Kumamoto International Archive

Archive of the Kumamoto International Facebook group, 2011–present.

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.
My impression is that, generally speaking, Japanese people with foot problems go to a 整形外科 (seikeigeka; orthopedic ward) in a big hospital. I think such doctors are familiar with the sorts of problems that a podiatrist deals with. However, I've been told that orthopedic surgeons tend to specialize in particular joints or parts of the body. So, levels of familiarity and skill in dealing with foot problems must differ from doctor to doctor.
Now, I'l like to address the cultural background behind the relative lack of "podiatry," at least as a popularly recognize area of medical practice, in Japan. If you'd like to check to see what I'm talking about, ask a Japanese friend if they know of or have been to a 足病医 (sokubyoui; podiatrist/foot doctor). I doubt that you'll get many positive responses. My theory about why this is the case is that the Japanese language doesn't distinguish clearly between "leg" and "foot." "Arm" and "hand" are distinguished between as "ude" and "te" but "leg" and "foot" both come out as "ashi". So, whereas it's very easy to explain "podiatrist" with the phrase "foot doctor" in English, it's a bit harder to describe that part of the body in Japanese clearly and concisely.
My little theory comes under the heading of linguistic relativity or the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis. The idea, according to the Wikipedia page on the topic, is that "the structure of a language affects its speakers' worldview or cognition."
Back to the original question: Where to go for medical help with your feet. I've gotten good help in the past at the Shintoshin Hospital (used to be NTT) near Kumamoto Gakuen University. If others of you can recommend a good foot specialist, please write a note in the comments. Otherwise, the hospital I link to below might be worth checking out.
熊本足の外科センター｜（医）保田窪会保田窪整形外科病院
患者様に寄り添った治療で足首から下の怪我や病気を診療する、熊本市東区保田窪にある熊本足の外科センターのWEBサイトです。

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.
For further information, check out the link below and I hope you will enjoy the world of stone monuments!
- Chieko

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
https://kumanichi.com/articles/278709

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.
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 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
Japanese units of measurement - Wikipedia
Traditional Japanese units of measurement or the shakkanhō (尺貫法, "shaku–kan system") is the traditional system of measurement used by the people of the Japanese archipelago. It is largely based on the Chinese system, which spread to Japan and the rest of the Sinosphere in antiquity. It has ...

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 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 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
https://kumanichi.com/articles/277160

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
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(optical_phenomenon)
P.S. The photo is from the following page:
http://weathernews.jp/s/curation/detail.html?cuid=202106070055

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 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
重さ５キロ超、バンペイユがギネス認定　熊本県八代市の前田さん栽培｜熊本日日新聞
熊本県八代市東陽町の前田一喜さん（７０）が育てた重さ５・３８６キロのバンペイユが、最も重いザボンとし...

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

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 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

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 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:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/5418368704903184
OK, here's the evacuation information from the International Foundatioin:
==================
【Evacuation Information】
　The rainy season has set in. During this season, it rains heavily and sometimes, storm surges and rainstorms may hit the suburbs in Japan. To prepare for these natural disasters,
evacuation information that divided the alert levels into five is issued by the municipality. The new evacuation information system was introduced on May 20th. The evacuation information is 1 to 5 in order of low risk.
・Alert level １　
Early advisory:
You must pay attention to information on weather and natural disasters that may happen.
・Alert level ２　
Heavy rain, flood, storm surge advisories
You must check where and how to evacuate.
・Alert level３　
Evacuation of the elderly:
Elderly people, those who are disabled, and those who need some time to evacuate must start evacuating. Everyone should start preparing for shelter, and evacuate from where you are now without hesitation when you feel any danger.
・Alert level ４　
Evacuation order:
Everyone must finish evacuating.
・Alert level ５　
Ensuring your safety:
A life-threatening disaster is coming. You must ensure your safety.
Alert level 5 is a level when you are already in danger and it is too dangerous to take shelter in the evacuation center. You must finish sheltering by the announcement of alert level 4.
There are four places to evacuate as follows.
1、 Shelters that are designated by the municipality, for example, school or community center.
2、 Houses of relatives or your friends which are located in the safe place. （Please check the hazard map and discuss it with them.）
3、 Hotels in the safe place（Please check the hazard map and make a reservation in advance. You will be charged）
4、 Ensuring safety in your house　
If the hazard map says your house is in the safe area, you can evacuate in your house.
Please pay attention to information on the natural disaster and decide where to shelter in advance.
【避難情報について】
　梅雨の季節は雨が多く、これから夏にかけて日本近郊では台風による高潮や暴風雨に襲われることもあります。このような災害に備えて市区町村から警戒レベルを５段階に分けた避難情報が出されます。その災害情報が5月20日から新しくなりました。避難情報は、危険度が低い順に警戒レベル１～５となっており、それぞれの対応は下記のとおりになります。
・警戒レベル１　早期注意情報　これから先の気象情報、災害情報に気を付ける。
・警戒レベル２　大雨・洪水・高潮注意報　避難場所、避難方法を確認する。
・警戒レベル３　高齢者等避難　避難に時間がかかる高齢者や障がいのある人は避難する。その他の人も避難の準備を始めて、危険を感じたら避難する。
・警戒レベル４　避難指示　みんな避難する。
・警戒レベル５　緊急安全確保　命の危機、直ちに安全を確保する。
警戒レベル５ではすでに安全な避難ができず、命が危険な状況です。警戒レベル４の発令までに避難を行ってください。
避難には下記の４つの方法があります。
１、行政が指定した避難場所への避難（学校や公民館等）
２、安全な親戚や知人宅への避難（ハザードマップで安全を確認し、普段から避難することを相談しておいてください。）
３、安全なホテルや旅館への避難（ハザードマップで安全を確認し、事前に予約をしましょう。料金が発生します。）
４、屋内安全確保　ハザードマップで安全が確認できれば、自宅の中でも避難することができます。
災害情報に注意して、普段から避難先を確認しておいてください。

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."
Quasi-emergency to end in Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto : The Asahi Shimbun
Quasi-emergency measures will be lifted for Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto prefectures after June 13 a

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.
As you can see in the attached image below, the number of cases has come down (thanks to everyone's co-operation with the measures).
However, although the number of cases has decreased in recent weeks, the threat of highly transmissible variants remains high, and the prefectural government today released its plans to replace the Quasi-Emergency measures with its own independent "Period of Strengthened Actions for the Protection of Our Health Care System" (our unofficial translation of 医療を守る行動強化期間, iryō wo mamoru kōdō kyōka kikan).
The measures for the aformentioned "Period of Strengthened Actions for the Protection of Our Health Care System", which will be in place between June 14 and June 30, are as follows:
① Movement across prefectural lines
Avoid all unnecessary and non-urgent movement out of the prefecture.
In particular, strictly avoid any travel to and from areas for which there is a State of Emergency or Quasi-Emegency Measures in place.
② Outings
The elderly and their co-habitating family members should avoid all unncessary and non-urgent outings.
In Kumamoto City, avoid all unncessary and non-urgent outings, even during the day time, and particularly after 9pm.
Do not drink in groups outdoors or in public parks, etc.
Be thorough with measures to avoid the spread of infection when outside the home (e.g., mask wearing, hand washing, physical distance etc.)
② Eating out
Please keep the following points in mind when eating with others, even when eating and drinking in your own home, in order to minimize the risk of transmission:
As much as possible, eat only with others who you are usually already together with/spend time with
Eat with as few people as possible
Follow the "4 steps" for avoiding risk when eating meals (https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/93983.html)
Avoid drinking or gathering with others late at night, regardless of where you are in the prefecture, to prevent the spread of infection
Do not utilise establishments which are not implementing measures to prevent the spread of infection
As you can see from the above, the requests to individual members of the public will remain largely unchanged at this time -- the main difference will be the availability of various government subsidies to businesses that are requested to shorten their hours and the ability (backed by legislation passed earlier this year) to enforce those requests with fines.
A word about vaccine distribution
Recently, more detailed schedules have been released regarding the vaccination programme by municipalities across the country. Information about how the vaccination schedule and how to book a vaccine in Kumamoto City is available on the Kumamoto City website here: https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/hpKiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=35621&class_set_id=2&class_id=66
Since each municipality is responsible for running their own vaccine distribution programme, the rollout schedules and reservation method will vary.