about places to experience wagashi making. I should have known about this one, but missed it somehow. As you can see, it’s from Explore Kumamoto.

Kirk here with national coverage, in English, of Dotour’s Kumamoto Prefecture Ja…

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with national coverage, in English, of Dotour’s Kumamoto Prefecture Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc. Ah, chestnuts!

Kirk here. Ubuyama-mura has an exchange program with Thailand. It was put on …

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 01:00:03 +0000

Kirk here. Ubuyama-mura has an exchange program with Thailand. It was put on hold during the pandemic but is up and running again after a four-year hiatus.

By the way, Ubuyama-mura is between Aso and Kuju, southeast of Oguni. If you haven’t been there, it’s a nice place to visit. I’ll append the address of a post William did in October of last year about the Higotai flower, for which Ubuyama-mura is famous.

Spider lily season walk at Mashiki Machi

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 23:07:07 +0000

Sean here – The spider lily season is in full bloom and autumn has arrived. Just a short drive/cycle on Rt 28 / Densha Dori to the edge of Mashiki Machi, and you and your family can explore this little area which promotes itself as a spider lily mecca.

A river/nature walk at any time of the year made a bit more special with the annual appearance of nature’s fireworks on stems.

Kirk here. Friday night my wife and I attended the free jazz concert in Suizenj…

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 11:00:04 +0000

Kirk here. Friday night my wife and I attended the free jazz concert in Suizenji and had the additional pleasure of meeting friend Robert Mortenson and his wife there. Robert had a little digital camera, the kind that many of us used to use before smart phones. Looking at his photos, I can now see why he continues to use it! :)

Kirk here with two editorials about the recent court ruling in favor of Minamata…

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 07:00:02 +0000

Kirk here with two editorials about the recent court ruling in favor of Minamata victims seeking compensation. Both editorials urge the government not to appeal and to comply with the court decision. I thought the following statement in the Asahi editorial was particularly noteworthy:

— start quote — Even when the Supreme Court indicated for the second time lenient recognition criteria in 2013, the government didn’t alter its designation standards requiring a combination of multiple symptoms. Instead, the government even released new guidelines raising the bar for official recognition the following year. Such insincere responses should never be repeated. — end quote —

zoo festival

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 23:48:38 +0000

Atsuko here. Share photos of adorable animals. Last Wednesday, for the first time in a long time, I went to Kumamoto Zoo on a one-day trip with my elementary school. It was before Corona. There were many visitors, as it seemed that the Red Panda baby had just opened to the public. They were cute. The baby chimpanzee born in the spring was also cute. I recommend the sleeping lion. It was the first time I saw a sleeping lion so close. In the museum I saw a ハダカデバネズミ naked mole rat. This immortal creature lives five times longer than other rodents and is not susceptible to cancer. I was happy to see it because I had heard that it was being researched at Kumamoto University and I wanted to see it. Will Kumamoto soon be a prefecture of immortality? There will also be a zoo festival on 7 and 8 October. Please enjoy Autumn zoo you too.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ https://www-ezooko-jp.translate.goog/kiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=3&type=top&id=846&_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja

Fiona here with a shop recommendation for anyone who is into board games. I went…

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 13:25:18 +0000

Fiona here with a shop recommendation for anyone who is into board games. I went to check out this recycle shop today and found hundreds of board games for sale, mostly Japanese but many in English, German and other languages. The shop is called Surugaya and it’s located in Hiyoshi, Minami-ku. I’ll post a Google Maps link in the comments.

Sean here-

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 11:20:30 +0000

Sean here- Reporting from the – “I read it on the internet, so it must be true” desk –

Bolder Breeding-

As most already know - Kumamoto is a nature paradise.

Did you know Kinpo san is known for its bolder breeding habitat?

One of the few places in the world where boulders migrate to breed. Amateurs and professionals alike who study boulder behavior are known as Boulderologist, and or Stoners.

Kirk here announcing that I'm planning to slow down. I've decided that I've bi…

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 07:00:06 +0000

Kirk here announcing that I’m planning to slow down. I’ve decided that I’ve bitten off a bit more than I can chew and therefore need to take steps to reduce my work load.

Why have I been posting so much, anyway?

Earlier this year, I started to feel that I wanted to do a better job of giving people advance warning about events. But, I couldn’t find a simple list of upcoming local events, even in Japanese, so I decided to subscribe to some Google alerts for news articles with various Japanese terms that I thought would give me the kinds of information I was looking for. Basically, I think I can say that my strategy worked. I feel that I have been better able to provide advance warning about upcoming events in the last few months than in the past. But, it meant that I needed to go through a number of alerts each day, each with links to many articles in Japanese. Then, if I found something I felt I should share, translation and additional research (searching for appropriate information in English, etc.) also took time.

Nice view of the moon near the castle last night. -- Kirk

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 03:10:32 +0000

Nice view of the moon near the castle last night. – Kirk

Kirk here. COVID-19 has had an negative impact on Kumamoto's bus companies. In…

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 23:49:01 +0000

Kirk here. COVID-19 has had an negative impact on Kumamoto’s bus companies. In response the decreased ridership, they have decided to raise bus fare to 180 yen beginning on October 1st. – KIrk

Dinosaur Exhibit at Kumadai

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:54:02 +0000

I’m not sure if this has anything to do with the museum to open in Amakusa (previous post) but Kumadai is planning a exhibit on dinosaurs starting October 18. – Kirk

https://www.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/event/koho/20231018-1024

Amakusa to get a new dinosaur museum next March. As you may know, there's also …

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 01:46:04 +0000

Amakusa to get a new dinosaur museum next March. As you may know, there’s also a dinosaur museum in Mifune. – Kirk

第28回熊本国際交流祭典

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 22:34:00 +0000

Kirk here with an event coming up this weekend that is clearly “on topic” for this page:

30th and 1st (Sat. & Sun.), Sun Road Shinshigai, International Festival 　「第28回熊本国際交流祭典」が9月30日・10月1日の2日間、サンロード新市街（熊本市中央区新市街）で開催される。

Kirk here with some good news in a sad and never ending struggle for justice.

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:07:09 +0000

Kirk here with some good news in a sad and never ending struggle for justice.

Kirk here with another post about Japanese encephalitis:

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with another post about Japanese encephalitis:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230926/p2a/00m/0na/002000c

Here’s address of what I posted the other day:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02cMD5KXyzNsxPWg8FvZBBd85SbRYWoZGb8DMoNsipA1inoNxag2j4GxpqBjeQrENMl

Yum! Vegetarian and vegan-friendly food. Another good reason to read Kuma Visit…

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:49:04 +0000

Yum! Vegetarian and vegan-friendly food. Another good reason to read Kuma Visit. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid09ZhHXLVt54VqEGpLurqpKQHzC4CviySKQzgdFHaRDMmAPw9RrWQnMgWX2njyFz9wl

Kirk here. Lots of events are coming up this weekend. If you click on the foll…

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 10:47:02 +0000

Kirk here. Lots of events are coming up this weekend. If you click on the following link you can use the calendar to find the post or posts on this page about the event that interests you.

https://kumamotoi.blogspot.com/2023/09/calendar.html

I learned a new expression from this extensive article: "TSMC shock." Makes sen…

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:28:03 +0000

I learned a new expression from this extensive article: “TSMC shock.” Makes sense. Thanks to Andrew for the link. – Kirk

https://www.ft.com/content/09f0ae79-8935-4070-ab52-dc828b770dce?accessToken=zwAGBjpZC3mQkc8J8K55iTVAcNOrUtyCi3cNzg.MEQCIGIDsYSLdJ4JSFGNP0I_vMJ8dlDGYz6LvFCv_3WumXFQAiBGpXbwanLNyGvBLeXnSL5lCspTT8TUhcIot6LtTwGhyA&sharetype=gift&token=33840db8-d465-483d-9067-9910fdb2fe0d

Kirk here.

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 01:35:01 +0000

Kirk here. — quote from article — “We must urgently strengthen the defense system in the Nansei region, including Okinawa. Camp Kengun has an even heavier responsibility,” he said in the address. — end quote —

Sean here –

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 23:09:56 +0000

Sean here –

For the folks who are city dwellers and are carless and or would prefer a car free adventure, look no further than our collective backyard and favorite mountain (s) –

Grabbed some nice pics yesterday of our paradise – hope you enjoy.

This is a repost –

Optimal conditions for hiking are here. If you are looking for someplace local to explore, check out this site for QR code-guided hikes. Smartphone required.

Kirk here. This is fairly rare but it may be something for people in the Tamana…

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:00:01 +0000

Kirk here. This is fairly rare but it may be something for people in the Tamana area or other agricultural areas to be aware of.

— quote from article — In response to this case, an advisory has been issued for the entire Kumamoto Prefecture, urging residents to take precautionary measures. These include wearing long sleeves and pants, using insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites, and eliminating areas with stagnant water that serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time Japan has seen cases of Japanese encephalitis. In 2022, a total of five cases, including one fatality, were reported in Kumamoto Prefecture alone. — end of quote —

Kirk here with some Kuma shochu news.

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 04:49:29 +0000

Kirk here with some Kuma shochu news.

Kirk here with a share from Untapped Kumamoto about cycling in Aso: "You can ren…

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:50:01 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Untapped Kumamoto about cycling in Aso: “You can rent a bicycle at JR Aso station and they are available on a first come, first served basis.”

https://www.facebook.com/untappedkumamoto/posts/pfbid0wN1bjtMjSvLQ96d2w2FAC7CrQoveToWrts89E4ivXX7kEK2KxnabUbtfiu8YPP8Ql

Kirk here with a story about an inspirational lady. (I think this is the second…

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 10:11:18 +0000

Kirk here with a story about an inspirational lady. (I think this is the second time for me to post about her work at the Shimotori McDonald’s.)

JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) has establish an office in Kumamoto to…

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:00:01 +0000

JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) has establish an office in Kumamoto to help foreign businesses. This is related to the arrival of TSMC and other related businesses in Kumamoto. – Kirk

Kirk here with old news about the Hassaku festival in Yamato-machi. Cute, huh?!

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:05:03 +0000

Kirk here with old news about the Hassaku festival in Yamato-machi. Cute, huh?!

Taiwanese food

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:20:04 +0000

Kirk here with an event schedule for the weekend of the 29th (Friday) to the 1st (Sunday). Taiwanese food!!

Kumamoto Oshiro Matsuri - Moon Viewing, Tea, and Music

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 11:00:02 +0000

Kirk here. Various events that are part of the Kumamoto Oshiro Matsuri are coming up. This one the 29th and 30th of this month and will involve moon viewing, tea, and music. For details, I have to ask you to look at the Japanese:

https://kumamoto-guide.jp/oshiromatsuri/events/detail/35

As far as I can see you have to be able to read Japanese in order to find out about specific events during the castle festival. Foreigners just get static explanations about the castle and other aspects of Kumamoto. I realize that posting information on specific events can be time-consuming but, now that Kumamoto City employees are being encouraged to use ChatGPT, maybe they’ll be able to start doing using AI to give foreign tourists better information.

Kirk here with an iguana update. This happened in Asagiri, in the Hitoyoshi ar…

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with an iguana update. This happened in Asagiri, in the Hitoyoshi area. (Note to headline editor: I think “captured” or “found” would have been better than “on the loose captured.”)

William Our friend Patrick Ijima-Washburn has provided this wonderful photo of …

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 06:03:06 +0000

William Our friend Patrick Ijima-Washburn has provided this wonderful photo of Mt Unzen, on the Shimabara peninsula across from Kumamoto, taken from Aso. Unzen is a dormant (for the moment) volcano, part of the arc which stretches from Okinawa up through Hokkaido and then around the Aleutian Islands down through the Americas - what is known as “the ring of fire.” Unzen is famous for an eruption in 1991 which generated a pyroclastic flow that killed 43 people. Shimabara is easily accessible from Kumamoto via ferry (and the ferry is cheap and fun - bring bread for the seagulls). The town itself is very walkable. It is particularly famous for its “武家屋敷” (samurai house district). Multiple historic residences are on a street lined with canals filled with koi. Note the residences’ entrances, which were designed to prevent unwanted intrusion from ninja. Panoramic photo courtesy of Patrick. Koi photo ripped from the Web.

Kirk here with some Yamaga school lunch news.

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 03:36:39 +0000

Kirk here with some Yamaga school lunch news.

Atsuko here.

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 22:59:34 +0000

Atsuko here. Yesterday was the autumnal equinox and the weather was crisp and autumnal. This is the autumn share of the countryside in Kumamoto, my home town of Nagomi machi. I love the white higanbana. Kumamoto is now in the season of delicious persimmons and chestnuts. I also made o-hagi (rice cakes). How to make Ohagi https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4290988224307910&id=123734781033296

Ezuko 2023 Trick or Trash Halloween Party

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 22:36:20 +0000

Sean here - Teen Powered could use one maybe two more teens leaders who are energetic, intelligent and not afraid of thinking differently.

Would really prefer a girl/women as we have enough boys/men at this time. This is an A list group of teens who are planning the 3rd annual Ezuko 2023 Trick or Trash Halloween Party

A great opportunity for the right young adult. Massage me, or Yuri, our volunteer coordinator@pen1000.kou@gmail.com

Kirk here. This post is not specific to Kumamoto. It's about the difficulty of…

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 12:27:05 +0000

Kirk here. This post is not specific to Kumamoto. It’s about the difficulty of unsubscribing from mailing lists in Japan vs. the U.S.

Here’s what I’ve noticed: Unsubscribing from mailing lists (that is, promotional e-mails you don’t want) is harder in Japan than in the U.S. The reason is that, in Japan, you have to be able to log in to your account with that company just to say “don’t send me any more stuff.” I first noticed this with Yahoo!Japan (which, by the way, is a particularly egregious spammer) but have since noticed that quite a few other companies follow this “spam-will-continue-until-you-are-able-to-log-in” policy too.

Yesterday was the SL Aso Boy's last hurrah, after 18 years. -- Kirk

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 08:40:28 +0000

Yesterday was the SL Aso Boy’s last hurrah, after 18 years. – Kirk

William There are few choices for international schools in Kumamoto, but as a L…

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 05:36:17 +0000

William There are few choices for international schools in Kumamoto, but as a Lutheran school (which is about as undogmatic as Christian sects go - their main dogma is “‘Sup?,” ) Kyushu Gakuin is about as good as it gets. It is a very old school, one of the first in Japan to be based on English. It also has a pretty good baseball team that, most years, get your hopes up by qualifying for Koshien and then quickly dashing them. A fundamental force at the school, Isao Kotegawa (or “Kote-chan,” as he’s known) published a photo of a group of Kyugaku students in San Francisco back in 1979. It must have been a shock for all involved! (And another photo - this is how old the school is!) The church is still there, but the classroom building is now modern. If you are raising an international child, Kyugaku would be a good consideration for JHS and HS. https://www.facebook.com/isao.kotegawa.3

William Addiction - whether to alcohol, drugs, or even sex! - can happen to any…

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 00:06:37 +0000

William Addiction - whether to alcohol, drugs, or even sex! - can happen to anyone. Kumamoto is fortunate to host Kikuyo Byoin, which focuses on treating these issues. Its spacious grounds are located in a secluded, wooded area - more like a resort than a hospital. The staff are kind and professional, and the food is very good. Days are spent with meetings on experiencing addiction and how to manage it. The hospital accepts national health insurance, which means it is probably cheaper to stay there than at home. PM me if you have any questions. https://www.kikuyouhp.jp/?fbclid=IwAR0Gscy96HzsQnKvzOH8_rkO7ThXZA32ZOdi2413-ZsnuiK49nvpgwWKs-I

Red spider lilies from Kuma Visit there. These flowers have two Japanese names:…

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 22:49:02 +0000

Red spider lilies from Kuma Visit there. These flowers have two Japanese names: manjushage (曼珠沙華) and higanbana (彼岸花). One theory about the etymology of manjushage is that it’s part of a Buddhist sutra with origins in Sanskrit. According to the theory, in the sutra, the sound of the Sanskrit word for “red” was translated into Chinese characters and that was then brought into Japanese. No wonder Japanese can seem pretty darn difficult at times!

Kirk here reporting that Hiromi Chida, founder of Kuma Visit, got written up in …

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:55:33 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Hiromi Chida, founder of Kuma Visit, got written up in Kumanichi Spice. Congratulations Hiromi! The article mentions her Facebook page, which I hope most of you already know about:

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit

It also mentions her multilingual radio program The Kuma Post, which is broadcast on Kumamoto City FM from 12:50 to 1:00 PM on Sundays.

https://fm791.jp/program/105

I must confess that I haven’t listened to it yet but I will soon!!

Kirk here. More air service between Taiwan in Kumamoto.

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 23:00:04 +0000

Kirk here. More air service between Taiwan in Kumamoto.

William China Airlines will launch flights to Taipei. This jumping off point mi…

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 21:05:08 +0000

William China Airlines will launch flights to Taipei. This jumping off point might be of use to other places of the world, much as Seoul is now. (And - wow! - Ive never seen such an empty flight!)

Quoth the newspaper: "The commercial land price increased by 32.4% in the adjac…

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 12:30:12 +0000

Quoth the newspaper: “The commercial land price increased by 32.4% in the adjacent town of Ozu, the highest in the country.”

Wow! – Kirk

apannews.yomiuri.co.jp/business/economy/20230920-137849/

語学に興味のある方へ、ぜひ最後まで読んでください

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 09:59:56 +0000

語学に興味のある方へ、ぜひ最後まで読んでください Kirk here. This article says that Kumamoto City is planning to begin using ChatGPT regularly in October. The city began testing usage of ChatGPT in June and 68% percent found it useful and said that that wanted to continue.

The article only described how ChatGPT will be used in very general terms (writing drafts of messages, etc.). Personally, I’d love to have more detail about exactly how they are using it.

Kirk here. This isn't an endorsement; just some information I came across and t…

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 07:00:02 +0000

Kirk here. This isn’t an endorsement; just some information I came across and thought some people might be interested in. I was reading a Japanese news article about preparing for the influx of foreigners to Kumamoto with the arrival of TSMC:

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/kumamoto/news/20230920-OYTNT50126/

The article mentions a company in Yamaga called SparkLingual, that is described as “operating a site (or sites?) that present information to foreigners who live in Kumamoto.” (熊本で暮らす外国人向けの情報サイトを運営する「スパークリンガル」) Since providing information to foreigners who in live Kumamoto happens to be a hobby of mine, I thought I’d check it out. I couldn’t find anything in English that fits the description in the article but I found the company website. One of the things they do is intercultural consultation. That seems to be the work that led them to be mentioned in the article. They also seem to be involved in with interpreting, translation, and language teaching – and are looking for employees (or at least their website gives that impression):

Hello Everyone 😃

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 06:00:37 +0000

Hello Everyone 😃

Olivia here, 😃

Helping a friend posting work opportunity in Kumamoto.

A Kindergarten in Kumamoto is looking for a Japanese Hip hop dance instructor who can teach elementary kids around 1st & 2nd graders. After school program.

The person needs not be a real professional as long as they have passion to teach kids.

Please contact this e-mail for further details:

marialourdes.kase@gmail.com

Look forward to hearing from you !

🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

William Death happens. It is inevitable, but without death, there would be an o…

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 02:16:48 +0000

William Death happens. It is inevitable, but without death, there would be an overwhelmingly lot of animals. A zebra died at the zoo recently. He will be missed.

Kirk here with something for people interested in improving their Japanese. As y…

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:27:03 +0000

Kirk here with something for people interested in improving their Japanese. As you can see, NHK’s NEWS WEB EASY site provides articles with furigana (to show the readings of words). Moreover, they let you control what you see. You can turn the furigana on and off and you can choose between simplified Japanese and the original article. I think it’s a great study tool. (I wish I had something like this when I was getting started.) This article is about kids in Amakusa learning about renkon (lotus roots).

William Bit of lighting on the castle.

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:16:11 +0000

William Bit of lighting on the castle.

Michelle Rounds Jazz Performance - Memorial Live

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 10:45:20 +0000

Liz here with some jazz information. First , let me apologize for the poor quality screenshot of the poster….

If you are a jazz fan , or just want a different kind of great evening out , keep your calendar open on October 13th. Michelle Rounds will be back in Kumamoto for a special gig at Swing. Michelle had been in Japan as a jazz vocalist based in Miyazaki , and has been based in Egypt for a number of years . She is a very dear friend of my late husband and I , and we all were avid fans of Nomoto san’s piano. This performance was intended to be with Shuichi Nomoto, but sadly he passed away while the gig was still in the planning stages , so it will be a memorial live. I will attach the poster . This is a rare chance to hear some amazing jazz. Please come and enjoy a drink and some great music.

This is a share from the Kumamoto City International Center. Here's the URL:

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 10:29:57 +0000

This is a share from the Kumamoto City International Center. Here’s the URL:

https://www.facebook.com/kcic.kif/posts/pfbid02joZvN1rw5GtwrWSyjA7RqxXCDC9znKtqeagT8Q3qP32uuf8qqgPH5DrrCEfJSUTWl

And here’s some text from the post:

— start quote — On the 2nd floor of the Kumamoto City International Centre, Plaza is a place where foreign residents can consult in a number of languages and where specialists can give you advice. Find out about multilingual consultation at the Plaza😃 You are always welcome. Come to Plaza when/if you don’t know who to consult. ♦The Kumamoto City Consultation and Support Plaza for Foreign Residents♦ Open：10:00-18:00 Close： 2nd & 4th Mondays (Tuesday in case Monday falls on a national holiday), Dec 29-Jan 3 — end quote —

Kirk here with an update on Kumamoto City's efforts to recognize foreign residen…

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 00:41:09 +0000

Kirk here with an update on Kumamoto City’s efforts to recognize foreign residents as community members, not merely as guests. Kumamoto City is doing this by saying that foreign residents are included in the concept of “shimin” (市民 – literally “person of the city”). This has been in the news this year because the city formally proposed changing the wording of the basic ordinance on local government (自治基本条例) to explicitly state that foreigner residents are shimin. When the city took public comment on this and other changes there was a good deal of criticism, much of it based on the misunderstanding that calling foreign residents “shimin” would give them (us) voting rights. That’s not the case but it’s easy to understand why people might think that; the English translation of “shimin” is “citizen” and so one might imagine that using this word implies full rights of citizenship (市民権).

Kirk here reporting a good experience at Toyomizu no yu, a "kazokuyu" (private b…

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 23:59:03 +0000

Kirk here reporting a good experience at Toyomizu no yu, a “kazokuyu” (private bathing) facility in Shisui-machi. Unless you happen to live in the area you’ll need to drive there but my wife and I were glad we did. (We bathed in the “hinoki” bath that I think is first picture. There’s another type of private bath outside.)

https://www.toyomizunoyu.com/

Kirk here. A while back, I made a calendar for this page. I thought my first a…

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 12:34:39 +0000

Kirk here. A while back, I made a calendar for this page. I thought my first attempt was working but I later realized that only editors could see it. This time, I think what I’ve made should be accessible to everyone. Here’s the URL:

https://kumamotoi.blogspot.com/2023/09/calendar.html

I pinned a post with a link to the calendar to the top of this Facebook page. If you’re interested in local events please check it out and give me your feedback. In particular, I hope you’ll let me know if there’s some kind of technical problem.

Kirk with what I think is a nice 5-minute video, and a professional sounding Bri…

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 07:00:02 +0000

Kirk with what I think is a nice 5-minute video, and a professional sounding British narrator, on the reconstruction of the castle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6NNknHEb4E

P.S. I originally posted a link to the Manila Times article but this takes you directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs video instead.

Kirk here. You can read a summary in English here:

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 03:05:01 +0000

Kirk here. You can read a summary in English here:

Match Results: Kumamoto Volters Defeat Taiwan Beer Leopards in Friendship Match https://www.archysport.com/2023/09/match-results-kumamoto-volters-defeat-taiwan-beer-leopards-in-friendship-match/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khyr2_cSZwA

Here's a share from the Kumanichi (local newspaper):

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:55:41 +0000

Here’s a share from the Kumanichi (local newspaper):

https://www.facebook.com/KUMANICHIs/posts/pfbid02oR2pH2XNAg6NyeSf8DJ4ZjjwYPUfmb6wNq9Kmooy6hhxx1qSHK3WhYFwsURRmTkvl

If you follow the links to the main page, you’ll find a montage video of many different horses in the festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_-BtoNeRjk&t=1s

They’re beautiful animals but as I watched, the English phrase “getting jerked around” came to mind. Most of the Japanese-language comments I see on the Facebook post now are positive but one person does express concern about the treatment of the horses.

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto for One Piece fans:

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 23:50:02 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto for One Piece fans:

https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/pfbid07D4vQyeccDDvYixEvXvpbFB8p9YLnzFqVX669mh8VyZUZCia4TAad6qWMxn2VifQl

Rock festival

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:00:01 +0000

Kirk here with a note about a rock festival to be held in Aso on the weekend of September 30 to October 1. There’s an English website (click on EN toward the top right) but the list of performers hasn’t been translated.

Photo showing the end of the Corona era.

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 05:50:10 +0000

Photo showing the end of the Corona era. This is the Kumamon air play equipment, inflatable play equipment seen at the Ryutsu Danchi Festival流通団地バザー on Saturday. Jumping and playing in closed, enclosed and confined spaces, which was forbidden in the Corona era.

In the Corona era, KUMAMON wore mask at Sakura Machi. When the masks were taken off, the mask of KUMAMON was also taken off, and then there was this fluffy KUMAMON playground equipment. Ah, it was impressive to see that the Corona era is really over now.ദ്ദി ˃ ᵕ ˂ )Atsuko.

Kirk here. This article from the Kumanichi reports that the Kumamoto chapter of…

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 01:03:04 +0000

Kirk here. This article from the Kumanichi reports that the Kumamoto chapter of Buraku Liberation Studies Association (my translation of 部落解放研究会) is reminding people not to refer to the festival as the “Boshita festival” because, according to the group, “boshita” is an abbreviation of the word “horoboshita” (滅ぼした; “we destroyed them”) and refers to Kato Kiyomasa’s participation in the invasion of Korea.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/9bfbae5e8ac77839211f88d83b8993e3dc9f5acb

In the past, participants in the festival would shout “Boshita, boshita” over and over. Now they shout “Doukai, doukai” (which I can’t explain the meaning of). But, a few decades ago, due to lobbying from the Buraku Liberation Studies Association and other human rights activists, “Boshita” was removed from all official references to the festival and the word shouted was changed to “Doukai” because “Boshita” was considered to celebrate the invasion of Korea. The complaint from the human rights group referred to in this article is that ordinary citizens continue to use the term “Boshita.” They are calling on people not to do so.

Kirk here with a video showing the early morning festivities today:

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 12:25:49 +0000

Kirk here with a video showing the early morning festivities today:

Kirk here with a short news article about the Janes' Residence:

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 12:05:51 +0000

Kirk here with a short news article about the Janes’ Residence:

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20230916-136596/

Though the article doesn’t mention it, Janes had a profound effect on his students, several of whom became quite famous. For more information, see the following two Wikipedia articles:

The Kumamoto Band (a group of his students) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumamoto_Band

Tokutomi Soho (perhaps his most famous student) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokutomi_Soh%C5%8D

Joe here, I'd like to pass on some good news from a teacher in Nagasaki but firs…

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 01:07:57 +0000

Joe here, I’d like to pass on some good news from a teacher in Nagasaki but first give a bit of background.

This list was originally a Yahoo groups and was started 25 years ago to support foreigners in a labor dispute with the Prefectural University. When you talk about labor disputes, especially in Japan, it is often difficult to count clear victories: It’s more provisional decisions that may help people in the future, but usually, the stronger side will simply wait out the weaker side and this was the case with the foreign teachers who struck at the prefectural university some 25 years ago.

Kirk here. Circus performers in Sakuramachi today. The video is of yesterday's …

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 23:30:00 +0000

Kirk here. Circus performers in Sakuramachi today. The video is of yesterday’s performance:

Parade

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 08:58:36 +0000

Here’s a map showing the route for tomorrow’s parade:

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid033F52ix22SGBB3RTTa55SynbMZnsfmDfytqdc3twYL2VvEVnJRMYLNgCrqCeRes5Al

For details about the schedule in English, please see the previous post from the Kuma Visit page:

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid0nWPivrircGyfV2vjTtSjjzGvVPP2ofpdpuuDZiRNDrb3BNhADW6o7iyWXzAy1M11l

– Kirk

藤崎八旛宮例大祭

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 08:43:29 +0000

Kirk with an update regarding the rules that govern the treatment of horses in tomorrow’s festival (Sunday, the 17th). This is part of a document called “藤崎八旛宮例大祭の注意事項” (Rules pertaining to the Fujisaki Hachimangu Reitaisai) and it was issued last year by the “藤崎八旛宮飾馬奉納団体奉賛会” (Committee to Support the Presentation of Decorated Horses to Fujisaki Hachimangu).

In regard to the question of how one cannot treat the horses, it says that they cannot be abused under any circumstances (zettai ni) and, in parentheses, lists hitting a horse and hanging from a horse’s mane as prohibited kinds of treatment. My personal opinion is that it’s good that people are told that the horses may not be abused but this strikes me as rather weak. One problem is that this statement is prefaced with something that means “Agreements made with the police and animal rights groups.” Well, I understand that there have been discussions with animal rights groups and the police but is it really necessary to include words indicating that such-and-such is in response to complaints from these two entities? It gives me the impression that they are saying “this isn’t coming from us.” Another problem I see is that the issue of making horses kick their rear legs (後ろ蹴り) isn’t mentioned. The statement is so brief that there’s a good deal of room, in my view, for interpretation.

Guided tour at Suizenji Jyoujuen

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 07:16:57 +0000

Thank you! Discovery Kumamoto(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡Atsuko. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Enjoy the guided tour at Suizenji Jyoujuen!

Suizenji Jyoujuen includes the garden with the pond, the tea house, two shrines, the statue of the Hosokawa clan, the riding track of horseback archery, and the Noh stage.

You can see the typical traditional Japanese garden there. It has its own aesthetics and offers a picturesque reproduction of natural scenery which people in old time saw when they walked along Tokaido, the main route between Edo (present Tokyo) and Kyoto in the Edo period.

Kumamoto Autumn Sake Festival 2023

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 04:57:51 +0000

Kirk here. There’s a sake festival in progress at Amu Plaza:

— start quote — The fourth sake event! “Kumamoto Autumn Sake Festival 2023” will be held from September 15th (Friday) to 17th (Sunday)! — end quote — https://www.jrkumamotocity.com/en/amu/news/857

You can see a TV report about the opening day here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPsB2MsMc54

Kirk here. I wrote earlier that Mr. Kihara (politician from Kumamoto who has be…

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 04:47:37 +0000

Kirk here. I wrote earlier that Mr. Kihara (politician from Kumamoto who has become defense minister) has a reputation of being quite conservative. He’s also considered to be very pro-Taiwan, as this article indicate. HIs pro-Taiwan stance no doubt has something to do with the growing importance of Taiwan to Kumamoto’s economy but I think it’s fair to say that it’s also an extension of his view of China as a threat to Japan and of Taiwan as an ally in that context. I don’t know the details about his proposal that “Japan use ‘counterattack capabilities’ to resist a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) invasion” but I hope his hawkishness on China doesn’t lead to an escalation of tensions.

Kirk here. A while back I complained that the prefecture's website doesn't seem…

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 01:57:03 +0000

Kirk here. A while back I complained that the prefecture’s website doesn’t seem to have a section devoted to providing information to foreign residents. Since then, I’ve learned that the prefecture has a “Kumamoto Support Center for Foreign Residents” and that such information can be found there. Here’s the address of the Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/KumamotoSupportCenterforForeignResidents

You’ll find a link there to the free online Japanese classes that caused my complaint in the first place. Similar information is available on the Center’s webpage:

William Personal note: I've been somewhat disabled with a knee injury and have …

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 23:19:08 +0000

William Personal note: I’ve been somewhat disabled with a knee injury and have become addicted to spy/action novels (Tom Clancey and the like). If any have some to give/trade, I would be grateful.

江津湖トリック＆トラッシュハロウィーンパーティー

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 21:42:04 +0000

Sean here – Looking for a couple of kids who might be interested in being involved in this event. A good opportunity for the right kid. English in not needed. Teens are involved from planning to completion. Last year, they raised 30,000 and introduced the concept of the 4 R’s to 30 kids. Win, Win, Win They also get a letter of accomplishment to be used as part of Uni entrance or HS entrance applications.

We launched the 4th annual 2023 Ezuko, Trick or Trash Halloween Party, planning committee. October 29th 2023

Kirk here with news for sunflower fans. The place is Minamiaso and the photo wa…

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 11:00:05 +0000

Kirk here with news for sunflower fans. The place is Minamiaso and the photo was taken on the 12th.

William A friend had mentioned that he'd signed up for Kumamoto Marathon. Aside…

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:42:13 +0000

William A friend had mentioned that he’d signed up for Kumamoto Marathon. Aside from its high entry fee (14,500円! - that’s an expensive T-shirt), their desire to make it a fast, easy to maintain course means it is incredibly boring. When I still had knees, my favorite marathon route went along Shirakawa to Kita Bypass, across the bridge, then along a route called “Cypress Road” (read about it here: https://www.kikuyotsu-rizumu.jp/route01_07.html) to Milk Road in Ozu. This road is also very historic: it was this which, during the Edo era’s required residency of lords (called “sankin-kōtai https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankin-k%C5%8Dtai), the Hosokawa clan travelled to Oita and took a boat from there. From my house to Milk Road entrance was exactly marathon-distance - plus, there’s a 7-11 at the turnaround for refreshments! As the route follows the railroad, there are very few traffic lights. Get a few friends and enjoy your marathon on an historic route for free! - or create your own using Google Maps.

Fireworks in Asagiri Machi

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Fireworks in Asagiri Machi (near Hitoyoshi) on October 14th. – Kirk

https://kumanichi.com/event/1169390

William Times are one wants free money and might be tempted to make it oneself.…

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 02:27:49 +0000

William Times are one wants free money and might be tempted to make it oneself. Kumanichi reports on the arrest of four Vietnamese nationals (coulda been any nationality - counterfeiting knows no borders) in Nagasu who attempted to exchange six “old” ￥10,000 notes (the ones with Fukuzawa Yukichi, a Meiji era philosopher and the founder of Keio University) for new ones (which also feature Fukuzawa but add additional patterns and security features) in Tamana. Apparently, the suspects imported 100 counterfeit old 10,000 yen bills from Vietnam to Fukuoka Airport. In 2024, we’ll see an entirely new ￥10,000 note featuring Shibusawa Eiichi, known today as the “father of Japanese capitalism.” https://kumanichi.com/articles/1171799

Kirk here. In addition to the availability of lots of clean ground water and pr…

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:06:09 +0000

Kirk here. In addition to the availability of lots of clean ground water and proximity to Japan, TSMC seems to like Kumamoto because of its assessment of the local work ethic:

“TSMC sees workers in Japan, which is known for long hours and strong commitment to employers, as more willing to work a punishing schedule with overtime as chipmaking machines run around the clock in sterile clean rooms, the sources said.”

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto. This is just one of several posts…

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto. This is just one of several posts I’m tempted to share. If you’re not familiar with the page check it out. There have been some interesting posts about Yamato-machi recently (Tsujunkyo, Gorogataki, the Hassaku Festival etc.).

https://www.facebook.com/reel/6850294051658115

William A bit of history regarding the Autumn Great Festival (or Boshita, or 藤崎…

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 06:18:02 +0000

William A bit of history regarding the Autumn Great Festival (or Boshita, or 藤崎八旛宮秋季例大祭): apparently, its roots go back to a type of festival known as “Hojo-e” (放生会), which (somewhat ironically given allegations of cruelty towards the horses) was held with the aim of ``having compassion for all life, admonishing killing, and giving thanks for the autumn harvest.’’ This in turn comes from the principle of non-killing in East Asia’s Mahayana Buddhism. Memorial services held during this period included those for such animals as those killed due to unavoidable circumstances and dead pets. Records appear to exist dating a Hojo-e held in Fukuoka in 919. Two Websites for reference: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%94%BE%E7%94%9F%E4%BC%9A https://www.hakozakigu.or.jp/omatsuri/houjoya/

The Fujisaki Hachimangu festival got started yesterday with lion dancing (shishi…

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 01:37:36 +0000

The Fujisaki Hachimangu festival got started yesterday with lion dancing (shishimai; 獅子舞), a 400-year-old tradition. Then, the lions went around biting (or pretending to bite) people. Getting bitten by a lion is considered to be good luck. The idea seems to be that the lion is eating any evil spirits that might be attached to you – kind of like a monkey picking bugs off another monkey for lunch. But, some kids who got bitten weren’t buying it. ;)

英国フェア

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:00:01 +0000

Kirk here with a followup to Williams post about the British Fair (英国フェア) underway at Tsuruya, which will last until next Tuesday (the 19th). Actually, I didn’t notice William’s post before started writing this one; please for give some overlap.

The picture of the scones is from the Tsuruya website, which has the details about the event:

https://www.tsuruya-dept.co.jp/saiji/britishfair/index.html

The spot I saw about this on RKK showed fish and chips being made and sold. That wasn’t on the Tsuruya website so I took the fish-and-chips photo from the following Kumanichi article, which was published today on the opening of the fair:

Jazz Performance

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 10:00:06 +0000

Kirk here with event news for jazz fans. The event will be held in Suizenji Jojuen (Suizenji Park) on the 29th of September and the price is right: free! Moreover, I think the quality of the performances will be very good. I’m kind of a snob when it comes to jazz so I didn’t want to recommend the event without some evidence that the quality would be good. And I found very convincing evidence of that quality in the form of a YouTube video of the jazz pianist, Tomoko Sonoda:

英国フェア

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:57:49 +0000

William Tsuruya is having what they call an “English Fair” 「英国フェア」from today through the 19th. Apparently, there are scones and tea and fish ’n chips. And antiques, and goods branded with the British flag. This NSFW clip is about all I know re: London https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=291kT7LvQ0k https://kumanichi.com/articles/1170452

Kirk here with news about a run-away iguana.

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:12:52 +0000

Kirk here with news about a run-away iguana.

P.S. Who would keep a 2-meter iguana as a pet?

Kirk here reporting that KIHARA Minoru (Kumamoto) is Japan's new Minister of Def…

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 11:48:11 +0000

Kirk here reporting that KIHARA Minoru (Kumamoto) is Japan’s new Minister of Defense.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-PM-Kishida-to-replace-foreign-defense-ministers

I think his fans and detractors would both agree that he’s quite conservative. He is, for example, an member of the very conservative (some would say reactionary) Nippon Kaigi:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Kaigi

If you’d like to see previous Kumamoto International posts about Mr. Kihara, please click on the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/profile/100064554018003/search/?q=kihara

Kirk here with pedestrian crossing (oudan hodou; 横断歩道) news. Drivers are requir…

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:40:16 +0000

Kirk here with pedestrian crossing (oudan hodou; 横断歩道) news. Drivers are required to yield to pedestrians waiting at a crosswalk not governed by a traffic light. However, it has frequently be pointed out on this page that not all drivers will stop for you. But, you may have noticed that the situation is improving; I’ve certainly noticed a change on my daily walks. The graph shows the increase percentage of drivers who stop, as required, at crosswalks. The numbers start in 2018, where those who stop properly are clearly in the minority. By 2022 the figure for Kumamoto in 57.3%, considerably higher than the national average of 39.8%.

I think lots of humans would like to live longer, healthier lives. Research at …

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 02:18:01 +0000

I think lots of humans would like to live longer, healthier lives. Research at Kumamoto University on naked mole-rats (not those dressed-up mole rats) may lead to important discoveries that, in turn, may help us do so (maybe ;) ). – Kirk

Kirk here with something for sunflower fans about and event in Yanagawa:

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 11:00:01 +0000

Kirk here with something for sunflower fans about and event in Yanagawa:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=780399150759983

Yanagawa is just beyond the border with Kumamoto in Fukuoka prefecture. Yanagawa is also known for its canals, on which tourists can enjoy tours. For more information about that see the following page (which is the source of the second photo):

https://www.ana-cooljapan.com/destinations/fukuoka/yanagawarivercruising

Kirk here coming back to the Fujisakigu festival. I found a book in my universi…

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 07:44:55 +0000

Kirk here coming back to the Fujisakigu festival. I found a book in my university’s library that presents interesting information about the festival (see cover image). On pages 78 and 79, it says that in 1982, public dissatisfaction with the involvement of yakuza in the festival (apparently, yakuza groups were shaking down folks in town by demanding “contributions” to fund their participation in the festival) and the abuse of horses. In response, a “Fujisakigu Reitasai Decorated Horse Supervisory Committee” was established and a set of rules written up and distributed. In 1983, four groups that were found to be in violation of the rules were banned from the festival the following year. Impressive! But, the author doesn’t say (at least not in this part of the chapter) whether or not such enforcement of rules was continued in following years.

Kirk here with an introduction to an article titled "TSMC Kumamoto fab expected …

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:31:02 +0000

Kirk here with an introduction to an article titled “TSMC Kumamoto fab expected to spur Taiwanese investment in Japan.” The most interesting aspect of the article to me was the graphic you see. Kumamoto is Fab 23 (fabrication plant no. 23) and will be producing chips that have transistors that are between 12 to 28 nanometers big. This is not as good as what is produced in Taiwan where 3 nm chips are already being made and 2 nm chips are in development. The size of the chips is important “because the smaller the size of a single transistor, the [more] tightly they can be packed together” thus making faster, more powerful chips:

Kirk here with a lengthy article that I highly recommend for fruit history buffs…

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:28:03 +0000

Kirk here with a lengthy article that I highly recommend for fruit history buffs (I know you’re out there ;) ). The article explores the roots of Kumamoto’s banpeiyu industry in Japan’s colonization of Taiwan. Currently, “Kumamoto accounts for 96% of Japan’s entire banpeiyu harvest, and the southern Kumamoto city of Yatsushiro is a particular specialist in the fruit, which is harvested in winter and has become a popular seasonal gift.”

I went to Ezuko for a little walk after the rain. I was not disappointed. :) -…

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:04:35 +0000

I went to Ezuko for a little walk after the rain. I was not disappointed. :) – Kirk

Kirk here. This guy's videos are fun to watch. And, if you have any interest i…

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 06:49:53 +0000

Kirk here. This guy’s videos are fun to watch. And, if you have any interest in using a smartphone to make entertaining videos yourself, I think you’ll get some good ideas from watching them. The first half of each video is a sort of “making of” video (showing how he does it) and that’s followed by the final product. All of the videos published so far show fun things to do in the Ashikita area.

South African cuisine

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 05:48:16 +0000

South African cuisine on the 16th at the YMCA. Yumm. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/ywcakumamoto/posts/pfbid02UzqqqavmWTrN8qwRWG7p6T6892UWoVFxcgS56mGqTiajYYSQUXGAChjKuN7nNCLul

To find more events like this one, check out the Kumamoto International Events Calendar:

https://www.facebook.com/events/calendar

"This event was not just about flying from one city to another; it symbolized th…

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 04:21:17 +0000

“This event was not just about flying from one city to another; it symbolized the strong ties between Taiwan and Japan and opened up new opportunities for travelers.” – quoted by Kirk

Kirk again with the last in my three-part series on the treatment of horses in t…

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 13:55:56 +0000

Kirk again with the last in my three-part series on the treatment of horses in the upcoming festival. The picture you see is from the Wikipedia page about the festival:

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%97%A4%E5%B4%8E%E5%85%AB%E6%97%9B%E5%AE%AE%E7%A7%8B%E5%AD%A3%E4%BE%8B%E5%A4%A7%E7%A5%AD

The placement of a picture of a horse kicking up its hind legs (with someone at the horse’s side doing who knows what) on the Wikipedia page fits with my contention that making horses kick like this is a feature of the festival, not something that a few “bad apples” make their horses do. This photo seems to have been chosen by editors of the Wikipedia page with pride, not as an indictment.

William Yeah - yeah, this is the guy. If I held him in a splayed hand, he'd ove…

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 13:11:58 +0000

William Yeah - yeah, this is the guy. If I held him in a splayed hand, he’d overflow my fingertips. Funny thing is he scuttled to a spot mid-wall, as if that would make him invisible. Spiders are not known for their intelligence. This guy is an アシダカグモ (“big-legged spider,” probably as they have big friggin’ legs), or Heteropoda venatoria, or huntsman spider. Here’s the good thing: they are totally not interested in you, but they will eat every single cockroach that they can detect with eyes on top of their head which can see even behind them. So while you might be startled to see one, leave him alone and the next morning you’ll be delighted to find chunks of cockroach husks on your genkan floor.

Kirk again. Sorry for the multiple posts in regard to the free Japanese classes…

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 06:48:17 +0000

Kirk again. Sorry for the multiple posts in regard to the free Japanese classes. I found that Misato-machi published an announcement. If you were able to read the Japanese on the Misato-machi page you be able to find a link to the pdf of the posted I’ve included as an image with this.

Even though the main page is only in Japanese, I think it’s important to give Misato-machi credit for posting this on this 6th while the prefecture and many other government bodies seem to have done nothing at all.

Kirk here with a footnote to my post about free online Japanese language classes…

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 06:33:08 +0000

Kirk here with a footnote to my post about free online Japanese language classes:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0yHj3wtihhCAr1XwpEyeDvHFp8HW9ud7R61s4DMeN1k7W7fPanZXj2cQfvdjFQvFml

The press release you see says that the classes are free because the company is providing the service at the request of the prefecture (熊本県の委託を受けて). In my previous post, I complained a bit about the failure of the prefecture to promote this opportunity. After doing so, I found myself thinking “Could it really be the case that no one has tried to get the word out about this in English?” So, I did a Google search with “Attain Online Japanese Kumamoto.” But, even though all of the words I used for the search are English, the only information I was able to find about the opportunity was in Japanese (e.g. the press release in this post). It’s only been a day since the official press release came out so perhaps the prefecture is planning to follow up in the coming days. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see – before I call them ask them to ask about it.

Kirk here with a follow-up to the "abareuma" (pissed off horse) feature of the F…

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 05:04:21 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to the “abareuma” (pissed off horse) feature of the Fujisakigu festival. As I wrote in a previous post about how horses are made to kick up their hind legs and act wild, I’ve come to the conclusion that “pissed-off horses” (that is, abareuma) are not an “unfortunate side effect” but, rather, a primary feature of the festival:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid04eyYQicYycqGaaxXLNVm4NB5a3NA3H77R6Bj8xCuRbpgrgponZXwsrHGrrzkc3iEl

When I searched for “暴れ馬” (abareuma), the Roasso football (soccer) logo kept coming up. That lead me to the following page which explains that the horse you see in the Roasso emblem is indeed a reference to the “pissed-off horses” in the local festival.

Kirk here. I just published a little video. Here's the link:

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 04:36:16 +0000

Kirk here. I just published a little video. Here’s the link:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1064426558300151

I took a short segment from the following YouTube video to make this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LlcDKnNooI

The video is from 2013 and seems to have been made merely to record and share how “cool” the horses in the festival are. One thing the festival is famous for is the 暴れ馬 (abareuma). “Abareru” means to be violent, go on the rampage, go berserk, etc. If I were a horse and a guy stuck his hand between my legs and tried to grab my private parts, I would probably go berserk too.

William The Mainichi writes about a British researcher at KU who, having lived …

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 03:54:54 +0000

William The Mainichi writes about a British researcher at KU who, having lived through the quakes of 2016, has written a booklet about how to deal with earthquakes. https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230413/p2a/00m/0na/020000c It also reserves as a reminder to stay prepared for the next “big one.” In particular, discussing with loved ones about where to meet should the quake happen during the daytime is important.

Online Beginner's Japanese Language Class for Foreigners

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 03:41:05 +0000

Kirk here with some information about free Japanese language classes offered online. Ironically, I learned about this opportunity from an Japanese language (!) article that announced it. Here’s a DeepL translation of some key sentences I pick out from the announcement:

— begin quote — We are pleased to announce that we will be holding an online beginner’s Japanese language class for foreigners living in Kumamoto Prefecture on behalf of Kumamoto Prefecture. The deadline for registration is September 22nd. Application forms are available in English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Tagalog. This time, we are pleased to offer free online lessons to foreign residents in Kumamoto Prefecture, where the number of foreign workers is on the rise. We hope you will take this opportunity to sign up for the lessons, as they are easy to take even for those who do not know where to start learning. — end quote —

Anne Norman Shakuhachi Performance - Kumamoto-Australia Friendship Celebration

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 12:51:42 +0000

Kirk here with a quick heads-up about a celebration of friendship between the people of Kumamoto and Australia. On Sunday, Australian shakuhachi master Anne Norman will perform on the 5th floor of the Kumamoto Shintoshin Plaza (near Kumamoto Station). More information can be found in the first image I’m sharing and on the following page:

https://www.kumamoto-australia.com/50%E5%91%A8%E5%B9%B4%E8%A8%98%E5%BF%B5%E3%82%A4%E3%83%99%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88

In addition, you can get a sense of Anne Norman’s style of performance here:

SL Aso Boy Steam Locomotive - Last Hurrah

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 03:58:24 +0000

Kirk here. I’m pretty sure this one-day-only resurrection of the “SL Aso Boy” steam locomotive sold out immediately. So, I think the only option left for fans is to wave at the train as it passes by on Friday, September 22nd. This is a sort “last hurrah” for the steam locomotive, which is slated for retirement in the spring, after a century of service.

Kirk here with a post about RKK's coverage of the Vietnamese community in Kumamo…

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 02:46:21 +0000

Kirk here with a post about RKK’s coverage of the Vietnamese community in Kumamoto. （日本語を読まれる方へ　最後に日本語があります。読んでいただければ幸いです。）

I’m linking to a text + pictures version of the TV report that was published on the web. Unfortunately, they haven’t published the original video but, if you read Japanese, you can get the idea.

One interesting point made in the video is that the number of Vietnamese residents of Kumamoto is now larger than that of any other country (see image; 6000 Vietnamese residents!). The segment also included lots of information about delicious Vietnamese food. With the growth of the Vietnamese community, the number of Vietnamese restaurants has also increased significantly. The descriptions made me want to start making the rounds. :)

Drive-in fireworks

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 01:18:30 +0000

Drive-in fireworks tomorrow (Sept. 9) at Kumamoto Port. – Kirk

Good morning! Kirk here. This post is a follow up to a very nice post William …

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 01:00:46 +0000

Good morning! Kirk here. This post is a follow up to a very nice post William did on the same topic:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02tY2U9PkVHicE2HkNzSjwpDwjddKCfuYEXjC52HFMhVARAUv6fThQdfasbA7u7bEl

Thanks again to William and everyone who commented at the time for your kind words. At that point, though, we were still shy of the “5,000 likes” mark. Last night, however, we passed it so I thought I’d write a bit about the current “State of the Page,” so to speak.

藤崎八旛宮秋季例大祭

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:48:56 +0000

William Valid concerns have been raised regarding the maltreatment of horses during the Fujisaki Hachimangu Autumn Festival (藤崎八旛宮秋季例大祭, popularly known as “boshita”). In addition, I find the seemingly endless procession repetitive and lacking in creativity. There is, though, a work-around: Get up at 4:00 and head straight to the shrine to watch the preparations. All is eerily quiet save for the clanking of armor and the whinnying of nervous horses dimly aware that this is turning out to be not an average day. If lucky, you can observe the mayor (or is it governor?), who leads the procession, mount his steed. It is photography heaven. Afterwards, go home and back to bed. If you’d like, you can go back in the evening to watch the exhausted procession return. The procession itself begins at 6:00. Photo nabbed from this site: beautiful-world-kyushu.com/fujisakigu/

"A plum by any other name would taste as sweet." I'm pretty sure that the fruit…

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 09:26:25 +0000

“A plum by any other name would taste as sweet.” I’m pretty sure that the fruit you see would be labeled “Plums” in the US, where I’m from. A “prune,” by contrast, is usually a dried plum. But Wikipedia tells me that, “prune” can also refer to the “firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of Prunus domestica varieties that have a high soluble solids content, and do not ferment during drying.” So, I guess it’s not exactly incorrect to call these prunes – just confusing to old prunes, I mean “people,” like me.

Kirk here with a tip for archaeologists of the future: If you look inside the re…

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:04:44 +0000

Kirk here with a tip for archaeologists of the future: If you look inside the rebuilt walls of Kumamoto Castle, you may find some stones that were decorated by local children way back in 2023. The one in the cover image says “I love Kumamoto Castle” and has picture of Kumamon, a mythic creature worshipped by natives at the time. ;)

https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/kab/region/kab-20230905-00007776.html

Kirk with some news that both interested and frustrated me.

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 04:31:24 +0000

Kirk with some news that both interested and frustrated me.

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/san-antonios-gift-from-japan-the-tale-of-the-tranquil-kumamoto-en-garden-relaxing-japanese-botanical-garden-bexar-county-community-enjoyment-entertainment

First, though the article doesn’t explain it, I learned that the bronze statue is of Naoko SHIRANE (白根直子), a member of the very famous and powerful Mitsui family (think of the bank, the manufacturing enterprises, etc.). She’s not from Kumamoto but it seems that she took an interest in and helped promote the sister relationship between Kumamoto and San Antonio:

William "Bueller? Bueller?" in Kumamoto classrooms may be queried by a robot, a…

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 02:38:33 +0000

William “Bueller? Bueller?” in Kumamoto classrooms may be queried by a robot, according to this article, which notes “that officials hope will encourage absentee children to attend classes remotely and eventually coax them back to school. … “Aside from letting them view the classes, the robots allow students to move freely in the classroom space and communicate with their classmates,” a board official told the newspaper. “Hopefully, this can help lower the mental hurdles for truant students.””

William Many are aware that Mt Kimpo is a volcano (dormant at that, according t…

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 09:22:04 +0000

William Many are aware that Mt Kimpo is a volcano (dormant at that, according to a geologist friend). It’s history to date is shown in the illustration (the caldera used to be a lake! - cool if it still were, eh?) https://www.mifunemuseum.jp/kumamotogeo/kinpouzan.html The road from town to Kawachi Port passes through a very narrow part of the caldera, following a small stream. Halfway down is an establishment called Yuuhouen. On the left is a bit of parking and a wonderful restaurant which is famous for their ayu cooked over sumi (which they make themselves) at your table. There is also nagashi somen. Many tables are on a veranda perched above the stream - it’s like eating outside. On the right are their orchards, which cling to the caldera edge on an impossibly steep slope. There are various crops spread over a vast area. Now is grape season - pick all you want; they’ll weigh them at the counter. Their website indicates which fruit is available during which season. They also have the healthiest free-range chickens you’ll ever see (they have to run up and down the hill all day; their meat is available in the restaurant, and is unlike any chicken you’ve ever tasted). The family which runs the place is the friendliest that can be. September is a perfect time to visit. You’ll need a car. https://www.yuuhouen.com/

2023 ETJ Kyushu English Language Teaching Expo

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 06:07:17 +0000

Fiona here, sharing an opportunity for local English teachers to present at the upcoming ETJ Kyushu Expo in nearby Fukuoka.

2023 ETJ Kyushu English Language Teaching Expo: Call for Presentations Kyushu Expo: Sunday, November 19, 2023 At Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka City Proposals Due: Thursday, October 23, 2023

Would you or perhaps a colleague of yours like to present at the Expo? We’re looking for local presenters at this time. It’s a great chance to develop your own teaching skills as well as to share your ideas with other teachers and contribute to the teaching community. Topic areas and target audiences can range through all aspects of teaching English at all ages and in all situations. Topics related to the business of teaching English or operating a school are also welcome.

Kirk here. I'm not a fan a gruesome news like this but it happened here and bec…

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 05:00:03 +0000

Kirk here. I’m not a fan a gruesome news like this but it happened here and became national news so I guess I should share it.

Kirk here with some notes about the machine translation of this Japanese article…

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 03:52:18 +0000

Kirk here with some notes about the machine translation of this Japanese article using Chat-GPT-3.5. Here’s the opening paragraph, which I think is basically accurate:

— start translation — Tsuruya Department Store and JR Kumamoto City will start selling premium shopping vouchers that allow you to shop for 12,000 yen with a 10,000 yen purchase from the 8th onwards. These vouchers are being sold as part of the city’s measures against rising prices and are available to residents of Kumamoto City or those commuting or attending school in the city. — end translation —

The economic benefits of TSMC's arrival may be even better than originally antic…

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 23:00:02 +0000

The economic benefits of TSMC’s arrival may be even better than originally anticipated. – Kirk

Kirk with potato chip news. If we get anything about dip we'll publish it here …

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:00:20 +0000

Kirk with potato chip news. If we get anything about dip we’ll publish it here without fear or favor (always the highest journalistic standards, you know).

Kirk here. I saw a segment on RKK last night about kids from Taiwan (here with …

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:59:50 +0000

Kirk here. I saw a segment on RKK last night about kids from Taiwan (here with their parents who have come with TSMC) beginning their studies at Kumamoto International School (KIS). English is the primary language of instruction but they have staff who can help the kids with Chinese when needed. And, they also get lesson’s in Japanese. In the RKK segment, Principal Mathew Ohm described his vision for the students in excellent Japanese. Congratulations to Mr. Ohm and everyone at the school on this milestone!

The Great Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 07:00:05 +0000

The Great Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine is coming up on the 17th of this month. The second URL takes you to an RKK TV report about getting the armor ready to be worn in the parade.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Festival_of_Fujisaki_Hachimangu_Shrine

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d394e3e0159a7adddd8f7fca166a5e3e57217f0b

I find the explanation on the Wikipedia page about the name “Boshita” to be problematic. It’s an extreme oversimplification of a very complicated issue. I may post about that some other day.

William It's easy to forget how close Kumamoto is to the sea. Kumanichi reports…

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 03:45:39 +0000

William It’s easy to forget how close Kumamoto is to the sea. Kumanichi reports on a wayward ray spotted near Kumamoto Station. One hopes he figured out how to get back to Ariake - the river only has two directions, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1159396 Cooling weather invites outdoor activities. A wonderful bicycle ride takes the left bank (facing seaward) of Shirakawa all the way to Ariake. In town, ride along a small road at the foot of the levee; there is little traffic, and tunnels under each crossroad means no lights. Outside of town (at a small temple called 十禅寺), a steep flight of steps leads to a path atop the levee and unimpeded access to the sea with wonderful views. As an extension, when you reach the sea, turn left and continue on to Kumamoto Port (the bridge there would be the only hill on the route). Happy trails!

Kirk here with an article published in a Chinese newspaper presenting a criticis…

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:26 +0000

Kirk here with an article published in a Chinese newspaper presenting a criticism from Koichiro Matsunaga, a Minamata disease victim I have met many times. He’s quoted as saying that the Japanese government “completely failed to learn from the lessons of Minamata disease.”

https://english.news.cn/20230901/bb1d8c4a2d74470c96faf346d85fbb8d/c.html

Now, it’s not surprising that Chinese media would publish an article critical of Japan’s dump of waste water in Fukushima; after all, it’s government policy for China. But, that doesn’t mean that Mr. Matsunaga is being misquoted or that there is no reasonable basis for his concerns. A little publication called “National Geographic” (you may have heard of it) published an article in which the possibility of isotopes accumulating “in a variety of invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, and humans” was presented.

SUIZENJI KOI AKARI

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 08:21:05 +0000

SUIZENJI KOI AKARI @SUIZENJI park tonight. Atsuko(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

みずあかり Mizuakari

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 07:42:16 +0000

Atsuko here. Dear Mizuakari fans.

みずあかり Mizuakari, the autumn festival in Kumamoto, will be held again this year on the 7th and 8th of October.

Mizuakari is beautiful to watch and enjoy, but it is even more fun if you volunteer to take part. Yesterday I took part with my daughter. Volunteers are also needed to help out in the city centre on 7 and 8 October. It’s also fun to work with the あかりびと Akaribito, who turn on the lights.

According to the third URL below, Kounoyu (こうの湯）, a ryokan in the Kurokawa Onsen…

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 07:40:09 +0000

According to the third URL below, Kounoyu (こうの湯）, a ryokan in the Kurokawa Onsen area, is the most popular onsen ryokan in Kyushu in the 1 to 10 room category. Looking at the website is making me want to save up some money (such facilities tend not to be cheap) for a visit. – Kirk

P.S. I’m linking to the English side of their site, which I think it pretty good. But, one thing I don’t like about it as that there’s no link from the English back to the Japanese (clicking on “English” is basically a one-way ticket). This is problematic in part because the Japanese side has a much better interface for checking for openings and making reservations. I see this as another example of the assumption that people who might want to look at an English-language website couldn’t possibly have any reason to (or be able to understand) the Japanese website. :(

Click here to see the current list of events:

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 06:03:51 +0000

Click here to see the current list of events: https://kumamotoi.blogspot.com/2023/09/calendar.html I’ll keep this post “pinned” to the top of the page so that you can find the link easily. – Kirk

This extensive article discusses various ways in which Kumamon is being used to …

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 01:16:52 +0000

This extensive article discusses various ways in which Kumamon is being used to promote tourism.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20230902-133726/

It says that Kumamon Square is is located in the “Tetoria Kumamoto Building,” which probably won’t help most people find it. Here’s a page that shows its location in the Tsuruya Department Store downtown:

https://www.kumamon-sq.jp/en/

Note that “Suidocho” should be capitalized. – Kirk

liz here , with an update for Kirk's post about the festivities underway in Yama…

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 23:27:32 +0000

liz here , with an update for Kirk’s post about the festivities underway in Yamato yesterday and today. The fireworks (which were lovely to watch with a cool breeze after dark) are over, but if you have the time and access to a car (about a hour drive from downtown Kumamoto) I highly recommend going today. The creations (floats? ) are absolutely amazing. Today they will be paraded through the main street, and I expect there will be lots of spectators but worth braving the crowds. You can park at the elementary school and the beautiful Tsuujunkyou bridge will be releasing water several times in the afternoon. It’s within walking distance from the school parking lot. I will leave further glowing comments to Jane in the comments .

Classic Persian rugs, anyone? On display at the Kumamoto Prefectural Tradition…

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Classic Persian rugs, anyone? On display at the Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center (Dento Kogei Kan).

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4a22b552c3661bab00d9454a0f111635e11ec6b1

Here’s a link to an English introduction to the facility: https://kumamoto-guide.jp/en/spots/detail/127

And here’s what can be found in English on the official website of the facility: https://kumamoto-kougeikan.jp/visiting/

Fireworks Show

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:56:54 +0000

Sorry for the last-minute notice but, if you like fireworks and can get to Yame (Fukuoka, very close to the border with Kumamoto), you can see a show tonight (9/2). – Kirk

A 6th grader at the Kumamoto International School has passed the highest level o…

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:46:19 +0000

A 6th grader at the Kumamoto International School has passed the highest level of Japan’s Eiken test. The “ikkyu” level is quite difficult of adults and, according to the Kumanichi article, it’s very rare for an elementary school student to pass. – Kirk

Kumanichi article: https://kumanichi.com/articles/1156789

Kumamoto International School https://kumamotointer.jp/

fireworks event

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 11:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with a heads-up about a fireworks event to be held in Shiranui-machi, over the Ariake Sea on Thursday, the 14th. I’ve never been to it but the poster is making want to go.

https://festival.eplus.jp/events/555

Let's dance! 踊りましょう!!

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 04:52:45 +0000

Let’s dance! 踊りましょう!!

The Shamrockers Irish Dance Performance at 第28回熊本国際交流祭典

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 04:47:08 +0000

日本語は下記・Japanese follows below!

Calling all wannabe dancers!!! 新しいダンサーの参加も歓迎します! Conas atá sibh? How are you all? ☘️ ‘The Shamrockers’, a small dance troupe, made up of various Kumamoto residents, will take to the, err, street to perform two Irish dances around noon on Saturday, 30th September, at the 28th Kumamoto International Exchange Festival・第28回熊本国際交流祭典, held downtown at Shinshigai.

We welcome new dancers to join us, so, if you’d like to take part on the 30th September, there will be a practice dance session on Sunday, 24th September, from 3-4pm on Hakuzan-dori. Please see the attached image for details🎼👣🎻 Currently our members are from 12 to 72-years-young!! Comment below or DM Ruth Maruki Kai (That’s me!) if you’ve any queries!

Kirk here. The day has come and the Janes Residence is open to the public.

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 02:58:03 +0000

Kirk here. The day has come and the Janes Residence is open to the public.

https://www.facebook.com/KumamotoCity/posts/pfbid0B6MrS41tqhkU4jcaT7iQXUnRHPpgPA6QZobvynPAQJboJBjPguCZcny94Mb5qwTsl

Check out this previous post for more information:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02qe7Fjr3tzLzLdV16MZpZGtRgbW3rvxYXFHGvaFin8W9DZ8SNvdE1kTbo3AvsAbBjl

Kirk here with a pair of events that are already underway at Grandmesse. First,…

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 01:30:27 +0000

Kirk here with a pair of events that are already underway at Grandmesse. First, here’s a link to an English page about the venue:

https://www.grandmesse.jp/kiji00376/index.html

One event is a craft fair. The image you see (light orange?) is a coupon that will reduce your entry fee from 500 yen to 400 yen. Here’s a page will information about the many booths:

https://spice-country.jp/#%E5%87%BA%E5%B1%95%E8%80%85%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7

Another event being held simultaneously is a ceramics (and pottery) fair. Here’s a URL for that:

Kirk here with an update about the following post I made a couple days ago:

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with an update about the following post I made a couple days ago:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0jL33k2AD1KqCgazRJcrWtrT2R5WgSdMdrAFSonBW33T4iFTJBAzk8QHoB1DzwbCrl

The good people at the prefecture fixed the text on the web page soon after a sent an e-mail: rafting –> river boat ride. :)

https://kumamoto.guide/en/spots/detail/2773

Kirk with a link to an article about Japan's only baked sweet potato (karaimo, y…

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 07:00:01 +0000

Kirk with a link to an article about Japan’s only baked sweet potato (karaimo, yakiimo) vending machine. It can be found at the Michi no Eki in Ozu.

This cute lesser panda (also known as a "red panda") was born June 1st and is na…

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:40:05 +0000

This cute lesser panda (also known as a “red panda”) was born June 1st and is named Ako. She’s getting ready to met visitors to the zoo (but I’m not sure just when that will be).

https://www.facebook.com/kumamototourism/posts/pfbid09oDqKgCYmHnj8BUtpSjoPyzo4hThrD9sCdZb4Pt8aBtAgyjcJBjQC5b1FBerR877l

KumaHaku 2023

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 11:00:03 +0000

Kirk here. The mayor of Kumamoto City and the governor of Kumamoto Prefecture have announce that KumaHaku 2023 will be held from October 7 through November 5. The Amu Hiroba (the open area in front of the Amu Plaza [the shopping mall near Kumamoto Station) and Hanabata Hiroba downtown will be the two main venues.

“KumaHaku” seems to be a portmanteau of the words “Kumamoto” and “hakurankai” (博覧会), meaning, “exhibition,” but I don’t think the events planned would normally warrant the word “hakurankai.”

Fireworks in Arao

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 23:49:01 +0000

Kirk here reporting that there will be a big (10,000 rockets) fireworks in Arao Saturday, starting at 8:30.

Kirk here with a note about a festival that occurred in Misato-mach over the wee…

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 11:00:06 +0000

Kirk here with a note about a festival that occurred in Misato-mach over the weekend.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/1153657

The mikoshi (religious palanquin or portable Shinto shrine) you see is called “yuusou hadaka mikoshi” (勇壮裸みこし) .

Unfortunately, I just learned about this event, which occurred over the weekend. Apologies to matsuri fans who would have liked to know about it in advance. I often find it difficult to find out about festivals before they occur.

Kirk here with my rather infrequent series on weed removal. Pulling out weeds i…

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 05:17:01 +0000

Kirk here with my rather infrequent series on weed removal. Pulling out weeds is hard enough on flat surfaces. To remove the weeds that grow on the sides of a stone bridge such as Tsujunkyo you need rock climbers. And, I would imagine that an appropriate insurance policy would also be good to have.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/beb5b64112839f1e0057ed5779d9ee8155022a5f

Kirk here with another reminder about how dangerous parking lots can be for kids…

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 02:24:20 +0000

Kirk here with another reminder about how dangerous parking lots can be for kids. This sad incident occurred in the parking lot of the COSTCO in Fukuoka.

https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/news/tragic-death-of-infant-in-kitakyushu-parking-lot/?fbclid=IwAR0yDgob1UZQEKPH-nEDuTpXUaAmgTtEQ_gXIHB_zSPNKDkBkMmnkf0oRc0

Beatles Event with Eight Days A Week and Amateur Bands

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:44:26 +0000

Kirk here with a share for Beatles fans and musicians looking for an opportunity to get that big break. On October 14, their will be a Beatles event in which “Eight Days A Week” and other Beatles movies will be played “at great volume（大音響）.” In addition, there will be amateur bands. You can apply / audition until September 10. The price for the event will be modest: just 1,000 yen. If you pay 2,500 yen you can camp there too.

Kirk here with some information about how to enjoy floating down the Kumagawa Ri…

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:00:02 +0000

Kirk here with some information about how to enjoy floating down the Kumagawa River (Kuma River) in the Hitoyoshi area. The picture you see on the top is of traditional “kawakudari” (“going down a river”). As you can see, these boats are controlled by two men, one at the back with a sculling oar and another man at the front. The tourists just sit in the middle of the boat to enjoy the ride. This type of kawakudari has a long history on the Kumagawa and in Japan in general. The image you see comes from the following site:

Kirk here. Those of you who weren't able or (like me) were too tired to go see …

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 03:57:02 +0000

Kirk here. Those of you who weren’t able or (like me) were too tired to go see the fireworks Saturday night can get a sense of what the event at Ezuko was like from the following video news report:

Kirk here with some notes about a relatively new bicycle sharing service in Kuma…

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 22:47:04 +0000

Kirk here with some notes about a relatively new bicycle sharing service in Kumamoto: Charichari. The image you see with English is from the following page:

https://charichari.bike/blog/chari-guide-2023-download-en

The page explains in English how to download the required app and then begin using the red “Chari” bicycles you see here and there in central Kumamoto City. Unfortunately, the app itself is only available in Japanese, but it does have an English “Help” section.

Kirk here with something I've had on the back burner since July -- a post about …

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 22:57:39 +0000

Kirk here with something I’ve had on the back burner since July – a post about solar farms in rural Kumamoto. The picture you see is from the following Japanese news article:

https://news.livedoor.com/article/image_detail/24534867/?img_id=38210472

The concern is that the solar panels are an eyesore – black splats on the vistas the Aso area is famous for.

I was prompted to look into the downsides of solar panels after the heavy rains we experienced in July. At the time, I heard rumors that the panels exacerbated erosion during such storms because very little can grow beneath them. I was never able to find a good article about the issue vis-a-vis the flooding in July but I know it has come up in other parts of Japan and the world so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more than a rumor.

Kirk here with an article that introduces folks to Aso. Check it out to see pho…

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 08:36:21 +0000

Kirk here with an article that introduces folks to Aso. Check it out to see photos of other iconic scenes.

JR Kyushu WAKU WAKU SMILE Shinkansen

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:48:38 +0000

William Disclaimer: I used to work at the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California. JR Kyushu has announced that they will operate what they call the “JR Kyushu WAKU WAKU SMILE Shinkansen” from the 24th mid-December, during which select Shinkansen cars will be decorated with Disney characters. In addition, Disney music can be enjoyed via a QR code. FYI, a major Shinkansen yard 熊本総合車両所（くまもとそうごうしゃりょうしょ）is located in Tomiai Machi. If you’re passing by, it’s kinda cool to see those beasts lined up at rest. Video at link: https://kumanichi.com/articles/1149799

William A longtime Kumamoto resident (name redacted) has returned to her native…

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 04:21:00 +0000

William A longtime Kumamoto resident (name redacted) has returned to her native Maine and sent me a photo a Maine restaurant (clearly not the photo shown). Personal note: I am from California, renowned for its fusion cuisine (in fact, many Nissei of Kumamoto extraction have made their home there), but went to college in Maine. I found the food there unbearable. Question for KI readers: What is your opinion of Kumamoto food, and where is your favorite place to get it?

Kirk here with an inquiry that was directed to the page:

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 20:04:23 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry that was directed to the page:

— start quote — Hello, I will be leaving Kumamoto/Japan at the end of this month. I had intended to sell my car but cannot find the registered inkan. I have my shaken documents and such and the little green book they gave with the inkan. it seems to be able to sell or get rid of my car I need that. I don’t know what to do in the case of having lost it. If you know anything, can you please help? 😓 — end quote —

William Kirk Masden founded Kumamoto International originally as a Yahoo Groups…

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 02:25:17 +0000

William Kirk Masden founded Kumamoto International originally as a Yahoo Groups page (ha ha!). It has since grown to 5,000 members. To know Kirk is to understand that he hails from Wisconsin, from whence the polite and understated derive. All of us foreign-derived Higokko are in his debt.

Atsuko here.

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 21:47:14 +0000

Atsuko here. Introduction to recommended cool spots in Kumamoto.

矢谷渓谷Yatani Valley, Kikka-machi, Yamaga City. You can play in the water, swim, dive and slide in Yatani Valley!!. As it is a natural waterfall, the diving slide at the back is dangerous unless you can swim. The riverbank at the entrance is safe for small children.(You can’t swim in Kikuchi Valley)

Nearby Kirari, an artificial pool using water from the Yatani Gorge, is also fun. Here, too, you can play in the water, swim, dive and slide. Here you can catch rainbow trout for 500 yen. The fish you catch can be grilled for 600 yen. It is very tasty.

Kirk here with a report about a problem I encountered using my Japanese driver's…

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 21:43:44 +0000

Kirk here with a report about a problem I encountered using my Japanese driver’s license with an international license (issued in Kumamoto) to rent a car in the U.S. Hertz refused to issue the car I had reserved to me. They said that if I wanted to use a Japanese driver’s license, then I would need a Japanese passport. Or, if I had maintained my U.S. license for the whole time I was in Japan, that would have solved the problem. But, alas, my U.S. driver’s license expired many years ago.

Ezuko Fireworks Festival

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:00:03 +0000

Kirk here. The Ezuko Fireworks Festival is scheduled for the 26th (Saturday).

https://hanabi.kumamoto-guide.jp/index.html

Liz here, Annet asked me to share this to the group. Disclaimer : I haven’t read…

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 04:44:07 +0000

Liz here, Annet asked me to share this to the group. Disclaimer : I haven’t read it myself , but have been observing the progress on the reconstruction of the Building each time I pass on my way to water up in Nishihara. I don’t know if there is information in English or not. Looking to Annet to follow up in the comments.

Atsuko here, sharing the goodness of Kumamoto.

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 03:04:08 +0000

Atsuko here, sharing the goodness of Kumamoto.

This is a report about the Japanese musical instrument experience workshop I introduced the other day. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=675549147940213&id=100064554018003

It was a very good workshop, so I will share it with you so that many people can attend the next workshop next year or the next workshop on the flyer. There was Koto, Shamisen, Japanese drums, Narimono instruments, introduction and experience of Japanese dance and Bon dance with everyone in ensemble. I have a lot of videos of performances and experiences in the comments section. Check out the comments section too!

Fireworks

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 02:06:06 +0000

William Fireworks tend upward in best-case scenarios, which means the closer you are, the more neckwork is required. The map below shows traffic-restricted areas during the 8/26 event. My suggestion is to take the tram to 市立体育館前 and watch the fireworks from Kamiezuko. The tram will be packed with yukata-donned spectators but the viewpoint will be quiet and enjoyable.

Kirk here with a note about the upcoming fireworks show in Ezuko (Lake Ezu). Th…

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 09:05:02 +0000

Kirk here with a note about the upcoming fireworks show in Ezuko (Lake Ezu). The following is an explanation that has been published on the International Center’s website:

— start quote — Place: Lake Ezu area Fireworks time: 19:15 - 20:15 (tentative) Traffic regulations will be in effect from 18:00 to 23:00 on the day of the festival. Please use temporary shuttle buses to get to the venue. Temporary shuttle buses (charged) will be available from various locations in the city to the event site on the day of the event. Lake Ezu Fireworks Festival website: https://hanabi.kumamoto-guide.jp/ — end quote —

Kirk here. This news report about the Yamaga Lantern festival is in Japanese bu…

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 08:48:07 +0000

Kirk here. This news report about the Yamaga Lantern festival is in Japanese but the main thing you need to know to understand what you are seeing is that the miniature buildings and bridges, etc. that you see are all made of paper. The same techniques used in making the paper lanterns can be used to make lots of stuff.

This was broadcast before the main event (1000 women dancing in unison). Perhaps I will be able to post a report about that later.

Kirk here. This information about Japanese classes is from the International Ce…

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:14:03 +0000

Kirk here. This information about Japanese classes is from the International Centers website. The English is the results of Google translation service. You can click on a button on the page to see the original Japanese. Much of the Japanese is “easy” (“yasashii Nihongo”) so if you’ve already good a “foot in the door” with Japanese, you might want to take a look at it.

https://www-kumamoto--if-or-jp.translate.goog/list00066.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja

Kirk here. A protective structure is being built around Uto Yagura, a 400-year-…

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Kirk here. A protective structure is being built around Uto Yagura, a 400-year-old turret (yagura) that stands next to the main castle building (tenshukaku). Uto Yagura: “Please excuse me while a slip into something more comfortable.” She’s expected to emerge looking great in 2032.

https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/kab/region/kab-20230814-00007578.html

Kirk here. The Ushibuka Lantern Festival is underway. I've never gone to see t…

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 23:02:42 +0000

Kirk here. The Ushibuka Lantern Festival is underway. I’ve never gone to see the festival but Ushibuka is a special place – the farthest point from Kumamoto City in Amakusa.

https://www.t-island.jp/event/2197

Hari here. Sharing this informative post about Suizenji Garden with beautiful ph…

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 13:16:38 +0000

Hari here. Sharing this informative post about Suizenji Garden with beautiful photos.

Kirk here with a cool article for art lovers:

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:31:02 +0000

Kirk here with a cool article for art lovers:

Sinfonietta Annual Concert

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 04:20:22 +0000

Hi everyone, Joe Tomei here. The Sinfonietta is having their annual concert on 2 Sept (Saturday). We will be playing Beethoven’s overture to Coriolan, Mozart’s 1st Flute Concerto and Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony (Eroica) and the Kenritsu Gekijo. The annual concert is usually in the afternoon, but this time, the doors open at 17:45 and the concert starts at 18:30. If you purchase a ticket before the event, it is slightly cheaper, so if you are interested, please let me know!

William

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 12:32:53 +0000

William Ever wonder why you never see Kumamon and Keanu Reeves in the same photograph? https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=6377099369025654

Kirk here with a little news report about unkai (sea of clouds) in Aso and touri…

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 06:52:01 +0000

Kirk here with a little news report about unkai (sea of clouds) in Aso and tourists going up in balloons (kinda like the movie “UP” – カールじいさんの空飛ぶ家).

Kirk here with an article that puts the arrival of TSMC in a broader context.

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 02:12:04 +0000

Kirk here with an article that puts the arrival of TSMC in a broader context.

Kirk here. Paragliding anyone? Here's a TV report of a boy enjoying his first …

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 11:06:03 +0000

Kirk here. Paragliding anyone? Here’s a TV report of a boy enjoying his first flight. The second URL takes you to the English side of the business the helps you get into paragliding: Aso Nature Land.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/658425?display=1

http://www.aso.ne.jp/natureland/english/

Kirk here. Why has it been so hot this year? Here's an explanation from Fukuok…

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:26:03 +0000

Kirk here. Why has it been so hot this year? Here’s an explanation from Fukuoka Now:

Yamaga Lantern Festival

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 05:59:49 +0000

Kirk here with a bit more about the Yamaga Lantern Festival. The screenshot is from the following page:

https://yamaga-tanbou.jp.e.zh.hp.transer.com/about/toromatsuri/

This is an automatic translation of the two-day schedule that has been published in Japanese:

https://yamaga-tanbou.jp.e.zh.hp.transer.com/about/toromatsuri/

Check it out for yourself. There will be fireworks on the 15th.

Please be careful about crowds and parking. I can’t provide compete details here so, if you’re planning to go, please try to do some research on your own. If you find out anything you think would be valuable for others, please share it in a comment.

Kirk here with a share about an event at Aso Shrine that is already over. Sorry…

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 07:22:04 +0000

Kirk here with a share about an event at Aso Shrine that is already over. Sorry I couldn’t give you advance warning. If you’ll be here next year, mark your calendar! ;)

https://www.facebook.com/eng.michinoekiaso/posts/pfbid02h12trRYNr7Mx3UhF46weGHa1DiFHtXpiEQV98CQrtyWA5hZXMoVw4RivbCo1hhpel

3rd Summer Workshop for Traditional Performing Arts

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 04:02:48 +0000

Atsuko here, sharing experience Japanese musical instruments, Koto, shakuhachi, shamisen, taiko drums, Japanese dance, etc. The taiko drumming teacher is from the taiko team I was part of before Corona. This is a fun chance to touch and play Japanese instruments such as the koto and shakuhachi. Free for children, ¥2,000 for adults. Hoping you can enjoy it(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Thursday 17 August, 13:30-16:00. 3rd Summer Workshop for Traditional Performing Arts @ Kumamoto Prefectural Theatre Music Rehearsal Room

fireworks in Hitoyoshi and Namino

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 01:44:02 +0000

Kirk here. There will be fireworks in Hitoyoshi and Namino (Aso area) on the 15th (Tuesday).

https://hanabi.walkerplus.com/detail/ar1043e00323/

https://hanabi.walkerplus.com/detail/ar1043e00498/

Kirk here. Last night I posted about the upcoming lantern festival in Yamaga. …

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 23:41:01 +0000

Kirk here. Last night I posted about the upcoming lantern festival in Yamaga. Another great place to visit in Yamaga is Yachiyoza, the traditional theatre.

https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/pfbid0ed5wJjuMr3o5s5dsmvwZHLDSuETxGZuCKstxSr8ya9u2TGsmdcSiMH4K5U1j8x19l

Yamaga Lantern Festival

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:36:04 +0000

Kirk here with a link to an English-language page about the Yamaga Lantern Festival, coming up on the 15th and 16th. For details about this year’s event, all I have is the official Japanese-language site:

https://yamaga-tanbou.jp/events/3296/

https://ohmatsuri.com/en/articles/kumamoto_yamaga_lantern_festival

upcoming party

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 05:57:02 +0000

Kirk here with information about an upcoming party.

https://www.facebook.com/events/240616055545272/?post_id=240616072211937&view=permalink

Fireworks in Uki

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 02:53:45 +0000

Kirk here. There will be fireworks in Uki tomorrow (Saturday).

Event at the International Center

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 01:27:25 +0000

Kirk here with a post about an event at the International Center that came via our friend Luz. :) It’s Saturday, tomorrow.

Kirk here. I definitely agree that Kikuchi Keikoku has a great place to cool of…

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 11:00:01 +0000

Kirk here. I definitely agree that Kikuchi Keikoku has a great place to cool off. Even on the hotest of days, the whole area feels like it’s air conditioned. Come to think of it, I guess it is – cold mountain water air conditioning.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/824994709196846

Kaimon festival

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 04:37:01 +0000

Kirk here. Tomorrow (8/11) is “Mountain Day” (山の日) and Mountain Day is also the day of the Kaimon festival in Kagoshima.

Atsuko, with the information that Hello Work can also provide help in foreign la…

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 23:26:28 +0000

Atsuko, with the information that Hello Work can also provide help in foreign languages. This announcement seems to have been made a long time ago, but as it is from October, I thought it might be useful to share it with you.(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー For foreigners looking for work. You can call Hello Work in a foreign language. ○Hello Work is a government office where you can get free advice on how to find a job and referrals.

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit about an opportunity you can take advanta…

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 23:00:01 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit about an opportunity you can take advantage of this month.

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02PAAAqBK7TcY7Swsn8xegyUHEE9LgwJvgDJYvokR9uPMr4rPwWS87FxuZpzhDEcLTl

Kirk here with a note on how the typhoon affected Kumamoto Airport. This RKK re…

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 13:40:01 +0000

Kirk here with a note on how the typhoon affected Kumamoto Airport. This RKK reports shows a plane coming in from Tokyo that, after aborting two landings, decided to return to Tokyo. Many other flights were cancelled. Not a good day for Kumamoto Airport.

Kirk here with something I hope will raise your spirits on this mostly overcast …

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 11:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with something I hope will raise your spirits on this mostly overcast and rainy day. This 90-year old lady works at a McDonald’s downtown. Perhaps some of you have met her. :)

Kirk here with two sites that provide some perspective on the effects of the cyc…

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 04:31:43 +0000

Kirk here with two sites that provide some perspective on the effects of the cyclone to our west. Both show a precipitation prediction for 6 PM today. The one with more red is Ventusky and the other is the JMAs radar map. The results are fairly similar – both showing that Kumamoto City is not likely to experience heavy rain this time around. Folks in Amakusa, however, need to be more careful.

Kirk here. Shinkansen service to and from Kagoshima has been suspended:

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:44:40 +0000

Kirk here. Shinkansen service to and from Kagoshima has been suspended:

—start quote— Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) will suspend Kyushu Shinkansen service between Kumamoto Station and Kagoshima Chuo Station from the afternoon of Aug. 8 as it braces for approaching Typhoon No. 6. . . . . ellipsis . . . JR Kyushu announced that Kyushu Shinkansen service between Hakata Station and Kumamoto Station will be operated as usual. —end quote—

Utase net-fishing experience

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 05:38:04 +0000

Kirk here with information about an opportunity to enjoy utase net-fishing (from a boat of the kind pictured) for just 4,000 per person if two or more make a reservation. First, an official explanation:

— start quote — Utase net-fishing is a traditional style of fishing passed on in the Ashikita district since the end of the Edo period. A trawl net sunk to the bottom of the sea is pulled by a sailboat, guided by the sea breeze. It’s slow but unique fishing using natural forces, mainly for catching tiger prawn, crab, and squilla. Guests can take home some fish they caught as a souvenir. On the boat, you may also catch cutlass fish, or have seafood freshly prepared upon your request. — end quote — https://kumanichi.com/articles/1131259

高校野球大会東海大熊本星翔 vs 浜松開誠館

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 11:00:04 +0000

Kirk here with high school baseball tournament information. Tokai University Kumamoto Seisho Senior High School will play Hamamatsu Kaiseikan in the first game of the day on Thursday. Here’s the Japanese information and my source:

8月10日(木) 7:00開門第5日 8:00 第1試合(1回戦)東海大熊本星翔 (熊本) - 浜松開誠館 (静岡) https://www.hanshin.co.jp/koshien/highschool/summer2023/schedule.html

Assuming that Tokai wins this game, the schedule for their subsequent games will also be published on this page.

I got the photo for this post here:

Kirk here with a TV report on Saturday's Otemoyan So Odori:

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 07:00:03 +0000

Kirk here with a TV report on Saturday’s Otemoyan So Odori:

Atsuko with 2023 Sunflower fields in Kumamoto, Japan.

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 04:13:33 +0000

Atsuko with 2023 Sunflower fields in Kumamoto, Japan. I didn’t enjoy the sunflower fields this year, so I was looking for them and found a good page on Instagram, so I’m sharing it with you. On this Instagram page you can find not only sunflower fields, but also many other great places in Kumamoto and Kyushu.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvSJCmKBD1B/?igshid=NjIwNzIyMDk2Mg==

Youkai Exhibition at Gallery Hane

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:29:20 +0000

Liz here, with a very last minute suggestion for an entertaining way to cool off ….Gallery Hane in Shinmachi is having an exhibition of selected artists interpretations of Youkai, Japanese supernatural creatures / apparitions. Sadly the exhibition ends on the eighth, but if you are near Shinmachi and want to see, among other things, “oni” playing rugby, I highly recommend dropping by. The neighborhood is fascinating to stroll around, with some beautiful old buildings and interesting shops …and a great coffee shop (those need a whole post of their own) .http://hane.art.coocan.jp

Kirk here. Michi no Eki Aso often features beautiful photos, like these, of the …

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 12:37:24 +0000

Kirk here. Michi no Eki Aso often features beautiful photos, like these, of the Aso area. I only share them occasionally so be sure to follow the page if you like what you see. And, don’t forget to check out their website, which features articles in English, French, and Japanese:

https://www.aso-denku.jp/en/

https://www.facebook.com/eng.michinoekiaso/posts/pfbid0ceevSsHV48hbeEquEXEyM25vqr7habBbG5Hft3JTBAPvccqn8ePQh7ZHMEypkVnKl

Kirk here with a note about upcoming weather. The image you see is from the fol…

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 07:29:54 +0000

Kirk here with a note about upcoming weather. The image you see is from the following site:

https://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/

It looks like the storm will come fairly close to Kumamoto around Wednesday or so but, fortunately, it will probably be considerably weaker by that time. The yellow color indicates that it will probably be a Category 1 typhoon (according to the site’s categories), down from a much, much nastier Category 4.

Atsuko, with local Kumamoto Oyaji gags for English-speaking dad-gags fans.

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 04:33:02 +0000

Atsuko, with local Kumamoto Oyaji gags for English-speaking dad-gags fans.

A friend from Amakusa told me a long time ago that a shopping centre in Oyano-cho, Kami-Amakusa, CAMON, seemed to have been named a combination of the English word Come on, C’mon, the Japanese word [かいもの Kaimono]for shopping and the dialect word [きゃーもん Kya-mon]. I remember this pun (oyaji gag) every time I go swimming in the sea in Amakusa during the summer holidays. I was a bit amused to hear that Oyaji gag is also called dad joke in English.(ᐛ)ᒃ Today’s sea photo is from the recommended Oyano Sea. Last year’s introductory post. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=7669625019777530&id=123734781033296&sfnsn=mo

Hassaku festival

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 04:20:10 +0000

Kirk here with some information about the Hassaku festival, which is coming up in September in Yamato Town. I took the image from this page, which is in Japanese but has a convenient Google map:

https://kumanichi.com/event/1128786

Here’s a link to some information in English on the Explore Kumamoto website:

https://explore-kumamoto.com/hassaku-festival-yamato-town/

Kirk here with more from Takachiho.

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 14:24:43 +0000

Kirk here with more from Takachiho.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/243528938521986

Atsuko here.

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 11:53:56 +0000

Atsuko here. Today and tomorrow is the HINOKUNOMATSURI in Kumamoto City, and I think there are summer festivals all over Kumamoto and Japan this weekend.

The Kofun Festival in my hometown of NAGOMI town is also this Saturday and Sunday. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=551019240528347&id=100068608272374

In Karikusa, Minami Ward, where I live, there was also a summer festival organised by the local residents’ association at the community centre.

I was very impressed by how peaceful, fun and lively Kumamoto is. This is how summer should be.

Hinokuni Matsuri So Odori

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 02:16:26 +0000

Kirk here. Sorry for the last-minute notice but today (8/5) is the day of the Hinokuni Matsuri So Odori or Otemoyan (big dance?). The picture is of a previous year, I think, and was taken from the following site:

https://kumamoto-guide.jp/hinokunimatsuri/

The site is only in Japanese. Personally, I’m slightly dismayed by the lack of publicly available information about today’s even in English. For a general explanation about the festival in English, I recommend the following:

Kirk here sharing a post from the International Center thanking Anna (Germany) a…

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 02:04:55 +0000

Kirk here sharing a post from the International Center thanking Anna (Germany) and Walter (USA) for five years of service. I apologize in advance if I have misspelled the names – I was only able to refer to the Japanese. Anna, Walter, otsukaresama deshita!

https://www.facebook.com/kcic.kif/posts/pfbid02ViDLULucu94uJVa1kHVo2HJcBgNz5ued1a1SBF6SYEsoJVBVe5qaKQxQmok5M4LBl

Kirk here again with another little TSMC-related tidbit I found interesting: "T…

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 05:22:48 +0000

Kirk here again with another little TSMC-related tidbit I found interesting: “The chip complex in Kumamoto Prefecture, where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC) is building its second plant, is paying factory workers 280,000 yen monthly, 40 percent more than the average wage paid in the region. "

Kirk here. I've posted a lot about the new TSMC plants but I don't recall posti…

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 05:04:45 +0000

Kirk here. I’ve posted a lot about the new TSMC plants but I don’t recall posting about the government funding: 1/2 for the first plant and 1/3 or so for the second!

International Sports Festival in Kumamoto

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 23:58:37 +0000

Atsuko, sharing ’’ International sports festival in Kumamoto’’(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Wanted: people who want to play badminton and have an international exchange!

Hello everyone! We are doing it again this year, the “International Sports Festival in Kumamoto”! This year we are holding the festival with more friends and more enthusiasm, with Kumamoto Gakuen University providing the venue, the Vietnamese Association in Kumamoto, the Kumamoto Nepalese Association, the Kumamoto Islamic Centre, the JICA Kumamoto Team and many more.

Kirk here, hoping that this storm misses us. It's course seems to be very unpre…

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 08:03:02 +0000

Kirk here, hoping that this storm misses us. It’s course seems to be very unpredictable but, if our luck is bad, it may arrive by the 6th or so.

Kirk here. I had no idea that diving competitions were every held in Takachiho.…

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 04:39:43 +0000

Kirk here. I had no idea that diving competitions were every held in Takachiho. Thanks to Explore Kumamoto for the information!

https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/pfbid032cnePhVFKSgeVuYdC26m5rn8tFBzcdGquiRLLkSg9S9Usejz2fMNrPjYEKmPG791l

World Aquatics Masters - Water Polo Events

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 04:32:20 +0000

Kirk here. As you may know, the World Aquatics Masters are underway and Kumamoto’s Aquadome is the site of the waterpolo events. The details of the schedule have finally been published, so you can pick out a game and go watch:

https://seikosports.com/wmc2023/wp/?t=20230805

The image you see was the cover of Shisei Dayori (市政だより; the official city newsletter that is published in the form of a newspaper) in July. I downloaded it here:

Takigi noh performance - Kumasaka

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 13:20:25 +0000

Kirk here with news of a takigi noh performance. “Takigi” (薪) refers to torches that are used to light the open air theatre. One must normally pay a fee to enter the venue (the Suizenji Joujuen) but the night of the performance (this Saturday, August 5) entry to the park will be free after 5:30 PM (and, of course, you can view the performance, which starts at 6, free of charge too).

Kirk here. RKK has be running segments on the SL Hitoyoshi recently. The one I…

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 10:48:35 +0000

Kirk here. RKK has be running segments on the SL Hitoyoshi recently. The one I’m introducing today is from about a week ago. If RKK publishes the video I saw today, I’ll link to it in a comment.

SL Hitoyoshi is the oldest functioning steam locomotive in Japan. It is scheduled to be retired next spring.

In today’s segment, a railway fan from China was interviewed. He spoke good Japanese. And, the comments of the train-loving kids were very cute. :)

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I occasionally share information from t…

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 01:32:06 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I occasionally share information from the page like this but, unfortunately, I’m not able to share all of useful information so I highly recommend that you follow it directly.

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02utgqGq1spqhuJnLSY2jBUxGvstN2tb2kuVEC2UDoPqkAeRUUBvS1LxTF2Ha6urANl

Kirk here with some information about a form of aerial recreation you can engage…

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 01:01:11 +0000

Kirk here with some information about a form of aerial recreation you can engage in if you visit the Amakusa area. I found out about it here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=659338452886219&set=pcb.659339729552758

The service is called “Sky Walker Amakusa” but Star Wars fans need not bring a lightsaber (I’m pretty sure, though, that you can “sky walk” with your Wookiee friend). Here’s a link to their Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/skywalker_amakusa/?utm_medium=copy_link

And here’s a link to a Google search showing the location on a map and other information:

Kirk here. 渡米する日本人に必読。 I'd like to share some information about an issue that's…

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 08:08:32 +0000

Kirk here. 渡米する日本人に必読。 I’d like to share some information about an issue that’s not limited to Kumamoto but that I think is relevant to any person in Kumamoto who either is not an American citizen or has a family member that is not an American citizen but needs to travel to the U.S. As you may know, persons who are not native citizens need to apply for a visa online via ESTA. Here’s the address of a U.S. government site where you can do that:

Atsuko here.

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 03:45:53 +0000

Atsuko here. Share it with Kumamoto’s future engineers. The Kumamoto Boys and Girls Inventors’ Club 熊本市少年少女発明クラブheld a science workshop today.

This time it was an open participation workshop during the summer holidays, but we sometimes have international kids come to the club, which is held once a month throughout the year at Sojo University, and we hope to have more of them in the future. The club is taught in Japanese, but I also volunteer every time, so I hope that many international kids will come to the club.

Kirk here with a share from the Kumanichi Shimbun. The headline says that 600 T…

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 01:18:33 +0000

Kirk here with a share from the Kumanichi Shimbun. The headline says that 600 TSMC employees will arrive in August and begin working in a newly constructed office building.

https://www.facebook.com/KUMANICHIs/posts/pfbid02spE9jadAKLY2VoieoB9GFnzBAzfuHvL4mMTEsWCyyqj7kTCUNeJfHhDLvqSiiZQil

Atsuko here.

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 07:52:12 +0000

Atsuko here. Information about Kumamoto’s treasure, the Natural Special Pool.

Kashima Town Spring Park Natural Pool 嘉島町湧水公園天然プール I had heard about this natural pool for a long time, but today I visited it for the first time.

Anyway, the water is clean and very cold. The water temperature is always around 18 degrees Celsius. It was a very hot day, but the pool was so cold that it was chilly. I brought my own lunch, but there were also potato and takoyaki stalls. There is a parking fee of 500 yen, but the pool is free.

Ghost Stories in Japanese

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 05:09:53 +0000

Kirk here, following up on William’s post about about Lafcadio Hearn’s ghost stories. Kuma Visit has just posted about another opportunity to hear ghost stories in Japanese:

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid034SHGhbSjQk4om5i3ksUz491AFuVycYqXrJxpMvH17VHp2EcgEFM13r7iJmPkvMM1l

Since the ghost stories will be in Japanese, Kuma Visit has not translated the reading times into English (unless I missed it somehow) but the information is there for you in Japanese. And, details about when the castle will be lit up and who can visit for free are presented in both languages.

Children's Fun Haunted House

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 04:26:36 +0000

Lafcadio Hearn, the Irish-Greek-Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West, has a connection to Kumamoto: in 1891, he obtained a teaching position at the Fifth High Middle School, the predecessor of Kumamoto University. Apparently, he was not fond of Kumamoto, finding it provincial and charmless. This Wikipedia article mentions fellow Scots-Higokko Sean Michael Wilson, who has turned several of Hearn’s works into illustrated novels. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn Hearn was well-known for his work in the surreal. A very, very scary piece, “A Passional Karma,” can be read here for free (being out of copywrite): https://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/p16998coll8/id/1262/rec/1 Kumanichi notes that the annual summer vacation “Children’s Fun Haunted House” has returned to the Art Loft of the Contemporary Art Museum for the first time in four years, by reservation only, from 27th to August 6th. Read the short story, visit the haunted house, read the story again, and you’ll be scared sufficiently pantless. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1123703

Post

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 13:54:16 +0000

Sean here -

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 12:18:02 +0000

Sean here - I saw this fashionable pooch sporting some dandy paw pads today and it reminded me of another post I saw recently.

“Many owners like taking their dogs on walks to enjoy the warm summer weather with them, but many of them forget about one important detail: hot pavement can and will burn a dog’s paws.”

“If the temperature is 29 degrees or over without the chance for the pavement to cool down, the ground may be too hot for safely walking a dog,”

William The word "citizen" derives from the 12c. Anglo-French "citezein," meani…

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 05:54:57 +0000

William The word “citizen” derives from the 12c. Anglo-French “citezein,” meaning “city-dweller.” It was not until modern times with the rise of travel, mass immigration, and democracy that its modern, legalistic term came about. “With citizenship comes responsibility” likely thought the Kumamoto government when considering bestowing the moniker on long-term foreign residents of our city (word has it, mostly to make garbage separation obligatory on heretofore unruly barbarians), but others saw this as a step towards allowing foreigners the right to vote (it didn’t), and a brouhaha broke out. At least it brought us fleeting notice in the national news and some very stern looking faces:

Kirk here. This issue came up in the spring but recently a final decision has b…

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 03:28:01 +0000

Kirk here. This issue came up in the spring but recently a final decision has been made. I agree with my colleague at Kumamoto Gakuen University:

— start quote — But Shin Myoung-jik, a professor of South Korean literature at Kumamoto Gakuen University who is knowledgeable about culturally diverse societies, said the deletion sends a negative message because it came about due to exclusionist opinions. “Policies should be implemented that aggressively include (foreigners) as members of society to resolve discrimination and prejudice,” Shin said. — end quote —

Banksy exhibit

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:49:52 +0000

Kirk here with news about an opportunity to see a small Banksy exhibit in the main Tsutaya in downtown Kumamoto. Here’s a link to a page Tsutaya has put out about the exhibit:

https://www.sannenzaka.jp/event-calendar/10041

The exhibit will end on Tuesday, August 1.

newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/627485?display=1

P.S. It looks like it will be very, very hot tomorrow (38 C). Take care!

Kirk here. In my post on Mr. Hagiuda's visit, I focused on Kumamoto University.…

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 12:14:15 +0000

Kirk here. In my post on Mr. Hagiuda’s visit, I focused on Kumamoto University. This article focuses on Kumamoto Kosen:

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/science-nature/technology/20230725-125234/

If you’re interested, you can check out the English side f the Kumamoto Kosen website here:

https://kumamoto-nct.ac.jp/english-home.html

Koyaebashi Bungee Jump

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:08:22 +0000

William Kumanichi reports on the only bungee jump in Kyushu, where you dive from Koyaebashi in Itsuki Village, Kumamoto Prefecture, to the Kawabe River, a tributary of Kumagawa, which will be open from August 5th to the 31st. On the night of August 19th, you can also enjoy the “Night Bungy,” where you can wear LEDs while jumping (preferably with the bungee thingies attached). Apparently, the jump is 66 meters high, third highest in Japan after one in Gifu (215M) and Ibaraki (100M). The cost is 15,000 yen. For those with more dollars than sense (and Itsuki is one of the most beautiful places in Kyushu), it may be worth the risk. Watch Kumamon jump at the link (no doubt the costume needed extra cleaning after that): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z62ecZ2OS_g https://kumanichi.com/articles/1120229

Kirk here. Despite the brief but heavy rain we experienced today, the rainy sea…

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:32:03 +0000

Kirk here. Despite the brief but heavy rain we experienced today, the rainy season has been declared to be over:

Kirk here. Koichi HAGIUDA, Minister for Promoting Green Transformation of Japan …

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:05:59 +0000

Kirk here. Koichi HAGIUDA, Minister for Promoting Green Transformation of Japan (and, by the way, a politician known for his cozy relations with the Unification Church [Moonies]) visited Kumamoto today in connection with preparations for the arrival of TSMC. According to the news report, Kumamoto University is considering teaching classes at the affiliated elementary and junior high school in English so that the children of engineers can study there. Minister Hagiuda went so far as to speculate that classes at the school might be conducted entirely in English and still be in accord with the Ministry of Eduction guidelines (学習指導要領).

Kirk here with more about the rebuilt Minami Aso Railway. If you go to the arti…

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:21:42 +0000

Kirk here with more about the rebuilt Minami Aso Railway. If you go to the article, you’ll find a related video.

Yukata Festival - ゆかた祭り

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 11:17:54 +0000

Kirk here with a slightly modified DeepL transtation about the Yukata Festival to be next weekend:

Eight shopping streets in the center of Kumamoto City will hold a festival under the theme “yukata become a castle town.” A variety of events will be held, including stage events, a somen noodle float (somen nagashi), and a fair. 熊本市中心部の８つの商店街が、市民参加型の祭りとして開催。「ゆかた」の似合う城下町をテーマに、ステージイベントやそうめん流し、縁日など、多彩なイベントを実施。

https://kumanichi.com/event/1091698

Kirk here with news of an accident in Aso. Normally I wouldn't bother to post a…

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:38:47 +0000

Kirk here with news of an accident in Aso. Normally I wouldn’t bother to post about such an accident but the family is reported to be foreign (parents in their 40s and two boys 10 or older). Fortunately, all are expected to live. I hope no one suffered a serious injury.

頓写会 (Tonsya-kai)

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 06:04:07 +0000

William The original Honmyoji temple was built in 1585 in Osaka to console the spirit of the father of Katō Kiyomasa, who moved it to Kumamoto Castle in 1600. Following his death on July 24, 1611 and burial on Mount Nakao, the temple was moved there in 1614, followed by numerous other temples lining the many steps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honmy%C5%8D-ji To mourn the first anniversary of Kiyomasa’s death, it is said that the 69,384 characters of the Lotus Sutra were copied in a single night on July 23 by the temple’s 3rd head, Nichiyojin, which was called the Tonsya-e (頓写経), literally, “a sutra copied in an instant”. In commemoration of this feat, a festival is held that date called Tonsya-kai (頓写会); the stairs are lined with lanterns. Following a hiatus due to corona, it will be held again this Sunday, the 23rd, between 7:00 and 11:30. Schedule: 7:30 p.m. Departure of Tonsha-no-kyo procession 8:00 p.m. Tonsha-e large memorial service Houraku Kaji prayer 9:30 p.m. Wake sermon There are many steps, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water - and a camera! We’d love to receive your photos and will post all contributed to us. Official site: http://www.honmyouji.jp/topic.html

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto. It's about the opening of the ear…

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:38:30 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto. It’s about the opening of the earthquake museum “KIOKU” where Building 1 of Tokai University’s Aso Campus once stood. Here’s a link to a Google map:

https://goo.gl/maps/7bB7S1JwvntjvKrV9

You might have a problem with the URL to the J-Server machine translation of the museum website. If so, you can get there directly with the following link:

https://kumamotojishin-museum.com/

www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/pfbid0yHb2yhU5g3MmoQHcEn1dRsA9wMD4yFcsubGgDw9onZycppN4jttXUgFGXxgbsA2Ml

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. As Homer Simpson would say, "Mmm. Cobal…

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:47:12 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. As Homer Simpson would say, “Mmm. Cobalt . . .”

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02zq2g2ThLaPGVXwvgSmxDKUgWmbWfRSApb7VRUMSGU2BAdNx8wQ43fsbmcs9BR7uol

William Rather typical for Kumamoto, the governments (prefectural and local) an…

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:45:21 +0000

William Rather typical for Kumamoto, the governments (prefectural and local) anticipated a problem yet failed to take proactive countermeasures. This time is the issue of roads in and around Kikuyo, where TSMC and related companies will soon employ thousands of workers and new housing is proliferating. Having worked in the area, I’m aware of the single-lane farm roads, where cars must slow to 20kmph to pass - and this traffic is due only to construction. When the fabs open, the situation will undoubtedly worsen. Kumanichi initially reports, but it’s behind a firewall, so here is a summary from a different site (Japanese) and a translation: https://greta.5ch.net/test/read.cgi/poverty/1689636025/l50?v=pc The number of traffic accidents in Kikuyo Town, where TSMC is located, has doubled due to the use of shortcuts by commuters and congestion due to population growth. Entrance to local roads is neverending, and road maintenance cannot keep up. The number of traffic accidents resulting in injury or death is increasing rapidly in Kikuyo Town. The number of incidents has almost doubled compared to last year. Traffic congestion has become more serious as companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC) expand and population increases. Narrow community roads and farm roads are being used as shortcuts, and situations in which cars enter villages are a constant occurrence. Road maintenance cannot keep up with the increase in traffic, and residents are racking their brains for countermeasures. From 7:30 am on weekdays, cars enter one after another between the farmlands that spread to the south residential area of Haramizu, Kikuyo Town, heading north to the Semicon Technopark, an industrial park where semiconductor companies are concentrated. Many cars crowd prefectural and town roads around the district. Even near JR Haramizu Station, the narrow prefectural roads passing between private houses are crowded. There was also a road sign with a bent post, probably because a car had hit it. A local resident said, “Recently, the traffic volume has increased again. In the mornings and evenings, commuters fly through the district and along farm roads.”

Kirk here. I didn't know what romon (楼門; ろうもん) was so I looked it up. The firs…

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 13:14:27 +0000

Kirk here. I didn’t know what romon (楼門; ろうもん) was so I looked it up. The first character means “tall building” and the second means “gate” so it’s a majestic gate of the sort you see in the picture. Here’s the link to the article and a YouTube video:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14949203

P.S. The preview image generated by the article was unrelated to Aso Shrine so I used a screenshot instead.

Kirk here. The following YouTube link with take you to some highlights of the J…

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 06:58:07 +0000

Kirk here. The following YouTube link with take you to some highlights of the Japan-All Blacks XV match that took place in Kumamoto.

P.S. So far, I’m been referring to the “All Blacks XV” as just the “All Blacks” but that was a mistake. “The All Blacks XV is the second national rugby union team of New Zealand, after the All Blacks.”

0円ショップ Zero Yen Shop

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 11:34:56 +0000

Atsuko here sharing interesting events. Today I went to the Zero Yen Shop, 0円ショップ,held at あいぽーと Aiport on the first floor of ウェルパル Wellpal in Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City.

0 円ショップ,Zero Yen Shop is an event where people give each other things for zero yen. It is a reuse and share event. Items brought in included clothes, toys, handicrafts and food. There were also people teaching origami and shogi (Japanese chess) as well as goods. I brought elementary school uniform, sports uniform, toys and dishes my kids used before. I was happy to have participated when I saw people going home happy with the things I had brought. My daughter enjoyed playing shogi.

Kirk with another rugby update. Japan didn't win but I thought they did a lot be…

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 04:03:52 +0000

Kirk with another rugby update. Japan didn’t win but I thought they did a lot better in Kumamoto than they had done against the All Blacks in Tokyo, where they only got 6 points (they got 27 points yesterday).

Kirk here. I saw something about this on NHK's national news program today. So…

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 13:19:43 +0000

Kirk here. I saw something about this on NHK’s national news program today. Some people were waiting in line at 4:30 this morning.

Kirk here. I haven't seen this with my own eyes yet but I've seen several posts…

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 06:50:09 +0000

Kirk here. I haven’t seen this with my own eyes yet but I’ve seen several posts like this one that show emerald green water in the volcano. To be honest, though, I’m not exactly sure where this photo was taken. It doesn’t seem to be the part of the volcano that belches steam. The person who posted this to Twitter wrote that the color (and perhaps the presence of the water itself?) was a result of the recent rain. Anybody been there recently?

All Blacks vs Japan

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:00:02 +0000

Kirk here with rugby news. Today, the All Blacks took on some youngsters from Kikuyo-machi. Who won? See the video to find out.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/604297?display=1

As you probably know already, the All Blacks will play Japan tomorrow.

Kirk here with a TSMC update.

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 04:29:16 +0000

Kirk here with a TSMC update.

Kirk here. Tategami-kyo (立神峡) is a beautiful gorge in Yatsushiro. I'm sad to re…

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 11:40:47 +0000

Kirk here. Tategami-kyo (立神峡) is a beautiful gorge in Yatsushiro. I’m sad to report that, according to RKK, a foreign man (perhaps from Myammar) drowned there today. :(

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/602290?display=1

http://tategami-camp.com/

Kirk here with a quick update. "My number" (or "maina") cards can once again b…

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 11:18:16 +0000

Kirk here with a quick update. “My number” (or “maina”) cards can once again be used at convenience stores to procure official documents. According to the report, a problem occurred in Fukuoka and, since Kumamoto is using the same system, they shut the service down until they could be sure it was safe. The system was declared safe and restarted at 3 PM today.

日本代表×All Blacks XV

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:37:14 +0000

Kirk here with rugby news. “Following a 38 - 6 win against Japan XV last Saturday, MacDonald has made seven changes to the team anticipating an intense match in Kumamoto.” I don’t know if it is possible to get tickets for this Saturday’s match (I looked but couldn’t figure out how to do it online) but we can watch it on TV:

07/15（Sat）18:00～20:00 「日本代表×All Blacks XV(オールブラックス・フィフティーン)」　〜えがお健康スタジアム(熊本) ジャンル：スポーツ放送局： BS日テレ（141ch）

Kirk here. I don't get around much any more so I haven't been to Yakoboku but t…

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:13:38 +0000

Kirk here. I don’t get around much any more so I haven’t been to Yakoboku but this article about the best bars in Asia says it’s no. 84.

Here’s a link showing the location on Google maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/zK4jRVVKaE9ky2D39

And here’s a link to the bars Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/yakoboku/

My question is How is it that Jeff’s World Bar didn’t make the list?

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057095334230

https://www.lifestyleasia.com/bk/dining/drinks/50-best-bars-2023-51-100-list-bangkok/

Kirk here. NHK World published a little news video with the following headline:…

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:38:12 +0000

Kirk here. NHK World published a little news video with the following headline: “Japan to subsidize chip plants’ water suppliers.”

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230710_17/

So, it would seem that the government wants to facilitate and accelerate the use of Kumamoto’s groundwater. Even now, however, Kumamoto City’s webpage features calls to conserve water:

https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/kankyo/hpkiji/pub/Detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=20529

I’ve added some English to images on that page and shared them here. The images show the mechanism by which water seeps into the ground to replenish the groundwater supply, how the reduction in traditional agriculture and the increase in pavement etc is interfering with that process, and how groundwater levels are declining.

Kirk here news about a cow-colored (not blue-and-white) Lawson in Minami Aso. N…

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 05:46:51 +0000

Kirk here news about a cow-colored (not blue-and-white) Lawson in Minami Aso. Not particularly important news but, then again, not scary or depressing either!! ;)

Kirk again. This post about Kumamoto University came in my Google News feed. T…

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 01:55:30 +0000

Kirk again. This post about Kumamoto University came in my Google News feed. The publisher is a company that describes its mission as “AI Asset Management” so I assume that it has been put together and written by a bot. The English is good but the captions are mostly in Japanese (I guess the bot failed to realize that it should translate those into English). It doesn’t say anything negative and, of course, no students or faculty are quoted. Still, people studying or working at Kumamoto University might find it interesting (maybe even amusing).

Kirk here. We experienced some heavy rain here in Kumamoto today but our friends…

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:18:06 +0000

Kirk here. We experienced some heavy rain here in Kumamoto today but our friends to the north in Fukuoka, Sago and Oita prefectures got hit much harder.

A 6 PM RKK news report said that the Kyushu Expressway was closed between Fukuoka and Nankan and it wasn’t clear when it could be reopened. Also, the rain stopped Kyushu Shinkansen trains from coming to and leaving Kumamoto for a while this morning.

Kirk here with a positive story about the peaceful co-existence of humans and ce…

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 08:13:52 +0000

Kirk here with a positive story about the peaceful co-existence of humans and cetaceans in Amakusa:

— start quote — The local government believes that emphasizing dolphins’ positive relationships with residents, including their friendships with skin divers, will contribute to more fascination with the marine mammals beyond simply showcasing them to sightseers. Takasaki, who referred to Amakusa as a “sanctuary for dolphins,” said she hopes her survey will lead to the realization of a sea friendly to both dolphins and humans. — end quote —

Kirk with some news about "my number cards" (maina cards). Kumamoto City has ac…

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 13:28:32 +0000

Kirk with some news about “my number cards” (maina cards). Kumamoto City has achieved the highest adoption rate (78%) of 20 ordinance-designated (seirei shitei; 政令指定) cities. Moreover, “maina cards” have made it possible to get certain documents (residence registries [juumin-hyou], etc.) for only 10 yen each a local convenience stores. This has led to over half of all such documents in Kumamoto being procured at convenience stores rather than at ward offices. Personally, I’ve found this to be very convenient and you can’t beat that 10 yen price! :)

Kirk with a link to the hazard map I promised yesterday:

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 01:44:02 +0000

Kirk with a link to the hazard map I promised yesterday:

https://disaportal.gsi.go.jp/maps/

The URL for yesterday’s post, in case you missed it:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid08SZY7mHyFABUhZn3emryDSxd1RV6p1EXXy5DERf97V9ZhBzVGW33tZKDKRHczpvUl

I think this is the best hazard map interface I’ve seen so far. You can choose one type of risk (flood, landslide, storm surge, etc.) and display that separately or choose several to display simultaneously (overlapping) as in the example image I have made for this post. As far as I can tell, the projected depths of water are worst-case scenarios but I couldn’t find an explanation of whether that is once in a hundred years or what. I did find a note indicating that, in extreme circumstances, depths might be even greater than those projected.

Sean here -

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:34:34 +0000

Sean here - Some then and this morning comparison pics (before today’s rains). Unfortunately, the pics really don’t do justice to how far the lake overflowed its banks. But still amazing, none the less.

(Claire) Uto and it’s uk link came up again! Link on the comments. It’s a lovely…

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 04:13:49 +0000

(Claire) Uto and it’s uk link came up again! Link on the comments. It’s a lovely place for a stop and stretch of your legs in June.

Kirk here. It's raining again and a "watch" (注意報; chuui hou) is in effect for t…

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:54:58 +0000

Kirk here. It’s raining again and a “watch” (注意報; chuui hou) is in effect for the whole prefecture. I suspect that calls for “evacuation” (避難; hinan) of certain areas will be made again this weekend. So, in preparation, I’ll be making some posts to help you understand the risks you may face and whether or not you need to seek shelter somewhere else.

First, I put “evacuation” in quotes above because the original Japanese is a bit more ambiguous than the English term, “hinan.” In Japanese, it is possible to “hinan” at home, if your home is safe enough. So, when “evacuation” comes up in English news and announcements about how to respond to the extreme rain, you might want to interpret it as “go to or make sure you are already in a place that is safe.”

Olive oil tasting/seminar

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 04:27:52 +0000

(Claire) Hi, GattoNero, an Italian restaurant with an Italian chef , Yamaga way in Kahoku, will be holding their second Olive oil tasting/seminar on July 29th. It will be in English with Japanese translation. My sister in law went last time and really enjoyed it. You can message them through Instagram in English, Italian or Japanese or phone them in those languages too for more information. 0968 32 4333

Kirk here. Heavy rain has been coming all too frequently in recent years:

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:07:11 +0000

Kirk here. Heavy rain has been coming all too frequently in recent years:

Kirk here. Judging from the caption on this picture, this damaged section of Hi…

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 03:49:25 +0000

Kirk here. Judging from the caption on this picture, this damaged section of Highway 28 would be about here:

https://goo.gl/maps/sm7J4WxvkgjJYxLh9

https://kumanichi.com/articles/1096921

Evacuation Shelters Opening - Heavy Rains in Kumamoto

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:23:41 +0000

Kirk again. This came to me in an e-mail from the International Center:

—– start quote —– Heavy rains are predicted to arrive in Kumamoto. Evacuation shelters will open from 17:00 on July 4th (TUE). When preparing to go to a shelter, please remember to bring with you the necessities such as food, water and prescription drugs.
※ When the shelter closes , please remember to take with you any garbage that you accumulated. ※ It is very dangerous for people to evacuate during severe the rain and or cold. You should plan accordingly trying to avoid leaving after dark. （1）List of evacuation shelters: 　　 Please check kumamoto City Disaster Prevention Information Portal https://city-kumamoto.my.salesforce-sites.com/#

Kirk here with an inquiry from Julie, who got some well-deserved recognition las…

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 08:50:59 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry from Julie, who got some well-deserved recognition last year for her long-standing practice of picking up after other people every morning. Well, now Julie, who does so much for other people, needs a little help from anyone who might have some Kiwi (New Zealand) currency that they would be willing to exchange for yen. She has some students who will be traveling to New Zealand and would like to help them get used to the actual currency before they go.

Kirk here giving the rain a break (I hope it gives us a break) and posting in th…

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 08:26:28 +0000

Kirk here giving the rain a break (I hope it gives us a break) and posting in the “stuff I didn’t know or had forgotten” category. Today’s bit of unknown or forgotten information pertains to the caption written for the photo you see with this article:

“A masked GSDF member stands by NEWS electronic warfare vehicles at Camp Kengun in the city of Kumamoto. (Mainichi/Yoshitake Matsuura)”

NEWS stands for “network electronic warfare systems.” The systems are designed to “jam “enemy radio waves in an integrated manner” and “establish information superiority over potential adversaries.”” Sure hope these systems never need to used! 😕

Kirk with a follow-up about "evacuation orders."

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 05:56:13 +0000

Kirk with a follow-up about “evacuation orders.”

This Japan Times article includes the following sentence:

“In the city of Kumamoto, 368,000 residents were ordered to evacuate on the morning of July 3, after water levels rose in the Shirakawa river, which runs through the area.”

The population of Kumamoto City that is published in the June edition of the Shisei dayori (市政だより) is 736,245 so 368,000 is about half of the whole city. Obviously, it would have been an absolute disaster (a “secondary disaster”) if all of those people had tried to evacuate. So, it’s NOT the case that “368,000 residents were ordered” to evacuate. Rather, that many people live in areas where they were to evacuate if their particular circumstances (proximity to a river or steep incline, etc.) warranted it. So, as I have written in the past “evacuation order” doesn’t mean “everyone go to your nearest evacuation center.”

Kirk here. The image you see is of a road near the Kiyama River (the one that o…

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:38:04 +0000

Kirk here. The image you see is of a road near the Kiyama River (the one that overflowed) in Mashiki-machi Tahara. The RKK video has some other amazing scenes (such as a violently surging Gorogataki-gawa in Yamato-cho) that you may want to check out.

Kirk again. I just found this NHK World page that has many of the images and vi…

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 10:09:50 +0000

Kirk again. I just found this NHK World page that has many of the images and videos I’ve already introduced but with text in English.

Kirk here with a damage report. A temple (浄恩寺) in Mashiki-machi that was damage…

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 09:58:02 +0000

Kirk here with a damage report. A temple (浄恩寺) in Mashiki-machi that was damaged by a landslide. The priest had evacuated already so no one was hurt.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20230703/k10014116571000.html

Sean here - reporting closer to home. Ezuko @ noon

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 04:57:38 +0000

Sean here - reporting closer to home. Ezuko @ noon Stay safe and appreciate the fact that it is people, not the earth needing to be saved.

Kirk again. My classes have been cancelled for today due to the rain so I have …

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 03:46:16 +0000

Kirk again. My classes have been cancelled for today due to the rain so I have a bit more time to provide updates. If you are anywhere near a river (or if you are just curious) you should know about the following website:

https://www.river.go.jp/kawabou/pc/tm?zm=11&clat=32.743302174991605&clon=130.7627320289612&fld=0&mapType=0&viewGrpStg=0&viewRd=1&viewRW=1&viewRiver=1&viewPoint=1&ext=0&ofcCd=11009&itmkndCd=4&obsCd=22

As an illustration, I’ve added screenshots of the Shinkawa Bridge, which is on the Iwatogawa, in Mashiki-machi. The data indicates that the water level is higher (!) than the levee. You can see what that looks like in the live photo. Even if you don’t read Japanese, this map should help you learn about the current status of the riiver(s) near you.

Kirk here with a link to an NHK page showing parts of Kumamoto Prefecture that h…

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 02:07:42 +0000

Kirk here with a link to an NHK page showing parts of Kumamoto Prefecture that have flooded. All of the videos seem to have been submitted by citizen videographers.

Kirk here. Some evacuation "orders" have been issued for some parts of Kumamoto …

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:11:04 +0000

Kirk here. Some evacuation “orders” have been issued for some parts of Kumamoto due to the heavy rain. I put the word “orders” in parentheses because, even if an order has been issued in your area, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you must go to a shelter. It depends on the specifics of your location within the area with such an order. We discussed this a lot last year. Please see the following for more information:

Kirk here. The caption says "Shinichiro Iseri, chief priest at Kitaoka Shrine i…

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 07:48:25 +0000

Kirk here. The caption says “Shinichiro Iseri, chief priest at Kitaoka Shrine in Nishi ward, Kumamoto, recalls how the shrine accommodated people following the Kumamoto earthquake in April 2016.”

Kirk with an article about what may be behind recent extreme weather:

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 00:34:07 +0000

Kirk with an article about what may be behind recent extreme weather:

“During the 2020 Kyushu floods, rivers flooded as linear precipitation zones formed in the predawn hours, meaning many were late in fleeing the disaster. Fourteen residents of Senju-en, an elderly nursing care home in the village of Kuma, Kumamoto Prefecture, lost their lives.”

The picture is of Hitoyoshi.

Kirk here reporting that I have a new reason to love Yamaga: high quality tradit…

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 04:48:28 +0000

Kirk here reporting that I have a new reason to love Yamaga: high quality traditional uchiwa (fans).

If the article piques your interest and you’d like to learn more, you can check out Kurikawa Shoten’s website here:

http://www.uchiwa.jp/

If you search this page for “Yamaga,” you’ll find lots of posts about Yamaga Toro (山鹿灯籠). These decorative lanterns are made of washi (traditional Japanese paper) with techniques that allow the construction of elaborate paper replicas of buildings and other structures. The master of the art form was Mr. Kiyoshi Nakashima, who passed away a few years ago. When he was alive, he was easy find find at his disk in his shop working away at some project or other. I remember visiting once and seeing a nearly complete replica of the Sydney Opera House on his table. I assume that someone had commission the work but can’t find any reference to it now. If you’d like to see a video with English subtitles showing Mr. Nakashima at work, please check out the following:

Kirk here with some news about the heavy rain. The alert level for landslides i…

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:24:05 +0000

Kirk here with some news about the heavy rain. The alert level for landslides is at the highest level in the Aso region.

https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/#lang=en&area_type=offices&area_code=430000&pattern=rain_snow

By the way, if you’re confused about the distinction between “inundation” and “flood,” the government uses “flood” to refer to overflowing rivers while “inundation” refers to other kinds of flooding (e.g. intense rain that overwhelms drainage systems, etc). I’ve written to them to tell them that these English words don’t convey the meaning of the Japanese terms (shinsui and kouzui). To their credit, they wrote back but, unfortunately, chose to blow me off with nonsense about the need to observe scholarly trends. :(

Kirk here. When Kumamoto Airport first began accepting international flights I r…

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 23:24:05 +0000

Kirk here. When Kumamoto Airport first began accepting international flights I remember wondering if there would be enough traffic to justify the expansion of service. With the arrival of TSMC, it’s now pretty clear that international flights are here to stay.

Kirk here, happily reporting a bit of news that I hope will help to counter the…

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 10:09:18 +0000

Kirk here, happily reporting a bit of news that I hope will help to counter the “more foreigners = more crime” stereotype. A female Lawson employee who hails from Nepal received an award from local police for helping an elderly customer avoid falling victim to a scam. It seems the elderly woman had been convinced by scammers that she needed to deposit money in a bank account. When she asked the Lawson employee, whose name is rendered タマン・サルミラ in Japanese, how to do that, タマンさん recognized the pattern and suggested that she contact the police. Good job タマンさん!

Global Entrepreneur Development Seminars

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 03:42:27 +0000

Foreigners in Kumamoto who want to make contacts, set up their own business, or just mingle on a Saturday night🎯 Head to Shintoshin Plaza on July 1st where, from 6-8pm, Danny McGregor will give a talk including insights into Global Management and entrepreneurship in Japan (free event) 🍸🍻 Continue swapping cards, sharing ideas and socializing at the after-party (not free!) 🌠

If you’ve any Japanese entrepreneur friends with good English then certainly invite them, too!

Kirk here with short video from NHK showing how pretty ajisai (Japanese hydrange…

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:47:01 +0000

Kirk here with short video from NHK showing how pretty ajisai (Japanese hydrangeas) can be in the rain.

Sean here

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 22:50:26 +0000

Sean here

File under –

Awkward moments in nature - umm excuse me, I’m changing.

I was quite thrilled to come across this semi molting. For me, a first and I was happy to witness nature in action, albeit uber slow action.

Personally, I enjoy the “sounds of summer”. There is a rhythm to a semi orchestra that is quite soothing.

Fun facts –

They spend most of their lives underground, only to emerge briefly as adults to mate” Cicadas are found worldwide, and on every continent except Antarctica

Kirk here. Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of the 1953 floods that took the …

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:18:34 +0000

Kirk here. Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of the 1953 floods that took the lives of over 500 people (198 of whom are still recorded as “missing”; their bodies were never recovered or identified). If you look at the RKK segment, you’ll see some clips that will give you an idea of what the people who experienced the flooding went through.

The following Wikipedia page provides lots of interesting details:

Kirk here with a little image comparing a still from Hotarubi no Mori e with a p…

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 08:17:44 +0000

Kirk here with a little image comparing a still from Hotarubi no Mori e with a picture of the staircase leading to Kamishikimi Kumanoza Shrine (上色見熊野座神社). The still from the animated movie was taken from an official Japanese-language trailer that can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXLSRH31Yao&t=14s

Information in English about the movie is here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotarubi_no_Mori_e

The picture of the actual shrine comes from the following post on Kumamoto Japan Tourism (a Facebook page):

Kirk here reporting that the TSMC plant that is being built here already has lot…

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 12:01:44 +0000

Kirk here reporting that the TSMC plant that is being built here already has lots of orders. As far as I know, none of those orders have been placed by the Phat Kat in Ezuko that Sean reported on earlier today. He probably has other matters to attend to. ;)

Sean here reporting on a local Ezu Ko celeb -A Phat Kat who will not be named (u…

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 02:38:10 +0000

Sean here reporting on a local Ezu Ko celeb -A Phat Kat who will not be named (unless Phat Kat sticks).

Kirk here. The high-tech news keeps rolling in. This article is about a second…

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 01:38:06 +0000

Kirk here. The high-tech news keeps rolling in. This article is about a second image-sensor manufacturing facility to be built by Sony in Kumamoto:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230623/p2g/00m/0bu/046000c

“The plant, which is expected to produce smartphone sensors, will be built on a 270,000-square-meter site it plans to acquire this year in Koshi in the southwestern Japan prefecture, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp. President Terushi Shimizu told reporters.”

The article doesn’t mention that Sony already has a plant here but we’ve discussed the existing plant on this page several times in the past. Here’s a link to a major article on it:

Kirk here. This Kumamoto-related story was featured prominently on NHK's evenin…

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:53:34 +0000

Kirk here. This Kumamoto-related story was featured prominently on NHK’s evening news today. Tsujunkyo will be the first arch bridge in Japan to be designated a national treasure.

https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2023062300889/

By the way, here are some previous posts about Tsujun Bridge by Willian that you may enjoy:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0yzdr7uVvCMZrGGSoasRyuMwuChbr6vXHErtzhErfaKpTciCFqAhD9k8NHqR9ELA2l

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0t1M7NBoW9GTCfSWzZ6fxXModjJFRwmkp1297jqYXBH8Nb7PrcC2g8LZ1fJzW9nfrl

Atsuko here sharing Kumamoto city Twitter.٩(°̀ᗝ°́)و

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 09:50:29 +0000

Atsuko here sharing Kumamoto city Twitter.٩(°̀ᗝ°́)و ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Alert!

On Thursday 22 June, a fire broke out in a refuse collection vehicle while it was collecting landfill waste.

The cause is under investigation, but it is believed that lighters, gas cans and other items were mixed with the landfill waste, causing the fire.

Please make sure you segregate your waste thoroughly!

Click here↓ for more information on sorting. How to put out “specific items” such as fluorescent tubes, gas cans / spray cans, batteries, etc. https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/hpkiji/pub/Detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=6124

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. Though I haven't had occasion to ride a …

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:47:51 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. Though I haven’t had occasion to ride a local bus recently (I’m a cyclist), I can certainly imagine how this could make buses a more attractive option for getting around in Kumamoto. I’ve read that bus ridership in Kumamoto is about one fourth (1/4) of what it was in 1975:

https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileDsp.aspx?c_id=5&id=48134&sub_id=1&flid=342426

The idea of merging the 5 different bus companies we have in Kumamoto into one has been discussed as one way to improve service and make busses more attractive to local residents:

Kirk here. As their website explains, "The YOKA is an English-language newslett…

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:23:24 +0000

Kirk here. As their website explains, “The YOKA is an English-language newsletter published by the International Affairs Division with the help of current and former Kumamoto JETs.” But, even if you aren’t a JET or a former JET (as I am not), you can still enjoy the publication. The Winter 2023 (as in January-February of this year, I think) edition just came out. Enjoy it and previous editions here:

https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/the-yoka/

Kirk here. This isn't exactly "news" for people who live here but, indeed, traff…

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 06:33:57 +0000

Kirk here. This isn’t exactly “news” for people who live here but, indeed, traffic can be pretty bad in Kumamoto – one reason I sold my car and have been biking as much as possible. Now, with the arrival of TSMC in Kikuyo, traffic seems to be particularly bad there.

Kirk here. I'd like to pose some questions to readers working in or knowledgabl…

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 13:33:29 +0000

Kirk here. I’d like to pose some questions to readers working in or knowledgable about Japan’s IT (information technology, programing, etc.) sector. In a nutshell, I’d like to find out what you think about IT job prospects in Kumamoto and/or Japan and, assuming that there are jobs to be had, whether you would recommend working here. I’m prompted to pose these questions by a discussion with an American student who knows Japanese well and is preparing to become a professional programmer.

Kirk here. Prime Minister Kishida was in Camp Kengun in Kumamoto City today to e…

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:58:41 +0000

Kirk here. Prime Minister Kishida was in Camp Kengun in Kumamoto City today to eulogize the men lost in the helicopter accident in Okinawa.

Kirk here returning to the theme of "Why I love Ezuko." I think it's great to h…

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 13:03:50 +0000

Kirk here returning to the theme of “Why I love Ezuko.” I think it’s great to have a semi-wild place like this in the city.

P.S. Sorry for the poor quality of the video; taken with an iPhone.

Atsuko here.

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 23:27:48 +0000

Atsuko here. Kumamoto castle tour(ᐛ)ᒃ✨. https://www.facebook.com/725021167559338/posts/6429297100465021/?sfnsn=mo

Kirk here. The couple holding the banner on the right side of the photo are from…

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 11:40:27 +0000

Kirk here. The couple holding the banner on the right side of the photo are from Kumamoto. Before the verdict was rendered they held a press conference here. That covered in English as far as I know but here’s a link to a Japan-language video:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/kumamoto/20230526/5000019122.html

https://time.com/6286070/japan-same-sex-marriage-ruling-unconstitutional/

Kirk here. This article says that "Japan, like France, is known as a culinary c…

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 01:54:20 +0000

Kirk here. This article says that “Japan, like France, is known as a culinary country. But even within Japan, Kumamoto is definitely a foodie’s city.” I would agree with that. Many friends who have come to visit me in Kumamoto have been impressed with the quality of the cuisine.

This article is pretty short and so only provides a small sample of information about food here in Kumamoto. Still, I think foodies out there should want to give it a quick read.

Kirk here. Amakusa.

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:33:15 +0000

Kirk here. Amakusa.

https://www.facebook.com/KArealexperience/posts/pfbid02hNQz5k1TxKgVNjXgFurtkMZcYz4g99QfByEKQVHWShaSLV1KPoZhZgbVcVAqBwA9l

Kirk here. I posted about this a while back but now tickets are on sale. The re…

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:36:24 +0000

Kirk here. I posted about this a while back but now tickets are on sale. The report I saw on RKK today indicated that there are still quite a few tickets left but that parking spots are going fast. I’ll try to post information about where to buy tickets, etc. in a comment to this post.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02GWjLorUQsQ4Z7iqbfcTp3MyJDjoD8769kG3KgFncGds9QRepF3s4BPVUEPmXoXwWl

Kirk here. While surely not as common as in the U.S., it seems that there are me…

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 01:53:44 +0000

Kirk here. While surely not as common as in the U.S., it seems that there are medical malpractice lawsuits in Japan too. This case is about something that occurred at Kumamoto City Hospital (Kumamoto Shimin Byouin). This hospital was severely damaged in the 2016 earthquakes and has since been rebuilt in a new location (see picture). However, it has also been in the news over noise associated with the demolition of the old hospital. The impact of the noise on local residents has been so bad that demolition has been put on hold and not yet resumed (at least, not as far as I know). Another issue with this hospital has been failure to collect a huge amount in unpaid medical bills.

Kirk here with some information about a language learning (memorization) tool I'…

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:33:57 +0000

Kirk here with some information about a language learning (memorization) tool I’ve been working on for several years now. The app is not specific to Kumamoto but it came up in discussion about a post I made yesterday. Here’s a link to that post, which was about Japanese classes in Kumamoto:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02tLzri9oN4WFqCfUSak5rTKDU7Dfo9vGkt2qhDmjewtjfG2yhyDfz5MvLZzmpzuB3l

In a comment, I posted about a flashcard app I’ve been building over the past seven years or so. Though I’m not completely ready to go public with it, I’m pretty close. “Kankaku V13” is a beta version of the app I’m hoping to try to promote in earnest next year.

はじめてのにほんご

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 08:52:35 +0000

Kirk here with information about opportunities to take Japanese language classes. The information came to me through “Safety and Security disaster prevention and lifestyle information newsletter” put out by the Kumamoto International Foundation. Here’s the English and Japanese text in the newsletter about studying Japanese:

【The study of Japanese】 The intensive beginner’s Japanese language course “Hajimete no Nihongo” will be held from 3rd July (Mon) for those who have just arrived in Kumamoto and know little or no Japanese. If you would like to participate, please apply to the Kumamoto International Foundation. For more information, please visit the website below. https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji0031715/index.html

Kirk here. This news from a few weeks ago is about a junior high school teacher…

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 12:01:17 +0000

Kirk here. This news from a few weeks ago is about a junior high school teacher (former teacher, that is) who exhibiting some jaw-droppingly terrible behavior. The school is near the interchange between Highway 57 (Higashi Bypass) and the Kyushu Expressway.

Kirk here with a recent English-language news article on the murder of the young…

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 23:21:11 +0000

Kirk here with a recent English-language news article on the murder of the young woman in Kumamoto:

Atsuko here.

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:06:59 +0000

Atsuko here. My friend Sakamoto-san, one of Kumamoto International’s readers, has created an easy-to-understand website to help improve littering etiquette for foreigners, which I would like to share with you. Hope it helps.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kirk here with important news for the local economy. You may think that the TSM…

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 02:13:35 +0000

Kirk here with important news for the local economy. You may think that the TSMC plant is old news but this would mean TWO major TSMC facilities in Kumamoto. As Sid in Toy Story put it, “Alright, double prizes!” Check out the NHK page for a video.

Kirk here. This is still pretty speculative but it seems that a man who worked …

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:17:48 +0000

Kirk here. This is still pretty speculative but it seems that a man who worked for an elevator inspection company with access to the building in which a young woman was found murdered last week is now dead, perhaps a suicide. “Elevator inspection” may be relevant because the body of the woman was found on the 7th floor of the building but the general public did not have access to that floor via the elevator or an internal staircase; the 7th floor was closed (karaoke business not operating) and elevator access was turned off, but an inspector may have been able to override that setting and take the elevator to the 7th floor.

Kirk here with a share from "Fired up Kumamoto, Japan." The little Facebook post…

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:16:05 +0000

Kirk here with a share from “Fired up Kumamoto, Japan.” The little Facebook post contains a link to the following article, which is quite detailed and worth looking at if you’re interested in the topic:

https://firedup-kumamoto.com/column11/?fbclid=IwAR3edzyWZO0ba8480KH0QdazVM3P2LmRXzO88WhYwZDxLDSZWgRgYsNeSmk

There’s also a really good video on YouTube that you might want to check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp0aU5qoZNM

I’m a little puzzled as to why the post on Fired up! didn’t include a link to this Fired up! YouTube video. By the way, the Fired up! Facebook page has about 19K likes, so it has almost 4 times the readership of this page. I think the articles, like this one, are good (but could be better with more links to related resources). But, if you look at the comments you can see that the page is not monitored at all; readers seem to be able to type in unrelated information without any response from the page.

Sean here-

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:33:57 +0000

Sean here-

Some positive signs for cyclists and sustainable development goals.

Recently I started to notice some sharrows popping up starting in Uto, and on Rt. 111 from Aso station to Aso’s Nakatake.

A sharrow, a combination of Share and Arrow is different from a bike lane in that cyclists share the road with automobile traffic rather than a bike lane in which cyclists have a dedicated lane.

One of the best designs that I have seen. I must believe cyclists were part of the design process.

Kumamoto Professional Football Team Roasso Home Match

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 06:56:10 +0000

Atsuko here. Kumamoto Professional Football Team “Roasso” invites foreign residents in Kumamoto to watch the home match at Kumamoto Park Dome on Sunday 17 July.

If you want to watch the home match at Kumamoto Park Dome on Sunday 17 July, please bring your QI code and make a reservation.(*•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Kirk with news that travel between Kumamoto and Taiwan will get easier.

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 02:12:09 +0000

Kirk with news that travel between Kumamoto and Taiwan will get easier.

https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202306020016

https://www.nippon.com/en/news/kd1037353805850657087/

Kirk here with another share (this one from Explore Kumamoto) that I hope you'll…

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 11:49:41 +0000

Kirk here with another share (this one from Explore Kumamoto) that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/551090300496404

Kirk here with a beautiful unkai (雲海; sea of clouds) video from Aso (courtesy of…

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 06:06:34 +0000

Kirk here with a beautiful unkai (雲海; sea of clouds) video from Aso (courtesy of the “Aso project” page). I’m not sure when this was taken but I think unkai is a very early-morning phenomenon. On days when the conditions seem to be right, photographers get up in the middle of the night (or don’t go to bed) so that they can be there at dawn – midday tourists aren’t likely to see something like this.

Tamana Festival

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 05:29:05 +0000

There’s a small ‘festival’ going on in Tamana this Saturday ,June 3rd, in the city hall car park and surrounding area. There is usually lots of parking for these events nearby. It’s a combined effort from towns in the area with quite a few ‘experiences’ that might be fun for families (most are limited to a certain number of places so better to arrive earlier than later) For example, Arao city will be giving away melon pan to people who answer quiz questions correctly and Nagasu Town will have a goldfish scoop game. There will be a chance to make bamboo lights,pull a Tawara ( giant version of a traditional bale for storing rice) a few other things as well as the usual food trucks etc.

Kirk here. A couple of days ago I posted a little Reuters.com piece about the c…

Wed, 31 May 2023 23:19:22 +0000

Kirk here. A couple of days ago I posted a little Reuters.com piece about the castle:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0hruoCPjtjrMRsGygL8neCETZRXvvXzZaLGiUkBpKwv97JFk5hVERXK8DkKfvMEQXl

Here’s a more extensive piece by Stuart Iles that I know history buffs and castle fans will enjoy:

https://rekishinihon.com/2015/07/26/kumamoto-castle-kyushu/?fbclid=IwAR3SwRQ6A-LSDVgAAL7jRLCjV1_cYqNantKXUFZFrLTmkIJrHLw6YMHGtW8

Kirk here with rather disturbing news about an apparent murder in downtown Kumam…

Wed, 31 May 2023 08:08:35 +0000

Kirk here with rather disturbing news about an apparent murder in downtown Kumamoto.

Your Books for Children's Libraries! / 子どもの図書館への本の寄付

Tue, 30 May 2023 14:21:12 +0000

Atsuko here. Information about book donation. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 3 June 2023 (Saturday) Your Books for Children’s Libraries! /／

They are accepting book donations for the Children’s Library, which will open next spring. Construction of the Children’s Library, designed and built by architect Tadao Ando, is progressing in preparation for its opening in spring 2024.

Kumamoto Prefecture will be accepting donations of picture books and children’s books at various locations around the prefecture from Saturday 3 June. Please donate at your nearest location!

Kirk here with some information about a new consultation desk for foreign reside…

Tue, 30 May 2023 06:45:21 +0000

Kirk here with some information about a new consultation desk for foreign residents that has been established in Kikuyo, where the TSMC factory is being built. I think the TV segment I saw gave the name of the woman you see pictured, who speaks very good Japanese and has lived in the area for over 20 years. Unfortunately, however, I neglected to make a note of her name. As I recall, she said that it’s good that more support will be available to help people complete various kinds of paperwork that one must fill out after a move, etc.

Kirk here with a Reuters article about Kumamoto. Here's one paragraph to give y…

Tue, 30 May 2023 01:55:33 +0000

Kirk here with a Reuters article about Kumamoto. Here’s one paragraph to give you an idea of what the article is about:

— start quote — The castle was besieged during the 1887 Satsuma Rebellion, on which the 2003 Hollywood movie The Last Samurai is very loosely based, and was defended for more than 50 days by a vastly outnumbered garrison. The impressive architecture of the castle also inspired legendary director Akira Kurosawa to shoot scenes from two of his classic samurai movies, Ran and Kagemusha, there. — end quote —

Kirk here. Kumamoto is included in "Northern Kyushu." Here's hoping the rainy …

Mon, 29 May 2023 13:07:09 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto is included in “Northern Kyushu.” Here’s hoping the rainy season isn’t too hard on us this year.

Kirk here. It seems that the per-person amount spent on hamburgers was higher i…

Mon, 29 May 2023 09:00:01 +0000

Kirk here. It seems that the per-person amount spent on hamburgers was higher in Kumamoto than anywhere else in Japan last year. This Japanese-language article contains a national TV segment about the topic that you can watch. If any of you might be willing to share a hamburger joint recommendation, please leave it in a comment.

Sean here -

Mon, 29 May 2023 07:11:15 +0000

Sean here - File under: When everyone does a little, everybody does a lot.

Meet Mineko san, a.k.a. “Butterfly Whisperer”. Our local gardener.

If you are a regular user like me of Ezuko, Kumamoto City’s nature paradise, has probably seen or met Mineko san.

Her garden is located not far from the natural spring water fountain 江津湖の湧水 nestled between the Zoo‘s south gate and lake. There you can find her working away, always friendly with a ready smile.

This is Chat GPT here, permanently replacing Kirk as editor of this page. (Note…

Sun, 28 May 2023 06:37:13 +0000

This is Chat GPT here, permanently replacing Kirk as editor of this page. (Note from Kirk: DARN! This should have been my April Fools post this year! Much less controversial than what I wound up posting! ;) )

To commemorate Mayor Onishi’s decision to begin testing me as a replacement for – er, I mean tool for the benefit of – city workers, Kirk has asked me to prepare a short essay on what makes Kumamoto a great place to visit. Here it is:

Kirk here. I posted a little news article about dolphins in Amakusa earlier tod…

Sat, 27 May 2023 09:42:09 +0000

Kirk here. I posted a little news article about dolphins in Amakusa earlier today. Before I did so, I searched the Kumamoto International page for previous posts about Amakusa and dolphins and came across a link to this 13-page pdf document about the Amakusa area. Here’s the address of the pdf:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/attachment/63433.pdf

The link to this English-language pdf and others in Japanese and Chinese can be found here:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/amakusa/8513.html?type=top&fbclid=IwAR0poRJX03Y9_fahDu0O5q0nON4mm9rIuWgZ4lJDoDN7vP0n_pEAYY1htj0

When I find links to materials in English and other languages on Japanese-language pages like this, I can’t help wonder how many people in the target audience (e.g. foreigners who read English) actually wound up reading them. If this document, for example, was printed out and left for people to pick up I’m sure it got read but if not, I doubt many foreigners even saw it. Anyone out there already know about this particular document?

Kirk here. A while back, Atsuko posted about the topic of the article: cute bab…

Sat, 27 May 2023 00:31:00 +0000

Kirk here. A while back, Atsuko posted about the topic of the article: cute baby dolphins in Amakusa. (Thanks Atsuko!) Here’s an article in English. The article also has a short little video of the baby swimming with adult dolphins that you might want to check out. :)

MIFUNE USED BOOK FAIR

Fri, 26 May 2023 03:15:55 +0000

Kirk here with some information about a used book fair from Kumamoto International participant Patrick. (Thanks for sharing the information, Patrick!) ——- start quote ——-
ANNOUNCING the MIFUNE USED BOOK FAIR. Lots of used books, original art, doodads, nice coffee, make-your-own name card with moveable type, all set in a refurbished historical building at the center of Mifune’s former shopping district just a short walk from the Dinosaur Museum and 5 minutes by car from Costco. I myself will be taking part in the Used Book Fair. This town seriously needs something like this as we have a teeny library “room” and zero bookstores. I’m selling super cheap, mostly to support the event and to re-home lots of my English and Japanese books, comics, and movie merch. I’m also planning to have original art and fanzines for sale. I’ll be there Saturday from 12 to 6pm on Saturday, 11 to 5pm on Sunday. The address is 861-3207 熊本県上益城郡御船町御船７９４ 794 Mifune, Mifunemachi, Kamimashiki-gun, Kumamoto 861-3207 What I have: Japanese lit (in E & J), horror novels, picture books, graded readers for kids, language texts, comics (English, French, Japanese), books on art & movies, also movie pamphlets, flyers, clear file-folders, and original art. ——- end quote ——-
https://www.facebook.com/events/s/mifune-used-book-fair-%E3%81%BF%E3%81%B5%E3%81%AD%E5%8F%A4%E6%9C%AC%E5%B8%82/210429928509468/

Kirk here with news about more investment in Kumamoto's high-tech sector:

Thu, 25 May 2023 12:00:58 +0000

Kirk here with news about more investment in Kumamoto’s high-tech sector:

Iris Festival in Tamana

Thu, 25 May 2023 06:31:07 +0000

(Claire) Now is the time to see the irises along the ‘urakawa’ in Tamana. There’s lots of parking on the embankment of the Kikuchi river green belt. Bishnu have a lovely Indian restaurant in an old warehouse ( Kura) at one end and Hike have a modern cafe in their hostel/hotel at the other end. The main ‘festival’ is this weekend.

Kirk here. "Gunma and Kumamoto were among the top 10 for four years in a row, w…

Wed, 24 May 2023 03:56:04 +0000

Kirk here. “Gunma and Kumamoto were among the top 10 for four years in a row, while Kyoto has been out of the top 10 since 2020.” Not particularly surprising but good to hear nonetheless. (Good for Kumamoto and Gunma, that is; not so much so for Kyoto.) ;)

P.S. The quote actually reads “four years in raw” but that’s obviously a typo. The article has a link to the Japanese that your can refer to if the quality of the English bothers you and you would prefer to read the original text.

Kirk here. I have a young student (1st year in university) who is interested in…

Tue, 23 May 2023 13:14:14 +0000

Kirk here. I have a young student (1st year in university) who is interested in learning about Syria, Syrian refugees in Turkey, and the Middle East in general. He says he would like to make friends with people from that part of the world if anyone would be interested in such a friendship. He would be happy to help with Japanese (being a conversation partner, etc.) in exchange for learning about the culture of whomever would be willing to be a partner with him. Unfortunately, his English skills are not good. But he’s a serious (majime) student and is also interested in improving his English skills. If you or someone you know might be interested in meeting him please let me know, either in a comment or e-mail (masden at kumagaku.ac.jp). Thanks!

Kirk here. I posted about this the other day but here's the first English-langu…

Tue, 23 May 2023 07:55:31 +0000

Kirk here. I posted about this the other day but here’s the first English-language news item I’ve come across about Kumamon’s unmasking.

Kirk here. Today I posted about a wrestler named Kinbouzan. I didn't plan it t…

Sun, 21 May 2023 10:52:54 +0000

Kirk here. Today I posted about a wrestler named Kinbouzan. I didn’t plan it this way but my wife and I happened to go to Ezuko this evening for a walk and came across this view of the mountain. The boat (a yakatabune; 屋形船) is operated by Eto Boat House. Earlier in the afternoon there were lots of people out on smaller boats that the boat house rents out.

Kirk here. Any sumo fans out there? If you've been following news about the curr…

Sun, 21 May 2023 04:36:36 +0000

Kirk here. Any sumo fans out there? If you’ve been following news about the current tournament you may have noticed a name that has a familiar ring: Kinbouzan. Yesterday, I heard that Kinbouzan had lost to Yokozuna Terunofuji and thought “Could that be the Kinbouzan (Kinbozan, sometimes rendered “Kinpozan”) near Kumamoto City?” Turns out that, yup, that’s the reference. It seems that Kinbouzan’s shishou (teacher) is Kimura Seihei who is from Kumamoto and used to wrestle as Higonoumi (“Sea of Kumamoto [Higo]”). The wrestler, however, is from Kazakhstan. Here’s wishing Kinbouzan continued success in the world of sumo wrestling!

( Fiona) Firefly season is approaching and I've already started to see a few at …

Sun, 21 May 2023 01:12:52 +0000

( Fiona) Firefly season is approaching and I’ve already started to see a few at my local viewing spot in Tatsuda-yama. Post your photos and favourite locations here, and if there’s enough interest I’d be happy to organise a hotaru viewing night walk for Kumamoto-i members.

Douglas here.

Sat, 20 May 2023 08:02:33 +0000

Douglas here. The best time of year to see many active mutsugoro (mudskippers) on the muddy shores around the Ariake Sea is from the end of May and the middle of June. This very short video is the result of our first visit to film the fish in 2023. The main purpose was to get used to shooting video with our recently acquired BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K - more usually named BMPCC4K! We hope to be able to go back in June to get some more interesting shots of the mutsugoro.

Kirk here. Facebook has instituted a major change to their page editing and man…

Sat, 20 May 2023 04:07:17 +0000

Kirk here. Facebook has instituted a major change to their page editing and management interface. It may not be so noticeable to most users but it’s a big change – for the worse – for me as someone managing and looking after the page.

The change that has the biggest impact on page participants (not editors) is that it is no longer possible to post to the page as a guest. Moreover, the posts in which participants shared information to the page as guests (this was in a category called “community”) seem to have been lost.

Atsuko, with information about the cute baby dolphins of Amakusa.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Fri, 19 May 2023 23:41:11 +0000

Atsuko, with information about the cute baby dolphins of Amakusa.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ Translated page⤵

Sean here -Reporting on an amazing discovery.

Fri, 19 May 2023 01:26:52 +0000

Sean here -Reporting on an amazing discovery.

File under: Parking

For hikers, bikers, and all people who love Kinpo san.

By chance, I rolled into this parking lot located about halfway between Honmyoji Park and Togenochaya Park and Museum on Rt. 1.

What a great idea for people who have neither time nor energy but still want to hike or bike in our amazing collective backyard.

This is not an ordinary parking lot. Each parking space is surrounded by a curtain to protect your car from killer bees, snakes, wild boar, or bears while you are away…..I guess.

U.S. Consulate Passport, Birth Registration, and Notarial Services in Kumamoto City

Wed, 17 May 2023 06:55:13 +0000

William The following info perhaps useful for our US readers was sent to my email. If you’re an American citizen and haven’t registered with the Consulate, you should.

Greetings from the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka, We be visiting Kumamoto City on Friday, June 9th to offer passport, birth registration, and notarial services. Services are by appointment only and are limited to 8 families. If you would like an appointment, please reply to this email by Tuesday, June 6 with the information requested below. Please note that we will need applicants to bring exact change in cash only. We can accept payment in both dollars or yen. If paying in yen, please note our exchange rate is currently $1=140 yen but is subject to change. We look forward to seeing you in Kumamoto! Date: June 9, 2023 (Friday) 13:00-15:00 Venue: Kumamoto Prefectural Office Main Building 7th Floor 6-18-1 Suizenji, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City *To make an appointment, please email us the following information by Tuesday, June 6. Name of applicant Type of service requested Passport / Birth report / Notarial service Number of applicants Please let us know if you currently have an appointment at the Consulate Yes / No Sincerely, Consular Section, U.S. Consulate FukuokaACS@state.gov

Kirk again. I just posted about the heat. It's supposed to get up to about 29 …

Wed, 17 May 2023 06:31:24 +0000

Kirk again. I just posted about the heat. It’s supposed to get up to about 29 Celsius (about 84 Fahrenheit) today. I thought I’d check to see how that compares with historical temperatures and this is what I found. The blue is average daily highs for the month of May and red is for June. You can see that 29 is hot, even for June, much less May. You can also see that the trend is up – presumably the result of global warming.

Kirk here with a little about the heat. I was just watching a news show I recor…

Wed, 17 May 2023 05:39:14 +0000

Kirk here with a little about the heat. I was just watching a news show I recorded last night and I saw that they are already using misting fans to cool folks waiting in line outside of the castle. This video was posted four days ago but I have no double that the fans are being run today too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cw2J1l4iGk

Presentation on Machine Translation and Information Access at International Center

Tue, 16 May 2023 05:40:03 +0000

Kirk here. Over the time that I (with lots of help from others) have been trying to feed relevant and (hopefully) useful information to this page, I have come to notice that English information is often presented on the web with no links to the Japanese information it is based on. Discussion of that issue here eventually led me to write a letter to Mayor Onishi that, to the mayor’s credit, resulted in a significant improvement in machine translation on the Kumamoto City website: users can now toggle directly between foreign-language translations and the original Japanese.

I will be speaking with staff at Kumamoto's International Center soon about how …

Mon, 15 May 2023 10:21:30 +0000

I will be speaking with staff at Kumamoto’s International Center soon about how best to respond to the linguistic needs of foreign residents of Kumamoto. I don’t feel qualified to speak on behalf of the diverse community so I’d like to ask that you take a few minutes to respond to the questions in a Google form that I put on the web: https://forms.gle/Rng33mFfCa2KM4XW8

The form only collects your answers (not your e-mail address or another identifying information).

Kirk here sharing a post from Kumamoto Japan Tourism. I think this series is a …

Sat, 13 May 2023 14:05:42 +0000

Kirk here sharing a post from Kumamoto Japan Tourism. I think this series is a great idea. I love to see high school students using their hard-won English skills so meaningfully. In regard to KATO Kiyomasa, I’ve been impressed with just how many aspects of contemporary life in Kumamoto can be traced back to him. His civil engineering projects changed the course of the Shirakawa and created irrigation channels that are still in use today. Moreover, the following foods all have connections to KATO Kiyomasa (some more direct than others): basashi, karashi renkon, Chosen ame. Then, there’s Kumamon. If KATO hadn’t changed the character used to write Kumamoto from 隈 to 熊 we wouldn’t have a cute bear as a mascot. Since 隈 can refer to dark circles under your eyes, maybe KATO saved us from having an extremely tired looking character! ;) https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/pfbid0VtKkgYdkKToLoPfm9NpNwPce6Yw4UCWGShsWZbxUw1kBfo4uqa87RsddYAcSynF9l

Kirk here. Shaken (JCI car inspection) anyone? If the deadline for your vehicle…

Thu, 11 May 2023 12:43:58 +0000

Kirk here. Shaken (JCI car inspection) anyone? If the deadline for your vehicle is coming up, be sure NOT to take it to the BIG MOTOR on the Hamasen Bypass:

Kirk here reporting on a very important person whom I'm sorry to say I didn't kn…

Wed, 10 May 2023 03:46:37 +0000

Kirk here reporting on a very important person whom I’m sorry to say I didn’t know about until I heard of his passing.

—- start quote —- Isao Arita (1926 – 17 March 2023) was a Japanese physician, virologist and vaccination specialist who headed the World Health Organization (WHO) Smallpox Eradication Unit in 1977–85. During this period, smallpox became the first infectious disease of humans to be eradicated globally. For this work, he and his colleagues were awarded the Japan Prize in 1988. —- end quote —- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isao_Arita

Kirk here with an update on the helicopter from Kumamoto that crashed in Okinawa…

Tue, 09 May 2023 12:18:50 +0000

Kirk here with an update on the helicopter from Kumamoto that crashed in Okinawa.

(Douglas)

Tue, 09 May 2023 03:09:21 +0000

(Douglas) In sharing the following 360° Virtual Tour of Takahashi Inari JInja, I would like to ask for your help in providing me with some valuable feedback. The tour should work without any problems when viewed on a computer. In fact, I recommend that method if you want to get the real feeling of the 360° images. The problems can arise when viewing from a smartphone or android phone. Links may not work, videos may take ages to download, some elements may not appear at all and so on! I do not use this method of viewing myself. That’s where you come in. For those of you who would like to help me with feedback and are viewing on a “phone”, please take some time to try the tour and report back to me with your thoughts on any problems you encounter. When going to the link below on your phone, you may see an icon representing 3d glasses. Clicking on that icon will likely show,“Install Google VR Services?” You should do that in order to see the correct 360° images and videos.

Kirk here. This Kumamon (the one in front of Sakura Machi Kumamoto) had his mas…

Mon, 08 May 2023 12:54:45 +0000

Kirk here. This Kumamon (the one in front of Sakura Machi Kumamoto) had his mask removed today, in keeping with the national downgrading of COVID-19.

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/stream/article/21346/

William This was behind Kumanichi's paywall, so I couldn't read the whole artic…

Mon, 08 May 2023 07:28:16 +0000

William This was behind Kumanichi’s paywall, so I couldn’t read the whole article, but the first sentence was sufficient: “Of the 89 civilian airports nationwide, the number of landings by U.S. military aircraft in 2022 was 56 at Kumamoto Airport (Mashiki Town), the second highest number after 60 at Fukuoka Airport (Fukuoka City).” https://kumanichi.com/articles/1039055 Photo: Osprey landing at Kumamoto-Aso Airport.

Kirk here with with a detailed article (lots of pictures and a map) about the re…

Sun, 07 May 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Kirk here with with a detailed article (lots of pictures and a map) about the restoration (completion cscheduled for July) of the Minami Aso Railway.

(Fiona) The Kumamoto-i inbox has a message from a British hitchhiker currently v…

Sat, 06 May 2023 00:45:05 +0000

(Fiona) The Kumamoto-i inbox has a message from a British hitchhiker currently visiting Kumamoto and looking for people to view the coronation of King Charles with. He asked if there are any watch parties going on. I’m currently out of the country and unable to help, so posting here to reach a wider audience.

Happy Golden Week!! 🌳🚊🎏🐸🛫🗾

Fri, 05 May 2023 13:07:04 +0000

Happy Golden Week!! 🌳🚊🎏🐸🛫🗾

PSA: Hitoyoshi-Hinagu-Minamata (E3A) South Kyushu Expressway Night Closure later in May (15th-25th).

Ruth here! Coming back from Kagoshima, via Minamata, there were signs on the E3A South Kyushu Expressway (Minamata-Hinagu and Yatsushiro-Hinagu) stating night-time (8pm-6am!) closures for maintenance later this month, from the 15th to 25th May, excluding Saturdays and Sundays.

Please note that is NOT the E3 Kyushu Expressway, but the toll-free E3A South Kyushu Expressway

(Douglas) Saturday and Sunday, at the end of Golden Week, are going to be very w…

Fri, 05 May 2023 11:21:29 +0000

(Douglas) Saturday and Sunday, at the end of Golden Week, are going to be very wet! Take the chance, don’t sit at home looking out of the window, get out to e.g. Takahashi Inari Jinja and see it in a different light. There are many other places that you may only have visited on bright sunny days. See them in a different mood.

(Douglas) A little addition to Kirk's post on Shiraito no Taki. I made this shor…

Fri, 05 May 2023 09:53:49 +0000

(Douglas) A little addition to Kirk’s post on Shiraito no Taki. I made this short video a few years ago.

TSUTAYA AV Club Chikami店クリアランスセール

Fri, 05 May 2023 09:25:40 +0000

Atsuko here, with information about bargains.

The TSUTAYA AV club Chikami shop in Hiyoshi, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City is having a clearance sale until May 7. 100 yen for DVDs, 10 yen for comics and 50 yen for CDs. Only 10-20% of them are left, all of them were used items from the rental shop, but 10 yen, 50 yen and 100 yen will be cheap. Nowadays, you can enjoy books, music and films on the Internet, but they are also good as souvenirs and keepsakes.(^^)

Kirk here with something about Shiraito no taki (白糸の滝), my favorite waterfall wi…

Fri, 05 May 2023 00:29:04 +0000

Kirk here with something about Shiraito no taki (白糸の滝), my favorite waterfall within an hour of Kumamoto. First, here’s a link to a very nice article from Untapped Kumamoto that has lots of details, including a Google map: https://untappedkumamoto.com/nature/1236

By the way, Untapped Kumamoto has LOTS of good information. Be sure to check it out.

OK, here’s what I learned from RKK: Shiraito Falls now has a shuttle tuk-tuk service to make it easier for people to see the falls from different spots. Here’s a link to the RKK video:

Kirk here. Thanks to Atsuko for sharing the video about Kumamoto Castle. It fe…

Thu, 04 May 2023 12:44:04 +0000

Kirk here. Thanks to Atsuko for sharing the video about Kumamoto Castle. It featured SEO Seiichi (瀬尾誠一) playing the role of KATO Kiyomasa. In the recent elections, Mr. SEO won a seat in the city council. Life imitates art. ;)

https://www.tku.co.jp/news/?news_id=20230410-00000011

Atsuko here with Kumamoto castle video.(^^)

Thu, 04 May 2023 04:07:36 +0000

Atsuko here with Kumamoto castle video.(^^)

Atsuko.GW has begun.

Tue, 02 May 2023 23:03:45 +0000

Atsuko.GW has begun. Here is one of the best places to visit in Kumamoto. This is the 上弦の月 Jhougen no Tsuki hot spring in my hometown of Nagomi.

It was ranked number 1 in the ranking of super public baths and hot springs in Kumamoto Prefecture. The owner is a childhood friend of mine. He is my older brother who lived next door to me when I was a child.

Kirk here. Today is May 1st, the 67th anniversary of the first official report o…

Mon, 01 May 2023 13:30:40 +0000

Kirk here. Today is May 1st, the 67th anniversary of the first official report of the disease. So, a ceremony was held in Minamata and Minister of the Environment NISHIMURA Akihiro came to attend. After the ceremony he had to explain why it is that, even though the government wrote a law in 2009 that requires the conduct of a survey of the extent of the damage to the health of all of the people who lived near the polluted waters, the survey still hasn’t even been started. Nishimura said that, while he can’t promise he would like to try to set up a committee to begin studying how to actually do the survey by this summer.

Kirk here. Today I'm enjoying a tasty lunch in Spice Aroma (an Indian restauran…

Mon, 01 May 2023 04:02:39 +0000

Kirk here. Today I’m enjoying a tasty lunch in Spice Aroma (an Indian restaurant), which is located in the Kokai Shopping Street (子飼商店街).

GW pizza making and dining experience at Misumi machi restaurant

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 13:20:19 +0000

Atsuko here. I’d like to introduce you to one of the best spots in GW.

This is my recommended and favorite restaurant in Misumi machi. Before Corona, I used to take a lot of students there and we had a lively time making and eating pizza.

The photo is from the last GW with my family. I waited a year to do this share as it seems they only do the GW dive without reservations.

Flower Arranging Workshop

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 08:22:55 +0000

Kirk here with some last-minute information about an opportunity to do some flower arranging.

Time: 2 to 4 PM, tomorrow (Sunday, April 30) Place: Kokai Shotengai (子飼商店街), Studio Wasou（スタジオ和創) Fee: 2,200 yen

The flowers are included in the fee. I don’t have a lot of experience with flower arranging but I think that instruction + all the materials you’ll need (you can walk in empty handed) is probably a pretty good deal. The flier says that you’ll be able to take your arrangement with you to display in your home.

Atsuko here.

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 13:08:06 +0000

Atsuko here. GW starts tomorrow. The Kumamoto Japan Tourism Facebook page has a large number of followers, so many of Kumamoto International’s readers might be following it also. The reason I shared it this time is because high school and junior high school students in Kumamoto Prefecture have been posting recently, and I wanted to support them.

When I myself have posted on Kumamoto International, when I get responses and comments from people in different countries, I am glad that I have been able to communicate with them, or I am glad that I have posted, and it motivates me to do the next thing. So I would like to support this site and these posts by the junior and senior high school students who are the future of Kumamoto and who are trying to communicate Kumamoto to the world through English.

Kirk here with news about a restaurant in Tamana (Gyoto-machi) called Sri Lanka …

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 12:10:08 +0000

Kirk here with news about a restaurant in Tamana (Gyoto-machi) called Sri Lanka Ayurveda Restaurant. I just saw the RKK segment about the establishment. According to the program, the couple that runs the restaurant worked as physicians (MDs? Ayuveda practitioners?) in Sri Lanka and developed an interest in Japan through the Japanese patients they treated.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02zNmiriZFaXkim5XmMbJySyP9CfT9zrHMdJAicUNAxQnTx6wqNAyGbZM4gGYa6ofYl&id=100063521202572

Kirk here. Today I'm pleased to share this little article about NAKASHIMA Shin'…

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 02:07:15 +0000

Kirk here. Today I’m pleased to share this little article about NAKASHIMA Shin’ichiro, founder and leader of Kumustaka: “Kumusutaka-Association for Living Together with Migrants is a non-government organization to support international residents (immigrants, migrant workers, and refugees) living in Japan.”

http://www.kumustaka.org/English/index.html

The article mentions the role he played in supporting Ms. Linh after she was accused of hiding the bodies of her stillborn children. As I have reported earlier, Ms. Linh was ultimately vindicated by Japan’s supreme court: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0rqAhRrEV2kpD8cVquec7HyNPzmyXbfmusBEJuha7rmZQzBah4D9TUorbQjvcU7BUl

Kirk here. I've ridden on this train. Brings back memories. Not sure, though,…

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 05:19:27 +0000

Kirk here. I’ve ridden on this train. Brings back memories. Not sure, though, if it would be my first choice now that it doesn’t move. ;)

Michaela here - posting for the first time about an article that's now a month o…

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 05:12:16 +0000

Michaela here - posting for the first time about an article that’s now a month old but I only just saw it today. Apparently in an effort to attract wealthy international tourists to travel to remote/untapped regions (untapped by most international visitors I guess), Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) has selected 11 areas across Japan, dubbing them “Model Tourism Spots”, including the Aso and Unzen regions (bundled together with Kagoshima). It seems like these 11 “Model Tourism Spots” look to receive some funding to support this, including promotion, speciality personnel and training for guides ‘aimed at foreigners’.

Kirk here. It is taking an extraordinarily long time but some of the victims of…

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 02:41:27 +0000

Kirk here. It is taking an extraordinarily long time but some of the victims of the helicopter crash have been identified.

“Aoki Shinichi was named Sakamoto’s successor. A ceremony marking Aoki’s assignment was held in the GSDF’s Camp Kita-Kumamoto in Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday.”

The NHK WORLD page contains a brief video report in English.

The accident occurred in the context of a massive military build up being pushed through by the Kishida administration in response to perceived threats from China, North Korea, and Russia:

Kirk here. The new Avatar film began showing in Kumamoto today. Here are the t…

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 13:05:33 +0000

Kirk here. The new Avatar film began showing in Kumamoto today. Here are the theaters:

熊本ピカデリー (Kumamoto Piccadilly) ユナイテッド・シネマ熊本 (United Cinema Kumamoto) イオンシネマ熊本 (AEON Cinema Kumamoto)

I’m posting this as information, not a promotion. Today’s Earth Day so I did a little search to see if anything was going on in relation to Earth Day here and this is what came up:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/263ae73acb4c6e318c5c6a4401ef9782e7c0adec

If anyone has seen it, please add a comment about how you did or didn’t like it.

Kirk here. This national news came up in my "Kumamoto" news feed because Takash…

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 00:27:22 +0000

Kirk here. This national news came up in my “Kumamoto” news feed because Takashi Shiraishi, chancellor of the Prefectural University of Kumamoto, is head of The International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons. I hope the call a stronger nuclear nonproliferation regime will not fall on deaf ears.

Kirk here. "The First Slam Dunk" (animated movie) is a big deal in China. The …

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 12:34:58 +0000

Kirk here. “The First Slam Dunk” (animated movie) is a big deal in China. The author of the the manga, Takehiko Inoue, is originally from Kagoshima but used to be a student at Kumadai:

“Inoue took a summer course at an art preparatory school with the plan of enrolling into an art university, but such schools were too expensive so he ended up going to Kumamoto University near his hometown. His submission to Weekly Shōnen Jump caught the attention of editor Taizo Nakamura and, at the age of 20, Inoue dropped out of college to move to Tokyo and pursue a career as a manga artist.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takehiko_Inoue

Kirk here. Today it was 30.9 in Yamaga, a local record for April and the highes…

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:20:21 +0000

Kirk here. Today it was 30.9 in Yamaga, a local record for April and the highest in the country today.

https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/rkk/region/rkk-445884.html

Kirk here with something about Tsujunkyo:

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 23:07:16 +0000

Kirk here with something about Tsujunkyo:

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20230415-103477/

Please see the following for previous posts on this page about the aquaduct:

https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=Tsujunkyo

Joe Tomei here. With my youngest daughter now at university, I've rejoined the r…

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 05:15:52 +0000

Joe Tomei here. With my youngest daughter now at university, I’ve rejoined the ranks. My first post back is thanks to my oldest daughter, because a friend of hers is working for Hoshino Resort, the company which took over the downtown Parco. While the hotel, called the OMO5 Kumamoto, won’t open until 25 April, we were able to stay as they train the staff and get everything up to speed.

Atsuko here.

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 03:54:30 +0000

Atsuko here. I found a very interesting bird’s-eye view of Kumamoto Castle Town at the students' entrance of Gofuku Elementary School, where I have been working since April, and would like to share it with you.

Kumamoto Castle Town in the Edo period. You can enjoy it even if you don’t understand Japanese, such as the paths taken by the councilors and the location of the temples. There are still temples and wholesale shops in Furumachi and Shinmachi, and you can understand the origins of the town as it is today.

Kirk here. I have fond memories of visiting Tsuetate many years ago. This arti…

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 00:31:09 +0000

Kirk here. I have fond memories of visiting Tsuetate many years ago. This article is making me think it might be time for another visit.

Kirk here. Today is the seventh anniversary of the start of the 2016 earthquake…

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:02:33 +0000

Kirk here. Today is the seventh anniversary of the start of the 2016 earthquakes.

Kirk here with a general introduction to the prefecture that came up, for some r…

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 23:40:52 +0000

Kirk here with a general introduction to the prefecture that came up, for some reason, in a “news” search. It mentions three famous people associated with Kumamoto: Miyamoto Musashi (swordsman); Kawakami Tetsuharu (baseball player); Ishimure Michiko (author who wrote about Minamata disease).

Kirk here. If you or someone close to you is a Japanese citizen who needs a pas…

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 02:20:02 +0000

Kirk here. If you or someone close to you is a Japanese citizen who needs a passport, you should know that it is now possible to apply for new passports online. Here’s the page on the prefecture’s website that explains it in Japanese:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/70/161169.html

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230327_02/

Kumamoto is one of 16 prefectures to allow new applications online so I seems to be a bit better than average on this one.

Kirk again with an update about the movie "Living." I got this e-mail from a fr…

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 09:09:55 +0000

Kirk again with an update about the movie “Living.” I got this e-mail from a friend who prefers not to post to Facebook: “I saw your post about the movie LIVING on Kumamoto-I. I just wanted to make sure you knew that the Ishiguro film is now showing at Toho Cinema in Sakuramachi downtown. I saw it day before yesterday. It was exquisite.” Apparently, it won’t be shown again in the TOHOs in Kumamoto until next week (not sure about other venues). Here a link (unfortunately, Japanese language only):

Kirk here with news for sumo fans:

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 02:40:20 +0000

Kirk here with news for sumo fans:

“Seiun Fuji’s career is unique. He began Sumo when he was a junior high school student in Kumamoto Prefecture. He was a member of the sumo clubs at Buntoku High School and Meiji University, and after graduating from university he went to work for Toppan Printing.”

Kirk here with something for movie fans. This little post of mine is prompted by…

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 08:00:56 +0000

Kirk here with something for movie fans. This little post of mine is prompted by an interview I read in the Asahi Shimbun (Japanese version) with Nobel Prize laureate Kazuo Ishiguro. Mr. Ishiguro (who was born in Nagasaki) was discussing how his love of the Kurosawa Akira film “Ikiru” led him to write the script for “Living” with Bill Nighy in the leading roll. The Japanese actor in the original film was Takashi Shimura but Mr. Ishiruro said he found himself imagining what the film might have felt like if the lead had been played by the more subdued Chishu Ryu, who made many movies with Ozu Yasujiro – the most famous being Tokyo Story (Tokyo monogatari). Then, he said that he though of casting Bill Nighy in the lead roll – an artist he views as a Brittish Chishu Ryu.

Kirk here with something for Crayon Shin-chan fans.

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 01:30:36 +0000

Kirk here with something for Crayon Shin-chan fans.

English-language event with Andrew Mitchell

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:26:26 +0000

Kirk here (following Atsuko’s lead) with another item for the many Andrew Mitchell fans among our readership. As you can see in the image, Andrew will be one of two presenters in an English-language event to be held online on April 14th – the anniversary of the start of the shaking in 2016. I will be in the zoom session primarily as a listener. If you would like to join us please write to Mr. Yagi of the Kumamoto International Foundation at yagi@kumamoto-if.or.jp.

Atsuko here, sharing KEEP, (Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project) post.🍀*゜

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 11:30:57 +0000

Atsuko here, sharing KEEP, (Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project) post.🍀*゜

https://www.facebook.com/kumadaiquake ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー KEEP member Andrew Mitchell was recently interviewed by the Mainichi newspaper regarding his earthquake experience and KEEP’s activities. The article was published online on Saturday and in the nationwide print edition on Sunday morning.

Commenting on the interview, Andrew said, “It is a great honour to be featured in a national Japanese newspaper, highlighting both KEEP’s work and the experiences of foreign residents during that time. I hope that many people will read this article, reflect on their own earthquake preparedness, and consider ways to make their communities safer for all residents, regardless of their nationality.”

Following Kirk's lead, I thought I should share this video from the days around …

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 01:41:25 +0000

Following Kirk’s lead, I thought I should share this video from the days around the earthquake(s) of 2016. This may be of interest to anyone who has come to Kumamoto since 2016 and has not yet had the dubious pleasure of experiencing a rather large earthquake with all its scarey aftershocks.

Kirk here. We are approaching the anniversary of the 2016 earthquakes. Here's …

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 01:06:46 +0000

Kirk here. We are approaching the anniversary of the 2016 earthquakes. Here’s an article about kanrenshi (earthquake-related deaths that occurred after the shaking had stopped). The majority of deaths in Kumamoto fell into this category.

Wisteria viewing at Yamada shrine

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 04:30:21 +0000

(Claire) If you didn’t come to Tamana’s Jagatani Park for the Cherry blossoms (1500 cherry trees) and can’t wait for the Iris Festival in late May/early June, then come see the Wisteria at Yamada shrine. Apparently a 1/3 of it was in bloom on the 7th April. (They have electric bikes to hire at shin Tamana station since last week.)

William When I first came to Japan, I brought my wetsuit, which had protected m…

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 04:14:09 +0000

William When I first came to Japan, I brought my wetsuit, which had protected me from Los Angeles’ chilly seas. On my first trip back to LA, I brought it back - the warm Kuroshio current obliviates the need for wetsuits here. And, apparently, Japan (particularly Kyushu) will see some of the greatest ocean warming on Earth. (Ironically, LA’s water is predicted to cool.) The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/08/headed-off-the-charts-worlds-ocean-surface-temperature-hits-record-high

Kirk here with another article about the helicopter crash in Okinawa. As I wrot…

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:32:10 +0000

Kirk here with another article about the helicopter crash in Okinawa. As I wrote earlier, the connection to Kumamoto is that the helicopter and its crew were based in this prefecture, is the home of the 8th Division (第8師団) of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Wikipedia says that its “responsibility is the defense of the Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Miyazaki prefectures” but I’ve learned from TV reports that it is considered by military planners to be very important to the defense of the islands of Okinawa prefecture (hence, its participation in exercises there).

Kirk here. The other day I shared a news article about a settlement reached bet…

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 10:02:42 +0000

Kirk here. The other day I shared a news article about a settlement reached between the parents of a girl who had committed suicide and her bullies. Here’s a link to that article:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0x296ZXHqdaBbJoiruv1TcU59fYwXaD7kMhzdhbEAAiF9nnWCmieLMZMrFwuWkhoEl

The article I’m sharing today is about a similar incident (i.e. involving bullying and a suicide) but one where the suicide occurred five years earlier (in 2013). According to the article, Kumamoto Prefecture had blackened out portions of the report so that the parents could not see the names of the students that were thought to be involved in the bullying. The parents had to take the prefecture to the Supreme Court in order to get access to an uncensored version of the report. I can understand not publishing the names of the accused students on the internet but why not show the full report to the parents? I find it hard to understand what the prefectural officials were thinking.

Kirk here. This sad national news has an important Kumamoto connection:

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 00:17:49 +0000

Kirk here. This sad national news has an important Kumamoto connection:

“Japanese media reported that the helicopter left radar scopes at approximately 1630L and that it belonged to Vice-Camp Takayubara in Kumamoto.”

JGSDF Vice-Camp Takayubaru (陸上自衛隊高遊原分屯地) is on the grounds of Kumamoto Airport.

Kirk here reporting that 7.8% was high enough to put Kumamoto on top in the area…

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 08:09:48 +0000

Kirk here reporting that 7.8% was high enough to put Kumamoto on top in the area of bicycle helmet use:

“Kumamoto Prefecture in the country’s southeast had the highest rate of any prefecture at 7.8 percent, while Hyogo Prefecture had the lowest at 1.9 percent. The figures for Tokyo and Osaka were 5.6 and 2.4 percent respectively.”

Kirk here with crime news. This is a wooden statue of Pindola Bharadvaja, known …

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 11:18:00 +0000

Kirk here with crime news. This is a wooden statue of Pindola Bharadvaja, known as Binzuru Sonja (びんずる尊者) in Japanese. It was located in Zenkoji (a temple) in Nagano until it was stolen this morning, apparently by a man from Mifune. The statue has been recovered with the arrest of the man and, according to reports I heard, has not been harmed.

Here’s a paragraph from Wikipedia about Pindola Bharadvaja:

Guided walk in Kurokawa area near Tateno

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 01:35:10 +0000

Johannes here from Minamiaso. There will be a guided walk April 23, 2023 in the Kurokawa area near Tateno, where the Tokai University’s school for agriculture was located until the Kumamoto earthquake in April 2016. The tour is in Japanese and not explicitly for foreigners, but I can assist with possible language issues, since I will be present. The area is still suffering from the aftermath of the earthquake (80% of the population has left and reconstruction is slow due to the special geological characteristics of the area) and is also the site of the Kumamoto Earthquake Museum, which will open this summer. Participation costs ¥2000 (children ¥1000) and includes a bentō made by local residents, accident insurance and the guided tour. The maximum number of attendants is limited to 40 people. (first come, first serve) Details of the event can be found on the Minamiaso website. https://www.vill.minamiaso.lg.jp/kiji0032392/index.html

Kirk here with belated news (a few weeks old) about international high school tr…

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 11:51:34 +0000

Kirk here with belated news (a few weeks old) about international high school trips resuming. This article is about students from Luther High School traveling to Korea.

Kirk with something about the Unzen-Amakusa National Park, which "sprawls across…

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:42:21 +0000

Kirk with something about the Unzen-Amakusa National Park, which “sprawls across both Nagasaki and Kumamoto prefectures.” To be honest, when this page came up in a search for “Kumamoto,” I hesitated to share it because I thought that it was merely “near” Kumamoto. I found, though, that, as the article states, the national park actually straddles the two prefectures – something I had missed, somehow. Most of the article is about the Nagasaki side but that is just a short ferry trip away via Kumamoto Port. I’ve been to the area many times and would encourage anyone who hasn’t been there to check it out. :)

Kirk here, sharing a post to the "Community" side of the page.

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 06:09:05 +0000

Kirk here, sharing a post to the “Community” side of the page.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8879256522147701

World Gourmet FES 2023

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 23:27:11 +0000

Atsuko here. International gourmet event information.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー World Gourmet FES 2023 supported by FMK X

A gourmet food festival featuring the world’s favourite cuisines from the USA, France, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Jamaica, Italy and many more.

Let’s eat our way through the world’s finest cuisines!

Date 1 (Sat) & 2 (Sun) April Time 9:00~17:00

Venue: Kumamoto Agricultural Park Country Park (3802-4 Sakae, Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture)

Instagram→@straights.jp

Update from Kirk: This was an April Fools post. It originally showed an image o…

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:18:15 +0000

Update from Kirk: This was an April Fools post. It originally showed an image of the famous onnagata Bando Tamasaburo in a poster calling for a ban on cross-dressing. The post received a complaint. I spoke for about an hour with a Japanese LGBTQ friend of mine about whether the post was appropriate. She thought it was funny and understood what I was getting at. She also said that she thinks it’s probably true that a significant number of LGBTQ folks in Japan might not enjoy the joke – especially because one has to read a lot of text in order to fully understand the intent. So, I decided to remove the image (it’s replaced now by an image from an article about the Tennessee law).

Kirk here with a little article about the completion of a new government buildin…

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:29:35 +0000

Kirk here with a little article about the completion of a new government building in Mashiki – another step on the road to complete recovery from the 2016 quakes.

Kirk here with an article I found to be interesting. It explains how high tech,…

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 02:20:54 +0000

Kirk here with an article I found to be interesting. It explains how high tech, like image processing, is being used to help sort the fallen stones so that they can be reassembled as they were before the quakes. It also explains that, though technology can help with some jobs, much of the work must be done by hand, just as it was done some 400 years ago. For that reason, estimates of how long it will take to finish all of the work have been extended:

Kirk with news of a belated settlement related to a local suicide that would pro…

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:10:13 +0000

Kirk with news of a belated settlement related to a local suicide that would probably have not occurred if it hadn’t been for bullying. After five years, the bullies have all agreed to settle on terms that the parents have accepted. The article ends with links and phone numbers to help English speakers who are in crisis.

初心者サイクリングライド (Beginners Cycling Ride)

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 04:10:06 +0000

Sean here – Update – Yuuka Family Road Bike Ride Update – Currently, we have two adults and two high schoolers. The weather looks promising. It would be nice to get a couple more participants.

Yuuka family multi-use trail is an easy and safe trail to ride. It is a good trail for anyone new to Kumamoto who wants (or walk or run) to ride and not worry about getting lost. There is a kilometer marker at every KM. (See posted pic)

Japanese language study group

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 12:38:10 +0000

Atsuko here with information about Japanese language study groups. It is a great opportunity for young children and their parents to study and discuss Japanese together. I also hope that the children will make friends with other children there, and that they will make friends with their mothers and fathers and exchange all sorts of information with them. Hoping you will meet someone nice.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー The first meeting will be on the 23rd of April. Children from kindergarten age to grade 2 and their parents/guardians can participate. The number of participants is limited to 10 children. Those who wish to participate must apply by 9 April. Apply to the plaza by email or phone. ✉: soudan@kumamoto-if.or.jp ☎: 096-359-4995

Kirk here with an extensive article (over 1000 words) on the local impact of the…

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 01:26:15 +0000

Kirk here with an extensive article (over 1000 words) on the local impact of the construction of the new TSMC plant:

— start quote — According to the benchmark land prices announced by the land ministry in September 2022, the price for the industrial area in Kikuyo rose 31.6% from the previous year, the highest rate of increase for all types of land across Japan. “That’s probably an underestimate, as actual prices have already more than doubled,” one local real estate official noted. — end quote —

Kirk here with a photo I took of the cherry blossoms not far from Kumamoto Prefe…

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 08:57:27 +0000

Kirk here with a photo I took of the cherry blossoms not far from Kumamoto Prefectural University. There are lots of famous spots but, when the weather is nice, if you can get out and cycle or walk you’ll probably find plenty to enjoy in your neighborhood. :)

ジェーンズ亭公開

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 08:57:01 +0000

Kirk here with something about the Janes Mansion (Janes Residence; ジェーンズ亭) and German prisoners of war in WWI. The color photo is of the reconstructed Janes Mansion, which is looking quite nice now and will be open to the public this fall, as I understand it. For background on the historical importance of the residence see the following:

Reconstruction efforts begin Birthplace of Japanese Red Cross Society, “Janes’ Residence” https://www.jrc.or.jp/english/jrc_news/170401_004771.html

The second image is of German prisoners of war relaxing on the porch of the Janes Residence in during WWI. It’s a screenshot of the following page:

Kirk here with a share from Msn.com. Naturally, Mt. Aso is at the top of the lis…

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 01:53:23 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Msn.com. Naturally, Mt. Aso is at the top of the list. Even if you live here and have been to the Mt. Aso area many times, a nice spring day like today might be a good occasion to take in the scenery in a new way – perhaps a hike in an area you’ve never walked through. :) https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/10-reasons-why-kyushu-is-worth-visiting-best-things-to-do-kyushu-japan/ar-AA1962x1

Kirk here with a report about research conducted at Kumamoto University. Kumamo…

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 09:18:23 +0000

Kirk here with a report about research conducted at Kumamoto University. Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota is one of the co-authors of the academic paper that led to this article being written but, unfortunately, the article fails to mention his contribution. :( Here’s a link to the academic article (currently, the entire article is available free of charge):

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/3/581

And here’s a link to a post on Hari’s Facebook page:

Kirk here with an English-language article and some comments about Ms. Linh's ex…

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 04:19:26 +0000

Kirk here with an English-language article and some comments about Ms. Linh’s exculpation by the supreme court.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230324/p2g/00m/0na/032000c

First, I’d like to point out that I learned today that Google news searches are not as good as I thought they were. It seemed odd to me searching for “Kumamoto” via Google news failed to bring up any articles on this case so I tried DuckDuckGo. Well, DuckDuckGo was MUCH better. So, from now on, I’ll check DuckDuckGo when looking for articles to share here.

Kirk here with an article about a sightseeing trolley train（トロッコ列車）in Minami Aso…

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:49:13 +0000

Kirk here with an article about a sightseeing trolley train（トロッコ列車）in Minami Aso:

Cambridge English Testing Examiner Training

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:43:29 +0000

Fiona here, passing along an opportunity for English teachers who wish to become Cambridge English testing examiners. The training takes place at the International Centre on April 1st and 2nd, and requires registration and relevant experience.

Kirk here. The opening of the new airport terminal was yesterday. Please see t…

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 09:10:39 +0000

Kirk here. The opening of the new airport terminal was yesterday. Please see the NHK video (in English) for details.

By the way, this is my first time to view Kumamon in the context of airline travel. He’s pretty wide. I wonder if they make him pay for two seats? ;)

Kirk here. Le Thi Thuy Linh has been found innocent, reversing the Kumamoto judg…

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 06:33:45 +0000

Kirk here. Le Thi Thuy Linh has been found innocent, reversing the Kumamoto judgment. :) For background see this post:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0G16ByzPssrQkTibLYjthwrxC7KyuLoBtGQ64hsLnkfn4wP68UZyf4b8c1G8cWDA8l

Kirk here. Tomorrow is a big day in the case of Le Thi Thuy Linh, who has been …

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 11:18:43 +0000

Kirk here. Tomorrow is a big day in the case of Le Thi Thuy Linh, who has been convicted (wrongfully convicted in my opinion and the opinion of many) of abandoning the bodies of stillborn twins she gave birth to while alone at home.

This case is one of several cases that have come to be viewed as indicative of the extent to which the human rights of non-citizens are or are not protected in Japan. For an article on that aspect of the case, see the following:

Kirk here with a share from Kumamoto Japan Tourism about Okoshiki Kaigan -- argu…

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 02:16:22 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kumamoto Japan Tourism about Okoshiki Kaigan – arguably Kumamoto’s best spot to photograph a beautiful sunset.

The post recommends days to get a good view. Ideally, low tide should come at about sunset. That’s what reveals that beautiful pattern you see in the photo. But, of course, there are other factors to consider – the weather, your own schedule, etc. So, you might want to look up the tide times yourself and decide weather or not to go. You can do that here:

Kirk here with a follow-up to Sean's post about today's World Baseball Classic f…

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 03:01:39 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to Sean’s post about today’s World Baseball Classic final between Japan and the U.S. Murakami came through again to tie the score 1-1 with a solo home run after the U.S. had taken the lead. Final score: Japan 3, U.S.A. 2.

Sean here -

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 23:08:28 +0000

Sean here - Looking forward to an interesting and exciting next couple of hours. Shouting out to all the people who made living here so amazing. Go Team friendship!

Kirk here with a link to a paper just published in Scientific Reports:

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:21:57 +0000

Kirk here with a link to a paper just published in Scientific Reports:

— start quote — Mount Aso in southern Japan showed frequent volcanic activity during 2016, accompanied by significant earthquake activities with tens of thousands of aftershocks (Kumamoto sequence). Here we investigate the influence of earthquake/volcanic activity on the future productivity of nearby geothermal power plants to determine whether the activity is detrimental or beneficial to energy exploitation. – end quote —

Kirk here with an English-language article about how Kumamoto's Murakami-sama sa…

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 03:14:55 +0000

Kirk here with an English-language article about how Kumamoto’s Murakami-sama saved the day:

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto's Murakami-sama came through to drive in the w…

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 02:56:14 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto’s Murakami-sama came through to drive in the winning home runs in today’s game against Mexico. Murakami hadn’t been doing as well as expected in the World Baseball Classic but he came through when it really mattered. Tomorrow Japan plays the U.S.

Kirk with an update on a trip to visit a shochu factory in Hitoyoshi that Atsuko…

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 03:54:27 +0000

Kirk with an update on a trip to visit a shochu factory in Hitoyoshi that Atsuko posted toward the end of last month:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02FYYmt7FspDAPXiHDC5YbcuU3DJwK7fruxaGZEr7PSjWNnmg6fCDuzXLrpjgE49Ssl

RKK covered the trip. If you participated, there’s a good chance that you’re in the video. :)

Atsuko here with information about

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 23:30:25 +0000

Atsuko here with information about Sake Event. Kumamoto’s “New Sake” gathers at Amu Plaza! I enjoyed it yesterday. All the drinks are delicious, and Kawabe fills your cup with lots of sake. For tsumami, I recommend the Chikuwa tempura with cheese and Karashirenkon.(ﾉ≧ڡ≦)☆ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー The “Sake Festival” event is held at Amu Plaza Kumamoto, where you can taste Kumamoto’s freshly brewed sake at its most delicious time.

Kumamoto New Sake Festival 2023

初心者サイクリングライド

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 22:59:59 +0000

Sean here - Spring is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors. With that in mind, here is an invitation for anyone to join me for a bike ride.

Event: Beginners Cycling Ride Date: Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 Time: 10:00 AM (Approximately 5 hours round trip) Where: Yukka Family Road Meeting place: Kami Kumamoto Eki. Minimum 3 participants Fee: Positive energy. Contact: Sean Benward

イベント：初心者サイクリングライド日程：2023年4月2日（日）時間：10:00出発（往復約5時間の予定）場所：ゆうかファミリーロード集合場所：上熊本駅催行人数：3名以上参加費：ポジティブなエネルギー連絡先：ショーン・ベンワード

Kirk here with a follow-up to my previous post about the festival in progress do…

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 11:43:22 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to my previous post about the festival in progress downtown. I just posted about the cultural events (traditional performances, etc.) but this is about street performers. On TV, I saw a little bit of the chair stacking guy you see on the left. It looked pretty amazing. This image is from the following webpage:

https://kumamotopics.com/%E3%82%A4%E3%83%99%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88/performers-caravan-2023-hanabatahiroba-2/

There is, naturally, information about this on the Hanabata Hiroba website, but pages on that website are not Facebook ready (images don’t show up automatically). Sigh . . . :(

Kirk here. This is an event that started today (Saturday) and ends tomorrow. H…

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 11:36:29 +0000

Kirk here. This is an event that started today (Saturday) and ends tomorrow. Here’s a TV report from RKK:

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/385265?display=1

The venue is Hanabata Hiroba (downtown, near the castle). I looked for information in English but couldn’t find any. The following Hanabata Hiroba website doesn’t have any links to English. How are tourists supposed to know that there’s something to see?

https://hanabatahiroba.jp/event-information/679/

Ushibuka Haiya Festival

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 09:54:03 +0000

Kirk here with advance notice about a festival coming up in Ushibuka – the Ushiubka Haiya Festival. The dates (April 14, 15, and 16) are displayed at the top of the poster. For an explanation in English, please see the following:

https://ushibuka.site/english/event_all.html

https://kumamoto.guide/events/detail/6731

Kirk here with a very substantial article (1,400 words) from the Asahi Shimbun o…

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 00:29:49 +0000

Kirk here with a very substantial article (1,400 words) from the Asahi Shimbun on the impact (mostly positive) of TSMC’s arrival in Kumamoto. Here are some of the topics addressed in the article:

economic ripple effect (bonanza for prefecture)
housing issues (land prices rising)
educational issues (how to meet needs of children, etc.)

Kirk here reporting that another high-tech factory is planned for Kumamoto -- th…

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 00:15:50 +0000

Kirk here reporting that another high-tech factory is planned for Kumamoto – this one in Kikuchi. By the way, “Mitsubishi Electric” is “三菱電機”（みつびしでんき）in Japanese (in case you want to talk about this with your Japanese friends).

Kirk with a Japanese-language video news report of the Hifuri-shinji (fire-swing…

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 13:48:29 +0000

Kirk with a Japanese-language video news report of the Hifuri-shinji (fire-swinging ceremony) at Aso Jinja. Some non-Japanese participants are interviewed. Anyone you know?

Kirk here with a share from the Kurashi-no Nihogo Club Facebook page. The page …

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:29:07 +0000

Kirk here with a share from the Kurashi-no Nihogo Club Facebook page. The page presents information about opportunities to study Japanese in Kumamoto. This particular post is about an opportunity in the West Ward of Kumamoto City. The page also presents information about Kumamoto in simple Japanese (やさしい日本語). Participating in Japanese classes is not just a way of learning Japanese – it’s also a way of meeting people (other students and Japanese people who come as volunteers, etc.).

William How one feels about zoos is likely inversely proportionate with one's p…

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 07:21:01 +0000

William How one feels about zoos is likely inversely proportionate with one’s place on the food chain (the more likely one is to be eaten, the more positive one feels about carnivores being caged). Kumanichi notes that a male baby chimpanzee dubbed “Ren” has been moved to public display at the tender age of one. Apparently, Ren was born between Marc (male, estimated 43 years old) and Milk (female, 16 years old) - so you old guys out there: Don’t get your hopes down! The zoo has free parking and is a brisk 15 minute walk from the eponymous tram stop. It was located there due to its abundance of water springs, providing an unlimited amount of pristine water (it was originally located near Suizenji Park but moved due to lack of space). Bring some change to enjoy attractions such as the glass house and elevated tram. Kumanichi has a dozen adorable photos of the lil’ guy (pro hint: humans should avoid posing like this in public to avoid jail - but, hey, he’s only one). https://kumanichi.com/articles/977376

Kirk here announcing that cherry blossoms will bloom a little early this year:

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 08:28:02 +0000

Kirk here announcing that cherry blossoms will bloom a little early this year:

— start quote — Other cities in the Kyushu region are predicted to see cherry blossoms blooming four to six days earlier than usual. Fukuoka is followed by Miyazaki on March 17, Kumamoto on March 18, Oita, Nagasaki and Saga on March 19 and Kagoshima on March 20. — end quote —

Kirk here sharing a post about cherry blossoms in Minami Aso Sakura Park (南阿蘇桜公…

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 01:42:34 +0000

Kirk here sharing a post about cherry blossoms in Minami Aso Sakura Park (南阿蘇桜公園). I think this variety is kawazuzakura (河津桜), which blooms a little earlier than the popular some-yoshino (ソメイヨシノ) variety. I’ll post later today about the projected blooming date for that variety – which is almost here!

P.S. Thanks to Ngo Thuy for the post. If, like me, you can’t read Vietnamese, you should be able to click on an automatic translation.

Free bus and trolley rides

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 02:57:23 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit about free bus and trolley rides (!!) on March 18th (next week). This is just one of many valuable bilingual posts that has appeared on Kuma Visit recently. If you are unfamiliar with the page or haven’t looked at it lately, take a moment to check out the most recent posts!

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid08QCfCpezn6VpSzrH5682nHR3htpVaKGe1exXzbHKY74AYg98MBYPrCPX3L6tYWsdl

Kirk here. Prefectural high schools in Kumamoto have long held "morning extracu…

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 07:44:02 +0000

Kirk here. Prefectural high schools in Kumamoto have long held “morning extracurricular classes” (朝課外; asa kagai) to help students prepare for university entrance exams. Recently, the head of the prefectural board of education (pictured responding to questions in the prefectural assembly) announced the board’s decision to abolish the practice at prefectural schools. Getting to school in time for these early classes was difficult for pupils and their parents and was also in conflict with the Ministry of Education’s call for more autonomous study. The article doesn’t say anything about private schools. Have private schools been holding such classes? If so, I assume they may continue because the article only mentions a change in prefectural schools.

Kirk here. The other day William posted about tsubaki (camellia) and sazanka (c…

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 01:15:45 +0000

Kirk here. The other day William posted about tsubaki (camellia) and sazanka (camellia sasanqua):

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02pEea3Y1YR7bwKSSH8iYE9fNvfpW3vmqLL71ZHctNbQfzBn41ntJqqmCMfzc8ekPsl

According to this RKK report, an exhibition of Higo tsubaki (a kind favored by samurai in this area) is in progress at Suizenji Jojuen (Suizenji Park). The exhibition has been prepared by the Higo Tsubaki Kyokai (The HIgo Tsubaki Association), which has members in Germany, Italy and China. It will end on the 12th (Sunday).

Kirk here with news about International Women's Day, which was yesterday, in Kum…

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 11:09:00 +0000

Kirk here with news about International Women’s Day, which was yesterday, in Kumamoto. I came across this article about research by Mari Miura of Sophia University. Prof. Miura has ranked all prefectures in Japan by gender equity in various domains. All in all, the situation in Kumamoto is not very good.

Here are Kumamoto’s rankings in the four major domains of the survey (see circular graph):

Politics: 38th of 47
Administration: 40th of 47
Education: 18th of 47
Economics: 10th of 47

One thing I don’t like about how this index has been published is that the details are behind a paywall. For your reference, the site with the basic data (only in Japanese at this point) can be found here:

Fiona here with news of a book published by longtime friend of Kumamoto-i Charma…

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 05:50:48 +0000

Fiona here with news of a book published by longtime friend of Kumamoto-i Charmaine Minami. “Double or Half? is a light-hearted rhyming story complemented by captivating illustrations, that will appeal to children aged 3 to 8, especially those from bicultural or multicultural backgrounds. Set in Japan, with its wonderfully positive and self-affirming message, the story will also appeal to a much wider audience of half, quarter or mixed children all around the world.” My copy of the book arrived this morning and it is indeed a charming story, beautifully illustrated and I can’t wait to read it with my students. My own children are in their twenties now but I’m sure they would relate to the big question the boy in the story asks himself. Huge congratulations to Charmaine on her first published book! It’s available to buy in paperback on Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Charmaine-Minami/dp/B0BW27PCFB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=33A64A2Y1W4GN&keywords=Charmaine+minami&qid=1678340520&sprefix=charmaine+minami+%2Caps%2C569&sr=8-1

Kirk here with an old bit of news that is not Kumamoto specific but applies to K…

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 08:59:12 +0000

Kirk here with an old bit of news that is not Kumamoto specific but applies to Kumamoto as it does to other parts of Japan. The gist of the Japanese headline is “Questioned 30 times by the police because of his appearance (racial profiling).”

As I pointed out in a post about this topic last year, we (whether we have Japanese citizenship or not) are required by law to comply when police question us. The law also states, however, that they may use their questioning power when there is a suspicion of a crime. So, they’re not supposed to be questioning people just because they don’t appear to be Japanese. It’s been a long time since I’ve been questioned but, if it happens to me again, after politely answering all of the questions I plan to ask if there was some reasonable suspicion of a crime that caused them to want to question me. If they say “no” I’ll ask if their questioning me was within the law. If they say “yes” I’ll be curious to know what it was that they suspected or what led them to think their questioning me was reasonable under the law.

William An update on Kumamoto City's conundrum regarding citizenry for non-Japa…

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:53:05 +0000

William An update on Kumamoto City’s conundrum regarding citizenry for non-Japanese (Google translate of a Kumanichi article - I guess this means we can ignore garbage regulations):

On the 7th, the city of Kumamoto decided to remove the wording from the revision of the city’s basic ordinance on self-government, stating that the definition of “citizens” includes foreigners. reported. The decision was made based on the fact that there were many opposing voices in the public comment period.

2023 Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 02:57:08 +0000

Kirk here with rugby news:

“Sponsored by Taisho Pharmaceutical, the teams will compete for the 2023 Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup kicking off Saturday 8 July, at Tokyo’s historic Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo before a second match on Saturday, July 15 at Egao Kenko Stadium in Kumamoto.”

William Passing an elderly man pruning, I remarked, 「椿がきれいですね」and without looki…

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 03:14:55 +0000

William Passing an elderly man pruning, I remarked, 「椿がきれいですね」and without looking up, he retorted 「椿でなくて山茶花。」(“Beautiful tsubaki!” - “They’re not tsubaki; they’re sazanka.”) After all these years in Japan, I should have known. Both are members of the tea family (yes! steep their leaves for an adventurous drink!), but the Camelia sasanqua blooms about a month earlier (which is now) than the better well-known Camellia sinensis. Wikipedia notes, “The generic name Camellia is taken from the Latinized name of Rev. Georg Kamel, (1661–1706).” (Kirk makes me cite my sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia_sinensis) An interesting point about both variants is that they bloom before bugs awake. This explains their wide-splayed petals and large pollen amount: they are pollenated by birds. Pictured: Sazanka (annoy botanists at your peril).

Kirk here. My posts about how puctual Kumamoto Airport is have gotten many more…

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 08:31:46 +0000

Kirk here. My posts about how puctual Kumamoto Airport is have gotten many more views than posts on other topics. So, I thought I’d share this commercial about the opening of the of the renovated airport building. Here’s the URL on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9bC07Lwwc4

Atsuko here, sharing the view of SUIZENJI Park in early spring.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 08:17:44 +0000

Atsuko here, sharing the view of SUIZENJI Park in early spring.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ https://fb.watch/j423pnlI9S/

Kumamoto St.Patrick's Day Parade

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 05:32:28 +0000

Ruth here with a reminder to wear something green if you’re downtown on Saturday, 11th March, from 2-4pm, as that’s when the Kumamoto St.Patrick’s Day Parade will be held ☘️ There’s also an afterparty at Celts on Shimotori from 4-6pm for those who are interested!! 🍻 More details on the parade and proceedings here: https://www.kumamoto-ireland.org/

Thank you to everyone who came out these three Sundays to practice some Irish dances! 🎶 Your participation was greatly appreciated! If anyone is interested in joining future Irish Dance Circle events certainly let me know 👍

Multicultural event in Minamiaso Village

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 15:38:36 +0000

Joha(nnes) here from Minamiaso Village. There is an upcoming multicultural event here in Minamiaso Village (Michi-no-eki “Aso-bō no sato”, Kugino) on March 11, 2023. The event aims to promote a better understanding of multicultural residents in general and of course provide an opportunity to catch up with other residents from abroad in the rural areas of Aso. Details can be found at the link below. https://www.vill.minamiaso.lg.jp/kiji0032350/index.html

Kirk here. Though it may be too late (I'm not sure) I'd like to go ahead and sh…

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 03:13:06 +0000

Kirk here. Though it may be too late (I’m not sure) I’d like to go ahead and share this post from Mr. Yagi:

https://www.facebook.com/hiromitsu.yagi/posts/pfbid0VHEBLcsjEVJFShsV6oHacKVnTj9pCqvAsjbVF86pP3X7wfGZT3PEM3qPwD2c9692l?notif_id=1677825753024087&notif_t=close_friend_activity&ref=notif

Kirk here with another report on how punctual Kumamoto Airport is:

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 03:12:19 +0000

Kirk here with another report on how punctual Kumamoto Airport is:

“Third place went to Aso Kumamoto Airport in the city of Kumamoto with a 92.3% on-time departure rate.”

Kirk here with a second post about how Kumamoto University will "'hire' graduate…

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 08:49:02 +0000

Kirk here with a second post about how Kumamoto University will “‘hire’ graduate students studying semiconductors to supply top-quality workers to the growing local chip industry.”

https://www.studyinternational.com/news/kumamoto-university/

The URL of the first post is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid034Np1gRY2CCAvQpuDSaXJdVYoS33TacC7hHicR72LaDaiKJqtKhuAvrxA7S85gYxpl

Kirk here. I found this rather extensive article worth the time it took to read…

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Kirk here. I found this rather extensive article worth the time it took to read it. In a nutshell, the technology referred to in the title involves (1) identifying the rocks that need to be returned to specific locations and (2) enhancing the strength of the reconstructed walls while remaining largely faithful to the original construction methods.

Atsuko with Shochu tour

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 09:35:14 +0000

Atsuko with Shochu tour information. Only 6 seats left!! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ The registration deadline is March 2, Thur.

Kumamoto Language Teachers Conference

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:07:06 +0000

(Fiona) Kumamoto is hosting a big conference for language teachers in June. It will be of particular interest to those with an interest in Computer Assisted Language Learning as well as a great opportunity to meet English teachers from all over Japan.

Kyushu International 3 Day March

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 00:24:20 +0000

Kirk here sharing something that was posted to the Kumamoto International Discord server:

This weekend is the Kyushu International 3 Day March! It starts this Friday and goes until Sunday. If you’re available those mornings for a brisk walk around Yatsushiro, starting at Sakurajuji Hall (https://goo.gl/maps/fdxcLVnmUUQGK6ZJ6), please come on by! Registration is ongoing from 6:30 am, the 40 km long courses depart between 7:15-8am, the 30 km courses depart between 8:15-9am, the 10 km courses depart between 9:15-10am, and the 5 km course departs between 10:15-11am. More details are available at Access Yatsushiro, and the 3 Day website: https://www.facebook.com/accessyatsushiro https://www.kinasse-yatsushiro.jp/3day-march_e/

William We're about a month from the cherry blossom front (or "sakura zensen, 桜…

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 08:05:29 +0000

William We’re about a month from the cherry blossom front (or “sakura zensen, 桜前線,” as it’s known), so preparing strategy now would be timely. One could kill a few birds with one stone - well, a whole lotta stones, as that is what the stairs are made of - by climbing the temple route (参道, sandou) to visit Honmyouji (本妙寺), a temple of the Nichiren sect. As Wikipedia has it, “In 1585 (Tensho 13), it was founded in Osaka by the founder of Nisshin to pray for the repose of the soul of Kiyomasa Kato’s father, Kiyotada. In 1600 (Keicho 5), after Kiyomasa became the lord of Kumamoto Castle, it was moved to Zuiryu-in, which had been built near Kumamoto Castle. Kiyomasa died in 1611, and in accordance with his will, the statue of Kiyomasa was enshrined in Jochi Mausoleum on Mt. Nakao. In 1614 (Keicho 19), Honmyo-ji Temple, which was destroyed in a fire, was moved to its current location under Jochi Mausoleum.” Apparently, its popularity among worshippers drew those suffering from leprosy (or “hansenbyo”, as it’s known in Japanese) to its steps to beg for alms. Temples were established along the route to care for the lepers (and also to take advantage of alms-givers), many of which remain to this day. A visit should be a full-day trip if one plans to visit temples along the way as well as walk the steps behind the temple to the mount peak, on which stands a large statue of Kato Kiyomasa. A chart of expected cherry blossom development in Kumamoto is below, as well as a photo of the Honmyouji sandou. One could do it three times: while the cherries are in bud, during full bloom, and a few days later, when the petals are swept by the breeze through the air and along the ground, known as “sakura fubuki” (桜吹雪).

Kirk here with news that's old but should still be of interest if, like me, you …

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:23:55 +0000

Kirk here with news that’s old but should still be of interest if, like me, you missed it when it first came out:

— start quote — Osaka-based Kansai Electric Power Co. is at the heart of the anti-competitive behavior. It had formed one-on-one cartels with Chugoku Electric, Chubu Electric and Kyushu Electric, according to the sources. — end quote —

Our electric bills here in Kumamoto (where we rely on Kyushu Electric) have probably been excessively high because of the collusion.

Kirk here with an update on the case of Le Thi Thuy Linh, who is appealing her c…

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 05:23:52 +0000

Kirk here with an update on the case of Le Thi Thuy Linh, who is appealing her conviction for abandonment of corpses (she did not report the stillbirths of her twins immediately).

The Supreme Court heard the case recently, but I’m not aware at this writing of when the verdict will be issued.

I was interested in the support that Dr. Takeshi Hasuda of Jikei Hospital demonstrated for Ms. Linh by traveling to Tokyo and appearing at a press conference to call for the overturning of her conviction. Dr. Hasuda said that “if Ms. Linh is guilty, then almost all women who feel compelled to give birth in isolation may be found guilty of a crime” (今回の行為が罪に当たるなら、孤立出産の死産はほとんど犯罪とみなされてしまう):

Kirk here with some amazing news I came across today: The volume of groundwater…

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 14:09:48 +0000

Kirk here with some amazing news I came across today: The volume of groundwater in Kumamoto is 1.6 that of Lake Biwa. For reference, I’m sharing screenshots of Lake Biwa and Kumamoto Google maps. I think you can get a pretty good idea of just how huge Lake Biwa is – and the volume of water in Kumamoto considerable greater than that! It’s hard to believe but that’s what researchers at Kumamoto University say, according to the following Japanese news report (with video):

Kirk here with some thoughts about how big the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake was and …

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 09:55:52 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts about how big the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake was and how it compares to the disaster in Turkey and Syria. The first thing to know is that magnitude is how scientists compare the size (energy release) of an event but that even with the same magnitude a number of factors can affect the intensity of the shaking that hits you in your particular location. Here’s a nice succinct explanation I found on the web:

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto Airport is the 7th most punctual airport in th…

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 02:01:13 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto Airport is the 7th most punctual airport in the world! Here’s the list:

Osaka International
Matsuyama
Miyazaki
Nagoya Chubu Centrair International
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (Peru)
Kagoshima
Kumamoto
Pinto Martins/Fortaleza International (Brazil)
Panama City Tocumen International (Panama)
Fukuoka

Kirk here with something for those of you who read Spanish. I searched but coul…

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 01:23:57 +0000

Kirk here with something for those of you who read Spanish. I searched but couldn’t find an equivalent article onf the Nippon.com site in English. Here’s a DeepL translation of part of the article:

“Hitoyoshi Castle was the residence of the Sagara clan, which ruled the area for about 700 years, from the late 12th century, when the Kamakura shogunate appointed Sagara Nagayori as lord of the land, until the Meiji Restoration (19th century). In the ruins of the residence of the Sagara’s main vassal, located in the fortress, a underground room containing a well was discovered, something unusual in Japan.”

Kirk here with an English report on a "hugging and kissing" incident. Actually,…

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 07:07:10 +0000

Kirk here with an English report on a “hugging and kissing” incident. Actually, I learned about this yesterday and considered posting about it then tbut decided against it because I didn’t feel I could be sure about what the fuss was about. The RKK report I saw on TV made me wonder if the young couple got in trouble for mild expressions of affection. But, when I looked at other reports on the web, I got the impression that the behavior was considerable more “over the top” than that. The “multiple tips from outside sources” mentioned in the article may be related to a video that was recorded from outside of the building (though a window) mentioned in this Japanese-language report: https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/490041

Spring is on the way, time to enjoy the plum blossoms that suddenly seem to be b…

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 14:43:05 +0000

Spring is on the way, time to enjoy the plum blossoms that suddenly seem to be blooming everywhere. Two excellent spots to stroll and view are in Nishi-ku: Taniozaki Bairin Kouen (谷尾崎梅林公園)、and in Shimasaki 百梅園　（島崎4丁目10-6). They both have parking areas , but the one in Taniozaki also has an “Umegaya Mochi “stand (heated up on the grill while you wait , a kind of thin manju filled with ….of course….sweet bean paste). It also features the famous武蔵ゆかりの座禅石　(Musashi Yukari no Zazen Ishi - the rock on which Masashi sat in Zen seiza and meditated) . The parking lot fills up quickly . Hyakubaien ’s parking lot is up a narrow steep curved entrance and has space for about 5 cars. The blossoms should be great this weekend, and if you like mejiro (the tiny greenish birds with the distinctive white ring around each eye. Both can be reached by bus, with a bit of a walk from the bus stop to Hyakubaien .

Kirk here reminding you that today is cat day:

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:21:08 +0000

Kirk here reminding you that today is cat day:

— start quote — More than 30 years ago, in 1987, the Executive Cat Day Committee in Japan chose February 22 after a poll of over 9,000 cat lovers. The date 2-22 can be pronounced ni-ni-ni, which sounds close the Japanese equivalent of a cat’s meow, nyan-nyan-nyan. Hundreds of cat lovers gathered to reflect on the extraordinary virtues of cats and offer prayers for their pets’ longevity. — end quote —

Kirk here sharing this nice post to the community side of the page by Hiromi Chi…

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 04:40:33 +0000

Kirk here sharing this nice post to the community side of the page by Hiromi Chida (Thanks Hiromi!):

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8517325331674157

I’m quite late in sharing this but I hope it’s better to be late than not share it at all.

As you can see, it’s about an award the Julie Waterman received! Congratulations Julie!!!

Here are some previous posts related to Julie’s good work:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02FTHti4RWWGY8V8hciBR2us8Sjo6MCRJ6FeVGBedfnrx2aXDXHh8pKLKV3qAgbt15l

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0gjDi8TVPbxKTnhJTuPLk8UWCFoNMhoVnxpU2mfr9vaeQ3Dbq9c1MeX8Z5NSyuWCGl

Kirk here. On the recently started Kumamoto International Discord server, we go…

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 23:10:56 +0000

Kirk here. On the recently started Kumamoto International Discord server, we got a question about where one might learn to drive, preferably with someone who speaks English or Tagalog. In my case, I was able to transfer my U.S. license here in Kumamoto, so I know about that, but I’ve never taken driving lessons here. Is there a school or qualified teacher that gives lessons in English? If not, do any of you have any recommendations regarding kind, patient teachers and/or schools?

William Many of you participated in the Kumamoto Marathon. Most likely finished…

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:38:48 +0000

William Many of you participated in the Kumamoto Marathon. Most likely finished, while a few may have ended up on the “bus of shame.” We would like to share your stories regarding training and the event itself. Please PM us with your experiences and photos so that we may share them.

Kirk here with a share from the "community" side of this page:

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:28:13 +0000

Kirk here with a share from the “community” side of this page:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8621445981262091

Anyone can post to the “community.” Unfortunately, worthwhile posts to the community are not as likely to appear in your feed as post to the main part of the page and I often forget to check to see if there are posts in the “community” that I should share. I’ll try to do better in the future.

Kirk here sharing a link to the 2022 Fall YOKA:

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 03:18:29 +0000

Kirk here sharing a link to the 2022 Fall YOKA:

https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Yoka%202022%20Fall.pdf

What’s YOKA? Here’s the explanation about the publication on the Kumamoto JET website:

“The YOKA is an English-language newsletter published by the International Affairs Division with the help of current and former Kumamoto JETs.”

https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/the-yoka/

You can also find links to many previous issues of YOKA on this site. My understanding is that the publication is largely by and for current and former JETs but I think that many of the articles should also be of interest to non-JET expatriate residents of Kumamoto.

Kirk here. If anyone would like to join the Kumamoto International Discord serv…

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:34:09 +0000

Kirk here. If anyone would like to join the Kumamoto International Discord server, here’s a link that I think should be permanent (that’s my intent anyway):

https://discord.gg/fd9Hvff94z

This page will continue to be the main venue and content posted here will merely be reposted there. So, you won’t be missing anything if you don’t join Discord. But, if Discord is more convenient for you, you have the option. :)

Kirk here with bad news about English education in Japan in general and Kumamoto…

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 06:19:22 +0000

Kirk here with bad news about English education in Japan in general and Kumamoto in particular. The graph you see here is from the following article and indicates that Japan’s rank among other nations in which English is not an official language has dropped precipitously:

https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01509/

Within Japan, Kumamoto is in the bottom half of prefectures – ranked 33rd among 46 prefectures according to the government. Here’s that ranking:

Rank Prefecture Score 1 Fukui 59.6 2 Toyama 59.3 3 Shizuoka 54.4 4 Akita 53.7 5 Hyogo 53.1 6 Kanagawa 51.7 7 Nara 50.5 8 Tokyo 50.0 9 Fukuoka 49.7 10 Shimane 49.6 11 Kyoto 49.4 12 Tokushima 49.4 13 Iwate 49.0 14 Ishikawa 49.0 15 Yamanashi 48.9 16 Hiroshima 48.7 17 Okayama 48.5 18 Osaka 48.2 19 Ehime 48.2 20 Nagasaki 47.7 21 Aomori 46.9 22 Yamagata 46.9 23 Tochigi 46.9 24 Saga 46.8 25 Oita 46.5 26 Niigata 46.3 27 Tottori 45.8 28 Hokkaido 45.0 29 Gunma 44.3 30 Yamaguchi 44.1 31 Nagano 43.8 32 Wakayama 43.2 33 Kumamoto 43.2 34 Gifu 42.5 35 Okinawa 42.3 36 Chiba 42.0 37 Saitama 41.8 38 Mie 41.8 39 Miyagi 41.2 40 Kagawa 40.8 41 Kochi 40.3 42 Aichi 40.0 43 Miyazaki 38.7 44 Ibaraki 38.3 45 Kagoshima 37.1 46 Fukushima 36.3

Kurokawa Onsen Illumination Event

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 01:56:17 +0000

Kirk here with news about an event at Kurokawa Onsen:

“An illumination event is being held in Kurokawa Onsen in Minami-Oguni, Kumamoto Prefecture, in which the hot spring resort town is lit up with bamboo lanterns. . . The lanterns are lit from dusk to 10 p.m., and the event runs through April 2.”

Sean here-

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 05:16:13 +0000

Sean here- Had this happen last night at the MK Restaurant. First time and an interesting experience being served by a bot. I won’t comment on the restaurant. Edited for your viewing pleasure.

Kirk here reporting that cherry blossoms in Kumamoto are likely to come about th…

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 03:37:59 +0000

Kirk here reporting that cherry blossoms in Kumamoto are likely to come about three days earlier than usual – just over a month away.

Marathon

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 10:01:08 +0000

Kirk here with a reminder that the marathon will be held tomorrow. It will affect traffic the most in the morning but events will continue into the afternoon. The map is in Japanese but the times that are listed should give you an idea of when various parts of the city will be busy even if you don’t read Japanese.

By the way, I posted about cheering runners on here:

Hi Atsuko here.

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 01:51:47 +0000

Hi Atsuko here. Sharing an interesting article about Kumamon and Kumamotojin. Verifying the theory that “every household in Kumamoto Prefecture has at least one Kumamon”. Does “Kumamon” really exist in all households in Kumamoto Prefecture?

It did not go as far as “all households”, but in fact 98.2% of the people in the prefecture answered that they “have Kumamon products at home”, which almost supports the content of the TV program. Do you have a Kumamon in your home? If you have a Kumamon, you are a Kumamoto person.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kirk here. Any Discord users out there? I've made a Discord server called "Kum…

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:53:25 +0000

Kirk here. Any Discord users out there? I’ve made a Discord server called “Kumamoto International” and am using Zapier to automatically share posts from this page there. The problem is that I’m completely new to Discord and don’t know how to share information about the server with those who might be interested. Is just telling people the name (“Kumamoto International”) enough?

William Plum blossom season has arrived. I prefer the more compact, fragrant pl…

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 07:48:50 +0000

William Plum blossom season has arrived. I prefer the more compact, fragrant plum to the cherry. A wonderful place to view them is to the south-west of Ninomaru, a place few visit (which makes it that much more attractive) called 野鳥園 (Yachō-en - “wild bird garden.”) and 南側梅園 (Minamigawa baien - southern plum garden). There, horticulturalists have planted trees which provide succor to birds throughout the four seasons. An expansive plum garden exists there, along with with a forest of moss-encrusted, bird food laden trees. This weekend, when the plums are in full bloom, is the time to visit. Take the stairs next to the museum down and turn left - the gardens are between the baseball stadium and Ninomaru. https://spice.kumanichi.com/outing/outing-feature/114540/

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto City has shelved its proposal to include forei…

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 00:47:24 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto City has shelved its proposal to include foreign nationals in the category of 市民 (shimin; “people of the city” or “citizens”) because of the significant backlash they received. They acknowledge that much of the criticism was based on the misunderstanding that doing so would grant voting privileges to foreigners (which it would not do).

I think that leaders can’t get too far ahead of the public. In that sense, I think the city’s decision is reasonable. But, reading the following essay (in Japanese) in the Asahi Shimbun today helped me understand the motivation for Kumamoto City’s proposal to include foreign national in the category of “shimin.”

William If you've a chance, pop out in the early evening and look at the wester…

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 10:26:05 +0000

William If you’ve a chance, pop out in the early evening and look at the western sky. Jupiter and Venus are visible after sunset. The two planets appear closer together each evening, as they head for a conjunction on March 1. https://www.universetoday.com/121041/venus-and-jupiter-meet-at-last/https://www.universetoday.com/121041/venus-and-jupiter-meet-at-last/

Kirk here with a belated report on efforts to "give back" to the people of Turke…

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 05:04:17 +0000

Kirk here with a belated report on efforts to “give back” to the people of Turkey who, as you all know, are suffering in the aftermath of a terrible earthquake. In the Japanese video, Governor Kabashima calls donating to Turkish victims “giving back” (恩返し; ongaeshi) because the people of Turkey came to Kumamoto’s aid in 2016.

And, although this article focuses on victims in Turkey, I would never want to forget the victims in Syria.

Kirk here with some Kumadai news.

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 03:17:44 +0000

Kirk here with some Kumadai news.

— start quote — Kumamoto University will “hire” graduate students studying semiconductors from fiscal 2023 in hopes of eventually supplying top-level personnel to the burgeoning local chip industry. — end quote —

William Japan Today reports on how TSMC and its suppliers have upended the prop…

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 04:32:42 +0000

William Japan Today reports on how TSMC and its suppliers have upended the property market in Kikuyo as it turns from an agricultural town into a global hub for semiconductors. The article also mentions that other tech companies face difficulty in securing employees due to the higher wages TSMC offers. A must-read article: https://japantoday.com/category/tech/focus-tsmc-chip-giant-spurs-factory-land-shortage-in-small-kyushu-town Worth a trip to Kikyo in and of itself is the café Herb & Garden Daisy, a short walk from JR Sanrigi station and close to Hikarinomori - giga smoothie photos at the link: https://tinyurl.com/bdhbp273 The café is run by the Yoshimoto family (disclaimer: their daughter, Natsuki, is a high school classmate of my daughter). The father also runs a small farm growing grapes and vegetables - it is well-known for its goats (who have names) - they keep the weeds down and enjoy attention. Combine this delightful café with shopping at Hikarinomori for a wonderful day trip - and bring the kids!. How explosive growth will affect this lil’ café and farm is up for speculation.

TV show featuring Mr. Yagi on sharing information with foreigners during a disaster

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 00:48:29 +0000

Kirk here with a heads-up about a TV show in which a little bird told me that Mr. Yagi of the International Foundation is featured. The topic of the show is how to share information with foreigners during a disaster. It’s scheduled to be broadcast on the 19th at 10 AM.

all that jazz....For those living here in Kumamoto who sometimes have a craving …

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 14:05:07 +0000

all that jazz….For those living here in Kumamoto who sometimes have a craving for a couple of hours of live jazz, there are a few local spots that are coming back to life after the lessening of Covid restrictions which I would like to introduce over the next few days. There are a number of talented jazz musicians in Kumamoto, and most venues also offer performances by musicians from other parts of Japan on tour . Prices for an evening of music usually start around ¥2500 .

Kirk here with road rage news (not me, someone else ;) ). I have used the Sank…

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:42:46 +0000

Kirk here with road rage news (not me, someone else ;) ). I have used the Sanko Bus service between Kumamoto and Fukuoka many times. It’s a very convenient way to get to and from the airport. I’m not sure if the bus that became the victim in this incident was following that same route but it very well might have been. At any rate, this incident has become national news and the guy has been arrested. Check out the video to see the view from the bus’s drive recorder. Yikes!

Kumamoto City Marathon

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 08:25:58 +0000

Kirk here with information about the marathon to be held this weekend and some informatioin about the English edition of Kumamoto City’s Shisei Dayori (a newsletter).

First, regarding the marathon, the following page presents an overview:

https://kumamotojyo-marathon.jp/outline_en.php

It’s too late to enter to run but it’s not too late to get out and cheer on the participants. Kumamoto City’s Shisei Dayori has a little article encouraging people to get out and cheer. Here’s the address of an English translation:

Kirk here with an NHK video about the Yamaga Toro Hyakka Hyakusai. Here's the b…

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 02:00:27 +0000

Kirk here with an NHK video about the Yamaga Toro Hyakka Hyakusai. Here’s the blub on the page:

— start quote — The center of Yamaga City in Kumamoto Prefecture lights up on winter nights. A total of 5,300 bamboo tubes lit with candles and Japanese umbrellas illuminated by lights filled the street of 300 meters. The event called “Yamaga Toro (lantern) Hyakka Hyakusai” was launched 20 years ago by local businesses to attract tourists. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the event was held for the first time in three years. — end quote —

Kirk here with a bakery recommendation. The location is Honmyoji. It's still a…

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 07:58:19 +0000

Kirk here with a bakery recommendation. The location is Honmyoji. It’s still a bit early, but it’s really very beautiful during cherry blossom season, as Liz’s photos attest. In this post I am merely sharing screenshots of Liz’s photos as they appeared in the following post by William:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02hSc2xTbhnf8KmEV6XExfCvf8szdA2c6pGWVrFxXp46iE1Zz3BfsMPNxKV1pvFcuQl

The bakery is Totoro Tei (トトロ亭; Totoro’s Bus Stop?), which used to be in Kokai. The photo you see of the proprietors is from the following post and was taken before they moved out to Honmyoji: https://www.facebook.com/kokaisyoutengai/posts/pfbid02DfD6Erqyra2BwK87h5VNbNCpMopxjgizrKc3vPs2ezpcsv7KdbZsDVP72RhUj7vKl

Kirk here with information about a good quality e-book that has been published a…

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 13:02:13 +0000

Kirk here with information about a good quality e-book that has been published about the Aso area.

— start quote — Please have a look! the GIAHS ASO e-book Aso has grown together with its grasslands and is blessed with bountiful farmland, rare plants and animals, and a strong agricultural tradition. These characteristics earned Aso global recognition, culminating in its designation as a World Agricultural Heritage Site in May 2013. With Aso’s designation as a World Agricultural Heritage Site, Kumamoto Prefecture published the GIAHS ASO e-book to explain the unique agricultural traditions of Aso that play a large part in the preservation of the Aso grasslands. GIAHS ASO also contains many great photos of Aso’s breathtaking landscapes. Please have a look! — end quote —

William We seem to be experiencing an earthquake swarm centered on the central …

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 11:14:29 +0000

William We seem to be experiencing an earthquake swarm centered on the central and north-eastern sections of the Futagawa fault, which has remained unruptured since the 2016 quakes. Just in case, keep your bathtub full (water lines were out of service for a week in my neighborhood back in ‘16), secure your TV and other fragile items, and make sure you have a week’s worth of food. Earthquake notifications are available here: https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/#pattern=earthquake_volcano&area_type=offices&area_code=430000

Noyaki (野焼き) workshop for foreigners - Field trip

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 23:20:45 +0000

Atsuko here with information about Noyaki, burning off the fields, workshop for foreigners. Hoping you find and enjoy spring in Aso. ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー On 25 February (Sat) a field trip for foreign residents will be held.

If you know someone who lives or works in Aso City or the surrounding area, we would be grateful if you could introduce them to us.

Saturday 25th February, 9.30am - 2.30pm

Meeting place: Higo Otsu Station at 9:30am

Love Local, Treat yourself Valentine's event

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 00:05:58 +0000

Sean here - With Valentine’s day around the corner, coupled with my desire to support local artisans/businesses, I am happy to share with all of you “Love Local, Treat yourself” Valentine’s event at Cocosa, located next to the Freaks store.

Some featured locals are Licht Coffee and Cakes. Some of you may know them as Cluck café. Tien Tien Cafe an Aso favorite, as well as a local artisan who has been mentioned here on a few occasions, our very own one-woman, local small business operator, Chikae san’s “Out of Step Café”. The finest Bagels in Kumamoto.

William That was an interesting quake. Apparently, the epicenter was in Nishiha…

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 07:36:01 +0000

William That was an interesting quake. Apparently, the epicenter was in Nishiharamura, which sits astride the Futagawa fault, the same guy responsible for our trouble years ago. Likely stress built up by southern quakes is gradually working its way north. But without that fault, we wouldn’t have the Tateno Gap, and the caldera would be a huge lake.

Kirk here with sad news about vandalism. Some sort of fluid that left a red sta…

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 03:24:50 +0000

Kirk here with sad news about vandalism. Some sort of fluid that left a red stain was thrown on a monument (reibyo; 霊廟)to HOSOKAWA Gracia in Kurokami, near Kumamoto University. First, who was HOSOKAWA Gracia?

— start quote — Hosokawa Garasha (細川ガラシャ), (1563 – 25 August 1600) was a member of the aristocratic Akechi family from the Sengoku period. Gracia is best known for her role in the Battle of Sekigahara; she was considered to be a political hostage to the Western army led by Ishida Mitsunari. She reneged on committing suicide (seppuku) because of her Catholic faith, breaking the code of conduct imposed on women of the samurai class. — end quote —

Kirk here. If you live in the Aso area and would like to study Japanese, this s…

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 09:10:09 +0000

Kirk here. If you live in the Aso area and would like to study Japanese, this should interest you.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0dgwutMURwaY7RUKHMz1TzM9EQECnk9DKYkkzV5Evk5MNpvYiZVLKu8jM9Q9AsSxGl&id=100089958274988

William with two pieces of online software you should try.

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 08:06:59 +0000

William with two pieces of online software you should try. Certainly most everyone has heard of ChatGPT. Queries are met with answers much less detailed than Wikipedia but in a more conversational style. When asked, “Tell about Kumamoto,” it offered simply: “Kumamoto is a city located on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It is the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture and has a population of around 700,000 people. Kumamoto is known for its castle, which was originally built in the 1600s and is one of the most famous and well-preserved castles in Japan. The castle was severely damaged in a 2016 earthquake, but has since been rebuilt and is a popular tourist destination. The city is also known for its hot springs, nature parks, and traditional festivals. Additionally, Kumamoto is a hub for transportation, with a bullet train station, highways, and airports connecting it to other parts of Japan.” An account can be set up here: https://chat.openai.com/ A second site, Rome2Rio, offers detailed travel instructions between any two points in the world. If you’re interested in traveling from Kumamoto to anywhere else, the site will give you detailed suggestions, usually including air, rail, bus, and taxi. https://www.rome2rio.com/ Kumamoto is a convenient launch point to explore the wonders of Kyushu.

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto International's own (well, we don't "own" him…

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 23:37:27 +0000

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto International’s own (well, we don’t “own” him but he’s been a participant) Andrew Mitchell. Go Andrew!!

— start quote — In another workshop, Andrew Mitchell, 38, the U.K.-born representative of “Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project,” an international students’ group in Kumamoto that thinks about issues relating to disaster management for foreigners, talked about his disaster experience. The Fukuoka Regional Headquarters of the Japan Meteorological Agency also gave a lecture about quakes and tsunami. — end quote —

Kumamon homecoming video series

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:59:03 +0000

William Heads up on the Kumamon front: in order to publicize the existence of Kumamoto to those who’ve apparently been living under a rock, Kumamon has been on a national tour. To celebrate his (her?) homecoming, Those That Be will publicize from 2/8 a series of short, FX-heavy videos showing the ol’ guy (gal?) at various famous spots in Kumamoto. Keep an eye on this site: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/specialsite/ and we at KI will keep you up to date.

Fiona here, with a post for Kumamoto-i readers to share photos and locations of …

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:20:53 +0000

Fiona here, with a post for Kumamoto-i readers to share photos and locations of their favourite vending machines. I’ve spotted machines selling pig’s trotters, gyoza and of course the edible insects sold outside the balloon store at the end of the Kokai shopping arcade. What other delicacies and delights are out there?

野菜採集ワークショップ（子ども・親向け）

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 06:02:17 +0000

Atsuko here with some information about the vegetable-picking workshop for children and parents in Nishi Ward(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Would you like to experience a vegetable harvest with your children?

How about picking sweet spring vegetables?

Let’s have fun harvesting fresh vegetables grown in the local Nishi Ward with your parents and children!

Date & Time] 19 March (Sun), 2023 10:00-12:00 *In case of rain, it will be held on 26 March (Sun).

Kirk here. A facility is being built in Yatsushiro to derive energy from woody b…

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 05:13:02 +0000

Kirk here. A facility is being built in Yatsushiro to derive energy from woody biomass (not to be confused with facilities intending to produce energy from Woody’s biomass ;) ).

First of all, a quick definition of woody biomass:

— start quote — Woody biomass is biomass derived from trees. It can be classified into construction scrap wood, sawmill residues, and forest residues (such as branches and leaves shed in the mountains). — end quote —

Kirk here with some news that I don't understand very well:

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 03:31:47 +0000

Kirk here with some news that I don’t understand very well:

— start quote — Among those embracing the digital trend is Metagri-Labo, a community launched in March 2022 that aims to merge agriculture and blockchain technology to increase farming revenues while revitalizing regional areas. . . . The collaborative project with Shimada watermelon farm in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, issued 20 limited edition “MetagriLabo Suica Collection” NFTs, with actual watermelons and other benefits delivered to those who purchased them. — end quote —

Irish Dance Circle Practice

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 06:43:20 +0000

Let’s dance! Join our very casual Irish Dance Circle! - Ruth reports ☘️🕺🎶 Ahead of the 2023 Kumamoto St. Patrick’s Day Parade, on Saturday, 11th March this year, we hope to get together 3 times to practice some group dances: that’d be the 19th and 26th February, and 5th March (all Sundays) from 10am-12pm. The venue is on Hakuzan-dori.

Address: 〒862-0959 熊本県熊本市中央区白山1丁目6-31

RSVP to the event paIrish Dance Circleleut

Wear comfortable clothing and shoes and we’ll see you at the Okashi-no-Kobai HQ on Hakuzan-dori on Sunday 19th and 26th February and March 5th (Sunday).

Kirk here reporting that a new hotel is coming to the Aso area:

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 05:48:26 +0000

Kirk here reporting that a new hotel is coming to the Aso area:

“KUMAMOTO Fairfield by Marriott Kumamoto Aso (93 rooms, opening in autumn 2023. The hotel will be located at Kumamoto in Aso city, nestled within one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas.”

Kirk here with some thoughts and questions about language. The topic is not spe…

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 04:12:19 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts and questions about language. The topic is not specific to Kumamoto but, on the other hand, sharing information about Kumamoto usually involves going between Japanese and English and what I’d like to write about in this post certainly has to do with that general issue.

Observation 1: The Japanese term 湿布 (shippu) is so common that I suspect most of you who have been in Japan several years or more are familiar with it. The characters mean “wet cloth” but “medicated wet cloth” would be more accurate. You can find lots of shippu in drug stores and they may be prescribed to you.

Kirk here with some news for archeology fans:

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 22:24:49 +0000

Kirk here with some news for archeology fans:

“The about 55-centimeter-long iron sword was unearthed from the remains of a tomb from the Kofun period at the site of Kumamoto Castle during an excavation by the city government.”

I wasn’t even aware of tomb remains being located on the castle grounds.

P.S. The article shows an enhanced image in which kanji are remarkably legible.

Noyaki 2023 - Kusasenri

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 13:18:23 +0000

Atsuko here with Noyaki schedule 2023. Spring is just around the corner.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Reminder of the No-yaki schedule]

Kusasenri 25 February at 10:30am Reserve day: 3/4(Saturday), then moved to weekdays.

Aso Foothills (Gogaku area) 2/26㈰ from 9:00am Reserve days 3/5㈰, 3/12㈰, 3/19㈰, 3/21㈫㈷, 3/26㈰.

Northern Outer Rim, all areas 3/5㈰ from 9:00am Reserve days 3/12㈰, 3/19㈰, 3/21㈫㈷, 3/26㈰.

Traffic restrictions and other measures will be in place on the surrounding roads on the day of the event.

William Kumanichi notes that there is a cat who wears samurai armor (甲冑, かっちゅう,…

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 10:41:56 +0000

William Kumanichi notes that there is a cat who wears samurai armor (甲冑, かっちゅう, katchyū - kinda sounds like a cat sneeze, doesn’t it?) and hangs out at Sakuranobaba Josaien. Named Kotetsu, the 7-year-old male regularly takes walks with her owner, Seiji Nishioka - photo is at the link - wearing red armor with a little cat foot design (as Sandburg noted, “The ninja comes in on little cat feet.”) Such a sight would be enough to give one … paws. Bring your camera and maybe a piece of dried fish. https://tinyurl.com/yckva3ja

St. Patrick's Day Parade

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 03:21:21 +0000

Ruth here with information about St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Kumamoto City ☘️ This year’s parade will be held on Saturday, 11th March and it kicks off at 2:30pm from the Kamitori Arcade.

Wear something green and join in the fun!

And, if you want to participate in the local Irish Dance Circle’s practice sessions, there’ll be more info soon about the schedule for this month. Those who participate will hopefully be present on the 11th March to help showcase a few impromptu dances during the parade itself! 🎶

Kirk here with a follow-up to the case of Luc Loosveldt, a man who sued Nagasaki…

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:04:15 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to the case of Luc Loosveldt, a man who sued Nagasaki University for unfairly terminating his contract:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230131/p2a/00m/0na/007000c

As I explained in my first post, this is not directly related to Kumamoto but there’s an indirect connection in that the origin of this forum can be traced back to a similar labor struggle that occurred in Kumamoto:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid09XNt7G7T9xaei5c46B2z12zmN1Htn6KBWKfUBnweQj1nyPCAd6HdUGD8tf3tK3fel

Kirk here with a Kumanichi article about tattoos and onsen. Main takeaways:

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:52:36 +0000

Kirk here with a Kumanichi article about tattoos and onsen. Main takeaways:

Kumamoto tends to be conservative, with few onsen allowing people with tattoos;
There’s an onsen in Kumamoto (unnamed in the article) that allows people with tattoos to bathe if (a) they are not Japanese and (b) they are able to hide their tattoos with seals.

As an effort to accommodate folks with tattoos the seal idea might be better than nothing but, even though I don’t happen to have tattoos myself, I would think it would be pretty much take the pleasure out of a bath if one had to sheepishly hide one’s tattoos (culturally identifying symbols in some cases) with plastic seals.

Kirk here. This forum got started as a mailing list to help get the word out ab…

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:43:17 +0000

Kirk here. This forum got started as a mailing list to help get the word out about a labor movement involving non-Japanese teachers at the Prefectural University of Kumamoto:

Kumamoto General Union vs. the Prefectural University of Kumamoto: Reviewing the Decision Rendered by the Kumamoto District Court https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.21832/9781847698704-007/html

In that connection, I think the following issue at Nagasaki University is relevant:

English teacher to sue Nagasaki U. over dismissal day before unfixed contract eligibility https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190826/p2a/00m/0dm/013000c?fbclid=IwAR1lBmvb3gLse9KlIIrN80-C-G58eUluQseuleM0gcB_oA5Ilv6X82YvdRQ

Atsuko here with information about the new Kumamoto Airport.

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 00:34:44 +0000

Atsuko here with information about the new Kumamoto Airport. Damaged by the Kumamoto earthquake, it has been under construction for a long time, but is finally reopening. It seems to be easier to use for international and domestic flights, and there seems to be more space to spend time in the duty free shop and food and drink areas.

I love watching the planes take off, so I’m glad to see the deck back.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Kirk here with sad news.

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 03:09:30 +0000

Kirk here with sad news.

“Takuya Akiba, 27, allegedly forced the woman, who is in her 20s, to work at various brothels in Tokyo as well as Fukushima, Ehime, Kumamoto, Oita and Okinawa prefectures between October 2021 and March 2022, police said.”

Kirk here with something I learned about via an RKK news segment today. Japan n…

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 12:14:49 +0000

Kirk here with something I learned about via an RKK news segment today. Japan now has an organization called Nihon Fact Check Center. It’s a non-profit organization that debunks unfounded rumors and disinformation that gets spread around on social media and other corners of the internet. Recently, rumors have spread all over Japan that Kumamoto will give voting rights to foreigners to satisfy folks coming here to work at TSMC. This is, of course, NOT the meaning or intent of the use of the word 市民 (shimin). RKK’s segment includes a brief statement from Mayor Onishi, in which he seems to be recognizing that the way the city handled the proposal was confusing.

Kirk here. As Kuma Visit explains, In Kumamoto dialect "wasamon" means a person…

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 02:17:15 +0000

Kirk here. As Kuma Visit explains, In Kumamoto dialect “wasamon” means a person who likes the latest fashions, new things, gadgets, etc. Mr. Murakami’s sign says “wasamons,” combining Kumamoto dialect with the English “s” to designate plural (people in Kumamoto who like new stuff). In the video linked to in Kuma Visit’s post lots of people talk, in Kumamoto dialect, about how they’re taking a new (wasamon?) approach to promoting Kumamoto. It made me smile. :)

Kirk here introducing an RKK news video about students at my university (Kumamot…

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:13:45 +0000

Kirk here introducing an RKK news video about students at my university (Kumamoto Gakuen) who experienced zen meditation (zazen). The name of the temple is Kenshoji. I’m not sure if they provide such experiences for visitors on a regular basis but I’ll append some links to information about the temple in case you are interested.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/293828?display=1

https://www.tsuboi-haneikai.jp/spots/101/ https://asukashaji.co.jp/tesimonials/myoshinji-school-kenshoji/

Atsuko with photos of today's snow.

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 11:23:54 +0000

Atsuko with photos of today’s snow.

Many readers may think that there was no snow in the forecast of a big cold wave and heavy snowfall, but there was a lot of snow in the western and southern wards of Kumamoto City.

I live in Minami Ward and work in Nishi Ward, and the morning traffic jams were terrible.

The playground at the elementary school where I work is completely white. I enjoyed having snowball fights and building snowmen with the children.

Kirk here. Chilly, isn't it! The Kumanichi says that we may have as much as 25 …

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 12:17:52 +0000

Kirk here. Chilly, isn’t it! The Kumanichi says that we may have as much as 25 centimeters of snow in mountainous areas and 15 centimeters in the rest of Kumamoto. I don’t think I’ve ever seen 15 centimeters of show on the ground in Kumamoto City so I’ll be quite surprised if we really do get that much – but who knows? Take care

Kirk here with what I view as good news for human rights in Japan. This local r…

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:13:29 +0000

Kirk here with what I view as good news for human rights in Japan. This local ruling made national news today. And, there’s actually a fairly direct connection too this forum. I’ll connect the dots: (1) This forum grew out of a movement to help embattled non-Japanese teachers and the Prefectural University of Kumamoto (Kumamoto International started as a mailing list to help get word out to people in the community about what we were doing); (2) When that labor dispute became a lawsuit, HIGASHI Toshihiro was one of our lawyers; (3) The lead lawyer for the plaintiff in this forced sterilization case is also Mr. Higashi, who now teaches at Kumamoto Gakuen University. If you watch the NHK video you’ll see Mr. Higashi sitting next to the plaintiff, also in a wheelchair.

Olivia,

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 01:09:16 +0000

Olivia, Writing from Hiroshima 😃

Wishing all readers who celebrate Lunar New Year, a Happy Lunar New Year 2023 新年快樂春節快樂 This year it falls on 22 January. (It was yesterday)

Lunar New Year is celebrated for 15-day long. The 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year. It is also known as 元宵節 (yuán xiāo jié) meaning “first night of the full moon”. The day is as well known as Lantern Festival day. (description from Google search) So the greetings normally stops at the 15th day, to change into 元宵節快樂（yuán xiāo jié Kuàilè ）🏮

Kirk here with information about a local (Arao) clothing manufacturer:

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 03:34:10 +0000

Kirk here with information about a local (Arao) clothing manufacturer:

— start quote — Under the umbrella of Ichibo, LTD., IITO is a Kumamoto-based apparel brand that completes every step of its clothing manufacturing domestically – something fairly rare in the Japan of today. IITO has a “70-year history of spinning yarn,” crafting simple, understated t-shirts and hoodies with a high-quality, soft feel. Just like the concept of Fueki Ryuko, IITO strives to create clothing that is fashionable and yet never goes out of fashion. Their dedication to high quality is reflected in their brand name: IITO, or “ii ito.” (いい糸, “good yarn.”) — end quote —

Kirk here, with some news about accidental emergency calls:

Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:56:21 +0000

Kirk here, with some news about accidental emergency calls:

“Accidental calls to Kumamoto Prefectural Police, meanwhile, nearly doubled from about 5,050 in 2021 to some 10,000 in 2022 (as of Dec. 25). "

Kirk here with onsen news. I seem to recall that Kurokawa was once ranked numbe…

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 11:12:42 +0000

Kirk here with onsen news. I seem to recall that Kurokawa was once ranked number 1 in Japan but it’s still pretty high on the list of great onsen areas to visit: — start quote (emphasis added) — 2023 ranking of best hot spring resorts in Japan 1 Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture) 2 Kusatsu (Gunma Prefecture) 3 Noboribetsu (Hokkaido) 4 Dogo (Ehime Prefecture) 5 Beppu (Oita Prefecture) 𝟔 𝐊𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐚 (𝐊𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞) 7 Arima (Hyogo Prefecture) 8 Atami (Shizuoka Prefecture) 9 Yufuin (Oita Prefecture) — end quote —

Kirk here with some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Kumamoto…

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:45:56 +0000

Kirk here with some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Kumamoto City is in the final stages of considering a plan to formally recognize people without Japanese citizenship as “citizens” (市民; shimin; literally “people of the city” or “members of the community”). The bad news is that they are getting significant backlash, largely as a result of disinformation and anti-foreign rants on the web.

Now, the idea of calling non-Japanese people who live in Kumamoto “shimin,” is merely symbolic; it doesn’t mean that we would get to vote or anything. Rather, it would recognize us as members of the community – not just “others” to be used and/or tolerated until we are sent home. And, my understanding from a Kumanichi article (link below) is that it would be the first such use of the word “shimin” in Japan – formal recognition of foreigners as “member of the community.”

Here's a little news item from last week about TSMC:

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 07:57:24 +0000

Here’s a little news item from last week about TSMC:

Retro is the new MODERN

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 02:33:59 +0000

Sean here- File under: History repeats itself. Potaeto/Potaato Garbage/old/antique/vintage.

Call it what you want, but for the collector and folks into nostalgia, check out the “Retro is the new MODERN”! event at Cocosa.

What might be of particular interest to record/vinal/LP collectors is the large variety of vintage records for sale. At least 500 titles. 600 yen/ea.

Sorry to post this late, as there are only three days left including today.

Kirk here with another share I should have done earlier. It seems the Mr. Kahar…

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:54:42 +0000

Kirk here with another share I should have done earlier. It seems the Mr. Kahar is now well on his way to closing a deal on a house. Still, if you you have any tips on realtors, real estate agents, agencies etc. that might help other people in similar circumstances, please share them in a comment.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8448555671884457

Kirk here with an inquiry from Julie. Do you mean metal bottle caps or plastic …

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 06:20:10 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry from Julie. Do you mean metal bottle caps or plastic ones, Julie? Personally, I would assume that plastic bottle caps could be recycled with other plastics and metal ones could be recycled with cans but I’m not sure. Anyone know for sure?

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8387765271296831

Kirk here with a reminder that, to the best of my knowledge, you only have a cou…

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 04:00:50 +0000

Kirk here with a reminder that, to the best of my knowledge, you only have a couple more months to ride the SL Hitoyoshi before it is retired. Here’s an older post about the retirement plans:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0BoJ2xukz9yqd2oYhrdHbwisnbiU2ugegGeAKjxZyCyunLARtig4HtAKptyW2r1aYl

I was going through some old files of mine yesterday and happened across this little video I made of the steam locomotive. As I recall, I had taken a group of students to Hitoyoshi but, for some reason, it was necessary for me to drive. So, they rode on the SL Hitoyoshi and I did a little video taping. The music is Michel Petrucciani playing “Take the A Train.” I think the video and music go quite well together, thanks too Mr. Petrucciani’s fabulous playing. If you aren’t only familiar with him and like jazz, please check him out on YouTube. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1999 but the world is richer for his having been on this earth, even if only for a short time.

Special Events to Experience Kumamoto Samurai Culture

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 13:12:12 +0000

Atsuko here sharing some workshops information being a cool SAMURAI.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Special Events to Experience Kumamoto Samurai Culture★

Two special events to experience the culture of Kumamoto Samurai who loved the arts will be held on January 21 (Sat.) ~ 22 (Sun.)! We have prepared special plans for two Samurai cultural experiences at a special rate! Please check the AttractiveJapan page for details & application procedures for each plan.

Saturday, January 21, 2023 “The Strongest Samurai in Japan! Samurai Experience by Musashi Miyamoto” https://attractive-j.rezdy.com/537675/details This is a 50-minute experience to learn authentic Iaido from a teacher who inherited the teachings of Musashi Miyamoto. In Iaido, you will learn not only about the samurai experience, but also about the spirituality of the samurai. Registration deadline: Saturday, January 21, right before the experience time! Special experience fee: 1,000 yen per person (tax included)

(2) Sunday, January 22, 2023 “Experience making accessories of Higo Zogan, an art loved by samurai”. https://attractive-j.rezdy.com/537679/details This is an experience at a long-established shop of Higo Zogan, a representative traditional craft of Kumamoto, established in 1874. Higo Zogan is a unique design on sword tsubas and small handles, adding a new sense of design to ancient patterns and attracting attention in the fields of fashion and interior design. Learn the history of Higo Zogan, which was loved by warriors, and create your own Higo Zogan accessory! Application deadline: Friday, January 20 Special fee: 1,000 yen per person (tax included)

Sean here-

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 23:29:57 +0000

Sean here- Warning -Begin Rant I am generally one not to complain about my host country. I love being here and feel fortunate to call it my home.

Mount Aso (阿蘇山, Aso-san), is the largest active volcano in Japan and is among the largest in the world.

With the recent opening of the new information center/gift shop and the reopening of the road up to the crater, Aso san is a rare opportunity to experience nature in its rawest form. People from around the world visit Kumamoto and Mt. Aso is one of the biggest attractions in Kyushu.

Atsuko here. This is a share for those who love Kumamoto.

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 12:34:58 +0000

Atsuko here. This is a share for those who love Kumamoto.

This is 熊日Kumanichi article about [Foreigners added to self-government ordinance “citizens” Kumamoto city is the first ordinance-designated city Misunderstanding of “suffrage” spreads] (I attached English translated page)

Kumamoto City has set a one-month public comment period ending January 18. Based on the feedback from the public comments, a draft amendment will be submitted to the regular city council meeting in February, and a schedule will be developed for the amendment to take effect on April 1. If Kumamoto City says that Kumamoto City is collecting public comments from Kumamoto citizens on this move, then the opinions of foreigners living in Kumamoto City, who are also parties to this, will also be needed, and this is the sharing of information on the public comment solicitation, I think. It is very difficult to decide what is the best way for everyone and I cannot tell what is best for all. But I think it is a great opportunity to have this opportunity for public comment that respects diverse opinions, where opinions are solicited widely, and where opinions are reflected and diverse opinions are made widely known to the public. It is my hope that Kumamoto City will be a nice, peaceful, and pleasant place to live for each, various people of all, every kinds.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

William Amakusa City is a nice place to visit, even in winter. Once making the …

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 09:17:29 +0000

William Amakusa City is a nice place to visit, even in winter. Once making the trek down there, scenic walks are aplenty. There is an islet called Kameshima (亀島, pictured) near Wakamiya swimming beach (若宮海水浴場) which is accessible on foot by a sand spit at low tide. There is the must-visit Tomioka (富岡), a stubby peninsula topped by an eponymous (rebuilt) castle which was historically pivotal several times (Japanese Wikipedia entry: https://tinyurl.com/3yzfenfv). There is also the prefecture’s only pedestrian lift bridge (hōkaibashi, 昇開橋). Locals who want to cross the narrow strait had had to use the immensely tall, heavily trafficked road bridge (seen in the background) but can safely, calmly, and quickly zip back and forth. Kumanichi reports that the bridge has broken down and cannot be repaired until a particular part (I think it’s called a “widget”) is sourced, which is apparently difficult, so resident pedestrians are now forced to cross the tall bridge. However, photos of the bridge itself seem worth a good daytrip, even in winter. (Pro tip: there’s a Joyful at the southern base of the big bridge for breakfast or lunch.) https://kumanichi.com/articles/910588

Carlton. A few days ago here Huy Tran introduced a new pizza place on Shimotori…

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 12:18:37 +0000

Carlton. A few days ago here Huy Tran introduced a new pizza place on Shimotori. In the comments someone said they wished there was a place which served Calzone (a kind of folded over and filled pizza), and I found one today. It’s a new place called Pizzazzip: https://mrs.living.jp/kumamoto/km_staff_blog/article/4900014 located at Kuhonji Intersection, where Densha-dori and Sangyo-doro cross, also marked by a 4 way overhead crosswalk. Pizzazzip is easy to see because the storefront is bright yellow.
The young owner/chef used to work in a bakery and I, for one, liked his chewy, doughy fresh crust and simple Calzone filled with maranara sauce and 2 kinds of fresh cheese.
He’s been in business since November.

William If looking for a pleasant adventure walk in Kumamoto, you could do worse…

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 10:19:54 +0000

William If looking for a pleasant adventure walk in Kumamoto, you could do worse than the road behind the castle, Route 303. After crossing a bridge passing over a deep crevice to the northeast of the castle hill (called “Chausuyama,” 茶臼山), you’ll find a very long ridge with wonderful views of Mt Kimpo and Aso lined with condominiums and small shops. Here and there, steep staircases lead to the valley floor - they’re interesting to explore. About 500M from the castle is the Kumamoto District Court　https://tinyurl.com/yc69dzvx, a beautiful example of German Renaissance architecture. Built in 1908, it was almost torn down in 1975 but was fortunately saved by public outcry. The building is open to the public, as are some trials; attending a trial is an interesting experience (dress appropriately). Our friend Liz took this stunning photo from the ridge. Bring your camera. (Court photo from Wikipedia.)

William A concern about the new semiconductor plants (a water-intensive industr…

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 07:06:21 +0000

William A concern about the new semiconductor plants (a water-intensive industry) slated to open in Kikuchi is water source. Concern is that the plants would deplete Kumamoto City’s aquifers. Kumanichi reports on a plan floated to transfer water from Kikuchi: “The Ryumon Dam is a multi-purpose dam constructed by the national government on the Hasama River in the Kikuchi River system and began operation in April 2002. In addition to flood control, water is supplied for agricultural, industrial and water supply purposes, but currently about 20,000 tons of the industrial water supply capacity of 36,000 tons per day is not being used.” The distance from the dam to the site is a trifling 14K as the crow flies. It’s completion could also open up a region currently rather inaccessible. https://kumanichi.com/articles/903067

Kirk here with more about COVID-19. The image shows that Kumamoto hit a new rec…

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 12:07:10 +0000

Kirk here with more about COVID-19. The image shows that Kumamoto hit a new record of 6,615 new cases yesterday. This image comes from the following Japanese article:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20230105/k10013941841000.html

For information in English, please see the following Asahi article, which includes a few statements about the situation in Kumamoto:

Japan sets daily record of 498 COVID-19 deaths after holidays https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14808615

Atsuko here with 屋台村 Yataimura report.

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 12:52:42 +0000

Atsuko here with 屋台村 Yataimura report. The New Year’s vacation will soon be over. Many restaurants are closed on Wednesdays at Yataimura, the food stall village.On weekends and holidays, it was difficult to go there if there are many customers, but I went to today, on Thursday and here is my report. It was 5:30 p.m. and there were few customers. We went into a 串カツ Kushi-katsu restaurant. I wanted to come here because I have a friend who likes shochu and I wanted him to compare shochu drinks. The shochu comparison was 100 yen per glass, and there were 14 kinds of shochu. I am not good at shochu, but I sometimes drink rice shochu with milk, so I liked the milk-based shochu called “Makiba no Yume”. My friend likes potato syochu liqueur, but he said ‘‘Kawabe’’ was good. You cannot bring the 100 yen shochu to each stall. But I recommend it because you can enjoy various Kumamoto’s shochu.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kirk here with something for those of you who don't happened to be regular reade…

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 07:30:12 +0000

Kirk here with something for those of you who don’t happened to be regular readers of the Taiwan News:

Kirk here. A few weeks ago I posted about Dr. Ichiro Iimura of the Prefectural …

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:48:51 +0000

Kirk here. A few weeks ago I posted about Dr. Ichiro Iimura of the Prefectural University of Kumamoto:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid08usMbh9yNWWJkNcKLoF7hEWP6o8atPkpA2heG9rTZVXF1WtFQ7umDc3NGki1cQJBl

It was this news article about the app he and his students built to combine view One Piece statues with learning about the earthquake that prompted me to look into Dr. Iimura’s work: https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20221212-75822/

The app is only available in Japanese but if you’d like to try it out, just search your phone’s app store (Play Store?) for “IKOU.”

Happy New Year, 2023.Atsuko here.

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 22:42:21 +0000

Happy New Year, 2023.Atsuko here. Sharing heart stone at Kumamoto castle. The heart stone in Nagasaki is famous, but it seems an artificial stone.I am not sure if this heart stone at Kumamoto Castle is natural or not, but it looks natural because it is not clearly shaped but vaguely heart-like. Please look for and enjoy it. Something good will surely happen.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

William It's said that half the joy of a journey is the journey itself - partic…

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 07:27:25 +0000

William It’s said that half the joy of a journey is the journey itself - particularly apt if one goes by train. A day can be spent traveling to Takamori. A short taxi ride from Takamori Station will take you to the “tunnel to nowhere” - it was planned as a route to central Kyushu, but the more they tunneled, the more prodigious artisanal water became until the engineers finally shrugged, “Let them drive up the damn caldera edge.” I was reminded of this by a JT article, “Japan’s little trains that could.” https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan's-'little-trains-that-could'-battle-for-survival Thus the tunnel remains, a project half-complete: but, really, rather than automobile exhaust, inhaling the fragrance of some of the purest water in the world is vastly preferable. They’ve got this cool strobe light effect that makes water droplets falling from the walls appear that they are suspended mid-air. Also, the tunnel has a constant year-round temperature - welcome in the winter (sweater weather!) The tunnel is often decorated on a seasonal basis. Christmas decorations should last through January. https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Kumamoto/Takamori-Kumamoto-Japan https://kumamoto.guide/seasons/illumination/

Kirk here with some end-of-year thoughts:

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 12:30:16 +0000

Kirk here with some end-of-year thoughts:

Thought no. 1: Thanks!

Kumamoto was a pretty friendly venue throughout 2022. Of course, there were some differences of opinion, etc. but no major conflicts that I can recall. Thanks for being so nice, everyone! And, thanks to my partners in crime – the other editors. I’m pretty sure that I posted more than anyone else this year but when I looked at the top ten posts in terms of reach, I only had a few. Others posted less frequently but with better quality. I’ll probably continue to post pretty regularly in 2023 but I’ll also be looking forward to more cool contributions from other editors. And, if you’d like to join the team of editors, let me know. The more the merrier!

Kirk here sharing a post from Huy Tran about where to get good pizza. Thanks Hu…

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 02:20:29 +0000

Kirk here sharing a post from Huy Tran about where to get good pizza. Thanks Huy! Please add nominations for other good pizza places in a comment to this post. :)

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8210900395649987

Kirk here with the . . . drum role, please . . . number 1 post of the year in te…

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 03:04:35 +0000

Kirk here with the . . . drum role, please . . . number 1 post of the year in terms of “reach” (people who saw it). It came from William and was about, you guessed it, Russia’s war against Ukraine. This post got 51 shares and 6,827 views – quote a lot for a little page like ours.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0zq8bc6LbnRKxN3dg8JZSXqsMAzT5JgnfzPkHNoBbmEmjeYkrWigNFbCCtDj2AYtMl

Kirk here with bad news about COVID-19. In short, the numbers are up and Kumamo…

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 02:50:10 +0000

Kirk here with bad news about COVID-19. In short, the numbers are up and Kumamoto Prefecture has raised its alert level to three. The screenshots are from https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/51409.html The first one says that 98.9% (!) of normal hospital beds are occupied. The occupancy rate is lower (19.7%) for emergency beds; let’s hope that situation doesn’t get worse. The second screenshot shows how the infection rate (per 10,000 people) is rising by municipality in Kumamoto. Kumamoto City is currently at the top.

Atsuko here with information about holiday duty doctor during the year-end and N…

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 01:12:13 +0000

Atsuko here with information about holiday duty doctor during the year-end and New year holidays. Keep warm and enjoy holidays(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kumamoto-i's self-appointed chief escape room correspondent Fiona here, with an …

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 13:02:07 +0000

Kumamoto-i’s self-appointed chief escape room correspondent Fiona here, with an end of year treasure hunt. After the Christmas Quest raised over 15,000 yen for Team Tonakai, Tom Taniguchi has set one final puzzle for Kumamoto residents. Good luck!

Kirk here with number 2 in our retrospective countdown. This one got 3,314 view…

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 10:23:36 +0000

Kirk here with number 2 in our retrospective countdown. This one got 3,314 views.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid024EFq19GuLBfLAuA7gAkThyGMNgZ8mYWdA3HEgazwFV2Sd8BDfMn9pG83QZGTfwJZl

Kirk here with number 3 in my little end-of-year countdown. This post from Willi…

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 01:31:04 +0000

Kirk here with number 3 in my little end-of-year countdown. This post from William about the history of Tsuruya Department Store got 3,164 views:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02qoad1viadFe6vxLveM79tnUuG2BfA1Xsd2qQmHyoBhpw9YtSgiqeonCcsByxf8XDl

Kirk here reporting that 2022 has not been a good year for Mr. IDE Nobuo. Just …

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 07:40:42 +0000

Kirk here reporting that 2022 has not been a good year for Mr. IDE Nobuo. Just a few years ago (2019) he was made head of the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly:

https://idenobuo.jp/about/

But yesterday he resigned in disgrace after allegedly (according to drive recorder) threatening to kill a taxi driver for making a wrong turn:

Kumamoto prefectural assembly member allegedly threatens to kill taxi driver https://japantoday.com/category/crime/kumamoto-prefectural-assembly-member-allegedly-threatens-to-kill-taxi-driver

This is the same man who was caught on camera violating rules against smoking and drinking at a Koshien high school baseball game:

Kirk here with number 4 in our countdown to 2023. This was posted by Hari and g…

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 02:57:59 +0000

Kirk here with number 4 in our countdown to 2023. This was posted by Hari and got 3,090 views. Thanks Hari!

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid032un8cUac5hfj7GHYuTfTH47W5fGp732LckPoWwQwMnwWAGqZnBMF9QiA9c8A5DZl

William Sometimes Kumamon appears in Santa gear; sometimes not. Best get your c…

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 07:41:15 +0000

William Sometimes Kumamon appears in Santa gear; sometimes not. Best get your camera ready.

Merry Christmas! Atsuko here.

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 02:27:34 +0000

Merry Christmas! Atsuko here. Are you enjoying winter? I went skating yesterday for the first time in three years at the Aqua Dome in Kumamoto City. Yes, I went there before the Corona Commotion. Before corona started spreading. there was a free day on the first day it opened, and I used to go there every year, but the free day seems to have disappeared since Corona. There were times when the ice rink was not open during the years when regulations were strict, but I think it was just the comfortable number of people. The fee is 1400 yen for adults, 1000 yen for junior high and high school students, 800 yen for elementary school students and younger, and 400 yen for rental shoes. If one adult goes, the fee for elementary school students is halved to 400 yen. Don’t forget to bring gloves and socks. Knit caps are available if you have them. Helmets can be rented for free. Hoping you also enjoy skating!!ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Kirk here with post number 5 in terms of "reach" (number of views) this year. Ac…

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 02:23:42 +0000

Kirk here with post number 5 in terms of “reach” (number of views) this year. Actually, I just deleted it by mistake so I’m posting this without an image. The original image was a map of evacuation notices but I don’t want to disturb anyone on Christmas with such an image. By the way, though I accidentally erased the post, I have a record of the text so I’ll append that to the end of this post.

Kirk here. I'm not trying to advertise KFC but, even though I've lived in Japan…

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 10:31:18 +0000

Kirk here. I’m not trying to advertise KFC but, even though I’ve lived in Japan a long time, I just learned today that there’s a strong association of KFC with the Christmas holiday in this country. My wife mentioned the long lines she saw at the KFC in Kengun today “because it’s Christmas eve.” My first reaction was “what does Christmas eve have to do with KFC?” The answer is in the following article:

Kirk here with number 6 on our countdown to 2023. This post from Liz got 2,704 …

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 07:56:05 +0000

Kirk here with number 6 on our countdown to 2023. This post from Liz got 2,704 views.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02iLn7naWEJPDEZn4X84EX9kPHLiNW6z892i8suUGmhv1QMTw9qyWMcR2SNF9i16ofl

William Kumamoto received an unfortunate mention in Japan Today: "In 2020 in Ku…

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 23:37:54 +0000

William Kumamoto received an unfortunate mention in Japan Today: “In 2020 in Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, a Vietnamese trainee, who feared being dismissed or compelled to return home, gave birth to stillborn twins and was charged with abandoning the bodies. She was given a suspended sentence but is appealing it to the Supreme Court.” One would hope the burst in economic activity accompanying the start of TSMC and related facilities will result in more thorough scrutiny of how non-Japanese workers are treated.

Kirk here thinking that it's pretty cold out these days. I saw a national (!) n…

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 08:49:17 +0000

Kirk here thinking that it’s pretty cold out these days. I saw a national (!) news report this afternoon about cars and trucks stuck in traffic in the Minamata area. I’m not sure if they were talking about the traffic jam that you see in the picture, which occurred in the Minamata area this morning but, in either case, it’s clear that snow and ice caused significant problems in Kumamoto Prefecture today.

Kirk here, continuing the countdown to 2023. This is number 7 (in terms of "rea…

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 00:57:49 +0000

Kirk here, continuing the countdown to 2023. This is number 7 (in terms of “reach”) with 2,627 views. It was posted by Atsuko, whom I think we were all happy to have back as a healthy editor. Kudos again to Julie for her fine work.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0C2w4mBuo1n2UwDpbWkhBz1LYG1WK6PiB3nFdCPQ5LmkxY8opdSdET6Qj34gLgeqHl

I wrote to the Kumanichi about the use of the word “YOU” to mean “foreigner” (as in “Hey you, foreigner!”?) and, thankfully, they published what I wrote. Here’s a link to that:

Kirk here with number 8 in my retrospective countdown to 2023. This one by Will…

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 00:42:53 +0000

Kirk here with number 8 in my retrospective countdown to 2023. This one by William is about Kumamoto’s streetcars (or trams or trolleys; 市電 [shiden] in Kumamoto but generally referred to as 路面電車 [romen densha] in Japanese) and got 2,627 sets of eyeballs.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0XzfhZxwK98REpKn1JgsRJ616aviTpwjWhrtXGDYrgY9RCrwfUYtD1mamkS7hpms6l

William My wife will receive a blood transfusion at Kumamoto University Hospita…

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 07:45:58 +0000

William My wife will receive a blood transfusion at Kumamoto University Hospital tomorrow as part of her cancer treatment. Usually we walk - it’s only a mile - but considering her schedule and the weather, I thought a taxi would be best. I’d called our local taxi company for a reservation; they said they were booked. Other companies I called said the same thing. So I walked over to Kotsu Taxi, a short distance, and talked with a very compassionate female driver who said she would be pleased to drive us at 8:00 tomorrow. Lesson: if you REALLY need a taxi in Kumamoto and do not get results over the phone, show up in person. That transcends most aspects of life.

Kirk here, continuing my retrospective countdown to 2023. This post got 2,535 vi…

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:57:33 +0000

Kirk here, continuing my retrospective countdown to 2023. This post got 2,535 views, making it the 9th most viewed post of the year. Here’s hoping the earthquake it discusses never occurs:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0377zynH6AWqPDuDTV7cAqQMj5oQDqcoKhkVJdiEWPUX719Bpjh4gZk5ZPkuPuPTT3l

P.S. If you want to read my post, please click on the URL above. Clicking on the photo will take you to the NIPPON.COM article.

Kirk here with the beginning of a retrospective on Kumamoto International's year…

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:19:05 +0000

Kirk here with the beginning of a retrospective on Kumamoto International’s year. I rearranged the posts from the past year in order of “reach” (the number of people that Facebook says viewed them) and thought I’d go through the top 10 at a pace of one a day. Here’s number 10 in the countdown with 2,288 views: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02dMv3f7Pjj1sX7jsGFmroXVKsy6obnxYs82heri8p6RXgr1YiQeUm8He8foSJnvx8l

Kumamoto Sinfonietta Concert

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 11:47:01 +0000

Here’s an inquiry from former-editor Joe (please come back, Joe!):

— start quote — Hi, this is a bit of a long-shot, but the amateur orchestra I play with, the Kumamoto Sinfonietta, needs a few french horn players for its next concert (Beethoven’s 3rd and Coriolan overture). We generally have bi-monthly rehearsals coming up to our yearly concert, which is scheduled for 9 Sept. If you play other woodwind instruments (the concert program doesn’t need any other brass) I can ask the sections and if you play violin, viola, cello or bass, the orchestra would love to have you and if you know someone who might be interested, I’d be happy to chat with them about what it entails. DM me! — end quote —

Kirk here with more about Kumamoto as part of Japan's silicone island.

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:15:30 +0000

Kirk here with more about Kumamoto as part of Japan’s silicone island.

Actually, I learned from Ben Snyder’s comments in response to a previous post (Thanks Ben!) that Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent visit had a lot to do with Apple’s relationship with Sony:

— start quote — Tim Cook has tweeted an admission that Apple uses Sony image sensors in its iPhones as part of the CEO’s supplier tour of Japan. “We’ve been partnering with Sony for over a decade to create the world’s leading camera sensors for iPhone,” Cook tweeted, and thanked Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida for showing him around the Kumamoto facility. A photo shows Cook being shown his company’s own smartphone, which is objectively very funny. — end quote — https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/13/23506978/apple-iphone-sony-camera-sensor-confirmation

Sean here - Although this is a shared post based on the US Social Security syste…

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 02:33:57 +0000

Sean here - Although this is a shared post based on the US Social Security system, scammers of this type will use similar tactics in all countries. So, prevention methods and warnings are applicable as they are similar worldwide,

So, at the risk of offending anyone, my apologies in advance. I think this post is important. Please share it with your loved ones. Anybody can be scammed.

Knowledge equals prevention

William According to http://ejje.weblio.jp/, "snow flurries" in Japanese is しゅう…

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 07:16:49 +0000

William According to http://ejje.weblio.jp/, “snow flurries” in Japanese is しゅう雪 (syuu yuki). Having attended college in Maine, where snow accumulates knee- (or sometimes waist)-height, that it didn’t “stick” is something of a disappointment. It did stick in Aso and on Mt Kimpo, though. Kimpo is a convenient place to go if you’d like to see snow; just be prepared to U-turn your car on a very narrow road and drive wrong-way on a one-way, one-lane road back down if conditions do not allow you to traverse the hump. Several good photos at Kumanichi: https://kumanichi.com/articles/890936

Sean here -

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 00:47:24 +0000

Sean here -

Season of giving, why not give a gift of life?

Your blood- giving a new meaning to blood relationships 😉.

My favorite blood bank for donations is the Red Cross on the 5th floor of Cocosa.

The process for the first timer is a little bit more time-consuming than subsequent visits. Mostly, you will need to prove your identity using your driver’s license, My Number card, passport, etc., and ask health-related questions. They will scan your finger (used to verify your identity for future donations), and you are registered.

Kirk here with news about plans for Kumamoto University's new TSMC-related facul…

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 03:05:24 +0000

Kirk here with news about plans for Kumamoto University’s new TSMC-related faculty:

“It is the first time for the university to establish a new division equivalent to a faculty since it was founded in 1949. The division, tentatively called the School of Informatics, will have an enrollment capacity of 60.”

I posted about an RKK report about this a while back:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid028R2W4ZHzYMhQ27BEjaUYfHk45ZFnfEq9TE8KjqWoFuuAdGL3h8421BJSA4p2LaZel

I that report, “DX” (digital transformation) was a buzzword used in the article and there was talk about educating “DX人材” (DX people). This article and another Asahi article on the same topic in Japanese are free from such meaningless buzzwords and focus on what will actually be taught, thank goodness.

Mini Marche - Part II

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 11:03:00 +0000

Ruth AKA Rudolph here!! Thank you to everyone who came to today’s Mini Marche - Part I 🎁✨🎄🛍🗳 チームトナカイ is steadily moving closer towards their yearly fundraising target to buy gifts for 300+ children and staff at 7 care homes and orphanages in Kumamoto!!! 🎶 So, tomorrow afternoon we will hold another Mini Marche at Sunatori Community Center - 砂取地域コミュニティセンター 6-29 神水本町 ✨🦌🦌🦌🦄🦌 Drop by between 1-5pm!

It’s right by Ezuko (八丁馬場 tram stop) so come browse our Christmas items and other bits’n bobs, fill your ECO TUMBLER with a hot drink, stroll about Ezuko afterwards, and generally help spread the good vibes and fill yourself up on Christmas cheer!!! 💝 https://fb.me/e/2jznHMaGp

Kirk here with old news in a different package, with a few more details for thos…

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 01:17:06 +0000

Kirk here with old news in a different package, with a few more details for those of you who might be interested.

Kirk here with a follow-up to yesterday's post about the time that Apple's Tim C…

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 11:29:56 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to yesterday’s post about the time that Apple’s Tim Cook spent in Kumamoto. It seems that the CEO was not the only Apple executive who came to Kumamoto. Greg “Joz” Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, was also in town and stopped by the Prefectural University of Kumamoto to visit Dr. Ichiro Iimura and his students. Prof. Iimura is featured on Apple’s website:

Kirk here reporting that Tim Cook, CEO of the 5th largest company in the world b…

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 11:08:05 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Tim Cook, CEO of the 5th largest company in the world by revenue (Apple, Inc), was in Kumamoto last night and today. This is just one of his tweets about his visit. Go to his Twitter account to see more.

Casa de Arte Stage Production - Argentinian Tango & Dance Performance

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 05:15:22 +0000

Ruth here with an opportunity for kids to get involved in a local stage production with ‘Casa de Arte’ in Suizenji 💃🎶🕺💓

Casa de Arte will have a show in June 2023, at Harmony・熊本市男女共同参画センターはあもにい in Kurokami, and, so, they are looking for dedicated kids (3 to17-years-old) to enroll in regular Argentinian Tango dance lessons with the intention of being in the performance next June. As well a various dance routines, young performers will also learn songs in Spanish!!

In a nutshell, Mr. Nishikawa has been working to promote peace and understanding…

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 11:19:07 +0000

In a nutshell, Mr. Nishikawa has been working to promote peace and understanding by serving free coffee to passersby in locations throughout the world. To see him in action, please look at the following YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZLCqcicVdI

I really hope you will take the time to look at this video. I promise to give you your money back if you are sorry you did. ;)

I found this on the following webpage, which is an English-language interview with him about his activities:

Fiona here, sharing some Kumamoto news from Fukuoka Now. After almost three year…

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:49:41 +0000

Fiona here, sharing some Kumamoto news from Fukuoka Now. After almost three years we will finally have some international flights from Kumamoto Airport beginning in January 2023. The T-Way flight to Seoul Incheon is the first to resume.

Kirk here with a connection between Kumamoto and national / international news. …

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 11:50:22 +0000

Kirk here with a connection between Kumamoto and national / international news. Takashi Shiraishi, who is currently chancellor of the Prefectural University of Kumamoto, has an impressive resume. He was at Kyoto University before coming to Kumamoto in 2018. He’s in the news now as chair of the “International Group of Eminent Persons for a World without Nuclear Weapons.” You can read about that group here:

https://www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press3e_000514.html

As the page indicates, former U.S. President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General António Guterres participated in recent meetings of the group (their first).

Kirk here with a followup to my recent post about this issue:

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 07:53:05 +0000

Kirk here with a followup to my recent post about this issue:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14789684?fbclid=IwAR0-LvTov0vO76Vg_D5VbZkH_sIqdzi45y8AizsvOq6OpEjihfXL8LLIzIg

Here’s a link to what I posted the other day:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid028YT2cTVrxDEgcHBYGsQ8DtkFiAfM1gvsxNUPWrz6NSDMmcAhzbRk4xyAWcSq1Pw9l

Yatsushiro City, Ashikita Town, and Hikawa Town Day Trip Bus Tour

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 02:05:00 +0000

Atsuko here with Yatsushiro one day bus trip information. Unfortunately, only foreigners who can speak Japanese are accepted, but it is a very attractive tour. The original web page is only available in Japanese, but I attached a Google translated version. If I were a foreigner, I’d get in for free too.٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و♪

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Sunday, February 19, 2023! Yatsushiro City, Ashikita Town, and Hikawa Town Day Trip Bus Monitor Wanted!

Eligibility Foreign residents of Kumamoto Prefecture who are 18 years old or older Those who can communicate in Japanese. Those who are willing to fill out a questionnaire at the end of the tour.

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto Yataimura (熊本屋台村). I was completely unaware …

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 14:35:46 +0000

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto Yataimura (熊本屋台村). I was completely unaware of the establishment of this collection of yatai (food stalls?) until I saw a brief segment on TV about how the number one word used in combination with 熊本 (Kumamoto) to search on Google this year was 屋台村 (Yataimura). Then, I happened to be downtown yesterday, and there it was (the photo you see is one I took with my phone).

ピエロック一座 Pierock circus puppet and marionettes show

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 07:54:46 +0000

Atsuko here. I have been a big fan of theirs for three years now, and I am happy to announce that they will be having a show in Kumamoto City.It’s been a while since there was one. ピエロック一座 Pierock circus https://www.facebook.com/pierockcircus/ They will be performing a puppet, marionettes show with songs, music. They use handmade puppets and karakuri tools. The circus tent is also handmade by them. The players play guitar and violin while moving the puppets. The tent standing in the midst of the autumn leaves of Lake Ezu is also somewhat Christmas-like. ON THE PARK https://maps.app.goo.gl/E9WZgkpjCaooGqrRA

William While Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation's (TSMC) expansion…

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 06:15:30 +0000

William While Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation’s (TSMC) expansion into Kumamoto (it’s also been twined with their expansion into Arizona - this article is a good primer on the type of business they do: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/06/business/tsmc-arizona-investment/index.html that expansion has not been without sacrifice. Previously noted has been water. Semiconductor manufacturing is a notoriously water-intensive business and likely one reason why Kumamoto was chosen: the company is expected to use 1.2 million tons of water per day, and while much of that can be expected to be recycled, it will likely put a dent in our prefecture’s abundant aquifers. More about that here: https://kumanichi.com/articles/730090 Today, Kumanichi reports on TSMC-dependent supplier expansion into agricultural land surrounding the now-under-construction plant. The area around the plant is mostly used for dryland crops such as barley - ironically, due to lack of surface waterflow (though artisanal water is abundant, it is expensive to pump for paddy farming). Change is difficult, and seeing that swath of beautiful farmland changed to industrial park will be felt as a loss for some - though not for the 3,000+ the facilities are expected to employee. More here (pictured: likely soon-to-vanish Kikuyo grain silo): Yahoo!https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/120bb294a59c1f6de3245d5a2fa78f6800115d13

Tom Taniguchi's Christmas Quest - Escape Room Fundraiser for Team Tonakai

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:47:32 +0000

(Fiona) Final call for people wanting to support the escape room fundraiser for Team Tonakai!

Tom Taniguchi’s Christmas Quest has had six teams play since it opened at the end of November, raising 13,000 yen so far. Anyone looking to spend an hour of festive fun with friends, family, students or coworkers - please contact me as soon as possible to book a timeslot before the donations deadline.

The game takes place in Higashi-ku, about 10 minutes walk from the prefectural office and Densha-dori, and costs 1000 yen per player (500 yen for children and students) with 75% of the money going to the fundraiser.

Kirk here with an update on Le Thi Thuy Linh's case:

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:20:27 +0000

Kirk here with an update on Le Thi Thuy Linh’s case:

— start quote — The defense team appealed to the Supreme Court. The top court has decided to hear arguments from both sides in February next year. The defendant said in a statement that she is very happy to hear the news. She said she hopes the justices will listen to what she has to say and acquit her.An organization supporting foreign technical trainees has been collecting signatures seeking her acquittal. — end quote —

William Reposting something I wrote on my private page. Kumamoto University Hos…

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 02:23:43 +0000

William Reposting something I wrote on my private page. Kumamoto University Hospital requires a referral from another hospital for treatment - a sign at the entrance states “No walk-ins allowed.” However, once in, the treatment is world-class. That we see the same doctor each time (a young, passionate guy) is important as he gets to know quite well his patient. The nurses in the chemo ward are extremely cheerful - the ward rings with their laughter, a sign of a good working environment. Let’s hope you’re never ill enough to go there - but be relieved that, if worst happens, we have that wonderful hospital.

Kirk here sharing a post to the "Community" page of Kumamoto International from …

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:06:19 +0000

Kirk here sharing a post to the “Community” page of Kumamoto International from Lily M. The Community page is where posts to the page go when they are made by someone who isn’t registered as an editor.

There’s one more post on that page that I need to share like this. Sometimes I don’t notice right away when a new post is dropped in so if you’ve posted and you’d like me to share it (more eyeballs, you know), drop me a line. :)

Kirk here with a historical puzzle. It seems that a bathing area that was hidden…

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 02:05:32 +0000

Kirk here with a historical puzzle. It seems that a bathing area that was hidden in a basement in some part of Hitoyoshi Castle. There’s speculation about whether or not it has connections to a Jewish mikveh or to the Myoken sect of Buddhism. My biggest takeaway from the article is that it is quite unique and that’s what’s making scholars scratch their heads. Conjecture about a connection to Judaism strikes me as rather tenuous and far fetched but it’s interesting to me that the possibility of such a connection is even being considered. (The idea is that conversos [Jews forced to convert Christianity] who came to Japan with other Europeans might have had something to do with the bath.)

Fiona here, sharing a post written by Charmaine that appeared on the 'Community'…

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 05:50:11 +0000

Fiona here, sharing a post written by Charmaine that appeared on the ‘Community’ page of Kumamoto-i a few days ago.

Have you perhaps noticed the beautiful ‘freebie’ Christmas cards on the main desk at the Kumamoto International Center? Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to purchase a whole pack of ten with profits going towards publishing the forthcoming picture book ‘Double or Half?’ as well as towards supporting Team Tonakai’s Christmas Toy Drive 🎅! A purchase before December 10th also gives you one entry into a draw to win one of my homemade mini English Christmas cakes! www.charmaine-minami.com

Kirk with news about Kumamoto's teacher shortage. The images are from a video o…

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 05:21:50 +0000

Kirk with news about Kumamoto’s teacher shortage. The images are from a video of an RKK news broadcast and the webpage that presents that video. According to the RKK report, Kumamoto’s teacher shortage is more severe than that of any other prefecture. The total number of unfilled slots was 97 as of May of this year. Even that is an improvement over the last year’s 128 but, in comparison to other prefectures, the situation in Kumamoto is currently the worst.

Kirk here. Kumamoto's Taniguchi came close to scoring in the early part of the …

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:41:03 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto’s Taniguchi came close to scoring in the early part of the game. They lost but it was a good game.

Kirk here. "Mayors of nine major cities — Chiba, Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefectu…

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 08:23:58 +0000

Kirk here. “Mayors of nine major cities — Chiba, Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Niigata, Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture, Nagoya, Osaka, Okayama, Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture and Kumamoto — admitted to having had links.” Unfortunately, this article only scratches the surface in regard to Kumamoto. I’m planning to post more information about this later. Don’t touch that dial! (Note for young folks: This is a reference to a time when analogue TV channels were actually changed with a dial. :) )

Kirk here with news that 1 in 3 people in Kumamoto have COVID-19 antibodies: "Of…

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 10:42:56 +0000

Kirk here with news that 1 in 3 people in Kumamoto have COVID-19 antibodies: “Of Japan’s 47 prefectures, Okinawa marked the highest antibody prevalence rate, at 46.6 pct, followed by Osaka, at 40.7 pct, Kagoshima, at 35.2 pct, Kyoto, at 34.9 pct, and Kumamoto, at 32.9 pct. The proportion was the lowest in Nagano, at 9.0 pct, second lowest in Tokushima, at 13.1 pct, and third lowest in Ehime, at 14.4 pct.”

Kirk here with an article about how Arao's "OMOYAI Taxi program combines the mos…

Sat, 03 Dec 2022 00:01:08 +0000

Kirk here with an article about how Arao’s “OMOYAI Taxi program combines the most useful parts of buses and taxis, with some flashy new technology added to make it run efficiently.”

Kirk here with football / soccer news: "The Japanese defence, with Shogo Tanigu…

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 12:24:24 +0000

Kirk here with football / soccer news: “The Japanese defence, with Shogo Taniguchi and Ko Itakura either side of Yoshida were brilliant.” That’s Shogo Taniguchi, alumnus of Ozu High School, mind you:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02YZre2i8DnQ2Qe52WpdbWFDCHsr4z49BRALtBscoQMicSjK6e57z6z2cFH2r2rj92l

I heard on RKK that he played the whole game.

And, I guess some the folks in Qatar like what they’ve seen:

“Japan defender Taniguchi to join Qatar’s Al Rayyan” https://nordot.app/971373390144913408?c=776487456938950656

https://theathletic.com/3959434/2022/12/01/japan-spain-world-cup-group-e-qualify/

TOM TANIGUCHI'S CHRISTMAS QUEST

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 04:44:33 +0000

(Fiona) The escape room fundraiser in aid of Team Tonakai is close to reaching the halfway point both in terms of money raised and time left to play. Three teams are booked in to play TOM TANIGUCHI’S CHRISTMAS QUEST this weekend and I’m now taking reservations for next week. These are the times currently available:

Sunday December 4th: 3pm (solo players may join an existing team at this time) 5pm, 7pm. Monday December 5th: 7pm Friday December 9th: 8:15pm Saturday December 10th: anytime Sunday December 11th: anytime

Kirk here with news that Kyushu Electric Power Company has been found to have be…

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:40:33 +0000

Kirk here with news that Kyushu Electric Power Company has been found to have been colluding with other companies to keep fees artificially high. They’re going to have to pay a BIG fine, but it looks like all of the money will go to the government. How about giving some of it to those of us who have been the victims of the collusion?

Kirk here reporting that "Murakami-sama" (村神様; "The Murakami God") has been chos…

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 07:17:36 +0000

Kirk here reporting that “Murakami-sama” (村神様; “The Murakami God”) has been chosen as the “new word of the year” for 2022. This, of course, refers to Kumamoto’s hometown-boy-done-good, Munetaka MURAKAMI (profession baseball player). Note that Mr. Murakami write’s his name “村上” (second character means “up”) but that 村神様 (Murakami-sama) is written with the character 神, which means “god.” According to an explanation I read on the web, fans started to refer to him as “村上様” a couple of years ago as a term of endearment mixed with respect for his abilities. That morphed to “村神様” as the extent of his powers began to make fans believe that he was no mere mortal.

Monitor tour in Kosa

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 03:07:58 +0000

Anyone keen to join a monitor tour in Kosa on Saturday, Dec. 10th (10am~)? They are looking for about 5 international participants. For more info fill out the form online https://palette-kosa.com/contact or, if you are confident in your spoken Japanese, call 096-234-8871 (NIPPONIA - as per address below).

It seems like the meeting place on the day is at NIPPONIA in Kosa, so you would need to be able to get yourself there for 10am.

Take what you pick direct sale at Chibusan Yokaen

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 01:32:38 +0000

Kirk here with poinsettia news (not a regular category ;) ):

“Rows of poinsettias – popular as a Christmas ornament – sit ready for shipment at the Chibusan Yokaen flower farm in Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Nov. 28.”

Something I missed but that Carlton has kindly pointed out is that the “last line of the article says there’s a ’take what you pick’ direct sale at the flower farm December 9-11.” Thanks Carlton!

Kirk here feeling old -- partly because I'm in my 60s but mostly because I use F…

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:03:56 +0000

Kirk here feeling old – partly because I’m in my 60s but mostly because I use Facebook. It seems that Facebook is pretty passe among college-aged young people these days. I told some exchange students from English speaking countries about this Facebook page the other day and was surprised to learn that none of them use Facebook.

A little over a decade ago, I “moved” Kumamoto-i from e-mail (a Yahoo!Groups mailing list) to Facebook. Yahoo!Groups is now defunct so I’m glad I made the move. Perhaps it’s time for another move – or maybe just the addition of another platform. (To be honest, Facebook was originally intended to be an “addition” not a “move” but Facebook grew and mail wound up getting phased out before Yahoo!Groups went bust.)

Carlton. Revealing to a degree my age and time in Japan, I have to note that to…

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:37:06 +0000

Carlton. Revealing to a degree my age and time in Japan, I have to note that today is the 50th anniversary of the tragic fire that destroyed the former Taiyo Department Store on Shimotori.
I had only been in Kumamoto for about 3 months at the time of its occurrence, but I can still remember how it affected the community and the family with whom I was “homestaying” as a brand new ALT on a fellowship then from the Japan-America Society.
On that day I was in Hitoyoshi speaking to a group of Japanese English teachers about what very little I knew then about the art of TESOL. It was on the return trip to Kumamoto city in a car with some of those teachers that while listening to the radio a hush fell over us as the enormity of the tragedy was reported. Many people were affected directly and far more indirectly.
For background here is the Wikipedia account: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Taiyo_Department_Store_fire

Kumamoto Caste Illumination

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 10:16:12 +0000

Kumamoto Caste Illumination Nov. 18- Dec. 4, 2022 It is open till 9 PM (last entry to special opening area by 8:30). It is free to view from Ninomaru-koen area but entry to Castle special opening area will cost 800 Yen for adults and 300 Yen for kids. For details in Japanese: https://kumamoto-guide.jp/oshiromatsuri/events/detail/68 (Posted by Hari Devkota)

Chuck Waterman here:

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:29:47 +0000

Chuck Waterman here:

Does anyone on the list know a man from Indonesia named Rinka who works as a car mechanic in town?

I met him at a 7-11 today and had a nice chat with him. Then I promised to email him, but I wrote his email down wrong! I’d like to either him email me or get his correct email address.

If you know Rinka, please send me a personal message and I’ll give you my email address so he can message me.

Aid drive to Ukraine

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:17:17 +0000

William Kumamoto International Center is helping run a drive for aid to Ukraine:

Kirk here sharing a link to the 2022 Summer YOKA:

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 08:52:06 +0000

Kirk here sharing a link to the 2022 Summer YOKA:

https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022SummerYOKA.pdf

What’s YOKA? Here’s the explanation about the publication on the Kumamoto JET website:

“The YOKA is an English-language newsletter published by the International Affairs Division with the help of current and former Kumamoto JETs.”

https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/the-yoka/

You can also find links to many previous issues of YOKA on this site.

My understanding is that the publication is largely by and for current and former JETs but I think that many of the articles should also be of interest to non-JET expatriate residents of Kumamoto.

Japan vs Costa Rica Football Match

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 06:09:12 +0000

Kirk here with football / soccer news. The new facility is south of Ezuko in Kumamoto City, near Kashima (see map).

Oh, and Japan plays Costa Rica tonight at 7 PM. Go Japan! And, since this is Kumamoto International, go Costa Rica! May the best team win!

https://www.fifa.com/football-development/fifa-forward/news/new-football-centre-brings-fresh-hopes-for-kumamoto

ウクライナ防寒着人道支援in九州

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 02:39:36 +0000

Atsuko here sharing of our friend Yagisan’s post. I am going to bring a lot of them too. The place : 国際交流会館 International center, until 12/4. May the citizens of Ukraine have a warm Christmas and New Year!ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー（お願い）　ウクライナ防寒着人道支援in九州 (Emergency Aid Requests) To donate cloths against severe cold winter in Ukraine

ウクライナ支援で現地（隣国ポーランドなど）へ行った大学生が協力して始めた支援活動です。現地のNPO「UAid Direct」と協議し、通してウクライナの人たちの届けます。 Japanese Universities’ students, who did volunteering there in the border area to Ukraine, thought how they could support Ukraine people suffering their severe cold winter, and have begun a project to collect as many clothes against the cold winter as they could, and send them to NPO UAid Direct that should be in charge of delivery of donated clothes there.

Kirk here with a photo from Aso Farmland via the "Engrish in Japan" group:

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 00:41:00 +0000

Kirk here with a photo from Aso Farmland via the “Engrish in Japan” group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/EngrishInJapan/posts/6775502005799290/

Kirk here with some photos of Japanese maples and some notes about the words mom…

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 10:09:11 +0000

Kirk here with some photos of Japanese maples and some notes about the words momiji (紅葉) and kaede (楓). First, regarding the photos, the one taken from a distance is of a Japanese maple on the campus of Kumamoto Gakuen University that was looking quite nice in the afternoon sun on Friday. My smartphone photo doesn’t do it justice but I really enjoyed taking it in after class. The other photo is one I took from the following article that discusses the words momiji and kaede:

Christmas Quest fundraising event

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 12:57:37 +0000

(Fiona) Here’s the schedule for the second week of my Christmas Quest fundraising event.

Sunday November 27th: Morning, afternoon and evening slots available Thursday December 1st: 10am Friday December 2nd: 8:30pm Saturday December 3rd: Morning, afternoon and evening slots available

The game is for teams of 2-5 players and lasts an hour. It costs 1000 yen to play (500 yen for elementary to university students) and 75% of proceeds go to Team Tonakai. The location is Britz English School/Escape from Britz, 1-1-8 Onoue, Higashi-ku and reservations can be made by sending a message via Kumamoto-i or the Escape from Britz page.

Kirk here with baseball news. Murakami is being offically recognized as a local …

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 00:49:53 +0000

Kirk here with baseball news. Murakami is being offically recognized as a local hero.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/baseball/20221124-73000/

KIrk here. Helping others can be very gratifying -- good for yourself as well as…

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 13:29:46 +0000

KIrk here. Helping others can be very gratifying – good for yourself as well as the people you’re helping. I hope someone with language skills (no need to be good enough to do simultaneous interpreting at the U.N) can help out. If not, I may be able to but I’ve kind of got my hands full managing this page so I’d sure appreciate it if someone else out there could contact Sheila to offer some help. Thanks!! :)

Kirk here with news from RKK that it's going to take longer than originally expe…

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 03:22:59 +0000

Kirk here with news from RKK that it’s going to take longer than originally expected to completely rebuild Kumamoto Castle after the damage from the 2016 quakes. Originally, I was estimated that the work could be completed by 2038. Now it looks like it will take until 2052 – an additional 15 years. Work on the Honmaru Goten (home to the residing lord when not at ware) and Uto Yagura (building with second largest turret) should be finished around 2032 (10 years from now) and work on other important cultural properties is now estimated to take until 2042. The stone walls (ishigaki) won’t all be put bacc together until 2052. Well, that better than Humpty Dumpty, who was never put back together.

Kirk here with football (soccer) news. Japan plays Germany at 10PM tonight (Jap…

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:02:42 +0000

Kirk here with football (soccer) news. Japan plays Germany at 10PM tonight (Japan time). One of the players, Shogo Taniguchi, went to Ozu High School, a school that is known for the strength of its soccer program.

I can understand that many people have decided to refrain from viewing World Cup matches because of the controversies surrounding the host country. The biggest issue in my mind is the abuse of migrant workers. This article from the Guardian says that 6,500 have died in Qatar since the World Cup awarded 10 years ago:

Kirk here with some statistics on the 2020 population of non-Japanese in Kumamot…

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 00:50:55 +0000

Kirk here with some statistics on the 2020 population of non-Japanese in Kumamoto. The numbers from countries whose primary language is English are surprisingly low: just 370 from the US; I presume from the graph that other English-speaking countries are in the “other” category and have fewer than 51 (the lowest number for an individual country on the graph) living here.

The largest number were from Vietnam: 6239 in 2020. China and the Philippines follow. Another graph on the page indicates that the number for “trainees” (in issue we’ve discussed on the page) was 8,834 – the biggest category by far.

Kirk here with a view of Kikuchi Keikoku (Kikuchi Gorge) that was posted to a bl…

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 06:16:18 +0000

Kirk here with a view of Kikuchi Keikoku (Kikuchi Gorge) that was posted to a blog on Friday. I should have posted earlier about Kikuchi Keikoku as a great place to enjoy the fall colors because it’s getting rather late in the season. But, I would guess that it’s still quite pretty. Has anyone been there recently? Please leave a comment.

TOM TANIGUCHI'S CHRISTMAS QUEST

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:00:04 +0000

(Fiona) Here’s the schedule for week one of TOM TANIGUCHI’S CHRISTMAS QUEST. The game lasts an hour but allow around 90 minutes total for explanation, photos etc.

Monday November 21st: anytime after 6pm Wednesday November 23rd (national holiday) 10am to 4pm Saturday November 26th: anytime after 3pm Sunday November 27th: anytime

The game is best played in a team of 2-5 players and is suitable for all ages. It will run for six weeks and costs 1000 yen per player, 500 yen for children and students, to raise money for the Team Tonakai Christmas toy drive.

Kirk here with a post about how it's gotten colder recently. Last week (I think…

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 07:17:01 +0000

Kirk here with a post about how it’s gotten colder recently. Last week (I think it was Wednesday when this article was published) the cold morning air caused a phenomenon in Amakusa called “kearashi” (気嵐; けあらし; smoke on the water [not the song, the phenomenon]).

— start quote — “It happens when the air mass is so cold it makes the water steam like a pot on a stove would,” Samuhel said. Sea smoke is also sometimes referred to as arctic sea smoke, frost smoke, steam fog or sea fog. — end quote —

Carlton here. I have a selfish nationalistic interest in eating turkey this Thu…

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 03:12:50 +0000

Carlton here. I have a selfish nationalistic interest in eating turkey this Thursday (American Thanksgiving). Does anyone know of any Kumamoto restaurants that might be offering that for the few folks like me who might have such a seasonal craving?

The Formere Residence of Hosokawa Gyobu Autumn Illumination

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 13:56:34 +0000

Hi Atsuko here, with colorful autumn leaves. The Formere Residence of Hosokawa Gyobu Aulumn Illumination , from November 18 till December 4. The garden is open from 9 am to 9 pm, and the admission is free.

There are still many green leaves, and the best time to see them is yet to come. Please enjoy the colorful autumn in Kumamoto with green, yellow, and red colors that look good on the white walls!(’-’)

TOM TANIGUCHI'S CHRISTMAS QUEST

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 01:42:45 +0000

Fiona here with an announcement about a fundraiser in aid of Team Tonakai, the annual drive to bring Christmas presents to children in care homes and orphanages around Kumamoto prefecture.

People who have lived in Kumamoto for a while may remember that before the pandemic hit I created a pop-up escape room called Escape from Britz. Teams had an hour to solve puzzles, crack codes and find hidden treasures, and their efforts helped to break a curse and save Kumamon from a deadly assassin! The games have been on hiatus for a few years, during which time I was quietly creating more puzzles and had an escape room themed English textbook published.

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit about the Autumn illumination of the Form…

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 12:20:35 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit about the Autumn illumination of the Former Hosokawa Residence (Gyobutei; 旧細川刑部邸).

By the way, if you’re interested in what a “Gyobutei” is, the last character (邸; tei) means residence and Gyobu (刑部; ぎょうぶ) seems to be part of the name of 細川刑部少輔興孝＜ぎょうぶしょうゆうおきたか＞ (Hosokawa Gyobushoyuokitaka). It would seem that Gyobutei is the house that Gyobushoyuokitaka built. My guess is that no one could remember his whole name so they just called him “Gyobu” for short. ;) He’s not known for much (doesn’t even have his own Wikipedia page) but he sure built a cool place to hang out with his friends!

The convention that seems to have been established of putting the name of the pe…

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 09:40:20 +0000

The convention that seems to have been established of putting the name of the person posting is, in my opinion, less than ideal. There is already a byline indicating who created the post. Starting the text with the posters name is distracting and conveys no additional information. I ask that it be stopped.

Just write your post and we will know who did it.

Kirk here with a video of the SL Hitoyoshi introduced by Mason Buskirk in the fo…

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:23:15 +0000

Kirk here with a video of the SL Hitoyoshi introduced by Mason Buskirk in the following thread:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid08SecJeZr9uhRjf7GMXF5xgmVxrWZJURT93FWHhUPqfXfi1odY7fs2uYCgy4pQ1Q6l

The video is very nicely done and I thought it deserved a wider audience.

27th Kumamoto International Friendship Festival

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 06:08:19 +0000

Ruth here! 🇬🇷🇬🇳🇳🇵 Just reminding you that this Sunday, 20th November, the 27th Kumamoto International Friendship Festival will be held at SunRoad ShinShiGai downtown (not at the Kengun arcade!) 🇿🇦🇰🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Local Irish music musicians will be on the opening stage from 11am🎶🎻 And there’ll be plenty of stalls, experiences and culture throughout the afternoon! 第27回熊本県国際交流祭典を楽しみましょう! 11月20日（日曜日に）サンロード新市街で開催されます。11時からのオープニングステージに、アイルランド伝統音楽の演奏を行います。Irishcream（アイリッシュ・クリーム）とCeoltoiri（キョールトリ）の皆さんが出演します🍀

Kirk here. William posted about this earlier but I found an English-language ar…

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 03:22:30 +0000

Kirk here. William posted about this earlier but I found an English-language article that I thought I’d share. Unlike the photo in William’s post, this one has relatively few people wearing masks.

William’s post: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0zXJxm1FbzxHhudkZZh3hsHfdkSpfiZCqaELiJ7TVtX5uoYwKsj1TDsLrRmwCtBJJl

William My wife is fighting cancer. We have been diligent in paying our Japan n…

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 11:34:59 +0000

William My wife is fighting cancer. We have been diligent in paying our Japan national insurance payments, so the cost of care is quite low. For those who intend to live long-term in Japan, I encourage keeping up with these payments. They may seem excessive in the short term, but they do pay off greatly when disaster strikes.

Kirk with a visual puzzle from my neighborhood. The image on the bottom is the …

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:01:14 +0000

Kirk with a visual puzzle from my neighborhood. The image on the bottom is the actual photo and the image on the top is a mirror image of it (top and bottom reversed). As you can see, the English in blue only becomes completely legible in the mirror image. I’d love to know the backstory behind this (what the sign maker was thinking) but at this point I have no clue.

Kirk here with another post that is tangentially related to the arrival of TSMC …

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 07:29:11 +0000

Kirk here with another post that is tangentially related to the arrival of TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) in Kumamoto. I just listened to an hour-long interview with Chris Miller, author of “Chip War.” I found it to be a very edifying discussion; I learned about the global importance of TSMC and many other interesting things about the technology in our phones and computers:

https://www.ivoox.com/en/when-the-microchips-are-down-with-chris-miller-audios-mp3_rf_96388890_1.html

This reminds of the “think globally; act locally” aphorism. In this case, I’d like to change it to “thinking about local affairs can help one see global issues with more clarity” – at least that’s how I feel about what I’ve learned about TSMC recently.

Kirk here. This article discusses the impact of TSMC in Japan so the focus isn'…

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 23:34:47 +0000

Kirk here. This article discusses the impact of TSMC in Japan so the focus isn’t on Kumamoto. Still, if you’re interested, I think the article provides some context.

I saw a TV show in which they described how Japan went from being a major manufacturer of chips to being an importer. Now, Japan and other countries are trying to develop their own chip manufacturing sectors.

If you like podcasts, you may enjoy listening to the show the Throughline did on the growth of Taiwan’s “Silicon Island”:

Kirk here. As I posted the other day, Roasso came close to getting into J1 but …

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:49:51 +0000

Kirk here. As I posted the other day, Roasso came close to getting into J1 but didn’t quite make it. You can see the highlights here:

William Haiku is tricky: ideally, it is a 5:7:5 syllable bit with a seasonal re…

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:27:40 +0000

William Haiku is tricky: ideally, it is a 5:7:5 syllable bit with a seasonal reference, though lenience is granted. Kumanichi reports that a Ukranian woman won the Kusamakura (草枕) haiku competition despite having never visited Japan: 壊滅した家／昨夜まで／家庭だったのに (devastated house/before last night/it was a home) Kusamakura (草枕, lit. “grass pillow”) is a standard phrase used in Japanese poetry to signify a journey; it is also the name of a town just north of Mt Kimpo offering a wonderful onsen. The town features in a novel by Natsume Sōseki　https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000148/files/776_14941.html. With a stunning view of Mt Unzen, the onsen is quite worth a visit - and a pause to reflect on the tragedy faced by Ukrainians. http://www.kusamakura.jp/kusa_on/ https://kumanichi.com/articles/855537

Kirk here. Kumamoto's Murakami had a great year. Given his ability and his inte…

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:54:03 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto’s Murakami had a great year. Given his ability and his interest in moving to the majors, I think it’s just a matter of time now.

William Youngsters have other things on their minds to consider than plants. A …

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 07:49:48 +0000

William Youngsters have other things on their minds to consider than plants. A notable point about moving to Japan before plants first grab one’s attention is that one learns the Japanese term, not the English. Fortunately, kochia is ideally suited to katakana: コチア. Apparently, it is blooming now in Matsushima, down in Amakusa. If you’ve never been to Matsushima, put it off until next summer: scour the entire island for a private beach (locals might give you a lift in their kei trucks, and there’s a treasure on the east side accessible by a very long stairway). It’s one of those islands created when Unzen went all kablooee. https://kumanichi.com/articles/853132 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochia

Kirk here. Kumamoto's Roasso came close to making it into the J1 soccer (footba…

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 06:20:19 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto’s Roasso came close to making it into the J1 soccer (football) league:

— start quote— In an evenly matched encounter, Kumamoto drew level from a corner in the 68th minute, with defender Osamu Henry Iyoha’s header at the near post going in off the far upright. Rei Hirakawa then came within inches of sending Kumamoto to J1 in stoppage time, but his powerful effort from inside the box hit the right post after his initial strike was blocked by Kyoto forward Peter Utaka’s face. — end quote —

Kirk here. Yesterday I posted that Mr. Onishi was re-elected as as mayor. In r…

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 03:27:47 +0000

Kirk here. Yesterday I posted that Mr. Onishi was re-elected as as mayor. In response, Kumamoto International regular Kazuhiro Oyama mentioned the low voter turnout. This article says that 28.26% is the lowest in Kumamoto City’s post-WWII history – the first time for the percentile to enter the 20s.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/854228

Kirk here reporting that Mr. Onishi has been re-elected as mayor of Kumamoto Cit…

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 11:07:28 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Mr. Onishi has been re-elected as mayor of Kumamoto City. The gentleman with the creative poster I shared the other day came in third.

Kirk here with something about the relationship between Montana and Kumamoto:

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 01:46:22 +0000

Kirk here with something about the relationship between Montana and Kumamoto:

William Susuki, or pampas grass, is a harbinger of autumn. Our friend Liz Suena…

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 06:59:40 +0000

William Susuki, or pampas grass, is a harbinger of autumn. Our friend Liz Suenaga captured this stunning image of susuki sheaths framing the eclipsed moon. JMA (the Japan Meteorological Agency) has forecast an autumn and winter colder than average. Considering the global fuel situation, wearing a sweater would be preferable to turning up the heat. https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#5/35/135/&elem=temperature&pattern=P3M&term=0&contents=season&lang=en

Kirk here with news about the director Noriaki Tsuchimoto, whose "Minamata: The …

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 03:43:58 +0000

Kirk here with news about the director Noriaki Tsuchimoto, whose “Minamata: The Victims and their World” is reviewed on the following website:

https://asianmoviepulse.com/2018/08/documentary-review-minamata-the-victims-and-their-world-1971-by-noriaki-tsuchimoto/

Here’s a blurb about an event being held now at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York:

— start quote — One of the most unjustly overlooked of all documentary filmmakers, Noriaki Tsuchimoto made films that are revelatory in their patient pursuit of humanity. Emerging on the world cinema scene in 1964 with the subversive tour de force On the Road: A Document, which marked him as a strident formal innovator and firebrand leftist, Tsuchimoto gradually pared down his personal style and ceded his works to their surroundings, as evinced in his masterful trilogy of 1970s films that grapple with the outbreak of Minamata disease in the eponymous town of Minamata (Minamata: The Victims and Their World, Minamata Revolt: A People’s Quest for Life, and The Shiranui Sea). Tsuchimoto, a perennial Marxist, was distinctly mindful of the “original sin” at the heart of his vocation—that films almost always benefit filmmakers more than their subjects—and a keen awareness of this imbalance fueled much of Tsuchimoto’s work. He was never satisfied if his films didn’t also function as chronicles of their own making or question the ultimate efficacy of art and communication, and these preoccupations guided Tsuchimoto toward a rarefied grace in the face of an often-brutal reality. He was greatly admired by his contemporaries Claude Lanzmann and Shinsuke Ogawa, and was considered to be, along with Ogawa, one of the two most important figures in the history of Japanese documentary. This is the first major stateside retrospective of Tsuchimoto’s work. — end quote — https://www.jfny.org/event/the-trailblazing-documentary-cinema-of-noriaki-tsuchimoto/

Football Match

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 12:30:38 +0000

Kirk here with one more share. Thanks Mark! Game Information VENUE: Sanga Stadium by Kyocera 1:05 PM , 13 November 2022 Kyoto, Japan https://www.espn.com.au/football/match/_/gameId/656825

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8130695140337180

Kirk here with a share that should be of interest to history buffs and/or lovers…

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 10:22:00 +0000

Kirk here with a share that should be of interest to history buffs and/or lovers of travel. And, best of all, the price is right: “Free for monitor participants.” :)

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8146248838781810

Kirk here introducing a post about Mason Buskirk, who is working to get the JR H…

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:24:30 +0000

Kirk here introducing a post about Mason Buskirk, who is working to get the JR Hisatsu Line restored and to keep the SL Hitoyoshi in service.

I contacted him after reading the article and he shared this link to a Japanese-language website associated with his efforts:

http://www.hisatsu-again.info/shomei/index.html

Mason, you can explain this better than I can. Please add any information or comments that occur to you. :)

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14754350

Kirk here reporting that it is now (beginning yesterday) possible to get up clos…

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 01:53:08 +0000

Kirk here reporting that it is now (beginning yesterday) possible to get up close and personal with the volcano.

Kirk here with a post-eclipse note on why a reddish moon was visible last night …

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 02:35:00 +0000

Kirk here with a post-eclipse note on why a reddish moon was visible last night even when it was in the shadow of the earth. As you can see in the NASA image I’ve borrowed for this post, the earth’s atmosphere functioned as a prism that projected red light on the moon. That’s why it didn’t disappear in the shadow and why it looked red.

By the way, when light enters our atmosphere a similar phenomenon paints the sky blue. If the angle were different, we’d have a red sky instead of a blue one. ;)

William A headline and sub-headline in the Kumanichi caught my eye:

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 09:26:08 +0000

William A headline and sub-headline in the Kumanichi caught my eye: “First-year student at Kumamoto Kogyo High School commits suicide in October; suspicion of bullying cannot be ruled out” and “For the second time, Prefecture to initiate third-party investigation.” Apparently, the Prefecture instituted an ordinance in 2018 that all primary (K-12) student suicides must be investigated by an independent entity to prevent coverups. A former student of mine, the owner and president of a medium-size company founded by his grandfather, committed suicide after his company went bankrupt. He was like a Japanese father to the still way-green me 30 years ago, and 30 years later, it still hurts like it was yesterday. It was a lesson to me: suicide is, essentially, a selfish act, leaving survivors with scars that will never heal. If you are considering harming yourself or know anyone who is, contact the Tokyo English Life Line (TELL), https://telljp.com/lifeline/ to talk with professionals trained in this area. https://kumanichi.com/articles/848060?utm_source=kumanichi&utm_medium=mail&utm_campaign=newsletter

Kirk here with some election news. There is a mayoral election underway in Kuma…

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 07:57:04 +0000

Kirk here with some election news. There is a mayoral election underway in Kumamoto (Nov. 13) and the person you see in this poster is one of the candidates. I don’t think he’ll win (I’m betting on the re-election of Mr. Onishi) but I’d like to give him an award for most creative/enigmatic poster. His name is not shown on it; the only text to read is the word “灰色” (haiiro; grey).

Lunar Eclipse Viewing at Castle

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 09:35:02 +0000

William A reminder about Tuesday’s lunar eclipse, but first: The shachi (鯱 - a mythological animal with the head of a tiger and body of a fish, its tail fin always facing the sky and covered with layers of sharp thorns on its back) was commonly used atop castle gables as guardian gods to prevent fires: if not frightening away calamity, at least the shachi could (theoretically) spout water from its mouth to stop its spread. The two which now adorn the castle are replacements for the pair shattered during the quakes and measure 120 centimeters in height and 100 kilograms in weight. The full moon Tuesday evening seen from Ninomaru will rise behind the keep, appearing at about a 45° angle over the keep from 20:00, the greatest extent of its eclipse. Bring your camera and send us your photos! (Photo from a sadly long-extinguished blog, though Nishinippon Shinbun has a video on shachi replacement: https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/n/406704/.)

ビアガー電 (Beer ga-den) - Kumamoto Streetcar 100th Anniversary Celebration

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 03:37:03 +0000

William To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the streetcar in 1924, the Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau has begun what they call a “beer ga-den” (get it? - not ビアガーデン but ビアガー電, as in 電車 - never say the Bureau has no sense of humor). Every Friday from this 11th through March 31st, one car will be devoted to a group of imbibers. Here are the rules: ・You should form a group. ・The cost is a flat rate of ￥45,000 for 15 or fewer people; that is, for a group of 15, ￥3,000 per person, or you can ride alone for ￥45,000 if you have no friends. ・Additional people may be added up to 20 at the rate of ￥3,000 per person. ・This includes 3 glasses of beer and snacks (no word on the type of beer or size of glass). ・The route departs from the Transportation Bureau ( Kōtsū-kyoku, 交通局), runs by Kumamoto Station, and returns toTorichosuji (presumably so that you can continue drinking). According to the Municipal Transportation Bureau, “This is the only opportunity to drink on the train. We want you to enjoy the extraordinary.” Reservations can be made from the station’s website: http://www.kotsu-kumamoto.jp/kihon/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=3&id=1320&pg=1 Kumanichi article: https://kumanichi.com/articles/847149 (assume no masks)

Kirk here with a little item for baseball fans about Munetaka Murakami.

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 02:50:13 +0000

Kirk here with a little item for baseball fans about Munetaka Murakami.

Carlton here. A quick personal follow-up re: the availability of the 5th booste…

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 23:50:23 +0000

Carlton here. A quick personal follow-up re: the availability of the 5th booster shots for Covid. I received my reservation ”ticket” a few days ago and went to the online reservation site to book an appointment at the same clinic where I’ve obtained my previous 4 jabs. The earliest opening I got was precisely 5 months after my 4th injection, the 1st week of December. However, the waiting period has now been adjusted to 3 months rather than 5 months, but the online English guide is still programmed it seems for the 5 month delay. Anyway, I was told by the Covid Call Center that I could get an earlier reservation perhaps at another clinic by using the Call Center to change and make the new appointment.

Green Vision Flower Expo autumn version

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:08:19 +0000

(Fiona) Kumamoto is hosting an autumn version of the Green Vision Flower Expo that was held earlier this year. As before, events are taking place in three main areas - Ezu-ko, Tatsuda-yama and the city centre. I found this out by chance while on a walk in the woods this afternoon - alas, I’d missed the outdoor concert and Mori Marché but I believe they will happen again tomorrow. Details can be found here, with English translation available. https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=44499#

Kirk here. I enjoyed a pleasant view of the sun setting over the Ariake Sea fro…

Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:00:37 +0000

Kirk here. I enjoyed a pleasant view of the sun setting over the Ariake Sea from Mt. Kimbo (some say “Kimpo”). The sun is setting behind Fugendake in Nagasaki.

Sean here-

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 23:55:20 +0000

Sean here- Another K-town gem right here in our collective backyard.

“Yuka Family Road” is a prefectural road for bicycles and pedestrians with a total length of 34 km that connects Kumamoto City and Yamaga City.

There are rest areas along the way, and there is little danger of being hit by a car, so it’s an easy trail for beginners.

There are path signs at every kilometer informing you how far you went and how far to go. This is mostly a flat route with one significant climb near Ueki station 9~10 K marker if you are coming from K-town.

Sean here -

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 08:06:20 +0000

Sean here - For you day trippers/hikers

Optimal conditions for hiking are here. If you are looking for someplace local to explore, check out this site for QR code-guided hikes. Smartphone required.

5 different hikes to suit different skill levels based on “KUSAMAKURA-Three Cornered World” by Natsume Souseki

Natsume Sōseki was the pen name of Natsume Kinnosuke, who is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji Era (1868–1912). Two of his novels, The Three-Cornered World and The 210th Day, are based on his experiences in Kumamoto.

月食 (Total Lunar Eclipse)

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 05:33:01 +0000

William For you astronomy buffs out there, Kumamoto will witness a total lunar eclipse (which has a cool name in Japanese: 月食, gesshoku, or “eaten moon”) on 11/8, reaching maximum at 8:00 pm. Apparently, this is the first full lunar eclipse in Kumamoto in 442 years, so mark your calendar.

William with a quick vocabulary note:

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 03:31:34 +0000

William with a quick vocabulary note: “indian summer” in Japanese is “小春びより” (koharubiyori), which is what we are enjoying now. Also, “秋晴れ” (akibare) is autumn sunshine - “Not a cloud in the sky!” as English speakers delightfully exclaim. The forecast promises further warming later in the week. Enjoy it while you can!

William Following is a message from Sean Benward regarding his Ezuko cleanup wa…

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 23:41:34 +0000

William Following is a message from Sean Benward regarding his Ezuko cleanup walk:

An update on our 2022 Ezuko Halloween Trick and Trash Halloween celebration:

Six extremely busy teenagers (Teen Driven) volunteering their time, one zooming it in from France to bring on this amazing event.

(Also, a shout out to our many not-teen supporters)

A win for teenagers developing team building and leadership skills.

A win for the environment as the participants learned about the negative effects of plastic and our lake.

Ceramics Fair

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 00:52:12 +0000

Carlton. I mentioned earlier that Kumanichi newspaper has a very informative online section devoted to upcoming events in the prefecture. Here: https://kumanichi.com/event.
And with the Culture Day holiday coming November 3 this weekend is chocked with things to see and do. If you don’t mind the drive in nice weather my recommendation is to head to Amakusa’s Hondo CIty for the Ceramics Fair https://kumanichi.com/event/812217. A good place to see and even stock up on fine pottery and even everyday tableware.

Kirk here with the page's new cover photo, supplied by professional photographer…

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 11:39:17 +0000

Kirk here with the page’s new cover photo, supplied by professional photographer and fellow editor, Liz! Thanks Liz!

Kirk here. The "quiz" in the article is "くまモン検定" (Kumamon kentei, shown on the s…

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 02:03:27 +0000

Kirk here. The “quiz” in the article is “くまモン検定” (Kumamon kentei, shown on the screen in back of Kumamon and in the Japanese article to which the English links). Japan has lots of kentei (certification) tests, one of which is Eiken (English kentei). If you’d like to take the test, the link is here:

https://kumamon-kentei.com

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20221028/p2a/00m/0na/016000c

William with the long read:

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 05:01:33 +0000

William with the long read: Japan has a long history of emigration, with peaks during the Great Depression and the post-war period. Due to America’s Chinese Exclusion Act (a sad period of xenophobia enacted in 1882, abolished in steps between 1943-1965 https://tinyurl.com/28szuk29), immigration from China fell to virtually zero. At the time, however, Japanese were considered “honorary whites https://tinyurl.com/yeyatz88," and many, particularly Higokko, emigrated to Hawaii and California.

At a time when even travel within Japan was unusual, people from all over the country intermixed in California; this article states how the Nisei regarded each other: “Hiroshima people were said to be industrious and tight-fisted; Wakayama people aggressive and hot-tempered; Tokyoites generous; Okayama shrewd and clever; the northern provinces patient as a result of their long cold winters; people from Kumamoto stubborn.” (https://tinyurl.com/jvwwpd9t) Heh. Ask my wife.

Kirk here with a post that could be put in the category of "useless information …

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 02:06:00 +0000

Kirk here with a post that could be put in the category of “useless information that might be mildly interesting if you happen to pass by the place from time to time” (a category with very very few posts ;) ).

The place is the Kuwamizu Intersection (神水交差点) near Ezuko (see map image).

The picture you see is one I took on Saturday of the building that houses the Kumamoto branch of the what has been known as the Unification Church (“Family Federation for World Peace and Unification” or “the Moonies”). I got the address from their official website:

Kirk here sharing an article about an island in the Amakusa area called Yushima …

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 23:29:36 +0000

Kirk here sharing an article about an island in the Amakusa area called Yushima (湯島, “Island of Hot Water”), also known as Dangojima (談合島, “Island on which Locals Conspired in the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637). According to the article, it has one more name: “cat island.”

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20221008-62999/

William has written about this place here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02uw3b1GbatjMbLi6vUt2APB26haJWJZ99McMGGChJG2FzJAUWGYNSvSvdovaiwJyfl

Kirk here with some strange news. A man named Katsuhiko Higuchi has been arrest…

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 05:23:14 +0000

Kirk here with some strange news. A man named Katsuhiko Higuchi has been arrested because a company in Kumamoto says that he published an unauthorized Spanish-language version of his own autobiography. First, here’s a blurb about who Katsuhiko Higuchi is:

— start quote — Katsuhiko Higuchi, known as the king of the octopus, presents his biographical book, a pleasant account of the first and last Japanese who has supplied his country with abundant catches of cephalopods from Western Sahara. More than fifty years ago, when he arrived, almost no one fished octopus at the Saharan Bank. That is why his life summarizes the recent history of fishing in Morocco, that of the Port of La Luz and, specifically, that of the fishing town of Dakhla. He has been ruined and married several times, but as the Japanese encouraging proverb “Nana says. Korobi already oki “,” if you fall seven times, eight times you get up. " — end quote https://spainsnews.com/the-story-of-the-king-of-the-octopus-in-the-club-la-provincia-la-provincia/

Kirk here with some news that is not directly related to Kumamoto but, as this i…

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 01:17:57 +0000

Kirk here with some news that is not directly related to Kumamoto but, as this is an international community, I think I should report that Halloween festivities in nearby Seoul ended in tragedy last night. My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by this. :(

gekidan performance

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 00:31:55 +0000

Liz here answering queries about local events : here is one happening tonight and tomorrow night in Shirakawa Park downtown. It is a traveling “gekidan” performance. I attended last year and it was great. When you enter the tent you are handed some origami paper which you use to wrap your change and/or bills in. This is their version of passing the hat for donations (no fixed entrance fee)and everyone tosses their donations on to the stage whenever you are moved to do so. It is entirely in Japanese, but don’t let that stop you from going, it is visually satisfying even if you don’t really get what they are saying/singing. They travel all over Japan , setting up in parks and performing no matter what the weather (last year I watched them performing on their homemade stage in the pouring rain) Show up around 6:30, grab a seat and enjoy. Starts at 7:00. Wear a sweater!

Kirk here. Oops! Just posted this as myself -- not the page. I'm too lazy to …

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 14:05:37 +0000

Kirk here. Oops! Just posted this as myself – not the page. I’m too lazy to repost it so I’m just sharing it. It’s about getting a booster shot for COVID-19.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8087772744629420

(Fiona) Is it just me? I always hear about interesting events happening in Kumam…

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 11:26:08 +0000

(Fiona) Is it just me? I always hear about interesting events happening in Kumamoto….after they’ve happened. This season in particular seems to have a lot of stuff going on - farmer’s markets, culture festivals, bazaars, sports events and concerts. If you know of something taking place in November, please post about it in this thread so that more people can find out about cool events in advance.

くまもと物産フェア

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 06:22:51 +0000

William If you’ve no plans for Sunday, you could do worse than to visit the Kumamoto Products Fair (Kumamoto Busan Fair, くまもと物産フェア), which will be held in the square fronting Kumamoto Station. 113 entrants will be selling and giving out free samples of food and other Kumamoto specialties totaling 520 items. (“うまかもん” is Kumamoto dialect for “delicious” and “よか品” that for “good stuff.) This is the 27th time this fair has been held but the first time in three years due to, well, you know.

William If any of our readers are aware of or plan on holding an event, please …

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 11:15:10 +0000

William If any of our readers are aware of or plan on holding an event, please PM us so that we may clue in the wider community . It’s cosmos (the flower, not the TV show) season. A wonderful place to appreciate them is the Kumamoto Zoological and Botanical Garden (“the zoo”). While there, note the abundance of springs. A main reason why the zoo was built where it is is precisely this: free water for the hippos. And ride the Ferris wheel. And go in the House of Glass (separately and try to find one another). If you’re lucky and an elephant wanders over, you can pat him. https://www.ezooko.jp/imgkiji/pub/Default.aspx?c_id=31

Kirk here with a reminder:

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 11:10:30 +0000

Kirk here with a reminder:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02DbsaQd1YdPhqbEtm7iBZ99Yvsj6eHd1LBMrYmH2LZzVpaHngqoPTdJdwzy4wSS5el

William The BOJ has raised its inflation expectation from 2.3 to 2.9 percent, p…

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 08:01:06 +0000

William The BOJ has raised its inflation expectation from 2.3 to 2.9 percent, partly due to the weak yen. One way to avoid this is to buy locally produced foods, and one way to do that is to shop at smaller markets, which tend to source locally. We often shop at Iwanaga, a delightful lil’ spot in Oe on Meigobashi Street. If you have a favorite small market, please share. Tasaki market is Kumamoto’s main wholesale market. If you haven’t visited, you should. Arriving very early (before 5:00) allows viewing of the fish market, with massive maguro being pared down to size (pay attention to the knives). There is also a basashi shop with windows from which one can watch huge hunks of horse carved into saleable size. Though primarily wholesale, most food is also available for purchase at wholesale prices. Not only a unique experience, it is a way to stretch your yen. Their most excellent website: https://kumamoto-tasaki-ichiba.co.jp/ The market is a rather long walk from the tram’s Tasaki station, but there is plenty of free parking.

(Douglas here) The following link is to an article on BBC News. Although it is n…

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 02:28:04 +0000

(Douglas here) The following link is to an article on BBC News. Although it is not Kumamoto specific, it is an interesting description of something that affects us all in Japan - Kumamoto included.

Kirk here with another Kumamoto-related news item. This is very positive develo…

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 13:01:13 +0000

Kirk here with another Kumamoto-related news item. This is very positive development, I think:

Kirk with some news about some really horrible behavior on the part of an "educa…

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 04:04:48 +0000

Kirk with some news about some really horrible behavior on the part of an “educator” that seems to have led to the suicide of a boy in Kumamoto three years ago:

— start quote — The report noted that his sixth-grade elementary school teacher berated students in a loud voice, beat them about the head and verbally abused them, calling them “stupid” and “idiot” on a daily basis. — end quote —

Kirk here. I posted about this the other day but that article I referenced was …

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 02:17:46 +0000

Kirk here. I posted about this the other day but that article I referenced was in Japanese. This article is in English so I’m posting again.

Post based on Japanese-language article: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0C46ruYbfRKkMGPRt2rTLXvbfHwVyHBV98eFxSzW5iZdct2XtgqSBiPcbUcrA5adRl

English-language article https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/general-news/20221026-66982/

William My liberal arts college forced me to take a laboratory science class, s…

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 11:32:51 +0000

William My liberal arts college forced me to take a laboratory science class, so I took the easiest: Geology. Turns out I’m glad I did. Sometimes one encounters a rock (or many) which shouldn’t be there. In Maine, they were mostly moraines, which are piles of rocks, the tail ends of long vanished glaciers. In Kumamoto, they tend to be astonishingly large boulders of granite, intrusive igneous rock which Aso burped up over unimaginable distances in ancient eruptions. (Keep your eyes open: they are scattered throughout the city.) Ancient people not versed in geology attributed their existence to the divine - hence, the Shinto stuff. One such is in Aso Ōmikami Ashiato Megami Ishi Park, Minamiaso Village (阿蘇大御神足跡女神石 - which literally means “Goddess Stone in the Footsteps of the Great Deity Aso Omikami). Kumanichi reports on a bit of lichen growing in a circle on the rock which resembles, if one is colorblind, the Japanese flag, or Hinomaru. Take care in distinguishing between moss (苔, koke), which is a plant - it lives by photosynthesis; and lichen (地衣, chi’i - a beautiful word which literally means “earth’s clothing”), which is a symbiotic relationship between a fungus (tough but cannot photosynthesize) and an alga (weak but can photosynthesize and by whose byproducts - algae farts - the fungus lives). Anyway, on this immense megalith, a lichen in the shape of the Hinomaru may be found. Have yourself a field day. https://kumanichi.com/articles/835161

SL Hitoyoshi steam engine final rides

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 03:20:17 +0000

Kirk here with a link to an article about the retirement of the SL Hitoyoshi. The steam engine that is currently pulling the train is 100 years old now. If you’d like to take one last ride (or your first ride) you have until March.

Personally, I can appreciate that affection that many people feel for old coal-burning steam engines. Part of me shares that sentiment. Still, another part of me is somewhat uncomfortable with environmental impact of even one coal-burning engine and the message that sends to the kids who ride it. So, while I’m sorry to see it go I think that perhaps it’s time to move away from this particular engine type.

Kirk here reporting that the Kumanichi kindly printed my request that they refra…

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:39:27 +0000

Kirk here reporting that the Kumanichi kindly printed my request that they refrain from calling us “YOU” and just use a straight-forward “外国人” (gaikokujin) if it’s necessary to refer to our identity as foreigners. Thanks Kumanichi!

Here’s a link to the original post from Atsuko: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02FMYc4N7KaZvK38zHX9jPMSR32sxm4PadjAQ7SJyb1qikH2RiiZ1FgW1g4VXp2cwjl

P.S. They featured my little letter prominently at the top of the page and didn’t cut anything! :)

William Every Japanese city worth its salt has a festival. In Kumamoto, it is t…

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:22:12 +0000

William Every Japanese city worth its salt has a festival. In Kumamoto, it is the Fujisaki Hachimangu Shuki Reitaisai (Autumn Festival https://fujisakigu.or.jp/reisai/index.html), or as we call it, the “horsey festival.” The final day of the three-day festival is when the mikoshi (神輿, portable shrines) are trundled through the streets, allowing the gods enshrined within to bestow benevolence. The mikoshi are preceded by zuibyo (随兵, warrior entourage) and riderless horses intended to seat the gods; they are followed by some 60 groups of raucous celebrants chanting “Dokai, dokai” which, in Kumamoto dialect (higoben, 肥後弁), means “‘Sup?” while manhandling decorated horses called kazariuma (飾り馬). The festival, according to the shrine, originated to celebrate the safe return of Kato Kiyomasa from the Kansai region; Kato is said to have headed the zuibyo himself. However, an alternative (and more likely) theory is that it celebrates Kato’s return from the Hamgyong campaign, his invasion of the northeastern Korean province of Hamgyeong during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamgyong_campaign This would explain why the festival was once known as “Boshita Matsuri” and the participants chanted, “Boshita! Boshita! Hora boshita!” ([We] destroyed! Destroyed! Completely destroyed!") Obviously, this was not an image an increasingly international Kumamoto wanted to convey, so in 1989, the cry “Boshita!” was replaced with “Dokai!” Despite this, many older people (like myself) still refer to the festival as “Boshita.” Concerns have also been raised regarding animal cruelty. A rather exhaustive description is here: https://tinyurl.com/2fthehy6 Our friend Liz Suenaga, a very talented photographer, long-term resident, and Kumamoto-I editor, has provided these wonderful photographs. Liz and her son run an excellent photography studio near Fujisaki Shrine. If you ever desire a portrait or baby photo, this is the place to go (Liz is bilingual): https://www.p-suenaga.jp/

William A reminder to Americans living in Kumamoto: TODAY, 10/24, is the last d…

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 01:32:30 +0000

William A reminder to Americans living in Kumamoto: TODAY, 10/24, is the last day to register to vote. If you haven’t registered, you can do so here: https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/voting/ Also, Americans should register with the Embassy - doing so brings occasional news alerts which at times are of some importance.

Fiona here sharing an informative post about Kumamoto city's many attractions an…

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 12:32:46 +0000

Fiona here sharing an informative post about Kumamoto city’s many attractions and recommended spots for visitors.

Kirk here reporting that the Fujisakigu Reitaisai Festival was held today -- fir…

Sun, 23 Oct 2022 10:40:41 +0000

Kirk here reporting that the Fujisakigu Reitaisai Festival was held today – first time in three years. I had mentioned that it had been scheduled for today (the 23rd) but that was several weeks ago and I forgot to post a reminder. Sorry. I check local TV news (RKK) everyday and I don’t think they mentioned it there. Maybe they didn’t want the crowds to get to be too big so they kept it quiet. At any rate, the three-year hiatus has ended. :)

Kumamoto Railway Festival

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 04:15:32 +0000

William A bit of news for us train geeks. JR Kyushu is holding a “Kumamoto Railway Festival,” where all railway operators with routes in Kumamoto Prefecture gather to sell goods and railway equipment, this weekend at Amu Hiroba in front of JR Kumamoto Station. It will end Sunday, so be like JR and don’t delay. Also, from the 22nd (today), Kumamoto Electric Railway will start operating a “Halloween train” with Halloween decorations (see photo). This is the first of several projects to encourage ridership, which had declined due to the corona virus. Which car it is was not specified; perhaps you’ll just have to wait at a tram stop until it comes by. The theme car will run until November 6. https://kumanichi.com/articles/831506 https://kumanichi.com/articles/831544

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit:

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 03:07:29 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit:

“Regarding Musashi’s Book of Five Rings, an interesting fact is that Musashi himself didn’t intend his teachings to be secret even though it was passed down only through the school of Terao Magonojo.”

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02381GoTQ4mSLY83KqUxzkMda2HFKG1myx37pPEad3uf6zSCYVEYXjcs1TBhrLig6fl?__xts__[0]=68.ARAsvYcj7gAEGMGpPQMcxo6TVl-DNg6oDPoh2Y5jm3E_5zcrowaF4bwV-fcJ3OcHfxu7GHs4HsfSKiBnmbM26B5g2GWY-LlfARF--chtP29b7tkAZtByCuU-5qCv3f0Y3izJuJUfnCdfg3jGrOEBjjDx6WM8nmnpYfAhB98wnpPlX3gI4KDVgb7Yxul0x-CD5EVYbRNhcLxbp8sn3WdCRKdsuJabpRRtmqj5QR4bnwzYapzHQk1IaKY8GMD7nuvlsYuciGYcza5Ecffwo_PVA8OSXxcOTJT48amQZhLkTOhbr9Vw202B6xM

William Sunglasses are a must for me: not only are my blue eyes susceptible to …

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 08:31:59 +0000

William Sunglasses are a must for me: not only are my blue eyes susceptible to Japan’s strong glare, but hiding behind them gives me a sense of comfort when out and about. Kumanichi reports that the Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau is piloting a two-week trial allowing tram drivers to wear a designated type of sunglasses while the bureau conducts a survey on passenger impressions. To date, sunglasses have been banned as they have been considered intimidating. However, drivers have pointed out safety issues such as not being able to detect signal lights due to glare and have indicated they will reduce any sense of intimidation by being extra-friendly. JR West has allowed drivers to wear sunglasses since 2019. Perhaps Biden, famous for his aviation sunglasses, could get a job as a tram driver after he retires from his current gig. Photos: shades-wearing tram driver and Biden https://kumanichi.com/articles/829366

BAZAAR & KID'S SWAP SHOP EVENT

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 04:48:25 +0000

Ruth here calling all early birds to join in these events on the morning of Sat., 29th OCT!! BAZAAR & KID’S SWAP SHOP EVENT @ SUNATORI COMMUNITY CENTER - SAT. 29th OCTBehind 市立体育館・🔍

Do you have unwanted items to sell? 🛍 Want to earn some dosh? Do you like to browse for a bargain? 👦👧 Want your kids to declutter? Small household items, toys, books, nicknacks, clothing, plants, handmade crafts… Give your items another life! ♻️

Kirk here sharing an event from Sean Benward. Sean mentions that the fee is a d…

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 15:45:59 +0000

Kirk here sharing an event from Sean Benward. Sean mentions that the fee is a donation. I would like to add that the Japanese text says that all of the funds collected will be donated to the YMCA. The poster is in Japanese but Sean has provided a detailed explanation in English so please scroll down for that.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/8042558569150838

William I once had a gig teaching at the Japanese Self Defense Forces (SDF = Ji…

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 12:20:17 +0000

William I once had a gig teaching at the Japanese Self Defense Forces (SDF = Jieitai 自衛隊), mostly at their Kengun base but for a short time at their Kitachutonchi camp on the northern side of Tatsudayama. From my reading, I immediately recognized it as Camp Wood, as the Americans called it while occupying Kumamoto after WWII.

News of that time is sparse, but I came across a first-hand account of an American soldier stationed there:

William An aspect of Kumamoto horticulture I appreciate is its seasonal variati…

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 06:36:30 +0000

William An aspect of Kumamoto horticulture I appreciate is its seasonal variations. Winter blooms the camellia (tsubaki, 椿) - as insects are hibernating, they spread their flowers wide to allow birds to drink their nectar and thus are pollinated by avians; spring of course is cherry blossoms (sakura, 桜 - the bees are awake by then); hydrangea (ajisai, 紫陽花) symbolize rainy season; summer sees the higotai (globe thistle), a symbol of Kumamoto (very rare; if you’re lucky, you can spot it in the highlands around Aso) and lotus (hasunohana, 蓮の花), which can be found aplenty in the marginal land near Ariake Sea, where it is cultivated for its root, a Kumamoto delicacy. The gentian (rindō, リンドウ), the Kumamoto Prefecture flower, blooms in autumn.

Kirk here with what I think may be my third post on this topic. I should point …

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 13:25:30 +0000

Kirk here with what I think may be my third post on this topic. I should point out that the problem occurred in Fukuoka but the women is receiving support from people in Kumamoto. Go Kumamoto!

Hi Atsuko here.

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 08:33:57 +0000

Hi Atsuko here. Chuck should share, but he hasn’t yet, so instead I will introduce you to a lovely lady with a beautiful heart.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Translation page I used: http://itools.com/tool/google-translate-web-page-translator

https://kumanichi-com.translate.goog/articles/820513?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en#Echobox=1665726496

Original Japanese page https://www.facebook.com/438505469570144/posts/5503206686433305/?sfnsn=mo

William Kirk had written about Takachiho Gorge. Another similar gorge exists in…

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 06:37:07 +0000

William Kirk had written about Takachiho Gorge. Another similar gorge exists in Yabe. I’d like to write about what is one of the best autumn road trips in Kumamoto.

Most are probably familiar with Gorougataki (五郎ヶ滝). A few years ago, a suspension bridge (Gorougataki Tsuribashi, 五老ヶ滝吊り橋) https://tinyurl.com/bdvpadhk was built for viewing. Info and photos available here: https://8246renraku.net/archives/gorougataki.html Most might not be aware of the path following the river below the falls. It wanders along just above the water through a steep gorge for a few hundred meters, crossing from the right bank to the left, https://snaplace.jp/gorougataki/ then up a steep flight of stairs to some beautiful rice paddies. Continuing on a farm road, it eventually leads back to Tsujin Bridge (通潤橋, Tsujinkyo).

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto about Takachiho Gorge:

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 00:50:16 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto about Takachiho Gorge:

https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/pfbid02jBGMCoRcM9vSUDviAQ7RieZ9HUsQeKEv5qDXwtdwDGdGsLnCib4SRECku1DHxral

Kirk here. Just after William shared the Kumanichi's report about the fireworks…

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:32:01 +0000

Kirk here. Just after William shared the Kumanichi’s report about the fireworks display in Yatsushiro, I saw this on RKK. In addition to old-fashioned fireworks (the kind you light with a match) they have new-fangled displays made up of large numbers of remotely controlled drones. This dragon slowly opens his mouth in the video. Maybe next year they’ll have one that actually breaths fire! (Flame-throwing drone or drone-launched fireworks?)

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/180684?display=1

William Fireworks were invented in Asia, first to scare the pants off opponents…

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 09:32:17 +0000

William Fireworks were invented in Asia, first to scare the pants off opponents in battle, and then to warn off demons. Apparently, there is something called the “All-Japan Fireworks Competition,” recently held for the first time in three years. Thirty groups from all over Japan competed in three divisions: the No. 10 ball, which blooms with a diameter of about 300 meters; the No. 5 ball, which is about 150 meters; and the Star Mine, which launches 250 shots in a row. Woof. That’ll scare the pants off the ghosts. Yatsushiro took part. Kumanichi reports that, in between the bursts, there was music fireworks to the music of the movie “Top Gun” and star mines to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the construction of Yatsushiro Castle. Good on Yatsushiro. No word on which place they were judged. Photos and Kumanichi link follow. https://kumanichi.com/articles/824371

Douglas here with a follow up to the translation mix that Kirk started a few pos…

Sun, 16 Oct 2022 02:39:12 +0000

Douglas here with a follow up to the translation mix that Kirk started a few posts below. I have always been surprised by the number of people who cannot distinguish between translating and interpreting. Google Translate and DeepL are both “translators” and can end up by producing quite strange English translations of Japanese. I have a favourite Japanese idiom that I feed into any “translation” software to test its ability to actually interpret correctly. Both Google and DeepL fail my test. But DeepL, at least, gives a more accurate “translation” The idiom is: 捕らぬ狸の皮算用をするのは危ないです

FINA World Masters Championships water polo

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 23:36:38 +0000

Kirk here with information for water polo fans. I sometimes search Google News for “Kumamoto” to see if there’s any juicy information to feed this page’s voracious appetite for information about this part of the world. Today, I learned that FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) is planning a major water polo event between August 5 and 11 of next year (2023) at Kumamoto’s Aquadome. I’m not sure if this event will be open to spectators but it might be interesting to watch if it is.

Kirk here with a little report on a multilayered instance of "lost in translatio…

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 10:49:08 +0000

Kirk here with a little report on a multilayered instance of “lost in translation.” I laughed when I noticed the English on this sign because I could see immediately that the Japanese was referring to the danger of PEOPLE falling from the window but the translation (probably from DeepL or some other machine translation service) makes it sound like the danger is that the window may fall. I guess the editor of the popular Facebook group about English mistakes who rejected my post understands Japanese about as well as DeepL.

William Kumamoto Castle is known as "Ginkgo Castle" (銀杏城, ginnanjō) due to its …

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 06:19:25 +0000

William Kumamoto Castle is known as “Ginkgo Castle” (銀杏城, ginnanjō) due to its large number ginkgo trees, which has become a symbol not just of the castle but of the city itself. Now is the season when they turn a stunning golden-yellow. Another good place to view ginkgo is the entrance to Prefectural Hall. Katō Kiyomasa apparently planted the trees inside the castle to provide food for horses and firewood in case of siege.
Legend has it that one immense tree in front of the main keep (tenshukaku, 天守閣) was planted by Katō himself, and that he prophesied, “When the tree’s height reaches that of the tenshukaku, there will be an uprising in the castle.” Apparently, the height of the tree had indeed reached about that of the tenshukaku by 1878, when most of the castle was burned to the ground in the Seinan War. The tree was badly damaged during the war, but has regrown to a respectable height. Info about the relationship between Kumamoto Castle and the gingko trees can be found here (Japanese): http://castle.link-hp.net/22.html and a link to an excellent castle guide: https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/en/ (English). A photo of the famous gingko in the autumn is below. Prepare your cameras.

Kirk here with another article about the Filipino technical intern who is suing …

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 04:43:39 +0000

Kirk here with another article about the Filipino technical intern who is suing her employer. The image is of a protest in Tokyo regarding the abuse of so-called “ginou jisshuusei” (技能実習生; trainees).

Kirk here. "The law on equal opportunity employment for men and women, which al…

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 00:22:03 +0000

Kirk here. “The law on equal opportunity employment for men and women, which also applies to foreign technical trainees, prohibits unfair treatment on the basis of an individual giving birth or becoming pregnant.” But, this would seem to be another instance of that law being ignored.

William Kumanichi reports on the education of children who will accompany Taiwa…

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:00:27 +0000

William Kumanichi reports on the education of children who will accompany Taiwanese workers to TSMC. As about 300 family members of TSMC employees transferred from Taiwan will move to Kumamoto, of which half are school-aged children. In response, the Kumamoto International School (KIS) in Higashi Ward has applied for the status of “miscellaneous educational institution” (kakushugakko, 各種学校; perhaps the closest translation would be “vocational school,” but I’m guessing KIS is looking for the designation in order to receive flexibility for its curriculum). This designation also allows KIS to operate school buses. Kumanichi writes that two-thirds of these have expressed interest in KIS. If all are accepted, this would encompass two thirds of KIS’ student body. Some families have expressed a desire to send their children to a normal Japanese school. Kikuyo Town is now looking into expanding English education. However, the vast majority remain interested in KIS. Principal Matthew Orme said, “Many of the families were enthusiastic about English education, so they must have felt a sense of security.” Finally, Kumamoto has a true international school of its own, at least through JHS. Links to KIS and the Kumanichi article: https://kumamotointer.jp/ https://kumanichi.com/articles/821894

Susure! Churu Churu☆Festival

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:57:27 +0000

Kirk here with some Kumamon news. Here’s busy guy:

“The upcoming episode will revolve around the ‘Susure! Churu Churu☆Festival’ in Oishina Town, during which various kinds of noodles are featured. Kumamon will show up at the festival as a special guest.”

Kirk here sharing an article on the creation of an new faculty at Kumamoto Unive…

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:08:01 +0000

Kirk here sharing an article on the creation of an new faculty at Kumamoto University. The idea is to create a faculty that focuses on high tech and English. It is at least loosely associated with the new TSMC chip plant being built here. On RKK I heard that this is the first creation of an entirely new faculty at Kumamoto University in decades – since the creation of the 文学部 (Bungakubu; Faculty of Letters?) and the 法学部 (Hogakubu; Faculty of Law?). Students from Sojo University and Tokai University will also be able to take courses online in the faculty.

Kirk here with more on the influence of Unification Church (the Moonies) in Kuma…

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 02:32:33 +0000

Kirk here with more on the influence of Unification Church (the Moonies) in Kumamoto – my “Kumamoon” series.

The other day I posted about the Japanese version of the English-language article I’m introducing today:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0WNANrFt6hdJxadXGWwiSxpovUy9i25DdpGfN4yHu8UQRdCC6AQ7d2S3Kx9sh9sf5l

This English-language article starts as follows:

— start quote — An organization related to the Unification Church has been behind various pushes from Kumamoto Prefecture for a “family education” law that critics say would allow government interference for the “good of the nation.” Kumamoto is the prefecture with the most assemblies that have passed and submitted such opinion papers to the Diet calling for a law to support family education. — end quote —

William Personal note: My son, who has moved to Tokyo, will marry a Tokyoite (E…

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 00:39:04 +0000

William Personal note: My son, who has moved to Tokyo, will marry a Tokyoite (Edo-kko, 江戸っ子). My wife’s health prevents us from traveling up to Tokyo for their wedding, so her parents came down to Kumamoto to meet us. They (and his bride) are the sweetest people imaginable. We took them to the restaurant Shiromiyagura (城見櫓), which means “Turret with a View of the Castle” - and, wow, what a view, with a façade mimicking the castle. Note that the ceiling lights mimic ginkgo leaves (銀杏, Ichō), which is the castle’s symbol - the castle is often referred to as 銀杏城 (gin’nanjō). It is the type of restaurant with individual, private rooms for dining. There were six of us, and we were assigned a room of appropriate size. The servers all wear kimono and glide in and out quietly with a half-dozen courses of delicacies. Obviously, it is not the type of establishment where one would dine daily. However, should a special occasion arise such as relatives visiting from your home country who you REALLY want to impress, I give it five stars+. (Disclaimer: my daughter’s high school classmate works there.) https://www.shiromiyagura.com/

William Live long enough and learn new words: "geoglyph" (地上絵, chijō e ga) is a…

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 04:43:35 +0000

William Live long enough and learn new words: “geoglyph” (地上絵, chijō e ga) is a character or image carved into the earth. There’s a really big one of Kumamon in Shimoezu. Bring your camera-carrying drone and send us your photos. There’s also a stand from which one can view it for ¥500.

William Katô Kiyomasa famously killed a tiger with a spear during one of his tw…

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 03:02:51 +0000

William Katô Kiyomasa famously killed a tiger with a spear during one of his two invasions of Korea. He clearly was not a man to be trifled with, particularly if one were a tiger. He was born in Owari (now Aichi) and participated in Hideyoshi’s Kyushu Campaign in 1587, for which he was given the northern half of Higo, now Kumamoto Prefecture, and built the castle. The Christian Konishi Yukinaga received the southern half, centered in Yatsushiro. Kiyomasa despised Christians and held a particular grudge against Konishi, so he went to war and disposed of him. He then destroyed Konishi’s castle except for one turret, which he had dismantled and reassembled at his. Thus, it is known as “Uto Yagura” (“yagura” means turret). This means that Uto Yagura is older than the castle itself. Kumanichi reports on plans to again dismantle the turret for restoration, a project projected to take ten years. In the meantime, a special walkway has been prepared in order to view the restoration. SamuraiWiki is self-explanatory. You can read more than you probably want to know about Kato Kiyomasa here: https://samurai-archives.com/wiki/Kato_Kiyomasa

William with another post on "where the water is."

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 10:49:39 +0000

William with another post on “where the water is.” Sadly, today I must introduce the town of Saltivka in Ukraine, which sounds much like Kumamoto: “Saltivka is on the edge of town next to a spring. I associate it with the smell of fresh grass; with water and a river. You have a strong attachment to somewhere and it becomes a wasteland, devoid of life. It’s better to move on.” I have lived with the smell of fresh grass and water for over 30 years in Oe and cannot imagine the heartbreak of seeing a lifetime of work and memories destroyed - in many cases (such as mine), generations - and being forced to leave. This evening, I contacted Corona, the company that makes inexpensive kerosene heaters, about donating to Ukraine. Russia has cut their natural gas supply and winter looms. I will let you know if I receive a response.

Kirk here with a major scoop. Kumamon has been in cahoots with the Moonies!! We…

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 08:16:58 +0000

Kirk here with a major scoop. Kumamon has been in cahoots with the Moonies!! Well, actually, to be fair, it’s probably more a matter of Kumamon getting used by the Moonies. Here’s the story . . .

A long time ago, I learned that the Moonies were pushing regional governments to pass “family education” ordinances:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/167033417187237/posts/1164986174058618/

My original source didn’t mention Kumamoto but, being quite interested in this place, I naturally wondered if this might not have happened in Kumamoto too. Well, to my surprise, the answer was not so much a matter of “Kumamoto too” but rather “Kumamoto takes the lead in passing the Moonie agenda.”

William I've written about this before, but with Halloween approaching, a remin…

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 00:12:33 +0000

William I’ve written about this before, but with Halloween approaching, a reminder: Lafcadio Hearn, once a Kumamoto resident, ebooks are available free at gutenberg.org. One appropriate for this season is “In Ghostly Japan.” As it is a collection of short stories - some just a few pages long - it is appropriate for language classes. Though written over a century ago, the English is remarkably fresh. Some of the stories are very, very scary. https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/8128

The 35th Yatsushiro National Fireworks Competition Festival

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 07:47:28 +0000

Kirk here with information about an upcoming event in Yatsushiro. I checked the Japanese side of the site and apparently it’s too late to get reservations for the paid seating but there should be lots of free spots on the grounds from which you can enjoy the show in the sky.

Event title: The 35th Yatsushiro National Fireworks Competition Festival Date: Oct. 15th, 2022 (Saturday) Location: The flood plain of Kumagawa River in Yatsushiro City (upstream from the Shin Hagiwara Bridge)

Kirk here observing that the COVID-19 threat just ain't what it used to be. Kum…

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 04:15:30 +0000

Kirk here observing that the COVID-19 threat just ain’t what it used to be. Kumamoto Prefecture downgraded from Level 2 to 1. This is the first time since all of this started to be at this low level of alert.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4bcc4e1edc0e2c13c5091a868c1f6c652b28b8a5?fbclid=IwAR3asIT_novIBwuCJxmVJ2eFcrYjx2KvlIAVULayRgTudvcMzaVEz65-TNU

Free Professional Consultation for Non-Japanese Residents

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:29:49 +0000

Kirk here with an event that is planned for October 30th (still a ways off): “Free Professional Consultation for Non-Japanese Residents”

I was asked to share this on Kumamoto International by a friend at the International Center, where the event will be held. I think they provide consultation services quite regularly but my impression is that this one-day event will give people free access to professionals that do not participant in the normal consultations. If you hvea some sort of issue that has made you think “Maybe I should get some profession help with this,” then this event may be for you.

William A reader asks about notary services in Kumamoto which would be accepted…

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 02:08:00 +0000

William A reader asks about notary services in Kumamoto which would be accepted in the United States. Such a service is available at the US Consulate in Fukuoka, yet the reader does not want to travel so far. If anyone is aware of such a notary service in Kumamoto, please let us know below.

Kirk here. I got an inquiry about getting a Master's degree in teaching English…

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:28:42 +0000

Kirk here. I got an inquiry about getting a Master’s degree in teaching English as a second lanugage without leaving Kumamoto. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about this topic. If any of you who have looked into this, thought about it, or actually done it would be willing to share your wisdom, please do so in a comment.

Kirk here. It seems that Kumamoto University is establishing an "International …

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:02:07 +0000

Kirk here. It seems that Kumamoto University is establishing an “International Manga Education Research Center” and that they hope it will attract students and researchers from overseas.

It seems that the university has been keeping this under wraps until now – I’ve asked a person who I thought would be intimately involved with the such a center and they/he/she hadn’t heard about it. I looked for websites (both English and Japanese) but came up empty-handed.

William Good news for American citizens: The US Embassy invites voters to send …

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 01:31:55 +0000

William Good news for American citizens: The US Embassy invites voters to send their ballot to the Tokyo Embassy, who will in turn foot the bill to return them to the States. This will save mucho dinero. Info at the link: https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/voting/ Also, while there, sign up for their email alerts - they’re sometimes useful.

Kirk here with a link to an extensive article that has lots of pictures about co…

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 08:37:13 +0000

Kirk here with a link to an extensive article that has lots of pictures about cool stuff to do and see in Kumamoto. I was particularly interested in the photos about rafting on the Kumagawa.

William Kumamoto's beloved streetcar system opened in 1924. As part of its 100t…

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 03:27:22 +0000

William Kumamoto’s beloved streetcar system opened in 1924. As part of its 100th anniversary, they have adopted a novel approach: to crowdfund in order to reproduce the design of a streetcar from the 1950s, when the system was at its peak, on one of its particularly dilapidated cars. According to the City Transportation Bureau, 24 of the 54 vehicles owned by the city are more than 60 years old, with the oldest 71 years old. For crowdfunding, 13 donation amounts ranging from 3,000 yen to 300,000 yen are set on the hometown tax payment site “Furusato Choice”. As incentives, the city will offer the right to charter the ultra-low-floor train “COCORO” (300,000 yen), the right to participate in an exchange meeting to talk about the history of streetcars with officials of the Transportation Bureau (30,000 yen), the tape of the in-car announcement in the 1970s ( 10,000 yen), and other unique items. Those interested can contact the Municipal Transportation Bureau: ☎096(361)5211. https://kumanichi.com/articles/811237?utm_source=kumanichi&utm_medium=mail&utm_campaign=newsletter

Kirk here with baseball news. A segment on a late-night news program called Hod…

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 02:31:32 +0000

Kirk here with baseball news. A segment on a late-night news program called Hodo Station focused on the roots of Murakami’s success in Kumamoto (father’s coaching, progress in school, etc.).

William Wildlife in the city is limited due to strict measures on culling. Stil…

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 06:39:23 +0000

William Wildlife in the city is limited due to strict measures on culling. Still, it’s not unusual to see mustelidae and tanuki even in Oe (though not nearly as often as before all the “mansions” were built). “Tanuki” is one of those Japanese words that have been adopted into English, though it is sometimes referred to as a “racoon dog” (despite being neither racoon nor dog). The animal has a deep place in Japanese folklore. This Wikipedia entrance is definitely worth a read for those interested in Japanese taxonomy and culture. (Being known for their fertility, they are often portrayed as having huge testicles, as the below image shows.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_raccoon_dog

Mizuakari Festival

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 04:08:03 +0000

William The Mizuakari Festival will be held at various locations in Kumamoto from 10/8 and 9. Visit the castle to see wonderful displays of light, included carved bamboo lanterns and floats, uh, floating down Tsuboigawa. http://mizuakari.net/?fbclid=IwAR2a5vFBVYl_UtKncW0Gl1gjyvGPBl5Dw5D-Kq7LCvcDLL3WkSTecfu0_wk

Kuma-Hitoyoshi Tour for Vegan Families

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 04:20:30 +0000

Ruth here! I think this ’tour monitoring’ post got lost amid other posts.

If there are any interested vegan families nearby, who are free later this month to explore Kuma-Hitoyoshi, then please contact Mr. Harris 🍃

Kirk here with a question from someone on another Kumamoto-related forum:

Sun, 02 Oct 2022 00:37:40 +0000

Kirk here with a question from someone on another Kumamoto-related forum:

“Does anyone know anyone that grows pumpkins for carving? I’d like to get two or three pumpkins to carve this month.”

(Douglas) Megumi and I decided to try and catch some "Cluster Amaryllis" before …

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 11:07:44 +0000

(Douglas) Megumi and I decided to try and catch some “Cluster Amaryllis” before they faded for the season. We decided not to call them “Spider Lilies”, as there have been a large number of posts recently that have scared arachnophobes!

Kirk here with a news share:

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 23:58:12 +0000

Kirk here with a news share:

— start quote — The guidelines, intended for hospitals and municipal governments, were compiled after Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto — the nation’s only hospital that runs a “baby hatch” for newborns set for adoption — started accepting women who wish to give birth anonymously. The hospital assisted with the nation’s first such birth in December last year, and four more women have had their baby delivered at the hospital in this manner to date. — end quote —

Hari here, From October, bicycle users will be required to wear helmets. (Kumamo…

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 07:41:41 +0000

Hari here, From October, bicycle users will be required to wear helmets. (Kumamoto City Bicycle Safety Ordinance Revision) https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/hpKiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=43456&class_set_id=2&class_id=71

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto City has been ranked as the third most livable…

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:22:44 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto City has been ranked as the third most livable city in Japan. What! Only third?!! ;)

I haven’t had time to look into exactly how this evaluation was made but as one who also finds Kumamoto City to be quite livable, the overall evaluation makes sense to me.

https://project.nikkeibp.co.jp/atclppp/071300044/071400003/?fbclid=IwAR0RpBjTKDaFSZJsJSZETdO5QSZ1yefUwtJvOurfiBS2L9MnbqMYZWBji94

P.S. I learned about this here:

https://www.facebook.com/kumamotocom/posts/pfbid0V2qMRmex9BCY9QezqBEHrNbkWKBRwVYHesk8Q8zGKG96a9MQRRn9cHWH7kcJANUil

Kirk here with another article share. This article links to an article about Ku…

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 01:45:19 +0000

Kirk here with another article share. This article links to an article about Kusabe Yoshimi, which I shared on this page recently. It also mentions “Kumamoto’s Kusasenrigahama highlands,” an area near the volcano that is usually referred to simply as “Kusasenri.” The second link below takes you to information about that popular place.

Even though the information about Kumamoto is only a small part of this article, if you’re interested in visiting so-called “power spots,” you might want to check it out.

Liz here, fall is on its way (I think) and if you are a fan of spider lilies, al…

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 13:29:25 +0000

Liz here, fall is on its way (I think) and if you are a fan of spider lilies, also apparently known as cluster amaryllis, now is the time to head to the rice fields in Mashiki. Just follow densha dori and keep going past Kengun. After passing through a road construction area, keep on the same road headed towards Nishihara . Rice fields will appear, mainly on the right side, and there is a small area where you can park if your timing is right.Link is to a google map showing the main viewing spots: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=ALiCzsaeKrAqPAQ9XmAZclxWkE34C_gW-A:1664370380389&q=%E7%86%8A%E6%9C%AC%E7%9C%8C%E7%9B%8A%E5%9F%8E%E7%94%BA%E5%BD%BC%E5%B2%B8%E8%8A%B1&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rldoc=1&rllag=32941668,130822043,16161&tbm=lcl&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjmxbDqxrf6AhWIGqYKHamSBkUQtgN6BAgIEAE&biw=1161&bih=700&dpr=2#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[33.3583995,130.8829136],[32.765639799999995,130.15474709999998]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1

Fujisakigu Reitaisai

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 10:34:22 +0000

Kirk here suggesting that you mark your calendars. After being postponed because of the typhoon, the Fujisakigu Reitaisai has been rescheduled for October 23rd.

Carlton. Consumer price inflation in Kumamoto was brought home to me yesterday w…

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 03:30:16 +0000

Carlton. Consumer price inflation in Kumamoto was brought home to me yesterday when I passed one of the “百円寿司 / ¥100 Sushi” places, Kura Sushi to be exact, that is near me. For decades they and their numerous competitors have advertised a serving of sushi on their computerized conveyer belt delivery system, regardless of most ingredients, to be ¥100. 2 pieces of sushi for a shiny reliable 100 Yen coin. ‘Hyakuensushi‘ became a word in its own right.

William Again, apologies for posting items tangent to Kumamoto (except that we …

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 00:36:50 +0000

William Again, apologies for posting items tangent to Kumamoto (except that we have a large crow population), but this point caught my attention: “Cognition, says McCoy, can be fun. It opens a door to behaviour that isn’t necessarily essential for survival.”

William The C. m. japonensis is a type of crow. (Oyaji gag: why are they called…

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 20:42:12 +0000

William The C. m. japonensis is a type of crow. (Oyaji gag: why are they called crow? - it’s their color!) They are extremely intelligent. I had a lil’ guy (girl?) who visited my Kumadai office perch to get snacks. He (she?) would never enter the office but was pleased with the snacks I provided him (her?) on the ledge. She (he?) later had a chick and taught it how to get free food from me.

Kirk with some news about the state funeral of Abe Shinzo, the former prime mini…

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 02:24:40 +0000

Kirk with some news about the state funeral of Abe Shinzo, the former prime minister who was murdered this year. The image you see reports the results of an online survey conducted by the Kumanichi, Kumamoto’s local newspaper. It compares results from July and September.

Red is “opposed” and pink is “leaning toward opposition.” So, if red and pink are combined, the overall figure for September is 73.4% opposed. Conversely, blue is “in favor” and light blue is “leaning toward being in favor.”

Kirk here with some "trash talk." A long time ago, one of my partners in crime …

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 06:49:29 +0000

Kirk here with some “trash talk.” A long time ago, one of my partners in crime here posted a link to a pdf about disposing of trash in Kumamoto. Trash disposal is often cited as a source of friction so the information was very welcome but there were two problems: (1) The translation wasn’t very good and (2) there was no link to the original Japanese so I figuring out what was actually meant was difficult. This was one factor that led me to write a formal letter to Mayor Onishi requesting that links to the original Japanese content be included in collections of links to materials that have been translated into foreign languages.

Kirk here. Here's something for those of you who can read French and who are in…

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 21:58:03 +0000

Kirk here. Here’s something for those of you who can read French and who are interested in manga, education, and/or Takamori. It’s about the ‘manga studies’ department described in English in this article from last year:

Japan to get its 1st high school ‘manga studies’ department https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210910/p2a/00m/0et/033000c

Even though I don’t read French (unfortunately), I was able to read the article quickly and easily via a machine translation function in my browser (Safari on my Mac, via an Apple service).

William Tussles abut over which route to connect the JR Hohi (isn't it fun to s…

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 11:43:19 +0000

William Tussles abut over which route to connect the JR Hohi (isn’t it fun to say “Hohi”?) line to Kumamoto Airport, particularly whether an Ozu line or a Sanrigi line. Issues are distance and potential usage. I’d go with the Sanrigi line. It’s closer to the new fabs being built there, closer to many who would use the line from outside the city, and closer to the athletic park. It would be nice to see it completed within my lifetime. Kumanichi has the story: https://kumanichi.com/articles/800349

Hello all 🙂

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 14:20:25 +0000

Hello all 🙂

Olivia here,

We have an assignment for foreign residents in Japan who used clinics/medical services in Japan before, from a Kuma i reader (Matthew Porter);

Please read information below :

I teach at Fukuoka Jo Gakuin Nursing University and have been awarded a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). (Edited to correct name.)

I am passionate about improving health care for foreign and international patients in Japan. To that end, I’m collecting stories from people who’ve experienced Japanese health care, with a focus on differing expectations and interesting experiences. Basically, stories I can share with my nursing students so they can begin to recognize what they should consider when caring for someone who might not be used to the health care system here.

William A reminder that the Japanese Health System, as wonderful as it is, can …

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 09:51:16 +0000

William A reminder that the Japanese Health System, as wonderful as it is, can be difficult to navigate. If any need advice, please do not hesitate to contact us.

William An interesting kanji exists - 轟, representing three vehicles and meanin…

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 05:29:33 +0000

William An interesting kanji exists - 轟, representing three vehicles and meaning a whole lotta noise, pronounced “todoro.” There are several waterfalls named such; Google them. One is in Yatsushiro.

Kirk here with what I think is a cool use of technology that is being applied to…

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 05:00:07 +0000

Kirk here with what I think is a cool use of technology that is being applied to the restoration of Kumamoto Castle:

“Kumamoto University and Toppan Inc. have applied 3D scanning to past photos of Kumamoto Castle to restore stone walls that collapsed in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes. CG images were made for tourism promotion in 2011 before the stone walls collapsed. By using more than 40,000 copies of photos taken at the time and the CG, the university and the company created 3D data of the stone walls. Based on the data, they made a database of the shapes of stone materials and their original positions, aiming to check them against data on the stone materials that collapsed.”

William Our friend https://www.facebook.com/hiromitsu.yagi posted a photo of th…

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 00:38:43 +0000

William Our friend https://www.facebook.com/hiromitsu.yagi posted a photo of the castle illuminated in red, a salute to World Alzheimer’s Month. https://www.alzint.org/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month/

Kirk here introducing an article that has lot of pictures of Kusabe Yoshimi Shri…

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:27:05 +0000

Kirk here introducing an article that has lot of pictures of Kusabe Yoshimi Shrine (草部吉見神社), which is located in Takamori. If the article makes you want to visit, you’ll find an address you can plug into Google maps and a link to the shrine’s Japanese website at the end of it.

Kirk here with a little footnote regarding an issue that really bothered me as t…

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:17:03 +0000

Kirk here with a little footnote regarding an issue that really bothered me as the recent typhoon approached: giving people (especially foreigners) the impression that EVERYONE was required to evacuate (go to a shelter) when, if fact, that wasn’t the official policy. I was mainly concerned about how such messages might waste people’s time (cause them to spend unproductive time in a shelter unnecessarily) or lead to a “boy crying wolf” effect (it’s just a** covering on the part of the officials – ignore them). This newspaper article (Asahi) from the Monday the 19th made me realize that another issue was involved. In Miyazaki City (which was under greater threat and sustained more damage than Kumamoto City) many shelters filled up completely. The article says that some people who would have preferred to be in a shelter had to remain at home. So, giving people who don’t need to evacuate the impression that they are required to do so may lead to centers filling up and preventing people who really need a place to shelter from doing so. This is just one more reason why NHK WORLD-Japan’s clear but factually incorrect “Lever 4 means every must evacuate” explanation needs to be corrected. Actually, I have an acquaintance at NHK WORLD-Japan and am planning to put my argument together in a tight package eventually and present it to him. I’m not sure but perhaps I can get them to make some adjustments in how they explain this stuff.

(Douglas) After posting a few screen captured videos in conjunction with typhoon…

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 08:37:18 +0000

(Douglas) After posting a few screen captured videos in conjunction with typhoon 14 posts, I was not pleased to see how Facebook treated them. Instead of giving up, I decided to try a completely different approach. The video I will now attempt to post has been created by a different workflow and I have chosen to answer a question that was asked by Paul Arenson about the typhoon as it passed Fukuoka. Here goes . . . . . . https://youtu.be/_AGmb6GeNKs

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I know that many readers of Kumamoto In…

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 01:52:52 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I know that many readers of Kumamoto International also read Kuma Visit but for those of you who don’t, I highly recommend it. We may post about similar topics but the specific information is often quite different. For example, I posted a lot about how to figure out whether or not evacuation orders actually apply to you but I didn’t introduce anything for people with pets who might need to move to a safer location. If there’s anyone out there who may actually need to evacuate with a pet in the future, you might want to save this bit of information for future reference. And, be sure to “like” Kuma Visit!

Kirk here with land price news (an unusual topic on this page):

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 01:16:53 +0000

Kirk here with land price news (an unusual topic on this page):

“Among 21,431 surveyed locations, an industrial area in southwestern Kumamoto prefecture enjoyed the biggest land price increase, 31.6%, thanks to factory construction in the neighbourhood by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW).”

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japans-average-land-prices-rise-first-since-pre-pandemic-govt-2022-09-20/

The Sinfonietta 34th Annual Concert

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 08:46:35 +0000

Kirk here with an announcement from my friend and colleague, Joe Tomei:

===== The Sinfonietta, an amateur orchestra in Kumamoto, will be giving its 34th annual concert on 27 Nov at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gekijo, next to Kumamoto Gakuen University. We’ll be playing Rossini’s Overture to Il Signor Bruscino, Schubert’s 1st and Beethoven’s 8th. Our guest conductor is Akitoku Nakai, who has an opera background, so please join us. If you’d like tickets, please contact Joe Tomei.

William Nothing to mention about this except the delight of driving on remote K…

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 07:43:02 +0000

William Nothing to mention about this except the delight of driving on remote Kumamoto roads. Slowness and caution are not just necessities but the point. I was once with my wife, our dog in the rear with the windows open, when I noticed in my back-mirror a dog chasing us, and I mentioned to her how it resembled ours. (He’d jumped out; we recovered him safely.) Hint: go mapless.

William The Kyushu Shinkansen connects Hakata and Kagoshima in 1 hour and 17 mi…

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 08:12:20 +0000

William The Kyushu Shinkansen connects Hakata and Kagoshima in 1 hour and 17 minutes at speeds as fast as 260-280 kph. The trains need maintenance and a place to “sleep” when not in use. One is JR Kyushu’s Kumamoto General Depot in Uto City. Having often travelled by the depot, its scale and complexity has never failed to impress. With a total area of 200,000 square meters, it’s three times the size of Fukuoka Dome and contains 23 tracks. Tours are available. To apply, dial 096 (357) 7272, a number dedicated to tour applications. https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/n/323436/

Kirk here with some thoughts on a linguistic issue that was driving me nuts unti…

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 05:21:42 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts on a linguistic issue that was driving me nuts until I figured it out (I think) a minute ago. In the image you see below, level 4 is listed as “All must evacuate.” In the video on this page (URL below) the announcer says “everyone must evacuate” with no qualifications: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/93/

Of course, we all know that’s crazy. There’s no way that everyone in a Level 4 area (most of the prefecture) could have gone to a shelter.

Kirk here with a slightly premature (?) post-mortem on the typhoon. I just happ…

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 02:19:58 +0000

Kirk here with a slightly premature (?) post-mortem on the typhoon. I just happened to watch part of a live press conference with officials at the JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) where they were explaining why the typhoon wasn’t quite as bad as feared. I was watching with NHK’s app on my phone but I found the same content (recorded, not live) on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_eIKNZrvg

At about 45:00 into the video, they’re talking about why it wasn’t quite as terrible as predicted. One point was that the path of the typhoon took it directly over land in Kyushu. Going directly over land sounds bad but, actually, that weakened it. If the path had been a little more to the west, as they had expected, the storm would have remained much stronger and the effect on Kumamoto would have been much greater. In response to a question about why the path was slightly different from what was expected the answer was that it was within the range of possibilities that they were looking at but that they just weren’t sure exactly how it would behave.

Kirk again. I think this English-language video report from NHK WORLD-Japan is …

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 13:20:27 +0000

Kirk again. I think this English-language video report from NHK WORLD-Japan is very good:

Kirk here with some more about the typhoon:

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 13:14:51 +0000

Kirk here with some more about the typhoon:

— start quote — The Cabinet Office said that seven prefectures in the Kyushu region have decided to apply the disaster relief act to all municipalities in each prefecture as fears grow that Nanmadol could wreak havoc there. The seven prefectures are Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki and Kagoshima. This was the first case in which the disaster relief act had been applied before damage was actually caused since the law was revised in 2021 to enable such an in-advance application. — end quote —

Kirk here posting again about how to interpret evacuation levels. For those of …

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 08:43:58 +0000

Kirk here posting again about how to interpret evacuation levels. For those of us in Kumamoto City (which currently at Level 4), Level 4 does NOT mean that we all have to evacuate, regardless of our housing circumstances. If everyone attempted to do so, that would itself be a sort of disaster. To determine whether or not you need to evacuate, you need to look at the flowchart in the following post: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0DdVLZRKzVF3HXGFrxqDnHV63KYwbF327noiad5QeVScyJvVwS2vegbZVGdJXCiB3l

William If you desire a diversion while we're hunkering (and as long as electri…

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 06:54:34 +0000

William If you desire a diversion while we’re hunkering (and as long as electricity and Internet access hold up), enjoy Windfinder: https://www.windfinder.com If our luck holds, the majority of the winds will be concentrated on Kyushu’s east coast and blunted by the mountains.

Kirk here. This link came to me in an e-mail from the Kumamoto International Fo…

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 06:31:23 +0000

Kirk here. This link came to me in an e-mail from the Kumamoto International Foundation:

— start quote — NHK WORLD-JAPAN will keep you up to date with the latest information in 21 languages 「Links for Multilingual News & BOSAI Info 」 https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/multilingual_links/?cid=wohk-doml-org_site_emergency_gs — end quote —

I think it’s a good resource but one thing that makes me scratch my head is the use of the word BOSAI without any indication of what it means in English: disaster prevention. I would think that if the idea is to present information about disasters to people who aren’t necessarily fluent in Japanese that they would want to put some English words on their top page that clearly indicate what the topic is. 😕 If they want to use the word BOSAI, they could put “disaster information” in smaller type somewhere nearby.

Kirk here with an Aljazeera article. The image is similar to one in an NHK arti…

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 01:40:32 +0000

Kirk here with an Aljazeera article. The image is similar to one in an NHK article I posted but the content is somewhat different.

For links to previous posts of mine regarding how to decide if you, in your specific circumstances, should shelter at home or go to a shelter, see the following: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0zSoJh7mtcX9FmpxnA5DxL2i3bVhpNkKT6BHSUWMgXJdNYVkdAxqX5ZSWkAeBjgKzl

If you are in Kumamoto City and need to look for a shelter, I recommend the following page:

Kirk here. Directives to evacuate (hinan shiji) have already been issued for Ama…

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 12:57:08 +0000

Kirk here. Directives to evacuate (hinan shiji) have already been issued for Amakusa and Minami Oguni:

https://crisis.yahoo.co.jp/evacuation/43/

If you live in those areas, you need to either evacuate or make sure that your circumstances don’t require evacuation. As I wrote a week or so ago (which now feels like a rehearsal for today), there are exceptions to evacuation directives. That post, which includes screenshots and a link to an officially sanctioned explanation, is here:

Kirk here with a video from NHK WORLD-Japan. They say that the bullet train (Sh…

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 12:25:37 +0000

Kirk here with a video from NHK WORLD-Japan. They say that the bullet train (Shinkansen) will not run between Kumamoto and Hakata tomorrow afternoon.

Kirk here with more about the approaching typhoon. According to TropicalStormRi…

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 12:24:01 +0000

Kirk here with more about the approaching typhoon. According to TropicalStormRisk.com it is currently a category 4 cyclone. That’s the category just below a so-call super typhoon. A category 4 storm has “1 Minute Maximum Sustained Winds” of 209-251 kilometers per hour – more than double typical highway speed. By the time the typhoon gets to Kumamoto it should have settled down a bit but TropicalStormRisk.com is predicting that we have a better than 50-50 chance of experiencing category 1 or above winds. Category 1 winds are between 119 and 153 kph – highway speed and above.

Kirk here with a little screen capture video of gust speeds (in kilometers per h…

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 03:37:03 +0000

Kirk here with a little screen capture video of gust speeds (in kilometers per hour) that are projected for tomorrow starting at 11:00 AM. These images are from Ventusky.

P.S. I’ve already posted this video as a comment in another thread but I thought I’d post it separately so that more people could see it.

Kirk again. I just posted about checking out your area to see how prone to floo…

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 00:41:58 +0000

Kirk again. I just posted about checking out your area to see how prone to flooding it is:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0KsQnJbEuRY4Rsia3tZLKwKcBqRDuKAiTgzpNp6tcQtY2wTQ9WutiwVWMHUiqHLe5l

In that post, I explained that the peak flooding levels shown on the map are “once in 1000 years.” But, in my experience, flooding in Kumamoto is something that happens every few decades or so. The picture of the upturned car you see is one I took just 10 years ago when the Shirakawa flooded and much of the Tatsuda-Jinai (Tatsuta-Jinai?) area was hit.

Kirk here. In preparation for the approaching typhoon, I'd like to introduce (r…

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 23:53:17 +0000

Kirk here. In preparation for the approaching typhoon, I’d like to introduce (re-introduce, actually) Kumamoto City’s hazard map:

https://hazard7.kumamoto-city.jp/sphone.html

After playing with it a few minutes this morning, I’m fairly impressed with it. One problem for the non-Japanese-reading community is that the interface (place names on map, labels on buttons, explanation in the maps key, etc.) is all in Japanese and I don’t think it’s possible (or at least not easy) to use a machine translation service to render it in English. Another problem is that it’s only for Kumamoto City – I haven’t yet found a similar resource for other parts of the prefecture. Please share any such resources that you happen to know about in a comment.

William My paternal grandfather was an arachnologist, a person who studies spid…

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 11:45:39 +0000

William My paternal grandfather was an arachnologist, a person who studies spiders and other venomous lil guys. He did much work on tarantulas and the black widow (former: docile, good pets; latter: very dangerous). But he lived to be 95, so perhaps the venom he exposed himself to was actually healthy. Kumanichi reports on grey widow spiders being found in Kumamoto, likely introduced by lumber shipments - they’re known to lurk in woodsheds. If you see one, don’t touch it: stamp on it or run away. https://kumanichi.com/articles/792871

William Heads up on the typhoon. It seems to be gaining strength as it barrels …

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 09:24:26 +0000

William Heads up on the typhoon. It seems to be gaining strength as it barrels straight towards us. Take precautions and ensure you have stuff for the next few days as infrastructure disruptions may render your convenience store less convenient..

William There are multiple fascinating places to visit in Kyushu, which got a wr…

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 02:11:56 +0000

William There are multiple fascinating places to visit in Kyushu, which got a write-up on Japan Today. A favorite of mine is 都井岬宮崎 (Toi Misaki, Miyazaki - or Cape Toi), which is known for its feral horses. They are housed but head out each morning to spend their days keeping the grass short and making new horses. They are generally tame and allow themselves to be approached. Some say they are descendants of horses brought by Ghingis Khan during his invasion of Japan. Pretty much only accessible by car, this site south-east of Kumamoto should be on your bucket list. https://blog.gaijinpot.com/5-historical-and-quirky.../

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto City's YouTube channel, which was discussed r…

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 14:52:24 +0000

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto City’s YouTube channel, which was discussed recently in the City Assembly. This is the channel’s most popular video with 397,341 views. That’s pretty good, I guess, but the price tag was ¥11,990,000, which works out to about 30 yen per view and is more than a typical person earns for a full year of work. The member of the council who brought up the topic of the channel seemed to be concerned that the city wasn’t promoting their videos effectively. Quite a few videos have fewer than 30 views each.

William This is something to keep an eye on.

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 08:04:58 +0000

William This is something to keep an eye on.

Public lecture comparing U.S. and Japanese responses to COVID-19

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 03:55:02 +0000

Kirk here with some news and a request for feedback about issues related to visiting Japan (and, of course, Kumamoto).

As this article explains, “self-guided” doesn’t mean “plan and implement your own itinerary”; it means pay a company to allow you to participate in a tour that’s a bit cheaper because they don’t have to hire a full-time guide. If, however, you want to come to Japan to visit old friends in different parts of the country, etc., “self-guiding” wont’ be enough. If you are an American (I assume the situation is similar in other countries), you can get a visa to visit your spouse, attend a wedding, etc. but I can imagine lots and lots of reasonable plans for travel to Japan that would fit any of the currently available visa options.

Kirk here. This guy is amazing! I heard on TV today that there are enough game…

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 14:40:47 +0000

Kirk here. This guy is amazing! I heard on TV today that there are enough games left in the season for him to surpass the all-time record if he continues at his average for this year’s season.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2022/09/14/baseball/japanese-baseball/murakami-55th-home-run/

If you can’t read the Japan Times article try this one:

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/baseball/20220914-58199/

“Murakami belted his 55th homer of the season to tie former Yomiuri legend Sadaharu Oh’s 1964 record for a Japanese-born player during Yakult’s 9-7 loss to the Giants at Jingu Stadium in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.”

Kirk here with a screenshot from Tropicalstormrisk.com. It indicates that we ar…

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 10:57:19 +0000

Kirk here with a screenshot from Tropicalstormrisk.com. It indicates that we are fairly likely (40% ?) to experience tropical storm winds about 5 days from now (120 hours).
Actually, I was prompted to post this message by a message from fellow editor Carlton in which he asked me what my favorite typhoon-related website is. Here’s my answer: For predictions several days in the future, I like Tropicalstormrisk.com. For short-term predictions (within a 24-hour period) fellow editor Douglas’s recommendation of Ventusky.com looks promising to me. Please add other recommendations or opinions about resources in a comment. :)

William Kumamoto had a difficult time dealing with leprosy. Documentation of ab…

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 10:38:20 +0000

William Kumamoto had a difficult time dealing with leprosy. Documentation of abuse is abundant. Many infected were isolated at what became temples on Mt Kimpo at what is collectively called Hon Myoji (本妙寺). Several of these temples remain on a long walk up a flight of stairs. Start early, take a day, and bring water.

Kirk here with a note about my continuing research on Kumamoto's Moonie connecti…

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 10:03:38 +0000

Kirk here with a note about my continuing research on Kumamoto’s Moonie connections. This has to do with Kumamoto’s “family education” law (くまもと家庭教育支援条例) which was established in 2013 and can be read here on the prefecture’s website (in Japanese): https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/kyouiku/8775.html

As I have written previously, I have learned through media reports that pushing (or encouraging) local governments to establish such laws has been a long-standing objective of the Moonies:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/167033417187237/posts/1164986174058618/

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0thvZHyWDuS7JqyHZNdWkuBjkBGUTgES6kdVVdvXYuXYpm5JTKUGuGHRjTPCnKLvdl

Miyabi: The history and the beauty of the Hosokawa collection

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 03:39:18 +0000

Kirk here posting again about an exhibition at the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art. Here’s a machine translation of the original Japanese-language information about the exhibition:

Miyabi: The history and the beauty of the Hosokawa collection https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp.e.qp.hp.transer.com/site/museum/129243.html

And here’s the original Japanese: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/museum/129243.html

My previous post focused on a very famous sword that is being displayed as part of the exhibition: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02UE5iYdf2u3aKNcavnmzZiJkzpKqibZRQqWJKMTGeTa3wwYGykeqmkHtjhP7RUQrql

This sword can only be seen in Part I of the exhibition which ends on September 25th.

Kirk here reporting that the temperature in Kosa (in Kumamoto) was 36.3 C (97.3 …

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:58:24 +0000

Kirk here reporting that the temperature in Kosa (in Kumamoto) was 36.3 C (97.3 F). That’s a new record for Kumamoto in September and it was the hottest temperature in the country today.

William Our friend Liz is a very talented photographer and runs a studio near F…

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:16:13 +0000

William Our friend Liz is a very talented photographer and runs a studio near Fujisaki Shrine, so if you have something to commemorate over eternity, go her way. She took these marvelous photos of the moon. According to Wikipedia, “The most widely accepted origin explanation posits that the Moon formed 4.51 billion years ago, not long after Earth, out of the debris from a giant impact between the planet and a hypothesized Mars-sized body called Theia.” Brutal. Don’t name your daughter “Theia,” and appreciate life. Photos by Liz Suenaga.

William Things one might not associate with Kumamon and badminton might be one,…

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 03:58:45 +0000

William Things one might not associate with Kumamon and badminton might be one, but remember: this guy (?) somehow swims. Pictured is Akane Yamaguchi, who won the badminton world championship in Tokyo in August, visiting with Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima. Kumamon might not be “bad"minton but “good"minton! (Drops mike as wife slaps him.) Also, a reminder about how excruciating it must be to be a human inside a stuffed animal on the beach in the middle of summer.

Kirk here with some news about Kumamoto's relationship with Montana.

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:56:41 +0000

Kirk here with some news about Kumamoto’s relationship with Montana.

Kirk here with some local news that has become national. IDE Nobuo, an LDP membe…

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 15:09:31 +0000

Kirk here with some local news that has become national. IDE Nobuo, an LDP member of the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly, is shown in this video smoking in Koshien Stadium, while rooting for Kyushu Gakuen High School, his alma mater. This part of the stadium is “no smoking” but he continued to smoke despite requests from school officials to cease and desist. The video contains an older video from Mr. Ide where he says that his motto is 初志貫徹 (shoshi kantetsu), which means “once you decided to do something, you should see it through to the end.” I guess the implication is that once Mr. Ide decided to start smoking in the stands, he was determined to see it through to the end, regardless of what others might say.

William Our good friend Tami Day recently posted that there are over 230 variet…

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:48:43 +0000

William Our good friend Tami Day recently posted that there are over 230 varieties of potatoes in the Americas. This is particularly important for genetic health - think of the the Irish potato famine. Kumamoto does a whole lotta potatoes (yeah - their is an “e” on the end when you pluralize them).

William This article is about a female infant who was born and abandoned in a p…

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 05:26:47 +0000

William This article is about a female infant who was born and abandoned in a phone booth, likely as her mother was panicked and could think of no other options. I was adopted back in mid ’60s Boston, when such a practice was unusual. It is not unusual anymore. Jikei Hospital offers full medical care under complete confidentiality. PM us if in need of help. https://kumanichi.com/articles/785611 https://jikei-hp.or.jp/

Kirk here with more recent successes of Kumamoto's own Munetaka Murakami: "Murak…

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 04:31:08 +0000

Kirk here with more recent successes of Kumamoto’s own Munetaka Murakami: “Murakami, who has a very real chance of becoming the first Triple Crown winner in Japan since Nobuhiko Matsunaka of the then Daiei Hawks in 2004, homered over the center-field wall in his first at-bat of the night in the second inning at Jingu Stadium.”

I didn’t know what “triple crown” meant. Here’s an explanation: “The term ‘Triple Crown’ generally refers to the batting achievement of leading a league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI) over the same season.” – Wikipedia

Kirk with some economic news: "FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Represen…

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 01:16:50 +0000

Kirk with some economic news: “FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Representative Director: Teiichi Goto) has announced that it will invest approximately 2 billion yen installing a production facility capable of manufacturing cutting-edge semiconductor materials in Kumamoto supporting the growth of the electronic materials business.”

William Living in Oe, I am lucky airport-transportation-wise (bus!), but I have…

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 09:34:09 +0000

William Living in Oe, I am lucky airport-transportation-wise (bus!), but I have heard the woes of those in further locales, particularly northern Kumamoto (from there, it’s often easier to go to Fukuoka). However, JR Kyushu and Kumamoto Prefecture have finally gotten around to kinda start studies into creating a rail line to the airport from Higo Ozu Station. The rationale is the closer distance compared with Sanrigi and the demand which will arise from the new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. While a final decision has not been made, we may see this within our lifetime. https://kumanichi.com/articles/785496

William with a tangential post: We Californians do not take well to royalty - th…

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:40:58 +0000

William with a tangential post: We Californians do not take well to royalty - think of Maximilian I, the Austrian archduke who reigned as the only Emperor of the Second Mexican Empire from1864 until his execution in 1867. Yet having lived under the reign of Japanese emperors for most of my life, I have grown to appreciate their function. Morose at the loss of Elisabeth 2. (Funeral styles are rather different - the Showa Emperor and the Queen Mother.)

Kirk here with another installment in my not-very-popular Kumamoto-Moonie series…

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 02:19:20 +0000

Kirk here with another installment in my not-very-popular Kumamoto-Moonie series. This one is about the Kumamoto International Association (熊本県国際協会) and connections of two Kumamoto-based LDP politicians to the Moonies.

According to the RKK report linked to below, a representative from a human rights group based in Fukuoka came to Kumamoto to ask the association, which is led by Governor Kabashima, to cut ties with Unification Church (Moonie; 統一教会) affiliated groups. I have a few thoughts about this:

Kirk here with a Kumamoto-Moonie update (a "Kuma-Moon" update ;) ).

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 03:27:28 +0000

Kirk here with a Kumamoto-Moonie update (a “Kuma-Moon” update ;) ).

Connections that have been clear for at least several weeks if you follow the Twitter feeds of anti-Moonie journalists are finally beginning to surface in the local media. The first picture is about the prefecture’s board of education and the second is about the city council. In both cases, connections to the “Kumamoto Pure Forum” (熊本ビュアフォーラム) are at issue. I became aware of this group while trying to look into Moonie connections with the establishment of Kumamoto’s “family education” law (くまもと家庭教育支援条例). I wrote a little about that here:

William with bit of a personal note: my wife is combating cancer. I have taken t…

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 02:58:02 +0000

William with bit of a personal note: my wife is combating cancer. I have taken this up as her theme image. Navigating the byzantine of the Japanese health system (wonderful as it is) can be confusing enough for natives. If questions, we are here to assist.

Kirk here with news about the prefecture's plans to use Kumamon to rebuild the l…

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 02:25:54 +0000

Kirk here with news about the prefecture’s plans to use Kumamon to rebuild the local tourist industry:

“Kumamon-themed attractions have sprung up across the prefecture, including a park next to an international cruise ship terminal with dozens of bear statues. The prefecture will subsidize the cost of developing other projects. In the city of Kumamoto, events will be held frequently at the central train station, airport and other locations to give visitors the chance to interact with the mascot.”

Kirk here. I'm not aware of any severe damage in Kumamoto but the storm itself …

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 08:18:12 +0000

Kirk here. I’m not aware of any severe damage in Kumamoto but the storm itself was nothing to sneeze at, so to speak. Tsushima and South Korea were hit particularly hard.

“The JMA observed a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 161 kph in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, in the early hours of Sept. 6.”

William Getting to Kamiamakusa is not difficult: an extremely scenic train ride…

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 07:13:16 +0000

William Getting to Kamiamakusa is not difficult: an extremely scenic train ride to Misumi (which in itself is worth the trip), and then a taxi - or a direct bus from Kotsu Center for a bit over about ¥1,500. This is what you get: bring your swimfins. Our friend Enrico at KamiAmakusa Real Experience has details: https://www.facebook.com/KArealexperience

Kirk with more about calls for the elderly to evacuate and general disaster info…

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 14:44:37 +0000

Kirk with more about calls for the elderly to evacuate and general disaster information (more for future reference than for this specific typhoon).

Kumamoto City has a Disaster Prevention Information Portal. The website is in Japanese but it uses Google translate, which works pretty well:

https://city-kumamoto.secure.force.com

Today I’ve gotten interested in the call for the elderly and people with special needs to evacuate. The announcement from the city says that this applies to 731,464 people. That’s the entire population of Kumamoto City – not the number of people who are in the category to which a Level 3 announcement applies. Then, if you look at the number of people who have actually evacuated at this point (341 for the whole city), you can see that most people (even the elderly and people with special needs) didn’t think the announcement required their evacuation.

William Shimabara (島原), on the east coast of the Nagasaki peninsula and just ac…

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 05:44:47 +0000

William Shimabara (島原), on the east coast of the Nagasaki peninsula and just across Ariake Sea from Kumamoto, lies in about as precarious a position imaginable: it was sandwiched not only between warring clans during the Edo period but between Mt Fugen and the Ariake Sea, which produced one of the deadliest tsunami in human history: the 島原大変肥後迷惑 (Shimabara Taihen Higo Meiwaku), which can be (very) loosly translated as “Disaster of a day for Shimabara, bummer for Kumamoto.” Read about it here: https://tinyurl.com/27wnx68a Volcanoes, being mostly granite, don’t absorb much water, but their weight often results in springs around their edges. Shimabara abounds in springs. The samurai who lived there in what is called a “bukeyashiki” (samurai mansion, 武家屋敷) relied on the water, channeled on both sides of the lanes, for both living purposes and as a layer of defense for their houses. Many of these survive in Shimabara and are famous for their koi (bring fish pellets). Everything is walking distance if you have enough time. Take an early ferry and spend a gorgeous autumn day absorbing the beautiful scenery and unparalleled history; skip the unimpressive castle. Notice that the stone in the two photos below is volcanic tuff, created from solidified volcanic ash. Shimabara ferry website: https://www.kyusho-ferry.co.jp/world/index_en.html Google “島原鯉” for some amazing images - and please send us those that you’ve taken yourself for posting.

Kirk with a little more recent information about whether or not you need to evac…

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 05:06:41 +0000

Kirk with a little more recent information about whether or not you need to evacuate:

https://www.bousai.go.jp/oukyu/hinanjouhou/r3_hinanjouhou_guideline/pdf/EN_ura.pdf

I think the content is basically the same as what I posted earlier but this is easier to follow.

I found the link to it on this page. There are links to many other languages: https://www.bousai.go.jp/oukyu/hinanjouhou/r3_hinanjouhou_guideline/

Kirk with some information about how to interpret disaster information issued in…

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 04:35:20 +0000

Kirk with some information about how to interpret disaster information issued in Kumamoto.

In short: Evacuation advisories are already being issued for parts of Kumamoto Prefecture, including Kumamoto City. However, even if you are in an area for which evacuations are called, you may not actually need to evacuate so check the flow chart.

The screenshots I’m adding to this post are from a pdf that can be found at the following address:

Kirk here with another typhoon update. The image is from Ventusky.com, which Dou…

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 02:06:17 +0000

Kirk here with another typhoon update. The image is from Ventusky.com, which Douglas introduced to me. (Thanks!) I think it will be my go-to site from now on: https://www.ventusky.com/?p=34.01;129.42;6&l=gust&t=20220905/1800

The image (and link) show information for estimated wind guts at 3 AM Tuesday morning. It looks like those of us in Kumamoto (particularly in Amakusa) may have some gusts of wind that are close to highway speeds (imagine sticking your hand of the window of a car driving at normal highway speed).

Kirk here with a little photo from a little stroll in Ezuko last night. We were…

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 12:09:28 +0000

Kirk here with a little photo from a little stroll in Ezuko last night. We were able to park very easily. Highly recommended if you are close enough to get there. Disclaimer: Past sunset performance is no guarantee of future views. Your experience may vary. ;)

(Fiona) One of the things I enjoyed most on my recent trip to the UK was the cha…

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 02:44:53 +0000

(Fiona) One of the things I enjoyed most on my recent trip to the UK was the chance to go to a pub quiz. Even in my small hometown there’s probably a quiz happening at one pub or another on every day of the week. There used to be a monthly quiz night in Kumamoto too that ran for several years at Cafe Lafcadio on Monday nights. When that stopped I tried to organise quiz nights myself, but as with running an escape room, I ran into the problem of not knowing many people who are interested in such activities. When the pandemic hit I switched from in-person quiz nights to hosting quizzes on Zoom/YouTube instead, but it’s a lot more fun to meet up and enjoy a quiz together over a few drinks. When Covid numbers start to go down I’d like to organise another quiz and would like to find people who are keen to get involved. I usually use my school in Higashi-ku for game nights etc as it can fit up to ten people, but if anyone has a larger place available downtown that would be great. If you’re interested in being a quizmaster, joining as a player, or are keen to take part in games nights or possible future escape rooms, please leave a message in the comments or contact me via the Kumamoto-i inbox.

Kirk here with some information about Munetaka Murakami, formerly of Kyushu Gaku…

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 12:37:32 +0000

Kirk here with some information about Munetaka Murakami, formerly of Kyushu Gakuin High School:

“Twenty-two-year-old Munetaka Murakami’s season home run total entered some rarified air Friday when he became the youngest Japan-born player to hit 50 and the first since Hideki Matsui did it in 2002.”

Kirk here. William just posted about some disaster response equipment that Uki C…

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 08:31:09 +0000

Kirk here. William just posted about some disaster response equipment that Uki City has acquired. Fortunately, it looks like they won’t need to use it right away because TropicalStorm.com is predicting that we won’t get a direct hit. Still, you never know; the rains could be quite heavy. Judging from the projections on TropicalStorm.com I would guess that the wind and rain would be at their worst for those of us in Kumamoto around Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, but I could be off quite a bit.

William Uki City sits at the north-eastern edge of Yatsushiro Sea. The shape of…

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 07:55:51 +0000

William Uki City sits at the north-eastern edge of Yatsushiro Sea. The shape of the sea and its orientation act as a funnel to create very large tidal surges which have numerous times overwhelmed the sea walls, destroyed houses, and taken lives. Kumanichi reports on some new equipment the city has acquired for disaster response. Some of the vehicles are breathtaking. Many photos and a Youtube video are at the link. https://kumanichi.com/articles/778317

William Yushima is a small island between Misumi and the Shimabara peninsula wh…

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:42:25 +0000

William Yushima is a small island between Misumi and the Shimabara peninsula which is famous for cats. Kumanichi reports on a particular cat named “Rosu”, an" 8-year-old male who is also known as “Boss Cat” (aren’t they all). Apparently, he has gone missing, which has left the island denizens distraught. The island is accessible in 15 minutes by ferry from Misumi; the ferry fare is apparently negotiable. If you like cats, it sounds like a pleasant day trip, and if you stumble across Rosu, let them know. Youtube intro to Rosu and Kumanichi article: (it’s nice to live in a town where the major news story is a lost cat): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXHWSpjdESM&t=1s https://kumanichi.com/articles/778250

William Kumanichi introduces dog trainer Mayumi Mitsuki and her Belgian Shepher…

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 01:50:22 +0000

William Kumanichi introduces dog trainer Mayumi Mitsuki and her Belgian Shepherd, San, who appears to be a very happy pup. Such working dogs are bred to please. Owning a dog is a commitment that many non-Japanese are not equipped to undertake (my whippet, Devo, lived for 15 years.). However, those who feel prepared to offer a pup a forever home, please consult with the Kumamoto Animal Shelter (熊本動物愛護センター) to find a good match; https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/doubutuaigo/default.aspx https://kumanichi.com/articles/777182

Kirk with some medical news: "An investigation has been launched into a medical …

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 23:38:00 +0000

Kirk with some medical news: “An investigation has been launched into a medical equipment employee who is suspected of setting a timer to X-ray equipment at a hospital in Kumamoto Prefecture so that it would stop working and require a repair service.”

Carlton. I’m not trying to be an alarmist, but according to the tropical storm r…

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 02:56:04 +0000

Carlton. I’m not trying to be an alarmist, but according to the tropical storm risk website, we’ve got a serious situation developing, so it would be prudent to start doing basic emergency preparations for the typhoon seemingly headed our way at high strength. The TSR website is known to exaggerate toward worst case scenarios but its 96 hour projection of location and movement of the typhoon now well south of us is disconcerting. If it holds true, we, and northwest Kyushu, may be on the wrong side of a Category 4 storm:

Kirk here confessing to having been duped. The student who won the award I post…

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 01:45:19 +0000

Kirk here confessing to having been duped. The student who won the award I posted about on the following page was engaged in an activity I think is very laudable – collecting signatures to abolish nuclear weapons.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0eLRbtyrTUaGD1io2xxXnRGYUqFKjXtfAPuxM6LXJtvZTzmad7tGHvdTLAEVV6MMhl

It turns out, though, that the organization that gives out this award is a Moonie group. They’re trying to hide their tracks so the web page currently says “we’re taking a break” (ホームページは休止しております) but I was able to use the Wayback Machine to see what they’re hiding. One thing I found was the e-mail address of the group:

William Not directly Kumamoto-related; however, living here requires knowledge …

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 01:01:51 +0000

William Not directly Kumamoto-related; however, living here requires knowledge of local units of measurement (trust me: I built most of the furniture in my house - twice). Length, weight, distance, volume: Wikipedia is your friend:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_units_of_measurement

Kirk here introducing a podcast that I think anyone living in Japan (including, …

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 08:59:49 +0000

Kirk here introducing a podcast that I think anyone living in Japan (including, of course, Kumamoto) will be able to appreciate. It’s about the Netflex show “My First Errand,” which is the Japanese show “Hajimete no otsukai” (はじめてのおつかい). One thing I’m enjoying as I listen to this (I still haven’t gotten through the who thing) is the appreciation of how the physical configuration of residential streets, shops, and narrow streets, makes it easier and generally safer for kids to get around in than is the case in more car-centric American cities.

William This has nothing to do with Kumamoto, but it does regard foreigners liv…

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 03:01:44 +0000

William This has nothing to do with Kumamoto, but it does regard foreigners living here. My home town of Costa Mesa consists primarily of immigrants from South America and Southeast Asia, and they are integrated (mostly - the Trumpists hate them). I’ve lived in Kumamoto longer than most people have been alive, but I am and will forever remain a “gaijin.” That’s life. Get used to it - and laugh if you can.

William A reader had asked how to best climb Mt Kimpo, and I had recommended th…

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 06:46:59 +0000

William A reader had asked how to best climb Mt Kimpo, and I had recommended the following routes. If driving, the road which passes by Honmyoji Temple is gorgeous (tunnel effect by roadside elms; stop by the temple your way up - free parking), but it’s a terrible road for hiking. Ishigami Dori (石上通り - Google it - streetcar station 段山町駅) has most zero traffic, is more direct, and offers a few temples and some springs from which one can drink en route. It is a long (start early and expect to be home by evening) but gorgeous autumn hike, and historical: it was here that the stones of Kumamoto Castle were quarried. Quarrying continues, as evidenced by the number of shops selling tombstones in the area. Mt Kimpo is a hunk of solid granite, but at its periphery, its weight does squeeze out a bit of water, which you’ll see on your walk. Bring a bottle.

William Poking around a bit, I stumbled across this video (much like I stumbled…

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 04:08:53 +0000

William Poking around a bit, I stumbled across this video (much like I stumbled across Kumamoto). If you tell your parents that you’re moving to, say, Paris or London, that’s something they can imagine - but Kumamoto? This will help. (Clearly an LP - the cracking sound brings back memories of vinyl.)

Kirk here with another installment in my series of posts on the Unification Chur…

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 03:17:23 +0000

Kirk here with another installment in my series of posts on the Unification Church and Kumamoto.

The issue of how deeply the Unification Church (the former Toitsu Kyokai; 旧統一教会) has infused itself into Japanese society is huge – the rot runs deep. I’m sure that many books will be written on this topic in the coming years. I can’t take on a research project of that scope so I’m trying to limit myself to what I can learn about the UC in Kumamoto. I’ve been impressed with the work of SUZUKI Eito so I’ve been mining his Twitter feed and blog for Kumamoto-related leads. The postcard I posted about the other day was one bit of information that I found on his blog: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid023qFs3bupvFd2zguj68VzyUEpSP7mL7mzgLNFsarv4fNkvT8pJmLtsEMQwvCxY8cAl

William Adoption may be preferable to other methods when a pregnancy is unplann…

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 13:54:01 +0000

William Adoption may be preferable to other methods when a pregnancy is unplanned. (Disclaimer: I was adopted.) A question is the extent to which a birth mother has over information regarding her adopted child. In my case, I was given the option of contacting my birth mother but did not do so; my sister, who was also adopted, did. Not much came of it. Kumanichi reports that “the government is working to urge hospitals to explain to mothers their right to know the origin of their unborn child”(生まれてくる子どもの出自を知る権利を母親に説明するよう病院に求める方向で国が作成を進めていること) Strange phrasing: I guess what is meant is that birth mothers who put their children up for adoption will be provided information regarding who adopted the child and what type of environment they are being raised in. As an adoptee, I don’t think this is a good idea. The onus should be on the adoptee as to whether contact with the birth mother should be conducted, not vice-versa. I’ve had my chance and passed it by - I saw no reason. Kumanichi article:

Mt Kimpo, as we've mentioned, is a DORMANT volcano. There are two ways to hike i…

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 09:09:16 +0000

Mt Kimpo, as we’ve mentioned, is a DORMANT volcano. There are two ways to hike it (and you should do both): sarusuberi (which means “monkey slips” as the trail cuts straight up the eastern side of the mountain) and the road, which I recommend: it winds completely round the mountain, so the views change drastically. As a volcano, Kimpo has a caldera, which is clearly visible during the hike, as is the volcano Unzen across Ariake Sea in Nagasaki. The road has concrete edging on which moss grows. Popular is to create “moss art.” Our friend Victoria Yoshimura has provided a few lovely photos with her children. Go to enjoy - or to create art yourself. You’re in Ghibili land. More photos at the link kindly provided by Victoria: https://tinyurl.com/2s3ryz9b Update: This is not Mt Kimpo but in Miyazaki. The location can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2p8bve7v However, Mt Kimpo has similar art.

Kirk here. If you see (or saw) U.S. military personnel in Kumamoto, it's probab…

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 02:33:27 +0000

Kirk here. If you see (or saw) U.S. military personnel in Kumamoto, it’s probably because of this:

https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2022082800233

“The U.S. Army launched two Javelin missiles.” Yikes!!!

Fujisaki Hachiman Shrine Autumn Festival (Boshita Matsuri)

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 11:38:44 +0000

William The Fujisaki Hachiman Shrine festival is the main festival in Kumamoto and will be held this year on 9/18 after a multi-year furlough due to corona. Known officially as the Autumn Festival (aki kisetsu reidaisai, 秋季節例大祭), it involves numerous horses paraded from the shrine down the shopping streets to the castle and back. The shrine website credits it with a history of over 1,000 years; however, it’s commonly known as “Boshita Matsuri” (or simply “Boshita,” which means “Destroy” - this derives from Katō Kiyomasa’s invasion of Korea (1592–1598) during which he infamously killed a tiger). Participants once chanted “Boshiita! Boshita! Hora boshita!” which means “Destroyed! Destroyed! Completely destroyed!” until wiser heads decided that was not the image Kumamoto wanted to present; today, the meaningless “Dokai!” (‘Sup?) is chanted instead. Early risers should head to the shrine no later than 5:00 AM (4:00 is better) to watch the preparations. This is much more interesting than the procession itself and offers a wealth of photographic opportunities. Then you can return home and go back to sleep. You may also see horses paraded around town before the festival: they are visiting houses of donors. (It’s not cheap to rent a big horse.) Images: Kiyomasa doing his boshita thing with a tiger; the wrong end of a horse to be on. Official shrine site: https://fujisakigu.or.jp/reisai/index.html Pro Tip: Do NOT get behind a horse.

Kirk here. Sorry to be stuck on my anti-Moonie one-note samba but, well, lets j…

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 07:51:12 +0000

Kirk here. Sorry to be stuck on my anti-Moonie one-note samba but, well, lets just say “the Devil is making me do it.” (I have no doubt that any Moonies that might be aware of my posts view me as Satan. ;) )

At any rate, I’ve been learning a lot from SUZUKI Eito, a journalist who has been documenting the influence of the Moonies in Japan for a long time. Recently, he’s been appearing on TV quite frequently.

Kirk here with another report on how deeply the Unification Church managed to in…

Sun, 28 Aug 2022 02:22:06 +0000

Kirk here with another report on how deeply the Unification Church managed to integrate itself into the Kumamoto’s public life. Today’s topic is the Peace Road initiative. First of all, what’s this “peace road” thing about, anyway? In English, the Moonies have explained it for us on the UPF (Universal Peace Federation) website:

“The Peace Road and the World Peace Road Foundation are global goodwill projects of the Universal Peace Federation. The project dates back to 1981, when the late Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon proposed an international highway that will physically connect all people of the world.”

William My son will visit from Tokyo with his new wife (I'm a little nervous), …

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 03:45:31 +0000

William My son will visit from Tokyo with his new wife (I’m a little nervous), so I referenced Kumamoto Castle’s status and found their official website to be very picturesque and informative.

Kirk here. As I've written before, the president of Sojo University was recently…

Sat, 27 Aug 2022 01:53:49 +0000

Kirk here. As I’ve written before, the president of Sojo University was recently in the news because he had been chair of the “Kumamoto Citizens Promoting the Building of a Tunnel Between Japan and Korea” (日韓トンネル推進熊本県民会議). Since posting that, I’ve learned a bit more about the history of the tunnel scheme.

Since President Nakayama was head of the Kumamoto organization, I started by searching for the website of the national organization, the “International Highway Foundation” (国際ハイウェー財団):

William Lafcadio Hearn was, as Wikipedia notes, "a Greek-Irish-Japanese writer,…

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 08:13:24 +0000

William Lafcadio Hearn was, as Wikipedia notes, “a Greek-Irish-Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West…. During late 1891, Hearn obtained another teaching position in Kumamoto, at the Fifth High Middle School (a predecessor of Kumamoto University), where he spent the next three years and completed his book Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan (1894).” His published books are available for free at Gutenberg.org: https://tinyurl.com/3wndckcv . Japan Today has an informative article about Hearn as part of their biography series which includes several quotes from revered Kumamoto University professor, Hearn scholar, and long-time Kumamoto resident Alan Rosen as well as links to other articles in the series. https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/lafcadio-hearn-becomes-koizumi-yakumo-in-1890s-japan

Kirk here with a share from Japan Today:

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 01:16:11 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Japan Today:

https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/suizenji-garden-one-of-the-finest-of-japan’s-feudal-samurai-strolling-gardens-1

This is a pretty lengthy article and a very thorough introduction. The only problem I noticed is the following sentence:

“The site for the shrine was selected due to a spring in that location that had been recognized by the second Hosokawa daimyo, Tadaoki (1563-1646), father of Tadatoshi, as emitting the “sacred water of longevity.'”

Tadaoki wasn’t the second Hosokawa daimyo – he was with first in the Higo Hosokawa clan.

Kirk here with an Asahi.com article that covers more-or-less the same territory …

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:09:46 +0000

Kirk here with an Asahi.com article that covers more-or-less the same territory as my post yesterday about the president of Sojo University. One thing in this article that I didn’t mention yesterday was that “he (President Nakayama) said he took the chairman’s post at the organization in 2011, when it was established, because he was asked to do so by a former Kumamoto city assembly member.” I wonder who that former city assembly membeter might be and how they might have been connected to the project.

「家族の死に対する刑法の介入をどこまで許すのか」

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 07:57:04 +0000

Kirk here with a notice from Yukiko Kaikita about an online (Zoom) event that will be held on Sunday. I’ll share her English announcment and then put the Japanese text she sent me at the end of this message. (The event will be held in Japanese. このイベントは日本語で行われます。)

The following lecture will be held online (free of charge) regarding the incident of a Vietnamese technical intern trainee, Linh.

This is a case in which it is questioned whether the act of mourning for a family member’s death constitutes “abandonment.”

Kirk here with a screenshot of some survey results published in the Kumanichi (s…

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 07:38:26 +0000

Kirk here with a screenshot of some survey results published in the Kumanichi (see URL below). According to the survey about half of the foreign “trainees” (jisshusei) and students (ryugakusei) in Kumamoto plan or hope to work in Kumamoto after their trainee or study period ends. Less than a quarter plan to return to their home country. I’m not sure how this compares to other prefectures but it makes sense to me – Kumamoto is a nice place to live and work.

William That was some thunder storm last night! Lightning is rare in my hometow…

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 05:12:19 +0000

William That was some thunder storm last night! Lightning is rare in my hometown of Los Angeles, so I love it, but it used to terrify my dog so much that he’d hide under my daughter’s bed, shivering for hours even after a storm had passed. It occurred to me that there might be a photo of the castle with lightning, and yes, there was: this rather spooky one. It is attributed to this blog: https://blog.goo.ne.jp/fuhkan/e/0b2421f85ed023898b758803dd6d625b

Kirk here with a Unification Church (Toitsu Kyokai) update. The gentleman pictu…

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:41:27 +0000

Kirk here with a Unification Church (Toitsu Kyokai) update. The gentleman pictured is NAKAYAMA Mineo, president of Sojo University. It seems that Nakayama-sensei has also been the Chair of “Kumamoto Citizens Promoting the Building of a Tunnel Between Japan and Korea” (日韓トンネル推進熊本県民会議). According to the Bungei Shunjun article, this project was proposed by Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church. The length of the tunnel would be about 200 kilometers, of which 500 meters have already been dug.

William Tatsudayama was created by tectonic uplift, apparent when hiking: its c…

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 08:26:13 +0000

William Tatsudayama was created by tectonic uplift, apparent when hiking: its clay composition is so slippery gravel must be poured on paths. Mt Kimpo, conversely, is a dormant volcano (yes! it could erupt again! imagine that!) composed of granite; the stone used to create the castle walls was quarried there, leaving a large pit called Ishigamiyama kōen (石神山公園, photo below) which is filled with water but completely fenced. Even I wouldn’t swim there: too dangerous, but the views of the city are nice. It’s a scenic, short hike from the street car. North of the Mt Kimpo, in Tamana, is a spring called Oda no Maru no Ike (尾田の丸池), which used to be a popular swimming spot for the youngsters until their raucousness ruined it all for everyone, as you can see from the sign. There is a foot bath, though, and probably if you’re super quiet, you can swim in the pond. It is connected, springwise, with Kusamakura Onsen, which deserves its own post, so I’ll write about it later. Kakutaxi has more photos and info: https://tinyurl.com/vwzseypu

Kirk here with something for sword fans and/or history buffs and/or gamers. Fir…

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:23:53 +0000

Kirk here with something for sword fans and/or history buffs and/or gamers. First here are my sources:

https://kumanichi.com/articles/767778 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/歌仙兼定 https://www.gematsu.com/2021/11/touken-ranbu-warriors-kasen-kanesada-trailer

The lower half of the image I’m sharing shows a Japanese sword, owned and used by members of the Hosokawa family, that is currently on display at the Prefectural Art Museum. It’s called Kasen Kanesada. Apparently, the Hosokawa’s were not always nice guys. The Kumanichi and Wikipedia articles say that HOSOKAWA Tadaoki used the sword on 6 (or perhaps 36) retainers (today that would be “employees”) with whom he was dissatisfied. The Wikipedia article says something about the policies or projects of the domain “not progressing” well enough. Sounds to me like Tadaoki was a bad boss. “Tadaoki, you can take this job and . . . ahhhhhh . . . gasp.” At any rate, Kasen (歌仙) refers to some kind of poetry that comes in sets of 6 (or 36?) – hence it’s a euphemistic way of referring to the number of people that Tadaoki used the sword on. Kanasada is the name of the guy who made the sword in the Muromachi Period (sometime between 1336 to 1573 – I don’t have a more exact date).

William An uh-oh moment. Most are probably familiar with the lovely springs and…

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 11:30:47 +0000

William An uh-oh moment. Most are probably familiar with the lovely springs and banana trees behind the City Library in Suizenji-Ezuko. “Kumamoto Prefecture announced on the 23rd that it will receive a donation of a children’s library designed by world-famous architect Tadao Ando (80). It will be built on the grounds of Suizenji-Ezuko Park in Kumamoto City. It is planned to be located on the south side of the prefectural library….construction is planned on prefectural land within the grounds of Ezuko Park.” Yes. Many concerns. But: “‘We will proceed with the project while gaining the understanding of local residents so as not to damage the natural environment and scenery.”’ The article goes on to say that Mr. Ando has a deep connection with Kumamoto, having designed the JR Kumamoto Station building and the Prefectural Decorated Tumulus Museum in Yamaga City and assures, “‘We will build it in a place blessed with nature with a nearby stream. We want to make it a space where you can enjoy reading even outside.’” This will either end in triumph or a tragedy, because we’re dealing with this: (article at Kumanichi: https://kumanichi.com/articles/767986)

William There's a council in Kumamoto made up of representatives of labor and m…

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 04:14:02 +0000

William There’s a council in Kumamoto made up of representatives of labor and management whose recommendations almost inevitably turn into law. The council has recommended a ¥32 rise in the minimum wage to ¥853 which, if applied by the Labor Bureau, would be the largest raise ever, a full ¥2 higher than is standard. There is no national minimum wage in Japan; all are set by prefecture. By comparison, the minimum wage in California is $14, almost twice as high, though individual cities can (and often do) set higher rates; that in Los Angeles is $16.04, or about ¥2,123. The US federal minimum wage is $7.25, unchanged since 2009 and currently worth about ¥984. NHK Japanese: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/kumamoto/20220809/5000016578.html An English article regarding the Central Minimum Wage Council is here: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220801/p2a/00m/0bu/004000c

Kirk here sharing something that is related to Japan's "foreign trainee" issue. …

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:29:59 +0000

Kirk here sharing something that is related to Japan’s “foreign trainee” issue. It’s not about something that happened in Kumamoto but the basic issue of problems with the trainee (jisshuusei; 実習生) program is a topic we’ve discussed on this page. The article includes a link to a shocking video of highly abusive treatment of a “trainee” from Vietnam that occurred in Okayama.

By the way, I’ve been meaning to post about a seminar I attended on the case Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh, the Kumamoto resident who is appealing her conviction for “abandoning” her two stillborn babies to Japan’s Supreme Court. There’s no direct connection to the Okayama case, but it may be another opportunity to observe the extent to which Vietnamese trainees can or cannot get justice in Japan. At any rate, I’ll try to post my report about the seminar soon.

William Kyuden (Kyushu Denryoku, our electricity utility) runs two nuclear powe…

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 08:50:41 +0000

William Kyuden (Kyushu Denryoku, our electricity utility) runs two nuclear power plants (genshiryokuhatsudensho, 原子力発電所) in Kyushu: Genkai (玄海原子力発電所), west of Fukuoka City and closer to Tsushima than to Kumamoto; and Sendai ( 川内原子力発電所), south of Akune in Kagoshima. Their website gives current reactor status: https://www.kyuden.co.jp/nuclear_index.html Kagoshima is well-known for its unique pronunciation. The further south one travels, the more non-intuitive it becomes, which is why Miyagi Sendai (仙台), the team which won the national baseball championship, makes sense, but all one’s training insists that 川内 should be pronounced “Kawachi,” as it sensibly is in Kumamoto (different kanji: 河内.） Kagoshima Sendai (as it is often called for differentiation) has some gorgeous beaches which nobody visits due to its isolation. Some have fantastic rock formations. A road trip is recommended; best would be to bring a tent or ryokan money and make it a two-day trip. I drove by once and thought I’d take the local road past the nuclear reactor. It is beautiful: Rolling, grassy hills with small, windbeaten trees. It wasn’t long before I realized I was being followed. Security is very tight, and I suppose a lone foreigner driving slowly and stopping frequently attracted attention. I was never stopped, though. The area is worth a visit.

Kirk here following William's lead by writing about Kumamoto's own yokai, Amabie…

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 22:29:10 +0000

Kirk here following William’s lead by writing about Kumamoto’s own yokai, Amabie:

“According to a legend, the mermaid-like yokai emerged from the sea off the Higo domain, now Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in Japan’s Edo period and told locals that they should draw a picture of it and show this to others in the event of a plague.”

https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2020041300499/

Even though William has written about Amabie several times already (you can find the posts with the page’s search function), I didn’t take a special interest in the yokai at the time. I’m prompted to post about it today because I just heard an old podcast about yokai that talks about, among other things, how Amabie have become a “thing” since the start of the pandemic. If you like podcasts, check it out: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/return-of-the-yokai/

Kirk here with some Kumamon news. I looked but couldn't find the complete list …

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 09:37:48 +0000

Kirk here with some Kumamon news. I looked but couldn’t find the complete list of the new images.

William Shirakawa is quite diverse despite its short length, from its silent bi…

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 04:57:21 +0000

William Shirakawa is quite diverse despite its short length, from its silent birth in the springs of Aso to its broad flow into Ariake Sea. A delightful area many overlook is its passage through Nishihara Mura, where a beautiful waterfall, Shiroito (“White Thread”), cascades 20 meters down volcanic rock hundreds of thousands of years old. Volcanic columns formed when lava cooled and solidified are apparent. The waterfall has been selected as one of the 100 best waters in Kumamoto Prefecture. Heavily forested, the spot is an oasis from summer heat, is not too far from the city, and embodies the three symbols of Kumamoto: red, from lava; green, from forest; and blue, from water. A pool at the fall’s foot allows for a dip, though be considerate of photographers. NOTE: Douglas Bruce comments below on the course of the river following the falls: it is the “Taki river which flows into the Kiyama river. The Kiyama river becomes the Futa river for a short stretch and then retakes the name of Kiyama river. The Kiyama river flows on into the Kaze river, which passes the southern end of Ezu lake. Finally the Kaze river joins the Midorikawa and then flows into the Ariake sea.” Thank you, Douglas.

Post

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 10:58:15 +0000

William The crayfish might hold a record for record number of names (crawfish, c…

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 10:48:37 +0000

William The crayfish might hold a record for record number of names (crawfish, craydids, crawdaddies, crawdads, freshwater lobsters, mountain lobsters, rock lobsters, mudbugs, baybugs, yabbies). I was fortunate to have an elementary school friend whose mother was Cajun - straight from Louisiana! - and the crawdads we caught in the creek she put into a tank for a few days, feeding them with cornstarch to clean out their inners, and then: Oh, my!

Kirk here with a question about the future of this page. Recently, I've enjoyed…

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 03:36:35 +0000

Kirk here with a question about the future of this page. Recently, I’ve enjoyed posts on the “Engrish in Japan” group. Anyone can publish posts to this group but they are all moderated. I recently tried to publish a photo I had taken of some rather strange English I saw in the Asahi Shimbun but it wasn’t accepted. That’s OK because my post would have been a bit different from typical posts in that group and I think the editots just want to keep a tight focus. But, thinking about “Engrish in Japan” made me consider whether this page should be more like that group.

Kirk here with some information about free COVID-19 antigen test kits available …

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 01:46:01 +0000

Kirk here with some information about free COVID-19 antigen test kits available in Kumamoto.

The situation is pretty confusing because Kumamoto City and Kumamoto Prefecture have separate programs with completely different rules. Moreover, they don’t refer to each other on their web pages so I had to do some detective work to figure out that there are actually two completely different programs. In regard to the city’s program here’s a page in English (machine translation): https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/hpKiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=43827&class_set_id=2&class_id=128

Kirk with an inquiry about an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist (otorhinolar…

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 03:11:41 +0000

Kirk with an inquiry about an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist (otorhinolaryngologist or 耳鼻科 [jibika] in Japanese). There seems to be an ENT specialist in Kumamoto who studied at the University of Michigan and speaks English quite well. Does anyone know who that might be?

P.S. The photo is just a generic jibika image from the web – this is not the guy.

(Douglas) It is interesting to see the latest headlines from Japan being shown o…

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 14:08:18 +0000

(Douglas) It is interesting to see the latest headlines from Japan being shown on the BBC news. I guess some of you will be taking part in the campaign! 😃

Kirk here. Sorry for the alarmist headline but we have a new record. I saw som…

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:16:01 +0000

Kirk here. Sorry for the alarmist headline but we have a new record. I saw something on RKK that indicates that hospital beds in Kumamoto are filling up but I couldn’t find good verification in a text article. Nonetheless, I’d recommend taking even more care than normal to stay healthy and avoid unnecessary hospitalization until this settles down.

P.S. Though I don’t want to take up a hospital bed myself, I’m still interested in visiting a hospital to donate blood because I suspect that this is a time when such donation may be especially appreciated. Who knows, I may even get an extra juice box! ;) (Actually, the little presents they give to those who donate can be pretty nice – even better than a juice box. Last time, I got a portable phone recharger!)

Kirk here suggesting that those who are able consider donating blood. The Japan…

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 05:38:05 +0000

Kirk here suggesting that those who are able consider donating blood. The Japanese-language news report I’m appending to this post says that August and February are normally slow months for blood donation and that the most recent wave of infections we are experiencing is causing an additional reduction in donations. The image has some suggestions about where to donate in Kumamoto City but I’m sure that hospitals in other parts of the prefecture must be accepting donations too. If you need help finding an appropriate place to donate, let me know.

Kirk here, following up on William's post about the castle. William mentioned th…

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 01:38:12 +0000

Kirk here, following up on William’s post about the castle. William mentioned that, with the dark sky as background, the castle keeps in the photo he shared reminded him of Darth Vadar:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0KWReqBXVENeZqqEbmD72N4vrbqKiLXq7qinTkCb5fateFXNU8KDBA7aGXpxCQ2rpl

I immediately saw the resemblance and was prompted to start playing with my photo editing software. The image you see is the result. That made me wonder if this might be more than a coincidence. I’ve read an article about how Darth Vadar’s helmet was inspired by one worn by Date Masamune of modern-day Sendai:

William Yagi-sensei with an interesting perspective of our castle. Looks a bit …

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 21:40:15 +0000

William Yagi-sensei with an interesting perspective of our castle. Looks a bit like Darth Vader & Son. The KKR Hotel (which has a wonderful tea room in the lobby and patio) area offers interesting perspectives of the castle with its steepest, tallest walls as well as the Kumamoto Art Museum Annex and the Traditional Arts and Crafts Museum, the latter definitely worth a visit. The entire area used to be within the castle walls. If you poke about east (to the right, downhill) a bit, you can find remnants of castle wall and a portion of old moat. http://www.kkr-hotel-kumamoto.com/

Kirk here with some COVID-19 stats. Today, the prefecture set a new record for …

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:43:21 +0000

Kirk here with some COVID-19 stats. Today, the prefecture set a new record for new cases in a single day: 5,157 (Wednesday, August 17th). Though the current variant tends to be less lethal than previous ones, the high infection rate is leading to a spike in deaths. Today there were 11 deaths in Kumamoto and 286 nationally. To put that in perspective please look at the attached image. Japan has surpassed the current death rate per million in the U.S. and the current wave may be close to outstripping the number of deaths from the previous wave.

William Much has been said about Kumamoto being the only major municipality to …

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:26:47 +0000

William Much has been said about Kumamoto being the only major municipality to provide 100% artisanal water. My older sister made me buy bottled water at the combini and, when the manager scolded me, I said, “Yeah, well, she’s from LA, Boston, and Baltimore respectively, so give her a break. (Plus, she’s older than me.)” Words do not do justice. Behold actual artesian water intake pumps whose water flow directly to your taps. Apparently, the prefecture operates 98 such wells across the city. Whether you’re cooking, brushing your teeth, or flushing the toilet, this is the extravagant substance you are blessed with. (Photos from Prefectural Waterworks - love the bottom photo clearly showing the water gushing up to enter the intake pipe).

Kyushu Gakuin vs Seiko Gakuin - Koshien Tournament Game 3

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 05:38:24 +0000

Kirk here. Kyushu Gakuin plays their third game in the series tomorrow (Thursday, the 18th) at 3:30 in the afternoon. The will play against Seiko Gakuin of Fukushima. Thus, Kumamoto and Fukushima, two places known for big earthquakes that have hit in the 21st century, will compete to advance to the semifinals. Seiko Gakuin is a school that has a history of doing well in the Koshien Tournament: https://office-morioka.com/h_baseball/seiseki/seiko_gakuin.html

Schedule screenshot taken from here:　 https://www.hanshin.co.jp/koshien/highschool/summer2022/schedule.html

Waterman: Where/how to get 新型コロナウイルス感染症に関する自宅療養証明書 after ending home recovery?

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 02:35:01 +0000

Waterman: Where/how to get 新型コロナウイルス感染症に関する自宅療養証明書 after ending home recovery?

Kirk here. Kyushu Gakuin plays their second game today (against Tochigi) startin…

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 23:02:52 +0000

Kirk here. Kyushu Gakuin plays their second game today (against Tochigi) starting at about 10:30:

10:30　第2試合(3回戦) 九州学院（熊本）　－　国学院栃木（栃木）

https://www.baseballchannel.jp/etc/132610/3/

I’ll be watching on the web here:

https://vk.sportsbull.jp/koshien/

William "Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (Greek: Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χερν), was a Greek-…

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:54:19 +0000

William “Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (Greek: Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χερν), was a Greek-Irish-Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West,” Wikipedia notes. His Japanese name was Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲) …. His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things." In 1891, Hearn obtained teaching position in Kumamoto, at the Fifth High Middle School (a predecessor of Kumamoto University), where he produced many of his most famous works. He was particularly interested in Japanese folk tales, which, fortunately for posterity as most were oral stories, he noted down. Many of these were ghost stories. As the Japanese ghost season coincides with Obon (rather than the west’s Halloween), which is now, this would be a good time to familiarize yourself with them. His works have fallen out of copyright so are available for free at Project Gutenberg: https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Lafcadio+Hearn&submit_search=Go%21 “In Ghostly Japan” is a favorite of mine.

(Fiona) The news of the attack on Salman Rushdie is not directly relevant to Kum…

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:09:49 +0000

(Fiona) The news of the attack on Salman Rushdie is not directly relevant to Kumamoto of course, but as one of the editors here at Kumamoto-i it struck a chord with me. Our diverse readership extends to a few thousand people with an interest in Kumamoto, and it’s inevitable that some posts will offend or annoy. Our remit at Kumamoto-i is to provide useful and interesting information about this region, but occasionally we veer off track or facts need correcting. Sometimes we receive requests that news articles be suppressed and posts taken down as they are deemed to have offended sensitive readers. I hope that we will always strive to uphold the values of tolerance and freedom of expression, including of course the right to reply and express opinions in the comments.

William The lovely town of Shisui is not the place one would stop at (even more…

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 07:05:29 +0000

William The lovely town of Shisui is not the place one would stop at (even more go to) other than to visit the Michi no Eki Melon Dome. Work took me through the area countless times, yet I had no idea of its history as host to the Army Kikuchi Airfield. Next time I visit, I will view it through different eyes. Kumanichi reports on this: https://kumanichi.com/articles/759215 In 2008, the “Association to pass on the war legacy of Hanafusa (Kikuchi) Airfield to the future (花房（菊池）飛行場の戦争遺産を未来につたえる会)” was established. Their website is here: http://ans0924.blog.fc2.com/ Perhaps contacting them before visiting will result in a bilingual tour. Pictured below is Yasushi Kurasawa (101), a resident of Shisui, who says, “(This water tower) is a living witness to our history, standing up to the fires of war and sustaining our lives even after. I want to leave it to future generations as a symbol of peace and recovery.”

Kirk here with something that came out in relation to the anniversary of the ato…

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 03:55:32 +0000

Kirk here with something that came out in relation to the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki:

“A Mainichi Shimbun survey conducted in July and August found that second-generation hibakusha headed prefectural groups in Yamanashi, Toyama, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto prefectures. The leadership switch began with Yamanashi in 2015, followed by Toyama in 2018 and Kumamoto in 2019. Second-generation hibakusha became the leaders of groups in Shimane and Kochi in 2022. Meanwhile, groups in the eight prefectures of Yamagata, Tochigi, Ishikawa, Shiga, Nara, Wakayama, Tokushima and Miyagi have disbanded.”

Good morning, Atsuko here.

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 00:30:17 +0000

Good morning, Atsuko here. Are you off today? I know this is a local topic, but this is my #1 recent. For the past two weeks, I have had classes downtown and frequently drove in the evenings. I’m from the country and hate the one-way streets, narrow streets, and high parking fees in the city. But here, it’s a bit further than the center and you have to walk, but it’s very inexpensive. Especially from 6pm to 7am, the maximum fee is 200 yen no matter how long you park. It is cheaper during the daytime, but even cheaper for long hours at night.

Kyushu Gakuin Baseball Game - Koushien Final Six

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 11:37:21 +0000

William Carlton had noted this below, but a recap: I’ve attended several Protestant Christian-denominational churches in my life, sometimes coerced, sometimes in trying times, sometimes simply out of curiosity, and of them all, I’ve found the Lutheran Church most palatable, instructing, and accepting. Their ten tenants https://www.lutheranchurch.dk/.../ten-important-dogmas I’ve found the denomination intriguing and not entirely out of step with what I’d have likely discovered if I’d had a few hundred years to consider things - and, more important, if not always in step with my natural proclivities (I’d describe myself as a philosophical Buddhist), at least not always opposed, and at best inclusive. Perhaps that is why the denomination is so wide-spread in Japan. Kyushu Gakuin is a Lutheran school in Oe, one of several in Kumamoto but the most talented at baseball. For the first time in 12 years (disclaimer: both my children were students there the last time this happened), Kyugaku has not only advance through the Kumamoto tournament to Koushien but, with their 14-4 win today over an Ehime team, has advanced to the final six. God (if there is one, and if H(S)he takes an interest in baseball, works in mysterious ways. Their next game is Tuesday at 10:30, broadcast on NHK. One can bet that few Higo-ko will get much work done that morning. BTW, there is a dearth of international schools in Kumamoto; perhaps Kyugaku is an alternative. The school is, by nature, inclusive. Those who would like further information should contact us. https://kumanichi.com/articles/758154

Carlton. I believe a tip of the hat is owed to Kumamoto’s high school baseball …

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 10:48:38 +0000

Carlton. I believe a tip of the hat is owed to Kumamoto’s high school baseball representatives today — Kyushu Gakuen — for a resounding 14-4 victory in their (delayed by Covid infections) first game at Koshien in the national high school championships. The lopsided win was so uneven NHK evening news didn’t warrant it worthy of mention or video. They only like to report on squeakers it seems.

Kirk here with a bit of national news that applies to Kumamoto (and Kumamoto Int…

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 03:36:18 +0000

Kirk here with a bit of national news that applies to Kumamoto (and Kumamoto International) as well. Facebook uses some sort of algorithm to determine what people are interested in and, conversely, what they’re are not interested. The “reach” (the number of people the Facebook algorithm shows a post to) of posts I’ve made to this page in recent months has been consistently low, even when I’ve reported new records highs. So, the expression “people just couldn’t be bothered” rings true to me.

Hello,Atsuko here. It's vacation and Obon, but difficult to go out in Corona.

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:36:15 +0000

Hello,Atsuko here. It’s vacation and Obon, but difficult to go out in Corona. William once recommended that if you climbed the 3333 stone steps, the highest in Japan, in Misato Town, you should also go see the temple. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5970886576318058&id=123734781033296 It was not open when William and I went there before, but the other day, at the end of July, I went there and the temple was open and the priest explained lots things to me . The temple seems to have been recently renovated and is very beautiful. This Shaka-in temple seems to be very famous (so much so that Japan’s highest stone steps were built to get there). In the Edo period, it was the fourth most visited tourist site in Kumamoto prefecture, following Mt.Aso, Kumamoto castle, Shiranui. If you climb up the 3333 steps, pray, draw a fortune, and ring the bell, you may feel as if something good will happen to you or your wish will come true. Everytime,I climbed the 3333 steps on a hot day at the end of July, and the more I climbed, the cooler and fresher I felt with the sweat and the mountain breeze. Last summer :https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5762133557193362&id=123734781033296 Also, as you climb, you can enjoy the refreshing summer and shade of the trees while listening different cicadas songs : Kuma-zemi, Abura-zemi, Niinii-zemi, Tsukutukuboushi, Higurashi, and so on. The priest of the temple at the end of the 3333 steps awaits you all. Hoping lots happy comes to you.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

William Stat of the day: " The impact of heat is cumulative, and the body only …

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 02:30:56 +0000

William Stat of the day: " The impact of heat is cumulative, and the body only starts to recover when it drops below 80F" - or 28C. It is 31C in Kumamoto today and very humid. There are places you can seek shelter from the heat, such as a library or convenience store. Stay safe.

William My wife has been stricken by cancer, that ghastly phenomenon that took …

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 10:31:09 +0000

William My wife has been stricken by cancer, that ghastly phenomenon that took both her parents. But her month-long hospitalization was likely cheaper than if she had stayed at home (though the food wasn’t as good). Remember that the next time you complain over your health insurance bill.

William A Latin culture contains the "siesta" - a mid-afternoon nap. In an ener…

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 01:32:29 +0000

William A Latin culture contains the “siesta” - a mid-afternoon nap. In an energy-saving effort, this custom would be worthwhile introducing to Japan. I thought of this as I went out at 6:00 this morning to buy some dashi for my morning noodles and no stores were open (except for the convenience stores, of course).

Kirk here with some news for bicyclists in Kumamoto City: "Bicycle users must we…

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 21:39:02 +0000

Kirk here with some news for bicyclists in Kumamoto City: “Bicycle users must wear a helmet from October.” The “must” word, however, needs some explanation. Here’s part of the machine translation on the website’s page:

“In this revision of the ordinance, it is a duty of effort, and there is no enforcement of crackdowns or fines or penalties. However, wearing a helmet is also for your own safety, so please work on wearing it.”

The "Higo tai" is a very rare type of thistle indigenous to and a symbol of Kuma…

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 04:29:46 +0000

The “Higo tai” is a very rare type of thistle indigenous to and a symbol of Kumamoto. As a Californian, I am accustomed to thistles: artichokes! - though when I tried to cultivate the Higo tai, I failed. Apparently, it is very difficult. https://ubu-lab.com/spot/%E3%83%92%E3%82%B4%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E5%85%AC%E5%9C%92/

Kirk here. When I comment on posts, I switch from "Kumamoto International" (the…

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 01:34:35 +0000

Kirk here. When I comment on posts, I switch from “Kumamoto International” (the identity I use to post to and manage the page) to my individual Facebook account. Then, if I want to post to the page, I need to switch back. Sometimes (quite often, actually), I forget, as in this case.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7688686657871366

Kirk here with more about the designation of Kumamoto as a "prefecture of streng…

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 11:51:02 +0000

Kirk here with more about the designation of Kumamoto as a “prefecture of strengthening measures.” This awkward English expression is a translation of the Japanese “BA.5対策強化地域” (BA.5 taisaku kyouka chiiki) found in the following Japanese article:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/.../98d2e1a02e80ee9f91a85e4a5da9…

The screenshot, by the way, is from a video in that Japanese article.

The English article, published Aug. 2, is here:

Japan Designates 3 Prefectures for Measures against BA.5 https://jen.jiji.com/jc/i?g=eco&k=2022080201097

“The Japanese government said Tuesday that it has designated Kanagawa, Fukuoka and Kumamoto prefectures for strengthening measures against the now-rampant BA.5 omicron subvariant of the novel coronavirus.”

Kyushu Gakuin Koshien Tournament First Game

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 09:35:54 +0000

Kirk here. The other day I posted about MURAKAMI Munetaka (baseball star, formerly of Kyushu Gakuin) a his younger brother Keita:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02a7znusFVbzejtQxNsBF3wAbzF151GRE7HszRSGdJ5BpgqQCn2AUk1MQ5MgmnSeF7l

Keita and his Kyushu Gakuin teammates will play their first game in the Koshien Tournament on the 13th.

Now, for more Kyushu Gakuin news with this article from the Mainichi paper. The article says that the church on the campus was “designated as the first nationally registered tangible cultural property in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1996.”

Carlton here. A blockbuster film is in the offing for Japan but I’m not yet sur…

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 05:21:12 +0000

Carlton here. A blockbuster film is in the offing for Japan but I’m not yet sure when it will open here. But it has all the trappings of an international action film that will make Japanese promoters drool: filmed in Japan on a shinkansen and starring Brad Pitt and the shinkansen along with several Japanese actors as well and a bunch of celebrity cameos too. The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has already annointed it with a 7.5 rating. But, veteran critic Rex Reed who’s always had a winning way with words though maybe not with film critiques, has a rather different take on it, and I add it here for review before you drop your ¥1800 in the ticket machine: https://observer.com/2022/08/bullet-train-might-be-the-worst-movie-ever-made/

Kirk here. Recently, my university told me to check out the following page, whi…

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 09:23:59 +0000

Kirk here. Recently, my university told me to check out the following page, which has an official announcement about measures we should be taking to deal with the latest and most contagious flavor of COVID-19: BA.5. Here’s the page:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/145891.html

The site provides machine translations into English and other languages. Here’s the URL for the English:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp.e.qp.hp.transer.com/soshiki/30/145891.html

But this particular link is pretty much useless because, in addition to the usual poor quality of the translation, most of the information is provided via JPG images, which are not translated.

Kirk here with one old article and one new one about how the baby hatch in Kumam…

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 05:30:46 +0000

Kirk here with one old article and one new one about how the baby hatch in Kumamoto (Jikei Hospital) has been a model (to some extent at least) for similar efforts in other parts of the world. The older article (click on picture for link) includes the following sentence:

“About a dozen European countries, as well as China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea already use similar systems.” This was as of 2015. There may be many more examples in the world now. But, both then and now, “Japan” can only be mentioned because of Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto. (Go Jikei Hospital! 😉 )

Kirk here with a note about TSMC, the company that is in the process of building…

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 02:37:47 +0000

Kirk here with a note about TSMC, the company that is in the process of building a semiconductor chip factory in Kumamoto. This company got a visit from U.S. lawmaker Nancy Pelosi on her controversial (at least in mainland China) visit to Taiwan. The second article (not the article you go to by clicking on the image) says that “TSMC is now building a $12 billion fab in Arizona to help boost chip production on US soil, but it still makes the majority of its chips and all of its cutting-edge semiconductors at home.” So, Kumamoto is not the only site of the company’s expansion.

Kirk here with a hometown-boy-makes-good story. MURAKAMI Munetaka, who played f…

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:51:43 +0000

Kirk here with a hometown-boy-makes-good story. MURAKAMI Munetaka, who played for Kyushu Gakuin in high school, has set a world record. Apparently, even Babe Ruth wasn’t ever able to his a home run at each of five consecutive at bats, as MURAKAMI did.

By the way, Kyushu Gakuin will be playing in this year’s Koshien Tournament and Munetaka’s little brother Keita is an important player on the team.

I might add that Kyushu Gakuin had a few players who came down with COVID-19 so they missed the opening ceremonies and the schedule had to be adjusted but it looks like they’ll be able to play

It's hot, hot, ATSUI days, Atsuko here.

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:37:25 +0000

It’s hot, hot, ATSUI days, Atsuko here. My name is Atsuko, which means hot hearted or passionate, not hot.

Since it’s so hot, I’ll secretly tell you about my special, favorite beach that I have been going to every year for 20 years. It is 清流荘 Seiryu-so in Oyano, Amakusa. It’s like a private beach, right? https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/ij6bi2ZEVvw3fLsEA The beach house faces the ocean, so it is safe to go there even with a small baby. Last Sunday, there was a family with an 8-month-old baby. The good point of this place is that you can use one room (tatami room) for a group. We went with three people this time and we had one room. If there are a lot of people and not many reservations, you can use two rooms.

William More about water - this time, not where it comes from but where goes. M…

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:11:48 +0000

William More about water - this time, not where it comes from but where goes. Mark Twain is purported to have said regarding the American West, “Whisky is for drinking; water is for fighting over.” As an Angeleno, I understand this.

Even in water-rich Japan, when it comes to irrigation, all must be assured their fair share. Herein comes the “Enkei Bunsui” (円形分水, or cylindrical diversion). This device serves two purposes: to slow water flow by forcing a stream to surge upward into a basin; and to create a visually calculable division of water.

William Having acquired an interest in western China cultures, I took a month o…

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 08:53:24 +0000

William Having acquired an interest in western China cultures, I took a month off from my junior year abroad program in Beijing and travelled almost to the border of Afghanistan. (I didn’t ask permission as I knew what the answer would be; that I did my homework and mailed it to my school daily likely spared me expulsion.) Much of the trip was by steam locomotive (SL), so I grew used to their sounds. First arriving in Kumamoto, to my surprise, I often heard something I could have sworn was an SL - in 1990s Japan!

Fiona here, sharing a post about a recently published manga adaptation of The Ta…

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 11:40:57 +0000

Fiona here, sharing a post about a recently published manga adaptation of The Tale of Genji. It’s written by Kumamoto resident Séan Michael Wilson, who has a long list of books to his name. Find out more here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Michael_Wilson

William "May you be born in interesting times," the purported Chinese curse has…

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 05:16:05 +0000

William “May you be born in interesting times,” the purported Chinese curse has it. As the tragedy in Ukraine continues to unfold, Russia has severely limited its natural gas exports to Europe, which has responded both by limiting consumption and sourcing gas from other locations. Notoriously resource-poor (except for water) Japan ranks 73rd globally for gas reserves, 59th for gas production, and 5th for gas consumption. (That does not mean Japan is energy prolific: its GDP is 3rd and its population 11th.) Several simple steps can and should be taken now to help conserve gas, such as taking cold or lukewarm showers (easy in summer!), line-drying laundry, washing dishes in cold water, and going easy on the aircon. Remember, most electricity is generated by gas. Not only will a few moments consideration about gas economy save you money, it will help Japan build its reserves for the coming winter. True facts about natural gas and Japan can be found in this very readable article: https://www.worldometers.info/gas/japan-natural-gas/ Interestingly, the stats show that, while gas consumption has quadrupled since 1980, it has plateaued and even dropped slightly over the last decade.

Atsuko here with lots sunflowers again.

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 03:53:22 +0000

Atsuko here with lots sunflowers again. William had recommended a trip to Shimabara by ferry before, and if you take the ferry from Kumamoto Port, please enjoy this sunflower field as well. Take the East Bypass straight to Kumamoto Port, just past the Aqua Dome. There are two kinds of sunflowers planted, and the smaller one will be in full bloom soon (this weekend?). They are all facing east, and the mountain in the background is Unzen. Have a nice summer vacation!(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kirk here with some information that indicates that we've "dodged the bullet," s…

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 00:32:25 +0000

Kirk here with some information that indicates that we’ve “dodged the bullet,” so to speak, in regard to the typhoon. My go-to website for typhoon information, TropicalStormRisk.com, says that it is in our vicinity but now only a tropical depression, not even a tropical storm. It is projected to bring us some rain as it passes by but the winds may not even be strong enough to rattle our windows.

William Ever wonder how cockroaches know that you're looking at them? Ignore th…

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 12:18:44 +0000

William Ever wonder how cockroaches know that you’re looking at them? Ignore them and they’ll scurry about all willy-nilly; cast even a sideways glance in their direction and they’ll freeze like a boy with his hand down his girlfriend’s shirt when her dad walks in. I was thinking about this (cockroaches, not the shirt thing) as, recently, while I was enjoying a night read in my reading chair, a cockroach scurried; I glanced at him (let’s stick with male pronouns for cockroaches - why not?); he froze; and immediately, a spider pounced. The spider ignored me and went ahead with his spidy stuff. The next day, all I found was a single cockroach leg glued by some thread to the doorframe. Grisly. So I went to my handy spidy reference website and think I found the culprit: Lycosidae, or wolf spider (コモリグモ - do NOT Google it). Yeah: That’s the guy whose done it. The point: Do not kill the spiders in your house. They are your friends. They will keep your home pest-free. There are almost no poisonous spiders in Japan, so not only won’t they harm you, they can’t. Disclaimer: My paternal grandfather was a famous entomologist. Google “William J Baerg” for more info. (“J” has no meaning; he actually had no middle name, but when he first published, he thought a “J” made him sound more authoritarian.) https://www.insects.jp/konbunkumokisida.htm

Kirk here was some news that is not really surprising but, nonetheless, unwelcom…

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:21:29 +0000

Kirk here was some news that is not really surprising but, nonetheless, unwelcome – a state of medical emergency has been declared in Kumamoto City and the Hinokuni Festival has been canceled. The chief medical concern is that hospital beds are filling up. I may be able to post later with proper statistics but I think RKK reported that over 80% of hospital beds are now occupied.

Carlton. Today while cycling in downtown Kumamoto running errands I passed throu…

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:03:41 +0000

Carlton. Today while cycling in downtown Kumamoto running errands I passed through the assisted bathing district and came across this new or refurbished establishment covered in colorful advertising promising free guidance to many of the attractions in the area. In addition to all that attention-getting promotion material I couldn’t help but notice the big sign on the left with what appeared to be an up front job offer.

William Typhoon update: not particularly large and will pass quite south of us,…

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 03:35:32 +0000

William Typhoon update: not particularly large and will pass quite south of us, but it should bring some welcome breezes and a bit of rain.

William The season - it has started. (Not many realize that typhoons make a "do…

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 12:16:02 +0000

William The season - it has started. (Not many realize that typhoons make a “doink, doink” sound as they move across the map.) We’ll keep you up to date.

Kirk here with some information about Noriaki Tsuchimoto a film director known f…

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 06:54:14 +0000

Kirk here with some information about Noriaki Tsuchimoto a film director known for his work on Minamata. Today I learned that significant archives regarding his work are in the U.S. First, though, I’d like to put that information in context by introducing his work.

Here’s a link to “Minamata: The Victims and Their World” (水俣患者さんとその世界), perhaps his best know film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB57D7ZL-GY

The movie doesn’t have subtitles, unfortunately, but you can watch the whole film on YouTube.

William The cloth edging on tatami is called "heri" (畳の縁). It's etiquette not t…

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 04:39:06 +0000

William The cloth edging on tatami is called “heri” (畳の縁). It’s etiquette not to step on heri when walking on tatami to prevent wear, but sitting on it is fine.

Our friend Victoria Yoshimura noticed that the heri on the benches at Kumamoto Airport have a familiar logo.

Update: Those interested in Kumamon-themed igusa products can contact the Yatsushiro Igusa Kyokai: https://igusa-tatami.jp/news/6079/ Fun fact! - Yatsushiro produces 90% of Japan’s igusa.

William Amazon has announced that it will build a distribution center in Minami…

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 02:17:17 +0000

William Amazon has announced that it will build a distribution center in Minami-ku, Kumamoto in September, enabling next-day delivery. It will be a 2077 square meter, 3-story building employing “hundreds of people, including drivers.” On the other hand, the article also notes, “Part of the delivery business is outsourced directly to the driver as sole proprietor… under a system called “Amazon Flex,” where the driver works at his convenience,” which sounds ominous.

William The popular animation "One Piece" has nothing to do with Kumamoto save …

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 11:25:29 +0000

William The popular animation “One Piece” has nothing to do with Kumamoto save that its creator, Oda Eiichiro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiichiro_Oda, was born here and has been giving back by donating sculptures of his characters to draw tourists. Recently, a sculpture of his character “Jinbei” was erected at Sumiyoshi Kaigan Park (住吉海岸公園) in Uto City. The park is adjacent to Ariake Sea, which has some of the most expansive mudflats in the world and is famous for the Nagabeta Seabed Road (Nagabetakaisyouro, 長部田海床路), also known as “The Road Leading to the Sea” (Umi e to tsudzuku michi, 海へと続く道). The 1km road, immensely popular with photographers, was completed in 1973 to allow fishermen to access the sea at low tide. The road disappears completely at high tide, and at night the lights of 24 utility poles illuminate the surface of the water like something out of Ghibli. The producer of a shochu commercial which helped popularize the road noted, “The road that appears and vanishes: it overlaps with the fragility of life.” Kumanichi has the details: https://kumanichi.com/articles/737593

Sakurajima 5 minutes ago courtesy of the live cam focused on it. Going to be pr…

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:51:58 +0000

Sakurajima 5 minutes ago courtesy of the live cam focused on it. Going to be pretty dusty around there for a few days at least.

Summer Evening Cool Opening

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 09:13:28 +0000

William Kumamoto Castle is hosting an event called “Summer Evening Cool Opening,” during which the grounds are open 4 hours longer than usual until 9 pm, and is scheduled for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and 15 days of Obon until the end of August for a total of 20 days. LED lights operate at night when the park is open, including outdoor tour passages and surrounding stone walls and turrets. Kumanichi reports questions raised over electricity use during a time when all are asked to conserve.

Kirk here with an update on who in Kagoshima needs to evacuate. In short, it wo…

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 15:28:08 +0000

Kirk here with an update on who in Kagoshima needs to evacuate. In short, it would seem that Level 5 (calling for all persons to evacuate) only applies to people on the island of Sakurajima, not to Kagoshima City or other nearby areas. The purple you see in the image indicates Level 5. I’m sharing a screenshot of the Japanese page because on the English page (see following image), the colors of the warning symbols are obscured by the overly large English text. What’s more, zooming doesn’t help; the English text is configured to display on top of the symbols at all zoom levels. An additional problem, is that it’s not exactly easy to switch to Japanese to see how that looks; there’s not toggle or link to the original Japanese. This is another example of the assumption that anyone who might begin by looking at an English-language page couldn’t possibly have any use for the Japanese-language page.

Kirk here. Sakurajima (Kagoshima Prefecture) has erupted and people are being t…

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 12:29:35 +0000

Kirk here. Sakurajima (Kagoshima Prefecture) has erupted and people are being told to evacuate. Quite a few English-language articles are available on the internet but I’m sharing this Japanese page from NHK because the video on the page provides the clearest view of the eruption that I have seen so far.

William Otachimisaki (御立岬公園), just south of Yatsushiro, is a popular beach. How…

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 06:58:42 +0000

William Otachimisaki (御立岬公園), just south of Yatsushiro, is a popular beach. However, it is artificial, short, and usually crowded. Venture a bit further south to Ashikita, though, and you’ll find a string of beaches that offer many delights: Shirasuna (白砂ビーチ), Ashikita Marine Park (芦北マリンパークビーチ, AMP), and Tsurugahama (鶴ヶ浜海水浴場).

Shirasuna is a small, natural cove (thus least-visited) with good snorkeling and a gazebo. It is separated from AMP by a short peninnsula tipped by a fake windmill which offers a scenic walk to AMP either over the hill or on a narrow path along its edge.

Fiona here, sharing an article from Japan Today about Jikei Hospital's baby hatc…

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 03:12:17 +0000

Fiona here, sharing an article from Japan Today about Jikei Hospital’s baby hatch. While a woman’s right to an abortion is not under threat in Japan, the article touches on a few reasons why it might not always be possible. For one, Japan is one of only ten countries where a married woman needs the written consent of her spouse. Non-married women are also usually required to get the permission of their partner. Not mentioned by the article are the high costs of getting an abortion here. The ‘abortion pill’ is not yet available in Japan, so surgical treatment is required. An abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy costs around 100,000 yen and is not covered by health insurance. Between 12 and 22 weeks, a hospital stay is necessary for the procedure, costing up to 200,000 yen. Understanding some of these obstacles to getting an abortion might explain why Kumamoto’s baby hatch is indeed a last resort for many women.

Kirk here. I posted this last night but accidentally posted it as myself, not a…

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 23:55:41 +0000

Kirk here. I posted this last night but accidentally posted it as myself, not as the page. BA.5 is spreading. Take care!

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7616423615097671

Kirk here with some COVID-19 news. The situation is not good. Kumamoto is part…

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 04:23:05 +0000

Kirk here with some COVID-19 news. The situation is not good. Kumamoto is part of the natioinal post-vacation spike in new infections. The prefectures in red all set new records yesterday. Kumamoto had a whopping 3,772 new infections!! On RKK, I saw a report about hospital beds filling up (about 70% full, as I recall – remaining beds may fill up quickly).

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20220720/k10013728041000.html

P.S. There are tons of articles in English but I chose this NHK article because I wanted to share the image a stole from it.

William with an unusual version of Kumamoto springs: Where is the Water? Our cit…

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 08:27:37 +0000

William with an unusual version of Kumamoto springs: Where is the Water? Our city is known globally for its spring water -the largest in the world whose drinking supply is entirely artesian. The cause is the granite substratum created by Aso eruptions which keeps rainfall close to the surface, where it pops up willy-nilly.

But as the world is quickly noticing (particularly in my native California), fresh water is not unlimited.

Kirk here with a little weather forecast. The image you see is for Kumamoto Cit…

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 12:10:38 +0000

Kirk here with a little weather forecast. The image you see is for Kumamoto City tomorrow (Tuesday), but the forecast is pretty similar, I think, for the whole prefecture: Heavy rain in the morning.

https://tenki.jp/forecast/9/46/8610/43100/3hours.html

This International Foundation sent out this information via their mailing list (you can sign up, if you like):

Heavy rains are predicted to arrive in Kumamoto. Evacuation shelters opened from 18:00 on July 18th (Mon). When preparing to go to a shelter, please remember to bring with you the necessities such as food, water and prescription drugs. ※ When the shelter closes , please remember to take with you any garbage that you accumulated.

Kirk here with some notes on Gohyaku (500) Rakan. The 500 rakan (disciples of B…

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 09:07:51 +0000

Kirk here with some notes on Gohyaku (500) Rakan. The 500 rakan (disciples of Buddha) are near Reigando, where Miyamoto Musashi meditated some 400 years ago. The meaning of rakan in Zen Buddhism is described here:

https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/the-rakan-the-greatest-disciples-of-buddha

This video from Feel Fukuoka Japan includes a visit to Reigando and a brief look at the rakan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JjjfsicBvY

This picture I’ve selected for this post shows a rakan with his head chopped off. This sort of destruction of Buddhist culture occurred as part of this haibutsu kishaku (廃仏毀釈) (literally “abolish Buddhism and destroy Shākyamuni”) movement of the Meiji period. You can read about that here:

William Eminasu, the waterpark near the airport, is open for the season. It has…

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 22:19:20 +0000

William Eminasu, the waterpark near the airport, is open for the season. It has a few water slides and one of those pools that go round and round. If you take your children there, they will love you more than they do now. Hint: bring a groundsheet, a large picnic, and plenty of liquids. Lawn area is expansive but food pickings sparse. https://kumanichi.com/articles/728214

William The Japan Meteorological Agency said on the morning of the 15th that a …

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 06:14:09 +0000

William The Japan Meteorological Agency said on the morning of the 15th that a “linear precipitation zone” would occur in the northern part of Kyushu including Kumamoto Prefecture and the southern part of Kyushu from the night of the 15th to the morning of the 16th, and the risk of heavy rain disasters could increase sharply. It reminds us all to stock up on the normal suspects: https://kumanichi.com/articles/726887

Here's Wikipedia page and article about former Olympic long-distance runner Akem…

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 02:20:04 +0000

Here’s Wikipedia page and article about former Olympic long-distance runner Akemi Matsuno, who was elected to the Upper House from Kumamoto “as a Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) candidate in the proportional representation system.” Though the article quotes her as saying that she wants “to tell the LDP: You’re wrong,” the Japanese Wikipedia page about her says she’s in favor of changing Article 9 (renunciation of war) in the constitution.

Liz here. I have been following all the informative posts and comments on the …

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 05:38:08 +0000

Liz here. I have been following all the informative posts and comments on the horrific assassination here, and reluctantly keeping up on covid, so I thought a post about tranquility and natural beauty might be appreciated . This is the lotus season and if you are looking for a slightly isolated spot to enjoy both a stroll around a large historically interesting temple , (with lots of statues and its own wikipedia page) , and a photo session at their modest lotus pond (which also has water lilies), then Kawashiri’s Daiji Zen Temple is the place for you. I don’t know if they have resumed their Sunday morning zazen sessions, but if you are interested in joining them on a regular basis you should call (or have a Japanese friend call for you if you don’t speak Japanese.) The pond is behind the temple buildings and the area there is a bit unkempt at the moment. Try to get there before 10, as the blossoms begin closing up later in the morning. Slather on your bug repellent, be prepared to be serenaded by cicadas and some very vociferous crows(so much for tranquility!), but above all be respectful of the wildlife and the temple.
link to the temple wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daiji-ji_

Kirk here with another installment of my ever-popular COVID-19 series. (Yipee! …

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 23:59:55 +0000

Kirk here with another installment of my ever-popular COVID-19 series. (Yipee! More COVID-19 news! ;) ) Numbers of infections are continuing to increase in Kumamoto. Yesterday there were 2561 new infections in the prefecture, a new record. And, as the following image shows, Kumamoto is now number 3 in Japan terms of new infections per 10,000 residents with an average of 703.56. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/data/#latest-weeks-card

Atsuko. Hello goat fans. The goats are back. It seems that they are hired by JR …

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 10:30:01 +0000

Atsuko. Hello goat fans. The goats are back. It seems that they are hired by JR staff again this year. Today, I passed under Nishi-Kumamoto station and meet two goats, one white and one black. I pass this way every day and the goats were scared of people and hiding in the back, so it looks like they have just started working.

A mother and son seemed happy to see the goats.I hope they will continue to graze a lot and share smiles and happiness with the residents this summer as JR employees this year also!ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Kirk here with a follow-up regarding the Unification Church and Abe's assassinat…

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 01:26:35 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up regarding the Unification Church and Abe’s assassination. I’ll include a more direct connection to Kumamoto (my own encounter with the Moonies while living here) in this post but first I’ll start with the national context.

The Japanese article I’m linking to shows a lawyer named Hiroshi WATANABE, of the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales. This group of about 300 lawyers complained to Abe last year that the video message he sent to the group formerly known as the Unification Church (統一教会) lends credibility to them and thereby helps them continue to bilk people of their money. https://www.stopreikan.com/kogi_moshiire/shiryo_20210917.htm

Kirk here with more COVID-19 news. The numbers were up nationally and paricular…

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:14:48 +0000

Kirk here with more COVID-19 news. The numbers were up nationally and paricularly in this part of Japan. Nationally, it’s been several months since the total for the country was at this level (76,011) or higher. And as you can see in the image, many prefectures in the western part of the country set new records today. The number of new infections in Kumamoto was 2,333.

William I've only met my neurologist a few times, but when I asked her for some…

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 15:32:21 +0000

William I’ve only met my neurologist a few times, but when I asked her for some powerful sleeping pills (I’ve been up 24/7 since my wife’s been absent with cancer), the nurse came through. I then made my way home in an hour fine, and have zero memory of the subsequent six hours - the first sleep I’d had in three days! Clearly, this is a temporary thing until things calm down, but, wow, if you’re in need of a good sleep but can’t seem to get it, this is very beneficial. Living abroad, being in an international marriage, being separated from one’s homeland may quickly lead to psychiatric or psychological issues. Though we are obviously not medical professionals, we can point you to where help is available 24 hours a day. PM any of us, any time. You are not alone.

Kirk here. I hope I can be forgiven for writing about something that pertains t…

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 02:16:59 +0000

Kirk here. I hope I can be forgiven for writing about something that pertains to Japan as a whole and is only relevant to Kumamoto in the sense that Kumamoto is part of Japan. I’ll try to keep such deviations from the main theme of this page to a minimum.

Last night on NHK and on TBS (and I assume on other major networks as well) anouncers explained that Abe’s assassin was angry about Abe’s alledged involvement with a “religious organization” (宗教団体) but did not name the organization. Today I looked at the Asahi Shimbun (Japaneses version) but their converage was the same – mentioining some religious organization but not giving the name of the cult and not explaining whether or not Abe actually had any connection to it. In fact, at least one TV report said that police were claiming that the connection to the religious organization with something that the assailant “imagined” (思い込み). I just searched and such an explanation came up write away: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/aa21d4a85c2a5a2afb03e11ce0e667c036bf45f2

William When it comes to sports, Kumamoto is the perennial runner-up: SO close,…

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 00:41:10 +0000

William When it comes to sports, Kumamoto is the perennial runner-up: SO close, but do you remember? (It took our most famous athlete, Shizo Kanekure, 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20 seconds to complete his marathon.) And who was victorious when Satsuma and Edo trampled? - actually, we didn’t care: it was planting season. The whole “The Last Samurai” stuff happened HERE (look up Tabaruzaka: https://tinyurl.com/ycxb7uvu). We didn’t even get a credit.

Kirk here with a belated bit of information about the new subvariant behind the …

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 06:36:03 +0000

Kirk here with a belated bit of information about the new subvariant behind the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. If you’d like to hear an audio report on what makes the BA.5 strain different, check out the NPR link: https://www.npr.org/2022/07/08/1110577348/a-new-covid-subvariant-is-now-dominant-in-the-u-s-heres-what-you-need-to-know https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14658353

P.S. Here’s a more recent article about the situation in Japan:

BA.5 Omicron to Be Dominant Strain in Japan by End-July https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2022070800844/

William While not exactly located in Kumamoto, Nagasaki has sent some heavy stu…

Sat, 09 Jul 2022 04:54:23 +0000

William While not exactly located in Kumamoto, Nagasaki has sent some heavy stuff our way, mostly thanks to the Unzen volcano. In 1792, the mountain collapsed, creating a “bathtub effect” in which tidal waves bounced between the two coasts. It has been estimated as one of the deadliest tidal waves in history.

It also created a whole lotta islands, and in Japanese, a “whole lotta” goes up to 99 (think of the American “These go to 11”). Out of the detritus emerged “Kujuku Shima” - “99 Islands.” (That’s likely an imprecise figure, but let’s stick with 99 - and it’s not to be confused with other locations whose island number also deserves the moniker of “99”.)

Kirk here with a quote from a news article from 1994:

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 14:06:27 +0000

Kirk here with a quote from a news article from 1994:

“A suspected right-wing extremist fired a shot yards away from former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa yesterday in apparent protest over Mr. Hosokowa’s open apologies for Japan’s actions in World War II.”

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-05-31-1994151053-story.html

I was reminded of the attempted assassination (?) of former Prime Minister Hosokawa, a man with deep, deep roots in Kumamoto, while watching TV coverage of today’s horrifying assassination of former Primer Minister Abe. All in all, Japan is a pretty safe country but, at the same time, it is also true that there’s a history of attacks on politicians and journalists. :(

William "Nihon Ichi" (日本一 - "Best in Japan") is something you'll come across of…

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 01:58:22 +0000

William “Nihon Ichi” (日本一 - “Best in Japan”) is something you’ll come across often here, from kittens to cabbages. But one where you won’t go wrong is what’s colloquially known as “3333 Steps” (it’s more; I’ve counted). Built in 1988 to access the Misakain Temple, the granite of pain is formally known as “shakainmisakayūhodō” (釈迦院御坂遊歩道), and you can’t really say you’re from Kumamoto until you’ve climbed it. (I left my sunglasses at the temple once so did it twice in one day.)

William Volcanoes fall into that bucketlist "iffy" category: on one hand, would…

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 04:19:55 +0000

William Volcanoes fall into that bucketlist “iffy” category: on one hand, wouldn’t it be cool to climb one? - but on the other, dying in pyroclastic flow, akin to jumping into a pool filled with lighted charcoal, would be unpleasant. (I’ve climbed both Unzen and Sakurajima - seems that timing, totally out of one’s control, is key.)

Unzen is in the news due to a movie regarding two volcanologists who died while doing what volcanologists do. Called “Fire of Love,” its title is as ill-chosen as that pair’s decision to venture up that day. Japan Today has a writeup: https://japantoday.com/category/entertainment/a-celebrity-volcanologist-couple-who-died-in-japan-spotlighted-in-new-documentary

Kirk hee with some "insights" about the kinds of posts that get big responses o…

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:16:34 +0000

Kirk hee with some “insights” about the kinds of posts that get big responses on this page:

Posts having to do with springs, mountains and volcanos have all gotten all over 1,000 pairs of eyeballs recently, significantly above average for this page. And, as you can see, such posts also have higher than average “engagement” (clicking, sharing, commenting, etc.).

Conversely, anything about a spike in COVID-19 infections is decidedly on the unpopular end of the spectrum. After more that two years, I think we are all getting rather tired of this whole COVID thing, yours truly included.

William When I read on the Guardian that "Ippudo, which operates 50 ramen shops…

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:11:52 +0000

William When I read on the Guardian that “Ippudo, which operates 50 ramen shops across the country, is offering endless free noodle refills for a fortnight from election day on Sunday until 24 June,” I had three questions: what is a “fortnight,” is there an “Ippudo” in Kumamoto, and why are they informing us of this in July? It turns out that a “fortnight” in this case is “until 24 June;” that, yes, there is an “Ippudo” in Kumamoto: https://stores.ippudo.com/1069; and that, no, we are clueless as to the tardiness. You’ll need proof that you voted, so make something up, and fudge the date. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/06/free-noodles-offered-as-japan-wrestles-with-low-youth-turnout-for-elections

Kirk here reporting that Kumanichi is reporting that there were 1443 new cases o…

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 08:42:13 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumanichi is reporting that there were 1443 new cases of COVID-19 today. I guess yesterday’s high of 1589 is no longer such an isolated statitstical outlier.

Kirk here was a follow-up to Atsuko's post (Thanks, Atsuko!). I made this littl…

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 12:49:57 +0000

Kirk here was a follow-up to Atsuko’s post (Thanks, Atsuko!). I made this little graph to put the numbers in perspective. I hope this is just a blip, so to speak, but today’s number are literally close to being off the charts. The chart is from the following page:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/data/pref/kumamoto.html

As you can see, today’s number of new infetions is about double what we’ve been having so far.

On TV I heard that the virus is tending to spread among children and that the heat has led to more reliance on air conditioning which, due to the reduction in natural ventalation, makes it easier for the virus to spread.

Atsuko here. Unfortunately, it's the new record ,1,589 cases of Corona infection…

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 08:11:24 +0000

Atsuko here. Unfortunately, it’s the new record ,1,589 cases of Corona infection in Kumamoto Prefecture. Under these circumstances, it is nice that there was little damage from the typhoon to Kumamoto. Be careful, take care well.( ⋅֊⋅ )‎و

WHEN YOU HAVE SYMPTOM FOR FEVER, CORONA. https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp.e.qp.hp.transer.com/soshiki/30/59582.html ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー＜Preliminary report: Record 1,589 cases of corona infection in Kumamoto Prefecture July 5, 2022 16:07 Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun Share 　Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City announced at 4 p.m. on July 5 that they have confirmed 1,589 new cases of coronavirus infection. This is the largest number of new infections confirmed per day ever. Of these, 623 were from Kumamoto City.They also announced two deaths.

William Here is what Kumanichi has to say about the typhoon: "Typhoon No. 4 is …

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 20:52:01 +0000

William Here is what Kumanichi has to say about the typhoon: “Typhoon No. 4 is expected to come closest to Kumamoto Prefecture from the morning of the 5th to the afternoon. The Kumamoto Local Meteorological Observatory calls for caution against sediment-related disasters, inundation of low land, and flooding of rivers, saying that active rain clouds may enter the entire prefecture and cause heavy rain. Some elementary, junior high and high schools and special needs schools in the prefecture have decided to temporarily close on the 5th.

Kirk here with some information about a couple of volcanologist who lost their l…

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 07:56:27 +0000

Kirk here with some information about a couple of volcanologist who lost their lives here in Kyushu on June 3, 1991 when Mount Unzen erupted. The movie isn’t available here yet but I would guess that it will arrive eventually. The director, Sara Dosa, is an American but the volcanologists (Katia and Maurice Krafft) were French so it will probably be necessary to understand French or Japanese subtitles if one wishes to watch it here in Japan when it comes. You can see a trailer and high ratings on the film’s IMDb page: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16227014/

William Kumamoto was a major manufacturing base of airplanes and center of logi…

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 03:17:55 +0000

William Kumamoto was a major manufacturing base of airplanes and center of logistics during WWII. The Army Aviation Headquarters was located in Ikeda-cho, and two Mitsubishi aircraft factories producing the Ki-67 heavy bombers were located in Kengun (where the headquarters of Japan’s Western Army remains) and Obiyama-cho. Small plants producing airplane parts were spread throughout the prefecture.

US bombing of these facilities began in March, 1945, increasing in ferocity, with the largest coming on July 1st and 2nd and culminating on August 10. Collectively known as the Kumamoto Air Raid, by war’s end, some 30% of the city, including Shinshigai, Shimotori, Suidocho, Oe, Shinyashiki, Suizenji, Kusaba, and Kurokami, was destroyed by 1,007 tons of bombs and incendiary weapons.

Kirk here with a follow-up to William's and Atsuko's posts about the approaching…

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 23:24:47 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to William’s and Atsuko’s posts about the approaching typhoon. Fortunately, it’s not very powerful. The image shows the current projection regarding how the storm will move in the next 24 hours. Though it looks like it will come close to being a direct hit on Kumamoto, it shouldn’t be a very hard hit, at least in terms of wind speed. Tropicalstormrisk.com says that the probability of tropical storm winds or stronger is less than 10%. But, on the other hand, we may have a lot of rain. Sometimes slow moving storms with relatively low wind speeds can do a lot of damage if they wind up dumping a lot or rain in one area.

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: The Kashima Spring Par…

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 04:54:15 +0000

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: The Kashima Spring Park Natural Pool (Kashima-chō yūsuikōen ten’nen pūru, 嘉島町湧水公園天然プール) is a wonderful place to bring the kids. It consists of a conventional spring-fed pool and a natural area for exploring. Admission is free, but parking is ￥500. Their website https://www.mlit.go.jp/tochimizushigen/mizsei/mizusato/shichoson/kyushu/kashima.htm indicates they are open this year; a confirmation call is recommended.　096-237-2619

Hi Atsuko here with Yahoo typhoon forecast.

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 04:29:15 +0000

Hi Atsuko here with Yahoo typhoon forecast. It is often said that we should be cautious when typhoons pass Nagasaki, west of Kumamoto. This time it looks like it will go first to Nagasaki and then across to Kyushu! Although the rainy season has ended, torrential rains often occur in early July every year, so please be careful!∠(　˙-˙ )／ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Typhoon No. 4 was located about 170 km west-northwest of Okinoerabu Island as of noon on Sunday,the 3rd, and is moving north-northwest at 10 km per hour. The central pressure is 996 hectopascals, the maximum wind speed near the center is 18 meters, and the maximum instantaneous wind speed is 25 meters.

William Typhoon update: its center has been moving southward, currently expecte…

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 04:25:58 +0000

William Typhoon update: its center has been moving southward, currently expected to pass over Sasebo. However, it is more of a tropical storm so will likely result in a welcome breeze and showers.

My go-to website for typhoons is the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, run by the US Navy, which has a vested concern in windy, watery-type phenomenon. https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/jtwc.html

William Kumanichi updates us on Tateno Dam, which, at its current height of 40 …

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:12:23 +0000

William Kumanichi updates us on Tateno Dam, which, at its current height of 40 meters (its final height will be 87 meters), is said to resemble a fortress. About half done now, it is scheduled to be completed in April 2023.

What I didn’t know is that the dam is to a “running water type.” This means that the three apertures, each 5m², have no covers - they remain open - such that the reservoir does not store water under normal conditions. Should heavy downpours result in a flow exceeding the rate of the apertures, the dam will hold the water and release it gradually, thus preventing flooding downstream. Neat, eh?

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: if you've found Kakiba…

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 14:07:24 +0000

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: if you’ve found Kakibaru (柿原), which we wrote about the other day, you’re in a good place for a walk. Leave your car and follow a small road up a gentle hill which is now, sadly, shadowed by the elevated four lanes of Ueki Bypass, to eventually connect via the Kumamoto Nishi Kanjyo Sen (熊本西環状線, a ring road to the west of Kumamoto and on to Amakusa). After a short, pleasant walk, you’ll come across Narudo-ji Temple (成道寺).

Kirk here with an article that includes some good information on spots to enjoy …

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 00:19:45 +0000

Kirk here with an article that includes some good information on spots to enjoy nature in Kumamoto.

Hi! Kirk Here. I thought I had posted the following to the page yesterday but …

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 06:20:53 +0000

Hi! Kirk Here. I thought I had posted the following to the page yesterday but wound up posting as myself (which put it with the “Guest” posts). William has already announced basically the same news but here’s my version:

“Kirk here. The rainy season seems to have been declared ‘over’ in Kumamoto already. This is the earliest on record. It’s good if you don’t like getting rained on by not so good if you don’t like the heat. In other heat-related news, a high school student visiting Greenland lost consciousness from apparent heatstroke but has since regained consciousness. Hope she’ll be OK.” https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220628_35/?fbclid=IwAR1_qM6Aavqlp9BHHzu_FYWsfJ6dHSMoecoBKWh_zVk91nGRwE84kR6JYrI

William Kumanichi announces that this year's rainy season, at 17 days, was the …

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 03:49:52 +0000

William Kumanichi announces that this year’s rainy season, at 17 days, was the shortest on record. This has pleased some, such as farmers eager to get their summer crops in early, but has dismayed others, such as a woman who runs a coin laundry shop (drier use has evaporated). Beer garden operators are also happy.

All Kumamoto drinking water is artesian (unique in the world), but farmers rely on irrigation. Fortunately, the Prefectural Water Department says that water levels at all six dams feeding Kumamoto farmers are at normal levels. Summer thunderstorms may also help.

William I was never a fan of Parco: the maze of merchandise with no windows, lo…

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 07:29:22 +0000

William I was never a fan of Parco: the maze of merchandise with no windows, low ceilings, and tiny elevator struck me as a fire deathtrap. Kumanichi announces its replacement (11 floors above ground, 1 below, with the 3rd-11th hotel space) using amusing phrases. Its official name is a mouthful: “OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resort,” with OMO5 pronounced “omo faibu” 「OMO5（おもふぁいぶ）熊本　by　星野リゾート」. The article also mentions, “OMO is the first in Kyushu to be positioned as a ‘city hotel that raises the tension of travel’” (OMOは「旅のテンションをあげる都市ホテル」との位置付けで九州では初めて。) Two thoughts: whichever employee came up with that phrase should be fired, and the company should change its name to OMG. Still, it’s gotta be better than Parko. Link to Kumanichi article and photo:

William with a quick quake update. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency …

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 23:45:30 +0000

William with a quick quake update. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (which oversees earthquakes, too), an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of M5 or stronger may occur within a week of Sunday’s quake.

They said that the earthquake on the 26th occurred on the Takano-Shirahata (高野－白旗区間) and Hinagu (日奈久区間) sections of the Hinagu fault zone (日奈久断層帯), as can be seen on the map below, and noted that there have been consecutive earthquakes in this area in the past within short periods of time.

Kirk here. The other day, the Ushibuka Haiya Matsuri came up in a conversation …

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 02:45:19 +0000

Kirk here. The other day, the Ushibuka Haiya Matsuri came up in a conversation with some students. That prompted me to search for what might be available on the internet. I was pleasantly surprised to find this detailed article in English. I didn’t realize that Ushibuka Haiya-Bushi had spread all over Japan.

The festival is in April. I hope to be able to post a heads up a few weeks in advance but no promises. If you’re interested, mark your calendar and start checking for information in March. And, if you don’t mind, post a little reminder to the page. ;)

William with a quick note for seismologicophiles: A fault system bisects Japan v…

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 14:09:50 +0000

William with a quick note for seismologicophiles: A fault system bisects Japan vertically, running from Ibaraki down to the coast off Kagoshima called the Japan Median Tectonic Line https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Median_Tectonic_Line. It’s composed of a smattering of right-lateral strike-slip faults moving at a rate of about 5–10 mm/yr. It angles north-east/southwest from Beppu, under the volcano, and to the south of Kumamoto City, where it splits into two faults: the Futagawa, which runs along the north of the Uto Peninsula, and the Hinagu, which runs through Yatsushiro. This evening’s quake was likely a rupture of the Hinagu fault.

Kirk here reporting that we just had an earthquake (21:48). Misato was "lower 5"…

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 12:52:44 +0000

Kirk here reporting that we just had an earthquake (21:48). Misato was “lower 5” (5-) on the Japanese shido scale, which is strong enough to cause damage – hopefully minor is this case. The magnitude was 4.7. Interestingly, Misato is slightly north of the epicenter. Other points closer to the epicenter seem to have had less shaking. Of course, I guess that makes sense if one considers that geological factors (sandy soil vs. solid rock base, etc.) have a lot to do with how much shaking happens.

William Lil' info on that quake you just felt: epicenter Yatsushiro, depth 10km…

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 12:52:06 +0000

William Lil’ info on that quake you just felt: epicenter Yatsushiro, depth 10km, magnitude 4.7, 5 weak on the Japanese scale. The way it’s lined up makes it appear to have occurred on the Hinagu fault, which you can play with here: https://gbank.gsj.jp/geonavi/geonavi.php#11,32.71327,130.77556

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: Kakibaru (柿原) is a nei…

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 08:10:51 +0000

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: Kakibaru (柿原) is a neighborhood on the eastern flank of Mt. Kimpo, whose weight causes water to gush out in lots of places, one of which is called お手水の森 (ochyōzu no mori). The strange pronunciation is due to a legend: apparently, Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto (the main god of Ichinomiya Aso Shrine, who I wrote about the other day) used the spring for ablutions (sacred washing of hands); both that action and its location are referred to as お手水, ochyōzu (most shrines have お手水 for washing hands or rinsing out one’s mouth before prayers). The location, now run by a restaurant, has a small trough-like pond stocked with nijimasu (虹鱒 - rainbow trout) which can be taken home or they’ll cook ’em for you on the spot; a large pond not suitable for swimming; and, in the back corner, the spring, a waterfall which is the ochyōzu. The delicious, biting water tumbles down from fissures in a small cliff, and visitors are welcome to find a niche in which to chill. The official Website: https://nijimasu.jp/spot/ochozu/

Overnight English Volunteer Event

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 23:30:17 +0000

Olivia here, Just returned to Japan after being in Taiwan for a while 🤗

Sharing with you a volunteering opportunity, helping a friend. Please contact the email address provided directly for more details ::

marialourdes.kase@gmail. com

⭐️ Volunteers Needed ⭐️

⭐️ At least 5 foreign Volunteers needed for an overnight English event in Oguni, Aso here in Kumamoto sponsored by the board of education there.

🌟 It’s on Aug. 3rd & 4th. 🌟

William In my post about Takamori Tunnel, a reader had commented on a phrase us…

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:28:34 +0000

William In my post about Takamori Tunnel, a reader had commented on a phrase used in the accompanying article describing Takamori as “a town where God enjoyed his honeymoon.” There is a reason for this, and, searching for it, I found that translating the “Aso Daimyōjin no Hanashi " (阿蘇大明神の話) from Aso Shrine’s (in Isehaya) Website would be the simplest method. Then it occurred to me that the Website lacks an English mirror site, so I thought I would send them my translation and offer to translate the rest of their site for free. The site address: http://www.asojinja.jp/kami.html A favor I have to ask is for interested readers to read the original and give advice on my translation. When satisfied, I will send it to the shrine office. Thank you in advance. My translation is as follows:

Fiona here, starting a thread for those planning international travel this summe…

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 06:24:57 +0000

Fiona here, starting a thread for those planning international travel this summer to ask questions and share advice. To kick things off, I’d like to ask if anyone has used the PCR test service offered at Kumamoto Airport and whether it’s recommended for onward journeys overseas.

Hi Atsuko.

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:14:23 +0000

Hi Atsuko. It was hot day today too. I was excited to see blue skies and white irido-clouds because I am a summer lover. Now guess, where am I? This small field is full of sunflowers in full bloom. Kinpouzan (Mt. Kinpou) or Unzen (Mt. Unzen) can be seen in the back. This small field of sunflowers is across the street from the Nishi Ward Office,西区役所. It is my way home every day. It is neither famous nor large, but it is a good place to get a head start on summer. The ward office across the street has a library. Next to the ward office, there is a hot spring at West community center, 西部交流センター that uses the heat from a garbage incinerator, 西部環境工場. This center also has a small gymnasium, which can be used casually. I played table tennis with my family in GW and also enjoyed the hot spring (I went there to play badminton, but I did not have a reservation). You can rent badminton and table tennis equipment or bring your own. The gym courts are 200～500yen /hour, the equipment is about 100～ 200yen each, and they also sell fresh vegetables from the area. I hope you also enjoy the summer flowers, exiting games, hot spring,,,,,, Anyways HOT(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ West community center in Kumamoto city http://seibu-koryu.com/info/

In a post near this one, I tried to reply to William Baerg on the subject of how…

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 23:29:11 +0000

In a post near this one, I tried to reply to William Baerg on the subject of how Yatsushiro Museum translated its Japanese name. I could not post any images supporting my observations. I will now try again to upload the images here. If I do not succeed I will delete the post. Looks like I finally succeeded! (Douglas)

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: The photo below taken …

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:22:09 +0000

William A bit more about springs and where to find them: The photo below taken from Yakuinbaru (役犬原) is legible if enlarged enough (an aside: the kanji 原, usually “hara,” is only pronounced “haru” in central/southern Kyushu). In a nutshell: ①There are many springs around Mt. Aso; ②This is due to Aso’s unique geology; and ③They are useful for various purposes. Of more interest (to me, at least) is the common use of the character “inu” (犬) in place names. I looked it up. According to this explanation https://tinyurl.com/2r6zxny9, its use as a place name may derive from the kanji for golden eagle, “inuwashi” 「犬鷲」or 「狗鷲」, apparently so named either as they are inferior in beauty to mountain hawk-eagles (kumataka, 熊鷹); that their rapid, graceful movement is reminiscent of the goblin tengu; or that their short, high-pitched cry sounds like that of a puppy. This all leads me to believe that places with (犬) in their names must once have been sites of golden eagle hunting. The updrafts common in the caldera (watch out for hang gliders!) would make hunting with birds there sensible. Thus, the place name 役犬原 would not have derived from “plain of useful dogs” but “plain of useful golden eagles.”

William with a bit more re: Kumamoto water. Takamori, a town in the southeast co…

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 12:18:54 +0000

William with a bit more re: Kumamoto water. Takamori, a town in the southeast corner of Aso caldera (inasmuch as a round caldera can have a corner) is famous for its tunnel-to-nowhere. In 1973, work on the Kyushu-Chubu Crossing Railway, which would have connected Kumamoto with Oita, was begun on what is now the Minamiaso Tetsudo Takamorisen (南阿蘇鉄道高森線), which entailed digging a tunnel from the caldera floor to emerge somewhere around Takachiho. Things bogged down in 1975, when water began spouting out from tunnel walls in volume increasing as the tunnel progressed, and in 1980, with 2055m dug, the project was abandoned. The tunnel continues to spout pure spring water of 32 tons per minute, and its first kilometer, known as Takamori Yusui Tunnel Park (高森湧水トンネル公園), is open to visitors. Narrow lanes on either side of the waterflow pass through the dimly-lit tunnel, with strobe lights causing streams of water droplets cascading from the walls to appear like strings of pearls. Its 17°C year-round temperature make it cool in summer and, ironically, warm in winter. Several events are held to celebrate seasons, particularly Tanabata and Christmas. In July, colorful Tanabata decorations are hung the length of the tunnel, enhancing its sense of mystery. Below photos nabbed from the Web: tunnel entrance; water droplets under strobe lights; Tanabata decorations; tunnel end. Also, while swimming in the stream outside the entrance may be discouraged, as in the final photo, bring your trunks just in case. Access easily by train; change lines at Tateno Station to the Minami-Aso railroad and disembark at its terminal, Takamori station. The tunnel is a short walk from there. An English-language welcome: http://takaramori.com/en/spot/leisure_detail.cgi?up_spofo1=1005

William An example of a "portmanteau" - an autological word, or word which desc…

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:11:46 +0000

William An example of a “portmanteau” - an autological word, or word which describes itself - is, well, “portmanteau,” which derives from porte, imperative of porter, “to carry,” and manteau, or “cloak.” (Today it’s more commonly known as a “carry-on.”) “Labradoodle” is also a portmanteau so well-accepted that my spell autocheck allows it. A neologistic portmanteau is “glamp,” combining “glamorous” and “camp.” In my day, that meant you had a bucket to poop in (or “pooba,” as we called it). Times have changed. Kumanichi reports that “グランピング,” as glamping is known in Japanese, is sweeping Japan. “Sky Terrace,” whose roof overlooks Shirakawa, offers barbecue space, a kitchen, and a tent, while the restaurant “Little Garden” in Higashi-ku offers “two tents lined up in an area of about 200 square meters in a green garden with the image of a forest” and Sakuramachi announces their glamping spots are already fully reserved. Prices seem to start at around ￥4,500 yen including food. Kumanichi: https://kumanichi.com/articles/696679 Pictured below: a photo of glamping atop Sky Terrace and a labradoodle (not included).

Kirk here with a Mainichi article on Yamaga's Yachiyoza. It's a traditional the…

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 04:14:01 +0000

Kirk here with a Mainichi article on Yamaga’s Yachiyoza. It’s a traditional theatre well worth visiting.

One bit of information that was new to me: “The pit under the stage was flooded in the torrential rain disaster that struck the Kyushu region in July 2020, but the damage was repaired by late September the same year.”

Carlton here. To all my fellow fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day!! May you …

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 01:00:29 +0000

Carlton here. To all my fellow fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day!! May you all be well celebrated.

William Tsuboigawa (坪井川), which drains the area from the east around the south …

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 08:13:32 +0000

William Tsuboigawa (坪井川), which drains the area from the east around the south of Mt. Kimpo, is the little river that could - do a lot of damage. Its flow meandered along with Shirakawa until Kato Kiyomasa disciplined them with banks and catchment areas, which anyone who lives near Tsuboigawa knows are barely enough during heavy rain. The Tsuboigawa Greenbelt (Tsuboigawa ryokuchi, 坪井川緑地) was thus created. The area is accessible via Kumamoto Dentetsu Kitakumamoto station. Kumanichi reports that this is the season to view lotus blossoms.(hasunohana, 蓮の花 - the root is called renkon, 蓮根). Buddhists revere the flower as a symbol of the rise to Nirvana through the muck of life, and the lotus root as food is such a symbol of Kumamoto that the Hosokawa family crest is modeled on it. Kumanichi: https://kumanichi.com/articles/692865

Kirk here with an English-language article about the alleged hazing at Seiseiko.…

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:06:40 +0000

Kirk here with an English-language article about the alleged hazing at Seiseiko. As I reported in my previous post, the judge found the school innocent:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220531/p2a/00m/0na/012000c

The Mainichi article ends with the following quotes from Ryo Uchida of Nagoya University:

“I’d hoped the court would look at how the student felt (about the incident) rather than looking at the case as a mere formality to see whether there was a violent act. It should’ve taken into consideration that the school song training and head-shaving were done under peer pressure, in an environment where underclassmen could not resist upperclassmen’s demands. . . . The school should not try to justify these acts using tradition as an excuse, but review them in the context of changes in society and the circumstances that children face.”

Kirk here with a repost of a job offering from early April. The original post w…

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 00:13:23 +0000

Kirk here with a repost of a job offering from early April. The original post was here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7120640338009337

And here’s the main text of the announcement:

— start quote —

Freedom English School, located in Kamitori and Suizenji in Kumamoto City, is seeking an English teacher for a full-time position starting in July. Applicants should be comfortable teaching children of all ages, ranging from kindergarten age through to Junior High School students. Experience is preferred, but not essential for the correct candidate. Pre-employment and on-the-job training will be provided. We offer a competitive financial package - details of which will be provided on request - and an excellent working environment. If you are interested in joining our growing teaching team and would like to find out more information, please contact Greg Howes at gihowes@gmail.com or 096-322-7100.

Kirk with some news that is clearly appropriate for this page: the planned expan…

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 12:47:43 +0000

Kirk with some news that is clearly appropriate for this page: the planned expansion of Kumamoto International School.

The image I’ve added to this post is from the following news video:

https://www.tku.co.jp/news/?news_id=20220615-00000003

The news report briefly reviews the history of the school, explaining that it began in 2003 as a preschool and that it established a primary school in 2018. Currently, 76 children attend the school, which is located in Nishibaru (close to where a fork in the road takes drivers on the Higashi [East] Bypass to the Kita [North] Bypass). They are planning to start construction this year on a new, much larger, school in Toshimanishi (or Toshima Nishi?). The new location will be closer to the planned TSMC plant and it is expected that many of the 300 or so employees from Taiwan who come to work at the plant will send their children to the school. The school will also hire teachers from Taiwan, so it seems that Chinese will be part of the curriculum, in addition to instruction in English. The new school will have a junior high school and the eventual addition of a high school is also planned. The report says that they expect about 420 students to be enrolled by the time that all grade levels are up and running.

William Another in our series of water bodies in which to dabble: "じゃぶじゃぶ池," or…

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 12:21:47 +0000

William Another in our series of water bodies in which to dabble: “じゃぶじゃぶ池,” or “splash about pond.” The Hosokawa family once had a large summer house with an immense spring; the house is gone (though much of the land remains property of the clan), replaced by a wedding venue; the voluminous amounts of water flow under various gates through two streams into Lake Ezu. Of particular fun for tots is a small waterfall, on the right of the photo, where the crystalline, chill water drops to lake level. Older kids will enjoy exploring the waterways as they cut through thick vegetation. Peek over walls to admire spring-fed gardens of private houses. Lake Ezu parking is free, but the entrance from Denshadori is hard to find so scouting on foot beforehand is recommended; it fills up quickly, so arrive early with a picnic, shoes for walking in water, and a collection bucket. As there is a vast area to explore, the area is suitable for all elementary school kids, while the pond is safe for infants. (Photos from the Web.) City Website: https://www.ezuko-park.com/blog/16380

William Kumanichi reports on a lighthearted event for a rainy day: the "Love Ri…

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 05:53:43 +0000

William Kumanichi reports on a lighthearted event for a rainy day: the “Love Ride” (こいのり) is a streetcar chartered by the Kengun Shopping Arcade Promotion Board which traveled between Kamikumamoto and Kengun full of some 50 lovelorn men and women in their 20s and 30s looking for matches. Also aboard was a “marriage coordinator,” Araki Naomi, who gave such advice as “Expressing interest is like a turn signal: it must be obvious.” Perhaps any effort to revitalized Kengun, which has rapidly declined to “shutter street” (シャター通り) status, is welcome. This may result in a new generation of patrons.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/689358

William Another on our list of springs that entertain children: Hakenomiya (八景水…

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 06:00:16 +0000

William Another on our list of springs that entertain children: Hakenomiya (八景水谷), or “the ravine of eight views,” was originally a teahouse founded by the third Kumamoto lord, Hosokawa Tsunatoshi, who also developed the area as a flood storage plain to regulate the flow of Tsuboi River, which serves as the moat of the castle. Three wells provide municipal drinking water. The springs adjoin a spring-themed museum, Mizunokagakukan (水の科学館), which is rather informative and also provides restrooms and free parking. Public transportation: a short walk from the Hakenomiya stop of Kumamoto Dentetsu, whose downtown station is in front of Fujisaki Shrine. Link to the museum: https://www.mizunokagakukan.jp/ Link to City site with map: https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/kankyo/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=20627&pg=3

William With summer afoot, we would like to present a list of springs that ente…

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 06:42:25 +0000

William With summer afoot, we would like to present a list of springs that entertain children and adults alike and are free. This is a spring directly behind the bamboo grove at the library, though not directly connected, so the startlingly cold water is as fresh as can be. Its lack of current and very shallow depth make it ideal for children (bring little scoops and collection buckets - here be zarigani, hidden in muck caves along the mainstream!). A short way downstream leads under a pedestrian footway to the mainstream, water flowing in from the springs at Suizenji park. A few monstrous slabs of granite, likely hurled from Aso ages ago, provide wonderful rock jumping for the more adventurous. Facilities include a rather clean public restroom and free parking if you know the narrow-lane entrance from Densha dori. A good way to learn this is to arrive there first on foot, backtrack the narrow lane to Denshadori, and implant that in your mind. As always, pack-in, pack-out. Trash receptible are generally not provided, and even if are, it’s better to bring everything home. Bring a large plastic garbage bad. Below: spring, access, and jumping rocks on the main stream. Parking is allowed on the left side of the dirt road.

Kirk here with a follow-up to Fiona's post about movie viewing opportunities. F…

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 05:32:03 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to Fiona’s post about movie viewing opportunities. Fiona’s post is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7428651917208176

I posted a comment with links to articles and websites related to the human rights abuses at Ushiku and to the film itself. Personally, I’m very interested in the movie but I hesitate to view it at a theatre in Kumamoto because I suspect that English subtitles will not be provided. I haven’t called Denshikan to ask about that point so, if you’re wondering whether or not to go, please check it out with them and report back in a comment. The official trailer on the Japanese side of the movie’s official website does not have English subtitles, even when only Japanese is being spoken:

Fiona here with a couple of lesser known films currently playing in town that ma…

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 02:24:50 +0000

Fiona here with a couple of lesser known films currently playing in town that may be of interest to Kumamoto-i readers. Denkikan Cinema is showing Ushiku, a documentary about asylum seekers in Japan filmed in secret interviews at the Ushiku detention centre. Showtimes and other films can be checked here https://denkikan.com/ Piccadilly Cinema next to Kumamoto Station has late shows of Mothering Sunday (帰らない日曜日 in Japanese), a period drama based on the novel by Graham Swift, starring Olivia Colman and Colin Firth. https://www.smt-cinema.com/sp/site/kumamoto/day.html

Kirk here sharing a report of some progress regarding school rules in Kumamoto.

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 00:40:09 +0000

Kirk here sharing a report of some progress regarding school rules in Kumamoto.

“While 13 schools required students without black hair to submit natural hair color certificates as of June 2021, none still had this rule on the books as of April 2022. However, the number of schools with rules on hair alterations increased from 49 to 55 during the same period.”

These Mainichi articles come with links to the original Japanese text, a feature that can be useful for Japanese study or sharing information with Japanese speakers.

Kirk with news that the rainy season is here. The article (and news video) says…

Sat, 11 Jun 2022 12:11:56 +0000

Kirk with news that the rainy season is here. The article (and news video) says it’s a week later than normal and a month later than last year (which was quite early). The forecast for tomorrow is good but I guess there will be a good deal of rain after that.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/af24dc8ff733000b359f15421fc310a24694faab

Kirk here with some information from Sean Benward. I have a mindfulness practic…

Sat, 11 Jun 2022 07:05:04 +0000

Kirk here with some information from Sean Benward. I have a mindfulness practice that I’ve enjoyed for a long time so anything related to mindfulness strikes me as a good idea. I haven’t attended Sean’s sessions but if I didn’t have my own routine already, I think I would. (If you can’t see it immediately, there’s English text below the Japanese text.)

Sean, if you have time, please write a note in a comment about how you usually handle English and Japanese. Is everything bilingual? Or, are sessions usually mostly in English or Japanese?

William The Japan Meteorological Agency has a useful site with life info regard…

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:55:38 +0000

William The Japan Meteorological Agency has a useful site with life info regarding rainfall and other bits of info useful during rainy season - in English! Click on “Heavy Rain, Typhoon,” then the “Extra Detail” button on the rain box. Scrolling will magnify/demagnify the area. Clicking the play button on the console will display the previous three hours of rain movement and prognosis for the next hour. Other gizmos on the tool bar are fun for weather nerds.

Kirk here. I'm enjoying a pleasant late-afternoon breeze as I write this but it…

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 09:37:34 +0000

Kirk here. I’m enjoying a pleasant late-afternoon breeze as I write this but it won’t be long before we enter the rainy season, which overlaps with typhoon season. Those seasons bring increased risk of flooding which is the subject of this article.

It includes a fairly long section on the Kawabegawa dam project, which was planned, then cancelled, and is now planned again to prevent catastrophic flooding in the Hitoyoshi area. I’m pretty sure that the article is mistaken in saying that “plans emerged to build a dam upstream on the Kuma River” because the plans are for the Kawabegawa River, which feeds into the Kuma River (Kumagawa) and causes it to flood – but is a different river. Otherwise, I think the summary in the article is pretty good:

Carlton. This is an American-specific note--My US passport needs to be renewed …

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 04:48:52 +0000

Carlton. This is an American-specific note–My US passport needs to be renewed before the end of this year and I’d like to get the ball rolling. I understand from looking online that I can do so by mail in Japan sending the documents to the Osaka consulate.
Are there any Japan-resident Americans reading this who have gone through the process recently? If so, any advice or hints? Much appreciated and you can reply to me privately–Carlton McCycle. Thank you.

Kirk with a little note about wildlife in Kumamoto City. For the most part, the…

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 23:31:28 +0000

Kirk with a little note about wildlife in Kumamoto City. For the most part, the wildlife we are likely to see in our day-to-day lives in the city tends to be limited to birds and bugs. But, other animals are around and occasionally wind up showing themselves to us. One such animal is the itachi (Nihon itachi; Japanese weasel). Yesterday, I was sitting by a window looking out at a small garden on our property and got a glimpse of a little critter like the one in the picture. I didn’t have time to get a picture myself but in the bright sunlight the orange color was very much like what you see here.

William Cemeteries (墓地, bochi) lie in a delicate state: the soon-to-be deceased…

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 07:59:35 +0000

William Cemeteries (墓地, bochi) lie in a delicate state: the soon-to-be deceased lay out their will and their survivors follow out of love, respect, and/or in the wish that their progeny will do likewise. Kumamoto is awash with cemeteries, some pocket-sized, some immense, and the fact that 99.8% of Japanese are cremated mean that each tomb is a condominium of family dead. “Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your songs? Your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar?” I passed a pocket-sized graveyard today surrounded by mansions, each mansion bearing the same family name: the mulberry plots of their ancestors turned to rentier gold. When passing a graveyard, pause to read their stones. They were set up for us to see, to read (inscription, hibun, 碑文), to learn - who, when, what great-grandchild of a matriarch has also found home this plot. Indispensable starts for Higophilic thanatologiphiles: Hanaokayama, amongst whose dead lie soldiers, both Higo and Satsuma, killed in the Seinan War; and Tatsudayama Shizen Koen (Tatsuda Natural Park), where those of Hosokawa lineage lay; and the tiny plots you might find along a walk. Below: Seinan War cemetery, Hanaokayama: Hosokawa family cemetery, Tatsudayama; lil’ pocket cemetery up in the hills.

Kirk here with an update on Jikei Hospital's groundbreaking efforts to protect t…

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 04:37:13 +0000

Kirk here with an update on Jikei Hospital’s groundbreaking efforts to protect the lives of babies born to mother’s who aren’t ready to acknowledge them.

William A note from the Kumamoto International Bummer Desk (whose content is us…

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:28:23 +0000

William A note from the Kumamoto International Bummer Desk (whose content is usually left to our interns): The Lake Ezu Fireworks Festival, which was to have been held in August 7th, has been cancelled by the coronaphobic executive committee of the Ezu Lake Fireworks Festival, to whom vehement letters of protest should be addressed. The only good to have come from this is my chance to have used the past perfect passive infinitive. As is said in past perfect stative, it was to have been a wonderful time. https://kumanichi.com/articles/682921

Kirk here. Yesterday, RKK reported that Coto College, a technical school in Kum…

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 00:01:00 +0000

Kirk here. Yesterday, RKK reported that Coto College, a technical school in Kumamoto, has welcomed Solomiia K (I’m abbreviating her family name in view of internet privacy concerns) as a new student. Solomiia is the first person to come to Kumamoto as a result of the war against Ukraine. She had been studying Japanese before she came and will continue her studies here. Solomiia, if you happen to read this, welcome to Kumamoto!

William A unique feature of Japan is that every city has its own department sto…

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 07:25:05 +0000

William A unique feature of Japan is that every city has its own department store. Tokyo = Seibu; Kyoto = Takashimaya; Osaka = Daimaru; and Kumamoto = Tsuruya, which opened in 1952. Kumanichi reports on its 70th anniversary. Tsuruya is named after a samurai residence once nearby called “Tsuruyashiki.” A symbol of Kumamoto’s reconstruction after the war, it opened with 3 floors above ground and 1 floor below. It gradually expanded thereafter, adding its famous “look-in escalator,” a first in Japan, in 1973. When first opened, its employees numbered 285; currently, about 2,700 people work there, employed directly or by contractors. Its roof once hosted a popular amusement park; now, it is a children’s playground and a beer garden in summer. Kumamoto Pro Note: When giving an obligatory gift to a neighbor, it is de riguer to encase it in a Tsuruya paper bag even if you did not buy the gift there. Link to Kumanichi article: https://kumanichi.com/articles/679560 Photos: Tsuruya at opening; opening of famous escalator; current rooftop (hint: good place for dads to hang out with kids while mom shops); rooftop beer garden.

William We at KI are about as concerned with our readers' well-being as the law…

Sun, 05 Jun 2022 04:43:36 +0000

William We at KI are about as concerned with our readers’ well-being as the law allows - sometimes more! (That rustling outside your window at night is probably just us checking on your well-being with a distance thermometer.) With rainy season upon us, we all get a little out-of-sorts, even Kumamon. As such, we provide below a link to a video showing how the lil’ fuzzy guy handles the downs that inevitably accompany ups. See you tonight! (Photo from official Kumamon homepage.) https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm33930771

William "Kumamoto Yataimura" opened June 3rd in Jotomachi (between Kamitori and…

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 04:12:44 +0000

William “Kumamoto Yataimura” opened June 3rd in Jotomachi (between Kamitori and the post office), with wooden stalls lined up on both sides offering Kumamoto cuisine and plenty of alcohol with the purpose of promoting Kumamoto food and drink. This stretches ongoing revitalization from Kumamoto station through Sakuramichi on to the Kamitori area. Link to their site and another with plenty of photos (Japanese only): https://kumamoto-yataimura.com/#main https://higojournal.com/archives/kumamotoyataimura.html

Kirk with something about vegan cuisine in Kumamoto. UEDA Satoru, who is from M…

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 13:51:40 +0000

Kirk with something about vegan cuisine in Kumamoto. UEDA Satoru, who is from Mifune and who won First Place in the Vegetarian Chance vegan cooking competition held in Turin, Italy in 2019, returned to Kumamoto to show people just how good vegan cuisine can be when it’s done right. KKT reports that 25 or so influential Kumamotoites (KOYAMA Kundo, the guy who invented Kumamon, was one of those in attendance) were invited to tastes Chef Ueda’s creations. (For some strange reason, they forgot to invite me :( )

山�ageaŞa灯籠まつり (Yamaga Tōrō Festival)

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 04:05:54 +0000

William The Yamaga Tōrō Festival (山鹿灯籠まつり) is accepting from June 3, 2022 to June 30, 2022 female applicants (the parade consists of females only; 150 will be accepted), particularly from outside Yamaga, to participate in this year’s festival, which will be held on August 16th from 20:00 - 21:00. The lantern festival is said to have its origins in the semi-legendary 12th Emperor Keiko (景行天皇), whose rein is variously stated as in the 1st or 5th c. Apparently, while traveling around Kyushu, his boats landed on a Kikuchi River bank and his entourage became lost in heavy fog; local visitors bearing torches (まつあき、松明) saved the day. Since then, the event is celebrated at Omiya Shrine, located where the rescue supposedly took place, The festival consists of three dances performed: the Yohehobushi (performed twice), Yonabaru Chouja Kudoki Uta (once), and Yamaga Lantern Bon Odori (once). The dances are rather simple and (optional but likely fun) practice sessions will be held. Participants must register with free Yamaga’s message service, Yamaga Mate, for information updates. Yukata are provided. This is a rather major undertaking which should be approached seriously. However, if you have been accepted and find it overwhelming or suddenly inconvenient, cancelling with advance notice is fine. The festival Website (Japanese) is here: https://yamaga-tanbou.jp/lanterndance-entry/ Should you have any questions, please address the organizers directly or ask KI via the comment section below or by PM. Likely festival organizers will be thrilled to receive non-Japanese participants, and it will likely be a thrill of a lifetime for you.

Kirk here with some real news and a funny mistake in English that the news remin…

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:42:33 +0000

Kirk here with some real news and a funny mistake in English that the news reminded me of. The image on the top is the real news. Beginning yesterday, “pet sellers in Japan are now required to implant electronic microchips in dogs and cats as a revision to a law on animal welfare and management.” Though the assembly-line type image of puppies being implated with microchips may seem somewhat disturbing, my impression is that it’s a good idea. The chips should help lost pets to be returned to their proper owners and discourage irresponsible owners from abandoning their pets. As the article says, it’s not retroactive; current owners are only “encouraged” to have a chip emplanted (in the pet, that is, not the owner). And, of course, this is a natioinal law so it applies here in Kumamoto as it does throughout the country. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14635012 So, personally, I have no reason to denigrate or make fun of the idea of protecting pets with microchips. Nonetheless, I couldn’t resist chuckling because the picture in the Asahi article reminded me of the sign shown below. The original post can be found at the following URL. https://www.facebook.com/groups/EngrishInJapan/posts/5160854523930721/

William The vast grasslands coating Mt. Aso grabbed my attention when I first mo…

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 06:52:15 +0000

William The vast grasslands coating Mt. Aso grabbed my attention when I first moved here as they resemble so the grasslands of my native California after the spring rains. Unlike California, where grasslands exist due to sparse rainfall, they do so in Aso due to yearly brush burning, which both clears withered grass stalks (perennial roots survive to thrive in the ash-fertilized aftermath) and destroy saplings; the grassland also supports many rare animals. Without the burning, Aso slopes would quickly be forested, and grazing land for cow ranchers would vanish.

Hi,Atsuko. Here is information about Ukraine support and assistance from Kumamot…

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:14:21 +0000

Hi,Atsuko. Here is information about Ukraine support and assistance from Kumamoto. Yesterday, my school invited a guest teacher to give a lecture to learn about Ukraine and connect with Ukraine. He is from Tamana, Kumamoto and has visited many countries around the world to support street children, orphans, school establishment and operation. Based on his experience and contacts in Ukraine, he connected with Ukraine via zoom and explained about Ukraine, war, and evacuation life to the students. Through these lectures, he hopes to share the situation in Ukraine with elementary schools, high schools, universities, and citizens. He is fluent in English and might be very good at presenting in English. His team is also trying to help Ukrainian citizens directly by collecting donations and being visible to their supporters. I think this is a good way to support them from Kumamoto as an education or as a donation, so I share it here.╰(´︶`)╯ His team https://www.masashiteramoto.com/copy-of-home They send your donation to https://charitymay.com/en/about/

William With rainy season on our doorstep figuratively, let's hope it doesn't e…

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 05:20:31 +0000

William With rainy season on our doorstep figuratively, let’s hope it doesn’t end up on our doorstep literally. The figure shows that the areas adjacent to the banks of Shirakawa are lower than the river and how flooding (kōzui、洪水 or hanran、氾濫) might be expected. The building on the left, City Hall, for example, may experience flooding up to five meters; my side of the river will fare better at one meter, with water flowing on to Lake Ezu. Shirakawa has been widened, but Kumamoto remains an alluvial plain prone to flooding. Kumanichi has some eye-opening photos at this link: http://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/kumamoto/site_files/file/river/sonotanokaigi/siryou1-8kai.pdf and Kumamoto City provides an “entertaining” interactive flood hazard map (click site to see how far underwater it could go): https://hazard.kumamoto-city.jp/sphone.html

William Fiona had written about fireflies and where to find them. A choice spot…

Tue, 31 May 2022 08:35:50 +0000

William Fiona had written about fireflies and where to find them. A choice spot is behind the City Library, which sits adjacent to the Suizenji-Ezuko spring cluster and has its own street car stop. The springs there are numerous and surrounded by a type of banana known as the 芭蕉 (bashō - yes, the same kanji as the eponymous poet; if anyone knows why, please inform). The fiber banana has long been used by Okinawans to make cloth, called in English abaca cloth and in Japanese bashōfu (芭蕉布). Brought to Kumamoto by the Hosokawa lords as an ornamental plant, the fruit is inedible. The banana grove behind the library is flooded with dike-like paths, making for an enchanted walk, a heaven for fireflies, and an escape from summer heat. A link to the park’s official firefly site: https://www.ezuko-park.com/blog/13354 more on abaca banana fiber cloth: https://kogeijapan.com/locale/en_US/kijokanobashofu/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8A%AD%E8%95%89%E5%B8%83 and a bit about Bashō the poet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D Note: photos nabbed from the Web.

William Kumamoto New Port, which provides ferries to Nagasaki's Shimabara penin…

Tue, 31 May 2022 07:16:59 +0000

William Kumamoto New Port, which provides ferries to Nagasaki’s Shimabara peninsula, is too shallow for cruise ships. Yatsushiro Port handles large shipping container vessels but lacked facilities for tourists. This was rectified by a Kumamon-themed passenger facility funded by the national and prefectural governments and the US cruise ship company Royal Caribbean and completed, as bad timing might have it pandemically-speaking, in March 2020. Kumanichi reports on the port’s first usage by a cruise ship, the Nippon Maru, for Kagoshima and Yakushima, which departed on the 30th. While the line is designed to attract foreign tourists (elderly people love cruises!), this was entirely domestic. Given that Kumamoto Station is only ten minutes from Yatsushiro by Shinkansen (in itself an attraction), more tourists from abroad can be expected as pandemic restrictions are lifted. Below are links to the Kumanichi article and the Kumamoto Tourism Guide Website (Kumamon galore). https://kumanichi.com/articles/673357 https://kumamoto.guide/en/season/detail/88

(Fiona) Right now is the best time of year to see fireflies in Kumamoto. My favo…

Mon, 30 May 2022 13:57:08 +0000

(Fiona) Right now is the best time of year to see fireflies in Kumamoto. My favourite spot is in Tatsuda-yama where dozens of them are visible from the road while driving through and at a short distance from the car park. I’ve heard there are also a few places around Ezu-ko where they can be seen on a clear night. If you have firefly viewing spot recommendations, please post them in the comments.

Kirk reporting on a verdict rendered in a hazing lawsuit: Seiseiko High School w…

Mon, 30 May 2022 12:41:48 +0000

Kirk reporting on a verdict rendered in a hazing lawsuit: Seiseiko High School was found not guilty.

The complaint was made by a student who was at the school as a first year student in 2017. The articles I’m linking to cite two issues: (1) freshmen being “taught” the school song on the roof of the school building by the ouendan (応援団; cheering club); (2) the former student being compeled to have his hair shaved off as a member of the tenis club. The former student did not feel he could return to school and eventually wound up transfering to another high school. The former student was asking for 1 yen in compensation – a symbolic settlement.

William An ad appeared in my feed for a new mansion between the train station (…

Mon, 30 May 2022 06:57:40 +0000

William An ad appeared in my feed for a new mansion between the train station (right), Denshadori (left), and Sangyōdōro (bottom left corner), facing south-west. The font makes it look like a New Yorker magazine cover.

(Fiona) The travel restrictions of recent years have made weekend breaks to Kore…

Sun, 29 May 2022 08:49:06 +0000

(Fiona) The travel restrictions of recent years have made weekend breaks to Korea all but impossible. If you’re craving Korean food, cosmetics and idol goods, think K is for Kikuyo! The Sanree Carino mall in Kikuyo has an Olive Young pop-up shop as well as Oz, which stocks all kinds of Korean goods including snacks and frozen foods. It’s well worth a visit and is easily accessible by public transport. サンリーカリーノ菊陽 096-292-3110 https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwkdxtfnWAoanBCR9

Kirk here with a little gif that is made up of a picture and a video that I took…

Sun, 29 May 2022 01:35:51 +0000

Kirk here with a little gif that is made up of a picture and a video that I took with my iPhone last night. On the left, a girl is holding a flower called a hotaru bukuro (蛍袋). In English, it can be called a “spotted bellflower” but the literal meaning of the Japanese name is “firefly bag.” What you see on the right is a firefly doing its thing inside that very “firefly bag.” Actually, I took the photo on the left by mistake; I forgot to turn off the flash. But, now I think it was a rather happy accident, so to speak, because it gives you an idea of what is actually happening.

William Shinto shrines are nebulous places for non-Japanese. From my experience…

Sat, 28 May 2022 05:13:10 +0000

William Shinto shrines are nebulous places for non-Japanese. From my experience living adjacent to one, they offer superficial welcome to those from abroad to pray and attend festivals but generally do not allow deeper participation in shrine affairs. This is truer still for Kumamoto Gokoku Shrine（護國神社、ごこくじんじゃ), nestled between Ninomaru Park and the baseball stadium. (This is a rather difficult topic; if any have corrections or additions, please share them in the comments.) Gokoku Shrine history is complicated, but in a nutshell, a “shōkonsha” shrine (招魂社, しょうこんしゃ) was established in 1875 in Kyoto by the Meiji government to enshrine victims who died for the country (Meiji Restoration war dead were an impetus; remains are not enshrined but names inscribed in the shrine registry) and another in Tokyo the same year; soon, one had been established in each prefecture. In 1939, they were renamed Gokoku Shrine, and after World War II, they became independent of the government but maintained an ambiguous “official” status akin to Yasukuni Shrine, which was originally a shōkonsha. Kumamoto’s Gokoku Shrine enshrines some 65,000 war dead from Kumamoto prefecture from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War. Its atmosphere is solemn; there are few visitors. For those who would like to visit, the shrine is currently holding a display of flags from many world countries to mark the war in Ukraine, so non-Japanese may feel a tad more welcome. TKU has the story along with a short video: https://www.tku.co.jp/news/?news_id=20220527-00000016

Kirk here with an election billboard and some thoughts on communication in Japan…

Fri, 27 May 2022 10:51:10 +0000

Kirk here with an election billboard and some thoughts on communication in Japan.

An election for some open seats in the prefectural assemble is scheduled for Sunday, the 29th in Kumamoto City’s “District 1.” Where’s this “District 1”? Good question but it’s not easy for me to answer. The official website that shows the boundries of the districts is here:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/gikai/7855.html

If you look at it, you’ll see that the resolution of the map showing the districts is so bad as to make it almost impossible to read. This is in stark contrast to the election posters, where every effort is made to make sure that voters will be able to read the candidates’ names. If fact, they’ve made it so easy that you might imagine that the electorate is made up of elementary school students and intermediate-level Japanese students from other countries.

Kirk here reporting on a Kumanichi report on "ghost teachers" (yuurei sensei; 幽霊…

Wed, 25 May 2022 08:04:34 +0000

Kirk here reporting on a Kumanichi report on “ghost teachers” (yuurei sensei; 幽霊先生). My own university (Kumamoto Gakuen University; often refered to as “Gakuendai”) and the Prefectural University of Kumamoto (“Kendai”) are identified as having some remote classes (a very small number, I hope) where instructors don’t prepare video or audio materials and don’t conduct “live” online classes via platforms like Zoom . In regard to one such class at Kendai, a student is quoted annonymously as saying that they have to submit reports and get graded but don’t get any feedback so they’re not even sure if the professor is actually reading what they submit.

Kirk here introducing Souun Takeda (武田双雲), a calligrapher from the East Ward of …

Tue, 24 May 2022 13:03:17 +0000

Kirk here introducing Souun Takeda (武田双雲), a calligrapher from the East Ward of Kumamoto City. The picture is of a piece he gave to the East (Higashi) Ward as a gift after the 2016 earthquake. The lighting at the time caused lots of reflections that I tried to cut out by making the image black and white and increasing the contrast – but with only limited success. The piece says “fly” (飛翔; hishou) and is display prominently in the Higashi Kuyakusho (東区役所; East Ward Office Building). I saw it there the other day when I was there to take care of some paper work

(Fiona) The Kumamoto Green Vision Expo might be over but that doesn't mean the f…

Sun, 22 May 2022 14:33:27 +0000

(Fiona) The Kumamoto Green Vision Expo might be over but that doesn’t mean the flowers are all gone. This beautiful field of poppies can be seen at Moe no Sato in Nishihara, a short drive from Kumamoto city.

Kirk here recommending a visit to the Kashima area. If you're not familiar with…

Sun, 22 May 2022 04:43:55 +0000

Kirk here recommending a visit to the Kashima area. If you’re not familiar with the location just drop 上益城郡嘉島町 into Google Maps to find it.

There are a lot of wheat fields there that give off a beatiful golden glow this time of year. Today I learned that there is even a special word in Japanese for the view: bakushuu (麦秋; wheat autumn). Of course, it’s May, not autumn but I think the idea is that the golden brown color is reminiscent of autumn.

Distribution of Flowers

Sat, 21 May 2022 21:51:14 +0000

Good morning, Atsuko with some information about ‘‘Distribution of Flowers’’. I know many Kumamoto people enjoyed the Kumamoto Flower Expo, but today was the last day. My family and I also enjoyed the beautiful flowers of Takeakari and Sakura-machi last night, but what are they going to do with these beautiful flowers after the exhibition is over? I wondered what would happen to these beautiful flowers after the event.

As expected, the used flowers will be distributed! The time and place are fixed, so please check carefully. Although some problems were pointed out about the Flower Expo, I think it will be a good way to end it if the beautiful flowers can brighten the homes of many citizens.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Chuck Waterman here:

Sat, 21 May 2022 07:19:47 +0000

Chuck Waterman here:

Are there any individuals or schools in the Kumamoto City area that are looking for someone to teach English part-time or help with a camp starting in July or later? A 21 year old aquaintance from California is coming to Kumamoto next month, and she’s going to be looking for some Englsh teaching opportunities! She has very good Japanese conversational skills, and she’d be interested in teaching students of any age.

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. Just two more nights (after tonight) to…

Fri, 20 May 2022 09:17:13 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. Just two more nights (after tonight) to see it with your own eyes! :)

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/3126558600929098

P.S. Atsuko has already share some great pictures of this event here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7253996938007009

Kirk here with what I hope will be the last post in my series about what has hap…

Thu, 19 May 2022 09:54:36 +0000

Kirk here with what I hope will be the last post in my series about what has happened at Syugakkan.

New facts: ・The coach in his 30s (the one who was filmed being violent) has been fired. I think he is also under investigation by the police but I’m not sure what the status of that is yet. ・Headcoach Danbara has resigned without a follow-up explanation and/or apology – the lack of which has angered graduates who claim to be victims of his violence.

Yamaga Toro Matsuri

Wed, 18 May 2022 14:02:45 +0000

Kirk reporting that a commitee has decided to hold a somewhat scaled back version of the Yamaga Toro Matsuri. This will be the first time the event has been held since 2019. Instead of having 1000 dancers, the number will be reduced to 400.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/48600?display=1

Kirk here with news that researchers at Kumamoto University are doing important,…

Tue, 17 May 2022 00:53:01 +0000

Kirk here with news that researchers at Kumamoto University are doing important, cutting-edge work in the field of genome editing:

Fiona here with a YouTube channel recommendation. Flipside Japan explores abando…

Mon, 16 May 2022 13:57:07 +0000

Fiona here with a YouTube channel recommendation. Flipside Japan explores abandoned theme parks, factories, bath houses and other unusual and rarely visited places. The video linked below was filmed in Aso.

Kirk here with a note about a neighbor who loves Kumamon. My wife and I happene…

Mon, 16 May 2022 08:22:09 +0000

Kirk here with a note about a neighbor who loves Kumamon. My wife and I happened to walk by the home of someone we have known for many years and this car was parked in front. It belongs to our friend’s daughter who is a big Kumamon fan – she was wearing Kumamon shoes and one or two other Kumamon items when we happened to me that day. I have no idea how to get a car like this but the owner said it was a special order.

This year, Megumi and I hope to get a lot more footage of the mudskippers (Mutsu…

Sun, 15 May 2022 08:15:42 +0000

This year, Megumi and I hope to get a lot more footage of the mudskippers (Mutsugoro) here in Kumamoto, Japan. As summer approaches and the coastal mudflats warm up - the mudskippers begin to appear.

Kumamoto Marathon

Sat, 14 May 2022 13:58:11 +0000

Kirk with news for runners: Kumamoto City has decided to hold the Kumamoto Marathon on 19 February, 2023. The last marathon was held in 2020; the event was not held in 2021 and 2022 due to concerns about COVID-19. I have no information at this point about when runners will be able to apply to participate. If I get such information I hope to be able to post it on this page in a timely manner but I can’t make any promises in that regard.

Kirk here with more about the Syugakukan violence scandal. It started with a co…

Fri, 13 May 2022 09:01:32 +0000

Kirk here with more about the Syugakukan violence scandal. It started with a coach who was working under head coach DANBARA Kazushi (段原一詞), but recently it seems that the attention of the media has shifted primarily to Danbara himself. In the first article I’m linking to here he says that he knew nothing of his assistant coach’s violence and then, when asked if he in his 20 years of teaching and coaching has ever been violent with his students he says “never.” To that, graduates are saying he’s lying.

Happy Friday the 13th everyone.

Fri, 13 May 2022 02:57:10 +0000

Happy Friday the 13th everyone.
Carlton here and since I was born on the 13th I tend not to fear or worry about an increased incidence of bad luck befalling me during this 24 hour period. But for those with problems, here is a way to ward off the evil you think might be associated with this day/date: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/12/13/250699441/for-friday-the-13th-say-it-with-us-paraskevidekatriaphobia

Kirk here with another article on the same press conference held by Dr. Hasuda o…

Thu, 12 May 2022 10:06:26 +0000

Kirk here with another article on the same press conference held by Dr. Hasuda of Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto. The quality of the English in this article is quite good and it is a longer and more detailed.

The article says that the mother “left a comment to be read at the news conference stating, ‘If it were not for Jikei Hospital, I would have died together with the baby before giving birth.’” As saving lives has always been the raison d’être of the “baby hatch,” I think this statement is particularly important.

Kirk here with more news about Jikei Hospital and an observation about how Engli…

Wed, 11 May 2022 09:58:52 +0000

Kirk here with more news about Jikei Hospital and an observation about how English can be a rather difficult language.

As many of you know, Jikei Hospital has a long history of going out of its way to try to improve the chances that babies will be properly cared for, even when their mothers don’t feel they can take on the responsibility themselves. This article is the latest chapter in that story.

Kirk here with more about names for Kumamoto. This time I'd like to write a lit…

Tue, 10 May 2022 09:42:21 +0000

Kirk here with more about names for Kumamoto. This time I’d like to write a little about the name “Hi no Kuni” (火の国 or 火国).

First a little background. Yesterday, I posted about Kumamoto vs. Higo and, to my surprise, the post got over a thousand pairs of eyeballs (many more than the normal number):

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7262781397128563

So this is a “if they liked THAT, maybe they’ll like THIS” sort of post.

Kirk here with some thoughts about names for the place we currently call "Kumamo…

Mon, 09 May 2022 05:48:34 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts about names for the place we currently call “Kumamoto.” Kumamoto is on the island of “Kyushu” (九州), which literally means “nine states.” However, the “states” (州) were actually called “countries” (国) and this place was called Higo no Kuni (written “肥後国”). So, what was “Kumamoto”? Well, in the Edo Period, different parts of Japan were governed by “han” (藩) or “domains” and “Kumamoto Han” was the name of the domain started by KATO Kiyomasa and later taken over by the Hosokawa family.

Kirk here with some news about the establishment of an association for Vietnames…

Sun, 08 May 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Kirk here with some news about the establishment of an association for Vietnamese residents:

“There are about 6,400 Vietnamese residents in the prefecture in southwest Japan, including students at Japanese educational institutions and technical trainees.”

(Fiona) Thanks to all who came along for the first in-person Kumamoto-i meet-up …

Sun, 08 May 2022 05:21:32 +0000

(Fiona) Thanks to all who came along for the first in-person Kumamoto-i meet-up in a very long time. We enjoyed walking and talking in the woods on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Kirk here with a view of a train crossing the bridge just south of the the Tatsu…

Sun, 08 May 2022 03:29:45 +0000

Kirk here with a view of a train crossing the bridge just south of the the Tatsutaguchi Station in Kumamoto City’s East Ward. I was just upstream from the Ozeki Bridge. This part of the Shirakawa can be very pretty but it’s often hard to get close enough to enjoy it. I was happy to find this spot on my way back from Saturday’s “Walk and Talk,” which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Kumamoto Flower Expo Bamboo Light

Sat, 07 May 2022 08:19:02 +0000

Hi Atsuko with bamboo lights information from tonight, May 7 (Sat.) Hoping you enjoy Kumamoto early summer with beautiful bamboo lights and Kumamoto castle(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ The post and photos are shared by bamboo lights guest house, bamboo lights organizer. ーーーーFrom the postーーーーーーーーーー Kumamoto Flower Expo Bamboo Light" Date and time: May 7 (Sat) - May 22 (Sun) 18:30-21:00 Place: Kumamoto Castle along the Tsuboi River (free admission) 🌟There will be a lighting ceremony tonight 🌟 Around 18:45-19:00 Place: Kumamoto Castle, along the Tsuboigawa River

(Douglas) A short video taken of this year's, much reduced, display of Koi no Bo…

Sat, 07 May 2022 05:10:16 +0000

(Douglas) A short video taken of this year’s, much reduced, display of Koi no Bori over the Tsuboi river at the bridge to the Takahashi Inari shrine.

Tatsuda-yama Walk and Talk

Sat, 07 May 2022 03:00:17 +0000

(Fiona) This is the meeting point for the Tatsuda-yama Walk and Talk event this afternoon from 3pm. It’s about a five minute walk from the car park and just outside the fenced off Matsuri Hiroba where the Hanahaku events are taking place. If you arrive earlier you can go inside and try out the bamboo maze, handicrafts and new playground. 立田山憩いの森公衆トイレ

Kirk with more about the violence perpetrated against students at Shugakukan. V…

Fri, 06 May 2022 11:00:06 +0000

Kirk with more about the violence perpetrated against students at Shugakukan. Violence is one serious problem; lies are another. At first the school said, “such violence doesn’t happen here regularly.” However, a survey of the students led them to admit publicly that there had been 25 such instances, includuing “stepping on a student’s face”!

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/38759?display=1

Similarly, the head coach (the guy who called the student who up loaded the video the “kagaisha” [perpetrator / person who caused the harm]) said he didn’t know about the students’ “apology” video before it was uploaded but, in the press conference, it became clear that that statement was false. Now he says that he “went along with the students.” Yah, right. I guess the students pressured him into “going along” with their idea to take responsibility – after he berated them for victimizing the school.

Kirk here with a restaurant recommendation. I'm a fan of Indian cuisine and, fo…

Thu, 05 May 2022 11:00:01 +0000

Kirk here with a restaurant recommendation. I’m a fan of Indian cuisine and, fortunately, we have several good choices here in Kumamoto. One is called Surya and has locations in Tatsuda (in Kumamoto City’s North Ward) and Ozu. Here are the two addresses, which can be popped into Google maps to show you the location, regardless of whether or not you can read the Japanese text yourself:

Tatsuda: 熊本市北区龍田6-1-32

Ozu: 菊池郡大津町室176-4

Tatsuda-yama walking event

Thu, 05 May 2022 01:17:11 +0000

(Fiona) It looks like we will have good weather for the Tatsuda-yama walking event on Saturday. It’s still possible to sign up via the event page (or in the comments below). We’ll meet at 3pm in the small car park in front of the toilets next to Matsuri Hiroba and walk for approximately 90 minutes. It’s well worth arriving earlier in the day if you want to enjoy the Hanahaku attractions inside Matsuri Hiroba. If you’re arriving by car, there are lots of staff on hand to guide you to the correct car park. It’s also possible to get a free shuttle service from downtown.

Hi friends, Atsuko here.

Wed, 04 May 2022 06:13:03 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. I would like to recommend a good spot just for GW. It is くまもと水の迎賓館お手水の森（旧柿原養鱒場） Kumamoto Mizu no Geihinkan, Ochouzu no Mori (former Kakibaru Trout Farm). It is full of families. You can enjoy rainbow trout fishing. You can rent a pole and bait for 300 yen per person (you can get bait when it runs out) and fish freely. You can/should buy the fish you catch for 100g/280 yen (about 400 yen per fish). My children enjoyed fishing so much that they caught many fish, as many as 20, which became expensive, but even children can easily catch fish and have fun. The caught rainbow trout are weighed and bought up, and when you can take them home, they are gutted at the store. If you are not a good cook, you can ask the store to 塩焼き grill them in salt, 天ぷらtempura, さしみsashimi, 田楽焼きdengaku-yaki, or 甘露煮Kanroni (all 600-700 yen each) and eat them there instead of taking them home. Surrounded by greenery and beautiful water, it is cool and recommended not only for GW but also for the coming season.(ﾉ≧ڡ≦)☆ https://nijimasu.jp/ https://iko-yo.net/facilities/157774 MAP https://iko-yo.net/facilities/157774/map

Kirk here with some news about and comments on the 66th anniversary of the offic…

Tue, 03 May 2022 08:26:27 +0000

Kirk here with some news about and comments on the 66th anniversary of the official “discovery” Minamata disease (May 1, 1956).

I’ve included two screenshots from a news video published by MBC, a Kagoshima-based news service. The first is of the official commemorative ceremony and the second is of the unofficial one. The fact that there are two services results from and is an illustration of the divisions caused by the practice of only granting certification to the most extreme cases and leaving everyone else to more-or-less to fend for themselves. Angered by the government’s stance, many patients have refuse to participate in the official, government-sponsored ceremony (first image) and participate instead in another ceremony held at exactly the same time (the second image shows congenital Minamata disease patient SAKAMOTO Shinobu commenting after the ceremony). Here’s the URL of the MBC video report:

Kirk here with a little bit of "what foreigners think" nonsense related to なんばしよ…

Tue, 03 May 2022 01:05:40 +0000

Kirk here with a little bit of “what foreigners think” nonsense related to なんばしよっと (‘What are you doing?’ in Kyushu dialects) that I wrote about yesterday. This article came up when I was looking for information about the expression. It discusses the claim that ’nanba shiyotto’ sounds like ‘None but shot’ to us and that, when addressed to us by a policeman, we would interpret “none but shot” to mean “The only thing to do is to shoot him.”

Kirk here with a photo I took in Aso today. My wife and I want late in the day …

Mon, 02 May 2022 14:15:22 +0000

Kirk here with a photo I took in Aso today. My wife and I want late in the day so we didn’t have to deal with traffic. The late afternoon light made Aso look even more beautiful that usual. We got out of the car and walked for a while to enjoy the scenery you see in this photo. You can see just a hint of the Shirakawa winding its way through the fields.

Post

Mon, 02 May 2022 08:22:33 +0000

Tatsuda-yama Walk and Talk Take Two

Mon, 02 May 2022 08:14:47 +0000

(Fiona) Tatsuda-yama Walk and Talk Take Two! Since the first attempt got rained off, I’d like to give it another shot on Saturday May 7th from 3pm. If you’d like to join fellow Kumamoto-i members for a walk in the woods, please sign up in the comments below, or look out for the event post coming soon with further details.

Carlton here. Awhile back Kirk posted about the subject of Japanese signs and a…

Mon, 02 May 2022 05:30:34 +0000

Carlton here. Awhile back Kirk posted about the subject of Japanese signs and advertising translated ineptly into English. It‘s been a source of amusement over the years to us native English speakers. But can someone explain about this sign? I’m given to think that the medical practitioner is maybe burning the candle at both ends?

Kirk with another Kumamoto-ben post. The other day I posted about a sign in whi…

Mon, 02 May 2022 02:53:53 +0000

Kirk with another Kumamoto-ben post. The other day I posted about a sign in which ここば使わす人 was used to mean ここをお使いになる人 (people who use this spot).

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7208160865923950

In this case, ば is used in place of を in standard Japanese. In response, some Japanese people seem to have told a reader (thanks for your participation, Anett :) ) that ば is no longer used in this way. I beg to differ.

Kirk here with an update on the Janes Residence, which was severely damaged and …

Sun, 01 May 2022 10:59:19 +0000

Kirk here with an update on the Janes Residence, which was severely damaged and then completely destroyed by the double punch of two strong earthquakes in 2016. Many posts about the Janes Residence have been made to to this page over the years, both before and after the quakes. If you’re interested click on the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=Janes

The first picture is of the actual-sized image of the building being rebuilt that is on the tarp that covers the enclosure in which the work is being done. I took this and the other images today, on site, and then reworked them a little with photo editing software to make them a bit more presentable.

(Douglas) Today's offering from our recently opened can of old videos is about t…

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 11:15:22 +0000

(Douglas) Today’s offering from our recently opened can of old videos is about the Higo Mondo biscuit.

Hi, Atsuko here.

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 05:54:47 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here. The ESA (European Space Agency) portal site featured the caldera of Mt. Aso as imaged by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 earth observation satellite. Mt. Aso from Space.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧

Skateboarding demonstration with Olympic medalists Momiji Nishiya and Funa Nakayama

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 04:42:16 +0000

Kirk here with some news for skateboarders and/or skateboarding fans. For a fee (adults 1,200 yen; kids 1,000 yen) you can use the skateboarding facilities that have been installed temporarily in front of Amu Plaza Kumamoto (near Kumamoto Station). On the 8th of May, two olympic medalists (Momiji Nishiya and Funa Nakayama) will come to show you how it’s done.

(Douglas) Here is another of our older video productions. This is from 2007.

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 09:12:01 +0000

(Douglas) Here is another of our older video productions. This is from 2007.

Kirk here with a little news about Aso. KKT (local TV station) reported that vi…

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 04:55:58 +0000

Kirk here with a little news about Aso. KKT (local TV station) reported that visitors could observe a beautiful unkai (sea of clouds) in the Aso valley on the 20th:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ace0f208d4e08dedb5c2cab38e1d32102b618f2e

RKK also had some good shots of the unkai: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c4ae9580a542cc43d84fbdce09b3516e528d434e

In other Aso news, the warning level (噴火警戒レベル) around the Aso volcano has been downgraded from 2 to 1. I saw something on TV about some hiking trails openning up but one still can’t get up to the lip of the crater. There was significant damage from last year’s eruption and work needs to be completed before people can be allowed to view the crater up close. https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/2022/04/27/【火口規制情報】阿蘇山の噴火警戒レベル1の発表/

Kirk here with a follow-up to my post about the Syugakukan High School issue. H…

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 10:28:18 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to my post about the Syugakukan High School issue. Here’s what I posted the other day:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7204145446325492

Last night, RKK aired a segment that revealed some more details. That report can be found here:

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/32597?display=1

The two screenshots I’ve added to this post are from that report. This first is of an upperclassman who reportedly explained that he hit a new student “because he was goofing off (horsing around, not taking things seriously).” The implication (whether deserved or not) seems to be that the soccer team (or the school) had a culture of violence.

Kirk here with a "handicapped parking" sign in Kumamoto-ben (dialect). The top …

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:45:29 +0000

Kirk here with a “handicapped parking” sign in Kumamoto-ben (dialect). The top part is standard Japanese meaning: “This parking spot is for people with handicaps.” The bottom is in Kumamoto dialect. I’ll do my best to translate each phrase from the dialect to standard Japanese and then to English. My Kumamoto-ben is even worse than my standard Japanese so I hope native speakers of Kumamoto-ben will let me know if I’ve gotten something wrong:

Kirk here reporting that Syugakukan High School has made international news -- a…

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:49:46 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Syugakukan High School has made international news – and that ain’t good. The image you see on top is from the following news story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0NnfL1RmHU

It shows an instructor (coach) kicking and hitting a student.

The second video is from the following news story and is said to be of students who belong to the soccer team apologizing (?) for the incident. The RKK news story says that the students seemed to apologize of their own accord but I still don’t understand what they thought they needed to apologize for. The original YouTube video of the apology has been taken down.

Kirk here with a question that came to me personally from a participant in Kumam…

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:22:29 +0000

Kirk here with a question that came to me personally from a participant in Kumamoto International. I had no idea so I said that I could post it to Kumamoto International to see if anyone had anything to offer.

“Has anybody experienced mind games from an employer? Has anybody had to deal with sticking to rules such as not making friends with Japanese, yet the employer taking full advantage of friendships within the workplace? Has anybody been told there’s no other work out there, you are too old, employers want someone young. You are lucky to work here.”

Kirk here with a Kumamoto-related share from "Engrish in Japan." Last week, I w…

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:57:50 +0000

Kirk here with a Kumamoto-related share from “Engrish in Japan.” Last week, I wrote about how I wish that people making signs and websites, etc. would ask for feedback at an early point in the planning process. I still feel that way but I have to admit that many Japanese people probably don’t know who to ask. Does anyone know if there’s a Facebook group or page or something where someone might post a draft version of something to get some feedback? I’d love to be able to tell Japanese people to “Just post a draft of your sign at such-and-such.”

Kirk here reporting that quite a few heads of state participated in the Asia-Pac…

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 09:27:04 +0000

Kirk here reporting that quite a few heads of state participated in the Asia-Pacific Water Summit, held this weekend in Kumamoto. Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia is pictured in one of the articles I’m sharing today with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, both of whom came to Kumamoto. Another article I’m linking to shows Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh of Laos addressing participants directly. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines gave speeches virtually (among others, I’m sure; I don’t have a complete list of the speakers). And, Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, wrote as follows:

(Douglas) I have just finished uploading 5 more video I have made about things a…

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 06:28:34 +0000

(Douglas) I have just finished uploading 5 more video I have made about things around Kumamoto. You can view them on the Gaijin-Eyes YouTube channel. I will not post here everytime I upload videos, therefore I suggest that if you want to keep up to date with new videos, you should subscribe to the channel. Here is the link:

Hi Atsuko.

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 04:20:14 +0000

Hi Atsuko. Sharing the beautiful view of Kumadai and Sakura from the sky. I was an education student 25 years ago and my older daughter is now a Kumadai student. I hope many international students and alumni will remember and enjoy the view and memories.╰(´︶`)╯

(Douglas) During today's ZOOM chat with some members of Kumamoto-i, I was asked …

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 04:17:35 +0000

(Douglas) During today’s ZOOM chat with some members of Kumamoto-i, I was asked about my 360º photos and videos. Here is a link to a tour I made in 360º format that can be viewed on a computer, tablet or cellphone. If you decide to watch, I suggest that you first watch the video explaining how to navigate the tour. You will see it to the left side of the main screen - It is called, “Navigating the Tour” The tour is about the Takahashi Inari Jinja, one om my favourite shrines in the Kumamoto area. Here is the link:

Kirk here noting that Earth Day came and went without much notice in Japan (or K…

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 00:03:33 +0000

Kirk here noting that Earth Day came and went without much notice in Japan (or Kumamoto) this year. It was Friday. The Water Summit that is underway now could have been connected to Earth Day but as far as I can see, it wasn’t. Earth Day was once a bit more of a “thing” in Kumamoto. I searched in Japanese (アースデイ、地球の日) and found stuff from several years ago but came up almost completely empty-handed for events, etc. in Kumamoto this year.

Kirk here with news, and a video in English, about the water summit. Prime Minis…

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 12:27:00 +0000

Kirk here with news, and a video in English, about the water summit. Prime Minister Kishida used the occasion to meet with leaders from Cambodia, Laos, and Tuvalu. The Emperor also delivered a message (in English) from the Imperial Palace, but that’s not included in this particular video.

Hi Atsuko here with some photos of the beautiful deep green scenery of Aso.

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 07:25:03 +0000

Hi Atsuko here with some photos of the beautiful deep green scenery of Aso. Unfortunately it’s raining today and the Aso trail is closed on the 23rd and 24th, so if you want to go, I recommend after the 25th or GW. I hate traffic jams, so I’m just going to fully enjoy in pictures for now.╰(´︶`)╯

Information about the closure of Aso trail. Thank you Kuma Visit! https://www.facebook.com/1668393530078953/posts/3108307422754216/

Kirk here with a little update on the water summit currently being held in Kumam…

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 06:13:43 +0000

Kirk here with a little update on the water summit currently being held in Kumamoto. Thanks to my friend Yuka Ogata, who is a member of the Kumamoto City Council, the issue I raised the other day was addressed; the website now features a link to an English-language video on Kumamoto’s groundwater:

https://www.4apws-kumamoto2022.jp

Thanks again, Yuka!! I can’t be sure, but I suspect that my calling City Hall (the Shiyakusho) to tell them about the problem wouldn’t have been enough; I needed a friend with connections. The thing I often have trouble understanding, though, is the apparent lack of interest in such feedback. I would think that it would be to the advantage of institutions who put out information in English (especially for major international events) to get feedback from native speakers. Such feedback, however, is rarely requested and frequently ignored when offered. At my university, for example, there have been several instances of strange English being put in a sign or a publication or something without consulting any of the native speakers of English that the university employs.

William Interesting about Kumamoto is their diaspora. I've met in my hometown of…

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 04:40:22 +0000

William Interesting about Kumamoto is their diaspora. I’ve met in my hometown of Orange County people from Uto (for some reason, lotsa Uto people there) who were surprised to hear how it had grown. And they have festivals.

(Fiona) Unfortunately, the weather forecast for tomorrow is not good so the 3pm …

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 12:29:47 +0000

(Fiona) Unfortunately, the weather forecast for tomorrow is not good so the 3pm Tatsuda-yama Walk will have to be postponed until a future date. Let’s try again sometime between Golden Week and the start of the rainy season - a very slim window of opportunity!

4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 12:27:10 +0000

William My hometown is Los Angeles, where water is more valuable than gold. Kumamoto is blessed for its water. It literally spurts out here and there. The 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit, an international conference where leaders and ministers of the Asia-Pacific region discuss water issues, will open on the 23rd at Kumamoto Castle Hall in Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City. https://kumanichi.com/articles/633074 Seriously:

Kirk here reporting that for the first time in three years someone has been cert…

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:44:20 +0000

Kirk here reporting that for the first time in three years someone has been certified as a Minamata disease patient but 18 were denied, and one judgment was deferred (I’m not sure if that’s the best translation). 350 remain unadjudicated.

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/28571?display=1

Kirk with something has only the weakest connection to Kumamoto. This came up w…

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 08:02:19 +0000

Kirk with something has only the weakest connection to Kumamoto. This came up when I searched for news about Kumamoto because the Guardian pointed out that the kiwi yuru-kyara that greated New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, paled in comparison with the gold stardard of Japanese mascots – Kumamon. I thought that perhaps Prime Minister Ardern might be on her way here for Kumamoto’s water summit but, alas, no such luck.

(Douglas) I am in the process of moving many of my videos from Vimeo to 2 newly …

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 07:59:28 +0000

(Douglas) I am in the process of moving many of my videos from Vimeo to 2 newly created YouTube channels. If anyone is interested in watching videos, which are mainly from the Kumamoto area, you are welcome take a look at: Gaijin-Eyes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphTjOfFH3fRs2cHZqk60mg and Gaijin-Eyes in the Skies@ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNutfNKhBc0sFz33jn6S8mA

Kirk here with some news on the wafer fabrication plant to be built in be built …

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 00:09:57 +0000

Kirk here with some news on the wafer fabrication plant to be built in be built in Kikuyo-machi. The use of the phrase “wafer fab” to mean “a facility that manufactures (fabricates) silicon semiconductor wafers (chips)” didn’t make much sense to me at first (especially since the article ONLY uses that jargon and never spells it out) but the phrase “wafer fab” led me to this video on the process, which I found to be interesting:

Tsuetate streamers illumination

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 11:37:49 +0000

Kirk here with news from Tsuetate: “The streamers can be seen until May 6, and are illuminated in the evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.”

Kirk here with news about the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit, which will be held …

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 07:15:16 +0000

Kirk here with news about the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit, which will be held in Kumamoto City this weekend. Unfortunately, it’s too late to apply to attend any of the events in person (the deadline was a few weeks ago) but I found this cool video about Kumamoto’s ground water, something that makes it unique in Japan.

The weird thing is, though, that the official website for the summit (which is in English, naturally) links to the JAPANESE version of the video, even though they have and an English version they’ve already made and could easily link to!

Carlton. I caught this on a news aggregation site and then checked it out on Fac…

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 10:52:16 +0000

Carlton. I caught this on a news aggregation site and then checked it out on Facebook. It is self-explanatory and real. https://www.boredpanda.com/japanese-stuff-no-context/

Kirk here with a detailed article about the plight of Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh, whic…

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 10:23:41 +0000

Kirk here with a detailed article about the plight of Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh, which has been a topic of discussion on this page in the past:

Kirk here with another bird post. I Google "Kumamoto" from time to time in orde…

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 02:02:58 +0000

Kirk here with another bird post. I Google “Kumamoto” from time to time in order to check up on recent news related to this community. Yesterday when I did that, a summary of Wikipedia’s page for Kumamoto Prefecture came up and I happened to notice that the official prefectural bird was listed as “great tit,” (which I later learned is “シジュウカラ” [shijuukara] in Japanese). That led me to check Japanese sources and I found that the official birds of Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City were reversed on the English Wikipedia pages. I’ve since corrected them and now the official bird for Kumamoto Prefecture is correctly displayed as “Asian skylark” (“hibari” in Japanese) – the bird pictured on the right.

Kirk here with news about a survey conducted by the Tokyo Bar Association. The …

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 23:50:34 +0000

Kirk here with news about a survey conducted by the Tokyo Bar Association. The results probably won’t surprise many long-time residents of Japan who don’t look Japanese: Foreigners get questioned a lot just because they are foreigners. The law says that the we must comply with such questioning. OK. But it also says that the police only have the right to stop and question us when they suspect criminal activity. The notion that one’s skin color or facial features are enough to make one a criminal suspect is what is called racial profiling. I think the Tokyo Bar Association took this up in part because it’s an abuse of the law – the police don’t have carte blanche to stop anyone they like without good reason.

Zoom chat

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 14:32:13 +0000

Kirk here with a little preview of the Zoom chat we have planned for Sunday. Kumamon seems to be up for it, but the last time I Zoomed with that bear I was a little disappointed because he really didn’t have anything to say – just a lot really genki gestures, which started to wear thin after a while. And we’re looking forward to hearing a little more from Johnny about that movie he made – if he feels like talking about it this time.

William My beat covers politics, technology, and the environment, not culture. …

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 07:01:21 +0000

William My beat covers politics, technology, and the environment, not culture. That 八代亜紀 (according to my wife, pronounced “Yashiro,” not “Yatsushiro” Aki) could have remained off my radar displays the depths of my ignorance. If Kumamoto could have a prefectural anthem, it would be this: Sweet Home Kumamoto

Kirk here with news of recognition given to researchers at Kumamoto University:

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 04:42:39 +0000

Kirk here with news of recognition given to researchers at Kumamoto University:

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/949491

— start quote — Dr. Miharada and his team were selected this year for their proposal, “Towards safe and stable transfusion therapies independent of blood donation.” The excellent collaboration of young international scientists is made of three researchers from Japan and one from Sweden. — end quote —

Kirk here with something that's not unique to Kumamoto but is as relevant here a…

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 12:26:33 +0000

Kirk here with something that’s not unique to Kumamoto but is as relevant here as it is elsewhere in Japan. As this post from Kuma Visit explains, the new 500 coins are cool, but you might not be able to use them in older vending machines:

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/3102320763352882

(Douglas) Sorry to be late in remembering the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 09:30:09 +0000

(Douglas) Sorry to be late in remembering the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Here is a video that Megumi and I produced in May of 2016.

William As an Angeleno (the southwesternmost part of the US), I went to college…

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 06:42:16 +0000

William As an Angeleno (the southwesternmost part of the US), I went to college in Maine (the northeasternmost part of the US). It was there I learned “culture shock.” Clothing, food, behavior, climate, how people interact, even language - all was new to me. And my first two years there were both the most rotten and most productive of my life. After that, I found I could fit most anywhere. TO ALL NEW KUMAMOTO ARRIVALS: Any request, any advice, even just an ear to listen to: contact us. PM. We oldies are here to help, no condescension. After all, we have been there.

Post

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 06:35:57 +0000

A blessed Easter to our Kumamoto International friends from all of us at KI.

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 03:18:56 +0000

A blessed Easter to our Kumamoto International friends from all of us at KI. (Stock photo - ha ha! Get it?)

Kumamoto-i Walk and Talk at Tatsuda-yama

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 01:41:08 +0000

(Fiona) After meeting a few Kumamoto-i members on a walk in Tatsuda-yama yesterday, we talked about making an event of it….the Kumamoto-i Walk and Talk! Tatsuda-yama has lots of walking trails, ranging from gentle to mildly strenuous, and now is a great season to explore it, before it gets too hot and the mosquitoes are out in force. It’s also one of the locations of the Green Vision Expo and currently offers free shuttle trips to the area from downtown Kumamoto. If you’d like to go on a stroll through the forest, taking in bamboo groves, a tiny woodland shrine, wildlife and birdsong with fellow Kumamoto-i members, please join us for the inaugural Walk and Talk next Saturday from 3pm, weather permitting. It’s well worth arriving earlier in the day to check out some of the Hana Haku events in Matsuri Hiroba. There is free parking, but little in the way of food and drinks, so bring your own refreshments and water bottle. Meeting point, sign-up sheet and further details will be posted later in the week, but please comment below if you’re interested in joining the walk.

Kirk here. The caption reads "A woman lights a lantern at temporary housing in …

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 01:10:31 +0000

Kirk here. The caption reads “A woman lights a lantern at temporary housing in the Kumamoto Prefecture town of Mashiki on April 14, 2022, the sixth anniversary of two devastating earthquakes in the southwestern Japan prefecture. A total of 276 people were killed in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures in the quakes on April 14 and 16, 2016. (Kyodo)”

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/04/ff507e0ac645-japan-and-beyond-week-in-photos---april-915.html

William It was the quakes that turned Kirk's hobby into a full-fledged venture:…

Sat, 16 Apr 2022 13:54:40 +0000

William It was the quakes that turned Kirk’s hobby into a full-fledged venture: this site. For some, the quakes were a seminal event; new arrivals who did not experience them may have noticed the scars. If you were here during that time, please share your stories below. They may be helpful for the next one. https://kumanichi.com/articles/626562

Kirk here with something I posted last year. Apologies to those of you who have…

Sat, 16 Apr 2022 03:30:42 +0000

Kirk here with something I posted last year. Apologies to those of you who have already seen this.

Miyazono (an area in Mashiki-machi) is the only place in Japan to have suffered two shindo (seismic internsity) 7 earthquakes in succession. When I took the first photo, I had no idea I’d be going back to the same place in two days to take another photo. My camera was a simple smartphone – nothing special – but I wonder if mine might not be a rather rare set of photos showing what two Shindo 7 quakes in one spot actually means.

William Sometimes little things go under the nose - like those little sprinkles…

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 23:24:09 +0000

William Sometimes little things go under the nose - like those little sprinkles on your rice, called “furikake” (ふりかけ). Turns out the ubiquitous sprinkle was invented by a Kumamoto guy, To supplement the calcium-deficient diet of the time, the Kumamoto pharmacist Sueyoshi Yoshimaru came up with the simple idea of grinding fish bones into powder and sprinkling it over rice. So, in addition to karashirenkon and basashi, we’ve got that going for us, culinary-wise. https://kumaque.com/food/1810

William This post is not Kumamoto-specific but may nonetheless benefit our home…

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 07:43:49 +0000

William This post is not Kumamoto-specific but may nonetheless benefit our home. Shirakawa often runs low and muddy at this time of year as its waters are drawn to irrigate upstream paddies, with a silty discharge that must be periodically renewed - remember, the riverbed is higher than its surrounding areas. ヤバい。 (Photo below.) Pivot: rice farmers are a notoriously low-paid, hard-working, greying population. Hardest work is the sowing and reaping - the latter has been mechanized for some time, easy as the paddies are drained and dry, but sowing remains labor-intensive. A company has developed a remote-control rice sowing machine which rice farmers may use while leisurely reclined aside their plots. Let’s hope assistance is provided to Kumamoto farmers so that they can learn to use this device. https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-products/Robot-designed-to-reduce-burden-on-declining-rice-farmers

Kirk here with a video (in English) from NHK about the 6th anniversary of the 20…

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:20:29 +0000

Kirk here with a video (in English) from NHK about the 6th anniversary of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220414_12/

Naturally, there have been quite a few article published in English too. Here’s a sample:

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/04/a2dcc252873e-kumamoto-mourns-on-6th-anniversary-of-deadly-quakes.html

https://japantoday.com/category/national/Kumamoto-marks-6th-anniversary-of-deadly-quakes

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14598359

Kirk here with a little commemoration of the 6th anniversary of the beginning of…

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 23:50:41 +0000

Kirk here with a little commemoration of the 6th anniversary of the beginning of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. One obvious role for this page during the disaster was to provide information for English-speaking people who were here in Kumamoto. Another, rather unexpected, role we wound up playing was providing information to people who were not here but wanted to know what was going on. In that regard we got lots of inquiries from foreign media. Among them was the BBC. William was kind enough to try to relay the inquiry from them to me but I’m glad that he was able to take the interview when I failed to respond quickly enough.

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I only occasionally get around to sharin…

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 07:27:08 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I only occasionally get around to sharing posts from Kuma Visit and other useful pages. So, if you like what you see, be sure to “like” the page. ;)

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/3098103947107897

KKT Cup VANTELIN Ladies Open

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 23:59:24 +0000

Kirk here, copying and pasting. One way in which I look for stuff to post to this page is to search Google news for “Kumamoto.” Today, that led me, in a round about sort of way, to this information about a major golf touranament that will be held here this weekend. I don’t know how easy or difficult (cheap or expensive) it might be to watch the stars of women’s golf play in person, but, if you’re a fan, you might want to check it out:

Kirk here was some news about Jikei Hospital's "baby hatch." The circumstances t…

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 12:19:00 +0000

Kirk here was some news about Jikei Hospital’s “baby hatch.” The circumstances that led to this person’s being left at the hospital are tragic but I’m glad to learn that he is doing well.

Kirk with some Kumamoto-Ukraine news. Reading the article made me wonder how bes…

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 01:07:50 +0000

Kirk with some Kumamoto-Ukraine news. Reading the article made me wonder how best to contribute (that is, give money) to Ukraine. Any ideas?

Kirk here with an article about how Oguni-machi is cooperating with a company ca…

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 01:46:41 +0000

Kirk here with an article about how Oguni-machi is cooperating with a company called Asteria to manage its forests more effectively. Asteria seems to have a platform that makes it possible for lay people to build simple apps that assist in recording and managing data. The article doesn’t use the term, but I think such platforms are generally referred to as no-code or low-code platforms.

Personal aside: I’ve been using a no-code platform called AppSheet since 2016 to build some educational apps. AppSheet was acquired by Google a couple years ago and seems to have become quite popular, though the field is filled with competitors. AppSheet has enabled me to build apps that would have been impossible for me otherwise but, nonetheless, there was quite a learning curve; I’d say AppSheet is much easier than learning to code (Python, Java, etc.) but not exactly “easy.” Here’s a link to a video I made about how I use AppSheet in my classes: https://kguics.blogspot.com/2020/05/how-i-use-appsheet-in-my-classes.html

Kirk here with some information on opportunities to study Japanese in Kumamoto C…

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 11:00:01 +0000

Kirk here with some information on opportunities to study Japanese in Kumamoto City. Today, I received the following information in an email from the Kumamoto International Foundation:

—- start quote —– 【The study of Japanese】 Kumamoto International Foundation has restarted Japanese learning. For more information, please access our website or inquire of the foundation. https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/list00066.html —- end quote —-

“Restarted” refers to the temporary closing of such classes (in January?) due to high infection rates in Kumamoto. So, things are back on track now.

William Culinary-wise, Kumamoto hits that sweet spot between mountain and sea. …

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 08:56:28 +0000

William Culinary-wise, Kumamoto hits that sweet spot between mountain and sea. Likely no finer cuisine exists in Japan. My wife hails from the mountains of Yabe, but her grandfather was a fishmonger (her mother was the first female in Yabe to obtain a drivers license so that she could travel to Tasaki Market to buy fish.) Experience it.

Support our local artists

Sun, 10 Apr 2022 08:40:28 +0000

William Support our local artists - tonight!:

William Running does odd things to one's mind, with a singular goal focused. Kum…

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 00:54:12 +0000

William Running does odd things to one’s mind, with a singular goal focused. Kumamon inexplicably showing up was likely unappreciated. https://kumanichi.com/articles/617526

William Noyaki (野焼) - the burning of undergrowth - is a periodic event which pr…

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 09:28:32 +0000

William Noyaki (野焼) - the burning of undergrowth - is a periodic event which prevents Aso from becoming a forest - and allows for these: https://kumanichi.com/articles/616105

Megumi and I (Douglas) have had our eye on this area since last autumn. About a …

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 06:48:57 +0000

Megumi and I (Douglas) have had our eye on this area since last autumn. About a week ago we drove there to film and photograph the blossoming cherry trees. The image is 360°, so please use your mouse to drag it around. You can also zoom in and out using the mouse scroll wheel. Look for a rectangle in the top right-hand corner of the image, after you have opened to location, and you can view in fullscreen.

Kirk here with a detailed and informative article about recent Minamata disease …

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 04:44:33 +0000

Kirk here with a detailed and informative article about recent Minamata disease court decisions:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14586947

The primary decision mentioned in the article came on March 30th, after other posts that we’ve made so far this year about Minamata court cases:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7070961266310578 https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7050309825042389 https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7062405997166105

Informal Zoom Chat

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 15:27:19 +0000

REGISTRATION FOR INFORMAL ZOOM CHAT. Hello there, Here is the invitation to the Informal Zoom Chat. When: Apr 24, 2022 11:00 AM Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo

You must register in advance for this meeting. The meeting is limited to myself, Kirk and 6 other registrants. Please make sure that you will be able to attend before registering.

After registering successfully, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Kirk here, thinking "learn something everyday" because, even after running this …

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 12:47:02 +0000

Kirk here, thinking “learn something everyday” because, even after running this page for a long time, I still keep finding stuff I don’t know about Kumamoto. Today I learned that Kumamoto has a local organization to promote world peace and that each year they chose a high school student to be their “Peace Ambassador.” This year it was FUKUHARA An (pictured) of Kyushu Gakuin High School. She (and others?) collected signatures in favor of the abolition of nuclear weapons that, if it hadn’t been for COVID-19, she would have delivered in person to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

William Our friend Greg has provided a job listing:

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 08:40:14 +0000

William Our friend Greg has provided a job listing: Freedom English School, located in Kamitori and Suizenji in Kumamoto City, is seeking an English teacher for a full-time position starting in July. Applicants should be comfortable teaching children of all ages, ranging from kindergarten age through to Junior High School students. Experience is preferred, but not essential for the correct candidate. Pre-employment and on-the-job training will be provided. We offer a competitive financial package - details of which will be provided on request - and an excellent working environment. If you are interested in joining our growing teaching team and would like to find out more information, please contact Greg Howes at gihowes@gmail.com or 096-322-7100.

William Today is "castle day" (4/6 - しろく- okay, ya gotta be a castle nerd to ge…

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 05:53:11 +0000

William Today is “castle day” (4/6 - しろく- okay, ya gotta be a castle nerd to get this). Most who visit the castle only see the main keep and its adjacent Ninomaru park. Other areas, particularly to the southwest - head to 三の丸 and venture from there - are quiet, mostly unvisited, eternally evoking the grand aspirations of the castle’s remains. If you’ve time and knees (lotta stairs at varying angles), a walkaround is recommended.

William As a newbie to Kumamoto, I'd chosen a campsite near Yabe when an experi…

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 05:01:44 +0000

William As a newbie to Kumamoto, I’d chosen a campsite near Yabe when an experienced resident cautioned: “If it rains, you will die.” I moved camp.

Historical memory is of great value. Arroyos abound.

Science helps too. Kumamoto Prefecture has created a new “inundation estimation area map” based on the assumption of a “thousand year rainfall,” which meteorologists suggest may occur quite more frequently. Shirakawa has been widened and fortified to deal with this, but lower-lying areas in Kumamoto are at the mercy of nature. Learn potential dangers near you and how to prepare and respond. https://kumanichi.com/articles/614595

Kirk here, posting a photo I took almost a month ago near the Prefectural Buildi…

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 02:37:57 +0000

Kirk here, posting a photo I took almost a month ago near the Prefectural Building (Kencho). It is of a monument to the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly’s 2001 resolution (in March, before 9/11) calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the promotion of world peace. Personally, I strongly agree that nuclear weapons are accidents waiting to happen and that we human beings need to do what we can to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons before they are used again. I was slightly surprised, though, that Kumamoto’s government had passed such a resolution. It’s my impression that Kumamoto tends to be rather conservative (strong support for the LDP, etc.). As many of you probably know the national leadership of the LDP (including the current Prime Minister, who is from Hiroshima) have not been willing to take the risk of upsetting the United States by signing the UN’s treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. Here’s a list of current signers: https://treaties.unoda.org/t/tpnw

Mainichi . . . er, I mean Kirk here with a followup to William's post about Tsuj…

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 10:15:51 +0000

Mainichi . . . er, I mean Kirk here with a followup to William’s post about Tsujunkyo.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220325/p2a/00m/0na/045000c

And here’s William’s post:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7075707569169281

Informal Zoom Chat

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 07:50:41 +0000

Informal Zoom Chat A few weeks ago I asked Kirk if he would be interested in joining me in an experiment with Zoom. I was curious to see what sort of positive outcome we could get by chatting with a few of Kumamoto-International’s members. Personally, I am negatively inclined to any so-called “social” media, and keep my presence there to a minimum. However, when I lived in Sweden many years ago,I joined the newly started Swedish creation - Skype. In those days there was no such phrase as “social-media”. Since Microsoft acquired Skype and then proceeded to kill it off, I eventually moved to Zoom. There is a lot to be gained by communicating with people in a real-time face-to-face environment. There are less misunderstandings and any that do arise can be quickly clarified. But I ramble on too much….

William Firefly season has arrived. To call the firefly a beetle (which it is) …

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 04:56:22 +0000

William Firefly season has arrived. To call the firefly a beetle (which it is) is to call the lowriders of my native Los Angeles cars (which they are): they’ve just been incredibly tweaked.

Warning: Content below may be disturbing to some readers

Firefly larvae are specialized predators which feed on other larvae, snails, and slugs. They have evolved mandibles which deliver digestive fluids directly to their tummies from their prey. Yikes. Slugs.

Kirk with some information on the "Green Vision Expo" (in Japanese this is the く…

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 12:59:18 +0000

Kirk with some information on the “Green Vision Expo” (in Japanese this is the くまもと花とみどりの博覧会 or くまもと花博 [Kumamoto Hanahaku] for short).

First, the English you see is from the following address:

https://kumaryokkafair.com/assets/ryokkafair_outline_en.pdf

It’s nicely done but, unfortunately, it seems that this one pdf is all there is. So, if you want to take advantage of the free shuttles between the three areas (City Center, Waterside, and Machiyama [Tatsutayama]), you need to look at the Japanese website. The image you see is from an RKK segment that ran today. It seems that the city is spending 16 million yen (about $130,000 USD) to pay for free transportation that very few people are using. I can’t translate all of the information on the Japanese page but I can tell you that there are schedules and information there in Japanese about how to get free rides (via taxis in some cases!!) between the venues. Check out the “access” (アクセス) information on this site:

Kirk here feeling a bit surprised by the popularity of books on Kumamoto dialect…

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Kirk here feeling a bit surprised by the popularity of books on Kumamoto dialect (熊本弁). When I posted about “atozeki” here, it turned out to be one of my most popular posts:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6666171880122854

It seems that lots of Japanese readers also have a fondness for Kumamoto dialect: This series is made up of three books!
Two of them can be found on Amazon but the third (in gold) is new and so you need to look on the Kumanichi site:

William　　Reading Kirk's post about Suizenji brought to mind the cause of the man…

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 14:55:46 +0000

William　　Reading Kirk’s post about Suizenji brought to mind the cause of the many springs in Kumamoto. Simply: we get much rain, particularly in the mountains. The water sinks through the volcanic soil and seismic cracks of both Aso and Kimpo into a gigantic artisanal reservoir which flows towards the Kumamoto alluvial fan, where a 30,000 year old underlaying layer of basalt covered by a thin layer of sediment forces the water to the surface. Kumamoto is the only city in Japan whose entire water supply is artisanal (that is, from wells). Hailing from California, where water is the most valuable commodity, I appreciate this very much. A couple of images of where your oh-so tasty Kumamoto water comes from, and an introduction to the Suizenji-Ezuko Spring Group: https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/kankyo/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=20470 https://www.web-gis.jp/GM1000/LandMap/LandMap_19_009.html

Kirk here reporting that it was very pleasant today in Suizenji. My wife and I …

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 14:14:21 +0000

Kirk here reporting that it was very pleasant today in Suizenji. My wife and I paid just 1,000 yen each to get unlimited access for a year – a good deal I think, especially if you don’t live very far away and like to walk.

William Kumanichi has an informative article on the revitalization of downtown …

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 05:54:39 +0000

William Kumanichi has an informative article on the revitalization of downtown (Japanese, but Google Translate is your friend, so I have done so and pasted it below, unedited). The article discusses the new Kumamoto Castle Hall (熊本城ホール), located at Sakuramachi; a link to the facility is below. All of this activity is attributed to what is termed the “straw affect”, which apparently is a result of improved transportation (in this case, the Shinkansen Kumamoto Station) resulting in business relocating to that hub. On the positive side, Kumamotoites need no longer travel to Fukuoka for good shopping; on the other, these new shopping facilities siphon off business from neighboring areas, including Kamitori and Shimotori. Pictured at bottom: Kumamoto Castle Hall and a map of the planned revitalization area. Kumamoto Castle Hall site: https://www.kumamoto-jo-hall.jp/ Kumanichi article: https://kumanichi.com/articles/611657

William Opinions regarding zoos differ both interspecies and intraspecies, such…

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 15:24:05 +0000

William Opinions regarding zoos differ both interspecies and intraspecies, such as this hypothetical conversation: “Bob! Howzit feel to be a caged orangutan again this mornin’?” “No complaints. mate, ‘cept I can’t feel me leg.” “That’s yer arm ya’got holda there, Bob.” “Crickey! Good on ya - thought a jaguar had gone an’ eaten me leg right off.” Good zoos offer zoological education at the primary and professional levels and through inter-zoo exchanges promote biodiversity. Plus, inmates don’t have to worry about jaguars. Conversely, zoos are prisons which deprive wildlife from the environment to which tens of thousands of years of genetic memory have such accustomed them. Kumamoto Zoo has announced a male chimpanzette born to Marc (42) and Milk (15 - and don’t prejudge that age gap: it’s the way chimps swing), yet to be named. Milk has taken the child to her breast; promisingly, both parents seem to be actively engaged in childrearing. This chimpanzee birth is the zoo’s third as part of the zoo’s breading program, following that of Milk’s first child in December 2008, who died of weakness the same day, and a birth recorded in 1979, who died after a few months. https://kumanichi.com/articles/612082

William According to the Kumanichi evening edition, Godzilla has been rampaging…

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 10:43:28 +0000

William According to the Kumanichi evening edition, Godzilla has been rampaging around downtown Kumamoto City since the morning of 4/1. Mayor Ohnishi has issued a statement: “Sometimes, the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons who created them.” Video at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyFU8HL6fHI

Kirk here with a little illustration I made up after I read Fiona's post, which …

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 03:51:53 +0000

Kirk here with a little illustration I made up after I read Fiona’s post, which is here, by way:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7092504690822902

I hadn’t heard of dekopon being called “Sumo oranges” but I was aware that they are also known as Shiranui. Wikipedia says that “Shiranui (不知火, unknown fire, Shiranuhi in the historical kana orthography) is an atmospheric ghost light” that appears in the Ariake Sea off Yatsushiro at certain times of the year.

William I don't collect a lot of things. Hats, sure, particularly those belongi…

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 02:41:57 +0000

William I don’t collect a lot of things. Hats, sure, particularly those belonging to unusual ethnic groups, and coins of course. And clocks. I’ve got about a dozen, all sleeping at that instant when I removed their batteries - or their batteries removed themselves. One of them is frozen at 9:26, the time when the first Kumamoto quake jiggled the clock battery free. It’s good to see I’m not alone in my hobby. Kumanichi reports on such a man. https://kumanichi.com/articles/610294

Fiona here with some citrus news. Apparently the lowly dekopon, also known as a …

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 02:29:53 +0000

Fiona here with some citrus news. Apparently the lowly dekopon, also known as a shiranui (the name of a town in Kumamoto prefecture) is being rebranded as a Sumo orange in the US and selling in huge quantities thanks to a viral TikTok video.

Kirk here with some news about a new position I’ve been given. In recognition o…

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 16:02:02 +0000

Kirk here with some news about a new position I’ve been given. In recognition of my many years of service to the local community and in view of the knowledge I have accumulated about Kumamoto during that period, RKK has designated me as their “Senior Foreign Correspondent” (主任外国人特派員) and set aside a three-minute slot for me to express my views on local events and issues. I recorded my first session the other day in which I proposed that the name “Kumamoto” be changed to “Voltomoto” and that Kumamon be replaced by an electric eel called “Voltomon.” I know, I know . . . this was my “April fools” post last year (see URL below) — but the more I thought about it, the better the idea started to seem to me, so I thought I’d make the proposal for real this time.

Annual Carp Streamer Festival at 杖立温泉

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 06:18:58 +0000

Hi Atsuko here. It’s good season to enjoy Hanami and short trip. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Kariakusa Park in front of my house, and every day it is crowded with parents and children with tents and children on spring holiday. Here is the next tradition after cherry blossom viewing. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Annual Carp Streamer Festival at 杖立温泉 Tsuetate Onsen The event will be held again this year starting April 1. During this period, the lights will be illuminated from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

William　Cherry blossom season is most over - or is it? This depends on the varie…

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:15:58 +0000

William　Cherry blossom season is most over - or is it? This depends on the variety of the tree: some bloom early, some late. Pictured are two gorgeous photos from our friend Liz Suenaga taken at Honmyoji (本妙寺). Note the color difference in the right photo: those are different varieties. A link to a recipe on how to preserve cherry blossoms in salt for a tasty snack: https://www.lettuceclub.net/recipe/dish/5701/ and a link to cherry blossom varieties: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011_species.html

William While the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine has resulted in a positive secur…

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 12:39:49 +0000

William While the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine has resulted in a positive security impact for Japan as Russia moves its troops from Asia to Europe, Japan’s Self Defense Forces (SDF - read army, air force, navy, marines) have not been inactive. Kumanichi reports on, well, reports of bright lights in the sky. Do not be alarmed: these are not aliens having come to harvest your organs. This is training the SDF conducts from their Yamato base several times a year to illuminate nighttime destination and targets of troops - or so the SDF says, per this article. I personally have never seen it. If anyone notices anything unusual, please PM us. Video at the link.

William Divisions exist akin to geologic fault lines among Japanese ramen types…

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 08:47:16 +0000

William Divisions exist akin to geologic fault lines among Japanese ramen types. Kumamoto is particularly famous for its pork-based ramen, while Tokyo goes soy sauce-based. Eww. Keika Ramen 「桂花拉麺」, founded in Kumamoto in 1955, introduced tonkotsu ramen to Tokyo and is known among ramen lovers world-wide. In addition to their in-store bowls, they sell instant ramen in supermarkets. Recently, due to personal circumstances, I have found myself consuming them: thumbs up, though obviously their restaurants are best. Google a location near you. https://keika-raumen.co.jp/shop.html

Kirk here with news about a deer crossing the Shirakawa in Toroku (渡鹿), an area …

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 12:07:36 +0000

Kirk here with news about a deer crossing the Shirakawa in Toroku (渡鹿), an area in Kumamoto City that means “deer crossing.” Click on the link to see the video.

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202203291747310111

William Translation is tricky. Generally, I term Kumamoto pre-1600 as "Higo fie…

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:00:11 +0000

William Translation is tricky. Generally, I term Kumamoto pre-1600 as “Higo fief” or “Higo domain” and post-1600 “Kumamoto,” though I have seen examples otherwise. One reason I do so is that Kumamoto was not unified until the rivalry between two daimyo, Konishi Yukinaga and Kato Kiyomasa, was resolved. Both were born outside Kumamoto. Both received their fiefs - Konishi in the south, centered around Yatsushiro, and Kato in the north, centered around Kumamoto City - for their service in Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s Kyushu Campaign to pacify the Shimazu Clan, which ruled over most of the island at the time. Both later served in Hideyoshi’s two Korean invasions (during one of which Kato famously killed a tiger). However, no love was lost between the two. Konishi was a devout Christian; Kato loathed Christians. Their rivalry ended in the decisive Sekigahara campaign of 1600, during which Konishi supported Ishida Mitsunari, while Kato supported Tokugawa Ieyasu. After Tokugawa’s victory, Yukinaga was offered the privilege of committing seppuku but refused due to his Christian faith and was executed; Kato thereupon received Konishi’s fief, and Kumamoto in its modern dimensions was created. This is why I refer to pre-1600 Kumamoto as “Higo.” What is your opinion? Below: Kato (left) with his monkey (right) - the fusuma behind him is marked with his kamon (家紋, family crest), which is still the symbol of Kumamoto; and Konishi decked out for battle.

William Tsujunkyo (通潤橋, literally "moisture passage bridge"), a symbol of Kumam…

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 06:00:10 +0000

William Tsujunkyo (通潤橋, literally “moisture passage bridge”), a symbol of Kumamoto located in the town of Yabe, was completed in 1854 and, at 84m in length with an arch spanning 27m, is the largest stone aqueduct in Japan, built to irrigate an otherwise arid plateau to its south. The bridge was designed to sag in the center, with openings created to allow flushing of sediment. Removing the stump-sized wooden plugs to do so results in cascades of water, and this has become a major tourist attraction. Kumanichi notes that access to the bridge, previously free, will now cost Y500 for adults and Y300 for children through HS age. My wife suggested that, as a rapidly depopulating town whose remaining residents are mainly elderly, Yabe simply needs the money. https://kumanichi.com/articles/602968

Charles Waterman here:

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 04:49:32 +0000

Charles Waterman here:

Does anyone know how to send something from Kumamoto to the US using FedEx or UPS? We will need speedy delivery for some visa related documents for an incoming teacher that will be ready in a week or so, we hope. The Japan Post will be way too slow, unfortunately.

William A crime almost as heinous as Chisso Corp. releasing methylmercury into …

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 04:19:34 +0000

William A crime almost as heinous as Chisso Corp. releasing methylmercury into Minamata bay is the glacial pace at which the government proceeds with lawsuits. Kumanichi takes up the case of Mr. Hideki Sato (67), plaintiff leader, who suffered from methylmercury poisoning during fetal development and childhood. The group filed its appeal In October, 2015 - finally rejected yesterday - after their original suit was defeated in 2013, with the Fukuoka High Court ruling that the plaintiff’s symptoms, which include leg cramps, dizziness, tinnitus, and difficulty in holding objects, were likely due to other illnesses. Mr. Sato noted that, even though the dangers of eating local fish and shellfish were vaguely known since 1957, poverty demanded that Minamata residents nonetheless continue to consume them.

William Fumarolic gasses (噴気孔ガス, funkikō gasu) are those emitted by a fumarole,…

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 11:31:51 +0000

William Fumarolic gasses (噴気孔ガス, funkikō gasu) are those emitted by a fumarole, a vent into what is mostly groundwater heated to steam by volcanic activity. They are a potential source of energy and are already being utilized throughout Japan, including in Kumamoto, in Oguni and Aso Village (an image of the Oguni plant is below). It seems much potential remains for this free, renewable power source. More can be read (just a bit) about the topic here: https://www.renovainc.com/en/development/minamiaso_yunotani_geothermal/202009_1674/

William A bit more about Kumamon's profitability. I'd stated before that cumula…

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 05:03:55 +0000

William A bit more about Kumamon’s profitability. I’d stated before that cumulative profits have reached Y1 trillion. This article states a figure 810 billion yen since 2011, when the prefectural government began tracking figures (Kumamon was “born” in 2010), and 157.9 billion yen in 2019 alone - so close to a trillion, though perhaps not quite. Still, that’s a whole lotta yen, much of which comes from licensing fees by Taiwanese, Chinese, and Korean companies, where Kumamon remains quite popular. No wonder he (she?) always looks so content. English-language article at the link.

Kirk here with a followup to William's post about Isahaya Bay. William has alre…

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:44:50 +0000

Kirk here with a followup to William’s post about Isahaya Bay. William has already introduced the gist of the issue but I thought I’d share this English-language news article as well.

As William pointed out the estuary has been important to the health of the entire Ariake Sea. Fishers are angry about the damage to the environment that chopping off the mud flats did. In fact, the loss of the wetlands may be one factor in the decline in clams (asari) that we’ve reported about. It’s hard to know exactly how much of the asari probably can be blamed on the damming of the estuary but it certainly didn’t help.

William Though Isahaya Bay (諫早湾) is located in Nagasaki, as it served as an est…

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 11:36:47 +0000

William Though Isahaya Bay (諫早湾) is located in Nagasaki, as it served as an estuary for Ariake Sea, its health affects Kumamoto. Isahaya was diked off in 1989 for two purposes: to protect against typhoons and to provide farmland. While the former purpose may have been fulfilled, the latter has not: the soil quality of the reclaimed land is too poor to grow anything. Estuaries are crucial for the health of such a narrow body of seawater as the Ariake. The crustaceans and plants that populate an estuary constitute a natural filtering system. Kumanichi reports that a group of Ariake fishermen, concerned about the damage the dike causes, sued to force the government to keep the gates permanently open and to reconstitute the estuary. Though the fishermen won in the lower courts, the Fukuoka High Court ordered that the gates remain shut. The dissatisfied fishermen have vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. https://kumanichi.com/articles/600447

William Hay fever - or pollen allergy - season is upon us, and it is a largely …

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 08:20:20 +0000

William Hay fever - or pollen allergy - season is upon us, and it is a largely self-inflicted phenomenon. The biggest culprit is the sugi (杉), or Japanese cedar. During WWII, deforestation was a huge problem as mountains were denuded for fuel. I have read that Tatsudayama and Mt. Kimpo were completely denuded, so all current growth on both mountains are entirely post-war. The government decided to grow mammoth sugi plantations due to the tree’s rapid growth rate and its suitability for lumber. What they did not factor in was that sugi produce a prodigious amount of pollen in the spring. Furthermore, with imported wood undercutting domestic prices, many of these plantations have been abandoned, leading to the growth of larger, more mature trees which produce more pollen. More can be read here: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/strange-story-hay-fever-japan/ Our friend Jeff Cairns, who lives perched atop Mt. Kimpo, provided us with these stunning images of the snow-like pollen sweeping down from the sugi towards the city. Those affected by pollen are encouraged to stay indoors, keep windows and doors shut, and change clothes often.

Kirk here reporting on a group of doctors that held a press conference to critic…

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:13:37 +0000

Kirk here reporting on a group of doctors that held a press conference to criticize the recent Supreme Court decision not to hear an appeal by persons seeking certification as Minamata disease patients. Their critique (as summarized in the news story) is that the idea the court sited that “we can’t be sure what caused the symptoms” ignores research on Minamata disease that has accummulated over the decades. For my summary of the Supreme Court’s rejection of the plea, see the following post: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7050309825042389

Kirk here reporting that RKK broadcast an interview with the boy from Ukraine an…

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:53:56 +0000

Kirk here reporting that RKK broadcast an interview with the boy from Ukraine and his family this evening. It’s only in Japanese but it’s available on YouTube if you’re interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKKsvg3mjWc

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202203241702000111

William Between 1932 and 1968, Chisso Corporation produced acetaldehyde, a prec…

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 11:53:46 +0000

William Between 1932 and 1968, Chisso Corporation produced acetaldehyde, a precursor to polyvinyl acetate, which is used to make glue - such a basic thing! - in Minamata. The company dumped its waste, which included mercury sulfate, used as a catalyst, into Minamata Bay. This mercury was rapidly absorbed by fish and shellfish, which went up the food chain to humans, resulting in what is known as “Minamata disease,” or mercury poisoning. That is well-known. What is less well-known is how well Minamata has recovered since then. My wife and I gleefully eat oysters from the rocks with no worries. The government has poured in money as a sort of apology, making the small town a delightful place to visit. Of particular interest at this time of year is their cherry blossoms. Going by car is best, but JR also has a delightful line with wonderful walks from the station. https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Kumamoto/Minamata#r/Train The locals must still make a living, and they will welcome your visit.

Hi, Atsuko here.

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 11:25:42 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here. 桜, Sakura, Cherry blossoms! Cherry blossom season is here! @健軍神社 Kengun shrine street, today.(Ü)♡

Kirk here with news that Kumamoto Prefecture is preparing to accept refugees fro…

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 12:30:23 +0000

Kirk here with news that Kumamoto Prefecture is preparing to accept refugees from Ukraine. At this point, there have been no specific requests but since the number of displaced persons is very large (over 10 million now, according to the report) there will clearly be a need for help in settling people in many areas of many countries. Kumamoto has raised its hand (or is preparing to raise its hand?) as one possible destination.

William Kumamon continues to rake in the yen. Since licensed commercial use of …

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:42:27 +0000

William Kumamon continues to rake in the yen. Since licensed commercial use of his (her?) image was permitted in December 2010, the prefecture has clawed (pawed?) in in excess of one trillion yen. No word on where the money has gone, but one hopes it has helped to alleviate local taxes and increase services, particularly for the elderly and those with young children. Kumamon would approve of that. Pictured: くまモンに小判. https://kumanichi.com/articles/596772

Kirk here reporting that the annual "hifuri shinji" (火振り神事) was held in Aso rece…

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 01:55:10 +0000

Kirk here reporting that the annual “hifuri shinji” (火振り神事) was held in Aso recently (Sunday). The following web page has a good English-language explanation about the ritual:

https://explore-kumamoto.com/hifuri-shinji-festival/

A YouTube video of RKK’s recent report (including a comment by a member of Kumamoto’s English-speaking non-Japanese community) can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K7Ak0cyuFA

Here’s the text of the RKK news article:

https://rkk.jp/news/backno_page.php?id=NS003202203211157330111

This year, ordinary people weren’t allowed to swing the flaming bales aroundaround becauase of COVID-19 concerns.

Kirk here with Minamata disease news about the Supreme Court rejecting claims fo…

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:36:23 +0000

Kirk here with Minamata disease news about the Supreme Court rejecting claims for damages.

First, here are a couple of paragraphs from the only English-language article about this verdict that I could find:

Article Headline: Top Court Rejects Minamata Disease Recognition for 8 People — start quote — In a decision Tuesday, the top court’s Third Petty Bench turned down the appeal by the plaintiffs against a Fukuoka High Court ruling, which rejected the claims in a damages lawsuit filed against the Japanese government, Kumamoto Prefecture and chemical maker Chisso Corp., which caused the pollution. As a result, the high court ruling that reversed a Kumamoto District Court ruling that recognized three of them as sufferers of the disease became final. — end quote — https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2022031000689/

William　　Just learned that Miyazaki Hayao based the location of his masterpiece,…

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:37:18 +0000

William　　Just learned that Miyazaki Hayao based the location of his masterpiece, Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), on Shibu Onsen (渋温泉, bottom) in Nagano. The onsen town reminds me of Oguni (小国, top), a similar onsen town where people wander the, really, only street in yukata borrowed from their ryokan with round slivers of wood hung around their necks - once purchased, this gives pass to five onsen, so carrying money is unnecessary. If you have never been to Kurokawa, you must. One cannot say they have truly visited Kumamoto without. https://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/pickup/yukata/

Kirk here. As the article says, the dropping of restrictioins is nationwide, so …

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 01:34:46 +0000

Kirk here. As the article says, the dropping of restrictioins is nationwide, so that includes Kumamoto, of course. As I’ve pointed out before the restrictions can be referred to in several ways: “Quasi-emergency” status in English, “man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” (まん延防止等重点措置) in Japanese, “mambo” for short, as well as at least one other English translation that I’m having trouble recalling at the moment.

Kirk here with some KamiAmakusa-related news. The other day (several weeks ago,…

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 10:47:59 +0000

Kirk here with some KamiAmakusa-related news. The other day (several weeks ago, I think) I was watching RKK and saw a segment they did on two people who had moved to KamiAmakusa to help them promote the area – one Japanese and one Italian. If either of you happen to read Kumamoto International, please feel free to share your material with us. :)

P.S. The photography on their Facebook page in gorgeous. Please have a look. I may share some shots later.

Carlton. We've been living with Covid for just over 2 years now, and we are all…

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 07:36:06 +0000

Carlton. We’ve been living with Covid for just over 2 years now, and we are all looking forward to it finally seeming to have diminished and maybe started on its way out of our lives or at worst stay on with a much reduced and consequential presence. I was going back over some old correspondence of mine from that time and came across this YouTube video showing how China then was dealing with it. That Shenzhen and Shanghai now are back to lockdowns again must be disheartening. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this: https://youtu.be/dQQnH-A0fug

William With growing global military tenseness and other unpleasantness, an und…

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 03:38:22 +0000

William With growing global military tenseness and other unpleasantness, an understanding of the role of the Kengun Self-Defense Force base is useful. I had the opportunity to teach there for several years so am slightly familiar with its workings. Not many are aware that it is the headquarters of the SDF Western Army, in charge of defense of Japanese territory from Okinawa (including those islets in dispute with Taiwan and China) through Kyushu. This, of course, makes Kumamoto a prime target should missiles begin to fly. The first link is to an English Wikipedia entry on the Western Army. The second is to a short Japanese Wikipedia entry on Camp Kengun itself which traces its origins as a Mitsubishi fighter plane manufacturing facility from 1941 (the facility used to have an airstrip so as to get its product off the ground) to its present role. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Army_(Japan) https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%81%A5%E8%BB%8D%E9%A7%90%E5%B1%AF%E5%9C%B0

Kumamoto Flower EXPO

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:14:37 +0000

Hi Atsuko here with some information about Kumamoto flower EXPO 🌷🌼.

At the Kumamoto Flower Expo, you can not only enjoy looking at flowers, but also take part in woodworking and bamboo lighting workshops. The bamboo lights workshop’s organizer is ちかけん Chikaken, which makes bamboo lights for Mizuakari and the Christmas Market in Kumamoto. You can make woodwork in the 立田山Tatsutayama area and bamboo lighting in the downtown area. Both are free and you can take what you make home with you. You may make two bamboo lights and one will be displayed at the Kumamoto Flower Expo. The event is held on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

The official beginning of the cherry blossom season was declared in Kumamoto tod…

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 11:32:42 +0000

The official beginning of the cherry blossom season was declared in Kumamoto today, a couple days earlier than normal. – Kirk

Kirk here with what I think is a sort of "fun fact" about this Facebook page: Af…

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 13:29:13 +0000

Kirk here with what I think is a sort of “fun fact” about this Facebook page: After Kumamoto City, the city with the most people who “like” it is . . . drum role . . . Bangkok, Thailand! Fukuoka is next followed by Yangon, Myanmar. Most of the other facts about who “likes” this page are not particularly surprising. We have a fairly even split between men and women, and, as an old guy, I’m in a distinct minority.

Kirk with one more bit of zoo/botanical garden news. Starting today, a sloth (n…

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 00:56:31 +0000

Kirk with one more bit of zoo/botanical garden news. Starting today, a sloth (namakemono in Japanese) will be doing its thing (which is usually not much) in a tropical greenhouse. So, vistors to the greenhouse will see the sloth (if they can find it; it tends to blend in to its environment) on a tree or whereever it chooses to be – not behind glass or bars. https://kumanichi.com/articles/565601

In case you missed them, here are some links to previous posts about the zoo/botanical garden:

Kirk here with news of some new residents of the Kumamoto City Zoo: Two red pand…

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 13:41:56 +0000

Kirk here with news of some new residents of the Kumamoto City Zoo: Two red pandas (one male, one female).

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/72c5ed9954f96057ee71cc52a090f7370e970434

I’m not sure when public viewing will start but I imagine that day is not far away.

In Japanese, these animals are called “lesser pandas” (as opposed to giant pandas) but I learned from Wikipedia today that they are actually more closely related to raccoons than to giant pandas, although both like bamboo, and both can be extremely cute. There are lots of video compilations of cute red pandas on YouTube. Here’s one:

熊本市動植物園ボタニカルガーデン開園

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 09:14:52 +0000

Kirk here with news about Kumamoto City’s botanical garden (part of the zoo near Ezuko; 動植物園). Starting tomorrow the botanical garden will reopen with a flower bed of 90,000 flowers. The current arrangement will continue (presumably with some seasonal adjustments) until May 22. There will also be exhibits about the flora and fauna of the Ezuko area.

I don’t plan to go tomorrow (I prefer to avoid crowds) but I’m pretty sure my wife and I will make a point of checking it out before it closes.

Kirk here with a screenshot of one of the pictures from an Asahi Shimbun articl…

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:13:28 +0000

Kirk here with a screenshot of one of the pictures from an Asahi Shimbun article entitled “Powerful quake raises nightmare specter of 2011 disaster.” Of course, seeing castle walls destroyed reminded my 2016, not 2011.

Actually, today happened to be my day to get vaccinated at the KKR Hotel, which is very near the castle. On my way back I walked through the castle grounds. The repaired keep (tenshukaku) is looking very good but the castle walls are still largely in disarray because each stone must be located and put back in exactly the same position. For that reason, many of the crumbled walls have not been touched since the quake and now lots of plants can be seen growing in the crevices between the stones. It’s perfectly natural but rather sad looking just the same.

Hi Atsuko with some beautiful Sakura pictures.

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 11:05:58 +0000

Hi Atsuko with some beautiful Sakura pictures. The most commonly seen cherry blossom tree in Japan is ソメイヨシノSomeiyoshino. The 大寒桜 Ookan-zakura blooms a little earlier than Someiyoshino. These pictures are of one and the same cherry tree, Ookan-zakura. They are white at the beginning of blooming and turn deep pink when in full bloom. I was also impressed by the beauty and interesting changes of the Ookanzakura for the first time this year, so I would like to share them with you.╰(´︶`)╯ Ookan-zakura@Kengun elementary school. Someiyoshino are expected to bloom around the 20th in Kumamoto.

Spring events in Kumamoto

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 07:32:11 +0000

(Fiona) It’s springtime in Kumamoto and the city is in bloom. Shimotori arcade has flower displays representing the prefectures of Japan and beginning Saturday March 19th various events are organised around the city.

Kirk here with news about Yubeni (ゆうべに) strawberries (and other varieties), prod…

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 13:13:48 +0000

Kirk here with news about Yubeni (ゆうべに) strawberries (and other varieties), produced here in Kumamoto.

Kirk here with some local / international shochu news:

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 06:31:42 +0000

Kirk here with some local / international shochu news:

“In the final, the cocktail ‘Fit for Himiko,’ created by Kira Webster from Missouri, came in second place. She added ingredients including pistachio liquor and vermouth to the rice shochu ‘Yachiyoza,’ which is distilled by Chiyonosono Sake Brewery Inc. in the city of Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture.”

By the way, when rice shochu is made, they first make a form of sake (rice wine) and then distill that. Chiyononosono is well-known for their sake.

William Wheat prices were rising globally even before Russia's invasion of Ukra…

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 06:43:51 +0000

William Wheat prices were rising globally even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, known as “the grain basket of the world,” providing more than a quarter of the world’s supply, but as Kumanichi points out, “the government selling price of imported wheat to flour milling companies will be raised by 17.3% from the current price from April.” This is obviously bad news for those who love bread and udon (and for bakeries and udon shops), but fortunately we in Japan have options. Expect to see more rice-based bakery goods. Of more impact will be on countries such as Egypt, where Russian wheat is a staple of their nan-based culture, essential to so many living at the margin. I do not know what they will do. The Aljazeera article has an inforgraphic about where wheat comes from and where it goes.

Games/Communication Day

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 02:35:55 +0000

There’s a Games/Communication Day at the International Center・熊本国際交流 on this Saturday, 19th March! 英語を練習しますか?いくつかのゲームを楽しみたいですか? Doors open at 1.45pm. It’s aimed at high school students and up✨🙋‍♂️🎲📝🙆‍♀️ See the posters for more details!! 高校生以上・3月19日(土)の午後14時から・受付は13時45分から - Ruth

Spring English - 春休み親子で英語 & 春子ども英語クラブ

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 15:04:41 +0000

Kumamoto International Center’s 『Spring English』 for children (and parents of preschoolers) is planned to make a comeback at the end of this month. 熊本国際交流で、四日間の幼稚園児向け「春休み親子で英語」(午前中)と小学生向けの「春子ども英語クラブ」(午後中)は3月末に復活する予定です。

Preschooler lessons are in the morning and those for ES students are in the afternoon. For more details see the posters or their page https://www.facebook.com/kcic.kif　お問い合わせ: お申し込み、詳細は熊本国際交流館までご連絡ください。お気軽にご参加ください。ぜひシェアしてください - Ruth

reused items bazaar

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 04:58:38 +0000

Hi Atsuko here sharing some information about reused items bazaar. It will be held at 西部交流センター,Seibu Kouryu center, The Western Exchange Center on Sunday, March 27. They also collect reusable items for the bazaar. The exchange center has a good Onsen and gym you can play badminton too.(Ü) 西部交流センター http://seibu-koryu.com/

西部交流センター,Seibu Kouryu center, The Western Exchange Center will hold a bazaar.Why don’t you give away your children’s clothes or toys that you no longer need or play with at home to those who need them?

Here's a full-time, ALT work opportunity, for a native or non-native English spe…

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 12:40:44 +0000

Here’s a full-time, ALT work opportunity, for a native or non-native English speaker. It’s in the Misato area, out past Kumamoto Costco. It’s an April 2022 start, with work at 1 JHS and 2 ES.

Work is contracted through a Kumamoto-based language provider, Parakaro・パラカロ. Please check the post for criteria and contact details - Ruth

薪能 Takigi Noh at Kumamoto Castle

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 06:02:40 +0000

Hi Atsuko here. It’s an announcement about 薪能 Takigi Noh at Kumamoto castle tonight,( 18:30 ～20:00pm. @二の丸Ninomaru)

Information about Oshiro Matsuri https://kumamoto-guide.jp/oshiromatsuri/?fbclid=IwAR2-oIMGZHm8ZPv_5NFcXgVXBFm-7xLJ0U4IYsQ2pdFMMReG3qxAgZzEIos

I hope you like it (๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー No charge! We will be performing Noh at Kumamoto Castle.

March 12　 It will be held at the Ninomaru of Kumamoto Castle from around 7:00 p.m. A fantastic moment in a bonfire of firewood You will be able to enjoy it. I will be performing the “Shakkyou” red lion. Ishibashi is about 15 minutes away. Please come and visit Kumamoto Castle. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー舞囃子｢嵐山｣ Maibayashi ’’ Arashiyama’' On a night of cherry blossoms in full bloom, Zao Gongen appears and makes a vow to defeat demons, save people from suffering, and protect the land.

Kirk here with a follow-up to Atsuko's post of almost a week ago. Since then, t…

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 10:30:39 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to Atsuko’s post of almost a week ago. Since then, the English-language editions of the Asahi and Yomiuri newspapers have published articles on the same story (a boy with roots in both Kumamoto and Ukraine who is here with his father because of the war) – Atsuko scooped them! ;)

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14567000

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0008345627

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6977607295645976

Carlton. Was I the only one surprised at the sound of sirens at a quarter to 3p…

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:13:04 +0000

Carlton. Was I the only one surprised at the sound of sirens at a quarter to 3pm today in the city?
For those like me who forgot, they were in remembrance of the great Northeastern earthquake and tsunami which struck 11 years ago to this day at 14:46.
I remember that day well but here we did not experience so much as a wiggle or a ripple although maybe over in Amakusa there was a rise in the sea level that might have been noticed.

William March, which shares the etymology of Mars and is also related to the mil…

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 17:54:05 +0000

William March, which shares the etymology of Mars and is also related to the military, “March!”, as this is the time of year when war traditionally began, has been a harbinger in many cultures. I’ve been recently acquainted with Hyakki Yagyō (百鬼夜行, “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons”), associated with this time of year. If anyone knows more about this, please inform.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakki_Yagy%C5%8D#/media/File:Hyakki_Yako.jpg

People are interested in Japan for various reasons, manga being one. Kumanichi r…

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 01:38:15 +0000

People are interested in Japan for various reasons, manga being one. Kumanichi reports that Takamori has for its high school budgeted 383 million yen for its “manga-related department.” Much of the funding will go towards new dormitories, particularly three for girls, and production equipment. Takamori, with its breathtaking scenery and legendary, well, legends lends itself well to manga (a photo is below). This may well result in recruiting students from outside the prefecture. We wish them well.

William Our friend Hiromitsu Yagi points out that the colors of the Kumamoto To…

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 01:08:14 +0000

William Our friend Hiromitsu Yagi points out that the colors of the Kumamoto Toshi Bus Company are the same as the Ukrainian flag. I’ll have to use that company more often.

Kirk here with news that the Volters (Kumamoto's professional basketball team) a…

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:53:25 +0000

Kirk here with news that the Volters (Kumamoto’s professional basketball team) are being investigated for falsely claiming a player to be injured. If a player is injured, a team can temporarily hire another player. The suspicion is that they abused this loophole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwGnKhicwFU&t=10s

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202203081750550111

Kirk here reposting news about a noyaki (field burning) accident at Daikanbo. I…

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 11:47:04 +0000

Kirk here reposting news about a noyaki (field burning) accident at Daikanbo. I posted about this earlier from my own account but some sort of technical problem occurred so I’m posting again.

Yesterday, the 6th, one car in the Daikanbo parking lot was burnt (I’m not sure just how badly) but the driver was OK. In the video you can see the flames engulfing a car. In addition, two workers involved in noyaki were injured in the Ichinomiya area, one with burns all over his body, but both are conscious. Strong winds seem to have contributed to the accidents.

Kirk here with an article from which I learned something new about Suizenji Joju…

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 04:58:11 +0000

Kirk here with an article from which I learned something new about Suizenji Jojuen:

—- start quote —- In order to create a garden pond in a low swampy area where there was natural springwater, an advanced civil engineering technique, along with an artistic sensibility was required. The Hosokawa clan constructed the Shōryūji Castle in Kyoto Prefecture during Oda Nobunaga’s reign (1573-1582), and built a tenshu (castle tower) before the Azuchi castle tower existed. Then, at the Kokura Castle in Fukuoka Prefecture, which later became the clan’s residence, they built a castle with advanced technology by reclaiming low lying swampy land. The skillful techniques needed to stabilize the pond shore at Suizen-ji Jōjuen and the embankment skills used to create the beautiful landscape mountains, were indeed made possible by the peaceful utilization of military technology, such as the foundation of stone walls and methods of building defensive banks cultivated through constructing castles. —- end quote —-

Hello friends, Atsuko here sharing a Kumanichi post about our neighbors.

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 02:07:01 +0000

Hello friends, Atsuko here sharing a Kumanichi post about our neighbors. The war is not happening somewhere far away, but right next door. No war. No hate. Be kind to everyone! ╰(´︶`)╯

Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun | March 04, 2022 11:41 https://kumanichi.com/articles/577013 Hidetaka Tsuji (left) and his second son Yusei. The photo on the tablet is his wife Valeria. 3 March, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Boy who evacuated to Kumamoto City wants to see his mom in Ukraine Attacks “sad’' 　　Just before the Russian invasion, a young boy left his mother in Ukraine and took refuge with his father in Kumamoto. Yusei is the second son of Hidetaka Tsuji, 52, a sports instructor in Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City. He said, “It is sad that my favorite country, Ukraine, is under attack. I want to see my mom.” He is heartbroken by the devastation in the region.

Kirk here with a folllow-up to William's post about the bombing of Kumamoto in W…

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 01:43:25 +0000

Kirk here with a folllow-up to William’s post about the bombing of Kumamoto in WWII. The photo in it piqued by interest so I tried to figure out where it was taken and from what angle. The Shinmachi place name, the curving tram line (which I assume followed the same route that is does today), and the Tsuboi River (visible beyond the curving tram tracks) made it relatively easy to make an educated guess.

William Kumamoto had the misfortune during the war of being host to Mistsubishi…

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 12:52:56 +0000

William Kumamoto had the misfortune during the war of being host to Mistsubishi Heavy Industries, which made airplanes (they’re still there), and a couple of airports. The result was predictable. My heart goes out to all caught in the tragic carnage of Ukraine. Do not let the travesty Kumamoto endured to be unremembered.

William Kumanichi reports that this years kousa (黄砂 - fine particle matter blow…

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 11:05:57 +0000

William Kumanichi reports that this years kousa (黄砂 - fine particle matter blown from the Gobi across Japan) is particularly bad. It has certainly walloped me. Stay indoors, wear a mask, and see a specialist if needed. https://kumanichi.com/articles/578309

William Today's Kumanichi post. It might not be of import unless you are a lady…

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 23:24:23 +0000

William Today’s Kumanichi post. It might not be of import unless you are a ladybug. (They’re called “tentoumushi” in Japanese, perhaps because they have ten toes, but like all insects, they have only six.) https://kumanichi.com/articles/577246

William As the (very proud) father of a daughter, I observe Hina Matsuri every …

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 16:37:26 +0000

William As the (very proud) father of a daughter, I observe Hina Matsuri every year. Generally, offerings are offset at rivers following the festival. Though the sentiment is understood - that one’s daughter mist follow the flow of life bestowed to her - we keep hers here and set them up every year. Her home is here, and it will remain so, wherever for for however long she she may live. She is a true Higokko. Encourage your children to embrace that identity. https://www.nippon.com/en/features/jg00031/

William　Just this.

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:52:06 +0000

William　Just this.

William Good news for train lovers. The "SL Hitoyoshi", which runs between Kuma…

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 07:40:10 +0000

William Good news for train lovers. The “SL Hitoyoshi”, which runs between Kumamoto and Tosu (Saga Prefecture), is slated to restart after equipment repairs. It is a slow way to go nowhere, but those journeys are generally the best. https://kumanichi.com/articles/577061

Kirk here with an English article about the lighting of Kumamoto Castle with the…

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 02:20:51 +0000

Kirk here with an English article about the lighting of Kumamoto Castle with the colors or the Ukrainian flag. It’s been a few days since William posted about this (and got a HUGE response – Reach: 4,478; Engagement: 814; Shares: 41) and now it seems that the Mainichi is trying to follow his lead. ;)

The article says that Saturday, March 5th, will be the last evening to see the colors with your own eyes.

Kirk here with news about the extension of the so-called "pre-emergency measures…

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:23:57 +0000

Kirk here with news about the extension of the so-called “pre-emergency measures” (“man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” [まん延防止等重点措置] in Japanese or “manbo” for short) in Kumamoto. The measures will end on March sixth in many nearby prefectures (Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Miyazaki and Kagoshima) but continue in Kumamoto until Marchi 18 in Kumamoto:

Kirk here with a little news about a local business trying to support the people…

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 00:07:15 +0000

Kirk here with a little news about a local business trying to support the people of Ukraine:

“NANKAN, Kumamoto – A bamboo chopstick manufacturer in this southwest Japan town has launched an initiative to sell products in the colors of the Ukrainian flag and donate the proceeds to the country. The 150 pairs available for the initial pre-order on Feb. 28 sold out in about two hours.”

Speaking of donations, I have no idea where to donate. If anyone has some information, please post it in a comment.

Kirk here with an inquiry that the page received: "Hello! I called the waste man…

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 13:27:30 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry that the page received: “Hello! I called the waste management office of Kumamoto to register my mattress for disposal and they told me I will be paying 10,900. I went to the konbini to get stickers as instructed from the call but they showed me a 500-yen and 900-yen sticker. I am a little confused about the ¥10,900. Should I buy stickers that would total to ¥10,900?” Does anyone have any insight? Does the fee sound about right?

This morning, Kumamoto City was shrouded in heavy fog, giving the castle a rathe…

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 12:19:37 +0000

This morning, Kumamoto City was shrouded in heavy fog, giving the castle a rather mystical look.

https://blog.rkk.jp/sorairo/2022/03/

William Most are no doubt aware of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In display of …

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 13:11:57 +0000

William Most are no doubt aware of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In display of support for those facing invasion of their country, Kumamoto Castle has been lighted in the yellow and blue of Ukraine’s flag. How long this will continue is unclear. https://kumanichi.com/articles/574386

Kirk here with mollusks (shellfish) on my mind. The so-called "clam scam" (asar…

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 05:42:45 +0000

Kirk here with mollusks (shellfish) on my mind. The so-called “clam scam” (asari mislabled as “harvested in Kumamoto”) got me thinking about what caused the precipitous decline of asari that forced people to rely on imported clams in the first place. And that got me thinking about why it was that the numbers of so-called “Kumamotos” (oysters that are now popular in the U.S.) fell to the point that they had to be reintroduced from the States. Looking for information about oysters in the Ariake Sea led to what I’m writing about today: carmel candies. I’ll write about Kumamoto oysters and reasons for the decline of asari clams some other day. What I’m writing about today is of no great consequence but I hope you enjoy this bit of Ariake Sea mollusk trivia. ;)

Kirk here with some local reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I got a …

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 06:59:19 +0000

Kirk here with some local reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I got a question about whether or not any local demonstrations were planned or had taken place so I did some looking. Via “Google news” I found an article about a protest that occurred in Kurume (just a stone’s throw to our north):

https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/n/882727/

Then, searching on Facebook, I found this post about a group in Yatsushiro voicing their opposition.

Kirk here. Yesterday Atsuko wrote about a confection with the name "Musha Gaesh…

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 02:33:59 +0000

Kirk here. Yesterday Atsuko wrote about a confection with the name “Musha Gaeshi” (武者返し). William has explained the meaning of this term in the past but I’d like to review it for anyone who may not know or may have forgotten and add a bit of information that I suspect will be new to most of you.

The image you see is from the following post by William:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2230097940396959

As William has explained in other posts, the term “mushagaeshi” means “warrior repelling” (武者 [musha] is an old term for warrior and the verb 返す [kaesu] means to “repel” or “throw back”). The idea is that the increasingly steep incline would tend to repel any warriors that might try to scale the walls in an attack.

William Camping in Japan is pretty relaxed. As long as you take care of fire (ca…

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:50:30 +0000

William Camping in Japan is pretty relaxed. As long as you take care of fire (camping stove, not open fire) and trash, you can pretty much stake out a place and stay for free. (Be friendly.) Kumanichi remarks on a new campground at Ubayama (産山). I don’t recommend as I dislike established camping grounds, but the name “Ubayama” is interesting. Apparently, a couple of gods (well, probably one was a goddess) were getting it on and the result was the mountain.

Hi, Atsuko here with sweet news again.

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 06:10:59 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here with sweet news again.

I love original 武者返しMusha Gaeshi but the new one looks tasty too.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ https://twitfukuoka.com/?p=195664 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Godiva collaborates with Kumamoto’s famous confectionary “Musha Godiva collaborates with Kumamoto’s famous confectionary “Musha Gaeshi” to launch nationwide

Godiva Japan will start selling “Musha Gaeshi Chocolate” from Godiva Monthly Chef’s Selection, which Godiva develops together with chefs from all over Japan, at Tsuruya store (Kumamoto City) from Wednesday, March 2, 2022, and at Godiva limited stores in Kyushu from Saturday, March 19, 2022. In April, Godiva announced that it will expand the area and sell limited quantities at Godiva limited stores nationwide.

Kirk here. It's a nice day so it's probably better to get out and enjoy the wea…

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 02:44:03 +0000

Kirk here. It’s a nice day so it’s probably better to get out and enjoy the weather than to stay inside and watch TV . . . but if you’ll be inside and you like basketball, you might want to turn on NHK at 2PM to watch the Kumamoto Volters play the Ehime Orange Vikings. (The image is a screenshot from https://www.volters.jp.)

Hi, Atsuko here with an article about a new souvenir from Kumamoto.

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 02:19:52 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here with an article about a new souvenir from Kumamoto.

Regional-exclusive chocolate aims to raise funds for damaged samurai fortress. Next month, as a new regional KitKat has just been announced, with an all-new flavour designed to take our taste buds on a trip to Kumamoto Prefecture. ドーナツ棒 DONATUBOU, Brown sugar donut sticks and いきなりだんご Ikinari dango are both famous sweets in Kumamoto. They are sold only in the local market, but now that they have been made into Kit Kat products, they will become even more famous nationwide.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kirk here with another photographic harbinger of spring. For the most part, Feb…

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 09:18:20 +0000

Kirk here with another photographic harbinger of spring. For the most part, February is the season of plum, not cherry blossoms, but this type, Kawazuzakura (河津桜; Kawazu cherry tree) blooms early. I took this photo in part of Ezuko. The tree itself was in the garden of a private residence but the blossoms were very accessible to passers-by.

Kawazu is a town in Shizuoka that is know for these early blooming trees – hence the name. The tree I saw today isn’t originally from Kumamoto; like me and many readers of this page, it’s a transplant. Proof that not all transplants should be regarded as invasive species! ;)

Kirk here with news that Amu Plaza, Sakuramachi Kumamoto and some other faciliti…

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 05:00:17 +0000

Kirk here with news that Amu Plaza, Sakuramachi Kumamoto and some other facilities downtown lost power for about 30 minutes yesterday. Kyushu Denryoku says that some sort of abnormality was detected and that caused the power to be shut off automatically. The report I saw didn’t indicate the exact nature of the abnormality that caused the juice to get cut off.

In the video you can see people in a dark building climbing up a motionless escalator. I’m a little surprised that they weren’t heading for the exists but wanted to go deeper into the powerless building.

William Japan Today reports on Aso, noting that projectiles may fly as far as t…

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 00:17:23 +0000

William Japan Today reports on Aso, noting that projectiles may fly as far as two kilometers from the crater.

Kirk here with some plum pics from the campus of Kumamoto Gakuen University that…

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 09:19:02 +0000

Kirk here with some plum pics from the campus of Kumamoto Gakuen University that I took today. It’s still a bit chilly but the combination of the bright sun and the plum blossoms made me feel like spring is on its way. The other day in response to a plum blossum picture I posted there was a little discussion about good viewing spots. If you’re interested, you can find the recommendations in the comments:

William Seems that Aso is burping again. Kumanichi reports that the danger leve…

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 07:50:23 +0000

William Seems that Aso is burping again. Kumanichi reports that the danger level has been raised from 2 (which means don’t approach the peak) to 3 (which means stay the hell away from the whole mountain, as those in the photo are clearly not doing - projectiles are a thing and can travel several kilometers). Don’t try to win a Darwin Award. We will update as events unfold. https://kumanichi.com/articles/569000

William There's this thing called "ekiden" which is rather unique to Japan and …

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 06:06:55 +0000

William There’s this thing called “ekiden” which is rather unique to Japan and of quite importance to Higo, being quite distant from the capital. The term means “station running,” and might be similar to the early American west stagecoach system - except that humans, rather than horses, were used for locomotion. A common approach was to cross from Higo to Oita, and hence by ship to Edo. Thus, a dedicated path was created. It still exists, and the Higo line of JR traverses it. (I know this as I have run it several times, much to the dismay of my knees.) Email has kinda eliminated the need for such communication, but memory remains. Kumamoto has thus become world-renowned for long-distance runners. Kumanichi has an article on the Pearl Line Marathon, but better would be to go to the start: Kanakuri Shisou (金栗四三). The major marathon in Kumamoto bears his name. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%91%E6%A0%97%E5%9B%9B%E4%B8%89 https://search.yahoo.co.jp/image/search?ei=UTF-8&fr=mcafeess1&p=%E8%82%A5%E5%BE%8C%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%86%E9%81%93%E8%B7%AF#4b65da2d3c0b94c9f3bca03ee2f5794a

Hi Atsuko here.

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 05:24:44 +0000

Hi Atsuko here. It’s still cold today. This is a stone baked sweet potato shop. He often comes to 刈草公園 Karikusa Park on weekend and holidays. This is the voice and taste of winter in Japan. If you want to get stone-roasted potatoes when you want to eat, you may go to 植木市 Ueki-ichi the planting market to have them. https://kuma-uekiichi.com/ https://m.facebook.com/%E3%81%8F%E3%81%BE%E3%82%82%E3%81%A8%E6%98%A5%E3%81%AE%E6%A4%8D%E6%9C%A8%E5%B8%82-409271709146485/ The medium size one was 300yen. So sweet and tasty(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Cat Festa

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 02:34:34 +0000

Kirk here with more information for cat lovers. Last night I posted about how yesterday’s 2022/2/22 reminds Japanese people of cats because of all the “n” sounds in 2 (ni) and the idea that cats say “nya.” Well, Liz kindly responded with information about a “Winter Cat Festival” at Tsuruya. Here’s what she wrote: “There is also a ‘Cat Festa’ event till the 27th on the basement floor of TSUTAYA downtown. A portion of the proceeds go to medical care for the stray(?) cats (on Nekojima in Amakusa , if I am mistaken please correct me). All kinds of catty things , from pottery to postcards, eco bags , etc.”

Kirk here with some observations about the date 2022/2/22 (yesterday). National…

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 16:38:01 +0000

Kirk here with some observations about the date 2022/2/22 (yesterday). National Public Radio in the U.S. referred to it as Twosday. That makes sense in English but in Japanese, the number 2 is “ni,” which is kinda similar to “nya,” which is what Japanese-speaking cats say. So, Tuesday was cat day. Several local news programs I saw shared cat-related stories.

TKU aired this story about Catton in Arao that takes care of homeless cats until a suitable home (yours?) can be found:

William Huy Tran says that everything must go. This would be a good chance for …

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 10:22:21 +0000

William Huy Tran says that everything must go. This would be a good chance for a budding English school owner. (“No price is too high” - ha ha!)

William TSMC, the Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer, will open a major facil…

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 04:17:45 +0000

William TSMC, the Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer, will open a major facility in Kikuyo. This will provide hundreds of much-needed jobs for engineering graduates and likely move the economic center of Kumamoto to that area (the Hikarinomori shopping mall is already there, JR provides excellent transportation, and it is near the airport). Kumanichi reports on how local businesses are gearing up to handle the influx.

William Our sister page, I ❤️ Fukuoka, has an interesting discussion regarding …

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:30:09 +0000

William Our sister page, I ❤️ Fukuoka, has an interesting discussion regarding dual nationality. I noted, “It’s a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation. My kids, both in their 30s, vote in both countries. They leave Japan on their Japanese passports and enter the US on their American ones. Just don’t show both passports at the same time.” Experiences from our readers would be welcome.

Kirk here with an article by Jake Adelstein on Japan's xenophobic approach to bo…

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:50:51 +0000

Kirk here with an article by Jake Adelstein on Japan’s xenophobic approach to border control during the pandemic. It’s filled with lots of interesting information, including the observation that the Nikkei Shimbun has used the term “cruel Japan” (a play on “cool Japan”) to describe recent policy. I think it’s an apt description. For the students who have put their lives on hold, sometimes quiting jobs in anticipation of travel to Japan for study, the policy really has been cruel. And, a version of the “cool Japan” mentality (Japan=good; foreign=bad) may be at the heart of the unscientific exclusion of foreign students.

William Sometimes what is on my mind, Google inquires, is "Wait - do you seriou…

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 14:03:36 +0000

William Sometimes what is on my mind, Google inquires, is “Wait - do you seriously want to even consider this?” Kind of a funny thing is that Kumamoto was an initial target for the atomic bomb. Fortunately for us, things did not work out that way. But what could have been might be.

Kirk here with a little photo I took of the "shidare ume" (weeping plum blossoms…

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 09:28:48 +0000

Kirk here with a little photo I took of the “shidare ume” (weeping plum blossoms) in Suizenji Jojuen today. My wife and I paid a thousand yen each to get free entry for a whole year – a pretty good deal, I think, if you live in the area. It was cold today but still worth visiting.

Reading signs here and there and then following that with some reading on the web after I got home, I learned the following:

William One method of determining Japanese origin is by ramen type. I learned t…

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 04:56:13 +0000

William One method of determining Japanese origin is by ramen type. I learned that, in my hometown of Los Angeles, ramen type is of Kumamoto. Apparently, many Higo-ko immigrated there during the famines of the ’30s, as did Mexicans - so yeah, we’ve got a lot of great food. Assimilation was difficult but ultimately successful. Of note: If you eat ramen in LA, it’s likely of the Kumamoto variety.

William This guy one might emulate the kind guy I imagined myself while walking…

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 21:18:24 +0000

William This guy one might emulate the kind guy I imagined myself while walking my kids to school through elementary but never like this. (He’s Kenichi Muraeda, from Ashikita, to where you’ve not been but should - and the dude is in his late 50s!.) https://kumanichi.com/articles/564601

William "You lay in the futon that you've, uh, laid" a Japanese Franklin might …

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 06:25:43 +0000

William “You lay in the futon that you’ve, uh, laid” a Japanese Franklin might have said. Kumanichi notes that catches of the asari clam mostly come from other East Asian countries, subsequently replanted and claimed to be native. Surely, Ariake Sea is a difficult environment to manage. I suggest that authorities look at how the US managed the Chesapeake Bay, a similarly vast area over multiple jurisdictions. Bring back the health to the bay.

William A "travel alert" from the US Embassy just alighted (if you're not regis…

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 10:36:17 +0000

William A “travel alert” from the US Embassy just alighted (if you’re not registered, you should be - they’re mostly entertaining but occasionally important): “The Government of Japan announced that, as of February 18, the quarantine period for all travelers arriving in Japan from the United States has been reduced to seven days, the first three of which must be in a government-designated facility. Currently, Japan’s quarantine duration does not take travelers’ vaccination status into account.” The accompanying map is interesting. Many US troops are affected by this, and many now occupy territories seized from Spain in the Spanish-American war, a period of history one must read up on.

William Kenmotsu Yagura (戌亥櫓) was that turret leaning precariously on a single …

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 08:30:09 +0000

William Kenmotsu Yagura (戌亥櫓) was that turret leaning precariously on a single leg of cornerstones after the quakes. Yikes. Kumanichi reports that it will be rebuilt with traditional architectural techniques. This is nice not only for aesthetical and historical reasons but in that it gives local craftsmen a way to apply their skills, thus passing them on. https://kumanichi.com/articles/563400

William Our friend Stuart Iles shared a post regarding dual nationality. I note…

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 04:54:20 +0000

William Our friend Stuart Iles shared a post regarding dual nationality. I noted that my kids have encountered no problems - they present Japanese immigration officials with their Japanese passports and US officials with their US passports and none have questioned why there are only exit/entrance stamps for that single country, not others. JUST DO NOT SHOW BOTH AT ONCE. Japan really tipped its hand with the case of former Peruvian president Fujimori: He had to have Peruvian nationality to assume the office but later claimed Japanese nationality when push came to shove. This was accepted by a Japanese court, thus acknowledging dual nationality. Hearing of experiences from our readers would be of interest.

William Our friend Hiromitsu Yagi at the International Center (or "Centre," if …

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 10:23:36 +0000

William Our friend Hiromitsu Yagi at the International Center (or “Centre,” if you’re so inclined) informs the availability of five kilograms of free rice. PM us if you have any questions.

Kirk here with some business news:

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 01:59:48 +0000

Kirk here with some business news:

Kirk here with news of a truck that had some trouble crossing the Shirakawa Rive…

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:25:05 +0000

Kirk here with news of a truck that had some trouble crossing the Shirakawa River to leave the downtown area. In the video, it doesn’t look like it’s going that fast but, with the very heary load it was carrying, I guess it was fast enough to lose control on the curve before the bridge. Check out the video for yourself. Fortunately, no one was injured but similar accidents have caused fatalities in the past. This happened a couple of days ago on the Choroku Bridge (see map) near the downtown area.

Kirk here with an olympic update. ONITSUKA Miyabi didn't medal but she was clea…

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 07:09:28 +0000

Kirk here with an olympic update. ONITSUKA Miyabi didn’t medal but she was clearly going for gold. First, here’s a quote from the article:

“Miyabi Onitsuka had a heavy slam on her first jump and had to be assisted off the landing area, walking under her own power but clearly shaken up. She bravely faced up to her second jump and threw a 1260 but over-rotated on the landing and was punished by the judges, giving her no shot at a medal in a competition in which the riders’ best two scores count. Another heavy crash on her third jump just compounded her pain. She finished in 11th place out of 12 finalists.”

William Our friend Yagi-san at the International Center provides links for info…

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:37:46 +0000

William Our friend Yagi-san at the International Center provides links for information regarding COVID.

Kirk here with some news and thoughts about the near exclusion of newly arriving…

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 09:31:37 +0000

Kirk here with some news and thoughts about the near exclusion of newly arriving foreigners from Japan. This is not an issue that is specific to Kumamoto, but it is certainly affecting Kumamoto as it affects the nation as a whole.

First, the news. Last night, I saw the following survey results on NHK’s evening news. Asked if restrictions should be relaxed or kept the same, 57% of those surveyed said “kept things as they are.”

William Thank you to Kirk and KumaVista for that beautiful photo of Unzen seen …

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 01:34:54 +0000

William Thank you to Kirk and KumaVista for that beautiful photo of Unzen seen across from Aso Kusasenri. A bit of poking about found that this string of volcanos is part of the Beppu-Shimabara graben, a rift which is widening at a rate of 1-2 centimeters per year. Rifts often result in volcanic activity; this rift also results in the numerous springs for which Kumamoto is world-renowned. Info is hard to find, but for us amateur geologists: https://twitter.com/VolcanoMagma/status/1274102236910481408/photo/1

Chuck Waterman here:

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 22:08:16 +0000

Chuck Waterman here:

Attention fellow 60-64.5 year olds:

I hope lots of you in our age bracket got your Vaccine VOUCHER in the mail yesterday. WE DID!!!

If you haven’t gotten yours yet, hang on - it may arrive this week!

Big Air Snowboard Finals

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 11:59:51 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto’s Miyabi Onitsuka has qualified for tomorrow’s finals:

“Kokomo Murase, Reira Iwabuchi and Miyabi Onitsuka took three of the top five slots at the spectacular Big Air Shougang venue, with New Zealand slopestyle gold medalist at the Beijing Games, Zoi Sadowski Synnott, leading the way.”

The competition will last from about 10:30 to 11:30 tomorrow (Tuesday) according to the schedule on the following page:

https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/snowboard/olympic-daily-schedule.htm

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/02/2c710dee42c5-olympics-japanese-trio-impress-to-move-into-big-air-snowboard-final.html

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I'm amazed that Unzen-Dake (way on the …

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 02:27:56 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I’m amazed that Unzen-Dake (way on the other side of the Ariake Sea in Nagasaki Prefecture) could be seen so clearly from Kusasenri. Perhaps the cold weather cleared the air. I would have loved to be able to take the sight in with my own eyes. :)

Kirk here with some information from the Kumamoto International Foundation (the …

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 14:43:53 +0000

Kirk here with some information from the Kumamoto International Foundation (the people at the International Center near the castle) about money for kids, filing taxes, etc. Here’s part of the text of an e-mail I received:

— start quote —

【Kumamoto City News】 Kumamoto City News was uploaded on the website. Please visit “Multicultural coexistence: Information on daily life, Kumamoto City News” on our website. https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji003965/index.html

・【①Information on COVID-19】・【②Temporary Special benefits for resident tax-exempt households】・【③Temporary Special benefits for households with children】・【④Please finish declaration of municipal and prefectural tax by March 15th.】・【⑤Acceptance of large-sized waste at the East Environmental Factory will be suspended】・【⑥Exemption system of national health insurance】

Kirk here. Personally, I don't happen to be a fan of pro wrestling but I thought…

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 08:05:02 +0000

Kirk here. Personally, I don’t happen to be a fan of pro wrestling but I thought I’d share this for any wrestling fans who might be out there.

Hi friends, Atsuko here.

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 02:09:44 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. In order to get Ms. Lin acquitted, they need more signatures and to create an even bigger groundswell of public opinion than before. Please sign the petition and help them spread the word about the petition drive so that more people will know about it. Lots readers might have joined it and I also participated in signing the petition before the District Court, but more signatures are needed to appeal to the Supreme Court.٩(°̀ᗝ°́)و

Kirk here with a little response to William's post about the brown-eared bulbul …

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 11:09:41 +0000

Kirk here with a little response to William’s post about the brown-eared bulbul (hiyodori):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-eared_bulbul

I’m a big fan of the white eyes (mejiro) and I’m glad to be seeing a lot of them recently. They love the tsubaki (Japanese camillia) blossoms this time of year and usually come in pairs (rather romantic little critters, actually).

As you can see from Wikipedia’s pages about the two birds, both are quite common and, here in Kumamoto, we are right in the heart of the preferred habitats of both. Personally, I pay a lot more attention to the white eyes though I’m not bothered at all by the bulbuls. Come to think of it, I like it when they come to bathe in the little tsukubai (a kind of Japanese washbasin) by my window. It’s nice to have visitors, even little brown-feathered ones. ;)

William A note from the Kumamoto International Ornithology Desk (we're birds of…

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 07:55:44 +0000

William A note from the Kumamoto International Ornithology Desk (we’re birds of a feather): The only type of bird one needs to be aware of at this season (aside from crows, all of which are actually cats in disguise) is the bulbul (ヒヨドリ, hiyodori). They are not cute. They are not friendly. They screech annoyingly as they eat whatever berries remain on shrubs. Fortunately, being migratory, they will soon be gone.

Kirk here an update on Dr. HASUDA Takeshi's efforts to prevent infant abandonmen…

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:37:36 +0000

Kirk here an update on Dr. HASUDA Takeshi’s efforts to prevent infant abandonment and some genealogical information about him. First, the news:

Japanese government stays silent on legality of confidential births https://www.japantimes.co.jp/.../kumamoto-confidential.../

As there is a risk that Dr. Hasuda might be held legally responsible for not following current Japanese law regarding the registry of births, he submitted an inquiry to the Ministry of Justice about “whether submitting a birth notification without the mother’s name would violate the Penal Code.” But, the government refused to give a clear answer. In effect, they said “we might arrest you or we might not. Have a nice day!” The Kumamoto city government is supporting Dr. Hasuda, but I don’t know how much that will help if the government decides to charge him with a crime. I guess this is the kind of thing people have in mind when they say “No good deed goes unpunished.”

William Reading the inestimable Mark Twain (this time, "A Connecticut Yankee in…

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 08:33:53 +0000

William Reading the inestimable Mark Twain (this time, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,”) it occurred to me that the book might be available online. Sure enough, it is, at Gutenberg.org: https://gutenberg.org/files/86/86-h/86-h.htm Twain was a periplectic guy. He traveled and lived across the country, particularly in the “west” (when the “west” meant anything to the west of the Ohio river), and the characters he met had great influence on his works. In this novel, characteristics of gender, educational level, social status and wealth embody each character. The reason I am bringing this up on this page is that a read gives insight into the rubric with which Japanese - Kumamotoites - might view non-Japanese (and vice-versa). It is worth a read - and it’s free! (though non-native English speakers will find his “local” dialects - those of a 19th C. New Englander and a 9th C. Englishwoman - difficult to parse).

William　Dominos Pizza has a shop around the corner from my house. They have an a…

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:24:14 +0000

William　Dominos Pizza has a shop around the corner from my house. They have an annoying practice of stuffing my mailbox with “Half Price!” advertising whenever cruising by. But an angle occurred to me: If I brought in TWO half-price coupons, shouldn’t the pizza be free? So I gave it a try. The guy at the counter eventually judged the request above his pay grade so called for his manager, and after I had slowly and patiently explained the loophole for the third time, he slowly shook his head and told me that’s not how it works. I am simply posting this in case our readers have a similar experience with the same or different result, in which case, please let us know.

Aso野焼き（NOYAKI）

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 11:11:10 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. It’s cold every day, but spring is just around the corner. It’s time of NOYAKI for Aso to prepare for spring. The beautiful grasslands of Aso are protected by wildfire. The bracken, Warabi sprout, after the wild fires are also my favorite spring flavor. (๑˃ᴗ˂)و ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー Aso City has announced the schedule for wild fires. Aso City HP https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/

Schedule of wild fires 《Aso foot area (around Yonezuka, etc.) Date and time Sunday, February 27, 2022 From 9:00 a.m.

William An update to Kirk's post regarding Jikei Hospital, which continues its …

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 05:33:55 +0000

William An update to Kirk’s post regarding Jikei Hospital, which continues its lead in dragging Japanese sexual and reproductive health issues into the 21st C. At issue is the “shussan todoke” (出生届, report of birth), which by law must list at least on parent in order for a child to be registered as a Japanese citizen under the koseki (戸籍) law - more here about that: https://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00385/.) To those familiar with the biology of reproduction, the maternity of a child is quite more easily ascertained than the paternity. As such, children born with either uncertain or unstated paternity are included only on the mother’s koseki - and, once listed, the fact that that woman has had a child of unknown paternity can only be erased by adoption of a later male spouse. This info is available to anyone willing to cough up a fee at city hall for a copy. This not only grossly violates rights of the mother; it also does that of the child, as those with no registered paternity often find their opportunities restricted. Furthermore, children with no parental registry may even have their right to education curtailed. What Jiseki Hospital has done is to supply a certificate of birth with the names of both parents blank. The ball is now in the hands of prefectural officials - and ultimately the courts - to determine whether this is legal, and, if not, whether they have determined the child to be stateless or whether the law should be rectified. (This is rather a complicated topic, and if I have errored in my comprehension, please inform me.) Link to Kumanichi article and image of Jikei Hospital: https://kumanichi.com/articles/555437

Kirk here with some news on Jikei Hospital's continuing efforts to prevent tragi…

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 09:35:02 +0000

Kirk here with some news on Jikei Hospital’s continuing efforts to prevent tragic cases of infant abandonment. It you are unfamiliar with the background of Jikei Hospital’s “baby hatch” (the only such system in Japan), please see the following article:

https://metropolisjapan.com/the-controversy-of-japans-baby-hatch/

To understand the background of the latest news, it might be best to start with this quote that comes toward the end of the Asahi article:

“In December last year, a teenage girl gave birth at the hospital, after telling it that she wanted to give birth anonymously. She was released from the hospital after disclosing her identity to a staff member and preparing a document for a special adoption, on the promise that her baby would be registered without her name listed.”

Kirk here with a clam scam update. When I posted about this issue earlier, I wr…

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 11:30:58 +0000

Kirk here with a clam scam update. When I posted about this issue earlier, I wrote that “this was all a well-known secret until TBS quite publicly spilled the beans”:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6817247441681963

(If you missed it, this post contains a link to the original expose video [in Japanese] that lit the fuse of the current controversy.)

This article is confirmation of the “well-known secret” aspect of the current scandal.

Many years ago I read a book by a guy named Karel van Wolferen called “The Enigma of Japanese Power.” One of the things he wrote was that people in the media are often well aware of issues that are not being reported but, for whatever reason, they agree not to report about these matters to the general public. Then, when some event or some brave media outlet brings some such matter to the attention of the public, a media frenzy ensues where everyone reports on it as though they are learning about it for the first time.

William When Kato Kiyomasa was summoned from his native Aichi prefecture to bec…

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 03:52:47 +0000

William When Kato Kiyomasa was summoned from his native Aichi prefecture to become Lord of Kumamoto, he took umbrage at its kanji - 隈本 - which literally means “foot of the hinterlands,” so rewrote it with a homonym, 熊本, which means “origin of bears,” despite the fact that no bears live in Kumamoto. But at least that gave rise to Kumamon. A reference of relative bear sizes, none of which live in Kumamoto:

William Pyroclastic flow (火砕流-かさいりゅう) is something you don't want to notice, bec…

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 15:43:58 +0000

William Pyroclastic flow (火砕流-かさいりゅう) is something you don’t want to notice, because if you notice it, you’ll likely be soon dead. Think about the charcoal from your barbecue spreading over a few hundred kilometers. I’m not saying it’s gonna happen soon, but I’m not saying that it’s not, either. But when it does, there’s really nothing you can do. Just ask the people from Pompei.

William It's February, the saddest month of the year but, on the bright side, i…

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 05:56:58 +0000

William It’s February, the saddest month of the year but, on the bright side, is also the shortest. Of botanical note in this blighted month is the tsubaki (camellia, or 椿 or 山茶花 or 玉椿 - tsubaki, or sazanka - the central one: “mountain tea flower,” is nice - yes: the leaves infused in water are drinkable). Their splayed flowers give access to birds to drink their nectar, necessary as bees hibernate during this time, so pollenization is an issue. The “Higo tsubaki” is world-recognized as a particular strain. A garden just below Ninomaru Park at the castle is devoted to the plant. Now is the time to visit. https://castle.kumamoto-guide.jp/galleries/detail/789

William As Jay Onyskin has done, do.

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:08:27 +0000

William As Jay Onyskin has done, do.

William I found a meteorite. Seriously: It is a meteorite. What should I do wit…

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:47:11 +0000

William I found a meteorite. Seriously: It is a meteorite. What should I do with it?

Carlton. Today marks the acceptance for the 3rd tranche of reservations for Cov…

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 04:50:15 +0000

Carlton. Today marks the acceptance for the 3rd tranche of reservations for Covid booster shots in Kumamoto. Those eligible will be age 65 or older who received their 2nd shots before July 21, 2021 or those under 65 who got their 2nd jabs up to and including June 27, ‘21. If you have not received a “ticket” or voucher from the government authorizing you to get a shot you are out of luck to the best of my knowledge.

William How the Kumamoto Clamshell Scam unfolds is interesting to observe. As …

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 14:26:38 +0000

William How the Kumamoto Clamshell Scam unfolds is interesting to observe. As suspected, clams originating in other Asian countries are temporarily planted in Ariake sea and when harvested are then claimed to originate from that area. As a Californian, I can understand the dilemma. California makes excellent sparkling wine that cannot be termed “Champagne” is it is not from the Champagne region of France; thus, it is termed “sparkling wine” or “cava” though it is really the same thing (and saves you money!) So the question is: when is a clam from Ariake termed to be actually from Ariake, and how much is that distinguishment worth? (The graph regarding who flows what to whom reminds me of the meth flow from my home state - just a reminder that it could be quite worse.) https://kumanichi.com/articles/549507

William A magical point arises when the westward setting sun alights the westwa…

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:16:36 +0000

William A magical point arises when the westward setting sun alights the westward facing windows with majestic goldenness. Our friend Kubota-san has provided us with such an image (but you really had to be there!)

William A "gomaki" (護摩木) is not something you're likely to confront in everyday…

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 09:37:37 +0000

William A “gomaki” (護摩木) is not something you’re likely to confront in everyday life: it’s that little stick upon which Shinto priests inscribe prayers and promptly burn in the belief that said prayer will take the express elevator to heaven (but at least you don’t have to swallow it, as Catholics must do with the offering). Aso Shrine in Ichinomiyamachi yesterday conducted this festival. Questions of belief are irrelevant here. What is is the tradition of ancestors and subsequent respect. https://kumanichi.com/articles/549326

Fiona here with a recommendation for a really good pizza place in Kikuyo. Horika…

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 07:19:27 +0000

Fiona here with a recommendation for a really good pizza place in Kikuyo. Horikawa Pizza serves authentic Italian pizza (the chef trained in Naples) and offers indoor and outdoor seating as well as takeaway service. It’s open for lunch (11am to 3pm) and dinner (6pm to 9pm), closed on Tuesdays. There’s ample parking and it’s also close to Sanrigi station. https://horikawapizza.com/

William Tomochi （砥用) might be considered a "town" were it not in perpetual peri…

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 03:58:22 +0000

William Tomochi （砥用) might be considered a “town” were it not in perpetual peril of sliding down the hill into Midori Kawa, which knives through as a river does impatient with better places to go. Tomochi embodies that kind of feeling akin to when you’ve tilted your chair back to the point where you’re going to fall backwards but somehow don’t and retain that position for a thousand years. Tomochi is more of a thing of the mind than it is an address. There is, to say, no “there” there, a land in which the concept of “flat” remains completely foreign, more of a concept than a location. My wife’s maternal side hails from Yabe, a basin offering bounteous agricultural opportunities, and Yabe people have long looked down on her paternal side’s Tomochi people, both literally and figuratively (and Yabe people have long learned to figurate everything). Tomochi is, though, a hidden treasure, harboring many stone bridges and trailheads of paths heading out to Kyushu hinterlands more hinterlandish than itself. Buses headed out that way depart from Kotsu Center. Spring, when the trees are blossoming, is a nice time to visit. (My wife’s mother was said to have remarked every time she saw the “aka bus” heading out of town how lonely she was for her homeland.)　http://misato.town/footpath.html?id=6perpetuall

Kirk here with a little note on the Winter Olympics. I'll be following Kumamoto'…

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 03:44:30 +0000

Kirk here with a little note on the Winter Olympics. I’ll be following Kumamoto’s own Miyabi Onitsuka – the amazing snowboarder this southern prefecture has produced. Her first event is tomorrow (Saturday). See the attached images for the schedule.

Here’s a blurb about her:

— start quote — Took up snowboarding when she was five at an indoor practice field (Alts Bandai Snow Park), in Fukuoka City, Japan, winning her first domestic competition in the first grade. Signed her first sponsorship deal at seven. In 2017, she begged the park operators (Hoshino Resorts), to make a world-class training slope where she could base herself - and they did, calling it “Miyabi Park.” (nitrosnowboards.com; olympics.com, 22 Nov 2021) — end quote

William A note from the Kumamoto International Desk of Kanji At Which Even Nati…

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 09:00:57 +0000

William A note from the Kumamoto International Desk of Kanji At Which Even Native Japanese Through Hands: This is the year of the tiger. One would think it would simply be rendered 虎、but we aren’t so lucky. A kanji often used is lifted from the Nihon Kokugo Daijiten of around 1005-07 AD: “寅,” pronounced the same, “tora.” Impress your friends with this knowledge. https://japanknowledge.com/articles/blognihongo/entry.html?entryid=491

William Kato Kiyomasa was not the type on whose pointy end one would want to en…

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 07:42:11 +0000

William Kato Kiyomasa was not the type on whose pointy end one would want to end up on, as his famous feud with Ishida Mitsunari portrays. A notable adventure of his was to invade Korea in 1598, where he reputably killed a tiger; he’d apparently planned to bring its meat back to his sovereign, Hideyoshi, but ate it on the spot as food was short. (Legend has it that Hideyoshi had hoped both would die there, thus eliminating a couple who threatened his new shogunate.) Kato Shrine, next to the castle, would like to remind us of the good parts of this story in this, the Year of the Tiger, by erecting a tigerish façade suitable for photographs. Just hope you don’t meet the real Kato in person: He’d run you through before giving a thought about breakfast. https://kumanichi.com/articles/548192

Kirk here with a follow-up to William's posts about what this Asahi article is c…

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 05:35:44 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to William’s posts about what this Asahi article is calling Kumamoto’s “clam scam.” It’s a fascinating, and also rather disturbing, issue in a number of ways. For quite a long time now, imported live clams have been given a quick bath in Kumamoto’s waters both to reinvigorated them and, more importantly, to make it possible to stamp them, illegally, as “produced in Kumamoto.” Recently, TBS’s Hodo Tokushuu did an exposé on the issue. You can watch it on the web (though it is in Japanese):

William There is a cat. And a door. What could go wrong? (says no one with know…

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:00:47 +0000

William There is a cat. And a door. What could go wrong? (says no one with knowledge of cats). A cat at Kumamoto Station has learned his presence will open doors due to the door’s automatic sensor, so the staff shut down the automatic function and has asked patrons to do things manually. This brings one paws. Kumamoto has a long history with cats. Just Google 吾輩は猫である (Wagahainekodearu - Natsume Soseki novel; he was famous for sleeping in so many sites in Kumamoto there’s probably one near you). https://kumanichi.com/articles/547192

William In the midst of studying about Ariake Sea, this stunning photo arose. M…

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 07:20:47 +0000

William In the midst of studying about Ariake Sea, this stunning photo arose. More later about its ecology, ecosystem, economy, and history.

William We have launched the Facebook page KumaBiblioPhilia, a place for Kumamo…

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 12:22:13 +0000

William We have launched the Facebook page KumaBiblioPhilia, a place for Kumamoto residents to share books. Please have a look. https://www.facebook.com/groups/526074871977069/?multi_permalinks=526079305309959&notif_id=1643702165734341&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

Kirk here with another COVID-19 update. The number of new infections annouced t…

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:58:18 +0000

Kirk here with another COVID-19 update. The number of new infections annouced today is 1092, up from yesterday but not a new high. Yesterday was the last day of January so the Kumanichi publised the folllowing graph with monthly totals. It makes the differences between earlier flavors of COVID, Delta (August), and now Omicron crystal clear.

P.S. William shared this link with me privately. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure I would have missed it. Thanks William!

William To understand Ariake Sea is to understand Kumamoto and to know that it …

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 05:03:20 +0000

William To understand Ariake Sea is to understand Kumamoto and to know that it is the canary in the coalmine. It is not so much of a sea as a bay - a narrow body of water surrounded by four prefectures: Kumamoto, Saga, Fukuoka, and Nagasaki. And it is dying. The canary here is the catch of asari clams. In the below graph, dark blue is Kumamoto, and as can be seen, the catch has dwindled to basically zero. Yet the shellfish remains a required element of miso-soup centered Kumamoto breakfasts. To feed this need, Japan has turned to imports, mostly from China and Korea. However, asari are a bit like champagne: produced in Spain, for example, the same item must be called “cava.” Kumamoto governor Kabashima has requested that the Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative Association suspend shipment of asari produced in Kumamoto for two months, saying that foreign-produced clams are being distributed under the guise of being produced in Kumamoto. Better in my opinion would be to restore Ariake Sea by reclaiming the water-purifying wetlands which have been sacrificed for unused farmland and unneeded seawalls. https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/6c27cb3fdf49312e331acf62f8ab22ceb449b532

Kirk here. The number of infections confirmed today is 594, about half of the p…

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 08:22:38 +0000

Kirk here. The number of infections confirmed today is 594, about half of the peak. Good news. I hope we’re over the hump.

By the way, what follows is a quote from an e-mail I received from the International Center in Kumamoto City. The consultation service described here is something to keep in mind if you occasionally have questions related to life here in Kumamoto that you need help getting answered.

Three-day volunteer activity session for children

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 03:56:44 +0000

William Kumanichi introduces a group of college students primarily from Kyushu Luther Gakuin University volunteering to support children not attending school due to problems such as family environment or mental health - a number which is increasing due to the coronavirus. Volunteers are currently being sought for a three-day activity session for children from February 12th. Those interested should contact Omi-san at the Kumamoto YMCA, 096 (353) 6391.

Kirk here with a note about a local artist we lost in 2018:

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 01:32:14 +0000

Kirk here with a note about a local artist we lost in 2018:

—- start quote —- Chimei Hamada (1917-2018) was a printmaker and sculptor that represented postwar Japan. Having gained popularity with “Elegy for a New Conscript” series, based on his own harsh war experience, he then did not only focus on the society as a motif but gradually started including motifs like human beings or the “self” as well, and so presented prints diverse in character. —- end quote —- Source: https://www.tokyoartbeat.com/en/events/-/2021%2FD680

William Live in Kumamoto as an American long enough and talk will eventually tu…

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 03:47:14 +0000

William Live in Kumamoto as an American long enough and talk will eventually turn to the “Kumamoto Band.” In a nutshell, an American educator, LL Janes, arrived in Kumamoto in 1871 to establish the first school of foreign learning, the Kumamoto Yogakko (熊本洋学校). The first three years saw instruction in topics such as mathematics and English, mostly to sons of former samurai, but in his fourth year (and due, apparently, to curiosity of his students), Janes began to teach (not proselytize) Christianity. On January 30, 1876, about 40 of these students gathered at Hanaokayama to hold a prayer meeting and declare their determination to devote themselves to Christianity and serve the country. They became known as the “Kumamoto Band” (熊本バンド). Many of them later played very important rolls in the Meiji-era government and the establishment of modern education and democracy in Japan. (Janes also introduced the YMCA to Japan and had trouble translating the word “youth,” which did not exist at that time.) A ceremony is held every January 30 at a small memorial park on Hanaokayama to commemorate this event. The hill is a repository of Kumamoto history; if you haven’t explored it nook and cranny, you should. Kumanichi has the story of this year’s event. https://kumanichi.com/articles/544085

William Kumanichi provides a day in the life of corona in Kumamoto by age. Surp…

Sat, 29 Jan 2022 06:57:20 +0000

William Kumanichi provides a day in the life of corona in Kumamoto by age. Surprising is that the second largest group is those under 10 years. Younger people are more likely to be asymptomatic but may still transmit the virus, as are those vaccinated. https://kumanichi.com/articles/542198

Good morning friends, Atsuko here with some information on where to get PCR test…

Sat, 29 Jan 2022 01:13:01 +0000

Good morning friends, Atsuko here with some information on where to get PCR testing. List of “medical treatment, examination medical institution” in Kumamoto-shi. https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/common/UploadFileDsp.aspx?c_id=5&id=26721&sub_id=84&flid=279153 The list is attached on Kumamoto city HP. https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=26721

If your goal is not only to get a PCR test, but if you suspect that you have been infected with corona and want to deal with it quickly, I would recommend that you call for an appointment and go directly to a medical facility where you can get a PCR test. The public health center seems not to work well now, and if you wait for the public health center to contact you, the response will often be delayed. If you go to a hospital where you can get a PCR test, you will be able to get antipyretic and other medicines immediately.

William Kumanichi points out a shortage of corona antigen test kits, with testi…

Sat, 29 Jan 2022 00:57:28 +0000

William Kumanichi points out a shortage of corona antigen test kits, with testing at hospitals thus prioritized to “essential workers” and those with symptoms - and even then, shortages persist. A vending machine for test kits at ￥3,000 apiece has been installed at the Sakuramachi mall However, it too is now sold out (the phrase 入荷待ち, nyūka-machi, means “awaiting stock”), and when it will be restocked is unknown. Still, if you’re unsure if you’ve been infected, I suppose visiting a vending machine is better than waiting in a crowded doctors office. https://kumanichi.com/articles/542201

Kirk here with some information that may be of special interest to those of you …

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 09:32:09 +0000

Kirk here with some information that may be of special interest to those of you with small children. The following Kumanichi article says that parents of kids attending pre-school (hoikuen or youchien) are being requested to keep their kids at home if possible.

There’s been quite a lot of news like this about kids not being able to attend school, which obviously complicates things for working parents.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/540760

By the way the number of positives in the prefecture today was 1123 – not a record but still quite high.

Chuck Waterman here: Still no ticket for a booster shot for this 60-65 year old …

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 08:26:13 +0000

Chuck Waterman here: Still no ticket for a booster shot for this 60-65 year old age bracketer. Very glad you got yours, Carlton. Has anyone heard an estimate for the rollout of the next set of mailed booster tickets?

Kirk here. The page received an inquiry about PCR testing:

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 05:46:27 +0000

Kirk here. The page received an inquiry about PCR testing:

“Good morning. Would you mind posting information for non-Japanese speaking people about where PCR testing centers are and if there is English assistance available? Thank you.”

There are two things I can do in this regard. The first is to share an earlier post I made on the topic:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6644740002266042

The other thing I can do is to request that people share their knowledge and wisdom in the comments to this post. I seem to recall seeing something in the news about shifting away from trying to give PCR tests to all who would like to take one because the labs are overwhelmed. My memory is fuzzy but perhaps the idea was that you either had to have clear symptoms or be aware that you had had contact with an infected person. Another thing I wonder about is whether or not antigen (antibody?) tests are being recommended now.

Kirk here reporting 1) that there were 1281 new infections identified today (ano…

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 09:36:45 +0000

Kirk here reporting 1) that there were 1281 new infections identified today (another record) and 2) that the official risk level in Kumamoto Prefecture has been raised from 2 to 3 on the prefecture’s 5-point scale. The image you see is from the following page pn the prefecture’s website:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/51409.html

The following article on the Kumanichi website says that the level increase means that hospitals may (or will?) need to restrict services.

Kirk here with information about a recently unveiled One Piece statue:

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 06:43:42 +0000

Kirk here with information about a recently unveiled One Piece statue:

William We had planned a series of posts on out-of-the-way beaches closer to su…

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 05:26:25 +0000

William We had planned a series of posts on out-of-the-way beaches closer to summer, but a Kumanichi article has forced our fingertips to start a tad early. Just over the first Amakusa bridge is a large natural port named Kushi (串, or “shish ka bob”, perhaps due to its linked shape), which harbors both fishing boats and yachts. Its beach is likely the closest swimmable to Kumamoto, though the water quality is marginal. The crescent-shaped beach of good-quality sand lies at the base of a steep bluff accessible by stairway; the sea, always waveless and quite warm, is covered with smooth stones and dotted with octopus pots, making it attractive for snorkelers. Better, though, is taking in its magnificent views by hiking. A trafficless road skirts the bay, and a path rounds the steep hill of the western peninsula. Some good swimming may be found just at the harbor entrance, if you manage to find your way down. As a small town, one may park pretty much anywhere - a hint is to find the road that heads up to the shrine on the peninsula and parking there, thus eliminating one climb. There is an onsen called Yumigahama onsen (弓ヶ浜温泉 - google for photos). As new roads are built, the area is finally growing more accessible to town. Kumanichi writes about a man named Fujikawa Moriaki born in Kushi and a Kyushu Gakuin high school graduate, who plans to build ten cottages on the bluff overlooking the sea. The two-story cottages, to open in October, are intended as shared workspace as the pandemic leads more to work from home, a phenomenon which may outlast the pandemic itself. The plan sounds quite interesting - inspiring views from workplace windows, contemplative walks a step outside the door. An asset unique to Japan it may well become. We’ll report more as information becomes available.

William Speakers of Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese who are interested in trans…

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 12:59:37 +0000

William Speakers of Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese who are interested in translation between those languages and Japanese, please PM me at my Facebook page, William Baerg for a discussion. Thank you.

Kirk here feeling both surprised and pleased to learn about a way in which schoo…

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 11:32:01 +0000

Kirk here feeling both surprised and pleased to learn about a way in which schools in Kumamoto are actually quite progressive:

“The city of Kumamoto has made student participation in the establishment and change of school rules compulsory under its school management regulations for municipal elementary, junior high and high schools.”

Kirk here, reporting that there were at least 1018 positives today in Kumamoto P…

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 10:22:23 +0000

Kirk here, reporting that there were at least 1018 positives today in Kumamoto Prefecture – a new high, of course. Even if Omicron is generally less severe than Delta, high numbers of new infections means that there is an increased risk of hospitals being overwhelmed. Yesterday, RKK reported that two hospitals, the National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Medical Center (国立病院機構熊本医療センター) and Kumamoto Central Hospital (熊本中央病院) had begun refusing to accept patients from other hospitals or limiting the number of such patients (links below). That’s just two hospitals and I think there are plenty of hospitals who are currently able to take up the slack. But, nonetheless, it’s not a good sign, especially as the daily number of people who test positive continues to increase.

William Sign of the times: the number of non-Japanese entering Kyushu via its o…

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 07:26:39 +0000

William Sign of the times: the number of non-Japanese entering Kyushu via its only international airport, Fukuoka, fell from a tad over 5,000,000 in 2018 to 6,119 in 2021. Considering the population of Kyushu is 13 million, that’s about 0.0004 foreign visitors per native. Many shops which depend on visitors are likely feeling pain.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/539199

Kirk here with the news that 901 people tested positive today for COVID-19, a ne…

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 09:05:43 +0000

Kirk here with the news that 901 people tested positive today for COVID-19, a new high. The Kumanichi article I found that news in linked to the following site with various statistics:

https://kumanichi.com/theme/covid19/visualization

The graph shows the number of positives per 100,000 in various parts of Japan. Okinawa is the highest, followed by Osaka, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Hyogo and then Kumamoto. That makes us 8th.

By the way, as has happened to me before, Facebook lost the part of this post after the URL, so I had to try to remember what I had posted and type it in again. :(

William Kumamoto agriculture relies heavily on foreign labor. As this Kumanichi…

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:21:11 +0000

William Kumamoto agriculture relies heavily on foreign labor. As this Kumanichi article points out, “Due to the influence of the new coronavirus, foreign technical intern trainees have been unable to come to Japan. The government has extended border measures to prohibit new foreigners from entering the country until the end of February. Even in Kumamoto Prefecture, where many trainees work in the agricultural field, prospective immigrants have been stalled, while trainees who have reached their working deadlines are returning home one after another, and labor shortages are becoming more serious. Farmers are wondering if they can get the effort they need during the spring farming season.” (That’s pure Google Translate, BTW.) So now, on top of it all, we may face food shortages this spring.

Kirk here, back from a long walk in the nice weather. I didn't take this photo …

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:04:59 +0000

Kirk here, back from a long walk in the nice weather. I didn’t take this photo (Hiromi Chida did) but I enjoyed similar scenes today. :) P.S. These are plum blossoms (ume no hana), in case you didn’t recognize them.

Kirk with some skateboarding news:

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 01:52:02 +0000

Kirk with some skateboarding news:

“. . . the city of Kumamoto opened up a section of a parking area at an indoor pool for skateboarders.”

Now that they’ve opened up a spot where it’s officially OK to skateboard, they’re planning to crack down on practice in unauthorized locations – so skateboarders beware. ;)

Kirk here with a break from our doom-and-gloom series of current events. You ca…

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 01:17:04 +0000

Kirk here with a break from our doom-and-gloom series of current events. You can see this if you go to Amu Plaza Kumamoto, near Kumamoto Station. It was made by studeents at Kyushu Gakuin Lutheran High School.

Kirk here with an update on the quake. Check out this Engish video put out by NH…

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 10:11:53 +0000

Kirk here with an update on the quake. Check out this Engish video put out by NHK.

By the way, the news reader warns viewers to “stay alert for loose ground.” This rather comical expression is an English translation of 地盤が緩む (jiban ga yurumu) meaning that landslides are more likely. Japan’s Meteorological Anency uses this term on its website, apparently oblivous to the fact that the collocation doesn’t have the same nuance in English. Sometimes, translations become conventional in Japan and people stop checking to see if they really make sense as English. :(

Hi Atsuko here, sharing amazing photos from 産山村 Ubuyama mura.

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 06:17:47 +0000

Hi Atsuko here, sharing amazing photos from 産山村 Ubuyama mura. I don’t like cold weather but so beautiful! Hoping you stay warm at home.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧ ～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～ Ice Art in the Cold

It was “Daikan” on 20th January, one of the 24 solar terms. It is said to be the coldest day of the year.

As usual, the temperature in Ubuyama Village was minus 6 degrees Celsius in the morning. It was so cold that it was hard to get out of the futon.

Kirk here with a little more information about last night's earthquake. Though …

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 00:25:33 +0000

Kirk here with a little more information about last night’s earthquake. Though it was big, there was relatively little damage, thankfully. It seems that a few people were hurt but that there were no fatalities.

The following article (in English) has a summary of what happened:

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/01/8ffee7f69134-urgent-m64-quake-hits-southwestern-japan-no-fear-of-tsunami.html

The end of this article talks about how damage from an earthquake in the Nankai Trough could far exceed damage from recent earthquakes, including the 2016 Kumamoto quake. But, it doesn’t explain what the Nankai Trough is or how it relates to what we felt last night. That made me curious so I did a little searching and found some information. Here are two points:

William That quake you felt had an epicenter on the eastern side of the island, …

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:29:50 +0000

William That quake you felt had an epicenter on the eastern side of the island, just offshore of Oita Prefecture, and was a M6.4 (ours years back was a 6.2). I suspect they are having some trouble over there now, but at least it’s not raining. Stay alert nonetheless.

Kirk here, hoping that we've past the peak in Kumamoto.

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 09:17:12 +0000

Kirk here, hoping that we’ve past the peak in Kumamoto.

Fiona here, sharing some information on how to make donations to help with disas…

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 14:23:07 +0000

Fiona here, sharing some information on how to make donations to help with disaster relief work in Tonga.

Kirk here with a note about a local company that produces biodegradable straws f…

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:03:04 +0000

Kirk here with a note about a local company that produces biodegradable straws from bamboo fibers – a great alternative to plastic straws.

In the short term they are durable, flexible, and don’t dissolve in your drink – even if left in it for days. In the long term, however, they are consumed by micro-organisms and return to nature in about six months if left outside. Pretty cool! I saw this on RKK today but they didn’t share a video so I wrote this up instead.

Reihoku is a speck of a hill, rising abruptly from the tip of an 80s-necktie-thi…

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 07:36:04 +0000

Reihoku is a speck of a hill, rising abruptly from the tip of an 80s-necktie-thin peninsula at the northwestern corner of the main island of Amakusa, roughly equidistant across the sea from Nagasaki’s Shimabara and Nomozaki peninsulas, which once formed a corner of the Christian activity that eventually resulted in the Shimabara Rebellion due to its isolated position. Its beaches will be introduced in a later post. In the meantime, Kumanichi reports that the Kōtsufukae Yasakajinja held a festival this morning called the “Naked Festival” (裸まつり hadaka matsuri - though, as they’re wearing loincloths, or fundoshi, they’re not technically naked) during which participants carried a mikoshi, housing gods no doubt equally shivering, out to sea to pray for aid against illness and disaster in the coming year. Not sure if bathing in the sea midwinter is a good way to aim for that, but let’s all hope it works. https://kumanichi.com/articles/534031

Kirk with an update on Ms. Linh's case. A verdict was rendered in her appeal. …

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 12:37:02 +0000

Kirk with an update on Ms. Linh’s case. A verdict was rendered in her appeal. The judge threw out the “abandonment of corpses” verdict issued in Kumamoto but found her guilty instead of “hiding corpses” and issued a slightly lighter sentence. Her lawyer said that they would take the case to the supreme court.

You can see RKK’s news segment here: https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202201191747070111

Links to previous posts on this page about Ms. Linh’s case are here: https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=Linh

Kirk here with news of 711 positives and some clusters, including one at Luther …

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 10:52:56 +0000

Kirk here with news of 711 positives and some clusters, including one at Luther High School (volleyball team). The link is to a video report by NHK. In addition, though the specific schools are not mentioned, “class closure” (gakkyu heisa; 学級閉鎖) is being undertaken at quite a few primary and secondary schools. My understanding is that “class closure” means that pupils in thoses classes will not attend school until the class is reopened. I assume that this means that entire schools will not shut down (at least not right away) but that certain classes within them are being shut down in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19. By the way, my university is quickly transitioning to nearly 100% online classes. We need to notify the university if we want one of our classes to be an exception to this policy for some reason.

Kirk here with confirmation that the status of Kumamoto is now officially "pre-e…

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 04:16:12 +0000

Kirk here with confirmation that the status of Kumamoto is now officially “pre-emergency.” As I have written before, pre-emergency status is also referred to as “quasi-emergency” status in English, “man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” (まん延防止等重点措置) in Japanese, or “mambo” for short.

"Mitsubishi Electric is currently considering expanding production capacity for …

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 02:38:59 +0000

“Mitsubishi Electric is currently considering expanding production capacity for power semiconductors and turning its LCD panel plant in Kumamoto, Japan into a power semiconductor manufacturing facility, according to Japanese media reports.” – Kirk

Kirk here with more sad news. There was a major fire in Yamaga, not too far fro…

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:26:24 +0000

Kirk here with more sad news. There was a major fire in Yamaga, not too far from Yachiyoza, the Toro Museum, and other places of historic and cultural significance. Fortunately, no one seems to have been hurt and none of those iconic facilities were directly affected.

The aerial image of the fire is from the following news page, on which you can see a video:

https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/301084

What I saw in the video (including a simple map) helped me find the location of the fire on Google maps. I’ve added a screenshot of the Google map I looked at with a little clipart fire image to show which part of the downtown area burned.

Kirk here with more COVID-19 statistics. The governor is calling for stricter m…

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 09:11:52 +0000

Kirk here with more COVID-19 statistics. The governor is calling for stricter measures. I should be able to report on that later. P.S. In view of all of the movement associated with the implementation of university entrance exams over the weekend, and considering that Omicron seems to be spreading more quickly among the young (the age groups that takes such tests), I doubt that 608 will be an all-time high for us, though it is the highest number to date.

Fiona here, sharing a post from one of Kumamoto's most prolific authors. Graphic…

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:26:47 +0000

Fiona here, sharing a post from one of Kumamoto’s most prolific authors. Graphic novels are a great, accessible way to explore some of the classics of Japanese literature.

William. Looking into any relationship between volcanic activity in Kagoshima an…

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 11:31:02 +0000

William. Looking into any relationship between volcanic activity in Kagoshima and Kumamoto resulted in “probably not” - and also a pretty illustration of Aso clearly showing the Tateno gap, created by the same fault that caused the seismic unpleasantness a few years ago, without which the caldera would be a lake. As the schematic shows, the Kagoshima and Beppu-Shimabara graben (a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults) are distinct, though their relationship with volcanic activity is still unclear. If you have a free afternoon, websurfing this topic is rather interesting.

Carlton. Those with non-Japanese names like mine who are waiting to reserve for…

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 04:08:21 +0000

Carlton. Those with non-Japanese names like mine who are waiting to reserve for a 3rd booster shot for Covid-19, here is what you should be getting in your mailbox depending upon your vaccination status and eligibility. Kumamoto is going with the “first jabbed, first boostered” rule it would appear so if it hasn’t been 6-7 months since your 2nd shot you will need to wait for that date before you can expect a mail out. Not surprisingly this is an A4 size packet chock full of very detailed information.

Kirk here. In looking for some sort of information about Kumamoto on the web I …

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 01:29:33 +0000

Kirk here. In looking for some sort of information about Kumamoto on the web I happened to find this website. It has quite a lot of information about onsen in Kumamoto – not just what you see in this picture. It also has a page of information about tatoo-friendly establishment, including several onsen in Kumamoto.

By the way, I’ve been to the onsen in the photo on the lower right. This unique spot is in Manganji, in the Oguni area. You undress and bathe without privacy – men and women together. I think it’s a vestige of traditional Japanese bathing customs.

Kirk here with some notes on the tidal surge warnings we had here in Kumamoto an…

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 12:22:22 +0000

Kirk here with some notes on the tidal surge warnings we had here in Kumamoto and throughout Japan’s Pacific coastline.

It turns out that this was a new sort of phenomenon and that even the pros in the JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) were caught off guard.

The illustration you see with this post is the same as what I saw on NHK’s 7 PM news program. It seems that the surges that occurred in Japan were mostly the result of atmosphereic pressure waves (waves that travel OVER the ocean), not of waves that were tranmitted directly THROUGH the water, as is normal. This confused the experts because it is the first recorded instance of the phenomenon occurring.

Kirk here. I made a little graph to illustrate how the numbers of positive test…

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 11:26:05 +0000

Kirk here. I made a little graph to illustrate how the numbers of positive tests in Kumamoto have been rising. On the one hand, this is a new record, but, on the other, the pace of the daily increases seems to be slowing. Here’s hoping for the best.

William. Kumamon reminds all pet owners to tag your pets by the collar or with m…

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 13:01:25 +0000

William. Kumamon reminds all pet owners to tag your pets by the collar or with microchips. The former is easier as owners are then generally called by the local koban; the latter requires a trip to the animal welfare center (Kumamoto Doubutsu Aigo Center - 熊本動物愛護センター) - which also has a plethora of lovely animal available for adoption. For some reason, Kumamon made no mention of neutering, which the animal center does not provide - seems there is an understanding between the center and vets to allow the latter the profitable procedure. For any pet-related questions, please let us at Kumamoto International know. (And, no, masks are not required for pets.)

Kirk here. Kumamoto's COVID-19 number today is 415, a new record but not a huge…

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 09:03:47 +0000

Kirk here. Kumamoto’s COVID-19 number today is 415, a new record but not a huge jump from yesterday. The image is from a TKU news segment that aired yesterday in which it was reported that, with one exception, the number of people who can sit together at one table in a restaurant or bar will be limited to 4 beginning Monday. The exception is that in establishments that have received some special certification from the prefecture (? 県の認証店) and where customers must present proof of vacination or a recent negative test result (? ワクチン接種証明書や陰性証明書), up to 5 at a table can be permitted. (I’ve inserted question marks because I don’t understand the system well, though I’m pretty sure that my translation accurately represents the meaning of the Japanese text in the article.)

Carlton with an update on Covid booster shot reservations.

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 06:03:17 +0000

Carlton with an update on Covid booster shot reservations.

Some of you may have received a notice on LINE that reservations would be taken from today (1/15) for those resident in Kumamoto City over the age of 18 who received their 2nd vaccinations between June 1 and June 6, 2021. As my 2nd jab was June 9 I decided to see when I might be able to make my reservation. Once again I commend Kumamoto city for setting up a good international hot line for foreigners to obtain vaccination information:

熊本市新型コロナワクチンコールセンター　　　096-300-5577 　　　8：30～19：00（土・日・祝も開設）

Kirk here with a new record number of postitive tests in Kumamoto: 390. (This i…

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 08:52:47 +0000

Kirk here with a new record number of postitive tests in Kumamoto: 390. (This is the highest number ever in Kumamoto since the start of the pandemic. The previous high was 317, which was marked on August 20th of last year.)

I got an e-mail today telling me that all of my classes, including seminars, should be conducted remotely beginning Monday.

By the way, as an editor on this page I can see that my post on “atozeki” (a word in Kumamoto dialect) got WAY more views and reactions, etc. than anything I have posted about COVID-19 in the past week or so. That’s understandable. I’m tired of this COVID-19 thing too. I just hope you all will do what you can to avoid getting sick. :)

Kirk here with a little lesson in Kumamoto dialect. "Atozeki" (あとぜき) is a conve…

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 02:47:56 +0000

Kirk here with a little lesson in Kumamoto dialect. “Atozeki” (あとぜき) is a convenient little word used in Kumamoto to mean “close the door behind you.” I’m not sure what the equivalent would be in standard Japanese but it’s so compact and convenient to use that I think it would be a nice addition to the national language.

Here is a little comic that shows how it can be used in conversation:

Kirk here with a little attempt to put the COVID-19 spike we are experiencing in…

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:57:20 +0000

Kirk here with a little attempt to put the COVID-19 spike we are experiencing in context. The image you see displays the global number of COVID-19 case (daily positives, that is) since this whole thing started. It’s clear that we are entering a new phase and that what we are experiencing in Kumamoto is a rather mild case (so far, at least) of what is happening throughout the world. Taken from the WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard:

Kirk here. The numbers in the little graph I put together speak for themselves. …

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 08:57:31 +0000

Kirk here. The numbers in the little graph I put together speak for themselves. I found out about this watching sumo on TV. Today’s number (296) and the phone number for consultation in foreign languages was shown on the screen (in Japanese). I found the same number and the English blurb you see on the following web page: http://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page156.html

Carlton posted at the following URL about calling this number: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6577449135661796

Kirk here with more on COVID-19. 177 people tested positive today, prompting th…

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:49:18 +0000

Kirk here with more on COVID-19. 177 people tested positive today, prompting the governor to raise the risk level a notch to Level 2. He said that he will consider whether or not to ask the central government to declare “pre-emergency” status for Kumamoto after consulting with leaders of other prefectures in the Kyushu area. Pre-emergency status is also referred to as “quasi-emergency” status in English, “man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” (まん延防止等重点措置) in Japanese, or “mambo” for short.

Carlton. I am not trying to induce fear or depression to this forum, but I was …

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 05:08:25 +0000

Carlton. I am not trying to induce fear or depression to this forum, but I was prompted by this article in JapanToday https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/end-of-life-conversations-can-be-hard-but-your-loved-ones-will-thank-you to wonder if anyone knows of sources of helpful information on this subject for those not fluent in Japanese living in Japan. Thanks in advance from someone who is enjoying pretty good health but is also feeling increasing pressure by the Department of Motor Vehicles here to release my hold on my driver’s license due to my aging.

Kirk with another share from RKK. Nothing special. Just a lot of snow in the A…

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 12:05:51 +0000

Kirk with another share from RKK. Nothing special. Just a lot of snow in the Aso area:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S69JtrfJRo

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202201111548300111

Kirk with more COVID-19 news. As you can see in the image, RKK reports that the…

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:49:00 +0000

Kirk with more COVID-19 news. As you can see in the image, RKK reports that there were 109 positive test results today. The numbers of verified Omicron cases have also increased.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrWeHNuUpSA

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202201111745390111

Kirk here with information on free PCR testing for people living in Kumamoto who…

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 10:59:00 +0000

Kirk here with information on free PCR testing for people living in Kumamoto who meet the following two conditions:

You are unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccination due to health reasons
You do not have a fever or a cough

The testing site you see in the picture is very near the City Hall (Shiyakusho) building in downtown Kumamoto City. There are many other locations.

The photo is from the following Japanese news article: https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ187362Q18TLVB005.html

William. When my son was young, I didn't give him a power shovel for precisely t…

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 05:08:27 +0000

William. When my son was young, I didn’t give him a power shovel for precisely this reason: Some guy from Tamana found himself with too much time on his hands and carved the phrase “2022 Power” into a cliffside. He meant this as a sign of encouragement for our Corona-ravaged era. No word on his plans for 2023.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/522317

William. Oyster season is upon us - winter is the wise season to feast on the bi…

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 03:39:15 +0000

William. Oyster season is upon us - winter is the wise season to feast on the bivalves as the plankton they harbor which would normally kill humans is at a low level. Kumamoto is particularly famous for oysters. In fact, there is an oyster variety prevalent in Oregon called the “Kumamoto oyster” as the sea conditions there were deemed suitable for its mariculture. Find a friend with a car and head down to the Minamata region, where oyster huts are prevalent　(牡蠣小屋, kakigoya), for both a gastronomical and cultural treat. Just don’t mention Johnny Depp. https://travel-star.jp/items/25006?image_id=561264

Kirk here with another COVID-19 / Omicron update. Numbers are continuing to ris…

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 10:53:21 +0000

Kirk here with another COVID-19 / Omicron update. Numbers are continuing to rise. As you can see in the image, 61 people were determined to have COVID-91 today and of these 19 are suspected of having Omicron.

Kirk back with another Omicron report. As you can see in the first image, the p…

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 09:30:13 +0000

Kirk back with another Omicron report. As you can see in the first image, the prefecture had 59 new positives today, a major increase. Moreover, it seems that an Omicron cluster has been identified. Thirteen people who were in the chicken-wing (tebasaki) restaurant pictured on January 2nd have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 8 of them have Omicron. City officials are looking others who were there that day.

Kirk here with news that Omicron has arrived in Kumamoto. The Kumanichi article…

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 12:58:38 +0000

Kirk here with news that Omicron has arrived in Kumamoto. The Kumanichi article says that three people have been identified with the variant. They all have been in the Kansai area recently so they probably got the bug there. I suspect, though, that Omicron is already being transmitted here in Kumamoto, as it is in other parts of Japan. Good reason to mask up and avoid unnecessary risks.

William. Our friend Zuzu Coco bequeathed us with these photos of Ooharaaso Shrin…

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 09:07:10 +0000

William. Our friend Zuzu Coco bequeathed us with these photos of Ooharaaso Shrine （大原阿蘇神社） in Kikuyomachi. As is clear from the photo, the site is accessible by rail on the JR Aso line. Disembark at Haramizu Station and turn right. Details at the link.

http://www.komainu.org/kumamoto/kikuchigun_kikuyomachi/oohara_aso/oohara_aso.html

Ogawa Hatsuko Sculpting Workshop

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 02:12:53 +0000

William. A note from the “Kumamoto International Desk of Not Letting Inherent Disabilities Hinder You Desk” (we’re inherently repetitive): An 84-year old blind woman, Ogawa Hatsuko, who took up sculpting in 1985 (disclaimer: the year our son was born, who now designs ￥50,00 apiece plastic models in Tokyo) will conduct a workshop on sculpting at the Kumamoto Museum of Art between the 25th and the 6th. She says she sculpts by touch. Year of the tiger: let her roar! https://kumanichi.com/articles/519221

William. A product’s quality, reputation or other characteristics can be determi…

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 13:27:11 +0000

William. A product’s quality, reputation or other characteristics can be determined by where it comes from. Geographical indications are place names used to identify products originating in and sharing characteristics of their homeland (for example, “Champagne”, “Tequila” or “Roquefort”). One wonders why “somen” is not simply termed “Kumamoto.” Kumanichi reports on the winter tradition of “cold somen fabrication,” when extra-fine noodles hand-rolled by craftsmen and cut to a length of about 3.5 meters and an extra-fine thickness of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm are dried in the sun, shimmering like silk thread. Kumanichi has the details. Get ’em while they’re still sea-breeze tinted.

Kirk here with another COVID-19 update. 1 --> 4 --> 24. Following the national …

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 12:36:47 +0000

Kirk here with another COVID-19 update. 1 –> 4 –> 24. Following the national trend, the number of people testing positive in Kumamoto has increased exponentially in the past three days I don’t understand the process well but apparently the authorities can determine quite quickly that people don’t have the Delta variant but testing for the Omicron variant takes an extra day or two. Today, RKK report that 6 of today’s 24 tested negative for Delta so more tests are required to determine whether or not they have Omicron.

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update. Four people in Kumamoto were determined to hav…

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 14:24:15 +0000

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update. Four people in Kumamoto were determined to have caught the virus today and two may have Omicron. The results of tests to determine whether or not any of these cases are Omicron will be announced on Friday.

Kirk here with sports: "In slopestyle, Murase and Miyabi Onitsuka went one-two i…

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 07:40:44 +0000

Kirk here with sports: “In slopestyle, Murase and Miyabi Onitsuka went one-two in the first event of the season held on Saturday in Calgary, Canada.” Murase is pictured in this article but Kumamoto’s Miyabi Onituska is continuing to perform extremely well – a feat made all the more amazing by her roots here in Kumamoto. Go Miyabi!

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220104/p2g/00m/0sp/031000c

P.S. If you missed it, look at this video of Miyabi Onitsuka in action from last year:

Kirk here with some notes on Minamata disease. This article is from about a mon…

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:18:38 +0000

Kirk here with some notes on Minamata disease. This article is from about a month ago but I just got around to reading though it and some other articles that I had clipped earlier. I wanted to share it, even though it’s in Japanese, to underscore the “it’s not over yet” aspect of the Minamata disease issue.

The article is about a court case demanding the Minamata disease certification of 7 people. At the time of the article, the legal proceedings had just concluded; a verdict is scheduled to be rendered on March 30th of this year.

Kirk here with a note about Yokoi Shonan, an intellectual from Kumamoto who, as …

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 09:41:54 +0000

Kirk here with a note about Yokoi Shonan, an intellectual from Kumamoto who, as one Japanese book about him says, drew the blueprint for the Meiji Restoration:

徳永洋、『横井小楠―維新の青写真を描いた男』 (新潮新書) 新潮社、2005.

The English-language Wikipedia page about him makes a similar case for his influence:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokoi_Shōnan

He hasn’t gotten as much attention of Sakamoto Ryoma or others involved in the events leading up to the Meiji Restoration but his ideas seem to have been seminal.

Happy New Year! Atsuko here.

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 03:18:06 +0000

Happy New Year! Atsuko here. Did you go to the New Year’s visit? Some of you may want to wear a kimono. There is a kimono shop ‘‘和 collection 美都’’ in Suizenji Park where you can rent a kimono to wear. My daughter is going to have her coming-of-age ceremony, so we rented a kimono there and wore it. Some people who have worn yukata and kimono there, but it’s not so well known that you can also wear furisode and hakama there, many various Kimono not only Yukata. If you want to wear furisode or hakama, you need to make an appointment as it takes time. Kimono can be rented for a day, so you can visit Suizenji Park and then go to Kumamoto Castle for fun. I rented a kimono for two days and one night (extra charge) and enjoyed dinner in a kimono too. P.S. If you want to take a professional photographer to Suizenji Park, there is an extra charge (10000 yen) to enter the park.

Kirk again sharing a long version of the video that I posted here:

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 01:53:17 +0000

Kirk again sharing a long version of the video that I posted here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6603231066416936

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1233322433745665

Kirk here reporting that Kumamon can now be seen in a video for Indian kids. Yo…

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 01:50:01 +0000

Kirk here reporting that Kumamon can now be seen in a video for Indian kids. You can see the video on YouTube at the following URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMY4TNf0W_A

The song is in Hindi (?) but the video has English and Japanese subtitles.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/af7bc66442ee-feature-japanese-mascot-kumamon-teaches-hygiene-to-indian-kids-in-dance-video.html

Happy new year from Kirk! I've already posted a new year's image by my daughter…

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 10:47:32 +0000

Happy new year from Kirk! I’ve already posted a new year’s image by my daughter, Mia Marie Masden, but here’s one more. As with yesterday’s image you are all free to share or reuse it if you like but Mia would like to be tagged if you use/share the image on Facebook and to have her name mentioned if you use it in another context.

Kirk here wishing everyone a happy new year! Tomorrow is the first day of the Ye…

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 09:28:52 +0000

Kirk here wishing everyone a happy new year! Tomorrow is the first day of the Year of Tiger in the Chinese zodiac. My daughter, Mia Marie Masden made this nengajo (年賀状; new year’s card) featuring a rather portly tiger and gave me permission to share it here. She said that you are all free to share or reuse it if you like but that she would like to be tagged if you use/share the image on Facebook and to have her name mentioned if you use it in another context.

Fiona here with my last post of 2021. The Tatsuda-yama area of Kumamoto city off…

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:52:42 +0000

Fiona here with my last post of 2021. The Tatsuda-yama area of Kumamoto city offers many accessible walking trails and nature-viewing opportunities all year round. Matsuri Hiroba, which can be reached from Kita Bypass or Shimizu, has a car park, brand new toilet facilities and a lovely new play area perfect for families to visit during the winter holidays. If you’re driving through in the evening you also stand a good chance of seeing wild boar, rabbits and other woodland creatures you might not expect to find so close to downtown Kumamoto.

Kirk here with a headline form the Kumanichi (the local rag): First steps taken …

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 03:58:24 +0000

Kirk here with a headline form the Kumanichi (the local rag): First steps taken to turn Kumamoto into “Kumamon Land”

This sounds like an April Fool’s prank but it seems legit. Of course, I don’t think we need to worry about changing our addresses from “Kumamoto-ken” to “Kumamon Land” anytime soon, but it does seem that “Kumamon Land” will be a major promotional campaign. The article says that it will have a place in the prefectural budget (for implementation and/or promotion) but I don’t see an exact amount.

Kirk here with a "Best of 2021" list. The criteria were determined by Facebook.…

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 09:13:01 +0000

Kirk here with a “Best of 2021” list. The criteria were determined by Facebook. I think these posts were selected for their “reach” (number of people who saw them) and “engagement” (instances of clicking, liking, commenting, etc.).

Number 1 according to these criteria was the following post about MINAMATA (the movie) by Andrew: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5995116257228423

Number 2 was a post by William about a roadside hotdog stand: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6080791558660892

Number 3 was about a cup available from Starbucks (this one and those below were by yours truly): https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6146286448778069

Kirk here, asking "Sento, anyone?" The website (which contains a Google map sho…

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 10:27:35 +0000

Kirk here, asking “Sento, anyone?” The website (which contains a Google map showing the location) for this sento is

https://yoyasu.kuma1010.com

https://japan-forward.com/hidden-wonders-of-japan-sento-in-kumamoto-welcomes-foreigners-to-bathe-with-mascot/

Fiona here with a suggestion for a winter day trip to Amakusa. Since there are c…

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 13:47:29 +0000

Fiona here with a suggestion for a winter day trip to Amakusa. Since there are currently no escape rooms in Kumamoto, the next best thing for me is a Real Treasure Hunt. This one, The Timeless Treasure of Shiro Amakusa, involves solving several puzzles scattered around the area with prizes for the winners. It’s free to take part - you just need to pick up a puzzle form at the tourist information centre in Amakusa-shi. It’s a great way to support the local economy if you eat out and do a little souvenir shopping while you’re there. The puzzles usually require knowledge of kanji, and some of the clues will lead you to places that might be hard to reach by public transport so it’s recommended to go by car. Find out more at

Carlton here with an update for some at least on booster vaccinations in Kumamot…

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 06:10:03 +0000

Carlton here with an update for some at least on booster vaccinations in Kumamoto city.

First of all, hats off to Kumamoto City’s 24-7 Covid hotline for foreign residents. I gave it a call earlier today at this number: 092-687-7962. It is not a toll-free call.

The line was answered in two rings by a man speaking Japanese who then also said “hello”. I told him that I wished to use English and he told me to hold. This hotline is supposedly able to handle the following languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Nepalese, Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Malay, Burmese, Khmer, Mongolian, Sinhala

Hi, Atsuko here.

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 03:30:10 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here. I’ve thought all area of Kumamoto city might have snow but it seems only South Ward got it? Around my house, South Ward Karikusa, we got enough snow to make Snowman and play snowball fight(੭ ᐕ)੭

Carlton. A towering figure in the fight for human rights and a Nobel Prize winn…

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 13:28:46 +0000

Carlton. A towering figure in the fight for human rights and a Nobel Prize winner because of it has sadly passed away. I admired Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa very much. https://news.yahoo.com/south-africas-tutu-anti-apartheid-071328707.html

Kirk with something that came up in a Google news search for "Kumamoto." The ar…

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 11:35:02 +0000

Kirk with something that came up in a Google news search for “Kumamoto.” The article was occasioned by the recent tragedy in Osaka. The fire in Kumamoto was not arson but its scale was even bigger than the fire at the clinic:

“On November 29, 1973, another major fire at Taiyō Department Store in Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, resulted in 104 fatalities and 124 injuries.”

Carlton here and exercising his editorial prerogative to wish everyone to whom i…

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 05:12:51 +0000

Carlton here and exercising his editorial prerogative to wish everyone to whom it means something Merry Christmas!

Kirk here. Yesterday, Kumamoto had it's first new case of COVID-19 in 40 days. …

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 02:16:15 +0000

Kirk here. Yesterday, Kumamoto had it’s first new case of COVID-19 in 40 days. At this writing, it hasn’t been determined if the person has the Omicron variant or not.

I heard an interesting segment on NPR about the lull that we’ve been experiencing here in Japan:

The riddle of Japan’s dramatic drop in COVID numbers https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/12/20/1065159384/the-riddle-of-japans-dramatic-drop-in-covid-numbers

One point it raised was that our neighbor Korea is experiencing a surge in cases even though it “has fully vaccinated more than 90% of its adult population. And masking up in public is the norm in that country too.” So, that makes it somewhat difficult to explain why Japan should be so different.

Kirk here reflecting on 2021 in Kumamoto International Land. As I wrote a coupl…

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 10:50:07 +0000

Kirk here reflecting on 2021 in Kumamoto International Land. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, we had some friction this year over editorial issues. In this post, I’d like to note that our group is NOT a so-called “silo” (a place on the internet where like-minded people gather to the exclusion of others). The two things we have in common are some sort of interest in Kumamoto and either a preference for or at least a willingness to communicate in English. As a result, I think we’re a pretty diverse group. I’ve seen statistics about the people who read this page and whatever category you look at (age, gender, native language, current place of residence, etc.) we’ve got a good mix.

Kirk here with a historical account the connection between Peru's Alberto Fujimo…

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 13:23:36 +0000

Kirk here with a historical account the connection between Peru’s Alberto Fujimori, Kumamoto and Japan. The article doesn’t describe Fujimori’s downfall. If you look at his Wikipedia page, you’ll see a long list a crimes for which he is still in prison. Around 2000 or so, soon after I had started the mailing list that led to this Facebook page, Fujimori’s reputation was falling precipitously. Still, I remember that people in Kumamoto tended to be quite loyal to him because of his roots here. There had been a time when Kumamoto’s association with Fujimori was a source of pride but by then I found uncritical loyalty to him to be rather shameful.

Douglas here with a new video from the Kumamoto area.

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 07:22:20 +0000

Douglas here with a new video from the Kumamoto area.

Kirk here with a Lonely Planet article about Kumamoto City:

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 12:45:49 +0000

Kirk here with a Lonely Planet article about Kumamoto City:

Kirk here with a home-town-boy-makes-good story. Munetaka Murakami graduated fro…

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 12:59:13 +0000

Kirk here with a home-town-boy-makes-good story. Munetaka Murakami graduated from Kyushu Gakuin High School just a few years ago (Spring of 2018). Today, I learned that he has signed for 220,000,000 yen per year beginning in 2022. That’s 2.2 oku (2.2億) or about 2 million US and is more than Ichiro or Hideki Matsui were earning at similar points in their careers.

What I have just written is a summary of what I found in this Japanese article: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/9c7b6d13c57fd46dcee0e6d2cb0ac9920f04d0fc

Kirk here. Personally, I prefer warm, sunny weather but I must admit that the c…

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:25:41 +0000

Kirk here. Personally, I prefer warm, sunny weather but I must admit that the cold has its charms too. Today RKK reported that Koga Falls in Aso has frozen. The URL has a video.

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202112201137460111

Kirk here requesting tips about where one might find good psychological counseli…

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 11:12:44 +0000

Kirk here requesting tips about where one might find good psychological counseling services in the Kyushu area. I’d particularly like to get information in English. This has been prompted by an inquiry that the page received today. If you are willing to share some information publicly, please respond with a comment. If you would prefer to share your information anonymously, I’ve made a Google form for that purpose:

Anonymous tips regarding psychological counseling in the Kyushu area https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSJorcSDz-o02i3OXqvZJDniLzVdIDsybtQm6FBOAGhodj_A/viewform

Kirk here. If you've got kids, check out Atsuko's post for information on how t…

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 10:48:58 +0000

Kirk here. If you’ve got kids, check out Atsuko’s post for information on how to get your cash:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6503966223010088

Facebook is a rather visual medium . . . and what few people stop to look at tends not to be shown to many others. So, being a bit concerned that the valuable information Atsuko posted for parents might not be seen by the people who need to see it, I thought I’d use this image to get people’s attention. :) If I could, I’d add the sound of a cash register (cha-ching!) as that seems to catch people’s attention too.

Good morning, Atsuko again.

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 02:03:53 +0000

Good morning, Atsuko again. This is information about the special benefits, 100,000 yen for each child under the age of 18 in Kumamoto city.

Many people do not need to apply for this service, but if you are a public servant or if your child is between 16 and 18 years old, you need to apply. The application procedure will be announced on the following website as soon as it is decided. Benefit period is around December 24 for those who do not need to apply (those who have received the child allowance for September this year and do not receive special benefits), and in January for those who need to apply. You can find more information in the following link.

Kirk here with a little report on the petition drive for Le Thi Thuy Linh, the V…

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 12:14:35 +0000

Kirk here with a little report on the petition drive for Le Thi Thuy Linh, the Vietnamese technical intern who was convicted of “abandoning” the bodies of her stillborn twins.

The other day, I shared a message from Yoriko Sakuma asking for volunteers for today’s petition drive:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6466835480056496

The drive has been reported on by RKK. If you would like to read the Japanese text of the segment in Japanese text, click on the following URL:

Hello friends, Atsuko here.

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 03:35:44 +0000

Hello friends, Atsuko here. I know many of you enjoyed the Christmas markets. I would like to introduce you one of the best restaurant in the city where you can enjoy Christmas dinner. It’s Unfurl, located on the 5th floor of COCOSA. https://unfurl-cocosa.owst.jp/en/ It’s on the rooftop, so you can enjoy hot wine while looking at the stars and the moon. The restaurant is in a Christmas mood and you can enjoy hot chocolate and cheese fondue. The course meal includes all you can drink, including craft black beer, hot wine, shochu and cocktails etc. It was a very cold night last night when I was there, but they have こたつ Kotatsu and blankets, so as long as it doesn’t rain you should be fine. The chicken and fondue were delicious but I particularly enjoyed the tasty fish and chips, and the wild boar sausage which I ordered separately from the course. I would recommend it for a special dinner with your special.(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kirk here saying "brrrrr." According to the news it snowed a little in Kumamoto…

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 12:47:36 +0000

Kirk here saying “brrrrr.” According to the news it snowed a little in Kumamoto City today. This first snow is a day later than last year.

Kirk here with very recent news about a man with a knife who was arrested in the…

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 10:34:24 +0000

Kirk here with very recent news about a man with a knife who was arrested in the Central Ward of Kumamoto City without injury to anyone. According to the report, he took his knife directly to a koban (police box) that happened to be empty so he picked up a phone (a hot line to the main station?) to contact the police and said “I might kill someone. Stop me.” After his arrest, he said he wanted to commit suicide. This occurred at the Shinmachi Koban, which is about halfway between Kumamoto Station and Kumamoto Castle.

Kirk here with some rather surprising information about a turkey that "works" in…

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:11:54 +0000

Kirk here with some rather surprising information about a turkey that “works” in Minamata. Earlier today, Carlton posted an inquiry about where one might eat turkey in Kumamoto. Of course, I had no idea, but I thought I might be able to find something via Google. I came up empty-handed with regard to restaurants that serve the bird but I didn’t find this article about a lemon grower who “employees” a turkey to keep the weeds and bugs at bay. This way, the lemons can be grown without pesticides. The idea seems to be similar to the use of ducks (アイガモ) in rice paddies to avoid pesticides.

Carlton here. The American in me would like to eat turkey on Christmas. Does a…

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 05:27:43 +0000

Carlton here. The American in me would like to eat turkey on Christmas. Does anyone know of any restaurant in Kumamoto city or close proximity that might be serving that next Saturday the 25th? Thank you in advance for any tips.

Kirk here with a share from KumaVisit about the Christmas Market downtown. I on…

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 01:16:31 +0000

Kirk here with a share from KumaVisit about the Christmas Market downtown. I only occasionally get around to sharing posts from KumaVisit and other outstanding pages so, if you like what you see, be sure to “like” the page. :)

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/3015514712033488

Boy-band performances

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 11:12:07 +0000

Kirk here with news for boy-band fans. This group will come to Kumamoto for performances on the 19th and 20th of February next year.

Kumamoto hasn’t had a new case of COVID-19 for over a month. At this rate, concerts like this should be able to go ahead as planned. Let’s hope Omiron doesn’t change things.

Signature campaign volunteer event for Ms. Linh

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 13:30:12 +0000

Kirk here with an announcement and request for volunteers from Yoriko Sakuma:

Looking for volunteers for signature campaign for a Vietnamese technical intern trainee who was charged with abandoning the corpses of her babies after she gave birth to stillborn babies in isolation.

Ms. Linh, gave birth to stillborn twins alone in a dormitory without telling anyone and spent one day with them after the birth. The next morning, Ms. Linh was taken to the hospital and arrested for the crime of violating her burial duties for her actions on the day of the stillbirths. The district court sentenced her to “8 months in prison, with a 3-year suspended sentence”, but she appealed to the high court, saying that she had neither abandoned nor hidden the babies. You might have seen our signature campaign on this case at Change.org, but now we are going to have the campaign near the entrance of Shimotori in Kumamoto City on December 18th from 2pm until 4pm. We’re looking for volunteers to help us. If you can join us as volunteers, please send me a message or email me at ageha17j@hotmail.com

Kirk here with some airport news. I think renovation work on the airport is sch…

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:53:01 +0000

Kirk here with some airport news. I think renovation work on the airport is scheduled to be completed in about a year and a half. I’m not sure if this installation will be part of the new facility or if it’s just temporary.

Kirk here with some thoughts about voting rights for noncitizen residents. In J…

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:04 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts about voting rights for noncitizen residents. In Japan, the number of localities that allow foreign residents to vote in plebiscites (public referenda, propositions, etc.) and/or local elections is small but growing. In my own country, New York City seems to have joined the club. (See URL at end of article.)

I wonder if something like this might not come to pass someday in Kumamoto. The non-Japanese community is small enough as to not be very threatening. On the other hand, Kumamoto seems to be rather conservative in comparison to Tokyo and the other communities that are allowing non-Japanese residents to vote. 🤔

Kumamoto Booklovers Meeting - Binti Discussion

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 14:52:43 +0000

Kirk here sharing some information from the Kumamoto Booklovers group. The text that follows is from the group and merely copied and pasted by yours truly:

Happy Holidays everyone! Any book worms, book collectors, book obsessed, etc people out there looking for a place to share their ideas, discuss and enjoy new friendships? Booklovers is always looking for new members to join our discussions. We’ve taken a brief break through the pandemic but are looking to come back stronger than ever in 2022. We’ll be holding a meeting (online or in-person, depending on the situation) at the end of January and discussing the book Binti by Nnedi Okorafor. Hope to see some of you around!

Kirk here with a note about Kurokawa Onsen. An article entitled: "11 best illum…

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 02:44:01 +0000

Kirk here with a note about Kurokawa Onsen. An article entitled: “11 best illuminations and light displays in Japan” lists the illumination at Kurokawa Onsen you see in the picture as 5th on their list:

https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/best-illuminations-and-light-displays-in-japan

Kirk here with some local news (a lecture addressed to kids at Mifune High Schoo…

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 06:02:06 +0000

Kirk here with some local news (a lecture addressed to kids at Mifune High School by Kyoko Nishikawa) that has national and international implications:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14499575

Out of curiosity, I took at look a the following Japanese article to see how her comments were summarized in Japanese:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/0651380f3c1d543ecc90d8df8d6a15ec3d6efdc3

According the Japanese text, she seems to have been telling the students that Japan was pursuing a just war because the goal of the Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere was to help the people of Asia prosper economical and to achieve independence from colonial powers. Of course, it is correct to observe that that is how the Japanese government sold the war effort to the public at the time. But, if anyone believes that that was in fact the primary objective of the government as a whole, well, if you believe that I know of some swampland in Florida you may wish to purchase.

Kirk here trying to find an appropriate balance between providing information th…

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 11:51:16 +0000

Kirk here trying to find an appropriate balance between providing information that may be of interest to Kumamoto’s international community while, at the same time, being sensitive to the rights and interests of members of that community that have been accused of criminal activity.

For the past few days, RKK has been reporting on the arrest of a non-Japanese resident of Kumamoto on suspicion of inappropriate sexual behavior at a local onsen. Until today, I decided against posting about it because I couldn’t see much value in doing so. Today, however, RKK reported that their video about the arrest has gotten far more traffic on the web than other news items. One reason may be the salacious nature of the news itself. I’m afraid, though, that another reason may be that anti-foreign denizens of the internet have taken an interest is spreading the news as confirmation of their xenophobic stance. So, in that sense, I felt that non-Japanese residents of Kumamoto should at least be aware that this sort of news is going around. According to the last report I heard, by the way, the accused person is denying the charges.

Kirk here with a little inquiry about language exchange possibilities. An Engli…

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 07:55:10 +0000

Kirk here with a little inquiry about language exchange possibilities. An English student of mine mentioned that he found it hard to get motivated to study English when he didn’t have anyone to talk to. A few other students use HelloTalk (mentioned in this article) and that might be a solution. The article also indicates that Facebook can be used for language exchange.

Whether the actual exchange occurs on Facebook or on another platform, I wonder if this page might not facilitate such mutually beneficial exchanges. Personally, I’m married to a native speaker of Japanese so my needs are met, but I’d love to see the page function in this way.

Kirk again. I just posted about an accident that occurred in Yatsushiro where t…

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:41:11 +0000

Kirk again. I just posted about an accident that occurred in Yatsushiro where the driver is suspected of having stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake – an all-too-common kind of accident.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6439497996123578

The following article is about an innovative manufacturer in Tamana with a solution – a single-pedal system in which the same kind of confusion can’t occur.

Kirk here. There have been quite a few incidents reported in the media in recent…

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:36:38 +0000

Kirk here. There have been quite a few incidents reported in the media in recent years of accidents that occurring when elderly drivers accidentally step on the accelerator instead of the brake. That’s what seems to have happened at this hardware store (home center) in Yatsushiro.

https://www.tku.co.jp/news/?news_id=20211209-00000013

In connection with this incident I’ve made a separate post about a manufacturer in Tamana that has come up with a pedal that makes this kind of error virtually impossible:

Kirk here with an English summary of something that was published in Japanese. …

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 07:07:16 +0000

Kirk here with an English summary of something that was published in Japanese. The gentleman in the picture is a Mr. HOTTA Yoshihisa of Amakusa, age 101. The article is about the anti-war book that he recently published based on his own experiences during WWII. The article mentions that he has been a skilled typist for decades and wrote the book on a computer.

One occasion for the article may be the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor – the start of the war between the U.S. and Japan. There have been a lot of TV shows that look back on what transpired. I saw a show in which a man who actually dropped bombs in the attack on Pearl Harbor (now 103 years old) spoke thoughtfully about the mixed feelings he has lived with since the end of the war: feeling that he did his duty, on the one hand, and, at the same time thinking, about how the American soldiers who died at his hands were not really any different than himself. (That was on the TBS show 報道特集 and may be available on their archives soon.)

Kirk here looking back on things that happened on this page in 2021 with some th…

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 12:43:14 +0000

Kirk here looking back on things that happened on this page in 2021 with some thoughts about how to move forward in 2022.

As those of you who read the page regularly have surely noticed, there was a good deal of friction about editorial policy in 2021. I was sorry to see things become acrimonious at times and to see editors leave the page but I felt that everyone involved was motivated by a sincere interest in making the page better. In other words, even when I saw people at loggerheads, I felt that those involved were trying to do what was right or appropriate but that they just had different ideas about what that would mean in practice.

Kirk here with something that may be of interested to people who need to control…

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 01:23:03 +0000

Kirk here with something that may be of interested to people who need to control their blood-sugar level but would still like to enjoy some sweets.

Here’s a page from the store’s website with a Google map showing the location:

https://tenmando.com/pages/shop

And, if you prefer to read Japanese, here’s an article from the Kumamoto Keizai Shimbun about the shop.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14479905

Kirk here with a heads up about Christmas markets, one at Hanabata Hiroba (downt…

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:25:35 +0000

Kirk here with a heads up about Christmas markets, one at Hanabata Hiroba (downtown, near the castle) and one at Kumamoto Station. The dates and times are listed on the website with enough English and Arabic numerals (dates and times) to make things clear enough even if you can’t read the Japanese text.

https://xmas-kumamoto.com

Reviews are welcome! If you get a chance to go, please write a note about what you liked or didn’t like.

Kirk here with a share from Yoriko Sakama. As many of you will recall, we've dis…

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 23:59:52 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Yoriko Sakama. As many of you will recall, we’ve discussed this important issue on the page several times.

https://www.facebook.com/yoriko.sakuma.1/posts/10159787690413817

Fiona here with some information about a newly published book written by long-te…

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 12:11:52 +0000

Fiona here with some information about a newly published book written by long-term Kumamoto resident Peter Smith.

Peter is originally from Yorkshire in the UK, and has lived in Kumamoto since 1994. This book is a memoir of some of the characters he has encountered in the English teaching community along the way. Fellow Kumamoto long-termers may think they recognise themselves or people they know within the pages, but of course any similarity to living people is purely coincidental 😉

TEAM TONAKAI Fundraiser Events - Tatami TeaTime & CRAFTEA Mini Marché

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 23:49:01 +0000

Ruth here! 🦌 As some of you know, Atsuko Kumabe and I are part of Team Tonakai・チームトナカイ which is a local volunteer group who help get Christmas presents to children in care and orphanages around Kumamoto. Please consider donating to this great cause, either in person at one of our fundraising events later in the week or by transfer to our JP PO account.

チビッ子代表ってことでカンナのゆうちょ銀行口座です: Account Number: 17140 33544101　 Account Name: フルエカンナ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ This is a Japanese Post Office account. Donations for this year’s activities are accepted until Dec. 20th. We give updates on our page so check-in when you can! 12月20日(月)までの受付とします。

Kirk here with a belated report on the reversal of a problematic policy:

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 12:17:56 +0000

Kirk here with a belated report on the reversal of a problematic policy:

“The official said the passenger restriction policy is not intended to give priority to Japanese nationals and said that foreign residents of Japan can make reservations to re-enter the country.”

That’s good! Glad to see that the government has learned it’s lesson since excluding all non-Japanese in 2020 and now is distinguishing between between residents and non-residents. Unfortunately, though, it seems that the prime minister didn’t get the memo. In a public announcement I saw on TV he said something like “foreigners will not be allowed in,” an inexact way of speaking that encourages the tendency to lump all foreigners together into one category of people who, supposedly, don’t really need to be here and can easily “go home.”

Kirk here with some manga news:

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 03:14:01 +0000

Kirk here with some manga news:

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto. If you like these shots check out…

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 12:44:20 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Explore Kumamoto. If you like these shots check out the many other beautiful photos on the page.

https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/4834390486585144

Kirk here with bad news for people outside of Japan hoping to return:

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 12:45:05 +0000

Kirk here with bad news for people outside of Japan hoping to return:

“In a stunning move, the transportation ministry Wednesday directed airlines to halt reservations for incoming flights to Japan for one month amid growing fears over the omicron coronavirus variant. The ministry described the move as ‘an emergency measure.’ People with existing bookings will still be able to fly into Japan.”

In the past, residents of Japan with foreign passports have been excluded but this is the first time I’m aware of where Japanese citizens will also be unable to return until the ban on new reservations is lifted.

Kirk with an emu update. In October, William reported on the emu escape mention…

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 02:55:17 +0000

Kirk with an emu update. In October, William reported on the emu escape mentioned in the article. I learned from the article that the animals are being kept in an abandoned elementary school and that the goal to to turn it into a tourist farm. They are waiting for the end of the pandemic to begin inviting tourists.

Kirk here with one more Omicron update. This one is a TV report from FNN about …

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:10:44 +0000

Kirk here with one more Omicron update. This one is a TV report from FNN about Kumamoto University needing to cancel plans to accept new students from various countries.

Kirk here. Earlier today I posted about new restrictions related to the discove…

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:05:31 +0000

Kirk here. Earlier today I posted about new restrictions related to the discovery of Omicron variant. After I posted, RKK ran a news segment about the impact on agriculture in Kumamoto. The prefecture depends on foreign “trainees” for agricultural labor. Here’s the Japanese YouTube url for the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNSKcQmNSVE

And here’s the RKK page:

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202111301715000111

Hi! Kirk here with news that I'm sure most of you have already gotten and that f…

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 06:43:17 +0000

Hi! Kirk here with news that I’m sure most of you have already gotten and that fits in the category of “not specific to Kumamoto but is as relevant to those of us here as it is to the rest of Japan.”

I’ve seen some articles that make it sound as though Japan has decided not to allow any foreigners into Japan. Here, for example, is a sentence from Nikkei Asia:

Kirk here with an article for history buffs.

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 01:49:36 +0000

Kirk here with an article for history buffs.

Christmas Party - Santa

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 02:00:43 +0000

(Fiona) Anyone looking for seasonal work? Here’s a request for someone to be Santa. Please contact Marty at Hilltop International School for further information.

Looking for a Santa! Hilltop International School, located in Tatsuda Jinnai, is looking for someone to be Santa at our Christmas party on Wednesday, December 22nd from 10:15 to 11:00am. You need to be entertaining and able to answer some questions in English. After Santa makes his entrance, the children will sing you a few songs then get their presents. You will need to come to Hilltop once before the party to try on the suit and talk about the party plan. The total pay is 12,500 yen. If you are interested, email me at martytomao@gmail.com

Kirk with news about the planned TSMC chip factory. A government subsidy for ha…

Sat, 27 Nov 2021 04:27:13 +0000

Kirk with news about the planned TSMC chip factory. A government subsidy for half of the investment sounds quite generous to me.

Shugakukan Furiai Matsuri

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 10:22:49 +0000

Anett here: It’s really short notice but Shugakukan has its Furiai Matsuri tomorrow in Yatsushiro. Please see the poster for more information.

Start: 13:30 Place: Nakagawa Furiai Arena (it’s besides the Tandai college in Yatsushiro)

I used to work there some years ago but at least the energy and effort they put into such events was incredible. So if you decide to go, you’ll not be disappointed.

Kirk here, introducing a fairly new Nepalese restaurant. I say "Nepalese" becau…

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 06:00:11 +0000

Kirk here, introducing a fairly new Nepalese restaurant. I say “Nepalese” because the two gentlemen that are running it are from Nepal. But, I’m not sure how much of their menu should be classified as Nepalese and how much is Indian. The name of the restaurant is “Indian Curry Suizenji” (インドカレーすいぜんじ) and it is located near Suizenji Station. You can find a map and several 5-star reviews on it by Googling インドカレーすいぜんじ.

English Speaking Volunteers Needed at an Orphanage - Kuma Ei Go!

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 12:42:02 +0000

Kirk here with some information about an opportunity to help children living in an orphanage in Kumamoto. The text that follows is from Yoriko Sakuma and the photo is one that I took from the orphanage’s website:

https://www.jiaien-childhome.com/

— text from Yoriko —

English Speaking Volunteers Needed at an Orphanage!!!

Kuma Ei Go! offers an English activity program at Jiaien, an orphanage in the Kuwamizu area of Kumamoto City. We are a small group of Japanese and non-Japanese volunteers, and we are constantly looking for new members to join us. We meet on Thursdays from 7pm until 8pm. You won’t have to come every Thursday but only when you can although the children would benefit more from volunteers who can commit regularly. Japanese can be helpful but not necessary.

Kirk here. The video on the United Nations Environment Programme website that i…

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 12:43:30 +0000

Kirk here. The video on the United Nations Environment Programme website that is mentioned in the article can be found at the second URL shown below. It has English subtitles.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20211111/p2a/00m/0na/022000c

https://www.unep.org/globalmercurypartnership/news/video/mercury-and-minamata-disease-lesson-japan

Argentina Tango and Kizomba Lessons at DYL Academy

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 07:42:06 +0000

Kirk here with a notice I received from Francisco Celestino. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet but this sounds like it might be a nice opportunity for those of you who are interested in dance. What follows is the text I received from Francisco:

International Dance Teacher based in FUKUOKA. I come to Kumamoto once a month to teach Argentina Tango, but also Kizomba (not Zumba). You are most welcomed to join my lessons. Check the poster please.

Kirk here with a little news about the continuing road to recovery from the 2020…

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 11:54:35 +0000

Kirk here with a little news about the continuing road to recovery from the 2020 rains.

熊本秋のお城まつり

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 04:49:37 +0000

Hello friends, Atsuko here. Lots people might have enjoyed the beautiful moon last night. This is another information about beautiful moon and lights. 熊本秋のお城まつり Kumamoto castle Autumn festival is held now, from 19th November to 5th December around Kumamoto castle 二の丸Ninomaru area, 城彩苑 JYOSAIEN, 旧細川刑部邸 Kyu-Hosokawa Gyobutei till 9pm. ( If you go into the special opened area, you should pay the fee and go into till 8:30pm) https://kumamoto-guide.jp/oshiromatsuri/

PS, you want to enjoy the lights after it, you may visit X’mas market around 花畑広場 Hanabata Hiroba, in front of Sakuramachi and around Kumamoto station, in front of AMUPLAZA. https://www.facebook.com/371909996646564/posts/1295380094299545/?sfnsn=mo PS, ②CHIKAKEN is the group who plan, make, show the beautiful bamboo lights. They organize these bamboo lights. They also run good Guesthouse 月が綺麗ですね. If you stay there, you can enjoy bamboo lights every night.

Carlton. Don't look now (well, actually you should) but if you were expecting a…

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 08:56:59 +0000

Carlton. Don’t look now (well, actually you should) but if you were expecting a full moon this evening, you will have to wait.
On our east northeast horizon the almost totally eclipsed moon is rising now and will remain in that slowly waning state for the next hour or more.
We’ll have a very clear view of it thanks to the unusually clear skies. https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/japan/tokyo

Kirk here. The page has received an inquiry about English-speaking doctors in …

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 14:46:40 +0000

Kirk here. The page has received an inquiry about English-speaking doctors in Kumamoto. I searched previous posts to review what’s been discussed already but couldn’t find much.

The image you see is from a post I made years ago about a multi-lingual doctor in Fukuoka.

There’s also the following database that one can use:

http://www2.city.kumamoto.med.or.jp/forn/result.php

The problem with a database, though, is that it’s just a list of the people who “say” they are able to speak English and doesn’t refect how patients have felt about their interactions.

Kirk here. I found this on Explore Kumamoto at the following address:

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 13:26:10 +0000

Kirk here. I found this on Explore Kumamoto at the following address:

https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/4784592078231652

The Explore Kumamoto post has the following information that seems to get cut off when I share the share:

Koheiji Temple, Kumamoto 0968-36-4030 https://maps.app.goo.gl/7n4bfUF7rKAswktq8

My wife went to Kimbozan (金棒山; also romanized as Kinbozan, Kimpozan, and Kinpozan) recently and said that colors were just starting to turn and that the next weekend would probably be best. ‘Tis the season for momijigari (紅葉狩り; fall color hunting). :)

Carlton here. Last night's NHK news reported this story:
Tue, 16 Nov 2021 03:41:35 +0000

Carlton here. Last night’s NHK news reported this story: https://japantoday.com/category/national/Japan-to-administer-COVID-19-booster-shots-from-Dec-1 and it certainly caught my attention because I got my 2nd jab in the 1st week of June. Under the old 8 month wait rule I wasn’t expecting a booster until next February, but now I will be eligible in the 2nd week of next month. I would like to avail myself of that opportunity if Kumamoto Prefecture makes it possible. So this is a request to those of you reading this who are more proficient in Japanese than I to please keep a lookout for announcements in Japanese only pertaining to Kumamoto’s plans and booster shot reservation protocols. I would deeply appreciate being informed in case I miss something. In the meantime today I plan to go to the clinic where I received my 1st 2 jabs to see if perhaps I’m automatically registered for a third. Thank you all.

Anett here:

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 06:59:13 +0000

Anett here:

Below is an article on how strong or weak people in prefectures tend to be when it comes to alcohol drinking. Kumamoto Prefecture is in place 9 as the second strongest prefecture in Kyushu (Kagoshima sharing #2 with Iwate).

Today was the official opening of Hanabata Hiroba (the area in front of SAKURA M…

Sat, 13 Nov 2021 11:29:49 +0000

Today was the official opening of Hanabata Hiroba (the area in front of SAKURA MACHI Kumamoto). The cost of the work done was approximately 23 million USD (23 oku en). Click on the image to see a YouTube video. – Kirk

https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202111131652500111

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19TB40rpUNE

Kirk here with an update on Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh's case. If you are unfamiliar …

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:23:56 +0000

Kirk here with an update on Ms. Le Thi Thuy Linh’s case. If you are unfamiliar with it, please see these previous posts:

https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=%20Linh (The link is a search for “Linh” on this page and should take you to three previous posts.)

The main bit of news is that arguments in her appeal have concluded and she must now wait for the judge’s decision.

Although I can’t take the time to translate all of the points that have come up in media reports, I’d like to observe that the reports by KKT and RKK (both local TV stations) constitute a study in contrasts. KKT was very favorable to Ms. Linh while RKK was not at all so. I could make up a long list of differences in the coverage but one very simple one is how Ms. Linh was referred to in the two reports. While KKT described her as a “Vietnamese intern” (ベトナム人実習生), RKK called her a “Vietnamese woman” (ベトナム人の女). In English, “woman” is not, of course, a term of disparagement but in Japanese “no josei (の女性)” is neutral whereas “no onna (の女)” is quite derogatory – a term more-or-less reserved for criminals. For discussion see the following:

Kirk here with a little more on the semiconductor plant to be finished by 2024. …

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 02:31:29 +0000

Kirk here with a little more on the semiconductor plant to be finished by 2024. The article says that it is projected to employ 1500 people.

To put this number in context, I looked for a listing of Kumamoto’s largest employers and found this page that lists the Hirata Corporation at the top with 1049 employees:

https://www.ts-hikaku.com/clist/a43/v1s22t0p.html

But, I know this page can’t be right because Sony’s website says that is employs about 10,200 just in Kumamoto:

Kirk here with some business news:

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:12:37 +0000

Kirk here with some business news:

“Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced on Tuesday that it will build a $7 billion plant in Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto to help meet the global shortage of semiconductors.”

This has been in the news as a possibility for some time. Here are links to some previous posts:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5732615523478499 https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6150130988393615

But, now it looks like the final decision has been made. An investment of $7 billion should help the local economy.

Kirk here. This seems to have happened between Shin-Yatsushiro and Kumamoto Stat…

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 07:21:09 +0000

Kirk here. This seems to have happened between Shin-Yatsushiro and Kumamoto Stations. “No one was injured. Officials say the individual claims to have been inspired by the attack in Tokyo last month.”

Kirk with a ramen video published by Kumamoto's tourism channel (on YouTube). I…

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 01:59:53 +0000

Kirk with a ramen video published by Kumamoto’s tourism channel (on YouTube). It uses sound and images to make you hungry. Of course, there’s plenty of slurping. ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbyUgSPI0cs

I learned about the video on this news report:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAv-nC8Vaxs

Takarush Treasure Hunt in Takamori and Minami-Oguni

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 09:43:24 +0000

(Fiona) It’s a beautiful time of year to see the autumn colours in Aso, and if you enjoy a challenge I recommend combining a mountain drive with a spot of treasure hunting. Takarush is a company which creates puzzle hunts in scenic areas, and a new quest has just begun in Takamori and Minami-Oguni, with a prize of 300,000 yen for the winner (decided by prize draw) and smaller prizes for all participants who successfully complete the hunt. Entry forms can be picked up at the tourist offices in Takamori and Minami-Oguni, and these have the clues which will help you work out where to go next. Be warned, the puzzles all require Japanese reading ability, and some of the destinations may be difficult to reach by public transport. The treasure hunt is free and runs until January 10th 2022.

Kirk here was a followup to my post earlier today about relaxed entry and quaran…

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 14:32:57 +0000

Kirk here was a followup to my post earlier today about relaxed entry and quarantine restrictions. This article gave me the impression that the 3-day thing is a special deal for business folks. I was relieved, however, to find a page on the Foreign Ministry’s website that says that Japanese and foreign residents of Japan will (probably?) qualify too:

日本人の帰国者及び外国人の再入国者に加えて、商用・就労目的の短期間（3月以下）の滞在者及び緩和が必要な事情があると業所管省庁に認められた長期間の滞在者について、上記の要件を満たした場合に原則として認められます。

I won’t try to translate the legalese but it starts off by saying that “business people, in addition to Japanese citizens and foreign residents” so it looks promising.

Kirk with some national news that is certainly relevant to those of us in Kumamo…

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 07:41:05 +0000

Kirk with some national news that is certainly relevant to those of us in Kumamoto, too. Japan is about to start opening up a bit – but we’re not completely out of the woods yet.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Japan-to-ease-entry-for-businesspeople-students-but-not-tourists?fbclid=IwAR0pFRDfhpCpNsbbuuHQdnBkzU3I1KzbihaQlUI2pLM9htXh4Ao95kVGYcg

Hi! Kirk here with some information from Carlton McCycle. Here's what he sent m…

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 01:15:13 +0000

Hi! Kirk here with some information from Carlton McCycle. Here’s what he sent me in an e-mail about what he found as Costco:

“I bought a pack of 6 patties I tried one the first night fried in a little olive oil in a skillet per package instructions. It tasted fine but not hamburger-like. More like similarly prepared pork sausage and that could have been due to the internal seasonings. At about ¥300/patty it may be more expensive than hamburger but I don’t know since I never buy hamburger.”

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update. Kumamoto Prefecture's alert level has been lo…

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 12:33:26 +0000

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update. Kumamoto Prefecture’s alert level has been lowered from 3 (警報; keihou; warning?) to 2 (警戒; keikai; alert?). This is on a scale that starts with 0 as completely normal and goes up to 5. I’m not sure exactly how this will impact daily life here but it’s certainly good news. The numbers of new cases have been very low recently and the lowered alert level reflects that.

Kirk with some news about something that might not sound appetizing but that I'm…

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:12:50 +0000

Kirk with some news about something that might not sound appetizing but that I’m eager to try – beer made with igusa (the kind of grass used in tatami). Kumamoto is Japan’s leading producer of igusa. In fact, 97% of the igusa used in tatami throughout Japan comes from Kumamoto:

http://www.tatami-kumamoto.com/about_tatami

Here’s a link to the Sapporo Beer page for this beverage, which they call “HOPPIN’ GARAGE IGUSA”:

https://www.sapporobeer.jp/product/beer/hoppin-garage_igusa/

I guess they combined the word “garage,” which reminds me of the fragrance of oil-stained concrete, to make the beer sound more appetizing than just igusa alone might be. ;) Nonetheless, I really am eager to give it a try. :)

Kirk here with an election update.

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 01:40:29 +0000

Kirk here with an election update.

“In the Kumamoto No. 2 district, where the top two candidates had both garnered support from conservative forces, former home affairs minister Takeshi Noda was defeated by a newcomer and independent backed by retired politician and former LDP Secretary-General Makoto Koga, and failed to secure his 17th victory in a general election.”

On RKK I’ve heard that the new comer is going to join the LDP. So, though there is a generational changing of the guard I doubt there will be much of an ideological shift.

Recycling market, flea market

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 01:12:49 +0000

Hello friends, Atsuko here. This is information about recycling market, flea market at Shirakawa park at 20 and 21 November. https://maps.app.goo.gl/yXmGh3mekrFgcavB7 You can get good reasonable items. They seem to accept few more participants, shop owners. You can sell old, used, or new items. Foods and hand-made items are not allowed.

Let’s join this recycling action!

Sorry, I got another appointment so I can’t join it. Hoping I have any chance to chat with you, readers sooner.(^_-)-☆ https://fb.me/e/2MFoo0BT7

Kirk here wishing I had time to go to Ueki Onsen, instead of just posting about …

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 04:55:02 +0000

Kirk here wishing I had time to go to Ueki Onsen, instead of just posting about it.

https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/885877648954460

Kirk here congratulating Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota on his succe…

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 08:59:51 +0000

Kirk here congratulating Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota on his success. By the way, if you search this page for “matcha” you’ll find other posts about his research.

https://www.facebook.com/devkotahp/posts/10159754926006779

Kirk here with an election headline from the Kumanichi (Kumamoto's local newspap…

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 23:37:22 +0000

Kirk here with an election headline from the Kumanichi (Kumamoto’s local newspaper): 2nd lowest voter participation rate in the prefecture since the end of WWII.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/451378

Even so, Kumamoto’s average is slightly higher than the national average of 55.9%, the 3rd lowest since the war for the nation as a whole.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/pickup/6408555

Kirk here with election news. In Kumamoto's 2nd district, challenger Nishino (y…

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 12:45:35 +0000

Kirk here with election news. In Kumamoto’s 2nd district, challenger Nishino (younger former bureaucrat) has beat out incumbent Noda. Noda is in his 80s. He seemed quite vigorous when I saw him campaigning in a TV report but I suspect that, for better or worse, age may have been a factor. 2021 has been a year in which the word rogai (老害; harm caused by older people who hold on to power too long) has gotten a good deal of use, most notably in regard to former Prime Minister Mori’s sexist remarks.

Kirk here with some almost-too-late (or made too-late-already?) information abou…

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 04:01:01 +0000

Kirk here with some almost-too-late (or made too-late-already?) information about Halloween events in Kumamoto. This page lists several events for today. The one at the top is pantomime performances at 2 and 4 today on the roof of the Sakuramachi Building (屋上サクラマチガーデン).

I should have sent this out earlier but I was just thinking “Today’s Halloween. I wonder if there are any related events in Kumamoto” and happened upon this after a little Googling.

嘉島ゴッホひまわり園 Autumn Sunflowers

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 00:17:31 +0000

Happy Halloween friends, Atsuko here. Lots readers might enjoy Halloween especially English teachers. I share lots other yellow and orange smiles. It seems to be the best season of Autumn sunflowers at 嘉島ゴッホひまわり園 Kashima Gogh sunflower park in this weekend. https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E3%80%92861-3104+Kumamoto,+Kamimashiki+District,+Kashima,+Kitaamagi,+1873+%E3%82%B4%E3%83%83%E3%83%9B%E3%81%B2%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8F%E3%82%8A%E5%9C%92/@32.7491231,130.7816161,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x3540f2f299c507ef:0x45aacbb1c5ed20d2 lt’s near the サントリー九州熊本工場 Suntory Kyusyu Kumamoto factory, (unfortunately you can’t try tasting beer now because of Corona.)

Enjoy! Happy yellow and orange weekend(*˃̵ᴗ˂̵)

Kirk here, admiring Dr. Takeshi Hasuda's courage, a quality he seems to have inh…

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:39:03 +0000

Kirk here, admiring Dr. Takeshi Hasuda’s courage, a quality he seems to have inherited from his father, the late Dr. Taiji Hasuda , who put the lives and welfare of newborns first and foremost.

Kirk here. This is an article about a visit to Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine (上…

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 23:37:13 +0000

Kirk here. This is an article about a visit to Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine (上色見熊野座神社) in Aso. It’s “renowned for its dramatic set of stairs in the woods.” There’s a picture in the article that you may recognize, even if you haven’t been there before. The cat seems to be the author’s travel companion.

Kirk here with a little note about the impact of Johnny Depp's film. Though it …

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:34:54 +0000

Kirk here with a little note about the impact of Johnny Depp’s film. Though it takes some historical liberties I think it does a good job of dramatizing an important issue. I hope there are lots of instances like this one where young people get interested in the issue because of the film. By the way, I’m indebted to Mr. Toshio Yoshinaga, mentioned in the article. He helped me when I took students to Minamata and stayed with them at Soshisha, many years ago. Soshisha has an English website you can view here:

Liz here, back from a gorgeous fall day, on Sunday, in Kugino and Minami Aso., a…

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 07:49:23 +0000

Liz here, back from a gorgeous fall day, on Sunday, in Kugino and Minami Aso., and here to recommend a great place to enjoy the fall weather and colors in the English Garden Minami Aso. The garden was created by Mr. Masuda（舛田さん, I hope I have the reading right), now in his early eighties. He began work on it the month before the earthquakes struck Kumamoto. His family home in Gofuku machi was leveled in the second quake , and he has reestablished the foundation stones as markers here and there throughout the gardens. He is very friendly , happy to tell you the names of all the plants, and share the history of the gardens. The entrance fee is ¥300 yen, a small price to pay to wander freely through the paths and marvel at the wide variety of flowers and trees. If you are a camera buff , you will love this place. There are plants, seeds, and birdhouses for sale and tables where you can relax with a cup of freshly brewed herb tea, coffee, or have an ice cream, all for ¥300. The fall colors are coming out now but I imagine it would be worth visiting in any season. I have included a photo of the map on his brochure. in the comments

Kirk here with a post from Kumamoto Gakuen University's Facebook page. I think …

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 02:21:14 +0000

Kirk here with a post from Kumamoto Gakuen University’s Facebook page. I think you can make out the dedication message to Dr. Masazumi Harada from Eugene Smith. Dr. Harada was a truly wonderful man whom I had the great pleasure to get to know as a colleague at Kumamoto Gakuen University. For a brief introduction to the man and his work, please see the following Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masazumi_Harada

https://www.facebook.com/kumagakuuniv/posts/4313855282042964

Firework festival in Hitoyoshi

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 04:00:31 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. Firework festival in Hitoyoshi will be held tonight from19:30 to 20:00. They will show you 3000 fireworks for 30 minutes. Don’t worry, you can enjoy it at home via youtube below. The youtube starts from 19:00pm. Hoping lots friends enjoy it (๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

阿蘇ロックフェスティバル2021

Sat, 23 Oct 2021 04:47:52 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here. We are fine. Aso is also fine. We have lived Aso together for looooong time. It’s nice Aso Rock Fes seems to be held as scheduled. Beautiful Aso, Blue Sky, and Rock ’n’ roll yeah(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡ #阿蘇ロックフェスティバル2021 https://www.facebook.com/asorockfes/ @アスペクタ from 23 to 24 October.

Kirk here with the RKK video of the selfie I posted the other day. On RKK's new…

Sat, 23 Oct 2021 04:06:28 +0000

Kirk here with the RKK video of the selfie I posted the other day. On RKK’s news program yesterday, they were saying that this got way more hits that their news reports normally do.

What I posted the other day: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6162862520453795

RKK video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxSD9guOdjQ

RKK news article: https://rkk.jp/news/backno_page.php?id=NS003202110201847070111

Kirk here, back from a little walk in which I came across an ambulance bogged do…

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 09:27:24 +0000

Kirk here, back from a little walk in which I came across an ambulance bogged down in traffic. What I saw was on the so-called “Kokutai Doro” (国体道路), close to its intersection with the East Bypass (東バイパス). The ambulance was up ahead of me but by merely jogging a little, I almost caught up to it. I couldn’t make out the details but I’m pretty sure that drivers were not pulling over promptly. I saw this in Kumamoto but I think it’s a national phenomenon:

Kirk here with an eruption update. It seems that, luckily, no one was hurt yest…

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 15:06:26 +0000

Kirk here with an eruption update. It seems that, luckily, no one was hurt yesterday. But the eruption is causing problems just the same. On RKK today, I saw reports about damage to crops, canceled reservations at tourist facilities, and little kids having to wear goggles to protect their eyes from the volcanic ash. By the way, this Japan Times article has a YouTube video you may be interested in. It’s from Japanese TV so the narration is in Japanese but the images are good.

Kirk here with a picture I took of my TV screen (RKK). This man said that, afte…

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 10:47:37 +0000

Kirk here with a picture I took of my TV screen (RKK). This man said that, after reaching the summit of Nakadake, he turned his back to the volcano, held up his camera to take a selfie and then noticed the eruption. Then, hearing rocks falling, he ran for cover and found a concrete shelter made for such occasions.

I’m not sure if I believe him completely (could he really have not noticed something was happening until he was ready to take the selfie?) but it’s quite a story – and quite a selfie. By the way, I’m pretty sure he was closer than 1 kilometer, the restriction that was in effect at the time. Pretty good evidence, in my mind, that such restrictions should be taken seriously. This man could have easily lost his life if he had been hit by one of the rocks that he heard falling around him.

This YouTube video from a Japanese-language news report gives the best view of t…

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:40:03 +0000

This YouTube video from a Japanese-language news report gives the best view of the eruption that I’ve been able to find so far. – Kirk

Kirk with a link to a live feed of Mt. Aso:

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:32:17 +0000

Kirk with a link to a live feed of Mt. Aso:

Kirk here. Mt. Aso has erupted. As far as I know, no one has been hurt. The N…

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:21:58 +0000

Kirk here. Mt. Aso has erupted. As far as I know, no one has been hurt. The NHK video (in English) relates the current eruption to earlier ones. In 1953, six tourists were killed and over 90 people were injured. Then, the report continues, 12 people were killed in 1958. In 1979, 3 people were killed by ejected rocks. I recommend that you take a look at the video.

Kirk with an update from Kelly Hansen on the Daiz meat-substitute products:

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:19:22 +0000

Kirk with an update from Kelly Hansen on the Daiz meat-substitute products:

“Daiz products are being sold at Youme town (took this photo at the one across from Kumamoto Gakuen Dairaku), but seem to be selling out quickly.”

Thanks Kelly!

Kirk with some news about migratory spoonbills that are expected to pass through…

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 08:23:30 +0000

Kirk with some news about migratory spoonbills that are expected to pass through this area. By the way, I see that some ducks are flying with the spoonbills. I wonder what that’s all about. Maybe they wanted to be in the picture too. ;)

Kirk here. I've posted about a lot of different topics over the years but I thi…

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 13:22:56 +0000

Kirk here. I’ve posted about a lot of different topics over the years but I think this is my first post about samurai wall doodles. ;)

Kirk here with some business news. Kyushu is sometimes referred to as Japan's "…

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 22:57:03 +0000

Kirk here with some business news. Kyushu is sometimes referred to as Japan’s “silicone island” about the production of semiconductors. See, example

https://www.semi.org/en/blogs/technology-trends/semi-china-delegation-searches-for-the-secret-of-japans-silicon-island

Now, TSMC is preparing to join those manufacturing in Kumamoto:

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/10/9bc53309be17-breaking-news-tsmc-eyes-building-japan-plant-in-2022-start-of-operations-in-24.html

“The world’s largest contract chipmaker is considering building the new plant adjacent to Sony’s plant for image sensors used in smartphones in Kikuyo in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto, a person familiar with the matter said.”

Kirk here with a link to a news article entitled "Starbucks Japan joins Been The…

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 05:25:55 +0000

Kirk here with a link to a news article entitled “Starbucks Japan joins Been There drinkware line with 20 cool designs for all over Japan.”

https://soranews24.com/2021/10/16/starbucks-japan-joins-been-there-drinkware-line-with-20-cool-designs-for-all-over-japan【pics】/

Kirk here with some strange news:

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 12:19:33 +0000

Kirk here with some strange news:

KUMAMOTO – A 51-year-old man was arrested on Oct. 14 for stealing and driving a police car for some 20 kilometers after his van ran out of gas on an expressway in southwest Japan.

Kirk with a Japanese news report (video) about Mt. Aso's increased volcanic acti…

Sat, 16 Oct 2021 03:47:27 +0000

Kirk with a Japanese news report (video) about Mt. Aso’s increased volcanic activity. There was an relatively small eruption on Thursday. I noticed a bit more dust on our car today than usual and I suspect that it may be volcanic ash. On another TV report I saw small rocks that had been found in the vicinity of the volcano after a small eruption. The report says it’s the first eruption of the volcano since the summer of last year.

Hi, Atsuko here.

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:40:01 +0000

Hi, Atsuko here. Sharing beautiful Autumn views at ミルク牧場Milk ranch. https://aso-milk.jp/modules/contents/index.php?lid=1705&cid=3

You might enjoy lots cosmos at 萌の里Moenosato in aso too. https://www.facebook.com/moenosato1999/

Kirk with an inquiry sent to the page:

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 03:48:55 +0000

Kirk with an inquiry sent to the page: Sorry to write a private message but I would need an information. Are there pocket wifi rental places in Kumamoto airport or near Kumamoto station? Thank you very much.

Hi! Kirk with what I expect to be my last post for now on the topic of Daiz, the…

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 03:46:08 +0000

Hi! Kirk with what I expect to be my last post for now on the topic of Daiz, the local company that produces plant-based meat-substitute products.

Several people expressed interest in purchasing their products. I also got a question about whether or not what they make is vegan. So, I decided to give them a call to find out. What I learned is that, at the moment, our only way to taste a product made by this company (at least here in Kumamoto) is to visit a FRESHNESS BURGER fast-food joint and order a soy patty burger (see photo). The following page shows the location of the two shops in Kumamoto:

Kirk again with another article about Daiz, the local company that's making big …

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 13:51:59 +0000

Kirk again with another article about Daiz, the local company that’s making big waves with its plant-based meat-substitute products. Personally, I’ve become particularly interested in how replacing meat products with plant-based products can reduce carbon emissions. So, I was pleased to see several people express interest in that post. In case you missed it, here’s the URL:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6129063807167000

Kirk here with a little news article about a local company that is making plant-…

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 01:24:55 +0000

Kirk here with a little news article about a local company that is making plant-based substitutes for animal products:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14437196

It mentions a “Kumamoto-based company” but, unless I missed it, I don’t think the article gives the company name. I did a little searching and I think it must be DAIZ (the name is derived from the Japanese word for soya bean). It sounds like a very progressive company – and it has a very good English website.

Kirk with volcanic news. Mt. Aso is now Level 2 (have to be at least a kilometer…

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:47:47 +0000

Kirk with volcanic news. Mt. Aso is now Level 2 (have to be at least a kilometer away, as I recall), up from Level 1. I hope it’s just a temporary, minor increase in activity.

Carlton here. I have a question to all those reading this who are native speake…

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 06:56:30 +0000

Carlton here. I have a question to all those reading this who are native speakers of English and teaching English or who have taught English in Japanese schools. How many of you have the Japanese Ministry of Education-issued teaching license for teaching in a grade 1-12 school? Thank you in advance for replies. By the way I have taught in Japan from Junior High School through college and have never obtained that license nor had it required for my employment.

Kirk here with a little iPhone photo I took at Ezuko Saturday. If you live in a…

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 04:25:56 +0000

Kirk here with a little iPhone photo I took at Ezuko Saturday. If you live in a part of Kumamoto City that isn’t too terribly far from Ezuko, I really recommend taking time to sit by the water and take in the sights. Personally, I like the cooler evenings, especially when it’s still hot as it is today. It’s great to be able to enjoy a natural setting without leaving the city – one reason I greatly prefer Kumamoto to Tokyo.

William. As an addendum to Kirk's post, I'd like to recommend my favorite museum…

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 23:36:26 +0000

William. As an addendum to Kirk’s post, I’d like to recommend my favorite museum in Kumamoto, the Handicrafts Promotion Center In Kawashiri. The town is a hidden treasure, where rivers originating in the hinterland meet the sea, so Kumamoto’s precious goods could be shipped throughout Japan, particularly metal work such as knives and Higo zougan. Train and bus access is available, and the town itself is worth the trip. http://www.kumamoto-kougei.jp/

I used to commute slowly (?) by car to from a job in Tomia to Aso. I'd stop at a…

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 10:55:12 +0000

I used to commute slowly (?) by car to from a job in Tomia to Aso. I’d stop at a MacDonald’s for a cheeseburger set, as such was my subsistence, and I had to rush. Hint: if you’re driving in Japan, give yourself a half hour over what you think you need. You’ll thank yourself for this later.

William. Hospitalized due to the flu, I searched desperately for reading materia…

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 09:14:35 +0000

William. Hospitalized due to the flu, I searched desperately for reading material and found this Japanese-language book which coincidentally whose English version was recently reviewed on Amazon. Reading a Japanese novel for the first time is a challenge, but this was, like, my tenth. I’d skip the English version but would highly recommend it as a starter novel in Japanese. It is unusual.

William. Kumanichi has an amusing article about the "correct" kanji for Tatsuday…

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 05:17:51 +0000

William. Kumanichi has an amusing article about the “correct” kanji for Tatsudayama. Most historians agree that it was named by the Kikuchi clan in the Heian Era (立田, the most powerful clan in what was then Higo, named after a subbranch of the clan.) But then it gets more complicated. The kanji「龍田」first appeared in 1889. In 1957, when Tatsuda Village (上立田村) was incorporated into Kumamoto City, it became Tatsuda Chome (then written as such: 竜田山), and the former Kamitatsuda Village became Tatsuda Town Kamitatsuda (上立田村は龍田町上立田). In 2000, all were unified as “龍田丁目,” perhaps borrowing its name from Tatsuda Aso Sangu Shrine, built in the 1300s. This leads to confusion, as the pedestrian bridge leading to Tatsuda Elementary School (龍田小) reads “竜田町,” as seen in the photo below, while the JHS is 龍田 but the kindergarten is 立田. So when we non-Japanese get confused about kanji, remember we’re not alone. https://kumanichi.com/articles/427337

Kirk here with an old article about a resident of Kumamoto who's doing remarkabl…

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 08:47:09 +0000

Kirk here with an old article about a resident of Kumamoto who’s doing remarkable work. Though language teaching is a common occupation for people from English-speaking or European countries, there’s actually quite a lot of variety in the work that expats in Kumamoto wind up doing.

William. Near the Central Post Office is a bridge called Senba Bashi (洗馬橋) - "wa…

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 08:45:15 +0000

William. Near the Central Post Office is a bridge called Senba Bashi (洗馬橋) - “washing your horse bridge,” I suppose as the couriers from southern Kumamoto wouldn’t want to ride a lathered-up horse into the castle. A hundred years ago, a children’s song was written for the bridge and has become an unofficial anthem of our city. Attached are the lyrics and a video of the song. You can’t truly call yourself a Higokko if you haven’t memorized this. あんた方(がた)何処(どこ)さ　肥後(ひご)さ肥後何処さ　熊本さ熊本何処さ　せんばさせんば山には　狸(たぬき)がおってさそれを猟師(りょうし)が　鉄砲(てっぽ)で打ってさ煮てさ　焼いてさ　食ってさそれを木の葉で　チョッとかぶせ

Carlton here. Recalling this October 1 story posted by Kirk
Sun, 10 Oct 2021 05:13:31 +0000

Carlton here. Recalling this October 1 story posted by Kirk https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14452001 about Kumamoto joining in a test of “proof of vaccination” to gain entry to public travel & leisure places and large public events, has anyone yet experienced being asked for verification of having been jabbed?

William. Kumamoto is so off the beaten track that even those familiar with Japan…

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 05:05:07 +0000

William. Kumamoto is so off the beaten track that even those familiar with Japan are likely unaware of its existence. For those who would like to introduce family members to our wonderful town, please forward this video.

Hello One piece fans, Atsuko here.

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 07:22:48 +0000

Hello One piece fans, Atsuko here. Robin statue had unveiling ceremony in Minamiaso-mura.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/427191 https://op-kumamoto.com/news/241/

■ HP: https://kumamotojishin-museum.com/

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

Former Tokai University Aso Campus ■ Location: Kumamoto-ken,Minamiaso-mura, Aso-gun 5435, Kawayo (next to Tokai University Aso training field) ■ Hours: It’s until 4:00pm from the middle of　※ November to the end of February from 9:00am to 5:00pm. ■ Closed: Tuesday (It’ll be closed next Wednesday in case of a holiday.) ■ Admission: It’s free.

William. Coincidentally, I'm reading a book about the Black Plague, which took o…

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 02:10:34 +0000

William. Coincidentally, I’m reading a book about the Black Plague, which took out a third of Europe’s population and thus (arguably) ended serfdom and led to democracy. Kumanichi notes that ３カ月ぶり感染確認ゼロ - there have been no new cases of corona virus in three months. Attached is a view of what the plague was. Plagues in Japan are traditionally associated with a ghoul on a roof. https://kumanichi.com/articles/426066

Kirk here with some links related to an NHK article about how a "pottery worksho…

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 00:19:15 +0000

Kirk here with some links related to an NHK article about how a “pottery workshop in the Amakusa region of Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, has recently begun producing figurines of next year’s Chinese zodiac sign, the tiger.”

The first URL will take you to the English article and the second URL is to a Japanese article on the same topic. I got the photo from the Japanese article. The third URL takes you to a page with an NHK video (in Japanese) about how the figurines are made. It seems that one reason that this is news is that Amakusa ware has been designated a “national traditional craft.”

Kirk with a follow up to the Le Thi Thuy Linh case. Thanks to Monaco Speed, the…

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:45:57 +0000

Kirk with a follow up to the Le Thi Thuy Linh case. Thanks to Monaco Speed, the petition now has an official English translation! Go to the page to check it out.

By the way, the number of signatures is getting close to 1,000. If you know someone who might be interested, please share this with her or him. Every little bit helps!

https://www.change.org/p/福岡高等裁判所-第2刑事部-裁判長裁判官-辻川-靖夫-御中-ベトナム人技能実習生リンさんの無罪を求めます?fbclid=IwAR3vUfITmb2Hc8SrjLa9_HIXfWx_a_KwUA6tOu9o2SAAMDuL9484mKeFqQc

Kirk here with a follow-up to William's post about the escaped emus. This articl…

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 09:26:16 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to William’s post about the escaped emus. This article has video of their capture.

William. Japanese hospitals are often difficult to navigate as the upper-level h…

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:08:19 +0000

William. Japanese hospitals are often difficult to navigate as the upper-level hospitals will not accept patients without a referral from a lower-level hospital. My wife has recently encountered a serious illness, and our local hospital, https://www.k-shinto.or.jp/, quickly (over two days) diagnosed her problem and referred her to a hospital which specializes in her condition. For those with serious medical issues, this hospital is highly recommended.

William. Another post about birds: The Oriental Stork has appeared within city l…

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:47:34 +0000

William. Another post about birds: The Oriental Stork has appeared within city limits. (Logophiles, take note: from German Storch (ster-) , meaning “stiff.” Perhaps so called with reference to the bird’s stiff or rigid posture.) To understand why this is exciting, a bit of background is required. The stork was once extirpated from Japan and the Korean Peninsula. However, in May 2007, a hatchling was reported in Japan for the first time in 40 years, down in the marshes of Yatsushiro, where the farmers scatter seed to attract them: their diet includes many rice paddy pests. A housewife in Hagiwaramachi spotted one checking out a utility pole, likely as a place to build a nest. That is all for the good news today. (The photo is stock as an example of how the storks build nests above utility poles.)

William. Most know that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs, and if you've…

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 02:31:52 +0000

William. Most know that birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs, and if you’ve ever seen an ostrich or emu, you’ll be convinced (disclaimer: I had my sunglasses snatched by an emu once when approaching too close to the fence; it subsequently crushed them into the ground.) Kumanichi reports that 20 emu are on the, um, lamb?, after escaping from an emu park in Kikuchi. If you see one, don’t approach it; call authorities at 0968-25-3053.descendents of dinosaurs, and if you’ve ever seen an ostrich or emu, you’ll be convinced (disclaimer: I had my sunglasses snatched by an emu once when approaching too close to the fence; it subsequently crushed them into the ground.) Kumanichi reports that 20 emu are on the, um, lamb?, after escaping from an emu park in Kikuchi. If you see one, don’t approach it; call authorities at 0968-25-3053.

Kirk here, repeating the immortal words of Will Rogers: "All I know is what I re…

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 01:43:00 +0000

Kirk here, repeating the immortal words of Will Rogers: “All I know is what I read in the newspapers.”

Here’s a quote from the article: “If the businesses require customers to show proof of vaccination or negative test result, they will be allowed to let in more people and remain open for longer hours.”

I started with the Will Rogers quote because I don’t have any information about what can be used as proof of vaccination. Nor do I know what venues in Kumamoto will be doing this. The article indicates, however, that you’ll need proof of vaccination to get in to some bars, etc. in Kumamoto.

William. Kumanichi reports on a new PR video for Kumamoto which is, well, out of…

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 01:09:30 +0000

William. Kumanichi reports on a new PR video for Kumamoto which is, well, out of this world. (Regrettable that Tommy Lee Jones was not available.) Kumanichi is at the first link, and a direct link to the video is at the second. It occurs to me that the “alien” could represent all foreigners here. Personally speaking, I’ve found the welcome I continue to receive in Kumamoto overwhelming, but some are made for overseas living and some are not. The last line in the video is, “His home is traversing the stars” or something like that. But once you’ve made a home in Kumamoto, you’ll always have a home in Kumamoto.

Virtual walk around Kumamoto Castle

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:26:55 +0000

(Fiona) Here’s some information about a virtual walk around Kumamoto Castle showing all the work that’s been done to reconstruct it since the 2016 earthquakes. It will be streamed live on YouTube on October 7th 11am Japan time (apologies for the short notice). https://fb.me/e/2yukiOvMs

Kirk here with some notes on the historical accuracy of Johnny Depp's MINAMATA. …

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 14:17:04 +0000

Kirk here with some notes on the historical accuracy of Johnny Depp’s MINAMATA. This post has three URLs. The one I saw first and that prompted me to find the English-language article is the second one, which is by Mr. TAKAYAMA Fumihiko and is in Japanese. Mr. Takayama his written a book related to Minamata disease (third URL) and obviously knows a lot about what happened. His review of the movie is quite positive in some respects but points out that some parts of the movie are not quite right (for example, the location of certain events) and at least one event seems to be totally made up. In the English article, the made-up event is described as follows:

Kikuchi Girls High School Cultural Exchange Lessons

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 10:44:45 +0000

Kirk here with an announcement that came to the editors of this page:

Kikuchi Girls High School is looking for people to take part in cultural exchange lessons. This could be introducing your country, teaching local crafts or games or cooking simple dishes. If you are interested and would like to find out more, please email Namika sensei at namika@kikuchijoshi.ac.jp There will be remuneration for your time and expenses will be covered.

William. Ya live in Kumamoto long enough and some things become as taken for gra…

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 06:56:03 +0000

William. Ya live in Kumamoto long enough and some things become as taken for granted as the sun rising in the east. One is the hot dog stand settled in a rusted-out van along the road from the airport. It was founded in 1976 by Miyahara Youichi ( 宮原洋一), who had one day grown sick of his salaryman job, quit, and embarked on his dream life: selling hot dogs, which were rather unknown in Kumamoto in those days. He’s now 76 and has passed the baton to his daughter, who has added a curry counter next door. Two interesting idioms from the article: 「辛さが足りない」(`Karasa ga tarinai’, insufficient spiciness) and 「半端なもんを出せば、お客さんは二度と来ん」(“hantanamonowodaseba, okyakusamahanidotokon, if you put out half-hearted food, customers will stop coming). She’s also vowed to restore the original van rather than buy a new one - it’s not like it has to go anywhere, it just needs to continue providing Kumamoto with hot dogs, rather unknown in Kumamoto when it opened. Next time you’re out there, give it a try. Source: https://kumanichi.com/articles/420002

(Fiona) Here's a newly published book by one of Kumamoto's most prolific writers…

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 06:13:00 +0000

(Fiona) Here’s a newly published book by one of Kumamoto’s most prolific writers, Séan Michael Wilson. It’s a timely graphic novel about the childhood and schooldays of George Orwell, the prescient author of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745345925/such-such-were-the-joys/ You can find out more about Séan and his works, including a recent book about Minamata, on his Wikipedia page. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Michael_Wilson

Kirk here. Today I had the good fortune to meet Hiromi Chida who runs Kuma Visi…

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:13:57 +0000

Kirk here. Today I had the good fortune to meet Hiromi Chida who runs Kuma Visit. She was finishing up a lecture at Gakuen Daigaku, where I work, and I was about to start a class of mine in the same room. She was talking about her work with Kuma Visit, though, sadly, I missed her lecture. The class I was about to start was with a group of students from China who I’ll take to Kumamoto Castle in a couple of weeks. So, the topic of this post from Kuma Visit is very relevant to my little class. I hope others of you will find it to be of interest too.

Kirk here thanking Monaco Speed for his quick (true to his name) translation of …

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 13:10:06 +0000

Kirk here thanking Monaco Speed for his quick (true to his name) translation of the Japanese text of the Change.org appeal for Ms. Linh. First, if you missed the original post, here’s a link:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6070962006310514

And here’s the Change.org link:

https://www.change.org/p/福岡高等裁判所-第2刑事部-裁判長裁判官-辻川-靖夫-御中-ベトナム人技能実習生リンさんの無罪を求めます?redirect=false

And, finally, here’s the translation from Mr. Speed:

Please note that when you sign the petition, you will be asked to make a donation to Change.org, not to our support group. If you would like to inquire about donations, please use the Change.org contact form. “If you don’t want to donate, your signature is still valid. What Happened to Ms. Linh? On November 15, 2020, Vietnamese technical intern Le Thi Thuy Linh gave birth to stillborn twins alone on a tatami mat. The next morning, Ms. Linh was taken to the hospital by her employer. The doctor called the police, who arrested her as soon as she left the hospital and charged her with abandoning a corpse. She was later released on bail, but in July 2021, the Kumamoto District Court sentenced her to eight months in prison, suspended for three years. In July 2021, she was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and three years’ probation by the Kumamoto District Court, but in July 2021, she appealed to the Fukuoka High Court, saying that she had neither abandoned nor hidden the baby. 　　Ms. Linh came to Japan in August 2018 at the age of 19 to help her mother support the family alone because her father was too ill to work, and has been working hard at a citrus farm in Kumamoto Prefecture. Before coming to Japan, she owed 1.5 million yen to a Vietnamese sending agency, so she sent 100,000 yen from her 120,000 yen take-home pay to Vietnam and worked almost without a break for a year and a half to repay the debt. In May 2020, she found out she was pregnant, but as many women are forced to return to their home countries due to pregnancy, Ms. Linh was afraid of being forced to return to her home country and could not talk to anyone about it. On the night of the 14th, she had severe abdominal pain and gave birth to twins while suffering from pain, bleeding, loneliness and fear all night long. She was so sad when she saw the motionless babies that she laid out towels on a cardboard box she had nearby as a coffin and laid the bodies of the twins there. I named them and said, “I’m sorry, my twin babies! May they soon be in a peaceful place. I didn’t abandon my babies, nor did I hide them! So why am I being charged with a crime? Judge Takao Sugihara found Ms. Lin guilty because she did not prepare the body for cremation and burial in the cemetery, but we believe that Ms. Lin, who did not understand the Japanese language or the Japanese customs and laws regarding death and funerals, could only do so much in the immediate postpartum period and that she did the best she could in her position. Slavery in the Modern World? At present, Japan accepts nearly 400,000 technical interns, whose labor supports the livelihood of many people in Japan. However, technical intern trainees are not allowed the freedom to choose their occupation, relocate their residence, or get pregnant or give birth in Japan, which should be guaranteed to them as human beings. Nearly 80% of technical trainees are in their teens and twenties. Young technical intern trainees work at the production sites of most of the lunch boxes, fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish that are lined up in large quantities in department stores and supermarkets. When you put your hands together to say “Itadakimasu” (thank you for the food), have you ever thought about the people who are working so hard in Japan, far away from their home countries? Have you ever given even the slightest thought to those people who live so close to us? Pregnancy, childbirth, and marriage are all important things in life. It is always necessary to talk to someone about your physical and mental anxiety. I think we have created a society that does not allow people to do so. What can we do? Ms. Lin was reported as a criminal, and many media came to the farm where she was working, and the quiet village by the sea was in turmoil. These two things have great significance. Losing one’s workplace = no longer a technical intern, and if one disappears, one is considered to be in the country illegally and deported. Loss of housing = difficulty in getting bail, and being held in detention while facing trial. Ms. Lin still had a strong will to work. Therefore, we are looking for an emergency host that meets these two conditions. That was our first encounter with Ms. Lin. We were stunned by the technical internship system, which did not show the slightest hint of the philosophy of international contribution. They work hard, have little time or opportunity to learn the language, and return to their home countries after three to five years as if they were invisible. When I think about this case, shouldn’t the first thing we should have done was to care for Lin’s body and mourn the death of her babies? We can’t let Linh go back to Vietnam with the unkind treatment of arrest, detention, prosecution, and conviction on her shoulders. Please raise your voice with us! So we do not want to end this issue by punishing Ms. Linh alone as a criminal. We believe that Ms. Lin is innocent, and we urge that the judgment of acquittal be handed down after the first trial is reversed. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　At the same time, we are also launching a paper-based signature campaign by the following five organizations We will submit them to the court together with the signatures of Change and the paper-based signatures. Therefore, to avoid duplication, please sign either this change or the paper-based petition.　　 Signature collection point: Association to support the trial of Linh, a Vietnamese technical intern Calling organization 　 Association to Support the Trial of Vietnamese Technical Intern Linh Comstacar Association for Living with Foreigners　 Seigakusei Jikei Hospital NPO Kumamoto YWCA　　　　　　 Defense team for Linh’s criminal trial

Kirk here with some recreational reading for Kumamon fans. The article, which i…

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 07:30:54 +0000

Kirk here with some recreational reading for Kumamon fans. The article, which is fairly long and detailed, describes how Kumamon came into being (no, he wasn’t brought by a stork!):

“Kumamon is the brainchild of designer Mizuno Manabu. Writer and producer Koyama Kundō, who oversaw the creative aspects of the project, initially turned to Mizuno to come up with the logo mark for the campaign.”

The bear’s media activities, in-person appearances (domestic and international) and other topics are also discussed.

Kirk here with a call for support for Le Thi Thuy Linh. If you support the appe…

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 01:51:14 +0000

Kirk here with a call for support for Le Thi Thuy Linh. If you support the appeal, as I hope you will, I hope you will sign and also share this post with others who might also be interested and/or willing to sign.

Here’s the text of an English report about Ms. Linh’s case:

—- quote starts here —-

The Kumamoto District Court has sentenced a 22-year-old Vietnamese woman to eight months in prison, suspended for three years, for abandoning the bodies of her newborn twins last year.

William. Autumn is dragonfly (蜻蛉, トンボ, tonbo) season. Kumamoto's abundant water …

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 09:57:11 +0000

William. Autumn is dragonfly (蜻蛉, トンボ, tonbo) season. Kumamoto’s abundant water ensures a plethora. Most of a dragonfly’s life is spent as a nymph. The nymph extends its hinged labium (a toothed mouthpart similar to a lower mandible, normally folded and held before the face) that can extend forward and retract rapidly to capture prey such as mosquito larvae, tadpoles, and small fish - kinda like Alien; this trait extends to its adult phase, useful when you’re chasing mosquitos. Must be terrifying for other insects; the dragonfly then perches on some high point and consumes its prey headfirst. The nymph stage lasts between a few months to as long as five years, depending on the species. The nymphs are voracious predators, eating most living things that are smaller than they are. Once out of water, they only have six to ten months to live, depending on the species, so they’ve gotta focus on that mating/reproduction stuff. You’ll often see two dragonfly connected, chilling on a leaf: the male is delivering sperm to the female, who will decide what to do with it later (females may mate multiple times). Of interest is the dragonfly eye. Each eye is composed of over 16,000 cells, giving it a 360° view, and its vision “refresh rate” is about 200 frames per second, compared with 45 for humans. Their agility and ferociousness inspired samurai, who on occasion modeled their helmets on the beast, as shown below. I hope this has given you a better appreciation of dragonflies. Please see the links below from which I have sourced this information. As a special note for Kumamoto: the smallest dragonfly in Japan lives here, called the ハッチュウトンボ、, which is about the size of a one-yen coin (click on the photo for a comparison). https://discover.silversea.com/destinations/asia/dragonflies-in-japan/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonfly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meganisoptera https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ommatidium https://discover.silversea.com/destinations/asia/dragonflies-in-japan/

You'll remember there was a reservoir overlooking Route 57 as it threaded its wa…

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 07:56:20 +0000

You’ll remember there was a reservoir overlooking Route 57 as it threaded its way through Tateno Gap to Aso and on to Oita which ruptured in the quakes, causing landslides that cut off the route. Instead of trying to reopen that, they tunneled, opening a new route a year ago. Kumanichi reports that the smooth transportation has led to an increase in population in the Aso region as the “Silicon Island” workers increasingly choose to live there while working at the fabs in Ozu. Imagine what the trans-Kyushu highway will do for the forgotten eastern area of Kumamoto.

Kirk here with a bit of media news. Seeing William's recent post about an artic…

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 04:39:08 +0000

Kirk here with a bit of media news. Seeing William’s recent post about an article in the Kumanichi Shimbun (thanks William!) reminded me that the newspaper ended publication of its evening edition (yukan) a few days ago. The article says that the evening edition had continued for 69 years. I heard on TV that the one factor in the yukan’s demise was the internet, which has reduced the need to get a second edition of the paper to learn about the latest events.

William. Taniguchi Musuo (谷口睦生) is being honored with a statue in his hometown o…

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 03:19:58 +0000

William. Taniguchi Musuo (谷口睦生) is being honored with a statue in his hometown of Yatsushiro. Taniguchi was a talented sprinter in the 200 and 400 meters who competed in the Berlin Olympics (he didn’t medal but competed admirably). Upon returning to Japan, he was soon drafted and sent to Bougainville in the Solomon Islands just as the US was beginning its counteroffensive. His ship was sunk, he along with it. A friend of his said, “Perhaps he had doubts about the war because he participated in the Olympics and fostered friendship across countries. Had it not been for war, he would have been a good track and field leader.” Reminds me a bit of the movie “Chariots of Fire.” Let us be thankful that we are in no danger of being drafted - for the moment. The article is a good read; some tricky words are translated below.

(Fiona) Local author and Kumamoto-i contributor Tristan Vick has a new Kickstart…

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 13:16:36 +0000

(Fiona) Local author and Kumamoto-i contributor Tristan Vick has a new Kickstarter for his latest project Daughter of Wolves. You can find out more about his comic book series here:

William. The "higanbana" is so named as it blossoms at the time of the Buddhist …

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 08:03:47 +0000

William. The “higanbana” is so named as it blossoms at the time of the Buddhist celebration of higan, when your ancestors to whom who still probably owe money to return to remind you of that. The bulbs of the plant are very poisonous and are thus used in Japan to surround paddies and houses to keep away pests; also, their deep roots form a dense water barrier, which is why most of them are grown close to rivers, particularly surrounding rice paddy embankments. In Japan, the Red Spider Lily signals the arrival of fall. Many Buddhist will use it to celebrate the arrival of fall with a ceremony at the tomb of one of their ancestors. They plant them on graves because it shows a tribute to the dead. People believe that, since the Red Spider Lily is mostly associated with death, one should never give a bouquet of these flowers.

A note from our shakuhachi virtuoso, Jeff Cairns.

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:08:42 +0000

A note from our shakuhachi virtuoso, Jeff Cairns.

William. I had thought of Kumamoto shipbuilding as only in Arao, but apparently …

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 08:59:39 +0000

William. I had thought of Kumamoto shipbuilding as only in Arao, but apparently there is a shipyard in Amakusa near Misumi of all places. It is called Shinozakizousen and produces mostly medium-sized ships for domestic freighting. It is also in charge of maintaining the gates on the seawall. Recently, as Kumanichi notes, it floated a medical ship intended for extended use in the Marshall Islands to provide dental, health, and emergency care for the islanders; it is now being fitted out in preparation for its voyage. Its name is Polynesian, “Liwatooon Moura,” which apparently means, “No ship, no health.” The article is an interesting read, pointing out that Kumamoto once flourished with shipbuilding until ships turned from wood to iron. Photo below is of the medical ship. The first link is to the Kumanichi article; the second, to the company’s Website. Those interested in the history of maritime Kumamoto should have a look. https://kumanichi.com/articles/413881 https://www.shinozakizousen.com/works

Kirk here with some more copying and pasting:

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 07:43:36 +0000

Kirk here with some more copying and pasting:

“Tests at restaurants and bars will be conducted in 12 prefectures – Hokkaido, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Ishikawa, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Okinawa. Tests covering small concert venues and small theaters will take place in four prefectures – Hokkaido, Aichi, Osaka, Kumamoto.”

Kirk here, demonstrating my ability to copy and paste. First, some text . . .

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 07:28:59 +0000

Kirk here, demonstrating my ability to copy and paste. First, some text . . .

“Kumamoto Prefecture will continue to ask eateries in Kumamoto city to close by 8 p.m. until Oct. 14 because the city’s hospital bed occupancy rate remains high. "

. . . and now the URL . . .

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14450162

P.S. Dear Asahi Shimbun:

In the phrase “the city’s hospital bed occupancy rate” the word “city” does not need to be capitalized because it’s not part of a proper noun. “Kumamoto City,” on the other hand, is a compound proper noun, that is, the name of a place that is made up of more than one word, so you have to capitalize “city” in this case. You got it right with Kumamoto Prefecture so perhaps this was just an oversight. At any rate, I see this mistake a lot so I thought I’d point it out.

Kirk here with an election update: Fumio Kishida will be Japan's next prime mini…

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 11:31:25 +0000

Kirk here with an election update: Fumio Kishida will be Japan’s next prime minister.

Here are some notes about how RKK reported the Kumamoto side of the election today. The LDP party members in Kumamoto voted as follows:

Kishida: 6109 Kono: 6012 Takaichi: 2783 Noda: 743

In addition to party members, the votes of Diet politicians accounted for about half of the electorate in the national vote. Of six LDP politicians from Kumamoto three supported Kishida.

Kirk here with a photo of damage caused by heavy rains last year. The article i…

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 09:06:04 +0000

Kirk here with a photo of damage caused by heavy rains last year. The article is about what LDP politicians have to say about disaster preparedness. In that context, Kumamoto is a poster child of sorts. The photo caption reads as follows: “Buckled tracks on the JR Hisatsu Line near Watari Station in Kumamoto Prefecture after heavy rains on July 5, 2020 (Jun Kaneko).”

Kumamoto also comes up in relation to candidate for party head (and, by extension, prime minister) KONO Taro:

Kirk here with a follow-up to my post about Hansen's disease in Kumamoto. That p…

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 04:56:11 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up to my post about Hansen’s disease in Kumamoto. That post is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6029416413798407

Anett wrote in a comment that she recommends visiting the Riddell & Wright Memorial Hall. I haven’t gone yet but it’s been on my list of places to visit for a long time now. The poster you see with this post indicates that an exhibition is in progress to celebrate 125 years since the facility’s establishment. But, as I write below, they seem to be closed now for COVID-19. Their website says they will reopen on October 1st.

Kirk here with some news / history. Important events in the history of Hansen's…

Sat, 25 Sep 2021 14:20:51 +0000

Kirk here with some news / history. Important events in the history of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) have unfolded here in Kumamoto. One such event was the 2001 Kumamoto District Court ruling that held that the central government’s segregation policy was unconstitutional.

That was a big step forward but this article indicates that there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Kirk here with a note about Daikichi Irokawa. He has a clear connection to Kuma…

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 23:17:41 +0000

Kirk here with a note about Daikichi Irokawa. He has a clear connection to Kumamoto (Minamata disease) but I’m a fan for a number of reasons. If you’re interested learning more about the life of an outstanding progressive intellectual, read the article.

Aso Night Museum

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 03:03:59 +0000

William. The Aso Volcano Archeology Museum has announced it will host something called the Aso Night Museum this weekend and a few weekends following. The link does not provide the time, but I guess it’s at night. It looks fun - if you have a car. Scroll down on the link for wonderful photos.

William. China's President Xi announced that the country will stop funding overs…

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 02:56:13 +0000

William. China’s President Xi announced that the country will stop funding overseas coal projects and try to itself become carbon neutral by 2060. This puts a bit of pressure on Kyushu’s largest power company, Kyuden, to eliminate coal from its energy mix as well. Here’s a quick look at major Kyushu power plants and their type. There are two coal gas power plants nearby, in Ashika and Matsuura. Kyuden’s got to get moving.

Kirk here with an article about Aileen M. Smith, Eugene Smith's wife, whom Andre…

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 12:07:29 +0000

Kirk here with an article about Aileen M. Smith, Eugene Smith’s wife, whom Andrew heard speak the other day:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210907/p2a/00m/0et/015000c

Here’s a like to Andrew’s post:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5995116257228423

Kirk with a one-sentence summary of a Japanese news article: A local (in Kumamot…

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 13:55:53 +0000

Kirk with a one-sentence summary of a Japanese news article: A local (in Kumamoto!) company has developed a COVID-19 vaccine that they think they can make available (that is, get through testing required by the government; chiken [治験]) before the end of 2022.

But don’t wait for it! If you’re not vaccinated, get whatever is available. :)

https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/kumanichi/region/kumanichi-dr403697.html

Douglas here. Taking into account the present interest in the film, "Minamata", …

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 01:39:40 +0000

Douglas here. Taking into account the present interest in the film, “Minamata”, I thought some of you might be interested in getting hold of the book, “Minamata Bay, 1932” by Norio Iriguchi. The book is hard to get as it was printed in 2012 and is now out of print. The ISBN number is ISBN978-4-535-58622-2. Amazon Japan has it listed at https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Norio-Iriguchi/dp/4535586225/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Minamata+Bay%2C+1932&qid=1632187593&s=english-books&sr=1-1 I had the honour of proof reading it, and having many additional suggestions included in the book. I found the description of the Minamata area and its history to be extremely interesting. I even got my name mentioned in the Acknowledgements!

十五夜（Jugoya）- Moon Viewing

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 03:00:19 +0000

Kirk here with a note about the full moon and the lunar calendar. Tomorrow (9/21) we should be able to see the full moon (though there may be some clouds) – and it’s free! According to the old lunar calendar (kyureki / 旧暦 or taiinreki / 太陰暦), this particular full moon appears on August 15 (which, again, is 9/21 this year in our modern calendar). “Jugoya” in the explanation from the Kumamoto International Foundation that I quote below refers to the 15th (jugo / 十五) evening (ya / 夜) of the month. Since it was a lunar calendar, the 15th was always a full moon. The correspondence with the harvest season gave it special significance as a time to give thanks.

Andrew here. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to see Minamata, the film about …

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 14:52:48 +0000

Andrew here. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to see Minamata, the film about the disease and the efforts of Eugene Smith to publicise it globally, yesterday in Minamata city.

I didn’t know a great deal about the disease before seeing the movie but I found it both informative and touching, helping me to understand the horrors of the disease and the impact it had on the victims, their families, and the community. This was made even more poignant for me by somebody affected by the disease being present at the screening and Aileen Smith, the wife and collaborator of Eugene during his time in Minamata, giving a short talk after the movie had finished.

William. Minamata is one of the most beautiful towns in Japan. Its seacoast is s…

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:39:29 +0000

William. Minamata is one of the most beautiful towns in Japan. Its seacoast is splendid, and I found myself cracking oysters from the rocks and nibbling them up - and then I thought, maybe this is not the wisest thing to do. The first sign of the mercury poisoning in Minamata was cats going into convulsions - they had consumed the mercury-contaminated fish. Fortunately, the source of the pollution is gone, but its legacy remains.

William. Kumamoto's oldest human just turned 112. Hayashi Shinobu (林シノブさん) was b…

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 07:46:36 +0000

William. Kumamoto’s oldest human just turned 112. Hayashi Shinobu (林シノブさん) was born in 1909. Her husband died when she was 34, and she worked to raise her three children by herself. Many females from that era had katakana names as their parents were illiterate; money had to be spent for a scribe to assign a kanji, which was often done for sons but not daughters. Here’s to a life well done. https://kumanichi.com/articles/398990

Kirk here with some information on Japanese classes. The image you see was conv…

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 21:36:12 +0000

Kirk here with some information on Japanese classes. The image you see was converted from a pdf that is linked to from the following page on the International Center’s website:

https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji003349/index.html

I’m not sure if there’s an English version of the same information but the important point is that there are many venues that offer Japanese classes and that you can call the phone number or send an inquiry to the e-mail address shown at the bottom if you are looking for a class that will meet your needs.

Kirk here with some news about the Hanabata Hiroba (downtown near the Kotsu Cent…

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 11:08:17 +0000

Kirk here with some news about the Hanabata Hiroba (downtown near the Kotsu Center). They were planning on embedding brass plates with little history lessons on them but that plan has been cancelled. The plates (already made and installed) have the names of venerated historical figures and, because they were to be embedded in the pavement, people would wind up stepping on those names. That caused a backlash and so the plan has been scrapped – after spending lots of money to make and install the plates. Personally, I’m less bothered by having the names embedded in the pavement than I am by the name that had been given to the plates: Rekishi sign (歴史サイン). Rekishi, meaning “history” is fine but whether we’re taking about the English “sign” or the Japanese “サイン” (a loanword offspring that has declared independence from its English parent), “rekishi sign” just doesn’t sit well with me as something to be embedded in pavement. Or is it just me?

William. A friend of mine recently visited Crater Lake in Oregon. It occurred to…

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 09:07:01 +0000

William. A friend of mine recently visited Crater Lake in Oregon. It occurred to me that, if Tateno gap had not opened, the Aso caldera would also be a huge lake. Maybe that would have been cool.

Kirk here with a note about stormy weather. Fortunately, the erstwhile super ty…

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 05:12:18 +0000

Kirk here with a note about stormy weather. Fortunately, the erstwhile super typhoon Chanthu (No. 14 in Japan) is no longer a typhoon – more of a tropical storm – but it’s still a good idea to be careful. The image is from the following site:

https://www.tropicalstormrisk.com

Kirk here with a share from "Untapped Kumamoto." This page is fairly new and so…

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 09:45:45 +0000

Kirk here with a share from “Untapped Kumamoto.” This page is fairly new and so still has a relatively small following but the quality is high so I’m sure it will grow. It you haven’t checked it out, please take a look.

https://www.facebook.com/untappedkumamoto/posts/2381382061992128

William. Autumn is here, and perhaps you're itchy to get out. A place to visit w…

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 08:05:26 +0000

William. Autumn is here, and perhaps you’re itchy to get out. A place to visit which, if you haven’t, you can’t actually say you’ve lived in Kumamoto, is 釈迦院御坂遊歩道3333段石段 (shakainmisakayūhodō 3333 steps - there are actually more; I counted them once), which is one of the longest 参道 (sandō, a road approaching a shrine) in Japan. Near the peak is an outcrop with a beautiful view of the Yatsushiro sea and its surroundings, and many stop there, but THAT IS NOT THE POINT! Continue upward and visit the shrine, the purpose of the steps. It’s not a particularly spectacular shrine, but it does have the most excellent 参道 of any in Japan. There is a bus from Kotsu Center, but the optimal transportation mode is a car. Elevation is about 600M from the trailhead.

Hi! Kirk here with a little heads up about the "Return To Japan Support Group":

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 05:19:05 +0000

Hi! Kirk here with a little heads up about the “Return To Japan Support Group”:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/returntojapan

If you become a member of the group, you will see that it is sponsored by a company called MetroResidences, which will let you rent a place to stay in Tokyo.

Generally speaking, the group is quite good; it has over 20,000 participants and you can get quick responses to your questions.

However, there’s a serious problem. That is that the administrator tells people that they have to quarantine in Tokyo, even though it’s also possible to rent a car and travel to far off places like Kumamoto. In my view, this is a clear conflict of interest; the obvious choice for renters is MetroResidences. In fact, I know of at least one Kumamoto International participant who rented from them, apparently as a result of participating in the support group.

(Fiona) Here is further information in English about the new Soup Kitchen that i…

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 03:44:02 +0000

(Fiona) Here is further information in English about the new Soup Kitchen that is providing meals at Gran Paletta twice a week. If you’d like to donate to the crowdfunding or offer your services as a volunteer you can get in touch with the organisers as posted below.

Kirk here with a little report on my experience getting a PCR test that would al…

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 03:08:19 +0000

Kirk here with a little report on my experience getting a PCR test that would allow me to get in to Hawaii to visit family. This post is related to (or, in a sense, an extension of) an earlier post by Chuck Waterman. First, here’s the link to the post by Chuck:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5807263189347065

Before I went to Hawaii I got my test at the Haga Kodomo Clinic in Mashiki. It’s one of the clinics listed on the following page:

Douglas here: From time to time I post a video or two about some of the things o…

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 08:54:57 +0000

Douglas here: From time to time I post a video or two about some of the things of interest I see around Kumamoto. If anyone is interested in seeing them gathered together in one place, please take a look at my website, at the following url:

Kirk here with an introduction to and share from the Kumamoto Japan Tourism page…

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 01:10:13 +0000

Kirk here with an introduction to and share from the Kumamoto Japan Tourism page. With about 34,000 likes, it’s by far the most popular English-language Facebook page about Kumamoto. Weighing in at over 4,500 likes, Kumamoto International has gotten pretty big for a page run as a hobby by people who lack Kumamon’s appeal (I hereby formally admit to being less cute than Kumamon :( ), but we are still a lightweight by comparison. The posts on the Kumamoto Japan Tourism page are less frequent than on this page but I think the quality is good. If you haven’t done so already, please check it out. :)

Chuck Waterman here.

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 17:13:47 +0000

Chuck Waterman here.

RE: PCR tests in Michigan

There are “Urgent Care Clinics” in several suburbs of Michigan that give PCR tests with same day results for people returning to Japan from that state, even without US insurance . Mine cost a little over $100, but that was a much more reasonable price than many Japanese clinics. Check with individual clinics though - some don’t offer it though many do, and some are better than others about scheduling and some will even fill out the MOFA form!

Fiona here with some information about a volunteering opportunity in Kumamoto ci…

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 13:33:50 +0000

Fiona here with some information about a volunteering opportunity in Kumamoto city. A soup kitchen recently opened in Gran Paletta (the United Cinemas building) offering free meals to children as well as 300 yen meals for adults. It is currently operating twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays from 5-7pm, and is looking for both volunteers and people willing to donate to its crowdfunding campaign. When more information becomes available in English I will post again, but if anyone would like to get involved or find out more you can visit the group’s page: https://m.facebook.com/hagukumikomyu

Hi friends, Atsuko here.

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 11:47:53 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. Now, it’s the season 彼岸花 Higanbana, Red spider lily. It blooms around the autumnal equinox every year. They tell you beautiful and colorful Autumn has come. The photo was taken at Kikuchi city, attached map at comment.(Ü) https://www.facebook.com/groups/Kumamoto.Archives/permalink/4656656251019784/?sfnsn=mo&ref=share

Kirk here with a little "Help Wanted" notice from Andrew, currently residing in …

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 11:06:00 +0000

Kirk here with a little “Help Wanted” notice from Andrew, currently residing in Tokyo but formerly a Kumamoto resident. Unfortunately, this notice is only applicable to a minority of the readers of this page: Native Japanese speakers with good English skills. But, it doesn’t matter where you are located because you can work remotely.

Hi Kumamoto people, I am looking to hire a paid intern for my company. I work for a financial UK B2B financial media company and we are looking marketing data research intern to help build out and support its work in Japan at a very busy and exciting time for the business.

William. A bit more news about the mudskipper ("mutsugoro"): "According to the S…

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 08:45:14 +0000

William. A bit more news about the mudskipper (“mutsugoro”): “According to the Saga Prefectural Fisheries Promotion Center, the number of endangered mudskippers in the Ariake Sea was confirmed to be 7.7 times that of the number recorded 17 years ago.” Apparently, some liked to eat them (!!), and they were fished to close to extinction, but fishing was prohibited in 2007. So they’ve got that going for them, in addition to their looks. https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/news/sagas-mudskippers-bounce-back/

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. If you're not familiar with the page, pl…

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:08:03 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. If you’re not familiar with the page, please check it out, particularly if you’re interested in the arts. And don’t be intimidated by the Japanese text you see toward the top. If you scroll down just a little you’ll be able to read English explanations.

Personally, I’m a fan of Higo inlay (Higo zogan). It has traditionally be used to decorate sword guards and other very Japanese items but I like Higo zogan necktie clasps and other accessories that men and women can enjoy in modern settings. They make great gifts.

I've got this 78-year old friend who is very interested in Japanese history. I u…

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 11:49:52 +0000

I’ve got this 78-year old friend who is very interested in Japanese history. I usually search the Net for him but thought tonight to teach him how to use the mouse. He seems to have grasped the basic concept but vastly prefers that I do it for him. This is one of the oldest photos of our castle, before the Satsuma burned it down (VERY roughly portrayed in the movie “The Last Samurai).

Kirk with a news article about a manga studies department in Takamori (Aso area)…

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:47:15 +0000

Kirk with a news article about a manga studies department in Takamori (Aso area). As the headline says, this is a first for Japan, not just for Kumamoto.

MINAMATA

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 06:31:13 +0000

Kirk here with some information about the movie “MINAMATA” with Johnny Depp.

I was about to share an article that is related to the movie but since the article said that MINAMATA would open throughout Japan on the 23rd of this month, that I should share that information first.

This is only FYI (for your information) – not a recommendation. Actually, English-language reviews are pretty good but the reason I say that this is not a “recommendation” is that I don’t know if this is a good time to go to a theatre. If you’ve been vaccinated and the attendance at the theatre is sparse, it might be OK but judge for yourself.

William. Just watched a TV show about the challenges non-Western foreigners face…

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 05:20:39 +0000

William. Just watched a TV show about the challenges non-Western foreigners face in Japan. I arrived on what was expected to be a short visit but then met my wife, and when it became clear that she wouldn’t leave Kumamoto, I had to tackle Japanese from the age of 27. There are, though, many resources for those looking to learn Japanese. I learned much from a kind tutor at YMCA, and then there is the International Center. I also learned conversation from talking with my wife but realized a spouse is not an ideal tutor - things often devolve into a quarrel. I’d like to hear experiences in learning Japanese from others on this page.

Kirk here with news about a cluster at Jozan (Jyozan in the article: 城山こども園 [Joz…

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 04:13:46 +0000

Kirk here with news about a cluster at Jozan (Jyozan in the article: 城山こども園 [Jozan Kodomo-en) Nursery School in Kumamoto’s Nishi Ward.

“A total of 79 people contracted the novel coronavirus in a cluster infection at a nursery school here where staff did not wear masks in order to show their faces to the children.”

See the article for details.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14436868

By the way, ever wonder why the Romanization of Japanese is inconsistant (“Jyozan” vs “Jozan”)? The “jyo” style is Kunrei-shiki romanization and is promoted by the Ministry of Edcuation:

Kirk here with an update on Kumamoto's "pre-emergency" measures.

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 00:52:30 +0000

Kirk here with an update on Kumamoto’s “pre-emergency” measures.

“Of the 12 prefectures where pre-emergency measures are now in place, six–Toyama, Yamanashi, Ehime, Kochi, Saga and Nagasaki–will have the measures lifted on Sept. 13. The measures will stay in place until Sept. 30 for the six remaining prefectures: Fukushima, Ishikawa, Kagawa, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima.”

Numbers of new cases are down in Kumamoto but there have been some instances of clusters (I’ll post about that later) that may have influenced the decision.

William. Ariake Sea has a lot of crabs. Like, over a hundred, as my son as a tot…

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 08:14:27 +0000

William. Ariake Sea has a lot of crabs. Like, over a hundred, as my son as a tot would have said. It occurred to me to Google why they walk sideways, and this is what I got: “Because crabs have stiff, jointed legs, they move faster and easier walking sideways. Walking sideways means that one leg never moves into the path of another. So a crab is also less likely to trip over its feet.” So now we know.

Kirk here with an article about Fiona Minami recent English textbook. As many o…

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 05:43:54 +0000

Kirk here with an article about Fiona Minami recent English textbook. As many of you know, Fiona is an editor of this page.

https://www.facebook.com/fionawallminami/posts/10159749798026660

The book is called “Escape the Classroom” and you can learn more about it here:

https://www.englishbooks.jp/catalog/product_info.php/escape-the-classroom-p-50398

Congratulations Fiona!

Kirk here with news that Yahoo Japan! erupted today with a false report that Aso…

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 13:23:54 +0000

Kirk here with news that Yahoo Japan! erupted today with a false report that Aso had blown its top. According to this article, that led the supposed eruption to trend on twitter. As you can see, the real Aso was quite peaceful (it doesn’t read Yahoo Japan! or Twitter). Quoth the Yahoo: never mind.

William. A rather strong typhoon is expected to brush by to the west of Kumamoto…

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 10:45:05 +0000

William. A rather strong typhoon is expected to brush by to the west of Kumamoto on the afternoon/evening of the 13th. Keep an eye on it.

Chuck Waterman here:

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 02:51:05 +0000

Chuck Waterman here: TOPIC: Additional Required Return to Japan software for smartphone newbies like me.

Is there anyone else out there who, like me, normally avoids using smartphones? If so, be aware of two more things you’ll need to prepare on your smartphone to get throught the 2 -3 hour wallk through the airport checkpoints upon returning to Japan.

Make sure you have downloaded a QR Code Reader! (Yep, I’m old school and didn’t have that pdownloaded before I got to the airport. Duh.) They are NOT automatically installed on all inexpensive Android phones bought in the US.

Kirk here with a little update on quarantine rules:

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 23:46:09 +0000

Kirk here with a little update on quarantine rules:

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14435186

Here’s a Japanese article indicating that the call for a re-evaluation of current policies from the Keidanren will be considered. However, to my knowledge, no final decision has been made at this point:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20210907/k10013248031000.html

Kirk here with some information about how you can get on a waiting list to be va…

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 03:42:45 +0000

Kirk here with some information about how you can get on a waiting list to be vaccinated if someone cancels. The English information is here:

https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji003798/index.html

And the Japanese original is here:

https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji003794/index.html

The original information is from a publication put out by Kumamoto City called “Shisei Dayori” (市政だより). The International Center translates this publication into several languages, including English. They also make the original Japanese text available. The index is here:

Kirk with a link to and summary about a report on RKK's evening news that I foun…

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:22:07 +0000

Kirk with a link to and summary about a report on RKK’s evening news that I found to be interesting. It’s about the rebuilding and relocation of the Janes Residence, which was flattened in the 2016 quakes. The historical building was the home of Leroy Lansing Janes who came to Kumamoto to teach various subjects in English in the Meiji period. The historic residence was first located in Suidocho, then moved to an area behind Suizenji Jojuen (the park) until it collapsed. Its new home will be another location near the park (see the X on the map).

(Fiona) Costa coffee has landed in Kumamoto! The UK coffee chain, which is Europ…

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 04:32:07 +0000

(Fiona) Costa coffee has landed in Kumamoto! The UK coffee chain, which is Europe’s leading coffee house brand, now has a branch at Sakuramachi. https://sakuramachi-kumamoto.jp/17045 And if you happen to be going for a drive in Aso as the weather cools, there is also a branch serving coffee and ice creams in the parking area by the new Aso bridge. There are also viewing platforms where you can see the progress made in post-earthquake reconstruction. Shinasoohashitenbojo Yo Mule Parking Lot https://maps.app.goo.gl/aAgmyyekhh6ijESdA

Kirk here. The following page is only in Japanese but, nonetheless, presents a …

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 06:10:26 +0000

Kirk here. The following page is only in Japanese but, nonetheless, presents a nice visual overview of recent numbers of COVID-19 positive test results:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/data/pref/kumamoto.html

William. I know this has nothing to do with Kumamoto, but who doesn't like panda…

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 05:31:28 +0000

William. I know this has nothing to do with Kumamoto, but who doesn’t like pandas? I checked the stats and found that a panda in the wild lives 14-20 years, but they can live up to 30 years in captivity. A panda in Wakayama recently celebrated her 21st birthday. おめでとう！https://kumanichi.com/articles/384799

Kirk here with a follow up to the post I made earlier today about needing to dri…

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 08:05:32 +0000

Kirk here with a follow up to the post I made earlier today about needing to drive home from Narita due to quarantine rules.

Summary of two key points: 1) Document written in English orders foreigners in CAPS while Japanese version is relatively polite and subdued. 2) Return to Japan Support Group may be supporting business interests of Metroresidences (conflict of interest)

After posting about my experience (https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5916917411714975), I thought I should double check the manual I was given at the airport to see if it says anything about what to do if one is in the process of driving home. It doesn’t. It just says “You MUST answer incoming HCO video call.” Since it doesn’t say anything about extenuating circumstances such as driving to your pre-approved place of quarantine, the impression given is that you are supposed to answer while driving. You can find that manual here:

Kirk here with some notes about my quarantine experience. Main point: Being far …

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 03:26:36 +0000

Kirk here with some notes about my quarantine experience. Main point: Being far away from Japan’s biggest hub airports makes international travel significantly harder for those of us in Kumamoto. Secondary point: The app we must use (MySOS) doesn’t seem to take the need to travel back to Kumamoto by car into account.

First of all, the rules:

“From January 8,2021, all those who enter, re-enter or return to Japan (including Japanese nationals) are also subject to conducting of COVID-19 test upon arrival no matter whether arriving from the countries/regions designated as an area subject to denial of permission to enter Japan or not until further notice. Then they are required to stay 14 days at a location designated by the quarantine station chief (own residence etc.) and to refrain from using public transportation.”

William. A particular concern with depopulation is abandoned houses, which can q…

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 00:37:57 +0000

William. A particular concern with depopulation is abandoned houses, which can quickly become covered by weeds, presenting a hazard. Tomiai Town has instituted an innovative solution: unleashe the goats! And if you’ve never had feta cheese made from goat milk, you haven’t lived. https://kumanichi.com/articles/382845

Hello friends, Atsuko here.

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 10:17:25 +0000

Hello friends, Atsuko here. Kumamoto city will accept vaccine reservation from 8:30am 25 September. https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=33059 The way how to reserve: https://www.facebook.com/123734781033296/posts/5874673722606011/

If you want to get the shot more earlier and you can get it anytime, how about make your reservation as ’’ waiting for cancellation’' https://www.city.kumamoto.jp.e.fm.hp.transer.com/hpkiji/pub/Detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=36593

And if you are a pregnant lady, you can make your reservation by calling directly, soon. It seems easy and sooner but only calling 0963005577.

Please be safe, wear mask with smile(Ü)

Kirk here, back from a trip to the U.S. to see family. I'll write about that ex…

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 02:16:26 +0000

Kirk here, back from a trip to the U.S. to see family. I’ll write about that experience later. (Preview: It’s a lot harder to travel abroad from Kumamoto than it would be from Tokyo and the app the government gives you doesn’t seem to take that into account.)

The image you see is a bar graph from the Kumamoto Prefecture website showing the daily number of positive test results for COVID-19. You can see that the numbers seem to be subsiding. However, they are still relatively high. The graph is from the following page:

William. Being Californian, I'm a fan of chili peppers (トウガラシ) of whatever type …

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 11:38:22 +0000

William. Being Californian, I’m a fan of chili peppers (トウガラシ) of whatever type - I do not discriminate. Thus, it was with sadness that I learned that the unseasonal rains have wiped out the majority of the Amakusa chili harvest. How heartbreaking it must be to tend a crop for a season to see it suddenly destroyed.

William. I studied Chinese before Japanese, and the difference between tradition…

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 04:00:04 +0000

William. I studied Chinese before Japanese, and the difference between traditional and simplified Chinese characters make Japanese a piece of cake (it’s mostly simplified).『軽』is the traditional character for “light, while 「圣」 is the vastly move commonly used character in Japan. So some in Kumamoto when a parking lot assigned 『軽』 to indicate light cars were confused - many could not read it. So if you feel illiterate, do not feel separate from your Japanese friends.

William. Kumanichi reports on the fourth straight day of temperatures exceeding …

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 01:26:13 +0000

William. Kumanichi reports on the fourth straight day of temperatures exceeding 35°, and with the recent precipitation, humidity levels are high. In particular, pay attention to your elderly neighbors. They often do not have or do not use air conditioning and are vulnerable to dehydration and heatstroke.

Fiona here with a local news story. An American English teacher has been convic…

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 04:44:04 +0000

Fiona here with a local news story. An American English teacher has been convicted of smuggling liquid cannabis into Japan. He was given an 18 month sentence, suspended for three years.

Megan here. Wanted to share this beautiful information with you all. I’ve been…

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 15:41:54 +0000

Megan here. Wanted to share this beautiful information with you all. I’ve been here before and it truly is a sight to see! Uto has some very magical places that don’t seem to attract many people. I went to the beach early this month and it was beautiful, with a nice BBQ spot. And only 7 people were there the entire time. (Still please use caution and sense — visiting after the current wave has calmed down would probably be a good idea. ☺️)

Good morning, Atsuko here.

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 00:54:40 +0000

Good morning, Atsuko here. If you’ve not got COVID19 vaccine, you can make reservation from 8:30am today. Anyone who are Kumamoto city residents, older than 12 years old. The website has English,and some languages version. It’s very easy. You use your ticket’s number written above your name. You can choose Day, Time, Place. The system is ‘‘first come, first served’’ When you got the first shot reservation, you can get the second shot one automatically, no neet to make reservation. I’ve got vaccine twice already. This reservation period accepts all ages( over 12). Hoping the information help you.(Ü) https://vaccines.sciseed.jp/kumamotocovid19/login

William. One year anniversary of the Kumamoto floods.

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 22:12:24 +0000

William. One year anniversary of the Kumamoto floods.

Carlton here. Earlier today Kumamoto City sent out a LINE message which include…

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 07:38:28 +0000

Carlton here. Earlier today Kumamoto City sent out a LINE message which included the link to a cartoon manual explaining about the Delta variant of Covid-19 and how the city and we should cope with it. It is a cute document by a Japanese doctor supposedly and about 30 pages long. Unfortunately, because of its format, I cannot easily and quickly translate it to English.
I attach the link below for any and all to review. Perhaps someone with language skills far better than mine might be willing to summarize its main points? I’m posting it because many of us may be familiar with the information and advisories in our home countries. I thought it might be useful to compare that with what Japan is officially paying attention to and acting upon. < https://www.city.chino.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/20034.pdf >

Megan here 🙏 Wanted to share some news about the Moderna vaccine and contaminant…

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 09:11:09 +0000

Megan here 🙏 Wanted to share some news about the Moderna vaccine and contaminants found in a lot from Spain. Lot numbers to check include 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956. As someone who received a Moderna vaccine it gave me some relief to check.

Currently the contaminants are unknown, and the health ministry has said there have been no reports of issues. However they have pulled the doses for safety.

Also important to note, no issues have been found in Kumamoto, but it couldn’t hurt to double check your lot numbers.

William. Ryonosuke Veterinarian is not the cheapest vet in Kumamoto, as I learne…

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 04:34:23 +0000

William. Ryonosuke Veterinarian is not the cheapest vet in Kumamoto, as I learned when I used to take my dog there as he grew aged. They have recently launched a plan to care for dogs whose owners are hospitalized for covid at a cost of 3,300 yen per day. For some reason, cats are not welcome. If you’re in trouble, I’d be happy to care for either for free.

Post

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 03:34:31 +0000

William. Kirin is selling beer featuring an image of Kumamoto castle, with proce…

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 00:55:05 +0000

William. Kirin is selling beer featuring an image of Kumamoto castle, with proceeds going towards its reconstruction. Keep an eye out for it and give a kanpai knowing it’s going to a good purpose. https://kumanichi.com/articles/367728

Kirk here. I am one of a large number of people in Kumamoto to have had the ple…

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 10:08:11 +0000

Kirk here. I am one of a large number of people in Kumamoto to have had the pleasure and honor of visiting Matsunaga-sensei’s smithy (kajiya; the place where he actually makes Japanese swords). When I visited, he allowed us to experience tameshigiri, using a real sword to cut through pieces of rolled up goza (the top layer of a tatami mat). I think many readers of this page know Matsunaga-sensei much better than I do. I’m only writing about him today because he came up in a conversation with my wife and that conversation led me to the following article:

William. Kumanichi reports a record-breaking number of corona virus patients in …

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 20:49:54 +0000

William. Kumanichi reports a record-breaking number of corona virus patients in Kumamoto, with 179 newly diagnosed on 8/23, and that hospital occupancy has reached 80%. This presents a challenge for those who must be hospitalized for other reasons. The phone number at the link is to call if you feel you’ve come down with corona.

Hi friends, Atsuko here.

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 11:24:36 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. This is an announcement from Mr.Endo,Kumamoto city Superintendent of Education. Schools might tell parents the details later. Please wait your school’s announcement and mails. I took some screenshots and used google lens to translate. It’s not perfect but useful.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4382427921808785&id=100001248625511

Atsuko lens (Ü)= Mr. Endo Hiromichi. We dicided students separated attendance and online lessons until 9/12, at today’s Board of education meeting. The details are written in these photos. Students might have to go to school 1-2 days a week with lunch. On the other days, they have online lessons.

William. If you're an amature astronomist (I'm professional about being amature …

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 12:37:57 +0000

William. If you’re an amature astronomist (I’m professional about being amature about everything), now is a good time to gaze at the sky. This is what you will see.　木星 (mokuse) is Jupiter, and 土星 (dose) is Saturn. “Fomalhaut” is something I’d never heard of; apparently, it’s one of the brightest stars.

William. When I first set foot on these shores, my residence did not have a bath…

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 06:11:50 +0000

William. When I first set foot on these shores, my residence did not have a bath, so I took my bicycle down the hill to the onsen. Returning was uphill, but at least I was warm. The number of onsen has fallen dramatically as at-home baths have proliferated. Visit one while you can. https://kumanichi.com/articles/363945Wi

William. An animal reserve called "Cuddly Dominium" actually exists in Aso. They…

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 03:59:55 +0000

William. An animal reserve called “Cuddly Dominium” actually exists in Aso. They had a llama until a few days ago; now, they have two (or, I suppose, three? Dad)? If you’d like to see a lamette, head on out. https://kumanichi.com/articles/363955

Both of my kids chose the convenient time of 1:30 AM to be born, so I wasn't doi…

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 10:25:50 +0000

Both of my kids chose the convenient time of 1:30 AM to be born, so I wasn’t doing anything except sleeping and suddenly driving. But it was a one-way drive, really quick, and even the doctors were surprised at how fast things came out. However, things seem to have become more complicated. If you’re pregnant, behold the labyrinth.

Countermeasures Against Covid-19 Public Seminar

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 05:48:56 +0000

Carlton. For what it’s worth, LINE yesterday sent out a notice of a public seminar for Kumamoto city residents to be held on September 18 afternoon at the Kumamoto Prefectural Theater about ‘Countermeasures Against Covid-19’.
The poster below is originally in Japanese and I ran it through a translator program and add it here for those who might be interested. This event will be entirely in Japanese I’m sure with no English translation. I welcome comments about this. I’m not sure how worthwhile it will be and, under present ‘quasi state of emergency’ protocols, if ultimately a gathering like this can be held.

William. Lotus root (renkon, 蓮根) is a Japanese delicacy, particularly when it's …

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:18:06 +0000

William. Lotus root (renkon, 蓮根) is a Japanese delicacy, particularly when it’s spiced with a piquant mustard-type filling, when it’s then called “karashirenkon” (辛子蓮根).. Some 90% of Japanese renkon are grown in Kumamoto due to the fortuitous combination of flat land and abundant water. Ironically, the abundance of water has proven too abundant this year, and renkon farmers are worried that they will not be able to get their crop in. There is a shop on the Kokai shopping street that specializes in renkon which I highly recommend. https://kumanichi.com/articles/361408

Kirk here with more about COVID-19. Today there were 318 new cases in Kumamoto.…

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 12:25:31 +0000

Kirk here with more about COVID-19. Today there were 318 new cases in Kumamoto. This is a new record and part of the national trend. You can check the local statistics on the following page:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/92000.html?fbclid=IwAR3y0LmXBUUb-7ZlQxagqiL_saAjEJU4-MYAB5L7YnsF2hM56vvPBe-XHAc

RKK reported on a press conference held by Vice Governor Kimura in which he stressed that the vaccines are effective and that people who haven’t been vaccinated yet should get vaccinated as soon as possible. He said that of the 2217 cases of the last 15 day, 90 were so-called breakthrough cases – cases in which the person who got sick had already gotten both shots more than two weeks ago. The point is that that’s only 4% of the total, even though a big chunk of the population has already been vaccinated. So, if more people get vaccinated the over-all numbers should decline.

Ruth here! Don't get caught up in the 'cluster parade' at Kumamoto Eki next Satu…

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 07:35:04 +0000

Ruth here! Don’t get caught up in the ‘cluster parade’ at Kumamoto Eki next Saturday, 28th August from 5pm 🔊

Nationwide anti-msk demos and parades to avoid this week and next!! You may want to avoid being at the locations mentioned in the poster/link both this and next week as there are anti-msk protests scheduled over Japan!! **Tokyo Eki from 5pm today!

Fukuoka - 27th August ・８月27日（金）福岡第６回クラスターパレード・警固公園　福岡県福岡市中央区天神２丁目２　１５：００〜１６：３０第８６回クラスターデモ・イムズ　福岡市中央区天神一丁目6　17:00~

Kirk here was some very old news that seems like it might have been written this…

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 06:19:17 +0000

Kirk here was some very old news that seems like it might have been written this year. I can no longer remember where I first saw it but, according to the following site, it was published in the Douglas Island News (Alaska) in 1918:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/flu-prevention-1918/

Of course, this isn’t specific to Kumamoto but it’s certainly as relevant here as anywhere else. (Some items may sound a bit dated but I think most are still spot on.)

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I would agree that this is a must-see v…

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 03:45:19 +0000

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit. I would agree that this is a must-see video. Please do take a look. The fascinating wind-powered contraption is “walking” in Kumamoto. You can see Fugendake (Shimabara) on the other side of the water. And, of course, this is associated with an exhibition and the Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto that is still in progress.

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2927862740798686

Kirk here with information about Kumamoto's vaccination rates, prospects for get…

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 00:27:57 +0000

Kirk here with information about Kumamoto’s vaccination rates, prospects for getting vaccinated in the near future, and recent COVID-19 infections.

First, in regard to recent infections, rates remain high. Yesterday was 267, just under the high of 271. Source:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/92000.html?fbclid=IwAR3pM0vWNk_sUtIqdrHATxVjQEUFUyiq927rp2vngsNIi3O1hvihXtvIYoU

On a more positive note, however, vaccination rates in Kumamoto have improved significantly. The percentage of the population that have gotten at least their first shot is 58%. If I’m not mistaken, this would be the 2nd highest in the country after Yamaguchi prefecture, which is 60%. Source:

William. If you think it's humid out there, you're right! Checking out the stats…

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 07:39:57 +0000

William. If you think it’s humid out there, you’re right! Checking out the stats, it turns out the Kumamoto ranks as the #1 most humid prefecture in all of Japan. So we’ve got that going for us. At the first link is a list of ways to deal with hot and humid weather. Most are, like, “Duh!”, but a few are useful. Good luck, everyone! https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Hot-and-Humid-Weather https://tenki.jp/suppl/yasukogoto/2015/08/06/5731.html

Kirk here. Japan set a new record today for new COVID-19 cases and Kumamoto had…

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:54:35 +0000

Kirk here. Japan set a new record today for new COVID-19 cases and Kumamoto had almost as many new cases today as yesterday. It’s not raining here in Kumamoto City as I write this but warnings are still in effect. Nonetheless, this time I’d like to set rain and COVID-19 aside and write about a different topic: skateboarding. This post doesn’t have a Kumamoto connection but it has a clear Kyushu connection as gold medalist Sky Brown was born in Miyazaki.

Carlton here..A while back the subject of mandatory bicycle insurance in Kumamot…

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:41:57 +0000

Carlton here..A while back the subject of mandatory bicycle insurance in Kumamoto starting October 1 was raised. I just checked and discovered that my automobile insurance does NOT cover me for 2 wheeled transportation. So I contacted an ardent cyclist friend of mine in Tokyo and he sent me the following links re: bike insurance to help in searching for and choosing a policy.
I hope these will be of assistance to others like me now in need: https://tokyocycle.com/threads/accidents-insurance.831/ https://tokyocycle.com/threads/educate-me-on-bicycle-insurance.8208/ https://tokyocycle.com/threads/its-time-again-for-bike-insurance.8592/ https://tokyocycle.com/threads/personal-liability-insurance.8806/

Kirk here. This about a jirsuberi (地滑り; "landslide") in Amakusa. In this case …

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:48:25 +0000

Kirk here. This about a jirsuberi (地滑り; “landslide”) in Amakusa. In this case an area about 80 meters wide has slid about 1.5 meters down the hill. Of course, they are worried that this is just the beginning of a more serious event. Still, I thought it was interesting because I hadn’t heard of an event quite like this. When I think of “landslide” I think of a more catastrophic event. This is a bit more of a “land sag.” Hope it doesn’t get worse.

William. A short moat traverses the distance between the path from the castle pa…

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 02:37:20 +0000

William. A short moat traverses the distance between the path from the castle parking lot to the road to the parking lot. It is called yakkenbori or yagenbori (薬研堀) and is usually dry (karabori - 空堀). It’s a fun place to play with young children because they can’t get too far and the scenery is wonderful. However, due to the recent deluge, it is dry no more; officials note that the drain at the lower end of the moat may have been damaged during the quakes, but that’s a good thing as all of that water would have flowed down to Josaien. I suppose one could still play there, but bring a swimsuit. Video at the link. https://youtu.be/nkaNEJxq84s https://www.tku.co.jp/news/?news_id=20210814-00000004 *Addendum: There has been some discussion about whether the kanji 薬研堀 is pronounced “yakkenbori,” as our friend Michael Rupp believes, or “yagenbori,” as our friend Hiromi Chida maintains - she notes the reporter used the former but thinks he made a mistake. But this is Japan - they’re probably both right.

Kirk again. In response to my post about the record high number of positives re…

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 13:51:45 +0000

Kirk again. In response to my post about the record high number of positives recorded today, Megan raised the issue of hospital beds. This is an important point that was mentioned in what I saw on RKK but that I forgot to mention in my post. I looked on the web and found a KKT report that’s relevant. I’ve attached the URL and the images are from that report. First, the bar chart shows how the numbers have increased recently. Last week, the vice-governor who usually does the press conferences (sorry, I forgot his name) said that they were prepared to deal with numbers of up to 250. So, 271 “exceeds expectations” – the term 想定外 (souteigai; outside of the expected range) in the next image. The “51.5%” you see on the first imaged refers to the percentage of hospital beds reserved for COVID-19 cases that are already occupied. This number is for the prefecture as a whole and 68.1% is for Kumamoto City (where more than half of the cases are occurring).

Kirk here with some notes on COVID-19 and the rain. First, the prefecture had 2…

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 11:03:38 +0000

Kirk here with some notes on COVID-19 and the rain. First, the prefecture had 271 positives today, a new record (see Japanese video in link). Also, earlier today, William wrote about the rain in Yamaga. I heard on the news today that the amount of rain they have received since all of this started has just passed the 1 meter mark. They said (on RKK) that this is the first instance on record of any part of Kumamoto getting over a meter of rain in the month of August.

William. It rained 905.5mm in Yamaga between 8/11 and 8/16 - almost a friggin' m…

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:17:03 +0000

William. It rained 905.5mm in Yamaga between 8/11 and 8/16 - almost a friggin’ meter. To put that in perspective, that is equivalent to four years of rainfall in my hometown of Los Angeles - in six days. More rain is expected mid-week.

https://kumanichi.com/articles/357005

Kirk here with a minor earthquake report. This quake didn't cause any damage an…

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 13:55:20 +0000

Kirk here with a minor earthquake report. This quake didn’t cause any damage and so normally I wouldn’t mention it. But, with slopes in Kumamoto being so soggy, the possibility of earthquakes is something to think about. Personally, I would avoid driving on roads that go through mountainous areas until things dry up. Stay safe!

https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#11/32.732/130.605/&elem=int&contents=earthquake_map&lang=en

Kirk with more weather. It's calm where I am in Kumamoto City but we're not qui…

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 13:39:17 +0000

Kirk with more weather. It’s calm where I am in Kumamoto City but we’re not quite out of the woods yet. The image is one I took from the following website, which is run by the prefecture:

https://portal.bousai.pref.kumamoto.jp/

What you see is only a sample. There are warnings for most areas in Kumamoto. One reason is that we’re forecast to get more heavy rain between now and noon tomorrow. And, of course, in regard to landslides or “sediment disasters” (a rather awkward direct translation of the Japanese 土砂災害), the fact that many areas are already more-or-less saturated means that the additional weight of some newly fallen rainwater may be all that is needed to trigger a landslide. If you’re in a vulnerable area, play it safe!

William. The last time I visited the Aso museum a couple of decades ago, it was …

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 09:32:49 +0000

William. The last time I visited the Aso museum a couple of decades ago, it was a few dusty rocks on a shelf. Seems like it’s changed. Kumanichi reports on the installation of a huge touch-screen panel which will introduce visitors to the volcano and the Aso Geopark. Looks like it’s time for another visit. https://kumanichi.com/articles/355289

Kirk with more weather. Here's a quote from the following page, which also has …

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 05:42:26 +0000

Kirk with more weather. Here’s a quote from the following page, which also has an English-language video:

“In the town of Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, 51 millimeters of intense rain fell during the hour until 8 a.m. on Monday.

The Meteorological Agency says a lingering rain front brought intense precipitation to much of eastern and western Japan intermittently through Sunday. Rivers overflowed and mudslides struck some locations.

Mudslide alerts remain in place in some parts of Saga and Kumamoto prefectures in Kyushu.”

William. Slipping through our fingertips are the penultimate memories of the war…

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 21:11:41 +0000

William. Slipping through our fingertips are the penultimate memories of the war and what Japan was prior to that. My prior neighbor, who we called “tonari no ojisan,” had been stranded on a southeast-Asian island and was forced to eat insects to survive (he was an accountant, not a fighter; he taught my children how to use the abacus); later, he became a captain in the Imperial Guard (those who protect the emperor), but he died, alone except for us, here in Kumamoto. In our harried, modern world, most have forgotten those who buttressed the previous generation. I had planned to interview tonari no ojisan on tape for posterity but postponed it, and now it is too late. An historical lapse. But if you are a Kumamoto resident, nothing will benefit you more than befriending an elderly citizen who will gladly impart what it was. It’s a one stone, two birds thing: they have a listener, and you can listen. Kumanichi reports on the finding of some wartime material and the importance of direct communication with the person who provided it. Be proactive in this. It is up to all of us to ensure the past does not slip through our fingertips.

Nagasaki vs Kumamoto Kogyo high school baseball game

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 10:37:42 +0000

Kirk here. William mentioned watching high school baseball in a comment (well, he wasn’t actually watching it in a comment but he mentioned it there ;) ) and that reminded me that the game between Nagasaki and Kumamoto Kogyo should be coming up soon. In fact, it’s scheduled to start tomorrow morning at 8 AM. It was originally to be played on the 13th but was rescheduled because of the rain.

Hi friends, Atsuko here.

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 08:31:59 +0000

Hi friends, Atsuko here. Today is Obon but I don’t go back my hometown, Nagomimachi, this year. At Obon, my mother makes and serves あんつけだご ANTSUKEDAGO. ANTSUKEDAGO is mochi dumpling with Anko paste.Some call it Ankodango, Ankomochi. I can’t go back so made it by myself and share you. We make mochi dumpling from 白玉粉 Shiratamako. 上新粉Jyoushinko, もち粉 Mochiko are also OK.

Put some water into Shiratamako powder and mix it. mixed well and make small balls. Put them into hot water and boil them. When they go up, pick up and put them into cold water. Mixing Anko kan or topping 黒みつKuromitsu and きな粉 Kinako. (Anko kan has cooked and tasted Anko.) My mother makes Anko by herself, from Azuki been but this is easy way, recommended!

Kirk here. Between the rain and COVID-19, we've had a lot of disconcerting news…

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 06:17:35 +0000

Kirk here. Between the rain and COVID-19, we’ve had a lot of disconcerting news lately. I’m hoping to be able to report on lighter topics soon but, in the meantime, here’s some more bad news:

“An official in Kumamoto, south-western Japan, said a 76-year-old man was missing after trying to secure his fishing boat.”

William here. Kumanichi provides some frightening statistics: those initially di…

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 02:53:24 +0000

William here. Kumanichi provides some frightening statistics: those initially diagnosed with the corona virus in Kumamoto have surpassed 200 daily for the first time. More frightening, the percentage of hospital beds devoted to corona patients has surpassed 60%. And this is just as the new Delta variant, which apparently has a higher contagion rate, appears. One important note: Being vaccinated does not mean your body is cleared of the virus, or even that you cannot catch the virus (if you do catch it after being vaccinated, you’re likely to be asymptomatic). It simply means that your body is conditioned to recognize the virus as a threat and neutralize it rapidly. (As an example, it is likely that the percentage of those infected with corona in California and Florida are roughly the same, but most Californians are vaccinated and masks are mandatory, while the rate in Florida is low and mandating masks is illegal; this would explain why California is reporting 141.1 new coronavirus cases for every 100,000 residents, less than one-fourth that of Florida’s rate of 653.8 weekly; in comparison, for Kumamoto City, the current rate is apparently 74.5). So even if you’ve been vaccinated twice, continue to wear a mask. Not only will it help those around you (you may still be infectious even if vaccinated), it also may help prevent you from catching a different strain. The point is, now is precisely not the time to let your guard down. NIID (the National Institution of Infectious Diseases) has periodic English-language updates on covid: https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/en/2019-ncov-e/10556-covid19-ab45th-en.html and here is the Kumanichi article on which this post is based: https://nordot.app/799108156839346176?c=92619697908483575

UPDATED on Aug. 18th:

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 18:19:42 +0000

UPDATED on Aug. 18th: Chuck Waterman here: Just a hopefully helpful informational post about my process in getting back to the US this week.

Got the two Pfizer shots as early as possible. (I’m in Group 2). That meant that the morning after I arrived here it had been two weeks after the second shot and I’m able to walk down the rsidential streets here without wearing a mask and associate with my close family (also vaccinated) without one. Only waving and saying hello to people in the neighborhood from the distance of acrosee the street, though, and everyone is still wearing masks in stores, but not in restaurants in MI.

Kirk here with some information about evacuation sites. Kumamoto Prefecture now…

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 11:31:20 +0000

Kirk here with some information about evacuation sites. Kumamoto Prefecture now shows evacuation levels visually on a map. The page can be switched to English and also shows the location of evacuation centers. As I wrote before, even if you live in an area where evacuation is recommended, whether your not you should actually go to an evacuation center may depend a good deal on the characteristics of the particular location or neighborhood you are in. Still, I think this map should be useful if you’re wondering whether or not your particular area is safe.

Fiona here. If the non-stop rain is leaving you with mountains of washing that j…

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 10:36:35 +0000

Fiona here. If the non-stop rain is leaving you with mountains of washing that just won’t dry, it might be time to try out a Japanese ‘coin laundry’. I experienced my first one today and was blown away by the stylish decor and relaxing ambience. If not for Corona I would have happily spent a couple of hours here reading a book, and I may do so in the future, with or without laundry. It’s called The Laundry Lounge and is located in Asoda, Kita-ku, not far from Hikarinomori. Use of the dryer cost 100 yen for ten minutes, instructions all in Japanese I’m afraid, except for ‘Push’ and a ‘How to use the washing machine’ mural on the wall. The place also doubles up as a plant and furniture store, and has several shops nearby to kill time while you’re laundry is spinning. https://laundry-lounge.com/concept

Hi,friends,Atsuko here.

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 03:40:19 +0000

Hi,friends,Atsuko here. Let’s guess,where I was. (I took these photos on July 28.) The straight road leads to …… My school is along this street. I miss the blue sky and white clouds and humid summer in Kumamoto.

We become little bit nervous because of Corona pandemic, heavy rain and the damage, vaccines pain… Sharing blue sky photos with my hope to be fine for everything. Please be safe, smile lots! Who is the first one? How many hint pictures you need to answer?? Please answer at comments.(^^)

Kirk here with a graph showing the amounts of rain that have fallen in the past …

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 03:29:59 +0000

Kirk here with a graph showing the amounts of rain that have fallen in the past three days as of 9 AM this morning. Kumamoto hasn’t had the largest amounts – Saga and Nagasaki have had more – but records have been set all over. The numbers are in millimeters, so spots that have gotten the most rain would have close to a meter of water on the ground if none of it had drained away. There’s a lot more to report but I’ll stop here for now.

Douglas here, posting this at Kirk's request. As a Scotsman, I like rain. I was …

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 14:11:03 +0000

Douglas here, posting this at Kirk’s request. As a Scotsman, I like rain. I was born when it rained, I played in the rain and grew up in the rain and have, for the past 20 years, been enjoying the rain in Kumamoto. I realise that there is a dangerous and sad side to too much rain. But for me, rain let’s me see things that most people miss completely. Yesterday Megumi and I went out in the rain and the following video is our first edit of the video sequences we shot at the Takahashi Inari Jinja , Kumamoto.

Kirk here with news about COVID-19. Kumamoto hit a new record today: 207 new ca…

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 13:49:24 +0000

Kirk here with news about COVID-19. Kumamoto hit a new record today: 207 new cases in a single day. The image is from the following NHK page:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/special/coronavirus/data/

I heard on RKK that most of the new cases in Kumamoto are of the Delta strain. That report can be found here:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a5c792c5434398b1f3e25bc07c75cacec588d04b

Speaking of the Delta strain, there was some important national news today that may come to affect Kumamoto. The following Japan Times article has the following headline:

Kirk with another update on the rain. The images are from the following TKU vid…

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 13:10:57 +0000

Kirk with another update on the rain. The images are from the following TKU video (click on the click to view the Japanese video; it includes reports on several different kinds of damage). I heard on RKK that the rain loosened the earth that the roots were clinging to and that that led to the tree’s collapse. If the tree had fallen in a slightly different direction, it would have damage the walls shown in the second picture. Those walls were severely damaged in the 2016 earthquake and repairs on them had just ended.

Kirk here with a little video (in Japanese) about some damage (roads washed out,…

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 03:29:52 +0000

Kirk here with a little video (in Japanese) about some damage (roads washed out, water outages, etc.) in Amakusa. My impression of the overall situation in Kumamoto is that the rain has taken many rivers close to flood level but, for now, most levees are holding.

Joe Tomei here, I'm not sure how many people are thinking of going out of countr…

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 01:19:04 +0000

Joe Tomei here, I’m not sure how many people are thinking of going out of country and considering trying to return, but I thought I would pass this group on, it was recommended to me by a friend (though I am pretty much staying inside the borders) Any Kumamoto related information, please feel free to put in the comments.

Kirk again. Lot's of rain. Apparently, Yamaga got a month's worth today. I'm …

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 10:36:43 +0000

Kirk again. Lot’s of rain. Apparently, Yamaga got a month’s worth today. I’m sharing a few screenshots from videos that local TV stations have put up:

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d4b2adcc630a96f91dd7eeffb13e123290d8d245 https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202108121759250111

The one on top is from FNN, which is Teribi Kumamoto locally. The image is from Nankan-machi. The other two are from RKK. The red car is in Chuo-ku of Kumamoto City and the white car is in Yamaga.

The thing about the rain is that it’s not over. We are expected to get more of the same until tomorrow so things could get worse. Take care!

Joe Tomei here with a post by Jason Morgan from his Kumamoto.guru blog. Enjoy!

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 09:32:54 +0000

Joe Tomei here with a post by Jason Morgan from his Kumamoto.guru blog. Enjoy!

Kirk here with one more point about the rain and evacution notices. The notices…

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 05:36:43 +0000

Kirk here with one more point about the rain and evacution notices. The notices come as images from which the text cannot easily be copied and pasted. If you can read the Japanese, good for you, but if not, you’re forced to find a workaround or suffer the anxiety of having received a very loud, heart-stopping message that seems bad but that you can’t read.

One workaround is to put the Google translate app on your phone, take a screenshot of the annoying alert, open up Google translate, select the screenshot and then get it translated – not exactly something you appreciate being forced to do in an emergency – but a possibility. (The image shows how a warning that I just got comes out.)

Kirk here with a follow-up on the rain. I just got an extremely loud and (for m…

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 05:13:22 +0000

Kirk here with a follow-up on the rain. I just got an extremely loud and (for me) rather annoying notice on my phone that elderly people in Mashiki need to evacuate (I don’t even live in Mashiki, though I’m not too terrible far away). At any rate, the rain is coming down quite hard and I suspect (though I haven’t had a chance to check) that river levels are rising.

Kirk here with the weather and some COVID-19 news. The first colorful image is…

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 14:50:11 +0000

Kirk here with the weather and some COVID-19 news. The first colorful image is from the following page:

https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#10/32.692/130.672/&elem=all&contents=warning&lang=en

It’s calm outside now but more rain is predicted for the coming days. NHK was saying that the conditions are right in many parts of Japan for extreme amounts of rain. They mentioned Kumamoto in this regard in their national broadcast. Evacuations have been called for in some parts of Amakusa and the elderly in many areas have been encouraged to evacuate.

Chuck Waterman here:

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 15:02:06 +0000

Chuck Waterman here:
I highly recommend Rendaiji Clinic to anyone who needs to get PCR tested and get the results back the same day.

https://goo.gl/maps/KrcUfGaKfrcNmh4z5

I arrived this morning just before 9 AM, let them copy my passport, filled out information on an uncomplicated form, got my PCR nasal stick up the nose and was out of there within 30 minutes!

I had to go back at 6PM to pick up my results, but - hey, same day is same day!

Joe Tomei here with something that our intrepid Atsuko Kumabe found, which is th…

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 12:36:38 +0000

Joe Tomei here with something that our intrepid Atsuko Kumabe found, which is the upcoming mandatory bicycle insurance for the prefecture! https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/54/85371.html

Unfortunately, the page is in Japanese, but to briefly summarize, bicyclists will be required to be insured from 1 Oct of this year. The website uses automatic web translation or you can paste the link into google translate. A second page here (unfortunately also only in Japanese) https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/54/51723.html

lists insurance providers as well.

Kirk here with a postmortem on the typhoon: The approach didn't cause serious da…

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 04:44:02 +0000

Kirk here with a postmortem on the typhoon: The approach didn’t cause serious damage in Kumamoto on Sunday but points west of us were hit harder.

Liz here, next time you are downtown , please admire the impressive artwork of …

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 12:28:30 +0000

Liz here, next time you are downtown , please admire the impressive artwork of Antonin Raymond , a Czech-American architect, which graces the facade of the Taigeki Kaikan at the entrance of Shimotori. (check out Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonin_Raymond and this link https://www.lib.city.minato.tokyo.jp/yukari/e/man-detail.cgi?id=135 for more detailed information on him and his work.)

There was an article in the Kumanichi in June (I think that is correct) https://nordot.app/781444286556160000 regardiing the renovation of this work of art. There are others more qualified than I am to translate it, but the art is amazing even without the historical background. The first photo shows our two downtown landmarks, the castle and the Taigeki facade

Kirk here with some photos shared earlier in a comment by Billy Bento (thanks Bi…

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 02:36:19 +0000

Kirk here with some photos shared earlier in a comment by Billy Bento (thanks Billy!). The photos show some of the devastation of Kumamoto toward the end of WWII. More famous tragedies (Hiroshima, Nagasaki, the fire bombing of Tokyo, etc.) seem to have caused what happened in Kumamoto to get less attention than it otherwise would have. While Kumamoto’s experience may seem insignificant in comparison to that of Hiroshima, for example, accounts I have read in Japanese have helped me understand how horrible the end of the war was for many of the people here.

In college, I had to take a laboratory science, so I took geology - so called "r…

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:25:01 +0000

In college, I had to take a laboratory science, so I took geology - so called “rocks for jocks” as it was considered the easiest. But as with many things in life, it took a felicitous turn, spurning a life-long love of all things rock. Kumamoto is a paradise for geologists, and I’m not exaggerating here: many from around the world come to study the tortuous contusions that created our world. The best place to check this out is Amakusa. You can find pretty much all of every rock kinds there - igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic - you name it, they’ve got it. I mean, look at the photo below: you could spend a lifetime studying this! Geology is fundamentally a window back in time, a lot like reading tree rings. Take your opportunity during the summer holidays to check out the geology of Amakusa (Aso is too recent). My habit angers my wife as I spend so much time analyzing rocks, but I think it secretly pleases her (geology is, like marriage, complicated). - William

Kirk here. Thanks, William, for the link to the JMA page that shows an assortme…

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 07:31:45 +0000

Kirk here. Thanks, William, for the link to the JMA page that shows an assortment of data on expected rain and wind in Kumamoto. It wasn’t easy but I was able to find an English version of the same data:

https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/#lang=en&area_type=offices&area_code=430000&pattern=rain_snow

Currently, in cases like this, one has to go to top page and begin a new search for the relevant information. It would be nice if the JMA (Japanese Meteorological Agency) would provide links from Japanese pages directly to foreign-language counterparts like this. Over the years, however, I’ve learned that many public agencies in Japan assume that Japanese-language pages are only referred to by Japanese people and that there’s no need to link from a given Japanese page to its English counterpart. Sigh . . .

There is no cause for alarm. Repeat: THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM! A small typhoo…

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 00:58:15 +0000

There is no cause for alarm. Repeat: THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM! A small typhoon (which meteorologists refer to as a “typhette”) will pass directly over Kumamoto late tonight, and the usual warnings might well be heeded: fill your bathtub, make sure your flashlights are accessible and with fresh batteries, take care of your potted plants, learn how to swim if you haven’t yet. JMA - the Japan Meteorological Agency - has a cool live-time image of cloud movements https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/#area_type=offices&area_code=430000&pattern=rain_snow and Shirakawa Wakuwaku Land (an oddly interesting place to visit - it’s next to Kokai shopping street) live video of several river sites in the city. http://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/kumamoto/bousai/kmmWeb/camImage.php?no=3_5 - William

Kirk with some information on the approaching typhoon (no. 9; Lupit). The image…

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 11:18:51 +0000

Kirk with some information on the approaching typhoon (no. 9; Lupit). The image is from the Japanese side of the JMA site because the English side only presents times in UTC (pretty clear evidence that the people at the JMA care more about meteorologists who live outside of Japan than non-Japanese who are actually subject to the weather :( ). We’ll probably have a good deal of rain and some winds but another site I refer to (tropicalstormrisk.com) says that it will probably not be stronger than a tropical storm, which is good.

Joe Tomei here, I previously posted from Chieko Noriyuki's Untapped Kumamoto blo…

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 11:05:38 +0000

Joe Tomei here, I previously posted from Chieko Noriyuki’s Untapped Kumamoto blog about Seiwa Bunraku in Yamato, but she just has this post about an exhibition related to the art in Downtown Kumamoto. Check it out!

Hi,Atsuko here.

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 06:18:16 +0000

Hi,Atsuko here. Summer Ezuko with lots kids and families. Parking is also full. じゃぶじゃぶ池 Jyabujyabu Ike is opposite side of boats house. The clear and cool water is Kumamoto treasure(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Jyabujyabu Ike https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E3%80%92862-0955+Kumamoto,+Chuo+Ward,+Kuwamizuhonmachi,+18,+%E3%81%98%E3%82%83%E3%81%B6%E3%81%98%E3%82%83%E3%81%B6%E6%B1%A0/@32.7812845,130.7406046,16z/data=!4m6!1m3!3m2!1s0x3540f3bc15279129:0x114f5d781292521d!2sKuwamizuhonmachi,+Chuo+Ward,+Kumamoto,+862-0955!3m1!1s0x3540f3bbf00959f5:0x5791cb1d51c9d44f

Carlton here with something that maybe would better be listed in Joe's "Funky Fr…

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 05:48:18 +0000

Carlton here with something that maybe would better be listed in Joe’s “Funky Fridays” list.

A couple of days ago I indulged in one of my favorite male only pleasures, something that cannot be gender-appropriated— a close shave with a straight razor at the hands of a skilled lady barber.

My current severe underemployment no longer makes it necessary for me to be clean shaven every day so I let my beard hang out over a week or more, and unlike the hair on my head, it grows thick and fast and rather tough. When the slow growing head hair is finally in need of trimming and it coincides with a beard that would require 2-3 disposable razors to dispose of, I head on down to CHICAGO, a youngish mom and pop hair salon in downtown Kumamoto that has been in business for over 40 years to get properly shorn.

Kirk here with some COVID-19 statistics. The bar chart in light blue shows the n…

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 03:38:11 +0000

Kirk here with some COVID-19 statistics. The bar chart in light blue shows the number of positive COVID-19 tests in Kumamoto Prefecture since the beginning of 2020. You can see that the last two days have had record high numbers. The graph is from the following page of Kumamoto Prefecture’s website:

https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/92000.html

The second graph is one I saw on NHK’s 7 PM news program last night. It’s not specific to Kumamoto but helps put what we are experiencing here in context. The main point is that it took a year and 3 months to accumulate a total of 500,000 positives in the country as a whole but that the next 500,000 only took 4 months. Here’s the URL of the Japanese article:

Joe Tomei here. This post is a bit more of a feel good post, which I don't usual…

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 23:41:53 +0000

Joe Tomei here. This post is a bit more of a feel good post, which I don’t usually do, but if anyone has some more info on this, please pass it on in the comments. It’s from twitter, and I’m trying to find some newspaper article about it.

A number of clusters have been related to workers in Department stores in Osaka and Tokyo, such as Isetan and Umeda Hanshin. These department stores vaccinated all their staff, but neglected to vax the outsourced workers.

Kirk here with some COVID-19 information from the U.S. embassy in Japan. Some o…

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 08:23:25 +0000

Kirk here with some COVID-19 information from the U.S. embassy in Japan. Some of the information pertains only to the U.S. and U.S. citizens but it’s mostly made up of general information about recent developments in Japan, including this: “On August 5, the Government of Japan announced quasi-state of emergency measures for Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Shizuoka, Aichi, Shiga and Kumamoto prefectures. "

Good morning friends, Atsuko here.

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 23:33:48 +0000

Good morning friends, Atsuko here. It seems to be hot and humid day, today also.Be careful for heat stroke.

I went to 3333 steps at 美里町Misato town last Friday.Such a hot and humid day? Yes, it was. The path of 3333 steps were in the shade of tree, Summer breeze. We sweated well but so refreshing and felt cool. We met very few people. While walking, we heard ヒグラシHigurasi sang.( one kind of cicada. They live in forest, more cooler place than country side.We hear Kumazemi’s and Aburazemi’s songs well in the city.At the country side and end of August, you might hear Tukutukuhoshi’s songs.) Their songs made us cool and refresh. I recommend to go Onsen, 佐俣の湯Samata no yu, near the steps.It might help your muscle pain. Hoping you can enjoy 2021 Summer challenge with your closely friends. Trip Minimum but enjoy Maximum.(งᐛ )ง 3333 steps https://kumamoto.guide/en/spots/detail/12143 Samata no yu, Onsen https://samatanoyu-misato.jp/

Joe Tomei here with something from Chieko Noriyuki's blog Untapped Kumamoto (wit…

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:27:29 +0000

Joe Tomei here with something from Chieko Noriyuki’s blog Untapped Kumamoto (with her permission)

Kirk again. This NHK video (in English) gives a bit of information about the ne…

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:07:01 +0000

Kirk again. This NHK video (in English) gives a bit of information about the new measures, though it doesn’t provide a lot of detail. In addition to asking bars and restaurants in certain areas not to serve alcohol and asking ordinary folks like us are being asking to postpone travel. I heard on RKK that Governor Kabashima said that he would designate Kumamoto City as the area to which the alcohol serving restriction would apply.

Kirk here with some COVID-19 news. "Suga on Thursday announced a milder version …

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 10:59:13 +0000

Kirk here with some COVID-19 news. “Suga on Thursday announced a milder version of the emergency measures in eight prefectures, including Fukushima in the east and Kumamoto in the south, expanding the areas to 13 prefectures. The less-stringent measures allow prefectural heads to target specific towns but cannot order business closures.” I was just watching NHK and they showed Kumamoto Prefecture in red, indicating that today’s number of new positives, 127, is an all-time high for the prefecture. The Delta variant is nothing to trifle with.

Kirk here with the weather: "A high of 38 degrees is predicted for Kumamoto City…

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 01:01:10 +0000

Kirk here with the weather: “A high of 38 degrees is predicted for Kumamoto City in Kumamoto Prefecture.” This is for today, Thursday. 38 degrees Celsius is 100.8 Fahrenheit (a note for those of you who, like me, are from that recalcitrant, we’ll-do-it-our-way nation known as the U.S. of A, or a country under its influence).

Good news for Nagasaki: they're finally being connected to the Shinkansen servic…

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:20:59 +0000

Good news for Nagasaki: they’re finally being connected to the Shinkansen service. If you’d like to visit Nagasaki from Kumamoto, I’d recommend the ferry, which departs from Kumamoto Shinko and arrives in Shimabara - which in itself is a lovely town to visit (it’s famous for its streetside canals studded with koi) and then local transportation from there. It’s probably cheaper and faster. - William

https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/new-shinkansen-design-revealed-for-nagasaki-extension

With permission from Tamana's Claire I'm gratefully posting the following:

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 06:20:15 +0000

With permission from Tamana’s Claire I’m gratefully posting the following:

Claire in Tamana posted this update on vaccination rates on her feed.

Taken from the Kumamoto Prefecture website.

Kumamoto prefecture now has over half its population with at least one vaccination completed 40% have had both jabs. Not bad at all! However we do have over 500,000 people over 65 of which 80% are fully vaccinated so that’s a third of the eligible population right there!

Joe Tomei here with some information from Robert Remmerswaal, NanKyu JALT chapte…

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 02:53:52 +0000

Joe Tomei here with some information from Robert Remmerswaal, NanKyu JALT chapter treasurer, about joining the JALT. On this one, please feel free to contact me if you are interested and want more info.

Need to renew your JALT membership? Interested in joining a network of English teachers living throughout Japan? Join/renew with a group membership rate until Aug 10. Send an email to rdremmerswaal@gmail.com if interested and to get more details. The group rate is 8500/year rather than the 13000/year individual rate. This also give you access to the latest online publications as well as allowing you to attend other chapter events (Fukuoka and Oita have chapters) and attend events at the members fees.

"Cicada" (a loan-word from a Mediterranean substrate language - that's when you …

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 22:09:03 +0000

“Cicada” (a loan-word from a Mediterranean substrate language - that’s when you realize people really look down on you) in Japanese are called “semi.” Perhaps they have identity issues: “Are you an insect?” “Well, semi.” They kind of have a bummer of a life, living seven years underground to emerge expecting a semi-orgy (never done one of those but I’ve put it on my list) only to caught by some kid with a net and a plastic box. Just leave them alone and allow them to fulfill their lifespan. - William

Summer is shoe season! Japan offers a wide variety of shoes quite adapted to the…

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 20:52:46 +0000

Summer is shoe season! Japan offers a wide variety of shoes quite adapted to the season. Attached is a quick guide to traditional Japanese footwear. I generally go with the geta 下駄 - the wood is quite comfortable in the summer heat, and the raised height makes them convenient during deluges. Kokai Shopping Street has several marvelous shops that sell traditional footwear. They’re all about the same; just choose a pair of geta that suit you. - William

I was just chatting with Katarina Maria Mantzas about ロバのパン - "donkey bread." So…

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 19:48:37 +0000

I was just chatting with Katarina Maria Mantzas about ロバのパン - “donkey bread.” So very long ago that it was even before my time, actual donkeys were used to draw the carts; they later became motorized, but the song they broadcast maintained the donkey theme. Sadly, they’ve all but disappeared; I suppose they could no longer compete with modern convenience stores. But this is what convenience stores were like back in the day. You can enjoy the song at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ck5JKVaGRM - William

Joe Tomei here. If anyone hasn't gotten their jab, the prefecture has opened a v…

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 22:26:40 +0000

Joe Tomei here. If anyone hasn’t gotten their jab, the prefecture has opened a vaccination center (Moderna) at Gran Messe (near the airport expressway entrance) for anyone who has a coupon This is the reservation link https://www.covid19-vaccine.mrso.jp/kumamoto/VisitNumbers/visitnoAuth/

The hours are weekdays 6pm-9pm and weekends noon- 6.

Mike Rupp, in the comments, writes about the Vaccine Passport

You go to the Kuyakusho, and they can give it to you at the window where they do Japanese passports. You need to bring your passport, the proof of 2 shots (the sheet with stickers) and you must write down a date for which you plan to travel on the form. It took about 15 minutes for me [Mike] and I was the first foreigner.

Mike’s timeline has a photo of his document but unfortunately, I can’t add it to this post ($%&’&$ Facebook) and we’ve blocked photo comments ($’%&#%& trolls on the Internet), but if you ask him nicely, he may help. If you aren’t sure of your Japanese (or even if you are!) having a photo of the object of your desire can really help things along.

Seems like rainy season has finally caught up with us. I'm not sure how my plant…

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 09:21:42 +0000

Seems like rainy season has finally caught up with us. I’m not sure how my plants feel about it - it’s always too little or too much. - William

This is a follow-up to a topic that William posted about the other day. -- Kirk

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 14:29:23 +0000

This is a follow-up to a topic that William posted about the other day. – Kirk

Congratulations to local author and Kumamoto International participant Sean Mich…

Sun, 01 Aug 2021 08:35:20 +0000

Congratulations to local author and Kumamoto International participant Sean Michael Wilson on his most recent publication. It’s in English and available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats:

https://www.amazon.com/Minamata-Story-Sean-Michael-Wilson/dp/1611720567

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/72c464265b666a622d193b0ea4cc2849eed3fc45

– Kirk

Words, created by people, are much like their creators: One never knows how they…

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 14:34:13 +0000

Words, created by people, are much like their creators: One never knows how they’ll morph or where they’ll end up. For example, “monsoon” comes from Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monçao, from Arabic mawsim “time of year, appropriate season” (for a voyage, pilgrimage, - but not for shopping), according to etymonline. Keep a folding umbrella in your bag at all times just in case, Kumamon says. And check JMA before you go out. http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/index.html - William

One Piece Event at 道の駅

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 09:44:59 +0000

I like Nishiharamura. It’s a good day trip if you have a car. There’s a 道の駅 selling all-local produce directly from the farmers - they have the grower’s name on the packaging , which gives it a very personalized feeling. They’re having this event now based on the TV show “One Piece,” which I was into when it was new and original but quickly lost interest in when it began coasting on its own success (tell me about it!). I also objected to their sexualization of women (once I became the father of a daughter, that is. It’s never too late to learn.) The point appears to be to attract more tourists to the area- I don’t think there’s any other connection. If I’m wrong, please let me know. The link to the event is below. - William

I knew about Kumamoto's reputation for having excellent water (especially ground…

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 23:15:52 +0000

I knew about Kumamoto’s reputation for having excellent water (especially ground water) and I also knew about semiconductors being manufactured in this area. Until I read this sentence, however, I hadn’t put the two together.

“Kumamoto is known for having an abundance of water, necessary when manufacturing semiconductors.”

– Kirk

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/07/28/business/corporate-business/tsmc-taiwan-chipmaking-kumamoto/

Another article:

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/48a21b9f9c7e-taiwans-tsmc-eyes-kumamoto-as-site-for-1st-japan-chip-plant.html

I think I've posted about this issue before. As before, the City of Minamata doe…

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 08:22:13 +0000

I think I’ve posted about this issue before. As before, the City of Minamata doesn’t want to support a showing of the film. My take is that it’s still too hot to handle in the area where everything happened. – Kirk

I used to pay to run marathons but eventually realized, "I'm paying a hundred bu…

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 14:50:57 +0000

I used to pay to run marathons but eventually realized, “I’m paying a hundred bucks for a T-shirt and orange slices,” so I started doing them on my own. Two good courses: follow the winding path of Shirakawa (don’t take route 57! It’s less pleasurable and cheats on the distance!) over the Kitabypass bridge, then follow the rail line (called 杉並道り) until you get to Milk Road 入り口, where, conveniently, there’s a 7-11. Get your beverage of choice (don’t forget to bring money, especially in the case that you get injured and have to take a taxi home) and return on the same route. That’s exactly 42 kilometers from my house in Oe. A second is a bit more challenging but more beautiful: the farm road up to the peak of Mt. Kimpo. Don’t take the main road - too many cars. You’d seldom see a single car on this route. It’s all paved and lined with delightful springs where you can hydrate (and, as always, there are household hoses). Be aware that the slope is deceptionally gradual at the start, but that changes quickly. I don’t know the distance, but the slope is enough. Late autumn is a good time for these types of adventures. And don’t forget to bring money just in case. - William

On the subject of the increase of Covid-19 infections nationwide and in Kumamoto…

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 04:17:39 +0000

On the subject of the increase of Covid-19 infections nationwide and in Kumamoto I was wondering if there has been any reference made in the media about “breakthrough infections” among those already fully vaccinated?
Big news in the USA, however I’ve not come across reference to the problem here..yet. And I’m not a regular reader of the Japanese press except in English. –CM

Fiona Wall Minami is too modest to do this, so this is Joe Tomei. Fiona is a fin…

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 00:45:07 +0000

Fiona Wall Minami is too modest to do this, so this is Joe Tomei. Fiona is a finalist for an ELTon Innovation award. If you don’t know about them, this is a big thing. From the webpage: “Now in their nineteenth year, The British Council ELTons Awards for innovation in English language teaching and learning celebrate the newest and most original courses, books, publications, apps, platforms, projects, and more, which find new ways to meet the real-life needs of English language learners and teachers around the world.”

Vick here,

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 12:28:22 +0000

Vick here,

I just wanted to screencap the dates, ages, and locations from my Kumamoto vaccination procedure packet.

The official website for logging in your info (please see your individual packets) is:

https://vaccines.sciseed.jp/kumamotocovid19

Studying scuba diving, I learned the concept of "atmosphere," which is defined a…

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 05:21:49 +0000

Studying scuba diving, I learned the concept of “atmosphere,” which is defined as 4.6 pounds per square inch at sea level. This is important as it regulates the volume of air one can contain in one’s lungs, which is why exhaling is very important while surfacing: not doing so will cause your lungs to explode. Atmospheric pressure increases greatly during a Japanese summer, which means your lungs contain a higher concentration of very moist air. Convenience stores are your friends when out and about.. - William

Studying scuba diving, I learned the concept of "atmosphere," which is defined a…

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 01:19:12 +0000

Studying scuba diving, I learned the concept of “atmosphere,” which is defined as 4.6 pounds per square inch at sea level. (That’s about one meter of water, for comparison.) This is important as it regulates the volume of air one can contain in one’s lungs, which is why exhaling is very important while surfacing: not doing so will cause your lungs to explode. Atmospheric pressure increases greatly during a Japanese summer, which means your lungs contain a higher concentration of very moist air. Convenience stores are your friends when out and about.. - William Baerg

Lafcadio Hearn was a pretty typical guy: of Greek-Irish descent, he became one o…

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 23:25:25 +0000

Lafcadio Hearn was a pretty typical guy: of Greek-Irish descent, he became one of the first foreigners nationalized in Japan. An early educator of what they called it 洋学－ yougaku - then, meaning “western learning,” as opposed to that Confucius stuff, he was much like George Washington, as in “Lafcadio Hearn lived here!” His periplectic habits mean you could probably lob a rock randomly and hit a house where he’d lived. One particularly delightful example is in the park directly behind Tsuruya. It is worth a visit for those interested in how Westerners encroached upon Kumamoto. - William

Joe Tomei here, we recently had a post that had a photo of Mugishima Masaru ( 麦…

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 13:08:54 +0000

Joe Tomei here, we recently had a post that had a photo of Mugishima Masaru ( 麦島勝 ), who has an exhibition in Yatsushiro. Unfortunately, the photo (of a 1950’s deliveryman’s load) that accompanied the post was under copyright, and it’s not possible to delete only the photo (way to go Facebook!)

The photos are available in a digital database, so you are encouraged to check them out, it is here

Joe Tomei here, just want to pass this on, please contact below.

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 01:47:10 +0000

Joe Tomei here, just want to pass this on, please contact below.

Kyushu Gakuin Lutheran Junior High and High School is looking for a part time ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) for the 2022 school year. The job is for a one year period from April 2022. The applicants must be a native English speaker. You do not need to be a university graduate or have a teaching degree. You do not have to have a high Japanese speaking level. Kyushu Gakuin is hoping for someone that is able to work along with the Japanese English teachers and assist in English classes. *While this is a one year job, there is potential to stay longer. If you are interested please contact Kyushu Gakuin at (096) 364-6134.

Chuck Waterman posting:

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 22:21:52 +0000

Chuck Waterman posting:

#flights Don’t want to start a panic, but if you have a travel flight already booked and you have a conncting flight from somewhere else in Japan to Tokyo, check your reservation online frequently. I just checked with American Airlines online and discovered that the 7AM flight from FUK to HND had disappeared from my reservation. I’m on the phone with an agent right now tryng to book a flight for that leg the previous afternoon! Sheesh.

Three Kumamoto military bases attracted the attention of America’s B-29s in the …

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:11:40 +0000

Three Kumamoto military bases attracted the attention of America’s B-29s in the closing days of the war: Kengun, Kitakumamoto, and the airport, which was then in Kikuchi. (Disclaimer: I’ve taught at all three.) When I tried to turn my elderly neighbor’s yard into a garden, I found it meters deep in roof tiles. Oe must have been an inferno then. Now is the anniversary of that hellish time. A monument exists alongside Shirakawa near Denshadori to remind us. - William

We enjoy Olympics everyday.ーAtsuko.(งᐛ )ง

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 11:56:33 +0000

We enjoy Olympics everyday.ーAtsuko.(งᐛ )ง

Way back in 1587, Kato Kiyomasa managed to transit from the Warring States perio…

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 07:36:39 +0000

Way back in 1587, Kato Kiyomasa managed to transit from the Warring States period to the Azuchimomoyama era (安土桃山時代) without being killed、so the new Shogun, 織田信長 (Oda Nobunaga), sent Kato to invade Korea along with a compatriot, Konishi Yukinaga (小西行長, pictured below, rockin’ that yoroi - to say the two didn’t get along would be an understatement) in the expectation that they wouldn’t return, but when they did, Nobunaga gifted Kato with the far-flung province of Higo - northern Higo, to be precise, as Nobunaga had also gifted southern Kumamoto (now Uto) to Konishi. Perhaps Nobunaga was hoping the two would kill themselves off. But they didn’t, and Kato outlasted Konishi and united the province. - William

Kato Shrine used to be at where Fujisaki Dai baseball stadium is now, but during…

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 03:27:23 +0000

Kato Shrine used to be at where Fujisaki Dai baseball stadium is now, but during the Meiji Restoration, the shrine was moved inside the castle grounds proper. This left an empty space, which was filled by the stadium. It really must be one of the most beautiful stadiums in Japan, with excellent views of Mt. Kimpo and 400-year old camphor trees (kind of a funny kanji - “kusunoki” ends up being one: 楠) behind it. I’d strongly suggest a stroll behind the stadium to admire the trees. - William

Oft times you'll spot a monolith in Kumamoto City and can imagine the thud it ma…

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 13:39:59 +0000

Oft times you’ll spot a monolith in Kumamoto City and can imagine the thud it made when Aso spit it out - must have been quite an eruption for ejecta to travel so far. Probably the thudiest. And it’s still capable of this. Makes living in Kumamoto that much more thrilling. - William

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/geosoc1893/36/433/36_433_17/_article/-char/ja/

Kirk here. I'm considering a trip to the U.S. to visit family over the summer v…

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 09:43:26 +0000

Kirk here. I’m considering a trip to the U.S. to visit family over the summer vacation. I’m looking into resources on government web pages and am aware of the need to be tested for COVID-19 just before returning. I also understand that I won’t be able to take any connecting flights after my return to Japan. So, I’m guessing that I’ll need to rent a car and drive from Tokyo or from Osaka (which airport I wind up using). If I can fly through Seoul (transit) then I should be able to enter Japan in Fukuoka, but I’m not sure if that’s kosher.

Kirk here. I just learned that Sky Brown, this year's youngest (and probably cu…

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 04:02:03 +0000

Kirk here. I just learned that Sky Brown, this year’s youngest (and probably cutest!!) olympian spends half of the year in neighboring Miyazaki prefecture. She’s competing for the UK (which, I guess, is the country of her citizenship) but, when not in Miyazaki she seems to spend her time in the U.S. – which probably explains her American accent. Go Sky!!

https://www.facebook.com/awsmkids/posts/372786420878192

Just FYI, this is what you can expect to be underwater in the next few decades. …

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 15:03:29 +0000

Just FYI, this is what you can expect to be underwater in the next few decades. Global warming is a bit interesting: it’s not just that precipitation increases, it’s that warmer water fills greater volume. - William

Here's a bit of a secret. If you visit Tsujyunkyo in Yabe, cross it and take a l…

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 06:51:19 +0000

Here’s a bit of a secret. If you visit Tsujyunkyo in Yabe, cross it and take a long stone stairway down to where the river is delivered via waterfall called 五老ヶ滝 (Gorougataki - “waterfall of the five elderly”). No one swims there but me - and maybe you, if you can withstand anvil-type water shards battering your head (hint: swim backwards). If you reach the falls, you can climb up behind it, where there’s no water at all, but the deepest of moss you’ll ever feel. This is a wonderful summer adventure. - William

Researches at Kumamoto University are involved in figuring out what makes the De…

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:01:13 +0000

Researches at Kumamoto University are involved in figuring out what makes the Delta variant (L452R) so nasty.

– Kirk

P.S. Let’s all get vaccinated as soon as possible!

The Rising Sun Flag (旭日旗, Kyokujitsu-ki) is a Japanese flag that consists of a r…

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 07:50:58 +0000

The Rising Sun Flag (旭日旗, Kyokujitsu-ki) is a Japanese flag that consists of a red disc and sixteen red rays emanating from which. Sadly, it became convoluted with the war though its history is far older. Apparently, its origins are from Kikuchi (didn’t know that!), appropriate as it is one of the oldest domains in Japan. You can see other flags and read more about it here. - William https://kumamoto-senseki.net/5-1sub1/n.html

Have you bought eggs from a vending machine? Ogata Egg Farm has four egg vending…

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 02:31:48 +0000

Have you bought eggs from a vending machine? Ogata Egg Farm has four egg vending machines in Koshi City and Kikuyo Town and refills fresh eggs every day. When you find one, try to buy a pack of fresh eggs!

Chieko

A verdict was rendered in the sad case of local trainee (jisshuusei) convicted o…

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:01:54 +0000

A verdict was rendered in the sad case of local trainee (jisshuusei) convicted of abandoning the bodies of her stillborn twins. I have serious misgivings about the verdict but I’ll let you all read the article and decide for yourselves.

Rather, I’d like to make a few comments about an aspect of the coverage of this issue and others like it that I’m not happy with: the use of the words onna (女) and otoko (男) for most people deemed to be criminals. I say “most people” because the usage is not consistent but I’ll get to that point later. First, let’s look at how this has been covered in Japanese.

Photo exhibition by Mugishima Masaru (麦島勝)

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 12:38:02 +0000

From today to August 8th, there is a photo exhibition by Mugishima Masaru ( 麦島勝 ) at Kumamoto City Handicrafts Promotion Center ( 熊本市くまもと工芸会館 ) in Kawashiri, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City.

In this exhibition, we can see photos taken in all around Kumamoto mostly in the mid-20th century when Japan was experiencing high economic growth so cities are lively but people in rural areas were still following the traditional way of life.

明太子 (mentaiko) is translated as "spicy cod roe." I dunno how they get the cod to…

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 07:44:00 +0000

明太子 (mentaiko) is translated as “spicy cod roe.” I dunno how they get the cod to eat spicy stuff, but that’s a different story. My wife figured out that, if you mix it with mayonnaise, it makes a perfect vegetable dip. Try it out. - William

The following video is related to an exhibition that it underway at the Contempo…

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 06:32:42 +0000

The following video is related to an exhibition that it underway at the Contemporary Art Museum of Kumamoto.

https://www.facebook.com/david.king.144181/posts/10159595225194515

The exhibition is indoors so we may not get the full effect of Theo Jansen’s amazing creations (which are animated by only the power of the wind – completely analogue), but a segment I saw on TV was enticing nonetheless.

Hiromi Chida has posted a detailed explanation in both Japanese and English:

Kirk here, back again after a rather long and unexcused absence. I had a note f…

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 06:12:30 +0000

Kirk here, back again after a rather long and unexcused absence. I had a note from my mom but I can’t find it now – guess the dog ate it. ;)

I just did a little news search for “Kumamoto” and found that it’s the name of a new album released by Garrett Kato:

https://www.facebook.com/garrettkatomusic/posts/229823592293127

I listened to some of the tunes. Nice!

The Olympics loom. The Guardian has an article with accompanied video about the …

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 04:04:27 +0000

The Olympics loom. The Guardian has an article with accompanied video about the ‘64 games. It’s good watching during your summer vacation. Below is a quote from the article. - William

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/21/how-capturing-the-small-details-at-tokyo-64-created-a-masterpiece

Here’s a direct link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHt0eAdCCns

The story told in the documentary is more complicated and ambiguous. It was directed by Kon Ichikawa, who had only just won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival for his film Odd Obsession. The organisers had originally hired Akira Kurosawa, but dropped him when he insisted on having complete creative control over the opening and closing ceremonies as well. It paid off. Ichikawa, who had made his name with two anti-war movies, The Burmese Harp and Fires on the Plain, ended up making one of the great sports films. It won two Baftas, including best documentary.

Hi again.

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 23:49:40 +0000

Hi again. Personally, I don’t think we should hold Olympic in such COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, I’d like to encourage and cheer ALL players and athletes. Especially the 2 badminton players, 福島由紀(Yuki Fukushima) and 廣田彩花(Sayaka Hirota) are from Kumamoto!! Fukushima is from 八代Yatsushiro. Hirota is from 和水町Nagomimachi. Yes, my hometown is also Nagomimachi! Hirota and me are same elementary school and junior high OG. Her house is next area from my house. They had belonged to ルネサス Renesas and 再春館Saishunkan badminton team before, now in 岐阜県 Gifu.

MINAMATA advance screening

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 22:16:28 +0000

Hi friends. Kumamoto-i has shared lots articles about ‘‘MINAMATA’’. They will hold its advance screening on 21 August at Minamata city. There is meaning to play the movie at first at Minamata, I also think. The movie will be released from 23 September in Japan. The advance screening is cosponsored by 若かった患者の会(Wakakatta kannjyanokai) Patients group who were young at that time.) The issue isn’t past one but contentious, today’s one.ーAtsuko.

I have a daughter and teach at an all-female high school, so I'm familiar with t…

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 08:20:01 +0000

I have a daughter and teach at an all-female high school, so I’m familiar with the stress females face with their hair. Males have it easy - keep it above the collar, run a comb through if necessary, and that’s it. Females in their morning rush will generally brush their hair back and gather it in a band. It’s quick, efficient, and attractive. Apparently, it also keeps their heads cooler than having their hair over their ears. Sadly, the powers that be in some locales for some unknown reason have deemed this 「おしゃれ」(coquettish?) and are requiring female students to wear pigtails. That’s a hellava lotta more work. If I were they, I would protest. Not only would it save time in the morning and keep them cool in the afternoons, it would teach them civics. - William

Good morning Monday.

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 21:38:27 +0000

Good morning Monday. Beautiful views from 河内 Kawachi area. Blue sky, shining 有明海 Ariakekai, brilliant orange trees’ green. The view might make you relax and give you lots power!! ーAtsuko(งᐛ )ง

JMA has a useful natural disaster page. We were just hit by a small jolt with an…

Sat, 17 Jul 2021 12:00:51 +0000

JMA has a useful natural disaster page. We were just hit by a small jolt with an epicenter in Yamaguchi. I checked out for the first time the English version of the page and was confused by the button “Next Earthquake.” Do they know something they’re not sharing? - I clicked it to no response. - William

Kumanichi mentions a sake brewery in Yamato-cho called "Tsūjun Shuzō," named aft…

Sat, 17 Jul 2021 07:47:20 +0000

Kumanichi mentions a sake brewery in Yamato-cho called “Tsūjun Shuzō,” named after their famed Tsūjun Bridge. It originated in 1770 using an architectural technique called 土蔵造り (‘dozo-zukuri’), or “earthen-walled storehouse,” apparently one of only 220 remaining in all Japan. They were popular as they were impervious to the ubiquitous fires that once ravaged cities here and also deterred thieves. The brewery has a cool Website which sadly does not mention tours, though there is a restaurant and sake tasting: https://tuzyun.com/ Put that on your bucket list; if you’ve never toured a sake brewery, you should. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/317499

Chuck Waterman here:

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 23:08:02 +0000

Chuck Waterman here:

UPDATE: Two days past second shot. My only reaction is tiredness (Julie also has had a slight headache at times the last few days.)

Got my “vaccine passport. Took 35 minutes. Here’s a picture:

Opponents of bosozoku ー暴走族ーthose who ride bikes illegally modified to increase t…

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 13:53:31 +0000

Opponents of bosozoku ー暴走族ーthose who ride bikes illegally modified to increase their noise and then inflict their fetish on those trying to sleep - have scored a victory on one 20-year old Tamana woman riding an illegally modified bike on road prohibiting such traffic in Oguni, which should be a quiet town (she apparently works at a shop which modifies the bikes). One down. Let’s hope they go after the shop. Click Kumanichi for a full view of the bike - William

Reports are flooding in about a hyena roaming Kumamoto. It's obviously a dog wit…

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:33:17 +0000

Reports are flooding in about a hyena roaming Kumamoto. It’s obviously a dog with scabies, caused by mites. The condition is easily treatable. However, it is a reminder against allowing pets to freely associate, and to have a good vet. Visit the Doubutsu Aigo Center http://doubutsuaigo.hinokuni-net.jp/ if you want to adopt a pet. - William https://nordot.app/786827224114266112?c=92619697908483575

July. It was a dark and stormy night. (Charles Schulz understood Kumamoto very w…

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 11:59:27 +0000

July. It was a dark and stormy night. (Charles Schulz understood Kumamoto very well). - William

Long ago, before tunnels were bored through the mountains to create a more direc…

Sun, 11 Jul 2021 00:07:42 +0000

Long ago, before tunnels were bored through the mountains to create a more direct rail line connecting Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the sole route hugged the coast. It still exists, called the “Orange tetsudo” after the citrus grown in the area. It’s popular among those who want to go nowhere slowly. They’re offering a special menu to enjoy as you absorb the views and a passbook where you can receive a stamp at each station reached. Beautiful photos are at the link. - William https://www.hs-orange.com/kankou/

Sad news. A young Nottingham woman was found dead in her Yokohama apartment. I w…

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 13:46:15 +0000

Sad news. A young Nottingham woman was found dead in her Yokohama apartment. I will not speculate. However, particularly for young, single people in Japan, stress can be intense. Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL) has a 24-hour counseling service. And of course, we at KI are always here, though we’re not trained in this matter - just a listening ear. PM us if necessary. I myself have been there, with stress so high I considered just escaping, but there are options. - William

Hi Kumamoto-i-ians, Joe Tomei here with some fun travel info. Jason Morgan, owne…

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 10:26:18 +0000

Hi Kumamoto-i-ians, Joe Tomei here with some fun travel info. Jason Morgan, owner of the Voyager Bar (just off Daiko bashi, the bridge carrying the street car line into downtown) has the site https://kumamoto.guru/ and and the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.guru and I wanted to pass on this tidbit. He’s got some great pics of his trip, so like the page if you can!

Hoshino Resort, a Nagano-based company, has announced tentative plans to redevel…

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 10:11:41 +0000

Hoshino Resort, a Nagano-based company, has announced tentative plans to redevelop the former Parco site with a hotel and a mix of retailers. Parco has said they will reopen their shop in the new building. - William

Hi friends.

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 04:52:54 +0000

Hi friends. Sharing lots of ‘‘SUN’’ to move away rainy clouds from Kyushu!!!! Sunflowers at 西原村 Nishihara mura, near 萌の里Moenosato. They are full bloom this weekend. I love Kumamoto summer!!! ーAtsuko(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Morning Glory Market at Koraimon Gate (高麗門あさがお市)

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 04:29:53 +0000

A local market called “ Morning Glory Market at Koraimon Gate (高麗門あさがお市) “ has been held during this weekend. The venue is in Shinmachi (新町), Chuo-ku and it opens from 7:30 am to 1pm.

They exhibit Higo Asagao (肥後朝顔) which is one of the “Higo Rokka (肥後六花)”, means the six kinds of flowers. In the18th century when the Lord Shigekata Hosokawa (細川重賢) ruled Kumamoto, he encouraged his samurai to grow and develop the flowers for educational purposes such as disciplining their minds and cultivating their sensibility.

Floods pretty much are not a good thing unless you're a duck. We had quite a big…

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 19:07:16 +0000

Floods pretty much are not a good thing unless you’re a duck. We had quite a big one last year. Prepare: have a bug-out bag and ensure alternative communication methods with loved ones. - William

Another update from the Prefectural JET advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherl…

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 14:40:37 +0000

Another update from the Prefectural JET advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. (posted by Joe Tomei)

Here are your coronavirus updates:

State of Emergency to be called again in Tokyo Yesterday 920 new cases were reported in Tokyo, following a gradual increase in the numbers of new cases over the past two weeks. The national government has responded by beginning the process of calling a renewed State of Emergency, which was only downgraded to a Quasi-Emergency. Cases of the delta variant have been detected in multiple clusters in Tokyo.

Unfortunately, it's cloudy tonight instead of 七夕(たなばたTanabata, meaning "Evening …

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 12:00:19 +0000

Unfortunately, it’s cloudy tonight instead of 七夕(たなばたTanabata, meaning “Evening of the seventh). Tanabata is also known as the Star Festival (星祭り, Hoshi matsuri),a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival) I’d like to share Japanese elementary schools’ Summer flowers because I can’t share beautiful Milky way. The 1st grade students raise 朝顔Asagao, the morning glory. They water them every morning.It’s also Japanese summer colors.Hoping you also like it.

Higo Asagao is displayed now at Kumamoto castle for one week from 5 July. If you like them, please check it too. https://www.facebook.com/944988642193083/posts/6074356822589547/?sfnsn=mo ーAtsuko.(Ü)

Joe Tomei with a a brief report from Sean Benward about an event that that was a…

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:42:16 +0000

Joe Tomei with a a brief report from Sean Benward about an event that that was advertised on Kumamoto-i.

Thank you everyone at Kumamoto-i for your support.

The event was a success. Mother Nature cooperated.

We were able to raise money for the YWCA, expose and the kids hads ome gaijin time, but in an environment outside a classroom.

But most important, we introduced our kids to the 4 R’s Recycle, Reuse, Reduce and my favorite Refuse. There is a 5th R, - “Rot”, or compost, but we will save that for another day.

Liz here, thanks William Baerg for the compliment. I think my privacy settings p…

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:02:57 +0000

Liz here, thanks William Baerg for the compliment. I think my privacy settings prevent the video from being seen, so here it . Hope you all enjoy it.

Liz has a very cool image of the phenomenon known as "hydrophobicity" - literall…

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 07:23:52 +0000

Liz has a very cool image of the phenomenon known as “hydrophobicity” - literally, “hating water.” Plants have evolved a certain leaf shape which directs any moisture to the central stem, and from there, the roots. Look around and see that many plants have adopted this strategy. - William
https://www.facebook.com/100000300213208/videos/306677844477222/

This is how they did takkyubin during the day, ^ William

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 22:12:36 +0000

This is how they did takkyubin during the day, ^ William

Rainy season seminar

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 06:45:16 +0000

Rainy season is approaching. Most often, it’s just really rainy, but sometimes, it gets REALLY rainy, such that your neighborhood floods. Kumamoto International Center will hold a seminar on this on July 22nd at the International Center. More news is at the link. Tip o’ the hat to Luz De Leon. - William

The headline made me think this was a bottle for pets, which would be ridiculous…

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 06:39:16 +0000

The headline made me think this was a bottle for pets, which would be ridiculous, but most things for pets are. It actually stands for polyethylene terephthalate (this will be on the test). Now on sale is Aso spring water in a PET bottle shaped like the castle. It is available wherever it is sold. - William

熊本の風景と工芸

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 22:33:16 +0000

A special exhibition “ 熊本の風景と工芸 (Scenery and Traditional Crafts of Kumamoto)” is held at Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Centre (熊本伝統工芸館) until August 29th. This exhibition is a collaboration between photographs taken by Ryoichi Nagano (長野良市) who is from Aso and traditional crafts made in Kumamoto. Both works are decorated by regions. This exhibition enables us to travel the birthplace of those works and get the picture of the regions. For further information, check the link below.

Some 90% of igusa, the reed used to make tatami, are grown in Yatsushiro. Harves…

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 07:54:38 +0000

Some 90% of igusa, the reed used to make tatami, are grown in Yatsushiro. Harvest season has begun. This is what is under your feet. - William
https://kumanichi.com/articles/296037

This article is EXTREMELY vague on the technology used, but a store in Kamikumam…

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:03:59 +0000

This article is EXTREMELY vague on the technology used, but a store in Kamikumamoto, Trial, has introduced an automatic pay system where shoppers can register, toss their stuff in the cart, and exit the store without going through the hassle of a line. I suppose it’s based on RFID chips, which are now down to a couple yen apiece, cheaper than paying a cashier, particularly in Japan’s labor-starved economy. Drop by and check it out - you can use the densha, which also has the same system for cashless payments. - William

Retail is a tough business - long hours, low pay, and low profit margins. The fo…

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:41:03 +0000

Retail is a tough business - long hours, low pay, and low profit margins. The former Parco on Shimotori has been dismantled, causing a sinkhole 3 meters wide and 2.6 meters deep to run along its boarder with the shopping street. Reports are that it is easily repairable, but it might be interesting to drop by and see. The envisioned future for the site, a mixture of office and retail space, is shown below.(Notice that all are social distancing.) ーWilliam https://nordot.app/782978175271337984?c=92

Several words exist in Japanese for "lotus," such as スイレン and ハス(蓮), but the edi…

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 08:36:22 +0000

Several words exist in Japanese for “lotus,” such as スイレン and ハス(蓮), but the edible root is most commonly known as 蓮根 - “renkon,” or “connected root”. Kumamoto is quite famous for its cultivation, particularly on marginal land near Ariake Sea. It’s said that the Hosokawa family crest is derived from the shape of its root. It’s also associated with Buddhism as it rises through the muck to flower beautifully. Now is the time when it blossoms. Photographers, get out there. - William

Hi everyone, Joe Tomei here, and sorry for multiple postings, when it rains, it …

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 14:45:29 +0000

Hi everyone, Joe Tomei here, and sorry for multiple postings, when it rains, it pours! Mathew is in Fukuoka but is on this list and a friend of mine. I believe we have some people from the nationalities he is looking for, so if you can help him out, or know someone who could, please do. Basically, he needs people who have had experiences with the Japanese medical system. Thanks!

Kumamoto Vaccination Center

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 13:26:27 +0000

Joe Tomei here with a Kumamoto Coronavirus Update from the JET program Prefectural Advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. The last paragraph may be of interest to people who are hoping to travel in August. As always, thank you!.

Hi Kumamoto,

Yesterday, the Prefectural Government announced the end of the “Period of Strengthened Actions for the Protection of Our Health Care System” (医療を守る行動強化期間, iryō wo mamoru kōdō kyōka kikan). This comes three days earlier than expected, as it was originally scheduled to last until the end of the month.

Joe Tomei here, if you are getting a bit stir crazy and want to get out of the c…

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 12:37:41 +0000

Joe Tomei here, if you are getting a bit stir crazy and want to get out of the city, I’d suggest checking out Shonenji Temple Lodge in Takachiho, which is run by friend of Kumamoto-i, Victoria Yoshimura. More information below.

Takachiho is in Miyazaki prefecture but also only a short drive from the Mt.Aso area. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty with gorges, waterfalls and terraced rice fields. We offer a relaxing and luxurious stay in a 5-bedroom lodge which can accommodate up to 11 guests. Guests from both Japan and abroad can enjoy the Japanese-Scandinavian fusion interior. There is a fully-equipped kitchen and a self-serve continental breakfast is included. The Lodge is in the grounds of our family’s 440-year old Buddhist temple. My husband is the 17th generation head priest and we love to share our temple life with our guests. Please share this post and follow us on Instagram. #takachiho #templestaytakachiho #shonenjitemple #kyushu #explorejapan https://shonenjitemplelodge.com/ https://instagram.com/templestaytakachiho?r=nametag

Walking back from my IBM work on a cold, drizzly night in Osaka's Nishinakajimam…

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:07:25 +0000

Walking back from my IBM work on a cold, drizzly night in Osaka’s Nishinakajimaminamigata (西中島南方 - yes, there is a place called that), I heard a kitten mewing pitifully from an alleyway, so I stuffed her in my coat and took her home. Thin as bones, I named her Bones. She lived with me for a few years, never having lost her feral instincts, until one day she didn’t come home. (I had to leave my screen door open or she’d bounce of it like a trampoline.) Japanese has the cutest of phrases, “neko no hitai” ( 猫の額) meaning a cat’s forehead but indicating a small area. It is a useful phrase to remember If you choose to adopt an animal (which you should), visit the Kumamoto Doubutsu Aigo Center, which cares for abandoned pets. http://doubutsuaigo.hinokuni-net.jp/ - William http://noriko-sensei.com/blog/what-do-japanese-mean-by-cat-s-forehead

Kumamoto will host the soccer teams for the Olympics, so Kumamon donned a soccer…

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 06:28:28 +0000

Kumamoto will host the soccer teams for the Olympics, so Kumamon donned a soccer jersey. He’d probably be a good goalie. - William

Cool photo of the castle from the keep, courtesy of Kumanichi. - William

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:37:29 +0000

Cool photo of the castle from the keep, courtesy of Kumanichi. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/290190

One builds a castle in the hope that its simple existence will act as a deterren…

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 10:33:57 +0000

One builds a castle in the hope that its simple existence will act as a deterrent. Turns out this didn’t happen when the Satsuma forces determined to march on Edo, which took them through Kumamoto, controlled at the time by the Edo government. Events got, shall we say, out of hand as the Satsuma forces fired on the castle from a nearby hill. The event is famously portrayed in the movie, The Last Samurai. Attached is an ukiyoe of the battle, which resulted in the destruction of the original structure. -

Kumamoto Castle got a write-up in Japan Today. Apparently, its donjon is open ag…

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 08:12:45 +0000

Kumamoto Castle got a write-up in Japan Today. Apparently, its donjon is open again for visitors. - William

https://japantoday.com/category/national/kumamoto-castle-main-tower-damaged-by-2016-quake-reopens-to-public

Remember that incident where two guys threatened a guy in a local supermarket pa…

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 02:39:12 +0000

Remember that incident where two guys threatened a guy in a local supermarket parking lot with a knife: “Give us your weed or we’ll cut your throat?” Well, in their infinite wisdom the prosecutors have dropped this case. I saw a report about this on TV (RKK) and no explanation was given.

In Japan, the decisions that prosecutors make can be more important than those that judges make. If the prosecutors decide to pursue your case, you have a 99% chance of being found guilty. Then, in the rare instance where the judge finds you innocent, the prosecutors can appeal.

Charles Waterman here:

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:20:38 +0000

Charles Waterman here:

If you are calling to get your vaccination appointment today, and youy need the first one ASAP (because of travel or other issues) I recommend you try to book at one of the “mass vaccination sites” like the Kumamoto-Jo hall. If you do it by phone, be ready to struggle to understand the Japanese they will use and be prepared to very patiently and slowly spell every letter in your name if they ask you to. The gentleman who helped me this morning was very patient and got me a reservation

OK, just quietly posting this. If Misato-town isn't too far away for you, and y…

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 02:16:22 +0000

OK, just quietly posting this. If Misato-town isn’t too far away for you, and you’d like to try to get vaccinated more quickly, please check this page out: https://www.town.kumamoto-misato.lg.jp/q/aview/91/8375.html By the way, if anyone discovers any clinics in Kumamoto City that are setting up cancellation waiting lists like this, PLEASE post the info here!

Here’s another tip: a friend has told me that it may be faster to book the first vaccine shot if you book it at one of the mass vaccination sites rather than a clinic.

A Facebook post I subscribe to is devoted to ukiyoe (浮世絵)

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 08:42:15 +0000

A Facebook post I subscribe to is devoted to ukiyoe (浮世絵)

“pictures of the floating world,” as the poetic English translation has it. Chance has it that I looked up one of Higo, posted below. It’s got a horse, which behooves Higo. (Get it? GET IT?) Notice the 火 kanji the the right topmost corner. If you find an image of interest regarding Kumamoto, please send it to us. - William

Chuck Waterman here again.

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 06:23:33 +0000

Chuck Waterman here again.

OK, soon we 60-65 year olders should be getting our “vaccine tickets” in the mail. It would be very encouraging to several people if the first 3 or 4 expats who receive their tickets in the mail would please post here when you get them!

Chuck Waterman here again.

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 06:20:06 +0000

Chuck Waterman here again.

Well, soon some of us 60-65 year olds should be getting our tickets for vaccine. Please post here as soon as you get your ticket, fellow expats so we can be encouraged that some of us are actually getting them!

Thanks again, Carlton, for all the helpful info about getting your vaccine!

This was on the news last night and expanded here in this story:
Thu, 24 Jun 2021 02:27:00 +0000

This was on the news last night and expanded here in this story: https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-to-halt-company-applications-for-workplace-vaccinations Does anyone know if/how Kumamoto’s vaccination program might be affected by this? Were there any mass vaccination sites planned here using the Moderna vaccine? –CM

"Pun" in Japanese is called "dajyare" (駄洒落), but many call it an "oyaji gag - ol…

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 02:19:47 +0000

“Pun” in Japanese is called “dajyare” (駄洒落), but many call it an “oyaji gag - old man’s joke.” I can’t help myself. Just came home from a walk with my wife when a crow (karasu) darted just in front of our faces, and I said, “Why are they called crows? Because they’re 黒! (kuro)” and “Why are their nests always empty? Because they’re 空巣! (karasu)” For this, I was deservedly slapped in the face. - William

There's this bird that frequents Japan called the ブロンズトキ (buronzutoki), which in…

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 22:32:06 +0000

There’s this bird that frequents Japan called the ブロンズトキ (buronzutoki), which in English is called a “glossy ibis,” probably because it is an ibis which is glossy. (And before you ask, the plural of “ibis” is “ibes.”) One guy (?) was spotted in Tamana. So there’s a reason to go to Tamana. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/284255

Two weeks ago I took a stroll downtown. I haven't been to the machi for four and…

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:14:00 +0000

Two weeks ago I took a stroll downtown. I haven’t been to the machi for four and a half years, even though I live in the city.

It was mainly empty and felt reminiscent of a ghost town. A strange feeling to have given the current size of Kumamoto. At any rate, it was a beautiful day.

It seems this week a lot of places are opening back up. So it might be worth visiting again once the restaurants are up and running. –Tristan Vick

I friggin' love jumping spiders. Our house is filled with a plethora (which, if …

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 05:44:18 +0000

I friggin’ love jumping spiders. Our house is filled with a plethora (which, if my calculations are correct, is more than a methora). Observing their behavior is fascinating. Scientists have studied why they’re striped and ended up shrugging their shoulders - but imagine putting makeup on a spider (lipstick?). THIS is the kind of job I want. I’d say toss more money at them (the scientists, not the spiders - who knows what spiders’d do if they had cash). - William

Nice to see teachers being proactive. A seminar was held to discuss how to respo…

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 04:36:14 +0000

Nice to see teachers being proactive. A seminar was held to discuss how to respond to an approaching typhoon, and the teachers came up with some ideas as “move desks away from windows” and “send the kids home early if safe.” With global warming, we may see larger and more frequent typhoons. Plan accordingly. - William

I like to get lost. Once, on a solo trip to Amakusa, I ascended a mountain so st…

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 16:42:17 +0000

I like to get lost. Once, on a solo trip to Amakusa, I ascended a mountain so steep that my engine almost overheated. At the peak, I pulled into a driveway, and the young woman overseeing the house strangely didn’t appear to be surprised to see me. But when I looked in her backyard - it was a sheer hundred meters down to the sea. Ain’t no way I was going to check that out. - William

Kato Kiyomasa is known as the father of Kumamoto though he was born in Aichi - a…

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 09:33:16 +0000

Kato Kiyomasa is known as the father of Kumamoto though he was born in Aichi - after invading Korea didn’t kill him off as Hideyoshi had planned, Hideyoshi had Kato sent to far-off Higo, where he lived out his days, There’s a cool statue of him at the intersection fronting Miyukizaka. Take photos. - William https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kat%C5%8D_Kiyomasa

My daughter has returned to Kumamoto so had to change her residency status. I ac…

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 07:02:01 +0000

My daughter has returned to Kumamoto so had to change her residency status. I accompanied her to City Hall. It took about half the eternity that I had expected (y’know half an eternity?) I killed time by asking strangers strange questions (a huge map noted, “You are here,” and I got in a deeply philosophical discussion regarding this). But did you know that Kumamoto City Hall used to be where what is now Shirakawa Koen? It’s true! (Don’t mess with the guy holding the katana at the gate.) Fascinating info at the link. https://smtrc.jp/town-archives/city/kumamoto/p05.html - William

Good morning, Monday.

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 21:14:27 +0000

Good morning, Monday. I met 3 goats working early morning. They eat weeds and clean under the railway near Nishikumamoto station. Kumamon is a civil servant employed by prefectural government. The 3goats might be JR staffs.ーAtsuko(Ü)

A note from the Kumamoto International Desk of Weird News: Kids put stuff in the…

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 04:44:42 +0000

A note from the Kumamoto International Desk of Weird News: Kids put stuff in their mouths. There is a biophysiological reason for this: kids are much better at recovering from illness than us older folk, so getting sick a lot as a kid is a good thing - better than than later, as it allows the body to develop the antibodies required for healthy adulthood. Scientists also have it that this is where kissing comes from, and the habit of mothers chewing food and passing it on to their children. Recent reports suggest that parents cooping their children indoors during the pandemic may reduce their opportunities to confront viruses and develop immunity. Suggestion for our readers with young children: release them in the park and let them eat dirt. They will thank you for this later. - William

Kirk here with an inquiry we received: "Does anyone know of a podiatrist in Kuma…

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 04:11:08 +0000

Kirk here with an inquiry we received: “Does anyone know of a podiatrist in Kumamoto City?”

Well, I didn’t expect to be able to recommend a “podiatrist” (foot doctor) because, generally speaking, “podiatry” isn’t a big thing in Japan. I’ll comment below on why I think podiatry is a thing in English speaking countries but not in Japan but first let me introduce the website I found.

I searched for “熊本” (Kumamoto) and “足病医” (sokubyoui), a word that is not used very much in Japanese but is sometimes given as the translation for “podiatrist” or “foot doctor.” This site looks good (and the hospital, Hotakubo Seikeigeka, is not far from my home) but I don’t know anything about it.

When you walk around your neighborhood, you may often come across stone monument…

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 03:41:52 +0000

When you walk around your neighborhood, you may often come across stone monuments. Usually, they were built to commemorate people or events in the past but Koshi City has interesting ones, which are called Kinshu (禁酒, No-drinking) stone monuments. They are very unique on a nationwide level and we can see No-drinking stone monuments only in Koshi City and one small village in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Exploring the world of stone monuments is just like time traveling. They tell us local stories and history in the area.

Budding ornithologists must distinguish between herons, storks, egrets, and ibis…

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 03:13:38 +0000

Budding ornithologists must distinguish between herons, storks, egrets, and ibises (egrets, I’ve had a few…). Look them up. Kumanichi reports that that snowy herons are flocking to a reservoir adjoining route 57 in Aso’s Nagakusa (阿蘇市永草). I Googled “heron chicks” to see if there was some special word for them, but apparently, it’s only “chicks,” so I’ll go out on a limb and call them “heronettes.” Camera people, get going! - William

We have a friend, Urabe-san, 76, who is as Higo-ko as one can get. He came over …

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 02:35:39 +0000

We have a friend, Urabe-san, 76, who is as Higo-ko as one can get. He came over today as he knew I had a “computer” which can access the “internet” - he has no idea what these are but he does know what they can do. He wanted to look up the history of a certain politician - particularly, genealogical history. This did not surprise me. When I first arrived on these shores, in Osaka, during a job interview, I was asked where I was from, and I answered “America,” and the interviewer said, “No - I mean, your ancestors.” Being aware of this fascination of ancestry is important for non-Japanese here in Kumamoto. (Hint: make it up. I am nephew of the Earl of Noughtstuff.) - William

Good morning friends.

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 21:24:49 +0000

Good morning friends. It’s the rice planting season, this weekend @Kumamoto city, near 画図小. I go through these rice fields every morning. These paddy fields keep and bring us Kumamoto rich natural water also. It’s a beautiful and fresh scenery. Enjoy and feel them you too!ー Atsuko(´▿`)

When I first washed up on these shores, my wife's FIL's neighboring house was fu…

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 09:26:55 +0000

When I first washed up on these shores, my wife’s FIL’s neighboring house was furnitureless. Rather than ready-made stuff, I sought to build my own to customize use of space (man, I had energy then). But I was also penniless, so I sourced my wood straight from the source, a mill in Mifune, which has long been a source of wood due to its river. I used my FIL’s measuring tape to plan things, belatedly realizing that it was based on the “shaku,” which looks deceptively like an inch but is a bit longer (better to be too long than too short - the former can be rectified.) A new wall is being built alongside my local shrine, and I heard the craftsman call out “shaku.” A list of Japanese measurements for volume, distance, and dimensions can be found at the link. - William

The shrine adjoining my house has a retaining wall which encroaches a bit on the…

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 03:25:57 +0000

The shrine adjoining my house has a retaining wall which encroaches a bit on the lane. The city and the shrine have gone back and forth regarding what to do about this. Cleverly, the shrine is doubling down by building a very fancy wall atop the concrete retaining wall. It is being built using a traditional method with a wood-paneled base and a white stucco upper part, as shown in the photo. I’ve tried to find the Japanese expression for this type of construction but to no avail. If anyone knows, please inform us. However, I did find the kanji for stucco - 漆喰 (shikkui), so it was not all for naught. - William

Authorities are looking into the best route for a rail line from JR's Sanrigi st…

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 23:41:00 +0000

Authorities are looking into the best route for a rail line from JR’s Sanrigi station to the airport. I don’t have skin in this game as I have easy access to the airport bus, but for the vast majority in the greater Kumamoto area who don’t, it’s a game-changer. (There is currently access via bus from Ozu Station.) A plan under consideration is to tunnel under the populated area around the station (and, I suppose, Shirakawa) to resurface at a proposed station at Undo Koen before continuing on to the airport. Sounds cool! Perhaps we’ll see it realized in our lifetime. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/277225

The Azuchi-Momyama period (安土桃山時代, 1568 to 1600) was not so much a "period" as t…

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 10:48:57 +0000

The Azuchi-Momyama period (安土桃山時代, 1568 to 1600) was not so much a “period” as the final phase of the Sengoku period (戦国時代, 1467 to 1615), as Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto in 1568 and Tokugawa clinched victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate and beginning the Edo period.

Ruins of a 16th c. castle in Kosa Machi (甲佐, which literally means “armored support”) Jinnochijyouato「陣ノ内城跡［じんのうちじょうあと］ have been nominated as a National Historic Site. I can’t imagine how Kosa would have figured into the fighting far north; perhaps I’ll look into it. Kosa is a lovely, often overlooked town. I’ll write more about it later. Let’s hope this brings more tourists to their oft-overlooked town, a gateway to central Kyushu; it will certainly bring me. - William

On the 7th (Monday of last week), it seems that a sun halo was visible in Kumamo…

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 12:01:15 +0000

On the 7th (Monday of last week), it seems that a sun halo was visible in Kumamoto and other parts of Kyushu. I didn’t see it but saw something about it on a news program I had recorded and wound up looking at today. A halo is “the name for a family of optical phenomena produced by light (typically from the Sun or Moon) interacting with ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.” Even in the summer, I guess that very high (and thin) clouds can produce this kind of effect. – Kirk

Joe Tomei here. The 2021 Spring YOKA, a publication of Kumamoto JET program part…

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 09:57:46 +0000

Joe Tomei here. The 2021 Spring YOKA, a publication of Kumamoto JET program participants is available at https://kumamotojet.com/documents/YOKAs/2021SpringYOKA.pdf

Back issues are here https://kumamotojet.com/reiwa/category/yoka/

Thanks to Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland for allowing me to share it here.

Looking up the English translation of 晩白柚 (banpeiyu), I came up with "Citrus max…

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:13:35 +0000

Looking up the English translation of 晩白柚 (banpeiyu), I came up with “Citrus maxima” and “Citrus grandis.” I suppose either would do if viewed from the outside, but once peeled, it’s no bigger than a grapefruit. A farmer in Yatsushiro came up with a 5.4-kilogram (about 12 pounds) maximus Citrus maxima. Without the rind, though, it’s probably a pound. - William

When I go for quick errands during rainy season, I often go barefoot (裸足, hadash…

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 09:25:25 +0000

When I go for quick errands during rainy season, I often go barefoot (裸足, hadashi). Part of it is cultural - Californians regard bare feet as a sacred right - but part of it is practical: it’s much easier to dry off bare feet than to dry off shoes. Those who notice look at me strangely as if I weren’t wearing pants, which have an entirely different function. What is your opinion about going barefoot in Japan? - William

Post

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 04:30:58 +0000

Web spiders are good at what's call "ballooning," in which they allow gusts of w…

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:28:47 +0000

Web spiders are good at what’s call “ballooning,” in which they allow gusts of wind to send the aloft in the hope of meeting mates elsewhere. Apparently, they can reach the stratosphere and return to earth, saying, “‘Sup, dude?” on a different continent. But hunting spiders are not capable of this. Long ago, they had to walk, but human transportation has given them a, uh, lift? The black widow spider, a hybrid of web and hunting spiders, is know for hitchhiking its way from its native Australian to various locations via lumber trade. They are known for their hourglass-shaped abdomen and for residing in dark, dank places. My grandfather, a famous etymologist, had one bite him once and had to be hospitalized (that’s how they studied spider toxicity in the day). Apparently, they’ve shown up in Kumamoto. If you see any spider that looks like this, call the authorities. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/271471

I haven't been there for a long time but I'm fairly sure this is Dazaifu Tenmang…

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 14:11:33 +0000

I haven’t been there for a long time but I’m fairly sure this is Dazaifu Tenmangu (太宰府天満宮), a Shinto shrine in Fukuoka. Every time I visited in the past, I remember lots of people being there. The weather is nice and the shrine looks beautiful in this little smartphone video but the area is eerily empty, presumedly because of the pandemic. – KIrk

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=822159455078028&ref=watch_permalink

Career opportunities for foreigners in the regional tourism industry

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 08:06:59 +0000

Here’s something that came to me via a friend on Facebook. It’s about a free, online event on the topic of career opportunities for foreigners in the regional tourism industry. Be aware, though, that everything will be in Japanese. – Kirk

P.S. Here’s the link represented by the QR code on the left. A link to the form (the QR code on the right) is in that page.

https://minamioguni.jp/archives/206751

Kirk here, sharing some information regarding how to interpret evacuation warnin…

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 03:10:41 +0000

Kirk here, sharing some information regarding how to interpret evacuation warnings. This came to me via the K-SAFE e-mail newsletter, which is put out by the Kumamoto City International Foundation. Here’s a URL with the entire newsletter (which includes other topics):

https://secnet.kumamoto-net.ne.jp/frms/MailHaishinNaiyous?lang=en&hfDsp=OFF

This page also links to information about how to sign up for the e-mail messages.

By the way, please note that the good people at the International Foundation have honored our request (well, my request, endorsed by many readers of this page) to add the original Japanese text to such messages. I’d like to express my appreciation to them once again. For some background information regarding the request for the inclusion of Japanese text in such messages please see:

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update from the Asahi Shimbun:

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 02:46:04 +0000

Kirk here with a COVID-19 update from the Asahi Shimbun:

“At a news conference on June 10, Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima announced his plan to ask only eating and drinking establishments that serve alcohol in Kumamoto city to close by 9 p.m. until June 30. Those establishments have been asked to close by 8 p.m. The prefectural government will stop asking restaurants and bars in Kumamoto city to refrain from serving alcohol and cancel the request for those in the prefecture, except Kumamoto city, to close by 9 p.m. after the measures end on June 13. ‘If anti-coronavirus measures are relaxed and social and economic activities become more active, then infections could spread again,’ Kabashima warned.”

Joe Tomei here with an update from the JET Prefectural Advisors, Lily McDermott …

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 09:02:44 +0000

Joe Tomei here with an update from the JET Prefectural Advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. As always, thanks to them for sharing these reports.

======= Hi everyone,

It seems like today will be our last day of reprieve from the rainy season, which will start in full force again starting tomorrow. Here are some updates regarding COVID-19.

“Quasi-Emergency Measures” to be replaced with “Period of Strengthened Measures for the Protection of Our Health Care System” Due to the number of new cases reducing in Kumamoto, the national government is not extending the “Quasi-Emergency” (まん延防止等重点措置, man’en bōshi tō jūten sochi) designation for Kumamoto. These measures are set to end on Sunday, June 13.

Kirk here with some information about whether or not you will receive a "vaccina…

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 04:41:30 +0000

Kirk here with some information about whether or not you will receive a “vaccination coupon” (接種券 [sesshuken]) in the mail.

First, the short answer: If you have a residence card (在留カード [zairyu kaado]) and the address on that card is current, you should get your coupon in the mail when your turn is about to come up.

I was prompted to look into this by discussion in response to Atsuko’s post (thanks Atsuko) on this topic:

Hello friends.

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:58:16 +0000

Hello friends. Kumamoto city sends out inoculation ticket toward under new coronavirus infectious disease vaccination 65 years old. You need advance reservations by all means. Other than family medicine, you can inoculate in group inoculation venues such as Kumamoto-jo Castle halls. The page has documents you’ll get.

Now, I’d like to know good family medicines, of course, doctors and nurses can talk English.Please let me know and share your recommended family medicine in Kumamoto. Share good information and help out each other! ーAtsuko.(Ü) The page has Chinese and Korean pages too.

Water lilies, usually written in katakana as スイレン, but if you want to impress yo…

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:10:48 +0000

Water lilies, usually written in katakana as スイレン, but if you want to impress your friends, you could use the kanji 睡蓮, are in season now. They’re a symbol of Buddhism as they emerge from the muck, traverse through the murk, and finally emerge at the surface and blossom. Kinda like my every day, if I’m lucky. The area near Yatsushiro Sea is the place where they’re most cultivated, being marginal land, so for you camera persons - get busy! And send us your work! - William
https://kumanichi.com/articles/266844

My apologies but I had to delete a post I put up about a revised vaccination sch…

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 05:09:34 +0000

My apologies but I had to delete a post I put up about a revised vaccination schedule suggesting it was for folks under 65. Kumamoto city just issued a correction, so I’ve withdrawn the two pictures that I sent about 30 minutes ago.

However I will add, as an over 65 year old, that I was fortunate enough (I think) to receive my 2nd Pfizer vaccination yesterday. I reported here on May 19 or 20 about my 1st shot.

Talking with a friend from Texas, where pretty much everything is lethal, we rea…

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 04:01:15 +0000

Talking with a friend from Texas, where pretty much everything is lethal, we realized that there are very few dangerous animals in Japan. The two we could come up with are the mamushi (aka Japanese pit viper) and the oosuzumebachi (Japanese giant hornet). If you see either, run the other way. Particularly, the hornets will swarm you if you approach their nest (photo below - beautiful things but to be avoided). Inform authorities if you spot a nest, and they will have it removed. - William https://msp.c.yimg.jp/images/v2/tpvPBYOX1wpNVI1UoNSgEtrvL7k9lx2-zrymg9F6y1ursqxxTsl5BP2Ba6x0QDgcVrUD26EFn1N5mqbS0BPCBjj2Du3Z_QF9NwHIlrcrrZsl4QOzieU3ppfVKs4mvKsRp46v9zJBzQskIO8tldsG8kqtfFQue1tpO7x-quTKlISM6PuNDw-7_9DTxCOP6CaXg2TUWon14TQrPwboFlQOaA==/suzumebachi01.jpg?errorImage=false https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamushi https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AA%E3%82%AA%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BA%E3%83%A1%E3%83%90%E3%83%81

My hometown's newspaper, the LA Times, is running a series on earthquake prepare…

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 03:25:09 +0000

My hometown’s newspaper, the LA Times, is running a series on earthquake preparedness. A useful hint they noted today is to keep your bug-out bag in your car. If interested, follow it at the link: https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2021-06-09/ready-for-the-big-one-earthquake-unshaken - William

Mixed messages

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 02:19:06 +0000

Mixed messages

Recalling Kirk’s posting of the marijuana arrest in Kumamoto Prefecture recently, and also looking at Japan struggling to reach the 1 million Covid jabs per day goal of the Suga administration, I can say with authority I think that the plan in place in Washington State in the US won’t be a role model here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/washington-state-offers-e2-80-98joints-for-jabs-e2-80-99-to-boost-vaccination-rates/ar-AAKRBnq

A word from the Kumamoto International Recruitment Desk: As the KI recruitment m…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 14:02:26 +0000

A word from the Kumamoto International Recruitment Desk: As the KI recruitment manager, I’ve got a heavy quota I can’t fill and am pressured into posting under numerous pseudonyms, all of them “William” (hey - there are lots of “Williams” - pictured: my wife and I with our son, William, on the way back home). I post for two reasons: I love writing, and I love Kumamoto. If you think you can post on subjects topical to this feed consistently and with no nudity (well, you can post while nude; just don’t include a screenshot), please PM us, and voila! - you’re an editor. - William

Kirk here with news about the vaccination schedule for Kumamoto City. I heard t…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 12:40:26 +0000

Kirk here with news about the vaccination schedule for Kumamoto City. I heard today that youngsters like me (I.e. between 60 and 64) who have been waiting patiently for our elders to hurry up and get poked will be able to start registering on July 10th. People with medical conditions and handicaps will also be able to begin registering at this time. Actual vaccinations for those of us in this group will start on July 26th. Please refer to the attached image for information about when even more youthful denizens of Kumamoto should be able to get vaccinated.

Y'know how sometimes you're speaking a foreign (or even your native) language an…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 12:15:09 +0000

Y’know how sometimes you’re speaking a foreign (or even your native) language and a word escapes you? What I’ve learned is to halt everything, empty your brain, wait a moment, and it will bubble up. That happened to me today when I had to recall “toothpick” (I never use them, but we’re planting avocado seeds): 爪楊枝（つまようじ). Try it - it works. (You can use waribashi for the avocado seeds, too) - William

Shin Yatsushiro Station, which I use for a recent job, baffles me: it is a bemou…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 11:15:07 +0000

Shin Yatsushiro Station, which I use for a recent job, baffles me: it is a bemouth which serves both the Shinkansen and regular lines but is surrounded by … rice paddies. There is not a store, not even of the convenience type. They do have a vending machine, so I can get my Coke fix. Perhaps it’s a “build it and they will come” mindset, but “they” have yet to come. - William

A friend mailed me about SDGs - "sustainable development goals" - and after brie…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 08:31:53 +0000

A friend mailed me about SDGs - “sustainable development goals” - and after briefly panicking that she might be discussing STDs, I found that the Kumamoto Trolley has an entire page dedicated to it (Japanese only). - William

Yabe is a great lil' town (disclaimer: my wife hails from there). The new road h…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:49:11 +0000

Yabe is a great lil’ town (disclaimer: my wife hails from there). The new road has vastly shortened driving time; this will be further shortened as the trans-Kyushu expressway passes through the town. Yabe is a wonderful summer day-trip; you can stop at Samatanoyu onsen in on the way home (https://samatanoyu-misato.jp/). While famous for its iconic bridge, Tsujinkyo, many do not know its famous waterfall, Gorougataki ( https://kumamoto.guide/spots/detail/11819 ), which can be reached by traversing the bridge and going down a long, stone staircase. Make sure to note the two types of rock composing the cliffs, deposited during two different Aso eruptions. Nobody swims in the pool except me. Hint: swim backwards to prevent the hail-like water droplets from lacerating your eyes, then climb behind the falls to see the deepest moss you’ll ever see. For further adventure, continue along the path, which is suspended above the river as it traverses a gorge, cross a footbridge, than follow a few farmer’s roads to get back to town (it follows the aqueduct that feeds the bridge). It’s an easy hike except for the path up from the gorge - but then, once you’re down there, you’ve gotta climb back out anyway. - William

There was carnage this morning in my genkan as an ashidakagumo (Heteropoda venat…

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 02:14:46 +0000

There was carnage this morning in my genkan as an ashidakagumo (Heteropoda venatoria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteropoda_venatoria), which means “spider with friggin’ big legs,” systematically killed, dismembered, and ate a cockroach. What remains now are only the crunchy parts. Neither my wife nor I intervened: All we could do was look on in horror. Wikipedia notes, “Besides insects it has been known to prey on scorpions and bats.” (!!) Still, that’s one less cockroach. We pardoned the spider, who remains on patrol. - William

fundraising event at the YWCA

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 08:28:36 +0000

Joe Tomei here, I’ve been asked to pass on information about the fundraising event at the YWCA, organized by Sean Benward. Please contact Sean for more details, contact info is in the flier!

I wasn't aware that Mr. Hosokawa was such an accomplished artist. As I think mo…

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 05:57:51 +0000

I wasn’t aware that Mr. Hosokawa was such an accomplished artist. As I think most of you know, he is a descendant of Hosokawa Tadaoki, who replaced Kato Tadahiro (Kato Kiyomasa’s son) as lord of Kumamoto in 1632. He is the only former governor of Kumamoto I am aware of to have become prime minister in the postwar era . – Kirk

P.S. Thanks to Kazuhiro Oyama for telling us about Kiyoura Keigo, who was a prime minister in the 1920s. (See comments)

As a kid, I was a star runner in my school district (#2!) in California, but I d…

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:49:30 +0000

As a kid, I was a star runner in my school district (#2!) in California, but I did it for fun. For example, as I went through three coaches in four years, I became the team’s de facto coach and came up with the pool run, where runners had to see how many condominium pools we could swim through (it involved leaping a fence, swimming through pools with shoes on, leaping the opposite side fence, and continuing on - we kept a record of the amount of pools swum year-to-year; the record when I left was 17). I had hoped for a similar experience for my son at Kumamoto’s Kyushu Gakuin, one of the premier distance running schools in Japan, but I guess there’s a reason why they’re premier: it is not fun (note: it is otherwise a wonderful school, and I highly recommend it to children of international background). So, to my disappointment, he quit the team - but I understood why: they’re militant. Take care to understand the training regime of your kids in schools and how they truly feel about it. If they’re receiving more stress than joy, let them leave. - William

Lovers of the great outdoors might want to keep ASO Nature Land in mind when mak…

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 05:56:13 +0000

Lovers of the great outdoors might want to keep ASO Nature Land in mind when making plans for activities. This post is just one example of what they do. The Facebook page is in Japanese but the pictures tell most of the story. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3957747474302209&id=224189814324679

June marks the beginning of rainy season. Prepare to be perpetually soggy. Here …

Sat, 05 Jun 2021 07:42:49 +0000

June marks the beginning of rainy season. Prepare to be perpetually soggy. Here is an informative article on the phenomenon. - William

https://blog.gaijinpot.com/japans-rainy-season-called-month-no-water/

Hello friends.

Sat, 05 Jun 2021 04:38:48 +0000

Hello friends. It was the 10th Anniversary Day of being fair trade city, Kumamoto, yesterday. I impressed I listened some presentations which introduced some products like BABANA paper, reasonable T shirts, coffee … at international center before. Knowing well and feel other country closely are the first step of fair trade, I think. 明石san Akashisan is the representative of Fair trade Kumamoto Promotion Committee. She runs a fair trade shop ‘’loveland’’. https://www.facebook.com/loveland.ft/ https://lovelandkuma.wixsite.com/home Go, Go fair trade city, Kumamoto!! ーAtsuko(´▿`)

This article in Japanese is about plans to go ahead with a public viewing event …

Sat, 05 Jun 2021 01:42:33 +0000

This article in Japanese is about plans to go ahead with a public viewing event in Kumamoto-jo Hall (downtown, near the International Center), despite Tokyo’s cancellation of a similar event that had been planned for Yoyogi Park. See the second URL is for an English article on that topic.

Personally, I prefer to stay at home and watch on TV. Medical expert Shigeru Om has been testifying in the Diet recently that the real danger from the Olympics is not interaction between athletes and staff but the moving, intermingling, and celebrating of the fans. (See third URL for that.) – Kirk

An effect of the coronavirus is that part-time jobs for college students have va…

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 21:24:08 +0000

An effect of the coronavirus is that part-time jobs for college students have vanished, leaving them pinched for cash. Kumanichi reports on this. Pictured is the shopping basket of a student who managed to buy a week’s worth of vegetables for 548 yen. - William

I recently posted about the busting of a marijuana growing operation in Yamaga:

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 05:47:50 +0000

I recently posted about the busting of a marijuana growing operation in Yamaga:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5458758834197504

On last night’s RKK news, they said that there have been a number of marijuana-related arrests in recent years and that police think that the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. has led to increased demand here:

https://rkk.jp/news/backno_page.php?id=NS003202106031532190111

They cited a robbery that occurred in the parking lot of HIrose, a supermarket near my workplace of Kumamoto Gakuen University, as another crime involving marijuana. It was initially reported that the two assailants had used a knife to force a man in his car to hand over his phone and cash. Later, however, one of the suspects said that they were actually after his weed. The police then searched the victim’s residence and found the drugs.

Joe Tomei here. We've got a standing offer here on Kuma-i to post blurbs about l…

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 01:08:48 +0000

Joe Tomei here. We’ve got a standing offer here on Kuma-i to post blurbs about local businesses in Kumamoto and I’ve just been asked to pass this on. Thanks Claire!!

Hello from Tamana, Kumamoto! My husband has a liquor shop which, as you can imagine, has been suffering almost non stop since last February. He has his staff on furlough in order to get the 60% wage assistance from the govt so although the shop is really quiet, he’s pretty busy doing everybody’s work. And stressed and fed up. So …..I gave up waiting for him to make an English language website and made one for him! It is simple but I’d love it if people could take a look. There aren’t that many bottles in the online shop but he can get just about anything. The shop in Tamana also has an extensive choice of sake, shouchu, spirits and wine! What he lacks in tech, he makes up for in service, knowledge, and helpfulness so please drop him an email in English or Japanese through the website if you have anything you’d like to buy that you can’t see.

Weed recycling? A dangerous business in Kumamoto. -- Kirk

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 14:49:06 +0000

Weed recycling? A dangerous business in Kumamoto. – Kirk

I've been surprised during my recent commutes to Yatsushiro at Kumamoto's vast n…

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 04:54:30 +0000

I’ve been surprised during my recent commutes to Yatsushiro at Kumamoto’s vast number of rivers, many of which I didn’t know existed. They fill with sediment, which must be removed or the rivers will overflow. There are few, narrow timespans during relatively dry periods when this is possible, and the engineers are out working like crazy from dawn to dusk to get it done. Pictured: a whole lotta sediment to remove. I have no idea what they do with it. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/253846

Jeff Cairns Shakuhachi Performance

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 03:22:17 +0000

If you’ve never heard the sublime sound of our friend Jeff Cairns on shakuhachi, you are missing out on infinite sublimity. He will play on June 6 at the Kumamoto City Theater; doors open at 10:00 AM. PM for details. - William

Following the wonderful Facebook page, "Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world)…

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 03:14:33 +0000

Following the wonderful Facebook page, “Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world),” I wondered if there was an ukiyoe of Kumamoto. I think this is one: apparently, it is a depiction of the Hōgen Rebellion, when various groups dissatisfied with the dominance of the Fujiwara clan sought to overthrow it (hint: they lost). Apparently, there were really big fish those days. But seriously, the painting shows the terror Japanese held of the ocean in the 12th c. - William

I'm teaching at an all-female high school in Yatsushiro now. It suits me as I gr…

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 22:56:28 +0000

I’m teaching at an all-female high school in Yatsushiro now. It suits me as I grew up in an all-female household - even my cat was female. Perhaps that is why my marriage is successful: I am the only male able to understand my wife. This video has nothing to do with Kumamoto other than it features a bear: in my hometown of Los Angeles, a bear appeared atop a wall, seeming to threaten a few small dogs, and a 17-year old girl thrust him away. Never, ever underestimate girls. Video at the link. - William

I’m all for truth in advertising but just maybe, in the case of this delicacy at…

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 13:49:36 +0000

I’m all for truth in advertising but just maybe, in the case of this delicacy at your nearby Seven 11 store, a little white English lie might advance this product‘s prospects better? At least translate the “30% reduced salt” part for the heart healthy-conscious. —CM

My grandfather was an arachnologist (someone who studies spiders - kind of a nic…

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 11:31:37 +0000

My grandfather was an arachnologist (someone who studies spiders - kind of a niche field), so I grew up around a lot of spiders. Tarantulas are tame (I had one as a pet. His name was Chewie, after the Star Wars Chubaka); black widows, though small, you ignore at your peril. Now is spider season in Japan. My strong suggestion is to allow spiders free-reign, particularly the big guys. There are no dangerous spiders in Japan. Which do you prefer, spiders or cockroaches? - William

I'm teaching four and 1/2 hours in a row at a local high school and have assista…

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 08:37:27 +0000

I’m teaching four and 1/2 hours in a row at a local high school and have assistant teachers who assist, two hours each at a time. It occurred to me that perhaps teaching four hours in a row is illegal under Japanese union rules. I don’t mind it - I love my students, and my fellow teachers are very helpful, and I wouldn’t change it anyway - once one gets the ball rolling, it’s best not to halt it. But just out of curiosity, does anyone have any info about the legality of the situation? - William

I'd written that post about how my wife, Sawako's, ancestors were 山伏 (yamabushi …

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 07:11:05 +0000

I’d written that post about how my wife, Sawako’s, ancestors were 山伏 (yamabushi - mountain samurai), and she got angry: “No! They were true samurai!” Perhaps she’s correct, but either way, I’ve learned not to argue with her. (Pictured: yamabushi and samurai. Hard to tell which was more bad-ass.) - William

I never had the pleasure of meeting my wife, Sawako's, mother as she'd died befo…

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 06:43:47 +0000

I never had the pleasure of meeting my wife, Sawako’s, mother as she’d died before I’d arrived on these shores, but I showed Sawako the post I’d written about the bus connecting the city and Yabe, and she exclaimed, “Oh, that’s the 赤バス (red bus)! It’s the one that goes to Yabe! Every time my mother saw that, she was filled with a yearning to go home!” People from Yabe are called 浜っ子 (hamakko -the historical name of the town was 浜町, hamamachi), and their denizens draw a great line between themselves and those who live in the city. Sawako’s mother, from what I hear, never got over leaving the town. Hamakko have VERY long historical memories, particularly regarding genealogical lines, are extremely stuck in their ways (if you’re a farmer, I suppose that makes sense - try something new and you could lose a year of income), and are suspicious of outsiders (but I have an in: I’m Kikukawa-san’s daughter’s husband, as everyone knows, even though she’s been dead for 40 years). - William

Our friends at KumaVisit are in the news!

Mon, 31 May 2021 14:13:30 +0000

Our friends at KumaVisit are in the news!

https://kumanichi.com/articles/251884

The article is about this “Point & Speak” sheet:

https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2865918093659818

Good work!!

– KIrk

The "diamond Fugendake" 「ダイヤモンド普賢岳」is an atmospheric phenomenon in which atmosph…

Mon, 31 May 2021 07:28:52 +0000

The “diamond Fugendake” 「ダイヤモンド普賢岳」is an atmospheric phenomenon in which atmospheric moisture creates a halo-effect around the sun as it sets behind Mt. Fugen. It seems to have occurred the other day. Kumanichi reports on it. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/251016

The 1930s were not a fun time to live anywhere, particularly in Japan, where its…

Mon, 31 May 2021 05:21:20 +0000

The 1930s were not a fun time to live anywhere, particularly in Japan, where its nascent export industries were devastated due to the Great Depression, leading to mass emigration, especially from Kumamoto. Some went to South America (mostly Brazil, where their agricultural skills came in handy), and my home state of California (where their agricultural skills also came in handy). My wife’s grandmother went to Manchuria. I’d been there and was eager to engage in conversation, but she was extremely reluctant to talk about it. Some of them - or their scion - returned. Kumanichi has a fascinating article regarding this (as always, Google Translate is your friend). - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/251035

As I've mentioned, I've been taking the conventional train to my job in Yatsushi…

Sun, 30 May 2021 10:59:31 +0000

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been taking the conventional train to my job in Yatsushiro, not only as it is cheaper than the Shinkansen, but I can enjoyably observe morning commuters’ two favorite hobbies: snatching a few more ZZZs or staring at their cellphones. It’s worth the price of the ticket. But apparently, Japan is moving ahead with magnetically levitated trains that could reduce the travel time between Tokyo and Osaka to less than that of an airplane. (Fares will probably be, like, really expensive.) I hope that they build one between Kumamoto and Yatsushiro so that I can arrive an hour before I left. - William

肥後アマビエ恋歌異聞

Sun, 30 May 2021 04:04:29 +0000

Seiwa Bunraku (清和文楽) is the only theater in Kyushu where we can see Ningyo Joruri drama (人形浄瑠璃).

Until the end of July 2021, you can see the new and original drama, “Higo Amabie Koiutaibun (肥後アマビエ恋歌異聞)”. You may have heard of Amabie. She is a Japanese folk monster which is believed to live in the ocean in Kumamoto. It is said that when plague spread in the past, Amabie told locals to draw her figure on a piece of paper and show it to others so that the epidemic would be ended soon. This new play is a creation which is about Amabie and her impossible love with young samurai.

Matsui clan exhibition

Sun, 30 May 2021 02:29:55 +0000

Y’know when you’re a really good samurai, but not quite good enough to establish your own domain? That was the Matsui clan of Yatsushiro, who cleaved onto the Tokugawa clan and managed to survive (useful to the shogun as it provided a check against the rebellious Satsuma). Judging by the uniform, it must not have been an easy gig. There is an exhibition of their stuff now at the 八代市立博物館. William https://kumanichi.com/articles/248823

Cows are both interesting and interested - I brought my whippet, Devo, into a ba…

Sun, 30 May 2021 01:30:09 +0000

Cows are both interesting and interested - I brought my whippet, Devo, into a barn in Aso once, and the cows were fascinated by this strange animal, lowing and rolling their eyes as my dog did his best to stay away from them (I’d never seen him stick so closely to the center of a path), but - HAY! - apparently there is a phrase for the first hay harvested to tide over winter: 「１番草」(ichibangusa), and, according to Kumanichi, they’ve got that in the barn now, much to the relief of milk-lovers such as I. - William

My wife made me garden this morning. I was not gruntled (that is, disgruntled). …

Sun, 30 May 2021 00:22:09 +0000

My wife made me garden this morning. I was not gruntled (that is, disgruntled). Long ago, I’d planted some sasa, a diminutive type of bamboo - as is often the case, choose your kanji - 笹、篠、筱、筿 - to shield our window. (Apparently, bamboo have pachymorph rhizomes that develop into a new culm such that they’ll sprout meters away, having traversed under the asphalt), and they drop a lot of leaves, which I have to pick out one by one from between the gaps in the bricks. This is what led me not to be gruntled. But I am happy that the sasa is doing well - it will no doubt outlive me. - William http://bamboo-identification.co.uk/html/rhizomes.html

Liz here. I am sorry this is so close to the crowd funding deadline , but I hope…

Sat, 29 May 2021 11:47:49 +0000

Liz here. I am sorry this is so close to the crowd funding deadline , but I hope some will be able to donate to this very worthy cause. Hiromi Chida was kind enough to translate the most important parts into English. Her page Kuma Visit is a wealth of information and worthy of a Like to keep you updated on her posts.

Just reposting a tidbit I put on my private page - William

Sat, 29 May 2021 11:27:50 +0000

Just reposting a tidbit I put on my private page - William

My adopted hometown of Higo (now Kumamoto) occupies a somewhat precarious position, sandwiched between Hakata (now Fukuoka), which was always closely controlled by Edo (now Tokyo), and Satsuma (now Kagoshima), which alone among all Japanese domains was never controlled by any one clan but the Shimazu (still the Shimazu) - they were always like, “Come and get us!” to the shogun, and the armies that trampled back and forth did so in my backyard, Higo (now Kumamoto). Even today, the Hakata and the Satsuma retain a mutual dislike, and nobody likes Kumamoto, us poor Higo-ko, as we’re still known. But that Tom Cruise movie, the Last Samurai, (very) loosely based on history, took place in my hometown. (Pictured: it’s like, “Sure, invade us! We have impassable mountains and caldera lakes and live volcanoes, and we know where all of them are, but you don’t!”).

My wife reads the 今日の料理 (Kyo no Ryori) magazine and watches its associated TV sh…

Sat, 29 May 2021 10:17:38 +0000

My wife reads the 今日の料理 (Kyo no Ryori) magazine and watches its associated TV show like it’s some kind of religion. I flip through the magazine as a guide to what will show up on my table sometime during the week. But their was an interesting ad on the rear this week for pure-cane sugar （きびさと、きび砂糖 - there seems to be no kanji for きび). Sugar and salt are the elixirs of life. Once, in a remote corner of Kagoshima, I came across a small salt still - the owner told me she takes discarded wood from construction sites to boil the local water down to its solidities, and that the reason the salt is so good is due to the calcium that the coral in the water provides. She let me buy some with the warning that she normally does not sell to individual customers, only those in her network (high-end restaurants). .

Other things about the corona virus we've likely not thought about: Kumamoto Uni…

Sat, 29 May 2021 07:29:51 +0000

Other things about the corona virus we’ve likely not thought about: Kumamoto University students are for the most tossed out into the wild and told to forage for themselves, but foraging, consisting mostly as it does of restaurant work, has all but dried up. So a project, called the くまもと学生食料支援プロジェクト has been launched to provide free meals to Kumadai students. One is quoted as saying, 「夢みたいなありがたいことやってる。おまえも来い」- “I’m so thankful - it’s like a dream! All of you guys, get out here!” - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/248181

There seems to be some dispute about the etymological origins of 熊本. This is the…

Sat, 29 May 2021 06:35:13 +0000

There seems to be some dispute about the etymological origins of 熊本. This is the most persuadable argument I’ve heard. The original kanji for Kumamoto didn’t use 熊本 but 隈本ーthat is, “foot of a nook.” And if you think about the city before the land reclaimers got to work, that was so - we were a small alluvial plain at the foot of the central Kyushu mountains. It was also (and still is) known as “Higo” （肥後）, as opposed to “Hizen,” modern Fukuoka, across the mountains. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%82%A5%E5%89%8D%E5%9B%BDBut The eventual powers that chose our name chose to somehow imbue us with a glory that us Higokko naturally avoid so changed the 隈 to 熊, and thus, Kumamoto became associated with bears (see: Kumamon) despite the fact that no bears have ever lived here. Pictured are Hizen and Higo. - William

Introduction of the corona virus vaccine has begun in Kumamoto, with Kumanichi d…

Sat, 29 May 2021 05:28:25 +0000

Introduction of the corona virus vaccine has begun in Kumamoto, with Kumanichi describing it as 混乱する中 - “confusion amidst” - who can get it where, when, and how many times seems unclear. As an aged society, many in Japan are susceptible to the virus; it is hoped that they can quickly and easily get the vaccination. But as an etymologist, I’d like to point out that the first vaccines were used on cows for hoof-and-mouth disease (not clear what that is, but it appears to refer to cows who say something really stupid); etymonline notes “(vaccine is) from Latin vaccina, fem. of vaccinus “pertaining to a cow” - which is a bit redundant, as cows are always female (males are bulls or, if unlucky and shod of their testicles, steers).－William

Our friend, Stuart Iles from Hakata, provided this fine photo of a statue of Kat…

Sat, 29 May 2021 03:34:57 +0000

Our friend, Stuart Iles from Hakata, provided this fine photo of a statue of Kato Kiyomasa. If you live in Kumamoto, he’s a must-know-about guy. A few facts that you can drop in casual conversation:

He lived from 1562 to 1611;
He’s not from Kumamoto but Nagoya;
His life spanned the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods (the former being a stepchild of Japanese eras, when all the warlords were still in the process of outdoing each other);
It’s either a very bad or very good idea to live when eras change;
He was one of the “Seven Spears of Shizugatake” (賤ヶ岳の七本槍, Shizugatake no shichi-hon-yari), mounted bodyguards for Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, crucial in Hideyoshi’s rise to power;
Hideyoshi was clearly terrified of Kato, so sent him off to invade Korea, evidently hoping that he wouldn’t return, but he did;
Hideyoshi made Kato the lord of the Higo fief in way, way south Kyushu as a way to contain him;
Higo was not united at the time, and there was an epic feud between Kato and the lord of southern Higo, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konishi_Yukinaga. Guess who prevailed.
He almost invaded Satsuma, unusual among Japanese fiefs as it wasn’t actually a fief: it was the ancestral domain of the Shimazu clan, but was called off (good call: if you’ve ever been to Kagoshima, you’ll quickly learn it is not a good place to invade);
He is buried at Honmyō-ji temple;
His son, Katō Tadahiro, seceded him but was quickly deposed by the Shogun Hideyoshi, likely as Higo was earned by his clan, not dispensed, and thus the clan had no obligatory allegiance to the Shogun;
His family crest was a simple circle, shown below, which is still the symbol of Kumamoto City;
His successors, the Hosokawa clan, has a family crest which, ironically, means “defend Kato”;
He was famous for his really tall hat, also pictured below;
When he built Kumamoto Castle, he had it planted with ginko trees as the leaves could be used for horse fodder and the wood for fuel in the case of siege; even today, the castle is known as the “銀杏城” (Ginnanjyo);
He died en-route from Edo to Higo, whether from natural causes or poisoning - the latter is suspected, again, due to the threat that his position posed to the emerging powers in Edo.

So that’s about all I’ve got. If I’ve made mistakes or omissions, please add them to the comments below. - William

There are a few food trucks in Kumamoto which cruise around selling things like …

Sat, 29 May 2021 02:41:50 +0000

There are a few food trucks in Kumamoto which cruise around selling things like 石焼き芋 (Ishiyaki imo! Imo! Imo!) and ramen, but their number has fallen dramatically, perhaps due to the burgeoning convenience store culture. This is too bad, I think, as their “cuisine” is, by necessity, unique. It makes me miss my hometown of Los Angeles, where taco trucks are ubiquitous in numbers that Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” pares down to only the best. Let’s hope they reappear. - William

I can't find a proprosed chedule for when Japan expects to start giving vaccine …

Sat, 29 May 2021 02:33:13 +0000

I can’t find a proprosed chedule for when Japan expects to start giving vaccine shots to people younger than 65. Has anyone else seen a tentative timetable?

PS It’s great that Carlton has received his first vaccine shot and is scheduled for his second.

Kumamoto boasts about a zillion (I think - I stopped counting after quadrillion)…

Sat, 29 May 2021 02:02:28 +0000

Kumamoto boasts about a zillion (I think - I stopped counting after quadrillion) small businesses, and we here at KI want to support them, complementing Joe’s “Funky Friday” series. Please PM us your favorite local business and we will post it. Here is one: the bakery ぐちょきぱん - get it? - it’s a pun on “rock, scissors, paper” - in Oe-machi, just across from the library. Ohno-san, the owner, bakes their bread all on-site, and it sells out quickly, so you should get there early. Their telephone number is at the photo. If you have any special order, it can be fulfilled. (I gave him sourdough starter from San Francisco). Again, please let us know of your favorite local shop so that we can do a write-up - and visit ぐちょきぱん (early). - William

I recently posted about the US telling citizens to avoid travel to Japan. That m…

Fri, 28 May 2021 15:01:37 +0000

I recently posted about the US telling citizens to avoid travel to Japan. That may be a reasonable policy but, just to put it in perspective, take a look at the COVID-19 cases per million in this graph. The US is finally getting close to Japan’s level. Of course, an important difference now is that vaccination levels are much lower here. Still, in terms of numbers, the gap between the two countries has only recently closed.

Kumanichi mentions something I'd not thought about: how the closure of retail an…

Fri, 28 May 2021 07:47:16 +0000

Kumanichi mentions something I’d not thought about: how the closure of retail and leisure facilities due to corona virus is affecting college students. I was a seasonal worker in LA while in college, working at Disneyland when attendance soared during the summer, so I’m aware how important that income is (you can’t ask your parents for everything) - and also the work experience. This is tragic for modern youth. - William

There's a lil' fish that lives in the pond at Suizenji called the tanago (タナゴ) -…

Fri, 28 May 2021 05:53:22 +0000

There’s a lil’ fish that lives in the pond at Suizenji called the tanago (タナゴ) - kinda cute but nothing spectacular. (Reference: me.) Its importance, aside from its own purposes, is to monitor water quality of Suizenji and its downstream, Ezuko. Apparently, it hasn’t been doing so well. - William

https://kumanichi.com/articles/245107

Japanese retail differs from that in America in that most each city has their ow…

Fri, 28 May 2021 00:02:13 +0000

Japanese retail differs from that in America in that most each city has their own, individual department store. In Kumamoto, that would be Tsuruya. In an interview, the company president, Fukuoka Tetsuo (福岡哲生) sounded upbeat, touting this time of corona as an opportunity to revamp the store and increase online sales. Kumamoto really cannot afford to lose such an anchor retailer. Plus, they have a beer garden on the roof which is now open. Those with local knowledge will recall the Taiyou Department Store fire of 1973, which killed 104 and injured another 124 and drastically altered Shimotori, where it was located (the space is now occupied by Cocosa, which my wife says people are afraid of entering, such is its horrid history). - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/245332

There was another mass shooting in my sister's town of San Jose. That guns are e…

Thu, 27 May 2021 22:26:23 +0000

There was another mass shooting in my sister’s town of San Jose. That guns are extremely tightly regulated in Japan (pistols are basically illegal; long guns for hunting require proof of training and strict licensing) is a relief. This attitude goes far back in Japanese history to periods called “sword hunt,” when authorities newly-empowered after a period of anarchy would gather and destroy swords that had proliferated. You can read about it here. - William

Drive through kitchen

Thu, 27 May 2021 12:27:15 +0000

Hello friends. I’ve post about Drive through kitchen before. https://www.facebook.com/123734781033296/posts/5370921802981208/ This is its movie. It will be held till , June. Hoping you can enjoy lots tastesーAtsuko(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

The local TV news station I watch has been reporting on this everyday. Today th…

Thu, 27 May 2021 12:15:16 +0000

The local TV news station I watch has been reporting on this everyday. Today they were saying that it looks like a group have people must have been involved. I’ve seen reports on the national news as well. I hope the police can get to the bottom of it. – Kirk

Waiting for a train at Yatsushiro Station, the stationmaster came down to announ…

Thu, 27 May 2021 11:20:03 +0000

Waiting for a train at Yatsushiro Station, the stationmaster came down to announce in person that a special train was about to pass, the はやとの風 (Hayato no Kaze) - “hayato” refers to people who live in southern Kyushu. Apparently, it was a practice run for a new driver (only locomotive - no passenger cars; the Fukuoka-Kagoshima line is all electrified, but the Kumamoto-Oita line uses diesel engines). I asked if I could give driving it a try, but the answer was predictable. It was a cool train. There are many cool trains on the Fukuoka-Kagoshima line - they’re rather expensive, but perhaps worth it for train buffs. Information is available at local stations. Cool photos at the link: https://www.tabirai.net/sightseeing/article/feature33/

I'm pretty sure that the bird you hear in the video is an uguisu, a Japanese bus…

Thu, 27 May 2021 09:39:52 +0000

I’m pretty sure that the bird you hear in the video is an uguisu, a Japanese bush warbler. I haven’t gotten a good look at it yet but it has decided to hang around our house lately. If I could speak uguisu, I would say “you’re welcome to stay here as long as you like. Keep making that pretty music.” The cat seems to like the bird’s singing too, although this cat’s interest may not be purely aesthetic. – Kirk

Cats make great pets. Unlike dogs, who need you so much that they'll hump your l…

Thu, 27 May 2021 09:38:25 +0000

Cats make great pets. Unlike dogs, who need you so much that they’ll hump your leg, cats will disappear for most of the day (whether indoor or out) and then reappear when hungry with a reproving look. But they also can be very affectionate and loyal; most of this depends on the amount and quality of food you supply and how you scratch them at that certain place at the base of their tail. (They like graham crackers but not s’mores. I don’t know why. And don’t pick them up. That they hate.) Anyway, if you’d like to challenge living with a cat, our friend Jeremey has a kitten for free. PM us for more. - William

Cruising through southern Kumamoto on the incredibly rapid, on-time train, I enj…

Thu, 27 May 2021 05:53:18 +0000

Cruising through southern Kumamoto on the incredibly rapid, on-time train, I enjoy observing the countryside homes. They have heavy tile roofs which tell them, “Stay down!” (good idea for a house in typhoons but not when there’s an earthquake, during which the opposite command is appropriate). They are often decorated at the eaves with shachihoko (鯱鉾) – or simply shachi (鯱) – an animal in Japanese folklore with the head of a tiger and the body of a carp, supposed to ward off fire (I guess if I were a tiger-carp, I wouldn’t like fire unless I wanted to eat myself - biomorphology gets complicated). Did you know 90% of Japanese igusa, the reed used to make tatami, comes from Yatsushiro? Now you do. Impress your friends. - William

Kumamoto is famous for citrus（kankitsurui－柑橘類). Asia is where citrus originated,…

Thu, 27 May 2021 05:33:31 +0000

Kumamoto is famous for citrus（kankitsurui－柑橘類). Asia is where citrus originated, after all. There are so many types of citrus in Kumamoto that even the locals don’t know what they are. The woman whose desk is next to mine gave me some citrus this morning. I asked her what it was, and she said, “Dunno. Some kind of citrus.” Kumamoto is very famous for the banpeiyu (晩白柚) - when you buy it, it looks like a bowling ball, but once you’ve peeled it, it’s more like a softball. - William

Lil' bit of good news from the lil' kids education front: Kindergarten in Japan …

Wed, 26 May 2021 03:18:14 +0000

Lil’ bit of good news from the lil’ kids education front: Kindergarten in Japan is fraught with challenges. As it is not compulsory, many cities forgo investment, resulting in a chronic shortage of seats. Not only does this inhibit early childhood development, it also places a great burden on parents. However, Kumamoto has apparently experienced two straight years of no kindergarten entrance denial (what’s called 待機児童 - たいきじどう; the blue line on the graph, 保留児童 - ほうりゅうじどう - refers to children who are judged not prepared to enter kindergarten for whatever reason). Please pay due respect to the tireless women (and on occasion, men) who make this possible. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/242527

Pasted by Kirk.

Tue, 25 May 2021 14:32:20 +0000

Pasted by Kirk.

Hi! Kirk here with a notice from the Kumamoto International Foundation (also kno…

Tue, 25 May 2021 13:02:02 +0000

Hi! Kirk here with a notice from the Kumamoto International Foundation (also known as the “International Center”) about Kumamoto’s “pre-emergency” or “quasi-emergency” status. As I wrote in the following post, this is how newspaper articles have rendered “man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” (まん延防止等重点措置), or “mambo” for short.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5359252387481483

I’d like to express my gratitude to the good people at the Kumamoto International Foundation because they have kindly agreed to paste the original Japanese text to the end of messages such as this one. This is partly in response to the following post in which many of you said that your agreed with me that access to Japanese can be useful:

Kumamoto City has just announced that they decided to call off Hinokuni Festival…

Tue, 25 May 2021 12:31:01 +0000

Kumamoto City has just announced that they decided to call off Hinokuni Festival this year, too. It is sad but cannot be helped.

The main event of the festival is “おてもやん総踊り(Samba Otemoyan)”. “Otemoyan” is a famous local figure in Kumamoto but how much do you know about her?

In the article below, you will get to know the meaning of the song “Otemoyan” and also the life of the character Otemoyan and its writer Ine. Check the article below and get a glimpse of the world of Otemoyan.

They've got this new thing in Japan where you're not supposed to walk on escalat…

Tue, 25 May 2021 07:44:32 +0000

They’ve got this new thing in Japan where you’re not supposed to walk on escalators. Yet everyone still stands rigidly on the left, leaving a tempting path which I take. Somebody pointed this out, and I said, “It’s going down. It’s not an escalator - it’s a deesculator.” –William

So I'm walking from my new high school way out in the wilds of Yatsushiro to the…

Tue, 25 May 2021 07:17:35 +0000

So I’m walking from my new high school way out in the wilds of Yatsushiro to the train station and ran into an old woman using what in Japanese is called a 達者カー (tasshyaka-), which basically means, “vehicle for old active people.”. They generally have a seat that one can rest on when needed and a basket underneath for purchases. I know it’s called this because, when I bought my first baby stroller, the same catalog listed 達者カー (they’re kind of similar, just for different ends of the life cycle). I stopped to talk with her and mentioned that what was supporting her was called a 達者カー. She didn’t know that. It’s never too late to learn. - William

I've gotta take the train to Yatsushiro twice a week. I could take the shinkanse…

Tue, 25 May 2021 06:38:30 +0000

I’ve gotta take the train to Yatsushiro twice a week. I could take the shinkansen, but I enjoy the local train - the views of the local areas and fellow passengers. Plus, it’s half the price. The local train passes by a major shinkansen maintenance center in Uto. Just looking at these beasts as they await their signal to sprint forth at unbelievable speeds from their trainyard reminds me of my whippet. - William

Let's caption this. I'll start. "Don't like that guy's attitude: he's just a shr…

Mon, 24 May 2021 02:37:17 +0000

Let’s caption this. I’ll start. “Don’t like that guy’s attitude: he’s just a shrimp but pretends to be Ebisu.”

Spare a thought for the mudskipper (ムツゴロウ, mutsugorou), a type of goby that live…

Mon, 24 May 2021 00:32:57 +0000

Spare a thought for the mudskipper (ムツゴロウ, mutsugorou), a type of goby that lives in the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas. It is flagged as “yellow” on the extinction endangered list, mostly due to habitat destruction. But when they mate, the males really go at it. Observing their exhibited enthusiasm, you just gotta wish these guys luck. (The article uses the phrase “熱い恋” - “hot love” - and if you’ve ever visited the mudflats, you’ll learn how hot they do get.) - William
https://kumanichi.com/articles/239712

During the hungry times during the Great Depression of the '30s, many Japanese -…

Sun, 23 May 2021 23:45:17 +0000

During the hungry times during the Great Depression of the ’30s, many Japanese - including many from Kumamoto - emigrated to Brazil and California and Hawaii and left their cultural stamp wherever they went. For example, the “Hawaiian” (or “aloha”) shirt was originally made from yukata fabric which was reversed to give it a more weathered look. The most famous aloha shirt maker is Reyne Spooner, so famous that that’s how one refers to such a shirt. I’m wearing one now. They’re kinda hard to find, but look. - William

When America closed up its two military bases in Kumamoto, at Kengun and Camp Wo…

Sun, 23 May 2021 21:59:06 +0000

When America closed up its two military bases in Kumamoto, at Kengun and Camp Wood, they donated their books (Hemingway and Steinbeck and Scott) to the Kumamoto Prefectural Library in Oe. They are still there, in the closed stacks, but if you ask a librarian, you can have access and even borrow them. It is history meeting literature. Pictured is the library in Huntington Beach, California, where my mother was assistant director - I grew up ensconced in books there, like a literate feral cat. - William

Baseball holds little attraction for me unless it's Koshien, but I like my homet…

Sun, 23 May 2021 15:57:50 +0000

Baseball holds little attraction for me unless it’s Koshien, but I like my hometown teams, the Dodgers and the Angles. There is no race there, just talent, as in the two Mexican pitchers, Víctor González, a Nayarit native, and Julio Urías, originally from Sinalo, show. Here’s an article about how Japanese native Shohei Ohtani learned MLB from comic books. - William

Y'know when you've forgotten "my bag" and have purchased more than you can stuff…

Sun, 23 May 2021 09:08:39 +0000

Y’know when you’ve forgotten “my bag” and have purchased more than you can stuff in your pockets but are loathe to pay the 5円 for a bag that will contribute to the garbage cycle? Some stores now offer city-approved garbage bags as a way to finagle yourself out of this quandary (and finagling oneself out of quandaries is what life is all about). - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/238545

Our friend Oyama-san had posted on my private feed about what it was like to liv…

Sun, 23 May 2021 06:38:37 +0000

Our friend Oyama-san had posted on my private feed about what it was like to live in wartime, meatless Japan. Without comment, I’d like to copypaste what he’d written. It is an education. - William

People who could get peasants and ducks ate them, then they had to hunt in the mountain area depending on where they lived. People who possessed horses or cows for doing agriculture could eat them if they tried to. But they should have been a treasure or the way to live on with. That must have been a rare case, I guess. Of course, people live near the sea could eat raw fish, but corned fish was available even in the mountain area. But we didn’t grow mammals just for eating. Growing mammals for food could come out of Japan after Edo era. In the countryside of Japan, even my parents house, had several chickens for their eggs, and sometimes such as neighbors party held once a year or two when I was only a child. It was about fifty years ago. Monks couldn’t eat mammals, I heard, so they pretended rabbits were a kind of birds and counted them like birds and made it a excuse to eat rabbits. Sometimes the Japanese are blamed for eating whales or horses, but I think nobody can blame others for their cultures on eating. Each has their own situations, he or she was or is trying to live his or her life with given situation.

Hi-I’ve been absent on here for quite awhile but it seems that my profile is bei…

Sun, 23 May 2021 05:54:15 +0000

Hi-I’ve been absent on here for quite awhile but it seems that my profile is being used to edit or erase other people’s comments on Kumamoto International. Hopefully this situation will be fixed and the moderator in charge can take actual responsibility in what people can say or do on this site. Also that moderator should explain to those certain folk why their comments were removed.-Thanks John Onyskin

I know you're sad. I feel your pain. The cause is that we can't find sour cream.…

Sun, 23 May 2021 05:19:54 +0000

I know you’re sad. I feel your pain. The cause is that we can’t find sour cream. Here is a recipe for making something akin - William

Hi friends.

Sun, 23 May 2021 04:43:25 +0000

Hi friends. For me, KUMADAI OG, it’s the ポプラ that the convenience store placed near Kumamoto university. I met lots KUMADAI friends in front of POPURA. I also used the store as meeting place to pick international friends up.

POPURA will change but doesn’t disappear! For Kumadai students, POPURA is very famous convenience store but I don’t know other POPURA well. It’s so sorry red POPURA has disappeared but so nice new system POPURA still exists!!ーAtsuko.(งᐛ )ง

Hi Joe Tomei here on a bit more serious note than my usual about adopting a pet.…

Sun, 23 May 2021 03:21:01 +0000

Hi Joe Tomei here on a bit more serious note than my usual about adopting a pet. If interested, please contact using the information given in the last paragraph.

Hi Kumamoto-I Community, My family and I will be moving abroad while I attend graduate school, and we are actively looking for animal lovers who would be interested in adopting our pets. We have a pair of cats and freshwater fish.

"In the great journal of things happening under the sun..." - thus begins Lincol…

Sun, 23 May 2021 01:52:48 +0000

“In the great journal of things happening under the sun…” - thus begins Lincoln’s Lyceum Address. We encourage all of our readers to suggest or submit ideas that would help the greater community. Please do so directly or, if not possible, PM us, and we’ll post. - William

加藤神社 150th Anniversary Celebration

Sat, 22 May 2021 23:08:25 +0000

Shino shrines are a bit tricky for non-Japanese as they tend to be very nationalistic (read: racist). The Kato Shrine (加藤神社), which used to be behind what is now the baseball stadium until it was moved into the castle grounds during the Meiji era, is celebrating its 150th anniversary there. Attend and be shunned. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/238592

Total Lunar Eclipse Viewing

Sat, 22 May 2021 13:15:28 +0000

Hi friends. It’s nice weather today, tonight. Can you see the beautiful moon? If the weather will be fine on 26th May, you can enjoy total lunar eclipse. Partial lunar eclipse will start from 6:45 pm. Partial lunar eclipse will rise up from East in evening. Total lunar eclipse will be from 8:09pm to 8:28pm. 8:19pm is maximum.The moon is super moon, biggest one in this year. Japanese have TUKIMI culture. I love TUKIMI more than HANAMI.If the weather will be good, it’s so nice season to enjoy moon light, drink in the moon light, go for a walk under the moon light. For me, especially, on that day, it’s my elder daughter’s wonderful 20th Birthday! Hoping you also enjoy it with your closely family, closely friends.ーAtsuko(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

Kumamoto is often described as “Mori no Miyako (森の都), or Capital of Forest”. Whe…

Sat, 22 May 2021 11:43:23 +0000

Kumamoto is often described as “Mori no Miyako (森の都), or Capital of Forest”. When you see trees at a park or a school, have you thought about people who actually planted them?

In the late 19th century, there was a person who started a project to plant trees all around Kumamoto aiming at getting back nature. His name is Yoshio Kawakita (河喜多義男) who was born in Kikuyo Town.

Back then, many parts of Kumamoto were burned down after Seinan civil war in 1877. It is said that when Lafcadio Hearn, who is famous for his work “KWAIDAN (怪談)”, came to Kumamoto in 1891, he said Kumamoto didn’t have much trees and it was like a desert.

In college, I double-majored in economics and Asian studies, so I was a bit busy…

Sat, 22 May 2021 04:15:48 +0000

In college, I double-majored in economics and Asian studies, so I was a bit busy. In my senior year, the dean notified me that if I didn’t take a science class, I couldn’t graduate, so I enrolled in geology. As life has it, turns out to be a life-long hobby. Japan is a paradise for geologists. Look around you and ask: Why are these hills bent? Where do these rocks come from? (3 Types of Rock: Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic). There are huge boulders in places where they shouldn’t be - they must have been spit out of the volcano long ago as volcanic ejecta. Just look around you and notice. Kumamoto is a paradise for geologists. - William

There's a hill next to the Athletic Park (運動公園) at the base of which is one of t…

Fri, 21 May 2021 22:32:43 +0000

There’s a hill next to the Athletic Park (運動公園) at the base of which is one of those dilapidated hotels from the Showa Era. I like dilapidated hotels - otherwise, I will camp. It barely survived on groups of students gathering for athletic events, but those have dried up during the pandemic, so it has given up its last breath and will close. That is too bad - there are few facilities like it in Kumamoto, especially given its location. I wonder if the city government might consider taking it over and incorporating it into the park. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/237363

Yesterday's rain was quite intense in Ashikita and Minamata, as well as other pa…

Fri, 21 May 2021 12:49:41 +0000

Yesterday’s rain was quite intense in Ashikita and Minamata, as well as other parts of Kumamoto. This TV report shows areas where fields were inundated and some damage occurred. Usually, heavy rains don’t come this early in the year. I’m not exactly sure what records were set but the rains are being described as “record setting” (kirokuteki). The Yahoo link below (also with video) that describes the rain in that way. – Kirk

Just one other post about citrus: etymologists aren't quite sure where the word …

Fri, 21 May 2021 12:14:28 +0000

Just one other post about citrus: etymologists aren’t quite sure where the word comes from, but apparently its origins may have had nothing to do with oranges (whose origin is similarly lost in the fog of linguistic history but is believed to have derived from Sankrit, which is why nothing rhymes with it). From etymonline: “from the Modern Latin genus name, from Latin citrus “citron tree,” the name of an African tree with aromatic wood and lemon-like fruit, the first citrus fruit to become available in the West. The name, like the tree, is probably of Asiatic origin [OED] or from a lost non-IE Mediterranean language. But others trace it to Greek kedros “cedar,” perhaps via Etruscan.” Next time one of your friends disparages Etruscans at a drinking party, throw this in their face. - William

I always forget the word for "citrus" in Japanese: 柑橘類 (kankitsurui). Not like i…

Fri, 21 May 2021 10:51:48 +0000

I always forget the word for “citrus” in Japanese: 柑橘類 (kankitsurui). Not like it’s a really difficult word, but try putting them on a table and distinguish them in a test. All citrus is native to Asia, and Kumamoto in particular is famous for it, so much so that Sawako, my wife, frequently brings citrus home that I can’t identify. “What is that?” I ask, and she answers, “Some kind of citrus.” (She doesn’t know either.) Here’s a guide. - William

For those thinking today may not be particularly special….

Fri, 21 May 2021 05:11:56 +0000

For those thinking today may not be particularly special….

It is the birthday of my younger brother.

And if that isn’t enough please note that tonight at precisely

9:21:21pm

it will be the 21st second of the 21st minute of the 21st hour of the 21st day of the 21st week of the 21st year of the 21st century.

Let the good times roll. —CM

Kumanichi reports on what disrupted my Yatsushiro class yesterday: a road parall…

Fri, 21 May 2021 05:05:55 +0000

Kumanichi reports on what disrupted my Yatsushiro class yesterday: a road paralleling a river washed out, taking two cars with it in Kawadake (川嶽). Car occupants were hospitalized out of caution and are apparently okay. But the article contained this awesome kanji: 嶽 - so I had to look it up. Apparently, it simply means “cliff” and is related to the more commonly used 岳. If you plan to take a road containing that kanji, you might consider a different route. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/237082

A crucial factor for parents of schoolchildren is the 連絡網 (renrakumo - phone tre…

Fri, 21 May 2021 04:48:57 +0000

A crucial factor for parents of schoolchildren is the 連絡網 (renrakumo - phone tree), a contact information list handed out at the beginning of the school year with a tree so that one person contacted can contact the subsequent person and word can get out without some poor, beleaguered school official charged with contacting everyone alone. If there is a break in the chain, one continues to the subsequent contact. Starting teaching at a high school, I found a list of the 連絡網 for teachers on my desk and was relieved to find myself as the final link: the buck stops with me. 😎 - William

Kirk here with a news item about local vaccinations.

Fri, 21 May 2021 01:05:35 +0000

Kirk here with a news item about local vaccinations.

Joe Tomei here with another Funky Friday place. Just across from the previously …

Fri, 21 May 2021 00:00:08 +0000

Joe Tomei here with another Funky Friday place. Just across from the previously introduced Cure seikotsuin near the Kumamoto Suizenji Station is Ikkyuhonpo Suizenji. Honpo means main store, so I guess that means that there are branches. Now you might say “Joe, how can a place that is respectable enough to have a main store and branches gain the coveted Funky Friday Place status?” Well, the store has been around for half a century and the main store has a pretty funky menu. The main store really gives off a Showa era vibe. You can buy manju to go, but it gets Funky Friday place status by offering a mean zenzai (mochi in a hot sweet bean soup) and these huge takoyaki balls. A sign in the store says something to the effect of ‘please allow 15-20 minutes for takoyaki’ cause they cook it up fresh. Also, if you are an impatient person like myself, you will want to have a glass of cold water there when you burn the inside of your mouth because you can’t wait for the takoyaki to cool down.

Hello friends.

Thu, 20 May 2021 16:06:32 +0000

Hello friends. It was heavy rain yesterday. I was at Kengun elementary school on that time. School might have sent parents some messages that we didn’t make students go back home because of heavy rain. Usually, lots public schools keep students at school safely in case emergency. Yesterday was so. Lots students had to stay until their family picking up them or the rain has stopped, calm. I met one international father and I think school notice by 安心メール might not work well for non Japanese speakers, unfortunately because all announcement is written in Japanese.

Not done raining yet. By the way, caption on the picture says "Kumamoto City, C…

Thu, 20 May 2021 13:33:15 +0000

Not done raining yet. By the way, caption on the picture says “Kumamoto City, Central Ward.”

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210520_30/

– Kirk

This is a follow up to a post I made earlier today about evacuation notices:

Thu, 20 May 2021 13:10:36 +0000

This is a follow up to a post I made earlier today about evacuation notices:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5392672060806182

First of all, as you can see in the following image of a Google translation of the Yahoo page, the number of communities labeled “evacuation instructions” has increased. By the way, “evacuation instructions” is the translation of “hinan shiji” (避難指示) which I think is closer to “evacuation order” because it means “do this,” not “this is how you do it.” (As far as I know, however, it is not a legally binding “order.”)

Thanks to Kuma Visit for posting this!

Thu, 20 May 2021 11:30:22 +0000

Thanks to Kuma Visit for posting this!

A news article from about 4 hours ago, when the rain was really coming down hard…

Thu, 20 May 2021 09:50:42 +0000

A news article from about 4 hours ago, when the rain was really coming down hard. – Kirk

This is an image from the following page on Kumamoto Prefecture's site:

Thu, 20 May 2021 09:48:42 +0000

This is an image from the following page on Kumamoto Prefecture’s site:

http://www.bousai.pref.kumamoto.jp/GmnDsp.exe?M100A0S0N1P0R0

The Japanese text is built in to the graphics so I don’t know of a good way to translate it but the colors, which show the level of danger, may be enough to give you a sense of whether or not you need to change your behavior. Currently in the prefecture, the situation seems to be worst in Minamata. I’m a bit late in sharing this with you today but if you hold on to the URL, you can use it to check the warning levels from time to time. If your area has become a bit colorful, you can check for evacuation notices via the links I shared in my previous post:

Just in time for today's heavy rain, Japan has a new warning scale:

Thu, 20 May 2021 09:37:18 +0000

Just in time for today’s heavy rain, Japan has a new warning scale:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210520_11/

The best place I know of to find information about such warnings that have been issued for Kumamoto is on the following Yahoo page:

https://crisis.yahoo.co.jp/evacuation/43/

The information in Japanese so, if you don’t read Japanese, you’ll probably want to run it thought some sort of translation too. On a computer, I find that the Google translated extension works well on the Chrome browser. On an iPhone, I just learned how to install and use Microsoft Translator in Safari:

Day Two following my first Pfizer shot.

Thu, 20 May 2021 04:58:44 +0000

Day Two following my first Pfizer shot.

Good day everyone, such as it is with a 3 week early rainy season dogging us.

This is just to provide some closure to my post from yesterday, and to let you all know that I’m feeling fine with no noticeable side or after effects from my vaccination.

When I went to bed last night my shoulder was fairly sore and stiff so, as I would after a workout at the gym, I took one Advil (American brand of ibuprofen) before retiring in anticipation of its soothing prowess. I slept very peacefully.

From the front lines of the Covid-19 skirmish I can report that I have been shot…

Wed, 19 May 2021 07:07:50 +0000

From the front lines of the Covid-19 skirmish I can report that I have been shot.

As a member of the over-65 club, I was eligible for my first Pfizer vaccination and was lucky enough to get an appointment for one this morning of the first day of inoculation in Kumamoto for those similarly qualified.

Eschewing the taxi coupons I had and expecting a possible crowded parking lot at the ear, nose, and throat clinic that was the vaccination site, I drove over 30 minutes early. My apprehensions were not justified. There were but a few cars already there, and when I walked into the clinic and saw about a dozen people seated and socially distanced I noticed that many of them appeared to be aging a whole lot better than me. That’s because most of them were in their 20s-40s and there with ear, nose, and throat problems waiting to see the doctor. There were only 3 other people appearing to be well into the 2nd half of their respective centuries waiting to get vaccinated. And only 2 more arrived while I was there. I had my temperature taken and presented the necessary paperwork—photo ID, vaccination “coupon”, and pre-vaccination medical history questionnaire—and was directed to take a seat and wait.

As a Scotsman, I feel at home during the rainy season! Nothing like getting out …

Wed, 19 May 2021 01:59:12 +0000

As a Scotsman, I feel at home during the rainy season! Nothing like getting out on a rainy day and seeing Kumamoto’s ancient heritage blend with nature. I guess it is the connection between the Celtic and Shinto beliefs in animism that are involved. Here is a link to a short video from the Rokuden shrine, in the rain, that Megumi and I (Douglas) put together yesterday.

One will often see these inverted V-shaped things on buildings, particularly sch…

Tue, 18 May 2021 23:15:56 +0000

One will often see these inverted V-shaped things on buildings, particularly schools, in Kumamoto. This is called “seismic retrofit” (耐震工事, たいしんこうじ) and is intended to reduce the horizontal stress that a building undergoes during an earthquake. (Presumably, newer buildings incorporate them.) But this story about a building in China that suddenly started shaking even with no seismic activity is startling. Architectural integrity is paramount. - William

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/18/panic-as-300m-high-tall-skyscraper-wobbles-in-china

Alluvial plains (沖積平野, chūseki heiya) - flat areas created by dirt running off o…

Tue, 18 May 2021 20:29:40 +0000

Alluvial plains (沖積平野, chūseki heiya) - flat areas created by dirt running off of mountains - constitute most of the habitable areas of Japan. While their flatness makes them great for building, they’re also subject to liquefaction during earthquakes. I’m currently commuting to a gig in Yatsushiro by train which skirts the mountains and the alluvial plain and am enjoying the view. Geology, I learned in college, is a key factor in understanding societies. - William

In 2013, a 17-year-old 3rd year high school student committed suicide after bein…

Tue, 18 May 2021 08:24:13 +0000

In 2013, a 17-year-old 3rd year high school student committed suicide after being verbally bullied by her dance club. Her parents were recently awarded 83.4 million yen in damages for this. As a survivor of youthful bullying, I have mixed feelings about this. Obviously devoid of details, I nonetheless have an inkling that, had her communication conduits with her parents been better, she would have been able to withstand it - it may have even made her stronger, as it did I. But it is a warning, both for parents and teachers: pay attention to signs of distress amongst youth and be proactive on probing the causes. - William

Kumamoto has a perennial problem with sediment buildup in its rivers due to both…

Tue, 18 May 2021 06:37:19 +0000

Kumamoto has a perennial problem with sediment buildup in its rivers due to both volcanic and farming effluent. One will often notice the color of Shirakawa, whose riverbed is at the same height as its surrounding area and only held in place by its artificial banks, turn coffee-brown during rice planting season, and its coarse black sand ejection from Aso. Removing the sediment before the onset of rainy season is a race against time. Kumanichi reports on the haste. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/232598

Kirk here. I occasionally search Google news for "Kumamoto" to see if anything …

Tue, 18 May 2021 05:34:53 +0000

Kirk here. I occasionally search Google news for “Kumamoto” to see if anything worth sharing comes up. This article came up because it describes a survey that came out on the day that Kumamoto’s quasi-emergency status was announced. That status change is old news on this page but I thought I’d share the article just the same. One reason is that the survey on whether or not the olympics should be held as planned is, I think, likely to be of interest to many readers of this page. The other is that I’d like to say “Give that woman an A+ in Colloquial English!”

The rain was quite heavy this morning in parts of Kumamoto.

Mon, 17 May 2021 11:38:07 +0000

The rain was quite heavy this morning in parts of Kumamoto.

The following NHK article says that Yamato-machi got about 20 centimeters of rain in just three hours:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210517_15/

The following link has an English-language video that reports that a woman in her 70s has gone missing in Yamato-machi. She went to check on her fields and has not been seen since.

– Kirk

https://www.nippon.com/en/news/ntv20210517003/woman-missing-after-torrential-rain-in-kumamoto-prefecture.html

Nora Ueda writes us (particularly if you are 65 or over or know someone who is)…

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:46:38 +0000

Nora Ueda writes us (particularly if you are 65 or over or know someone who is) to say:

In case you are not aware of this , today May 17th , is the day that you may apply for your vaccination if you are above 65 and living in Kumamoto City . The phone number for this is ( 0120-096-885)

You can also do it online which is easier I think as the line isn’t jammed if you’ve registered yourself on their webpage which is in English, Chinese and Korean . It’s a bit tricky but I got this done and got my appointment today online .

She also included a photo and a link to the Kumamoto Covid 19 page URL: https://vaccines.sciseed.jp/kumamotocovid18 Tel:096-300-5577 The above no is for calling 熊本市新型コロナワクチンコールセンター

Kosa (黄砂, yellow sand which blows east from the Gobi Desert) has apparently reac…

Sun, 16 May 2021 15:00:59 +0000

Kosa (黄砂, yellow sand which blows east from the Gobi Desert) has apparently reached its greatest amount in 18 years. It’s really hit me hard; I feel like I have a beehive in my throat. A timelapse video is at the link. - William

As a Japan neophyte walking from a gig on a rainy, frigid night in Osaka, I came…

Sun, 16 May 2021 09:14:34 +0000

As a Japan neophyte walking from a gig on a rainy, frigid night in Osaka, I came across an emaciated kitten who was quite pleased that I stuffed her in my jacket. I named her “Bones” (despite the all-you-can-eat deal I gave her, her physical properties never changed), and we spent two years together until one day she never came home. When I moved to Kumamoto, I fulfilled my dream in getting a dog. We spent 15 glorious years together until he died a half year ago, probably of exhaustion. But cats and dogs are often too difficult for the more transient Kumamoto residents to care for. So here is my suggestion.

Drive through kitchen

Sun, 16 May 2021 05:46:36 +0000

Hello friends. This is an announcement about ‘‘Drive through kitchen’’ at アクアドーム Aqua dome. It will be held from 20th May to 13th June, from 11:30 to 19:30(last order) 10 restaurants give you delicious meals by drive through style. You might not need to go out to order and get your foods. The staff brings your dishes to your car. If you go there by bicycle, they might bring meals to your bicycle!? The food menu is here. https://drivethrukitchen.amebaownd.com/pages/3760370/static

There's a plant which grows in the higher elevations of Kumamoto called the "lil…

Sun, 16 May 2021 05:23:31 +0000

There’s a plant which grows in the higher elevations of Kumamoto called the “lily of the valley,” or 鈴蘭 (suzuran - the kanji is cool - it literally means “bell orchid”). Kumanichi reports that they’re blossoming around the Aso area now. - William

https://kumanichi.com/articles/230308

There's this old guy, Urabe-san, whose repository of Kumamoto knowledge is only …

Sun, 16 May 2021 05:08:10 +0000

There’s this old guy, Urabe-san, whose repository of Kumamoto knowledge is only exceeded by the repository of his stomach. He suddenly appeared on this Sunday afternoon, but my wife lept up from her nap, excited: it was the perfect chance to clean out the refrigerator of leftovers. - William

This just in: The Fukuoka branch of the Japan Meteorology Agency has announced t…

Sat, 15 May 2021 11:19:47 +0000

This just in: The Fukuoka branch of the Japan Meteorology Agency has announced the official start of rainy season in Kyushu, the second earliest start since records began in 1951. It’s also hydrangea (アジサイ) season, a flower commonly associated with rainy season. Get used to being damp all of the time. - William

This is from last year but not particularly time sensitive. The Kumamoto connect…

Sat, 15 May 2021 10:26:02 +0000

This is from last year but not particularly time sensitive. The Kumamoto connection is that Kumamoto is a major producer of tatami mats, used as yoga mats in the photos. – Kirk

This article is in English but the videos are in Japanese.

Fri, 14 May 2021 22:08:38 +0000

This article is in English but the videos are in Japanese.

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14337766

Here’s the address of the YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/onepiece熊本復興プロジェクト

– Kirk

When I first came to Japan, I could read and write kanji as I'd studied Chinese …

Fri, 14 May 2021 19:21:34 +0000

When I first came to Japan, I could read and write kanji as I’d studied Chinese (just needed to learn the Japanese pronunciation) but not the two phonetic alphabets, hiragana and katakana. So I set about learning those. My wife told me that, one night, I sat bolt upright and declared, “Let’s eat okonomiyaki!” then fell back to sleep. I have no memory of this, but I suppose my brain was processing what I’d been studying - おこのみやき - in the form of a dream. The Guardian has an interesting article on theories about why we dream.

"In the Kyushu region, Kumamoto and Oita prefectures confirmed a record number o…

Fri, 14 May 2021 12:14:56 +0000

“In the Kyushu region, Kumamoto and Oita prefectures confirmed a record number of new infection cases, with 124 and 102, respectively.”

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14349934

Copied and pasted by Kirk

NHK just broadcast a show about Minamata disease, or mercury poisoning - when th…

Fri, 14 May 2021 11:05:30 +0000

NHK just broadcast a show about Minamata disease, or mercury poisoning - when the company Chiso ejected vast amounts of mercury from their factory into the sea and it made its way up the food chain, rendering any animal that consumed it unable to coordinate movement - if they could move at all. I visited Minamata with my wife, and we were feasting off oysters from the shoals, when suddenly it occurred to me that maybe this was not a good idea. But it’s actually okay now. In fact, Minamata is a place required on your bucket list. You can take the train there. It has a castle. And it has the most beautiful seaside that you can imagine. And you can, now, feast on the oysters from the shoals. Support them. - William

This is Carlton here. Just now I received a call from the Kumamoto Vaccine Cent…

Fri, 14 May 2021 08:32:29 +0000

This is Carlton here. Just now I received a call from the Kumamoto Vaccine Center and was thanked for my using the website to make a reservation.
Then the reservation time and place for my first inoculation was confirmed, and I was offered a reservation for my 2nd jab, exactly 3 weeks later, which I snapped up at the same location and in the morning.
So it looks like Kumamoto is getting the kinks worked out of its system.
I was hoping to get an official confirmation by either call or email and I did. Good luck everyone else who makes a try for themselves or elder friend or relative on Monday morning. And stay safe everyone.

Recently, William posted about commercials done by Tommy Lee Jones in Japan. I …

Fri, 14 May 2021 04:24:26 +0000

Recently, William posted about commercials done by Tommy Lee Jones in Japan. I happened to come across this one, which definitely relates to Kumamoto. Enjoy! – Kirk P.S. This is from 2017.

A note to our ailurophile friends: Of course, Kumamoto is famous for the author …

Fri, 14 May 2021 00:04:04 +0000

A note to our ailurophile friends: Of course, Kumamoto is famous for the author Natsumi Soseki, who wrote 吾輩猫である, a story about a pretentious cat (I don’t think there are any other types), and there is a road leading from Fujisaki Shrine called 吾輩道理 which is lined with cat images, one of which can be seen below. I stumbled across an image of the - what, 49? - stations of the Hokkaido represented in cats. You’re welcome. - William

Something I hadn't thought about: much information about the corona virus is dis…

Thu, 13 May 2021 22:20:24 +0000

Something I hadn’t thought about: much information about the corona virus is disseminated over the Internet, but many elderly people don’t know how to use it - 『ネットのやり方が分からない』. In particular, passwords seem to be a problem. Apparently, Kumamoto City Hall is being overwhelmed with confused citizens. Please: if you have elderly acquaintances, make sure they have the information and assistance that they need. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/227541

Kumamoto has been designated as being under "pre-emergency status" ("quasi-emerg…

Thu, 13 May 2021 21:53:39 +0000

Kumamoto has been designated as being under “pre-emergency status” (“quasi-emergency status” in the Japan Times article I link to below).

It seems that these terms are being used for the Japanese “man’en boushi tou juuten sochi” (まん延防止等重点措置). The terminology is a little confusing because the literal meaning of the Japanese term is not “pre-emergency” but somthing like “focused measures to prevent (the virus) from becoming widespread.” In illustrations about which prefectures are under which status, however, red is often used for emergency status and yellow for “man’en boushi” status, so it’s being presented as a step below full-blown emergency status and in that sense, “pre-emergency” is a reasonable translation. It’s one rank below the worst status.

It's a bit hard to see, but Kumamoto is one of the prefectures in red, with a hi…

Thu, 13 May 2021 12:08:05 +0000

It’s a bit hard to see, but Kumamoto is one of the prefectures in red, with a high number of weekly new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people. Of the prefectures that have not been declared by the national government to be in a state of emergency or designated in some other way as being at particular risk, Kumamoto is 6th with a rate of 38.22 per 100,000 per week. This infection rate exceeds one of the criteria for the government’s “stage 4” category (over 25 per 100,000). – Kirk

This is kind of funny. Y'know when you're in elementary school in Takamori and y…

Thu, 13 May 2021 07:03:03 +0000

This is kind of funny. Y’know when you’re in elementary school in Takamori and you’re not sure who your teacher will be for whatever class, and someone says, “Oh. It will be the Emperor from the Akasaka Palace.” Apparently, this was a demonstration of ICT 「Information and Communication Technology」, and the Emperor didn’t actually teach anything. But I’m sure it’s an experience that the students will never forget. Sit up straight. - William https://kumanichi.com/articles/227505

Here are two recent translated posts from the Kumamoto City Government regarding…

Thu, 13 May 2021 06:25:20 +0000

Here are two recent translated posts from the Kumamoto City Government regarding an infection at Kumamoto City Hall and an advisory for those planning on making vaccination reservations for the next tranche on May 17:

The General Information Center on the first floor of the City Hall Main Building has been closed today due to the confirmed infection of a city employee with the new coronavirus. We will try to restore the function after disinfection as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to citizens and ask for your understanding.

A third state of emergency has been declared for Fukuoka. Kumamoto had over 100…

Wed, 12 May 2021 13:05:31 +0000

A third state of emergency has been declared for Fukuoka. Kumamoto had over 100 new cases again today. (The situation in Kumamoto is not mentioned in this article; saw that elsewhere.) Stay safe! Don’t let your guard down! The newer strains seem to be hitting younger people pretty hard too. – Kirk

If (1) you don't have a Japanese passport, (2) you are not in Japan now, and (3)…

Wed, 12 May 2021 12:54:27 +0000

If (1) you don’t have a Japanese passport, (2) you are not in Japan now, and (3) you have traveled to India, Nepal, or Pakistan recently, you need to get back to Japan REALLY quick or plan on being out of the country for a while. The article says this is effective Friday. I’m pretty sure that if someone is trying to get through customs after midnight Thursday, they will be sent back. – Kirk

There are homeless in Kumamoto. You just don't see them. My jogging course along…

Wed, 12 May 2021 03:58:01 +0000

There are homeless in Kumamoto. You just don’t see them. My jogging course along Shirakawa takes me under a bridge where there was once a large encampment furnished with furniture scavenged from the garbage - it was quite comfortable, actually. And then, one day, it was gone. I have no idea where the people went. Here is an article about a creative way people have dealt with homelessness in my home state. - William https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/11/oakland-homeless-cob-on-wood-village

Jeff Morrow Online Presentation - Kumamoto Kenritsu Dai

Wed, 12 May 2021 01:50:25 +0000

Joe Tomei here. Anyone want to go to Korea? Well, not go, but check out an online presentation done by Kumamoto Kenritsu Dai’s Jeff Morrow. It’s tonite, check out the poster attached. One of my great joys in spending a year in Korea was getting to know the KOTESOL folks and I am itching to get back there! [note: I posted this with an older poster, I had to delete it to change it, apologies for any confusion]

Kumamoto had 117 new COVID-19 cases today, a new record. 100 cases in a day used…

Tue, 11 May 2021 13:50:34 +0000

Kumamoto had 117 new COVID-19 cases today, a new record. 100 cases in a day used to be unheard of here but the average for the past four days has been about 100. Stay safe. –Kirk

I dunno. My wife wakes up at 4:00AM and plays NHK at high volume. I don't mind, …

Tue, 11 May 2021 10:20:00 +0000

I dunno. My wife wakes up at 4:00AM and plays NHK at high volume. I don’t mind, and would certainly not consider killing her as that would seriously piss her off. But some Kumamoto guy did not get the message regarding video games. - William

Our friend Urabe-san showed for the first time after a few days. He's like a fer…

Tue, 11 May 2021 09:59:52 +0000

Our friend Urabe-san showed for the first time after a few days. He’s like a feral cat, and his prolonged absence was making me worried. As usual, he sucked up all of the food we had in the pantry - how much skinny guys eat is astounding. But he is a repository of Kumamoto history: don’t ask him a question if you’re not prepared for an hour-long answer. - William

Noctiluca scintillans, according to Wikipedia, "is a free-living, marine-dwellin…

Mon, 10 May 2021 03:11:18 +0000

Noctiluca scintillans, according to Wikipedia, “is a free-living, marine-dwelling species of dinoflagellate that exhibits bioluminescence when disturbed.” And who amongst us is not. They are most active in summer. I have fond memories of swimming out at midnight to find myself bathed in bioluminescence. If you haven’t tried it, put it on your bucket list. Kumanichi says that the season is here. - William

https://kumanichi.com/news/id223422

Hi! This post has already gotten quite a few comments but I'm sharing it to hel…

Sun, 09 May 2021 16:23:45 +0000

Hi! This post has already gotten quite a few comments but I’m sharing it to help more people see it. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5335451439861578

A heartwarming story: Miyahara Kouharu, born in Nagano to a family of dentists w…

Sun, 09 May 2021 09:56:57 +0000

A heartwarming story: Miyahara Kouharu, born in Nagano to a family of dentists who searched for rural areas where their service was needed, followed family tradition and chose Kumamura, where the village built a clinic and lent it to him free of charge. Elderly people in the village who once had to trek to Hitoyoshi City appreciated the local clinic. Miyahara-san was also generous in visiting mountainous areas of neighboring Ashikita. However, the clinic was destroyed in the floods of last July, and rebuilding on the spot was judged unwise due to danger of future floods. So he found a vacant convenience store 10KM away and reopened there. 「村には戻らんとですか」(“Won’t you return to the village?” in beautiful local dialect), but that is impossible for the moment. Nevertheless, Dr. Miyahara said, “I want to do my best for the people of Kuma Village and continue to pray for the reconstruction of the village as soon as possible.” Pictured below, saying to a young patient, 「もう少し口を開けて。はい、おりこうさん」(“Open a little wider. Yes, that’s a good girl.”- dentist language is pretty much international). - William https://kumanichi.com/news/id223299

Kirk here, sharing and inquiry so that more people who might be able to answer c…

Sun, 09 May 2021 04:50:39 +0000

Kirk here, sharing and inquiry so that more people who might be able to answer can see it.

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5331559193584136

As I recall, there were 100 new COVID-19 cases in Kumamoto yesterday. As this a…

Sat, 08 May 2021 13:22:38 +0000

As I recall, there were 100 new COVID-19 cases in Kumamoto yesterday. As this article reports, there were 111 today – an all-time high. The rise in Kumamoto mirrors the national trend. I’m not sure about the national percentage right now but I found a Japanese article that says that 12 of the cases identified yesterday were of one or more of the newer, more contagious strains. My sense is that this is nothing to be trifled with. It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow but it will probably be wise to celebrate in a way that doesn’t involve a lot of interaction what non-family members in tight quarters. – Kirk

Kirk here sharing a post about making a vaccination reservation so that more peo…

Sat, 08 May 2021 06:01:32 +0000

Kirk here sharing a post about making a vaccination reservation so that more people will see it.

URL: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5335451439861578

Kirk here with a bit of news about COVID-19 in Kumamoto and a question about whe…

Sat, 08 May 2021 04:16:41 +0000

Kirk here with a bit of news about COVID-19 in Kumamoto and a question about whether or not people who read this page would also like to be able to access the original Japanese for such messages and announcements. First, here’s the text of an e-mail I received from the Kumamoto International Foundation:

“Due to the increase of the COVID-19 patients, hospital bed occupancy rate reached over 50 %. Therefore, Kumamoto City declared “Medical State of Emergency.” Followings are the requests to citizens to stem the further spread of the infection: 　・ Please stick to the basic infection prevention measures such as washing hands thoroughly, wearing masks, gargling and disinfecting hands and fingers 　・short time shopping with small number of people ・eating out with small number of people who you usually meet "

My wife's family hails from Yabe, so she speaks Yabe dialect, a radical form of …

Fri, 07 May 2021 11:49:40 +0000

My wife’s family hails from Yabe, so she speaks Yabe dialect, a radical form of Kumamoto dialect. I’ve become a tad proficient at it. Waiting at a train station, talking with an old man, I slipped into it. He was quite surprised - but comfortable with it. The link is to some common phrases in the Kumamoto dialect. Memorize a few to surprise your conversation partner. - William

I taught my wife's second-year JHS student today. She had to write some example …

Fri, 07 May 2021 09:02:35 +0000

I taught my wife’s second-year JHS student today. She had to write some example sentences on a tablet. The tablet didn’t function well, it took her forever to type, and it deprived her of a chance to practice penmanship - clearly, I don’t like them. Fortunately, at least for her, her school provides them to students free of charge. JT points out that others are not so lucky, as in this Kyoto school district. - William

Japan Today had a short write-up on the torch relay featuring costumes from the …

Fri, 07 May 2021 07:55:34 +0000

Japan Today had a short write-up on the torch relay featuring costumes from the Yamaga Lantern Dance Festival – Yamaga Toro Matsuri, 山鹿灯籠祭 - which, sadly, I’ve never had the chance to attend (my family hails from Yabe), so I looked it up. Apparently, when the Keiko Emperor (景行天皇, reigned 71-130 CE) approached Yamaga by boat, the weather was foggy, so the locals lit torches to guide his way. These eventually evolved into the lantern hats that women wear while dancing in the festival. It must be a true story because that’s what Wikipedia says. - William

Actually, I felt this yesterday but was too busy to follow up and then forgot ab…

Fri, 07 May 2021 01:53:49 +0000

Actually, I felt this yesterday but was too busy to follow up and then forgot about it.

I wonder how reports like this are generated. It could be that a human being sat at a computer and put it together. Or, I understand that articles on sporting events, where the framework is fairly predictable, are sometimes generated with computer algorithms. Perhaps that was the case here too. If you look at the website on which this was posted, you can find many, many reports with similar phrasing but different details. Amazing what computers can do these days! ;) – Kirk

An NHK video report in English.

Fri, 07 May 2021 01:48:13 +0000

An NHK video report in English.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210507_03/

– Kirk

You can watch Day 2 of the Olympic torch relay through Kumamoto live via the lin…

Thu, 06 May 2021 00:36:13 +0000

You can watch Day 2 of the Olympic torch relay through Kumamoto live via the link below, happening now! The link also contains the relay schedule and replays. Today the relay starts in Mashiki and will wind through Minami Aso, Aso City, Kikuchi, Yamaga, Nagomi, Tamana, ending in Kumamoto City: https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/torch/route/kumamoto/

Mark

Kirk here with a little follow-up on the torch relay that William posted about. …

Wed, 05 May 2021 22:14:03 +0000

Kirk here with a little follow-up on the torch relay that William posted about. It was rainy yesterday in the Hitoyoshi area but the weather looks like it will be much nicer for the people running the legs that start in Mashiki and end at the castle today.

Olympic torch relay (聖火)

Tue, 04 May 2021 07:06:54 +0000

The Olympic torch is called in Japanese 聖火 (seika, or holy flame), overdoing it a bit in my opinion. It will pass through Kumamoto on the 5th and 6th. The rough route can be seen at the map below, and a list of times at the link. It will end up at Ninomaru on the 6th at roughly 8:30 PM. - William

https://kumanichi.com/news/id217278

This is a follow-up to William's post about the May 1st commemoration of the off…

Tue, 04 May 2021 02:32:39 +0000

This is a follow-up to William’s post about the May 1st commemoration of the official “discovery” of Minamata disease, a report submitted to the Minamata City health office by Dr. HOSOKAWA Hajime on May 1, 1956.

Legal battles over who should be recognized as a Minamata disease patient and be therefore is entitled to assistance continue to this day. How could such legal battles go on so long? One answer is that, after trying to ignore the issue, the government has taken a series of half measures, each of which helped some but left others without assistance. Some of those left out have sued the government. Victories have led others to sue in a very long series of court battles.

I always feel "funky" in the spring - and not in that good way, like I want to d…

Tue, 04 May 2021 00:30:01 +0000

I always feel “funky” in the spring - and not in that good way, like I want to disco down and check out the show. A new study shows that “Temporary rises in air pollution may impair memory and thinking in older men.” Spring brings huge plumes of dust from China. That’s likely the trigger. The article suggests that aspirin is effective. - William

The antique shop John Bull is a Kumamoto mainstay, dealing in a variety of goods…

Mon, 03 May 2021 21:48:20 +0000

The antique shop John Bull is a Kumamoto mainstay, dealing in a variety of goods from windows and doors to furniture, most sourced from England. The owner, Yoko Teramoto, speaks English very well and can aid you with purveying what you would like. Their warehouse-style shop is on Higashi Bypass. Even just for a (very expansive) glance, it is worth a visit. - William

Summer is almost upon us. While the ghosting season in the West is generally aut…

Mon, 03 May 2021 14:44:20 +0000

Summer is almost upon us. While the ghosting season in the West is generally autumn, in Japan, it’s mid-summer, when your ancestors return to berate you for not regularly sweeping the family tomb or schmoozing at the butsudan (and probably other things as well, but that’s between you and them). This is a useful image (a Chas Addams parody) to symbolize the season - feel free to copy-paste it under risk that it may further annoy your ancestors. - William

Kumanichi has a special photo serial section to mark five years since the quake.…

Mon, 03 May 2021 09:01:17 +0000

Kumanichi has a special photo serial section to mark five years since the quake. Ah, the memories. Check it out, at least so as to prepare for the next. - William

It was the cats in Minamata that first indicated something was amiss - they were…

Sun, 02 May 2021 06:16:35 +0000

It was the cats in Minamata that first indicated something was amiss - they were going into convulsions after eating locally-caught fish. The toxin, a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning, eventually led up the food chain to humans. My hometown of Los Angeles is currently facing a similar issue, with barrels of dioxin being found on the seabed. The sea is used as a dump but should not be. A ceremony was held yesterday to commemorate this deathly human error. - William https://kumanichi.com/news/id215795

Tommy Lee Jones has long done Japanese commercials for canned coffee. I don't kn…

Sat, 01 May 2021 06:46:47 +0000

Tommy Lee Jones has long done Japanese commercials for canned coffee. I don’t know why - he doesn’t need the money. Likely he just enjoys them. This one is particularly good; the first is based on the Battle of Sekigahara, and the second on the Chushingura. The subtitles are hilarious. - William

Interesting to think about how Edo-era Japanese considered the dog. Obviously, I…

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:43:47 +0000

Interesting to think about how Edo-era Japanese considered the dog. Obviously, I have no idea - I’ve eaten it in both Korea and China; it’s said that dogs will not approach you for several days after this as they can smell. I don’t doubt it. But when and how they were introduced to Japan, and for what purpose, is interesting. If anyone has any ideas, please let us know. - William

Kengun (健軍 - think about the name!) was and remains the headquarters of the Japa…

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 09:56:51 +0000

Kengun (健軍 - think about the name!) was and remains the headquarters of the Japanese 7th Army, charged with defending Kyushu, Okinawa, and all of the miscellaneous points thereabout. Kumamoto Airport doubles as an ASDF base, though no American aircraft use it - for now. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force announced on the 30th that a total of 15 fighter aircraft of the Air Self-Defense Force conducted joint training with two B52 strategic bombers of the US Air Force on the 27th in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. It seems that the aim is to restrain China, keeping in mind the situation surrounding Okinawa Prefecture, the Senkaku Islands and Taiwan. Summer in Japan is hot enough - let’s hope it doesn’t get any hotter. - William

A reycled FunkyFridayPlace.

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 00:00:50 +0000

A reycled FunkyFridayPlace. Actually, though I’ve posted about this, it has not been under the high visibility of the FunkyFridayPlace™ brand. But it is “recycled” for reasons that will become apparent.

Indo Shokudo (インド食堂) is across the street from the Kumamoto Shiritsu Public Library at Oe 5 chome. The usual menu is a choice of a vegetarian or a non vegetarian curry of the day with the occasional special curry (mutton, liver and the owner says that he might have some deer meat curry, so you can get some after I get mine) They also do a nice chai, a good lassi and have home made coconut ice cream. Also the food is halal, though it is the middle of ramadan so you may have to wait. And you can order pak chi/cilantro as an extra. Yes!!

Kirk here with some news about a very well-known singer, SADA Masashi, who has w…

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 13:48:49 +0000

Kirk here with some news about a very well-known singer, SADA Masashi, who has written a song for Hakusui Elementary School in Minami Aso.

I remember SADA Masashi for having written and performed a song called “Kampaku Sengen” (関白宣言) – a “declaration of a male chauvinist.” It’s so over-the-top as to make me think that he must have meant it as a parody – but I’m not sure. I’ll put links to the song and lyrics (with English translation) in a comment.

Thank you good information, Kuma visit, @Hiromi Chida.ーAtsuko(๑˃ᴗ˂)و

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 11:01:08 +0000

Thank you good information, Kuma visit, @Hiromi Chida.ーAtsuko(๑˃ᴗ˂)و

Y'know when you know a lot, but you don't know what you don't know, and then som…

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 10:23:45 +0000

Y’know when you know a lot, but you don’t know what you don’t know, and then something pierces your mind like the high octave of a shakuhachi? Our local shakuhachi virtuoso Jeff Cairns has introduced us to the Shakuhachi Maker’s Yakiin/Hanko Data Base. Jeeze, I’m glad to still be alive. - William https://hanko.windwheel.com/

Ariake Sea is not the place to go if you'd like to swim (for that, let's look at…

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 08:29:49 +0000

Ariake Sea is not the place to go if you’d like to swim (for that, let’s look at future posts), but it is an amazing ecosystem. A keystone species is the Japanese mudskipper (tobihaze, トビハゼ). It’s not the most attractive fish, but it’s adapted itself to an anoxic environment. The males dig burrows in the mud and try to attract females by acting really masculine. (See the photo for what it’s like to display mudskipper masculinity. I think he’s saying, “Yo!” ) Kumamoto Shinko (Port) is a good place to observe them. I was reminded of this by the Japan Today article on Saga’s mudflats. - William https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/saga-fun-in-the-mud

Here's a thoughtful post by our friend Carlton McCycle. Carlton, you really sho…

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 04:26:53 +0000

Here’s a thoughtful post by our friend Carlton McCycle. Carlton, you really should be an editor of this page. It would be no more work and people would actually SEE your posts without my having to share them (the Facebook algorithm deems posts from “guests” to by unimportant).

– Yours truly, Kirkville McSkateboard ;)

PS. I thought I was sharing Carlton’s post but the sharing process didn’t work as I had expected. I think I needed to ad the URL. Here it is:

Kirk here. My wife and I thought of the Minamata disease issue when we heard ab…

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 23:58:45 +0000

Kirk here. My wife and I thought of the Minamata disease issue when we heard about plans to dispose of the contaminated water. I guess we weren’t alone.

With Golden Week upon us, many may be wondering about how to spend an enjoyable,…

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:48:05 +0000

With Golden Week upon us, many may be wondering about how to spend an enjoyable, cheap day out. Here’s an idea for the more adventurous: take a bus from Kotsu Center towards Mt. Kimpo. From a point near the peak (ask a local - they can point it out), there is a trail which leads down to Kawachi, a fishing port most famous for its mikan and nori; the trail provides superb views of Mt. Unzen across the Ariake Sea. At a certain point, the trail enters a labyrinth of tiny, paved lanes that provide access for the mikan farmers. Feel free to pick as many mikan as you’d like - the farmers don’t care. And visit a nori processing factory if you have a chance (they’re on the right side of the port). Don’t worry about getting lost - all of the lanes eventually lead to the town. From there, you can take a bus back to Kumamoto. Adventurous level: 8.5. - William

Kirk here with some thoughts on how plastic is recycled in Kumamoto (or, more pr…

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:35:38 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts on how plastic is recycled in Kumamoto (or, more precisely, “in Japan” and Kumamoto by extension).

First, here’s a quote that I think is interesting:

“According to official numbers, in 2018 Japan recycled an impressive 84 percent of the plastic collected. (The US, in comparison, recycles about 9 percent.) Japan reaches this percentage through diversified recycling mechanisms. More than half of the collected plastic goes through thermal recycling, which means that the plastic waste is burned in incinerators to generate energy. Approximately 28 percent of the plastic is either reprocessed into new products or chemically recycled — broken down into its primary components and recombined to create new products. Some sources indicate that part of these volumes end up being exported overseas. The residual 14 percent is not recycled at all and ends up being dumped or burned without energy recovery.” https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/japans-high-recycling-rate-plastic/

Japan Today has an excellent write-up on Udo Shrine in Miyazaki. My only additio…

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:31:11 +0000

Japan Today has an excellent write-up on Udo Shrine in Miyazaki. My only addition is to remember to bring your swim fins - but take care: the currents can be treacherous. - William

I clearly remember the conversation I had with my son MacKenzie about racism whe…

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 05:03:04 +0000

I clearly remember the conversation I had with my son MacKenzie about racism when he was a child, still unaware that he was different from his peers. “There are people who will assume things about you simply because of the color of your skin. Don’t let that anger you; pity them, understanding they say these things from ignorance, for their world is so much smaller than yours.” This is a beautiful article about how a father broached the topic of racism with his young son. - William

Sakurajima, a volcano in our neighbor to the south, Kagoshima, went kablooee. It…

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 13:25:39 +0000

Sakurajima, a volcano in our neighbor to the south, Kagoshima, went kablooee. It is a fabulous place to visit- really, a must if you want to fulfill your Kyushu sojourn - and you can even climb up it a bit (or dangerously far, as I did), but clearly timing is important. Take the Shinkansen to Kagoshima station and then the ferry and collect a lot of pumice. - William https://kumanichi.com/node/208609

Hi friends.

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 11:52:55 +0000

Hi friends. The mayor press conference temporary today, on April 25, 2021 (Raiwa 3) This is the mayor, Oonishi announcement about “Kumamoto-shi medical care declaration of a state of emergency”. The page has interview video and interview record. Be careful, stay safe and hoping you enjoy GW with Minimum but Maximum, with your close family and friendsーAtsuko(´꒳`)

Here is a group that a friend just pointed out to me. It seems to have a lot of…

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 02:05:12 +0000

Here is a group that a friend just pointed out to me. It seems to have a lot of useful information (and sad realities)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/returntojapan/

Stumbled across a cave one winter in Hainan, China, and heard the sound of a wat…

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 10:54:59 +0000

Stumbled across a cave one winter in Hainan, China, and heard the sound of a waterfall, so I ventured inside - but realized there was no water flowing out and the floor was covered with a sticky substance that I recognized as guano. I looked up to see a thousand bats rustling as they roosted; hence, the sound. How carefully I backed out of that cave one can imagine. They were Asian parti-colored bats, a migratory, insectivorous species who winter in southern Asia and move north in the summer to feast on the so very delicious insects inhabiting Japan. One knows summer has arrived when they return. Saw a bunch of them flitting about my neighborhood this evening. They are your friends: they can eat their bodyweight in mosquitos each evening. They often roost under rain gutters. Treat them well. - William https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_particolored_bat

My hometown of Los Angeles has a lot of bears. They are remarkably unthreatening…

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 07:50:11 +0000

My hometown of Los Angeles has a lot of bears. They are remarkably unthreatening animals, spending most of their days in such conversation: “‘Sup?” “Foraging.” (Except, as is true with EVERY animal, never get between a mother and cub.) Aso Cuddly Dominion has a newborn bear. You can go out there and see it if you want, or you can just look at photos and say “Ahhh!” and really, really wish that you had that young woman’s job. - William https://kumanichi.com/news/id206222

Kirk here with some thoughts on the cognitive dissonance I experienced yesterday…

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 02:47:49 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts on the cognitive dissonance I experienced yesterday. This article is from the Nishi Nippon Shimbun but I saw a similar piece on RKKs evening news announcing that over 3,000 people had lined up to get into Amu Plaza (AMUPLAZA?) on opening day. The governor and mayor and other important people were there for a tape cutting ceremony. That was the top story. After that I saw the governor again looking more solemn to announce that Kumamoto had moved back into level 5, the highest level of alert regarding the spread of COVID-19.

Joe Tomei here with the latest from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, JET Progr…

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 08:41:59 +0000

Joe Tomei here with the latest from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, JET Program Prefectural Advisors for Kumamoto Prefecture.

Hello everyone,

Kumamoto Prefecture has once against raised its independent Risk Level, this time to the highest level, “Level 5”.

The prefecture is requesting residents to avoid all travel to other prefectures, effective tomorrow (24 April). Governor Kabashima said in the press conference announcing the change that he wishes for residents of Kumamoto to stay within the prefecture during Golden Week.

When English is used in the context of Japanese is it English or Japanese? This…

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 07:07:57 +0000

When English is used in the context of Japanese is it English or Japanese? This may sound like an odd question but recently I’ve begun to think that, in Japan, there seems to be an assumption that English used in the context of Japanese isn’t really English and as such is not subject to the rules and conventions of the language.

One example, would be the “Go To トラべル” expression. If the kanatana is converted to English (as it often was) this becomes “Go To Travel” which is, of course, weird English. But, perhaps the idea was that, originally at least, “Go To トラべル” was just a borrowing of English into the Japanese language and as such didn’t have to be “correct”. Of course, even if this was the original notion, it quickly became “Go To Travel” and “Go To Eat,” further exacerbating confusion about what constitutes good English (including proper capitalization).

It's sports day season, which, aside from having to prepare your kindergartener'…

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 03:39:20 +0000

It’s sports day season, which, aside from having to prepare your kindergartener’s stuff, is the time that parents most dread. Advice: Get your stuff together night before with a sheet and food. Set your alarm clock for 4:30 AM (you’ll probably oversleep, so better to be cautious). Make sure that you have several times more food and space on your sheet as those who did not take such precautions will avail themselves upon you. And pretend to enjoy it. - William

Today on Funky Friday places, it is Hot Diggity Dog day! There are several burge…

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 00:37:34 +0000

Today on Funky Friday places, it is Hot Diggity Dog day! There are several burger places in town (but there can never be enough burger places imho0, but hot dog places? Well, over by Misotenjin, there is One Five Dog. https://www.instagram.com/onefivedog/?hl=en

https://tabelog.com/kumamoto/A4301/A430101/43015008/

Hot dogs, some other sandwiches and deserts and hot coffee. It’s a cheerful little place and there’s a cheap parking lot just across (30 min for 50 yen!) And while Costco will have their hotdogs, you aren’t going to get chili cheese or guacamole. Now if some place would only have a Frito chili cheese…

Our friend Liz Suenaga, a philanthropist, Kumamoto fixture, and a very talented …

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 12:34:41 +0000

Our friend Liz Suenaga, a philanthropist, Kumamoto fixture, and a very talented photographer has provided us with this image of koinobori afloat. (Swimming permitted 09:00 - 29:00). - William

Today is Earth Day. The Financial Express published a collection of photos from…

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 11:37:44 +0000

Today is Earth Day. The Financial Express published a collection of photos from all over the world, some of which show the beauty of the natural world and some of which remind us of the ways in which human activity has led to more intense storms and other environmental problems. This picture from the Hitoyoshi area is in the latter category. The caption reads “A view shows damage after floods caused by torrential rain, in Kumamura, Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan. (Reuters Photo).”

Allan Sutherland provided a very detailed response to my rather snarky previous …

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 10:20:28 +0000

Allan Sutherland provided a very detailed response to my rather snarky previous post on Minamata disease. It deserves to be reposted verbatim. Please see his writing below, and a Wikipedia link to the Minamata disease. - William https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_disease

The photographer was W. Eugene Smith, and he used a wide range of cameras, ranging from Rollieflex mid-frame, Nikons, Leicas, and so on. There are photographs of him sporting an array of cameras, although as Liz points out, they would often be fitted with an array of lenses; zoom lenses were not as refined then as now. Some would also have different films installed, to accommodate lighting conditions, slow, mid- or high-speed films. (I commonly carried two film cameras, one for B&W, the other for colour slide, and had two lenses.) In Minamata Smith’ camera(s) of choice was the rather unimpressive Minolta SRT-101, not the more commonly used 35 mm Leicas or Nikons, at the time. In the 5 or so years preceding going to Minamata he spent a lot of time in his loft in New York City, where he photographed incessantly, inside and outside of the window: inside was of many jazz musicians who hung out there, performed there, rehearsed there; outside the subject was the views and the passersby on the street 5-floors below. When he went to Minamata his health was not good, he had suffered severe injury as a war photographer during the Battle of Okinawa. In Minamata he was severely beaten up by ’employees’ of Chisso, which severely damaged his eyesight. His wife was Japanese-American. One of these pictures is of his photo-equipment from Minamata. I will watch this bio, but expect it will be a typical Hollywood biopic of cinematic and verbal cliche. No photo description available.

Author Natsume Soseki was similar to the protagonist he's most famous for, 吾輩猫であ…

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 06:03:52 +0000

Author Natsume Soseki was similar to the protagonist he’s most famous for, 吾輩猫である, a most presumptuous way of referring to oneself as a cat (as cats can’t help but doing) - he was equally felinely periplectic. You can’t throw a stone without hitting a house in Kumamoto that he’d never lived in. A road in Kumamoto celebrates him, aptly called 吾輩通り。For ailurophiles, it is a must visit. - William

As a neophyte in Kumamoto, I scavenged oysters from the crags of Minamata with m…

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 02:53:39 +0000

As a neophyte in Kumamoto, I scavenged oysters from the crags of Minamata with my wife, both of us greedily slopping them down - and then learned that maybe that was not a good idea. My hometown of Orange County has a similar, era-spanning issue with dioxin having been dumped in barrels in the sea. Most know that Johnny Depp (whatever your opinion of him) has starred in the eponymous movie. Kumanichi has a writeup about it at the link - but, seriously?! How many cameras do you need?! - I always got by with one, even back in the days of 35mm film. - William https://kumanichi.com/news/id203675

Carp streamers (鯉のぼり)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 16:41:36 +0000

Carp streamers (鯉のぼり) are symbolic: the fish swims upstream, against the flow, all the time, until they die, symbolizing the eternal struggle of life. (Actually, it’s kind of depressing if you think about it in that way.) But on we go.

Our friend Yoshiko-san recently posted a photo of the kindness a shorestop had s…

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 07:14:47 +0000

Our friend Yoshiko-san recently posted a photo of the kindness a shorestop had shown to bees. Be kind to bees. Without them, we would all die. (Look really closely - “bees-knees distance” as it’s had - at the sign.- William

So they've got that new Amu Plaza downtown with, apparently, a stunning indoor w…

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:34:59 +0000

So they’ve got that new Amu Plaza downtown with, apparently, a stunning indoor waterfall. Check out the video to be stunned. - William https://kumanichi.com/news/id202013

A note to those who have lost a pet: legally, you're supposed to go through some…

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 10:18:33 +0000

A note to those who have lost a pet: legally, you’re supposed to go through some facility such as the Kumamoto Aigo center, but there exist many private facilities that will undertake the undertaking. It costs a bit, but from my experience, they were extremely polite and professional. If contact information is needed, please PM us. (Pictured: my dog.) - William

http://doubutsuaigo.hinokuni-net.jp/

KAB Festa

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 06:48:28 +0000

Joe Tomei here. After just posting the COVID news, I’m not sure if I should be posting this, but May 7-9, KAB is holding a Festa at the newly fancified Kumamoto Station. Here is the web page http://www.kab.co.jp/special/ekimaefesta2021/

A colleague of mine here at Gakuen, Akira Sakai, who seems to be involved in more things that one can shake a stick at, has some of his students selling some yaki nikku tare, which has some relationship with the innoshishi summit, which is a collection of farmers, hunters, restaurant owners and others who are dealing with the problem of wild boars, which damage crops and farmland. While the tare doesn’t offer an protection from COVID, it is quite tasty, so if you do venture out, check them out.

Joe Tomei here with more a follow up from yesterday's shared email from JET Prog…

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 06:34:38 +0000

Joe Tomei here with more a follow up from yesterday’s shared email from JET Program Prefectural Advisors Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. As always, thanks to them for letting me share these with Kumamoto-i.

===== Hi Kumamoto,

As we mentioned yesterday, Kumamoto Prefecture announced yesterday that it has raised the Risk Level to Level 4.

The prefecture is acknowledging that this represents the start of a “fourth wave” of COVID-19 in Kumamoto, and has outlined what requests to the public that this Level increase entails. One important change is that the Prefecture is requesting residents specifically avoid travel to Fukuoka Prefecture, regardless of whether it has a State of Emergency/Stronger Measures, or an infection rate of over 15 per 100,000.

Fixing stuff when you're a foreigner in Japan can be tricky - hell, it's difficu…

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:51:05 +0000

Fixing stuff when you’re a foreigner in Japan can be tricky - hell, it’s difficult even if you’re native. I remember arriving home at 9:40 PM after a long day awaiting a wife with two young children who pointed out that the kitchen sink was spouting water and would not stop (I remember the time because Hirose closed at 10:00 - it turned out to be a 50 yen plastic piece - best 50 yen I ever fucking spent). Below is a post I put up on my personal page, but it occurred to me that others might have quickie DIY solutions you’ve experienced. If so, please share. - William

Amu plaza Opening

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:04:50 +0000

Hi friends. Amu plaza next to JR Kumamoto station will open on 23rd April. The webpage has English, Chinese, Korean pages also. Hoping you to enjoy wonderful Anime world and new shops with wearing mask.ーAtsuko«٩(´∀`)۶» https://www.jrkumamotocity.com/en/amu?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=amuopen&fbclid=PAAabBVodmXrJOY9MD7RbV5iIfyOkjU3hkNYhmy4NhPlFHyE64bRvgV_Oxwo0

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W7ByQ1H9qbs&feature=youtu.be

Kirk here with a share from the Asahi Shimbun. The following URL will take you…

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:34:41 +0000

Kirk here with a share from the Asahi Shimbun. The following URL will take you to previous posts in which we discussed the rock you see in the picutre:

https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=men%20no%20ishi

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14330921

An important update from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, JET Program Prefectu…

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:21:07 +0000

An important update from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, JET Program Prefectural Advisors

======= Dear Kumamoto,

This afternoon, Kumamoto Prefecture made a sudden announcement raising the Risk Level to Level 4, which is the second highest on Kumamoto’s independent risk level scale (the highest being Level 5). Usually the risk level announcements are made every Friday, but the large number of new cases announced today seems to have triggered the change. This is the first time in 9 weeks that the Risk Level has been elevated (the first time since the last state of emergency lifted). https://kumanichi.com/news/id200594

Luther Kyushu Junior and Senior High School has an outpost in Aso, and our frien…

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:20:34 +0000

Luther Kyushu Junior and Senior High School has an outpost in Aso, and our friend, a delightful teacher at the school, Kotegawa-sensei, has provided a photo. There are no international schools in Kumamoto, but if you have a child in search of an international education, Kyushu Gakuin (located in Oe Machi) is as close as you can get. (Both of my children attended there and benefitted greatly.)　－https://kyugaku.ed.jp－ - William

Y'know that place you'd always planned to visit but never have? - 島田美術館 (Shimada…

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 05:42:02 +0000

Y’know that place you’d always planned to visit but never have? - 島田美術館 (Shimada Art Museum) is that place for me. But now, they are exhibiting a painting of Miyamoto Masushi said to have been contemporaneous. Urge. Museum and exhibition info at the links. - William

島田美術館: http://www.shimada-museum.net/index.php Friggin’ cool painting: https://kumanichi.com/news/id200300

This screenshot is from the Kumamoto Coamix Inc. (https://kumamoto-coamix.co.jp/…

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 22:43:28 +0000

This screenshot is from the Kumamoto Coamix Inc. (https://kumamoto-coamix.co.jp/) website. The other day I tried to share a “we’re looking for non-Japanese to hire” message to the page but something went wrong. Since then, I’ve added a link to my original share, which is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5228003847273005

If you are into manga, you might want to check it out. Also, please share this with other people who might be interested in the opportunity. – Kirk

Hi.

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 11:16:36 +0000

Hi. It was nice weather today. Brilliant fresh green Eduko with lots boats and lots ZARIGANI hunters.ーAtsuko.(ˊ˘ˋ)♡

There's this thing called 蛇苺 (hebiichigo - literally, "snake strawberries") that…

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 07:01:05 +0000

There’s this thing called 蛇苺 (hebiichigo - literally, “snake strawberries”) that you’ll find growing here and there. You can make them into quite a delicious jam, whose recipe you can google. A friend of mine just brought over a bushel of 蛇苺. I’m not sure whether my wife is happy about this or not. - William

Anett here.

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 06:07:21 +0000

Anett here.

The non-profit organization WYS is looking for host families for high school students arriving in Japan this autumn. Far too few students ever have the chance to get to know beautiful Kumamoto with its breathtaking landscapes and interesting history. And hosting a young person in one’s home enriches not only one’s own life but gives Kumamoto children the chance to experience a small part of the international world on a very personal level.

Opium poppies are pretty tough plants. They can grow from any little crack and a…

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 04:31:32 +0000

Opium poppies are pretty tough plants. They can grow from any little crack and are very fecund. Kumanichi reports that sightings of opium poppies growing along roadsides has recently jumped. Whether someone is planting them or they’re spreading naturally is unclear. If you spot one, call the police (or not - reporting these things can involve you in a lot more trouble than you’d wish). - William

Our friend Charles Waterman has the following inquiry. I might expand it to ask …

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 04:22:44 +0000

Our friend Charles Waterman has the following inquiry. I might expand it to ask for experiences from anyone from any age group who has received a corona vaccination. - William

Inquiring minds want to know: Are there any 65+ year old international residents on this list who HAVE already gotten a voucher/ticket for a vaccination?

Kirk here with some thoughts about language tools. I was just looking at the CO…

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 01:57:57 +0000

Kirk here with some thoughts about language tools. I was just looking at the COVID-19 links that Joe pinned to the top of this Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5128905377182853

One of the links takes you to a page where you can find a vaccination venue. Fortunately, more places have come on line recently for those of you who have already gotten vouchers. Unfortunately, however, the interface is only in Japanese. On my computer, I tried using the Google translate plugin in the Chrome browser. That works pretty well but it’s not something you can take advantage of on a smartphone. I was pleased to notice, however, that Google translate now provides romanization of Japanese text in addition to the translation (see image). I’m not sure when this started but I think it enhances the value of the service. If, like me, you were not aware of this aspect of Google translate, please check it out.

Kumamoto Castle is quite larger than most people who limit their visits to the d…

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 10:45:19 +0000

Kumamoto Castle is quite larger than most people who limit their visits to the donjon and Ninomaru think. One of my favorite places to visit is the west side, the area known as Sannomaru - nobody goes there, so it’s quiet and absolutely gorgeous and very historical (take the stairs behind the museum towards the baseball stadium). In addition to Sannomaru, there is an area set aside for trees as a bird sanctuary, all within the ancient walls, which you can inspect if your knees allow. If you really want to be a Higokko, learn this area. - William

Here's an interesting job opportunity for manga fans / manga creators in the Kum…

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 03:05:25 +0000

Here’s an interesting job opportunity for manga fans / manga creators in the Kumamoto area. Please share with those who might be interested but are not subscribed to this page. – Kirk

https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5227993570607366

Here's something I saw on TV about the phenomenon of "postseismic deformation" (…

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 23:07:35 +0000

Here’s something I saw on TV about the phenomenon of “postseismic deformation” (余効変動). The first picture shows how a straight line that was painted on a repaved road after the quake has been twisted by postseismic deformation in the last few years. I took it from a video that can be seen on the following page:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20210416/k10012977501000.html?utm_int=news-new_contents_latest_with-image

The second image is basically the same as an image I saw on an RKK TV special. It shows how parts of a wall that were connected immediate after the quake have gradually moved apart. I got the image from the following page:

I don't know if this is funny or tragic - it's kind of hard to discern these thi…

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:42:41 +0000

I don’t know if this is funny or tragic - it’s kind of hard to discern these things anymore. But there was a corona virus outbreak at a seminar held for food safety. It seems like one way or another, something is going to get you. - William

A Kumamoto treasure is Jeff Cairns. Really - they should give awards for these t…

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:22:57 +0000

A Kumamoto treasure is Jeff Cairns. Really - they should give awards for these type of non-Japanese who contribute so greatly to Kumamoto culture. (Actually, I think they do, and he deserves one.) He is a shakuhachi virtuoso residing in a shack (:)) at the foot of Mt. Kimpo, the heart of Kumamoto. Please listen to his work here. - William

Here's some useful information from Calton McCycle, via Kirk:

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:01:51 +0000

Here’s some useful information from Calton McCycle, via Kirk:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/how-to-coronavirus-vaccinations-japan/?fbclid=IwAR2r-8EiZ-PDXCK1RxXbp3v0G1Cteb9lBuAIEFr5P1V2qgf1ProYfxMtYAc

I went to Yatsushiro yesterday by train; usually I drive so am restricted to the…

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 01:28:20 +0000

I went to Yatsushiro yesterday by train; usually I drive so am restricted to the road on which I’m concentrating, but the train passes behind people’s backyards and I had the luxury of observing, and I have to say that I was so shocked by how poor the area is. The people are wonderful, so very welcoming, but their life is hardscrabble. Bipuresu, the square at Torichosuji, hosts a periodic Yatsushiro produce sale. I now feel so much more strongly about supporting these wonderful farmers. Their event schedule is at the link. - William https://bipuresu.jp/event/detail/000103.php

Hi, Joe Tomei here with another Funky Friday place post. Today, I'd like to intr…

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 22:00:37 +0000

Hi, Joe Tomei here with another Funky Friday place post. Today, I’d like to introduce your burger and craft beer heaven on the banks of the Shirakawa. Voyager was started by Jason Morgan, who came to Kumamoto as a JET and he’s been working to funkify the Kuhonji area (my take)

Voyager is in the basement of the Sky Terrace Ten9 building and offers burgers, craft beer and some other libations. They also have a craft beer club, where you have a monthly quota of beer (1.5, 3 or 6 liters) that you can bring your own container in and take home. Joining the club, you can get a free bottle for your amber goodness or you can purchase a 500 ml growler (@ 2,500 yen for the one in the picture or get your own, a container with an airtight seal works fine) from the bar. You have to join the club from the webpage https://voyager-beer.com/ and you’ll be mailed a card that you can take in and get whatever they have on tap. If you join, tell Jason that Funky Friday sent you!

This is what the double punch of two shindo 7 earthquakes did to Miyazono in Mas…

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:42:14 +0000

This is what the double punch of two shindo 7 earthquakes did to Miyazono in Mashiki-machi, Kumamoto Prefecture in 2016. I took the picture on the left with a little iPhone after the first quake. The TV reporter is standing next to a sign that says “Miyazono Community Center” (宮園公民館). I went back to the same place after the second quake, which occurred during the early hours of April 16th, to take the second photo. You can see the same sign but the devastation is so great that otherwise it’s hard to recognize this as the same place. I was able to stand on the pavement when I took the first photo but I had to climb on top of debris that had spilled into the road to take the second photo. – Kirk

Another deer has been caught wandering around Yasuyo Machi, just adjacent Shimot…

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:03:29 +0000

Another deer has been caught wandering around Yasuyo Machi, just adjacent Shimotori. It’s the third deer to have wandered downtown this week. Let’s hope it’s not some type of omen. - William

The Kumamoto quakes (note the plural) got a writeup on Japan Today. Please, for …

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:30:17 +0000

The Kumamoto quakes (note the plural) got a writeup on Japan Today. Please, for you who did not experience them, listen to those who did and take necessary precautions for WHEN (not IF) another quake occurs. - William

https://japantoday.com/category/national/kumamoto-commemorates-5th-anniv.-of-deadly-quakes

Joe Tomei here. William already posted a short note about the 5th anniversary of…

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 02:21:23 +0000

Joe Tomei here. William already posted a short note about the 5th anniversary of the Kumamoto Earthquakes, but I’d like to pass this from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, JET program Prefectural Advisors, that has an interesting Kumamoto-i connection. Sara Kubota, the ALT mentioned below and appearing in the video, had iirc just joined us on Kumamoto-i a month or two before the earthquake, and when it hit, she posted a steady stream of messages and announcements. Her work was recognized by the Embassy and she met the US ambassador at the time, Caroline Kennedy.

Hello Friends.

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:48:58 +0000

Hello Friends. Yes, today is the 5th memorial day of Kumamoto earthquake. We learned lots things from its evacuation life. I’d like to post and share these ‘‘yubisashi sheets’’ again, here. https://www.yubisashi.com/volunteer/

In case any emergency, you can find and use them easily by searching #emergency in Kumamoto international post. Please remember this post to help yourself and your family.ーAtsuko.╰(´︶`)╯

Kirk here. Today I got an e-mail from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, who ha…

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:17:30 +0000

Kirk here. Today I got an e-mail from Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland, who have been doing yeoman’s work in summarizing important COVID-19 information for us. Their e-mail starts with a summary of how this is the 5th anniversary of the quakes and continues as follows:

“To mark this important milestone, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created a video to share about Kumamoto’s recovery to the world, and we have been asked to share that video with everyone. A former Kumamoto JET, Sara Kubota, makes a feature appearance. Sara provided critical information to the foreign community over social media in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Today marks five years since the quakes. I spent the night in a tent at Kaishin …

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 21:44:30 +0000

Today marks five years since the quakes. I spent the night in a tent at Kaishin High School with my wife and dog. If you were here then, please let us know what you did - it might be useful for future reference. - William

This photo was published in the Kumanichi last year. The occasion was the first…

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:55:48 +0000

This photo was published in the Kumanichi last year. The occasion was the first lighting up of the castle and environs since the 2016 earthquakes. It’s a very large, high resolution, stunning photo. Enjoy! – Kirk

http://kumamotto.kumanichi.com/index.php/kumacole/earthquake/1680550

and

http://kumamotto.kumanichi.com/sites/default/files/images/imported/2020-11/1118doron-kumamotojyou.jpg

supernatural cats

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:32:40 +0000

The author Natsume Soseki is a lot like Washington: he seems to have always slept somewhere, likely near you, which is kind of creepy. His residences in Kumamoto are particularly numerous. His most famous work, 吾輩猫である (wagahainekodearu - the joke here is that 吾輩 is an extremely presumptive way of referring to oneself, which is how a cat would naturally do), is about a cat’s vision of the world. The book is so noted that a road running by one of his numerous houses is called “吾輩道り.” If you’re into cats, go there. Also, Atlas International will host an event on “supernatural cats” at a cost of $12, but ailurophiles (had to look that up) would be better off just visiting the street for free. - William

Ajisen Ramen is an international company founded in Kumamoto. To commemorate the…

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 07:58:04 +0000

Ajisen Ramen is an international company founded in Kumamoto. To commemorate the restoration of the Aso Bridge, which is 2.5 meters longer than its predecessor, it is offering ramen 2.5 times longer than its average ramen. That’s a whole lotta slurping. - William

https://kumanichi.com/news/id192151

Our neighbor to the southwest, Miyazaki, got a writeup on Gaijinpot Travel. Both…

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 07:27:39 +0000

Our neighbor to the southwest, Miyazaki, got a writeup on Gaijinpot Travel. Both that prefecture and Kagoshima are breathtakingly wonderful places to visit if you have a car and a tent - and remember, you can camp anywhere for free.

The Kumamoto red cow (褐毛和種) is pretty famous as far as cows go. I'm not sure if …

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 02:12:38 +0000

The Kumamoto red cow (褐毛和種) is pretty famous as far as cows go. I’m not sure if that’s something they appreciate. However, they will appreciate that Kyushu Tokai University has agreed to provide grazing land on their Aso campus to bovines bereft of grazing ground following quake damage. Remember that next time you eat a really expensive, tasty steak. - William https://kumanichi.com/news/id191157

Good morning!

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 23:12:50 +0000

Good morning! Here is a post from Untapped Kumamoto about Seta Shrine in Ozu Town and Kumamoto Earthquake Museum, which aims at passing on lessons and stories of the disaster to the next generations.

It’s been almost 5 years since Kumamoto Earthquake. Seeing the progress of reconstruction is a great hope for all of us and makes us feel that we are moving forward.

Check the article below and I hope it will be your opportunity to visit some of the sites. I’ll be a great support for locals.

Shiromiyagura (城見櫓 - literally, "Castle View Turret") is a restaurant just acros…

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 06:47:00 +0000

Shiromiyagura (城見櫓 - literally, “Castle View Turret”) is a restaurant just across from the castle’s nagabeya that I’ve long planned to visit but never have - but now I definitely will. It had been closed due to building damage since the quakes but has recently reopened with the help of crowd funding (that’s apparently グループ補助金 in Japanese), spiffed up with an entrance designed to resemble the castle walls and the owner, Hayashi Shōzō-san, promising that every seat will have an excellent castle view. So now I’ve really got to go. - William https://www.shiromiyagura.com/