Kumamoto International Archive

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

Kumamoto's "baby hatch" is unique in Japan. The goal is to save the lives of infants but this article raises concerns about possible unintended consequences.
-- Kirk
47% of infants left in Kumamoto 'baby hatch' were birthed without medical care - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO -- A little under half of the mothers who have left infants at the

Have you recently misplaced a bas relief statue of Buddha? If so, the one the police at Kitakumamoto Police Station (to be renamed "Chuo Police Station from 10/1, BTW) are in custody of might be yours. It seems someone in Kitasako Town found the wayward Buddha abandoned in an irrigation canal, and with none of the area residents claiming it, the statue was turned over to the police. "It certainly is unusual for a Buddha statue to be turned in to lost and found. We hope this is not a result of a crime," a police spokesman spoke.
Defining features:
- Standing on lotus flower, wearing look of infinite serenity and compassion;
- 50cm tall, 20cm wide;
- Engraved with the date 寛延三年四月十九日, or April 19, 1750 based on the Gregorian calendar;
- Contains such characters as "myo" (「妙」, wondrous) and "ei" (「榮」, respect).
If this Buddha looks familiar to you, the police request you contact them. If no claimant comes forward, the statue will be put up for auction, and if no bids are received, it will be disposed of. I'll see if I can find more info about the possible auction for our bas relief Buddha statue collectors out there.
Below is a photo of the statue (left) and an illustration of what happens to one who steals a Buddha statue (right). - William
https://this.kiji.is/285945255677117537?c=92619697908483575

According to this TV report (click on the image to view a video), heavy rain in Amakusa yesterday caused some flooding. I saw it on a national news program I recorded last night. I hope the damage hasn't been too bad.
-- Kirk
熊本・天草市で激しい雨、道路は冠水住宅も・・・｜ニフティニュース
　大雨で一面が冠水した道路。これは熊本県天草市の午後３時ごろの映像です。雨水は住宅の玄関の入り口まで押し寄せ車のタイヤは半分ほど水に浸かっています。　天草市本渡では午後６時までの雨の量が１０２ミリを観…

Joe Tomei here. A friend of mine in Niigata has adopted two children and she's currently setting up a group to help foreigners (and Japanese) exchange experiences or find out how to adopt/foster a child here in Japan. You can read about it here
https://savvytokyo.com/fostering-japan-part-deciding-expand-family/
Unfortunately, it is much much harder to adopt/foster a child in Japan for a number of cultural reasons. However, it can be very rewarding. If you'd like to join the group, please contact me offlist and I will put you in touch with her. email me at tomeiter [at] gmail.
Fostering In Japan Part I: Deciding To Expand The Family - Savvy Tokyo
Like adoption, fostering a child is a long process that involves careful planning, complicated procedures and adaptation that affects every family member. In these three-series we follow Melodie and her family on their journey from deciding to foster a Japanese girl, to meeting her and raising her a...

Hi! This is a repost of a survey request from Ryohei Matsumoto. He's added some questions about the attributes of those who answer. If you have a minute and wouldn't mind helping an earnest student with his studies, please fill out the form.
-- Kirk
Hi!I'm Ryohei Matsumoto. I'm a fourth year student at Kumamoto Gakuen University. I'm writing graduation thesis. The research content is the difference of personality and culture. Please answer these question. I need to your cooperation!1=strongly disagree 2=disagree a little 3= neither disagree nor...

My wife's grandmother, Kikukawa-baachan, and uncle have lived in Yabe forever, so I've spent much time there over my 25 years in Japan, and during that time, absolutely nothing has changed (although grandma has cut back on her gardening; she is 97, after all). The locals, invariably rice farmers, are as conservative as they come. If a new rice cultivation practice is suggested, for example, they'll collectively remember that so-and-so-san had tried that to poor results back in 18, requiring one to confirm the reign era (18 what? Meiji? Taisho? Showa? Heisei?) - these people have long memories, so one can never be certain.
And they drink. A lot. Of shochu. Why not? - between sowing and reaping and during the winter, there's not much to do aside from gossiping about Kikukawa-baasan's exotic grandson-in-law - and drink. A favorite local brew is Tsujun Syuzou (通潤酒造), utilizing the crystal spring waters and golden rice of the region. The brewery is inviting guests in October to help hand-harvest rice and enjoy a BBQ, sake, and beer afterwards. The cost is 2,000 yen, and reservations are required. One can get there by bus from Kotsu Center. Info is below. - William
http://shop.tuzyun.com/html/page13.html

Here's another Arita event to add to your calendar - Arita's annual autumn pottery festival! The festival runs from November 22nd to 26th and features a huge lineup of events, including open days at some of the town's traditional brick kilns, walking tours around the city, beautiful fall foliage, a pottery bazaar, kids' activities, and food. I would especially recommend a visit to the brick kilns. The potters are always eager to talk about the history and tradition of their work.
According to legend, Arita-yaki, Arita's traditional form of pottery, has a history dating back to the mid 1600s. Arita-yaki is known for its quality and bright colors and remains famous across Japan. Many potters who live there today still hand-shape their wares and decorate them with paints made locally using many of the same methods that were used several hundred years ago.
Arita itself is beautiful, and I'm not surprised that its soft hills and rivers still attract many accomplished artists. I've been to the pottery festival that Arita holds during Golden Week and the bazaar stretched for blocks and blocks through the center of town. When I left Japan, I left with a whole suitcase just filled with Arita-yaki.
Aside from a great day out, the autumn festival would be the perfect place to get Christmas gifts!
At the top of the webpage you'll find a PDF version of a brochure, including a handy map. I've included a link here as well:
http://www.arita.jp/pamphlet/data/aki_2017.pdf
Please let me know if you're interested but don't read Japanese, and I'd be happy to provide more information! Also, please share your experiences here if you do end up going, as I don't currently live in Japan and want to live vicariously through you. ;)
-Grace
第13回秋の有田陶磁器まつり｜有田観光協会ありたさんぽ
有田観光協会ホームページ「ありたさんぽ」。イベントや観光施設、オススメコースを、有田焼からグルメまで情報満載。ぜひ有田へお越しください。

Autumn marks the sudden (and perhaps to some, alarming) appearance of the jorōgumo (女郎蜘蛛, L. Nephila clavata), literally "prostitute spider" due to the female's bright colors. They've been around since spring, but the females explode in size during this season as they prepare to mate and bear eggs; males are half or less the size and can often be seen on the periphery of the female's web contemplating their fate: attempt to mate and risk being eaten, or contemplate a bit longer. Perhaps the males are also contemplating this: In Japanese folklore, the jorōgumo female may change her appearance to that of a beautiful woman so as to seduce men whom she then binds in her silk and devours - except it's not innocuous folklore to these suitors but hard reality unless the mating dance is concluded flawlessly.
Orb webs of female jorōgumo can reach one meter in width, and their structures are unusual: in addition to the central orb, there are layers of irregular, thick, criss-crossed silk on either side, probably to slow down autumn's large prey.
You will know immediately if you've walked into such a web. The following is advice based on experience:
1. If only partway through the web, back out.
2. If fully crashed through the web, do not panic.
3. Look back at the web's wreckage to see if the spider is still there; if she is, water helps in removing the web from your face, clothing, and hands.
4. If she is not there, she may be on your body (though she also may simply have dropped from her web, but this is not the time to be complacent). Feel free to panic by jumping about while vigorously rubbing every surface of your body.
Below are photos of an exceptionally large female (or a very small hand); in human form, seducing a male; and with two male spiders, both in deep contemplation. - William

The "Tokyo Reporter" publishes it's articles on a really sleazy website so I hesitated to share this but the article itself seems to be accurate. The crime occurred in the Higashi-ku (East Ward) of Kumamoto City.
Here's a link to a Japanese article about the same incident:
https://breaking-news.jp/2017/09/18/035369
-- Kirk
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2017/09/22/kumamoto-man-used-cord-to-strangle-wife-to-death/
"I flew into a rage and strangled her" | The Tokyo Reporter
Kumamoto: Man used cord to strangle wife to death

“'There isn’t much room left for Kumamon’s popularity to grow in Japan. We want it to depart from being a local mascot and instead make anime for a worldwide audience and then to milk that for all it’s worth,' said Tomoko Takahashi, an anime producer at leading advertising agency Asatsu-DK Inc. and KumaLab member."
This article is accompanied by a video you may enjoy as well.
-- Kirk
Kumamon plots global takeover to avoid slipping in popularity：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Kumamon rules. A household name in Japan, the bear seems to have his paws in everything, e

A note from our friend Evelyn Martinez. I will certainly attend and hope to meet many of our Kumamoto Internacionalistas there. Bring something yummy for the potluck! (You can pick something up at Sun Live.) - William
The Mexican community in Kumamoto is organizing an event for this Saturday (September 23) to collect donations for the victims of the earthquake that hit Mexico yesterday.
Many people lost their homes, more than 250 people perished, and many more are still trapped under collapsed buildings.
We in Kumamoto recently experienced a quake of nearly identical size and received help from many parts of the world. Now it is our time to give thanks by giving back.
Place: Tamukae Kouminkan (next to Tamukae Shrine)
2 Chome-7 Tamukae, Minami-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto-ken 862-0962 (¡Copy-paste to Google Maps, or see the map below en español!)
Time: Saturday, 9/23. From 12:00 pm, we will have a pot luck lunch; from 14:00pm, Mexican folk dances and piñata will be held on a stage.
We invite you to join us enjoy Mexican culture and help victims of the Mexican earthquake.
Entrance is free, though there will be a donation box for those who wish to contribute.
All donations will be deposited with the Mexican Red Cross.
No parking is available, but the Kominkan is a 10 minute walk from Sun Live Kumanan, which has ample free parking.
On behalf of the Mexican community in Japan, thank for your generosity. - Evelyn
Tamukae Shrine
2 Chome-7 Tamukae, Minami-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto-ken 862-0962, Japón

I think this is a good introductory article for readers who are learning about congenital Minamata disease for the first time and also a good update for those already familiar with the topic. By sure to check out the slide show included with the article.
-- Kirk
More than 60 years on, Japan's mercury-poison victims fight to be heard
Shinobu Sakamoto was just 15 when she left her home in the southern Japanese fishing village of Minamata to go to Stockholm and tell the world of the horrors of mercury poisoning.

This article is similar to another one I posted on September 1st:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1578123352261091
Still, it's a new article with added details and so I thought some people might be interested.
-- Kirk
Mythical fish ready to adorn quake-hit castle in Kumamoto：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Earthquake-damaged Kumamoto Castle is set to look better than ever when its main keep is r

The giraffe is the tallest terrestrial animal. There are six subspecies, each with its own fur pattern (a photo of their fur patterns is below). One subspecies is the Masai giraffe, of which there are only nine in existence in the country spread across four facilities; four Masai giraffe are currently at Kumamoto Zoo.
Among these four is Toma (冬真), who was born a year ago and has now reached a length of 3.5 meters and weight of 500 kilograms. Any bigger and giraffes become difficult to move, so now that Toma is weaned, he will be sent to live with a female at the Phoenix Natural Wildlife Park in Miyazaki in November.
The article contained two cute words I didn't know:
- ラブコール (love call): to call out to someone with love or good will
- 婿入り (mukoiri; literally, "entrance of groom"): to move in with one's bride's family
Farewell, Toma! The ラブコール has reached Kumamoto from Miyazaki, and now you will 婿入り with your new sweetheart. We look forward to the gamboling of Masai giraffe calves in the near future. - William
https://this.kiji.is/283035039473763425?c=92619697908483575

Birder Alert
Hello from Amakusa!
Due to the typhoon, our precious long weekend was pretty much a write-off.
Monday however was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed the day hiking and paragliding in Kuratake (the highest mountain in Amakusa).
During flight we were able to observe large groups of hawks circling together with our paragliders. These birds are called Akaharadaka (Chinese Sparrowhawks) and are currently migrating south to overwinter in the Philippines.
These hawks as well as various migrating birds including cranes can be observed flying over Amakusa at this time of year. The best location to bird watch in Amakusa is Mt.Rokuroji in the south of Amakusa. Be sure to bring your binoculars and fancy camera lenses! https://www.city.amakusa.kumamoto.jp/kiji0031394/index.html
Leanne Vibe

Our friend Ryohei-san would like your help with a short survey. If you have a moment, please lend him a hand by completing the form at the link below.
Hi! I'm Ryohei Matsumoto. I'm a fourth year student at Kumamoto Gakuen University. I'm writing a graduation thesis. The research content is differences between personality and culture. Please answer the questions on the Google form linked below. I need your cooperation! Thank you for your help.
https://goo.gl/forms/osq83rlZytfPfj0r1
Google URL Shortener

"'Some things happened that we could not have predicted until they actually took place. We learned many lessons,' Suzuki said. For example, the company now recommends that employees carry their wallets, purses, and home and car keys with them at all times. Many of the production line workers previously stored them in the locker room after changing into their uniforms. If an earthquake takes place, lockers may fall over and the room itself might be rendered inaccessible, leaving the workers stranded without money and unable to drive to or get into their homes."
http://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00347/
I hope "the next big one" is far away -- both geographically and temporally. :)
-- Kirk
Sony High-Tech Plant Prepares for the Next Big One
As major earthquakes could take place anywhere in Japan, they are a significant risk for the country’s high-tech firms. Precision equipment in plants can be easily damaged. Following last year’s earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture, a Sony subsidiary is taking action to reduce the potential impact of…

Joe Tomei here, I'm posting something I posted on the KumAJET list, apologies if you get it twice.
I wanted to let all of you know that you can get a library card at Kumamoto Gakuen University and check out 5 books a week, as well as come in the library and use the facilities. The university charges 1000 yen a year, with the period tied to the school year, so if you joined now, you'd need to renew in April. You need some id and an address. It's a program that I tell people about, and posting it for the newly arrived JET participants made me realize that it might be good to post here. You can visit the library and just sign in (and save 1000 yen), so if you don't want to check out books, you don't need the library card, but filling out the form every time is a bit of a pain.
The holdings are good, and a range of English books, but the coverage can be spotty. You can search the holdings here
http://www1.lib.kumagaku.ac.jp/mylimedio/search/search-input.do?mode=comp&lang=en
The school cafeteria is next door, you just buy a ticket and get your food and it is quite cheap and the food is good. If you come and need any help, I'm sure I can get one of my students to help you.
If you are interested and need some help or have questions, please contact me offlist.
Material Search

The Iwashitas, Kesumi-san and Kaoru-san (袈裟實さん、カヲルさん) were both born in Aso Town in Taisho 6 (大正6年), which corresponds to 1917. They met, fell in love, married, and had two sons. He did office work for JA, she taught elementary school. 60 years ago, Kaoru-san began to have heart trouble, so Kesumi-san added housework and child raising to his schedule.
They now live in Jonan, two centenarians still together, alive and in love, and they were celebrated for it yesterday, Respect for the Aged Day. "They still have good appetites and are healthy. Taisho, Showa - they've lived through turbulent times, and all I have for my parents are words of gratitude. I'd like them to live even longer", their son said.
BTW, "ko" (子) was reserved for royalty until the Meji census reform in 1882, and most females (and even some males except for the first-born) were given names written in katakana. The ability to read was not prevalent among the poor of that time - not just the offspring but the parents as well - and official documents were usually dictated orally, with katakana considered more official than the more feminine hiragana. Parents would often pay big money to a scholar for a very fancy name for their first-born son: Consider Kesumi-san's kanji, 袈裟實. I wonder how old he was before he learned how to write that.
A bit of good news for a Tuesday back at work. - William
夫婦一緒に100歳、祝福に涙　熊本市の岩下さん夫妻 - 熊本日日新聞
夫婦で１００歳を迎え、お祝いを受けた岩下袈裟實さん（右）とカヲルさん＝熊本市南区　熊本市南区城南町の岩下袈裟實［けさみ］さん、カヲルさんが今年、夫婦で１００歳を迎え、１８日、同町の指定介護老人福祉施設「祥麟館」で家族や施設利用者らから祝福を...

Kumamoto wasn't hit as badly by the typhoon as some other areas but, as these photos from yesterday's RKK evening news show, areas outside of Kumamoto City such as Yamato-cho had some problems. The caption in the second photo says that roads became impassable at four points.
-- Kirk