Kumamoto International Archive

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

A snake caused a brief power outage in parts of Kumamoto City yesterday. -- Kirk
http://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003201705251754200111
RKKラジオAM1197kHz・ワイドFM91.4/92.3/94.2MHz、RKKテレビは3ch！九州・熊本のラジオ＆テレビ放送局(TBSテレビ系列)です。

JCI stands for "Junior Chamber International." Their website says that "JCI is a nonprofit organization of young active citizens age 18 to 40 who are engaged and committed to creating impact in their communities. Active citizens are individuals invested in the future of our world. JCI gathers active citizens from all sectors of society."
https://jci.cc/about
Another web page says that the "2017 JCI Academy in Kumamoto will enable the participants, the future leaders of JCI and the community, to deepen mutual understanding among one another. At the same time, it will provide an opportunity for participating members from JCI Japan to establish a connection with overseas delegates, so that the Japanese delegates can be even more involved at the international level in the future."
They are looking for host families and volunteer interpreters to help with this event (the following pages are in Japanese):
http://2017jciacademy.com/f/interpreter/
http://2017jciacademy.com/f/family/
-- Kirk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1J2-B8u60A
【full ver】JCI Academy kumamoto

There have been some recent reports about cracks in the ground in Oita Prefecture, our neighbors to the east. When I first saw something about this on TV I assumed it had something to do with seismic activity, but the article says that the cause is unknown.
-- KIrk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/05/23/national/ground-cracks-form-oita-city-prompting-evacuations-amid-landslide-fears/#.WSTSAMaB2-o
Ground cracks form in Oita city, prompting evacuations amid landslide fears | The Japan Times
The city of Bungo Ono, Oita Prefecture, has seen cracks in the ground in 81 locations, leading the municipal government to warn nearby residents of possibl

This article came out a few weeks ago but I just found out about it today. -- Kirk
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170430/p2g/00m/0sp/040000c
Soccer: Monaco show support to Japan's quake-hit Kumamoto in Ligue 1 game - The Mainichi
MONACO (Kyodo) -- French Ligue 1 leaders Monaco showed their support for relief efforts in quake-hit Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, on Saturday, when they held their home game with Toulouse as a charity match for the region.

The U.S. television program (PBS) "This is America and the World" did a segment about Kumamoto:
http://www.thisisamerica.net/videoarchive_2016-2017.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5riu2c1JCbY
-- Kirk
TIA&TW - Treasures of Kumamoto, Japan
Episode 2031: Treasures of Kumamoto, Japan On this program This Is America & The World and Dennis Wholey travel to southern Japan to experience Kumamoto pref...

This is from the 19th. NHK doesn't keep videos up for long so get it while it's hot!
-- Kirk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20170519_23/
Kumamoto Castle repair work shown to media- News - NHK WORLD - English
Work to restore the main tower of Kumamoto Castle was shown to media on Friday, about one year after a series of earthquakes struck Kumamoto City, western Japan.

Map makers track Kumamoto quake damage and recovery：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Devastating earthquakes changed the face of this city in April 2016, and the task of asses

The photo you see was taken a few days ago in Ezuko, Kumamoto City. I was prompted to look for photos of fireflies (hotaru) in Ezuko by an RKK news segment I saw. The segment talked about how, when the weather is right, the fireflies are putting on evening shows in Ezuko these days. I'm a big fan of the Ezuko area but have never been there after sunset (7 to 9 PM or so) to enjoy the fireflies on a warming evening. I may even go tonight!
-- Kirk
https://twitter.com/zanshin_photo/status/864740096452419584
しんいちphoto on Twitter
“江津湖のホタル 2017年5月16日撮影 #photography #photo #写真好きな人と繋がりたい #トワイライト #熊本 #KUMAMOTO #江津湖 #ホタル #蛍”

Leanne Vibe shared the link to this article on the Kumamoto-i mailing list:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/messages/13512
Thanks Leanne! Even though I started the mailing list, I have tended to neglect it in recent years. Readers of this Facebook page show know, however, that interesting and valuable information is shared on the mailing list and I often neglect to share it again here. Also, an e-mail forum has some advantages to Facebook (easier to strike up independent conversations with people, no manipulative algorithm that winds up determining what you do and do not see, etc.). So, some of you may wish to participate in the mailing list if you don't already.
Favorite line from this article: "Q: Where do you go to escape Kumamoto? A: Kumamoto IS my escape."
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/05/13/people/paraglider-richard-brezina-not-stranger-high-adventure/
Paraglider Richard Brezina: 'I am not a stranger to high adventure' | The Japan Times
Canadian native living in Kyushu recalls his experiences of extreme sports in Japan.

A long time ago, I set all of the posts from this page to be tweeted and then forgot about it. If you prefer Twitter to Facebook, you might consider following us there, but the way posts get cut short can make it hard to understand the intended point.
https://twitter.com/Kumamotoi
-- Kirk
Kumamoto-i (@Kumamotoi) | Twitter
The latest Tweets from Kumamoto-i (@Kumamotoi). I'm an international mailing list about Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto, Japan

I came across this bit of information today: The tallest man to be drafted to play in the NBA is from Kumamoto. Wikipedia says that Yasutaka Okayama was 7'8" (234 cm) when he was drafted, making him a bit taller than Manute Bol. Bol is still the tallest person to have played in the NBA because Mr. Okayama declined to enter into negotiations after he was drafted. -- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2015/05/20/basketball/hoop-hero-okayama-reflects-lost-chance/
Hoop hero Okayama reflects on lost chance | The Japan Times
Long before recent international Japanese basketball stars like Yuta Tabuse, Yuki Togashi and Yuta Watanabe, there was Yasutaka Okayama, who might have mad

'River' of paper lanterns glow for Kumamoto quake victims：The Asahi Shimbun
MINAMI-ASO, Kumamoto Prefecture--About 8,000 messages of support from around Japan to the victims of

Carnations back in Kumamoto's streetcars a year after the quakes：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Streetcars decked out in carnations are back in service here for the first time in two yea

Think I posted this long ago - a very entertaining summary of Japanese history. The creator, Bill Wurtz, has summaries of other phases of history, including a 20-minute one he recently released which traces existence from before the Big Bang (granted, rather anthropocentric, but aren't we all), available on Youtube. Check 'em out when you need a few minutes of comic relief. - William
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh5LY4Mz15o
history of japan
http://billwurtz.com patreon: http://patreon.com/billwurtz spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/78cT0dM5Ivm722EP2sgfDh itunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us...

Sounds like a cool opportunity! I'm sharing the post so that more people can see it.
-- Kirk (Too old to participate :( How about a geriatric sequel? )

This is a Kumanichi (the local Japanese newspaper) article about a British dentist named David Fujiwara who visited master sword smith Matsunaga Genrokuro in northern Kumamoto. I have had the pleasure of visiting Matsuaga-sensei's home to learn about sword making and swordsmanship and know many non-Japanese who have studied with him quite regularly and intensively. Through his openness to non-Japanese pupils and other activities, Matsunaga-sensei is continuing to make an important contribution to international understanding and the promotion of traditional Japanese culture.
-- Kirk
P.S. For more information in English go to
http://www.matsunaga-sword.org/about.html
英国サムライ「真剣」修行　荒尾市　７年ぶり技磨く - 熊本日日新聞
古武道小岱流のけいこに励むディビット藤原さん＝荒尾市　英国で古武道小岱流を学ぶ歯科医ディビット藤原さん（２６）が８～１１日の４日間、同流宗家の刀匠松永源六郎さん（６９）＝荒尾市＝の下で、７年ぶりの修行に励んだ。　小岱流は、真剣で物を切る技...

The other day, NHK did a major story about this hospital in Kumamoto. After ten years, it remains unique. The NHK program mentioned, as this article does, that efforts to established a second such baby hatch failed because no doctor could be found to take on the role that Dr. Hasuda plays here. He's truly a special person. -- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/05/09/national/social-issues/kumamoto-baby-hatch-accepted-125-babies-nine-years-since-launch/#.WRR3mVKB1uU
Kumamoto 'baby hatch' accepted 125 babies over nine years since launch | The Japan Times
The controversial "baby hatch" set up at a Kumamoto hospital in 2007 to enable people to leave infants anonymously took in a total of 125 babies over nine

At 8:25 this evening we had a magnitude 4.3 quake that was Level 4 on the Japanese scale in Minami-ku (South Ward) of Kumamoto City. To me (in Chuo-ku), it felt like it was approaching from fairly far away and rumbled for several seconds before settling down.
-- Kirk
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/6/20170511202535495-112021.html

This article came out several weeks ago but I seem to have neglected to share it. One thing I learned from it is that there's a law that "stipulates that temporary housing can only be used for up to two years." With thousands of people still in temporary housing, a lot of progress needs to be made in the next year. -- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/13/national/caught-off-guard-deadly-quakes-kumamoto-still-learning-lessons-one-year/
Caught off guard by deadly quakes, Kumamoto still learning lessons one year on | The Japan Times
It was just after midnight and I was dozing off at a capsule hotel in the city of Kumamoto on April 16 last year when the "Big One" hit. Suddenly, I was bo

The image is from a Japanese article predicting kosa (黄砂; yellow sand) being blown in from China today:
https://weathernews.jp/s/topics/201705/060105/
The article warns about sand in this area tomorrow and says that visibility was reduced here this morning.
The yellow sand particles tend to be a problem this time of year but sandy days become very rare after the rains begin to wash the particles from the atmosphere in June:
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/env/kosahp/kosa_table_1.html
-- Kirk
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170507/p2g/00m/0dm/033000c