Kumamoto International Archive

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

Here's a video report that NHK published several months ago but that I have just found. Part of the reason I have been looking at the Newsroom Tokyo material is that I'll be interviewed on their show this Friday. That, like this, will be easy to stream after the fact. More later.
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/newsroomtokyo/aired/20160617.html
Reconstructing Kumamoto Castle - NEWSROOM TOKYO - TV - NHK WORLD - English
Recent earthquakes in southern Japan caused heavy damage to an important cultural landmark, but artisans and workers are teaming up to repair Kumamoto Castle.

From Charmaine, written yesterday:
"For those who cant read Japanese, there has been a large fire in Oguni Town where I work and previously lived for over ten years. The report says 20 buildings, including shops and houses in one of the main streets, have burnt down, but incredibly no casualties. I can't bear to go to work tomorrow. My classroom building is just around the corner, and have to see this kind of destruction. What a shock!"
"This will probably affect the annual town festival, held October 18th every year. The parade always takes a route around town directly through that area. It looks as if it will probably have to be cancelled ... that part of town is still closed off today while they investigate what caused the fire."
Posted by Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/articles/photo/AS20161010000711.html
密集地で火災、約２０棟が全焼か　熊本・小国：朝日新聞デジタル

Here's an NHK program featuring Jason Morgan of Kumamoto talking about Tsuetate Onsen and other hot springs in the area.
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/jtripplan/20161003/
The Hot Springs of Kyushu & Country Life in Tottori Prefecture - J-Trip Plan - Video On Demand - NHK WORLD - English
Hot springs are sure to warm your body and soul, especially during the colder months. Our correspondent recommends hot spring areas in Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures. Many inns there are back in business after the earthquakes that hit Kyushu in April 2016. Our reporter escapes the city to Tottori Pre...

This video report from NHK WORLD discusses several aspects of the impact of the eruption. I'd like to add one little bit of information regarding the fireworks-like image you see in the image associated with the report. I heard on another NHK broadcast that the fiery explosion you see occurred outside of the crater, near a cable-car tower, when a large mass of material from the volcano landed there. It's my impression from watching the video that the NHK camera began filming automatically after the eruption had already started. You can see hot material elsewhere, presumably from similar bombs of volcanic material that had landed earlier.
-- KIrk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20161008_21/
Ash from Mt. Aso confirmed in wide areas- News - NHK WORLD - English
Mount Aso in Japan's southern main island of Kyushu erupted early on Saturday morning. The volcano spewed ash over wide areas of western Japan.

Click on the link or image below to view the high-quality video.
-- KIrk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201610070038.html
Drone reveals extent of damage to Kumamoto Castle：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--The famed Kumamoto Castle here now stands in a sorry state six months after a series of ma

I'm sharing this on main part of the page so that more people can see it. Personally, I don't know anything about it but I too would be interested to learn about whether it might be a good option.
-- Kirk
Japan Cellphone Monthly Plans - DOCOMO POSTPAID PLANS FOR VISITORS - Sakura Mobile
Sakura Mobile offers Japan cellphone services in English. Our plans include Japanese mobile phone number (docomo 090) + cheap international call w/ free minutes

One of several eruption-related problems this article mentions is the lost of electrical power:
"Also, around 27,000 residences in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures suffered a brief power outage, which was believed to have been caused by falling ash."
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/10/09/national/quakes-kumamoto-tourism-industry-takes-another-hit-eruption-mount-aso/
After quakes, Kumamoto tourism industry takes another hit with eruption of Mount Aso | The Japan Times
Still reeling from a series of earthquakes beginning in April, Kumamoto Prefecture is once again experiencing nature's fury, this time in the form of Mount

This article points out that the eruption of Mt. Aso has been very bad news for local tourism-related businesses and for farmers.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201610090015.html
Mount Aso eruption dents Kumamoto effort to regain footing：The Asahi Shimbun
As tourism and farming industries in Kumamoto Prefecture were starting to recover from the devastati

I'd like to recommend this article for its explanation of the type of eruption scientists believe occurred (a steam or phreatic eruption).
-- Kirk
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003269764
Boiling water likely cause of Mt. Aso blast
An eruption at Mt. Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture early Saturday morning was likely a phreatic eruption, in which underground water in the volcano was heated by magma to cause an explosion, a volcanic expert said.

In addition to the details this article provides via text, I'd like to recommend it for several memorable photos it contains.
-- Kirk
http://phys.org/news/2016-10-volcano-southern-japan-erupts-injuries.html
Volcano in southern Japan erupts; no injuries
Mount Aso in southern Japan sent huge plumes of gray smoke as high as 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) into the air on Saturday in one of the volcano's biggest explosions in years.

One would think that a volcanic eruption would be enough excitement for one day but Mother Nature has followed up with heavy rain. It should not be a problem for most of us, but if you live in a vulnerable area, take care.
-- Kirk
P.S. Some evacuation recommendations have been made for parts of Amakusa:
http://crisis.yahoo.co.jp/evacuation/43/
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/warn/

Here's a video report about a window in a building about several kilometers from the volcano that was broken by a small rock from the eruption. The facility is Aso Seishonen Koryu no Ie (国立阿蘇青少年交流の家). Here's a Google map showing the location:
https://goo.gl/maps/1j8p6Du2YYM2
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20161008/k10010722721000.html
宿泊施設で窓ガラス割れる噴火で石飛ばされたか | NHKニュース
阿蘇警察署や福岡管区気象台によりますと、阿蘇山の火口から北東に４キロあまり離れた阿蘇市一の宮町にある宿泊施設、「国立阿蘇青少年交流の家」で、…

As far as I know, no one was hurt as a result of the eruption. It's probably a good thing that it occurred in the middle of the night, when tourists were not nearby and people were mostly in their homes. Aside from worry about the possibility of more eruptions, the main problem for people in the area seems to be the heavy coating of volcanic ash that they found over everything this morning. People need to be careful when they wash cars because the ash contains abrasive material. One woman interviewed said that she was just trying to avoid damage to her car by merely spraying water on it without wiping.
I also saw a report about a window that had be broken by small rocks from the eruption.
-- Kirk
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/photograph/news/article.html?id=20161008-OYT1I50008
【ニュース写真】：写真：読売新聞　読売新聞（YOMIURI ONLINE）
阿蘇中岳第１火口の爆発的噴火で火山灰が積もった車（８日午前６時１８分、熊本県阿蘇市で）＝秋月正樹撮影

The image you see was taken at 9 AM this morning. Go to the Japanese article to view the entire image, only a portion of which is visible here.
-- Kirk
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASDG08H0M_Y6A001C1MM0000/
　８日午前１時46分ごろ、熊本県・阿蘇山の中岳第１火口で爆発的噴火が発生した。気象庁は噴煙が高さ１万１千メートルまで上がっているのを気象衛星で観測。阿蘇山で爆発的噴火が起きたのは1980年以来で36年

Here's a live stream from Aso. It's remarkably peaceful, considering the magnitude of eruption that occurred early this morning.
-- Kirk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAeAumZNl-I
現在の火山状況を鑑み、臨時的にこちらのチャンネルで配信しています。阿蘇火山博物館屋上からのRKKライブカメラの映像です。回線の関係で映像が乱れたり止まることがあります。以上、ご理解のうえ、ご視聴いただきますようお願いいたします。「●ライブ」の●が赤になっているときは、現在の映像です。赤になっていないとき...

Here's the Guardian's take on the eruption. It is rather understated. For example, it says that the volcano belched "a column of ash several thousand feet into the air" when several miles or kilometers would have been closer to what NHK reported -- 11,000 meters.
-- Kirk
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/07/mount-aso-japan-volcano-eruption-warning-heavy-ash-fall
Japanese authorities issue alert as Mount Aso volcano rumbles to life
People are warned not to approach popular tourist attraction as meteorologists forecast heavy ash fall for area north-east of volcano

As William just posted, Aso erupted early this morning. I've added English captions to the video. If you don't see them, click on the gear to select them. Here's the text:
"As we have been reporting, early this morning an explosive eruption of Mt. Aso's Nakadake No. 1 crater occurred.
According to satellite observations, the volcanic plume rose 11,000 meters.
As a result, the alert level has been raised from 2 to 3 and people have been warned of the danger of falling rocks within 2 kilometers of the volcano.
This is the first explosive eruption of Mt. Aso since 1980, 36 years ago."
-- Kirk

Mt. Aso burped at 1:46 this morning which, according to JMA, rose to an altitude of 11,000 meters; however, it does not seem to be a precursor to anything more serious. Emissions erupted from the Nakadake #1 crater for the first time since 1980. In response, authorities have ratcheted up the warning from 2 (stay away from the crater!) to 3 (let's not even think about approaching the peak!)
Ash falls caused power outages in various locations, and JMA warns of projectiles hurled up to one kilometer from the crater. (Note: much further than I have ever hurled.) A different crater on Aso acted up on 9/14 last year, and then everything went back to normal - well, at least until April. If you're in the city, find a good vantage point for some photographs! The Mt. Kinpo peak and areas to the north of Mt. Tatsuda are recommended. - William
https://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/mt-aso-in-southwestern-japan-erupts
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20161008002.xhtml

Kitaoka Shizen Kouen, the burial site of the Hosogawa lords since it was founded by the first Hosokawa lord of Kumamoto, Tadatoshi, was bequeathed by the Hosokawa estate to the city in 1955. In addition to several tombs, it includes many architectural features unique to the early-Edo era, in particular, the karamon (唐門, a type of gate based on Chinese architecture, 唐 meaning "China"; the article notes that there are no records of the gate having toppled since its construction). Closed since the quakes, it reopened on 10/6, though some areas remain inaccessible. Complete restoration is expected to take three years.
The area is a gem, particularly in the fall. The hill is just before Hanaoka-yama, with best access from either the streetcar Gofukumachi or Gionbashi stops. Admission is free for the time being. The area is wonderful for photography and also for shinkansen-spotting. - William
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20161007002.xhtml

"Excessive smartphone discounts still continue" is a strange title. One might wonder "How can discounts be excessive?" But the point is that carriers are trying to entice people into accepting contracts on which that will lose money in the long term.
"The ministry implemented the guideline because it thought the continuously high communication fees put a heavy burden on household finances."
This not a Kumamoto-specific issue but, on the other hand, most of us need some kind of mobile communication so it's definitely relevant to life here in Kumamoto.
-- Kirk, a disaffect AU user who is waiting for his contract to expire
P.S. If you search this page (there is now a search box on the Kumamoto International page) with the word "mobile" you can learn about alternatives to the major providers.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003230398
Excessive smartphone discounts still continue
Excessive smartphone handset discounts have continued — despite about six months passing since the implementation of a government guideline requiring the three major cell phone carriers to stop the business practice.