Archive of the Kumamoto International Facebook group, 2011–present.
Douglas, back again as promised, with a more recent video of the topic of rice.
If you live in the same place for most of your life, you tend to get used to your environment and stop noticing everyday things.
When a stranger comes into your neighbourhood they are likely to notice the things that you no longer see.
Quite often, when a stranger asks a local person, "What is that over there?", a usual answer is likely to be, "I don't know. I haven't really noticed it before."
Even after 20 years in Japan my gaijin-eyes still find interesting things that my Japanese neighbours seldom pay attention to.
Here Megumi and I take a look at some Japanese rice farmers as the till their paddy fields and then plant rice seedlings in the soft muddy bottom.
We have used a mixture of footage taken both from ground level and from above.
Regards,
Douglas and Megumi
Hello friends.
It's Happy Woman Festa, 8th March, tomorrow.
It's a so important issue for foreign ladies what they should do if they got pregnant, especially in case they don't want to do in Japan.
Readers might have lots and various opinions about the problem but it's so sorry if some ladies have lots troubles because of being pregnant, especially for technical intern trainee.
Japanese accepting system and Japanese culture, and also Japanese support system is so weak and poor for them.
You might have heard the news about one of them were arrested because she born her babies secretly and the babies died.
The webpage is shared by コムスタカ
https://www.facebook.com/KumustakaKumamoto/
The webpage tells the place they can consult about pregnancy in Kumamoto and what they should do.
Of course, the page has English and tiếng Việt, Vietnamese version.I attached in comments box below.
Hoping all pregnant ladies can spend their pregnant days healthy and happy even if they don't want, in Japan, in Kumamoto!
Of course, hoping all pregnant ladies can enjoy their happy pregnant life in Kumamoto!!
ーAtsuko(*ˊ˘ˋ*)♡
熊本では熊本県や熊本市の外国人相談窓口や民間団体、また病院などで相談できます。電話やメールでも相談できます。
I am uploading this via Facebook to test how well Facebook can display it. Normally, I only use Vimeo to show my videos.
I shot the material for this video back in 2006 and 2007. Then edited it at the end of 2007.
In 2015, I decided to re-edit the story from scratch. Beginning with capturing from the old tapes and then editing everything together.
I hope the result will prove interesting to viewers.
Later today, I will upload a more recent video on the topic of rice farming. In the newer one, it should be possible to see a difference in image quality. Also, most of it was shot from our drone.
Hi again.
新阿蘇大橋 New Aso Big bridge will open tomorrow, 7th March.
For me, Kumamoto resident since I was born, I was so shocked when I heard 阿蘇大橋Aso big bridge was destroyed by Kumamoto earthquake.
Aso big bridge was so famous as 赤橋 Akahashi, red bridge. I also remembered that red bridge which I watched from my family's car everytime I went to Aso . It was my trip memory from a kid to mother.
Kirk posted the lightning bridge here before. It will open tomorrow. They will have youtube opening live tomorrow.
It's not Akahashi, it's named Shin Aso Oohashi.
It's a reconstructing ceremony for the bridge, for Aso, for us. It's also a memorial ceremony for new Aso history.
Opening ceremony will be broadcast live from 11:30 to 12:40.
Opening countdown live will start 2:30pm tomorrow.
Hoping the new bridge encourages lots Kumamoto residents!!!ーAtsuko«٩(*´∀`*)۶»
St.Patrick's Day☘️2021 will be celebrated in Kumamoto, from tomorrow... Sunday, March 7th to 16th, with a commemorative exhibition of posters, photos, pamphlets, and other Ireland-Kumamoto related panels on the first floor of the Kumamoto International Center downtown ✨💚 https://www.kumamoto-ireland.org/?p=3809&fbclid=IwAR1T9-evoZ3vUj0L4w5wiPFnSHXq8EUfPQ9a2HR12Lm9TvjvaBV8_xt5bak
Exhibition Title: 熊本アイルランド協会創立30周年記念展
Dates: 2021年3月7日(日)～16日(火) **無料です☘️It's free!!**
Location: 熊本市国際交流会館1階 (熊本市中央区花畑町4-18 - Kumamoto International Center)
In fact, as the exhibition title states, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Kumamoto-Ireland Association・熊本アイルランド協会. So, while it's unfortunate that there is no parade once again this year, it is a timely occasion to have this display be the focus as you can safely view it in your own time - ご自由にご覧ください!!
About the Kumamoto-Ireland Association・熊本アイルランド協会... While the annual parade, and after-party, are probably the most publicly well-known, tangible events, over the years there have been numerous seminars, outings, lectures, exhibits, performances and exchanges, including a trip to Greece - the birthplace of the famous writer of Greek-Irish descent, Lafcadio Hearn, who was born on the island of Levkás. It is partly thanks to Hearn's time spent in Kumamoto in 1891, as well as his keen eye and powerful penmanship, that has afforded Kumamoto this unique opportunity to be a living link with Ireland during all these years. 今後とも応援お願い致します 🍀🙏☘️ - Ruth
「熊本アイルランド協会創立30周年記念展」と題し、当協会の主催で展示会を開催します。 当熊本アイルランド協会は…
Tristan Vick here...
Here's a fun article on 'inemuri' that I wrote back in 2013 but decided to spruce up a bit.
'Inemuri' if you don't already know translates to "sleeping while present."
It's essentially the Japanese custom of sleeping on the job -- but the deliberate kind -- like you see with CEOs and politicians on TV, or your boss at work, or the super intendant at your school during opening or closing ceremonies, sports days, or any other day for that matter.
Interesting & Fun Facts About Japan #3 The Sleep @ Work Culture of Japan
Japan is famous for the image of the salary man (i.e., business man) or politician falling asleep at work. Usually at his desk. While western people may find this odd, sleeping while on the job is...
Hi friends.
It's my friend's post about 青井阿蘇神社Aoi Aso Shrine at 人吉市 Hitoyoshi city. Hitoyoshi suffered from flood last summer.
Aoi Aso Shrine was also damaged by heavy flood. The Shrine is National treasure.
Hitoyoshi Machi Akari, lightning festival is held till 20th March and they will hold 復興祭 Hukkousai, reconstructing festival tomorrow.
I went to Aoi Aso Shrine after flood to do volunteer.
I strongly hope their reconstructing and their happy.ーAtsuko╰(*´︶`*)╯
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3918655124864192&id=100001592300037
Kirk got me interested in the painting of the castle posted recently. It was too close to the river to be Hitoyoshi Castle; the closest I could find was Watarijyo, just west of Hitoyoshi. But my poking surfaced this useful site for those searching for long-vanished Higo castles. - William
https://www.hb.pei.jp/shiro/higo/
Poking around for some yukie of Kumamoto, I came across this of a bridge crossing Kumagawa. Coincidentally, it appears to be quite close to the Sakamoto-mura railroad bridge washed out during the floods of last summer. Reports are that a replacement of the bridge would cost in the billions of yen, increasing the option of simply not replacing it.
Roads exist with bridges both up- and downstream from the railroad, but these would add some 15 minutes to the commuting time of village children to the nearest schools, add burdens to their parents, and decrease options for the elderly. Already struggling, abandonment of the rail link would be another nail in the coffin of the villages the railroad served.
Trends such as the greying society, falling agriculture production, and concentration of population in urban areas have lead to abandonment of many rural towns - the only viable option, no matter how painful. Sakamoto-mura, with its population of less than 4,000, a vast majority over 50, may be next. - William
Douglas here. I will be posting the occasional video and virtual tour taken around Kumamoto. The videos try to show how I see various aspects of Japanese traditions, culture and heritage.
I posted my first ever virtual tour of the Takahashi Inari Jinja a few days ago. There will be more virtual tours in the future.
For now, I will start the video ball rolling with a montage of various spots taken from above!
First 6 months with Parrot Anafi
We bought our first and only drone in August 2018. We soon posted an "Our First Flight" video,as do hundreds of other new drone pilots. We have noticed…
Joe Tomei here. Gotten a request for some observations about different neighborhoods in kumamoto, in particular
Omine, Sadowara, Nagamine, Yama no kami and Shin Hoka. Anyone living in any of those neighborhoods who can share good and bad points! Thanks!
Hello One piece big fans.
Yesterday, 2nd March, was Sanji's Birthday.
There is a lightning event at Mashiki town which has Sanji bronze statue.
It will be held from 6pm to 9:30pm till 7th March at Mashiki Sogoundo park.
Luffy with Ginkyo is very famous but it might be good also, I think.
If you are a big fan of One piece, hoping you enjoy it too.ーAtsuko«٩(*´∀`*)۶»
@益城町運動公園 Mashiki Sogoundo park
https://g.co/kgs/XaGbQn
https://www.facebook.com/200668296665728/posts/4085968438135675/?sfnsn=mo
Kirk here. Today is March 3rd, Reiwa 3. 3-3-3. That has made shrines (jinja) popular today. Let me explain.
Until COVID-19 made it virtually impossible for students to come to Kumamoto Gakuen University (my work place) as exchange students, I had a bilingual seminar that was made up of Japanese students and students from other countries. One of the things I had them do was to give little presentations about their hobbies, interests, or the culture of their home countries. Through one such presentation, a Japanese student opened my eyes to the practice of collecting goshuin (see English article below).
Had it not been for that student, I probably would have had a harder time understanding the RKK TV news story linked to below. It seems that lots of people wanted an auspicious goshuin with three 3s today.
Here's the RKK video report:
https://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003202103031835460111
And here's an English article about goshuin (my screenshot is of this):
https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-tokyo_train_station/article-a0002402/
P.S. Sorry for not being smart enough to give you a heads up about this beforehand. I just realized that today is 3-3-3 myself.
Kirk Here. Yesterday, Hari posted about Kurashi no Nihongo meetings in the Minami Ward. That prompted me to take a look at the International Foundation's website for more information. I hadn't noticed it before but this time I realized that if I click on "Foreign Language" whatever page I was looking at would be translated into English. That may not sound very good but the thing I like about it is that you can go back and forth between the original Japanese and the English translation very easily. This makes the tool quite useful in my view.
Here's the URL of the International Foundation:
https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/default.html
Hari wrote about the new Japanese program starting in Minami Ward. I wrote a little note about how they probably needed Japanese people to help as tutors. Here's a page about that (text is in Japanese).
-- Kirk
「南区くらしのにほんごくらぶ」日本語交流サポーター募集 / （一財）熊本市国際交流振興事業団
If you are living in the Minami-ward of Kumamoto City, this event might be of interest to you.
Kumamoto International Foundation (KIF) is going to start "Minami-ku Kurashi-no Nihongo Club" from this month.
March 6 (Sat.), March (Sun)
From April, 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month
https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kiji003574/index.html
-Hari
Kirk here with a commemoration of the passing of MENDA Sakae. Mr. Menda's life ended in December of last year but I missed the opportunity to post about his passing at that time.
His case is truly historic in Japan. To see more posts about Mr. Menda that we published on this page before his passing click on the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=Menda
Another article that may be of interest:
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13996596
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/06/national/sakae-menda-death-row-obituary/
Sakae Menda, an innocent man freed from death row after 34 years in prison, dies at 95
Menda, who was released in 1983, spent much of the rest of his life as a campaigner against the death penalty, giving speeches in Japan and abroad.
