Archive of the Kumamoto International Facebook group, 2011–present.
Tickets are still available but they may not last much longer:
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/01/9b129f2486be-rugby-world-cup-heading-toward-complete-sell-out.html
-- Kirk
Rugby: World Cup heading toward complete sell-out
A day before tickets for the 2019 Rugby World Cup go on general sale, organizers reveal that a number of games have technically sold out
Spare a thought for the Japanese serow. Its classification is difficult as it's one of the most ancient of mammals, closer to goats and sheep than cattle but neither. In Japanese, it's referred to as "nihonkamoshika" - always in katakana, but the kanji is revealing: either 氈鹿 - "rug deer" due to it's long fur (it's not a deer), or 羚羊 - "goat that can live in the cold," (it's not a goat) or, as seen below, 氈羊 (pay attention - this will be on the test). It dwells in dense, mountaintop forest. The serow is a symbol of Japan and, though hunted almost to extinction, is now making a comeback.
Kumanichi reports several serow sightings in Takamori. Let the serow multiply! - William
https://this.kiji.is/460277906854265953?c=92619697908483575
Here's a notification I received via e-mail about various consultation services provided by Kumamoto International Foundation at the Kumamoto International Center in downtown Kumamoto:
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/kcic/default_e.asp
The e-mail says "If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Multicultural Affairs Office (2F) at Kumamoto City International Foundation (Kumamoto City International Center).
(TEL) 096-359-4995 (9a.m.～8p.m.)
(e-mail）[email protected]"
----------------------------------
2019/1/20
. KIF Information
1. Legal advice and consultation (Feb 16th)
This legal advice and consultation is having every third Saturday of the month.
Appointments must be made by the morning of the day before.
2. Visa advice and consultation (Feb 6th )
Residence qualifications/requirements-related consultation.
Date: First Wednesday of the month 2:00pm-4:00
3. Mental Consultation for Foreigner (Feb 10th )
If you have something worry about in your mind, you can talk with professional counselor!
Date: Second Sunday of the month 1:00pm-3:00pm
Kumamoto International Foundation
Multicultural Affairs Office (2F)
(TEL) 096-359-4995(9:00～20:00)
(e-mail) [email protected]
*Please visit the Multicultural Affairs Office (2F) at Kumamoto City International Foundation (Kumamoto City International Center) in person if you have trouble speaking Japanese.
TEL: 096-359-4995 (9:00 to 20:00)
Email: [email protected]
KIF Japanese Classes Information
Kumamoto City International Center
Even those only superficially acquainted with Japanese literature (me! - those more well-versed please contribute below) are aware of the famed poet and novelist Natsume Souseki (夏目漱石, 1867-1916). One might imagine him as a sort of Mark Twain in kanji. A favorite story of his begins, "I am a cat," although the kanji used (吾輩は猫である, `Wagahai wa neko de aru') lends an immediate glimpse into the philosophical nature of this feline.
Though Tokyo-born, he (Souseki, not the cat) began his career lecturing English at Kumamoto University and wrote many of his earliest, most influential pieces here. Apparently, his house supported up to 100 cats, and a TV show I just watched discussed that many of the stray cats in the Kokai area are likely of that lineage, similar perhaps to Hemingway's house on Key West. The cat further introduces himself, "I am akin to a Persian, of lacquer-like fur gray mottled with yellow." (「吾輩はペルシア産の猫のごとく、黄を含める淡灰色に、漆のごとき斑入りの皮膚を有している」`Wagahai wa Perushia-san no neko nogotoku, ki o fukumeru tankaishoku ni, urushi nogotoki fuiri no hifu o yūshite iru'。) Recently, a stray of that description has abruptly settled in my neighborhood. It's fanciful to consider him as a descendant of that famous Souseki cat.
The street in front of Kami Kumamoto Station is known as "Wagahai Street" (吾輩通り）in honor of this story. It contains many statues and sculptures of cats and one of the author himself. See the link below for photos. Cat lovers, bring your camera. - William
熊本の猫スポット！夏目漱石ゆかり「わが輩通り」の猫オブジェ｜熊本といえば近年はくまモン人気の勢いに凄いものがありますが、夏目漱石の処女小説「吾輩は猫である」にちなんだ「わが輩通り」は、可愛い猫オブジェ...
The vast, treeless expanse of Aso reminds me of the Mediterranean climate hillsides of my California hometown, but the cause is quite different: that in the latter case is lack of water, while in the former, annual burns. The burns not only remove desiccated grass surface to allow their surviving roots to flourish but also kills of any saplings. Without the burns, Aso would be a forest unsuitable for grazing.
This year's burn is scheduled for Saturday, 2/9. It is scheduled to begin at 13:00 and may continue for as long as 12 hours but is conditional on the weather. If you've never experienced this, you should. Various events are held in the evening of this day; readers' suggestions would be appreciated. More pix at the link. - William
https://www.facebook.com/Aso.project/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARC4NgZGksLaKjaoRjW_nGoWz6OMlju9oO7R1MYDz9jVCQirYYTz9jJQLTa1KRiW5HO1BQh306XK5RFs&hc_ref=ARTAvvnpeGmRgqKRNe7sKQ8kmbBpb1oMCQmcPjyKJAmso3DUak7-uz5e6IeS5dpA-as&fref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARCPwnLvxWC4bC2EqnoQ8-9t8cVezP_xoFfQt370iCsUkjLc8wdRp2E3ub9wmkBuPLQntxh6JcbmeyQhh_prvNXldJT-cXDlLhGJxImdjw_dZpKykoj7NKjgGrednQnfrUbS_hFYseHZzszx7BcjhkEA2CfaLAisHZORrSuqr-b25fJ6fFwbRMiE4iXy8Q24TaaFrkbvOVzGt1JFKxbT0cFThOtVnVjoeskxjBI5UVb8eH--p8n8sf3SR2nC0iMYRd1rQ0nGtNIwyeuExZx-xks83nKJ8CcgSuF-kDPRnegmV_2X6y5qBT1REfbpuyly1izb4W-7exs3Hqwchj5XePaWCrcpE0mIkcQdR262mNqfGGCorPxgMTfclT0
It was only a matter of time before Honda's Super "Cub" and Kumamon got together:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190119/p2g/00m/0bu/061000c
-- Kirk
Kumamon-themed Honda Super Cub motorbike to go on sale - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO, Japan (Kyodo) -- Honda Motor Co. will release this summer a new version of its iconic Super Cub motorcycle featuring Kumamon, the now-ubiqui
Olivia here,
There is family movie event organised by the Tran’s family in Kikuchi.
Details below:
Freezing Free Movies with Friends!
Stay warm at an outdoor beer garden above
Uncle Kei's Bodega in Kikuchi.
〒861-1322 熊本県菊池市玉祥寺１３８−２７
The popular Kikuchi BBQ spot has been tented and warmed up with heaters to enjoy a unique movie and dining experience with family and friends.
Kikuchi's Culinary Cinema Sunday kicks off with two classic movies, one for the kids and kids at heart and the other for the adults not faint of heart.
100% FREE DOUBLE FEATURE!
5:30-7:00 PM Happy Feet in Japanese with English Subtitles
This is a kids movie about penguins.
7:00-9:00 PM The Thing in English with Japanese Subtitles
This is NOT a kids movie. This is a classic horror movie that is very scary and will give your kids nightmares about Antarctica!
HUNGRY?
Bring a bento or
1000 Yen(Adults)
600 Yen (kids)
for all you can eat homemade chili, spaghetti, fried chicken and healthy stuff to keep you warm or grab
a few candies, chips, or other snacks at the store below.
600 Yen - rent a BBQ with coal, grille, and tongs
You can also bring your own meat and veggies to grille with
cheap BBQ rental.
THIRSTY?
Draft beer 500 Yen Bottle Liquor 300 Yen and Up
Soft Drinks, Juices, Can Coffee 130 Yen and Up
Located within a 5 minute walking distance from Yakushiyu Onsen, a local public onsen that costs only 300 Yen to warm your cold aching body before or after the movies.
164 Nishihazama, Kikuchi 861-1685, Kumamoto Prefecture
Spread the word, invite your friends and RSVP by January 21st, Martin Luther King Day at 10pm.
Don't be left alone in the cold!
Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 5 PM – 9 PM
Address:
〒861-1322 熊本県菊池市玉祥寺
１３８−２７
Contact person: Huy Tran
According to this article, Kumamoto is being hit particularly hard by the flu:
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005488378
-- KIrk
Number of flu patients tops alarm level
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The number of influenza patients per medical institution in Japan exceeded the alarm level of 30, which suggests an outbreak of the disease, in the week through Sunday, the health ministry said Friday.
One thing about curating this page and the mailing list that preceded it that has been interesting for me is learning about the wide range of pursuits that members of the Kumamoto International community are engaged in. Naturally, many native speakers of English are involved in language teaching, but the range of occupations and avocations extends way beyond that: Agriculture, sword making, mortuary science, music (both performing and teaching), athletics (competitive paragliding), and publishing are just a few that come to mind.
In regard to that last category, writing books, the work of Seán Michael Wilson has been introduced on this page several times in the past:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134/1361220970617998/?type=3
In this post, I'd like to introduce another local author who has recently agreed to become a Kumamoto International editor: Tristan Vick. The Chronicles of Jegra (see link) is just the most recent of an astounding number of publications on Tristan's Amazon page. Many of his books are fiction but Tristan is also a non-fiction author who has written and edited books about atheism and other topics.
For people like me in academia, a certain amount of publication is mandatory. Since a number of the participants in this page work at local universities, it's no surprise that a complete list of publications by local authors who are also Kumamoto International participants would be fairly long. I think it's interesting, though, that there are also people in town who are doing impressive amounts of writing and publishing outside of academic venues.
In this post, I mentioned Tristan and Sean, but I didn't intend to slight any other local author who is also deserving of mention. So, if you could help me out by mentioning such an author (self-nomination is welcome) in a comment, I would appreciate it.
-- Kirk
https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Jegra-Gladiatrix-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B07LB8S3WD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547864447&sr=8-1&keywords=tristan+vick
The Chronicles of Jegra: Gladiatrix of the Galaxy
Making here a slave to the arena was their first mistake. Underestimating her will be their last.Aliens abducted her and sold her into the Intergalactic Gladiatorial Syndicate. Now, she's fighting for her life on an alien world where she is reborn as JEGRA, Gladiatrix of the Galaxy!When the r...
Gumby Core Number 1 presents was a success. It was great seeing a good crowd and a diverse set of genres from the bands we booked.We had metal,punk,rockabilly,surf and sloppy drunk indie.There is a Gumby 2 and 3 in the works. Gumby 2 will involve a small flea market,open mic,food along with some bands. It will hopefully take place in the Kawaramachi neighborhood and it will be free. I am thinking April for that event. Gumby 3 will be at Navaroo once again with a Hardcore band from America called Holy Sh@t and local punk legends Soulcraft. This will be in May. If you have an act whether it’s music or spoken word or whatever of whatever style we would like to hear from you. And hopefully you can show your talents and blow off some steam on our Gumby Core stage. I would like to thank my friends for free beers and setting the stage for a gleefully drunken set towards the end. That was so Gumbyfied!!!! John Onyskin
A harbinger of Kumamoto spring is the agricultural festival, and that at the Agricultural Park in Koshi Machi is the largest of all. All kinds of plants, from the lil' bitty to the humongous, are sold, along with food (horumon highly recommended) and other items - browsing is an excellent way to acquaint oneself with Kumamoto culture.
This year, its 44th, runs from 1/19 to 2/18. Parking and admission are free. Those carless can take the Kumamoto Dentetsu line to its terminus, Miyoshi, and then take a pleasant kilometer walk to the front gates. Kumanichi notes organizers expect 220,000 attendees and 352 million yen in sales. - William
一足早い春の訪れ、ＪＡ植木まつり開幕 合志市の県農業公園 - 熊本日日新聞 ｜ This Kiji
つぼみがほころび始めたウメの木やボタンの鉢植えなどが並ぶ「ＪＡ植木まつり」の会場＝１９日、合志市 熊本に一足早い春の訪れを告げる「ＪＡ植木まつり」が１９日、合志市の県農業公園カントリーパークで開幕した...
Olivia here,
I just came back from Handmade Fair at Grand Messe Kumamoto.
Lots of nice handmade shops at the fair, and there were food booths at the corner.
I took pictures below showing how the crowd looked like.
Grand Messe (if I get the English name right)
is located at Mashiki town.
This is the official site of the fair.
https://tedukurifair.jp
The address of Grand Messe:
1010 Fudukomi, Mashiki, Kamimashiki district.
Kumamoto 861-2235
Tomorrow is the last day of the fair. It starts from 10am.
The entrance fee for entering the fair was 500 Yen.
Children below Junior High school could enter for free.
Though more than two years have passed since the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, many people are still feeling its impact. This news story is about students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University who came to the Aso area to help a farmer still recovering from the quake. Hats off to the folks at Hong Kong Polytechnic for continuing to offer help after so many people outside of Japan have forgotten about the quakes.
Speaking of unresolved issues, the local NHK station recently broadcast a program about people who have still not found permanent housing since the quake. Due to a three-year limit, they are likely to loose the government-provided assistance they have received thus far but according to Prof. Takabayashi of Kumamoto Gakuen University, the government is not obligated to cut off the assistance at three years. He argues that assistance should continue until it is no longer needed.
Japanese text about NHK program
https://www4.nhk.or.jp/P2883/x/2019-01-18/21/59300/8221281/
Text and YouTube video (both in Japanese) about students from Hong Kong:
http://rkk.jp/news/backno_page.php?id=NS003201901161716190111
-- Kirk
I posted about the munchable insect vending machine in Kokai a couple of months ago:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2242901082449978
According to this article and reports I've seen in Japanese, the bugs are selling like hotcakes. Personally, I prefer hotcakes. ;)
-- Kirk
Salted crickets, chocolate beetles: insect snack machine’s a hit in Japan
Hungry shoppers have descended like a swarm of locusts on a vending machine selling pre-cooked insects in southern Japan
Maruru is a bear of the polar and male type. Asked why he's named "Maruru," he stated, "That's an exonym. My mother calls me Steve." He's six and was born at the Maruyama Zoo in Sapporo with his twin brother, Pororo ("We call him Tony. He lives in Tokushima") but has been lent to Kumamoto Zoo since 2014. His attraction rating varies between #1 and #2 as his rivals tend to disappear mysteriously at night - do not enter his pen or attempt late-night hi-jinks after the zoo has closed. The Maruyama Zoo lacks space for his return, so, as Kumanichi reports, he'll remain in Kumamoto for the time being. "Great!" Maruru was quoted as commenting. "I haven't visited the flamingo enclosure yet!" - William
ホッキョクグマのマルル、もう１年 熊本市動植物園で飼育期間延長 - 熊本日日新聞 ｜ This Kiji
ホッキョクグマのマルル＝熊本市動植物園（小野宏明） 熊本市動植物園（東区健軍）は、札幌市円山動物園から期限付きで預かっているホッキョクグマのマルル（雌、６歳）の飼育期間が１年延長され、来年１月２２日ま...
Kumamoto is not the focus of this article but the following paragraph is about what happened here in 2016:
"Following the disastrous series of earthquakes that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in April 2016, the Kumamoto Islamic Center, a mosque in the city of Kumamoto, received relief supplies from Muslims living across the nation. These materials were delivered to affected areas including the devastated town of Mashiki."
There were foreigners here who needed help but this paragraph reminds us there there were also a lot of foreigners who provided assistance during the crisis.
I also like this paragraph because it reminds us of an aspect of the Islamic religion that many non-Muslims (like me) tend not to be familiar with: service to others, including non-Muslims. In a class I teach, I show a video about Muslims in other parts of Japan who provide meals to homeless people, the majority of whom are non-Muslim Japanese.
-- Kirk
EDITORIAL: Foreigners need to be included in response efforts to disasters：The Asahi Shimbun
The 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, which ravaged the city of Kobe, engendered a new wave of disaster
Our southern neighbor, Kagoshima, is home to multiple delights. One is volcanoes; another, their awesome kanji. Between Okinawa and Kyushu lies a string of volcanic islands administered by Kagoshima called the Tokara Islands (吐喝喇列島、トカラ列島) - its name is usually rendered in katakana as it's etymology lies in what was once a foreign country - Okinawa - and is considered to mean "distant sea area." The northernmost, Satsuma Iwojima (薩摩硫黄島), is visible from the Kyushu southern coast on clear days.
The island to the west of Yakushima is called Kuchinoerabushima (口永良部島 - I told you the kanji is awesome). Anyway, Kuchinoerabushima erupted this morning for the first time since 2015. - William
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/?eid=ARBLY6Fvt6fv7Bm5pa8_7UVzqfzRUFY2lN8j6PUyOb5m4-CRPyAtgHVc2U49DXuue-wgbviW_SK3Oomi
Learning a foreign language is not, uh, easy. Japanese measure words are particularly vexing: where English mostly defers to a simple number, some measure word is required for all nouns in Japanese, from kings to cabbages - but which?
I thus chuckle evilly when questioned about groups of animals. Japanese has a single word: mure (群), whether fish or fowl, while the number of such English words could easily stock a museum. Take the crow, whose group is termed a "murder."
According to Shimizu Mimoru, horticulturist at the botanical gardens adjoining Ninomaru Park, an impressive murder of crows has been appearing each evening. There is nothing unusual about this, he says, especially in mid-winter when crows leave the mountains; crows murder in the evening before flying off to a communal roosting spot, presumably to hatch their next murder. If you would like to photograph the castle surrounded by a murder, early dusk is best. - William
https://this.kiji.is/457409010318279777?c=92619697908483575
This is not specific to Kumamoto but I think it's related to this and any Facebook page. Facebook functions as an unregulated utility in many ways. This story is about a move to regulate it in the U.S.
Though not directly related to the thrust of this NPR article, it reminds me of an area where I have felt dissatisfied with a Facebook policy. My concern has to do with what happens when someone like me decides to allow people to write reviews about a page. What I learned recently is that the reviewer is able to delete any comments that I make to try to rebut the arguments (including out-and-out lies) of the reviewer. Facebook not only allows the reviewer to delete rebuttals but even I as the "owner" of the page cannot confirm that that is what has happened (or who did the deleting). In the recent case, the reviewer let me know that he had read and understood my rebuttal before deleting it by paraphrasing it and redirecting it to me (a very trollish technique). Also the fact that repeated attempts to post the same content later disappear were also a clear indication of what had happened.
Facebook seems to prefer a "clean" appearance that has no indication of deleted material. By contrast, Blogger (Google) lets the owner delete comments but the fact that something has been deleted is apparent. So, Facebook's preference for a "clean" appearance trumps our right to know that what we see is not the full picture. "Clean" deletion may be best in some situations, but I think there are other situations where it is actually misleading.
One insidious aspect of such Facebook "laws" regarding how we can and cannot interact is that they are unpublished. I only figured out how things work as a result of a recent problem. Another problem is that Facebook is famous for changing rules abruptly with little or no explanation. So, communicating on Facebook can be a little bit like living in a benevolent dictatorship where "law" is the ever-changing whim of the dictator. Since the dictator is benevolent, life is usually pretty good, but if there's a problem there's not much one can do.
At any rate, I think it behooves us all to consider the problematic aspects of this platform, even as we enjoy and benefit from various positive aspects. Personally, I think that, as an information "utility," some sort of regulation is probably in order, though I recognize that the regulation itself may wind up being very problematic, especially if citizens are not vigilant.
-- Kirk
Congress May Soon Impose New Regulations On Facebook
Political forces on the left are joining their voices to those of conservative politicians in seeking regulations over social media giant Facebook.
