Kumamoto International Archive

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

This is a news article about the first partnership between a same-sex couple to be legally recognized by Kumamoto City.
In March of this year, I posted a bit of news about the city's decision to recognize such partnerships:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2463113487095402
This couple is the first to take advantage of the new system. Their relationship will be formally recognized in their koseki (family registers).
熊本市が同性のパートナー初公認「いろんな幸せの形ある」｜全国・海外のニュース｜徳島新聞
性的少数者（ＬＧＢＴ）のカップルを、結婚に相当する関係として公認する「パートナーシップ制度」を４月に導入した熊本市で８日、戸籍上は同性のカップルが、初めてパートナーとして認められた。

Hello friends.
Heavy reader of Kumamoto ーi might know about William Eugene Smith and the movie about Minamata, now it’s on the way of making. Yes, the main actor is Johnny Depp.
My friend Nakamura Kei joined to make the movie as an actor. Some of you might know him. Yes, he does English Rakuto and manages guest house in Nishihara-mura. I invited him my school, I work at, as guest speaker about Minamata. He loves Minamata.
Eugene’s photos tell lots important things and touch my heart. Further, his story is so inspired.
I’m looking forward to watching the movie “Minamata ” next summer.
If you can’t wait to watch the movie, you should meet and talk with Kei soonーAtsuko(Ü)

This morning I posted a news article about emergency food for pets. This article is about foods for humans that can be prepared and consumed easily during a disaster. Again, the connection to Kumamoto is the need for such food after the 2016 quakes. -- Kirk
Emergency food products evolve in taste, safety as demand rises：The Asahi Shimbun
Food suppliers in this disaster-prone country are enhancing their emergency food offerings to appeal

Japan is well-known as a tráin afficionado's paradise. JR has several lines in Kyushu purposed more for tourism than travel. They feature funky interiors and exotic exteriors. A good example is JR's Orange Líne, which was once the sole connection between Kumamoto and Kagoshima but has been repurposed as a tourist líne. You can buy a ticket allowing multiple stops and bring your bicycle aboard. This Japanese-language site introduces JR's Kyushu tourism train network. - William
://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/tabi/designandstory_2019/?kw=&device=t&lp=https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/tabi/designandstory_2019/&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4aq49eif5AIVlHyLCh25aQrtEAEYASAAEgIv6vD_BwE&imt=1&ra_cid=b3dc7e58f339
D&S列車の旅　まだ見ぬ九州へ。
沿線地域の物語や車窓の風景を思いきり楽しんでいただくために、JR九州の列車は個性溢れる洗練されたデザインやインテリアにこだわった、ユニークな仕掛けが満載です。移動手段として便利なだけでなく、その地域の物....

A bit of info on the planned Olympic torch course through Kumamoto. - William
Kumamoto Prefecture | Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay
Information on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay Route Map

The connection of this article to Kumamoto is the need for pet food (and human food) during the 2016 earthquake disaster, not the use of horse meat. -- Kirk
Osaka man develops horsemeat-based emergency food product edible for pets, humans - The Mainichi
HABIKINO, Osaka -- A local seller of processed horse meat and other goods has developed a new emergency food supply product called

Hi! Yesterday I posted about this "festival smorgasbord":
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134/2879359665470780/
I intended to introduce two URLs: 1) that of the festival website and 2) that of the news article that made me aware of the event. Unfortunately, however, I pasted "1" twice and failed to include "2." So, I'm posting again with both URLs:
https://matsuri.welcomekyushu.com/matsuri.html
and
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190824/p2g/00m/0bu/065000c
This event will occur here in Kumamoto during the last weekend of September.
-- Kirk
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190824/p2g/00m/0bu/065000c
Japanese tourism industry banking on Rugby World Cup boost - The Mainichi
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- With less than a month until the start of the Rugby World Cup, the 12 cities across Japan that will host matches are gearing up to we

Here's something for matsuri (festival) fans. The image you see is from
https://matsuri.welcomekyushu.com/matsuri.html
I found out about this event from this article:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190824/p2g/00m/0bu/065000c
-- Kirk

Hello friends.
These articles are not about Kumamoto strictly. I might not become a vegan easily. But we should know and think about it, I think, because we have beautiful nature,Aso and the name of fair trade city Kumamoto. Brazil is the country far from Kumamoto but the problem hasn’t been occurred far from us. we should think our agriculture and nature through this problem as our problem, I think.
The fire is told as not an accident but as an incident. I wanted to share the problem for Kumamoto citizens closely. The article and video helps you understand what has occurred at Brazil on our earth.
The article says
Such practices could very well have caused the current situation, especially since Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (known in Brazil as “Captain Chainsaw”) champions deforestation efforts and promised to cut rainforest protections. In July alone, the rate of Amazon rainforest destruction was nearly 30% higher than the same month in 2018. Many feel Bolsonaro has inspired farmers to take over land in the Amazon by any means necessary.
Captain Chainsaw?!
What a silly president he is. But we should think about the meat industry system, agriculture we had. We should think our agriculture and industry in Kumamoto same time.
I’ve read an article about Kumamoto milk recently. It said the boom of tapioca made Kumamoto milk demand 30 % increased. I thought it’s a so good news for Kumamoto at first,but on the other hand suddenly increased, overdoing might make something wrong in future. Around my house, in Minamiku,South area of Kumamoto city, lots rice fields has changed to new houses especially after Kumamoto earthquakes. We should think the balance between our lives and nature.
I hope you also know and think this problem as OUR PROBLEM as the citizens on our earth, as Kumamoto local citizens－Atsuko(Ü)
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/amazon-forest-fire-brazil-beef-meat-vegan-vegetarian-brazil-a9076236.html
https://www.peta.org/blog/meat-industry-amazon-rainforest-fires/
Opinion: Every meat-eater on the planet is helping to fuel the Amazon forest fires
But this can’t only be pinned on the consumer. Governments across the globe must lead the transition to a plant-based food system

Kirk here. These statistics are from 2016 but I saw a reference to Kumamoto's dependence on tourists from Korea on TV and I think the numbers were similar:
https://honichi.com/areas/kyushuokinawa/kumamoto/
(I have added English to the graphic from the website.)
According to the following article (in Japanese), over the obon holiday (mid-August), the number of Korean passengers traveling from Pusan to Fukuoka via high-speed ferry was down 70%.
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM8M3QY2M8MTIPE00K.html
The friction between the two countries is a serious problem for those in the tourism and hospitality industries.

Now that several weeks have passed since the anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki it's a bit late but I thought I'd share some evidence I came across that Kumamoto had been one of the candidate targets for a nuclear weapon. I found the link to this document on the following page:
http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2014/08/08/kyoto-misconception/
Here's the link to the pdf from which I took the image:
http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1945-04-28-Nordstad-Target-Information.pdf
-- Kirk

This article is about the Hansen's disease (leprosy) issue and refers to Kumamoto in a few spots. In regard to the painting you see, it explains that it "was titled 'Family' and . . . was done by a former leprosy patient who lived most of his life in a separation facility in the southwestern city of Kumamoto."
-- Kirk
Torn apart: A painting from an outcast | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
On July 24, something a group of families of former leprosy patients wanted for years came true: a formal apology from the Japanese government. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met them at his office in Tokyo and bowed deeply to apologize for the government’s past segregation policy.

Yesterday, Atsuko shared a nice map that provides information about the fireworks on the 31st. Here's another, very similar map. I'm posting it in addition to what Atsuko posted because it shows where you can park you bicycles. Also, note that roads in the shaded areas will be closed to bicycles as well as cars. So, if you're a cyclist, you'll need to figure out where you want to park you bike:
https://hanabi.kumamoto-guide.jp
-- Kirk

Hello again.
It's information about Ezuko fireworks. If you go there, you can enjoy Kengun street festival, HANABI FES KENGUN,also. Kengun street, Kengun Piakures has lots good stores. On that day,they will hold summer festival on that street.
https://www.facebook.com/events/466411994207520/?ti=cl
If you go to see fireworks closely, you should check the useful map here. It says the time to open, the place of toilet, etc.
https://hanabi.kumamoto-guide.jp/files/82acfec7-b61e-4a73-bb0a-a1a1da8f0347.gif
I'm also going to go there. If you meet me, Please speak to me freely and enjoy together
ーAtsuko(Ü)

Hello friends.
You might know SAKURA MACHI Kumamoto building will open on 14 September.
On that day, you can use buses, trams, 4099 lines “IN KUMAMOTO PREFECTURE” with FREE whole day!!
Unfortunately, it excepts 『JR、肥薩おれんじ鉄道Higo Orenji Teshudou, Higo Orange railway、南阿蘇鉄道MinamiAso Teshudou, MinamiAso railway、くま川鉄道Kumagawa Teshudou, Kumagawa railway. 空港往復便（リムジンバス、直行便）、土曜運休便、県外乗入れ便 All Limousine buses to go to airport, High way buses to go out, come into from other prefecture.』を除く。
Hoping enjoyable trip with free, Yeah!!ーAtsuko(Ü)
九州産業交通ホールディングス株式会社のプレスリリース（2019年8月20日 10時00分）全国初[熊本県内バス・電車無料の日]県内全路線バス・コミュニティバス4,099便を含む、市電など県下全域の交通機関が対象*1～

Kirk here. The other day I posted about enjoying a nice sunset at Ezuko. Today, I'd like to introduce the restaurant that my wife and I went to afterward: Pizzeria Bar e Deli Tanpopo. They offer a variety of Italian dishes but we really enjoyed the pizza prepared in this oven.
The location is Shimo Ezuko (or "Lower" Ezuko), which is a short drive from Kami Ezuko, where we enjoyed the sunset. Here's a Google map showing the location:
https://goo.gl/maps/Tn8Kn5CJ7HucCg8c8
Parking can be a little confusing but if you refer to the following map, you should be able to find their parking lot:
https://www.facebook.com/tanpopo8smile/photos/pcb.2313848568696042/2313848172029415/?type=3&theater
Notice that this map is posted on their Facebook page. Also, the restaurant is located near the Ezuko parking lot but it closes at 8PM so avoid parking there.
When my wife and I ate there, our waiter was a nice gentleman from Italy who spoke fluent Japanese.
Finally, here are a couple of Japanese pages about the pizzeria with lots of photos:
https://somekenblog.net/gourmet/tanpopo/
https://kumamoto-info.com/report-lunch-tanpopo/

According to this article, Kumamoto will have its own live site next year. However, if you look at the list of live sites listed on the official Tokyo 2020 website, Kumamoto isn't listed yet:
https://tokyo2020.org/en/get-involved/livesite/tokyo2020/
It's probably just a matter of time until the details about Kumamoto's venue get listed.
At any rate, if you think you would enjoy viewing the Olympics with lots of other fans, Kumamoto's live site may be a good choice.
-- Kirk
https://www.insidesport.co/tokyo-2020-unveils-30-live-site-venues/
This is how Tokyo 2020 will bring Games live to local communitites!
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) have finalised its selection of 30 Live Site venues in nine

"KUMAMOTO, Japan - My traveling companion and I could see the steeple of Sakitsu Church from more than a mile and a half away, after we drove through a mountain tunnel and over the large network of streams and lakes that slice up the Japanese city of Amakusa."
If you are interested in the Sakitsu area, take a look.
-- Kirk
The Japanese treasure of Sakitsu Church
A distinct feature of Sakitsu Church are the two other houses of worship within walking distance. On the hill overlooking Sakitsu Church, a Shinto shrine is tucked among the trees. Not far from either of those is a Buddhist temple. Local residents of all three religions see this coexistence as a tes...

Kirk here. Recently, I was asked to speak to a group of young people from Malaysia who came to look at Kumamoto's modern architecture. If I had known about this, I would have recommended it to them but I just learned about it.
If you go to the following site, you can click on "Access" to find a Google map showing the exact location on Kamitori:
https://omoken-park.jp
Kids may be particularly happy to spend some time at the water park will a parent shops.
The Yabashi architecture firm, which has designed the installation, is located in Kumamoto:
https://yabashi-aa.com/
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/08/13/omoken-park-kumamoto-cafes-architecture-yabashi/
Yabashi Architects slots cafe and pocket park between buildings in Kyushu
A tiered pocket-park tops this cafe in Kyushu, Japan, which Yabashi Architects has erected on the grounds of a building destroyed in an earthquake.

My wife and I paid a short visit to Ezuko this evening and got lucky with the sunset. One thing we like about being in Kumamoto City is our proximity to Ezuko. If you're close enough, stop by from time to time.
-- Kirk
P.S. The picture with the boats is from my wife's iPhone. The other picture is one I took with my cheap Huawei model. Different phones, slightly different angles, different looks to the pictures. The best shot was with the naked eye.