Kumamoto International Archive

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

Oda Eichirou (尾田栄一郎) is an artist and director best known for his phenomenally popular animated series "One Piece." Oda was born and raised in Kumamoto, though he now lives in Tokyo. A Higokko made big, he is quite honored in his hometown - for example, a statue of one of his characters now graces the entrance to Kumamoto Prefectural Hall.
Kumanichi reports that a pop-up One Piece-themed cafe will run at Tsuruya for one month starting from 2/6. (Disclaimer: My son, also a Higokko, works in Tokyo for the movie company which produces One Piece. He tells me that Kumamoto is being looked at as a future base for animation.) - William
復興応援「ワンピースカフェ」　熊本市にオープン　｜熊本日日新聞
人気漫画「ＯＮＥＰＩＥＣＥ（ワンピース）」の世界観を楽しめる「ワンピースカフェ」が６日、熊本市中央...

We've already discussed the site (Men no ishi) recently:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2369400659800019
I'm introducing this page, however, because it has lots of details about the area that the article I introduced last time didn't.
-- Kirk
A Purr-fect New “Power Spot” for Kumamoto
Men no Ishi, a precariously balanced stone at the mouth of a cavern in Minamiaso in Kumamoto Prefecture, used to attract visitors from around Japan. But in 2016, a pair of strong earthquakes dislodged the rock, revealing in its place the silhouette of a cat that now attracts a whole new wave of visi...

Our neighbor to the west, Nagasaki, hosts a Holland-themed amusement park, Huis Ten Bosch, which recreates the Netherlands by displaying life-sized copies of old Dutch buildings. This is a nod to the Dutch trading post Dejima, notable as the sole official location of international trade during the Edo period. As a survivor of Disneyland employment, I'm theme-parked out. Everyone I know who has visited Huis Ten Bosch has said the only thing to do there is shop, further dampening my enthusiasm. But these two articles have tindered a flame of interest.
Scientists in Europe have developed a low-price, flexible solar material called perovskite solar cells, and the only place it's been deployed in Japan is Huis Ten Bosch. In fact, the park has been designated as one of the six "next-generation energy parks" by METI. It generates 4MW of green power, more than enough to operate the park; the surplus is sold. Here is a link to the park: https://tech.nikkeibp.co.jp/dm/atclen/news_en/15mk/062502187/ and to the technology: https://tech.nikkeibp.co.jp/dm/atclen/news_en/15mk/123002587/?ST=msbe Maybe this will facilitate my phobia of theme park recovery. - William

By and large, tectonic activity raises our archipelago as we're on the receiving side of several subductive plates. The process is not uniform, though, as subsidence may create localized cavities. My house sits atop a minor fault, and I've watched as its western side has subsided and noticed subsidence on area roads. This can be dangerous for drivers and pedestrians as large holes can appear quite suddenly.
Kumanichi reports that the two companies the Transportation Ministry had hired to inspect roads had done a lousy job so has hired a third company which has created an ingenious way to detect these cavities. First, a vehicle equipped with ground-penetrating radar (chichyuu reda, 地中レーダー) will sweep an area; if anomalies are found, a crew will conduct a more thorough investigation and repair the damage before the road falls through. Look for these around town. (Note that the radar mark resembles the poo poo emoji.) - William
熊本市内の国道下空洞、大幅増か　国交省、異例の再調査｜熊本日日新聞
国土交通省が熊本地震後の２０１６年に熊本市内の国道で実施した路面下の空洞調査で、地中に当初の調査結果...

Here's a story about a local man who is very good at folding leaves: oriha (this not origami). Ah, I feel a song coming on . . .
"The folded leaves are on his desk top
The folded leaves, of many shapes
I see a sheep, and there's a lion
How can he do it, with dried up leaves"
If you get this joke, you're probably a jazz fan. Here's Nat King Cole's version of the original song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnp58oepHUQ
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201901230007.html
Take a leaf out of this artist's book on molding nature’s bounty：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--In early winter, when leaves come falling down, Yoshihiro Watanabe's world changes.It is t

The announcement that I'm sharing is in Japanese but you don't need language skills to enjoy good pottery -- Shodaiyaki, to be specific. The dates are as follows:
2/6(水)〜2/11(月・祝) 10:00～17:00(最終日は16:00まで)
That's Wednesday to Monday, closing an hour early on the last day.
The venue is the Kumamoto Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center:
https://kumanago.jp/en/spots/detail/430000001521.html
There's a Google map on the Japanese page.
Admission is free.
-- Kirk
https://tankuma.com/event/shuntousai-20190202/?ref=fb20190202&fbclid=IwAR20a_ZmiwVhuDyvtdAJQPNCb4VUa4Wrbg9auQhnNnZO6OXmqf7MpeYPWMU
【ART】第七回小代焼春陶祭
国指定の伝統的工芸品である小代焼11窯元の合同展示販売会。特別企画や、福袋の数量限定販売も！

Here's one of many worth-while articles from Kuma Visit. If you haven't "liked" the page already, I recommend it. I'm not always able to share the posts.
-- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2220970928154541?tn=-R

There was a major hate speech rally in Kumamoto today. I was completely unaware that such an event had been planned until I saw these
pictures posted by friend and Kumamoto International participant Otis McCulloch. (Thanks Otis!)
I did a little research and learned that this was the real deal, so to speak. This even was coordinated with another one in Shinjuku, Tokyo that occurred simultaneously. It was led by none other than Japan's most infamous hate monger, Makoto Sakurai:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makoto_Sakurai
Here's a YouTube video of Sakurai spewing invective today in Shinjuku:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDE8LL7TWYs
Start viewing at about 43:45 to hear Sakurai's hate speech. At 45:40 or so he mentions the connection with today's demonstration in Kumamoto. At 46:10 he says 朝鮮人を叩き出せ (beat Koreans out of Japan!). I thought that he was going to try to uphold a superficial pose of criticizing the government of Korea but, in resurrecting this slogan, he affirmed that he is still an unabashed purveyor of hate toward people of Korean ancestry in Japan.
There were warnings in Japanese and English about this event as planned for Tokyo:
https://twitter.com/hashtag/0203NoPasaran?src=hash
---- Quote starts ----
DATE & TIME: Feb 3, 2019 (Sun) 13:00
GATHER AROUND: Shinjuku Central Park (Shinjuku Chuo Koen)
TARGET: Anti-Korea Demonstration by Japan First Party
CALLED BY: Counter-Racist Action Collective
Counterprotest against hate march held by racist JFP.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government enacted anti-discrimination ordinance last year but it was just for show for forthcoming Olympic games. Meanwhile Shinjuku ward office decided to stop issuing rally permissions in all the parks it runs except Shinjuku Central Park. The decision is also made for purpose of reducing hate speech rallies in Shinjuku but has obviously derived no effect at the moment.
And now Japan’s worst and ugliest hate mongers, Japan First Party are planning rally and march just in front of Metropolitan Government building. All we should do is to show Mayor Koike and officers what happens as a result of their omissions. No Pasaran.
[ATTENTION]
・The march does'nt go straightforward from the park exit. It will turn left or right just after the start.
・Take subway Oedo Line for your swift move to Shinjuku station area.
・Beware of violent right wingers under screen of antifascist crowd (see pictures above).
--- Quote ends ---
http://crac.jp
I wasn't able to find much about the event in Kumamoto, however.
I think it's interesting that the media seems to be ignoring this. Neither Otis nor I have been able to find a Japanese news report, much less anything in English (admittedly, it's probably too soon for English but Japanese should be pretty quick). On the one hand, I know from experience that the Japanese media tend not to want to give these folks the publicity they seek. Part of my sympathizes with that sentiment but, on the other hand, I think that citizens have a right to know what has happened in their communities and why. As Otis has pointed out, Japan has an anti-hate-speech law that one might expect to preempt such rallies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_Speech_Act_of_2016_(Japan)
Citizens have a right to know who approved the rallies and why. And why was Kumamoto the partner site? Perhaps because other communities said "no"? That's something else I think Japanese citizens have a right to know about. For these reasons, I'm troubled by the idea that the "silent treatment" is the best approach.
-- Kirk
P.S. Here are some Japanese announcements about the event here in Kumamoto:
https://ameblo.jp/doronpa01/entry-12436280081.html
http://www.koudouhosyu.info/kyusyu/scheduler.cgi?mode=view&no=144
Now I see that they were trying to connect this to Setsubun, today's holiday, but suggesting that Koreans are devils and that Setsubun is the day when devils must be exterminated (鬼退治).

Here's a nice article about Johnny Depp playing Eugene Smith in Minamata, Kumamoto.
Thanks to Kuma Visit for introducing this article:
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2223098447941789?tn=-R
-- Kirk
https://deadline.com/2019/01/johnny-depp-minamata-bill-nighy-weugene-smith-1202546395/?fbclid=IwAR1khFkdnNapJ7KskHpqo9_XSXUSZnRIp-r3Y3wGCj8NmtElOlCwI-td6wg
First Look At Johnny Depp As Photographer W. Eugene Smith In ‘Minamata’; Bill Nighy Joins Cast
Principal photography has begun on Andrew Levitas-directed feature Minamata starring Johnny Depp as celebrated U.S. photographer W. Eugene Smith. The production has released a first look at Depp. B…

Here's a little something about an exhibit that is in progress at the Contemporary Art Museum in Kumamoto.
https://hypebeast.com/2018/12/takashi-murakami-bubblewrap-contemporary-art-museum-kumamoto-exhibition
After you see the exhibit, if you're in a mood for more bubbles, you may wish to consider the bubble tea that Oliva introduced last month:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2302660859807333
The two venues are very close to each other.
-- Kirk
Takashi Murakami Explores Traditional Japanese Art Movements in "Bubblewrap" Show
Practices that spurred his 'Superflat' practice.

Here's a little something from Explore Kumamoto for albino snake fans:
https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/2225305387493680?tn=-R
-- Kirk
P.S. Or, as William might say, "Here's something from the albino snake desk." ;)

At 12 years of age, my whippet has settled into a routine sufficient that I can walk him off-lead, but not on the road between our house and the park. A fault runs directly underneath that road; the asphalt is still fractured after the quakes as the eastern side has been raised. My dog's behavior is peculiar - tense - there. Perhaps he feels some type of magnetism created by tectonic strain that humans cannot.
The catfish is a symbol of earthquakes in Japan as behavioral anomalies supposedly predict imminent temblors. Another fish with supposed similar properties is the oarfish. Normally a deep-sea dweller, its appearance in shallow waters has traditionally been a harbinger of quakes. CNN writes that two have recently been netted in the northern prefecture of Toyama. It's probably nothing but worth keeping an eye on if just to judge how well non-human species can sense seismic activities. - William
Sightings of rare oarfish in Japan raise fears of earthquake and tsunami
Fears of an incoming natural disaster in Japan are swirling online after sightings of a deep-water fish believed to be a harbinger of earthquakes and tsunamis.

I don't have any details about this event. If any of you know more about the topics, who can participate, series schedule, etc., please post that information in a comment. -- Kirk

Eugenics has cast a dark shadow on Japan (not just Kumamoto) that has yet to clear.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190129/p2a/00m/0na/032000c
-- Kirk
Woman forced to abort 2nd child, be sterilized under eugenics law files suit - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO -- A woman filed a lawsuit at the district court here on Jan. 29 seeking compensation from the government, saying she was forced under the eu

From the Kumamoto International Desk of Things You'd Rather Not Know: The sea cucumber (ナマコ, namako) defends itself by expelling sticky fibers from its anus. As a diver, I've learned to avoid them, but one man's gross-out is another's delicacy. (My son loves namako.)
Kumanichi reports that namako processing in Ushibuka is peaking. Guts are pickled and bottled, while the flesh is served as sashimi. "There is not one part of the namako which is disposed of," the chairman of the Ushibuka Fisheries Cooperative said. Comforting about this is the fact that you won't encounter various namako parts while out and about. - William
ナマコの加工ピーク　天草市｜熊本日日新聞
熊本県天草市の牛深近海で水揚げされたナマコの加工作業が、同市牛深町でピークを迎えている。ウニ、からす...

According to this post from Explore Kumamoto, Aso Farmland is in good shape again.
-- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/explorekumamoto/posts/2221002411257311?tn=-R

Today, a colleague mentioned to me that the Faculty of Foreign Languages at our university (Kumamoto Gakuen U.) is in a hurry to fill a full-time position in English that has just opened up. I just checked the formal announcement on the web and found that the deadline is TOMORROW (Feb 1). Sorry for the super late notice but I wasn't aware of it until today. If you happen to be in town and to have materials that you could deliver to the university by the end of working hours tomorrow, it may be worth applying. Or, perhaps they would accept electronically sent documents (but I'm not sure about that). They are particularly interested in finding someone with good Japanese skills -- someone who can handle the committee and other assignments and read the Japanese documents that such assignments entail, in addition to teaching. If you are interested and think you may be qualified, it may be worth hurrying to meet the deadline. -- Kirk
http://www.kumagaku.ac.jp/files/document/jinji/20190201_gai-english.pdf

The agricultural festival held along Shirakawa straddling the bridge to Kumamoto Station is prepared for its 2/1 start, says Kumanichi. The festival was moved to Toshima during reconstruction of the riverbank, a location everyone hated, so it's nice to have it back. I recommend a warm bowl of horumon (horse tripe stew) on one of the riverside prefabs where you can watch the seagulls, inland at this season, flight back and forth. Don't forget a generous portion of shichimi (七味, a powdered spicy condiment) - not for the seagulls but for your horse.
An 80-year old horticulturist was gifted the lovely name of 米山學 - literally, "Rice Mountain Scholar." He's lucky to be 80 as finding the kanji 學 on a PC is really hard, but he probably doesn't need to. He was quoted: "When the venue was returned to the riverside last year, participation soared, so I have high hopes for this year." Take the trolley to the station and it's a short walk. - William
春の訪れ、もう間近　「くまもと春の植木市」あす開幕｜熊本日日新聞
開幕に向けて準備が進む「くまもと春の植木市」の会場＝３０日、熊本市中央区　熊本市に春の訪れを告げる「くまもと春の植木市」が２月１日、中央区本山の白川河川敷左岸で開幕する。３月１１日まで。市と主催する、...

Here's a little tip from Kuma Visit about what to do if you find yourself in downtown Kumamoto with a lot of stuff you don't want to lug around.
-- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2210829005835400?tn=-R

Kumanichi notes that Kumamoto leads the country in the rate increase of non-Japanese workers at 31%, an increase of 2,412 with the total number exceeding 10,000 for the first time. Of these, the majority (6,295) work in technical fields, with the remainder in agriculture and part-time employment by university students.
The absolute increase was led by Vietnamese at 50% to 4,260, followed by Chinese and Filipinos; in terms of rate, Indonesians led with a 92% increase to 268 and Nepalese by 50% to 301. - William
外国人労働者が熊本県内で１万人突破　増加率は全国１位｜熊本日日新聞
　熊本労働局は２８日、県内で働く外国人労働者が、２０１８年１０月末時点で１万１５５人と過去最多を更新し、初めて１万人を突破したと発表した。前年同期と比べ３１・２％（２４１２人）の増で、増加率は全国の都...