It looks like a lot of people had fun last night: http://youtu.be/Mt4qwwnYPgs
2014-08-03 15:13 JST 2014 It looks like a lot of people had fun last night: http://youtu.be/Mt4qwwnYPgs 14080301 http://youtu.be/Mt4qwwnYPgs ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 5 · Comments: 0 · Shares: 1 ← 2014-08-02 13:51 JST 2014-08-03 15:16 JST → Around this time … 2014-08-05 12:03 JSTThe discovery was made near Miike Port, which is in Fukuoka, but everyone involved in the discovery seems to be from Kumamoto.I hope this good news about the Ariake Sea continues. In recent years, most of the news about the Ariake Sea has been about its environmental decline.http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201408030013Endangered mussel species discovered off Fukuoka Prefecture - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun 2014-08-05 12:05 JSTHere's another article by Mandy Bartok, who lives in Kumamoto.http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/08/02/travel/slow-food-fast-water-rural-corner-kumamoto/#.U-BJrVayu0wSlow food and fast water in a rural corner of Kumamoto | The Japan Times 2014-08-05 12:35 JSTHere's an example of tambo (rice paddy) art in Tamana. The Japanese reads "Tamana iine, mitsuketa." The second word, いーイネ, is a play on いいね (iine), the expression used in Japanese on Facebook to mean "like," and イネ (ine), the word for the rice plant itself (not to be confused with other rice-related words such as kome and gohan).http://k-staff.blogspot.jp/2013/09/blog-post_27.html「たまな稲（いいね！）田んぼアート」がスゴイ(*_*) | スタッフブログ｜週刊メールマガジン『気になる！くまもと』 2014-08-04 13:22 JSTKumamon and Funassyi rule!http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/108911.php2 characters stand out in Japan's 'yurukyara' local mascot fad 2014-08-03 15:16 JSTHere's another video about the Otemoyan Dance last night:http://youtu.be/yicnlUAvH4s20140802pm 1 2014-08-03 15:13 JSTIt looks like a lot of people had fun last night: (this post) 2014-08-02 13:51 JSTDue to the weather, there was some doubt about whether or not the Otemoyan Dance could go on as scheduled. The official website site says, in essence, "the dance is on!" However, they also say that there's still a slim chance of cancelation due to the weather. I hope you all have a great time and that there is little no rain. The weather forecast indicates only light rain.http://www.hinokunimatsuri.jp/contents.cfm?id=555 2014-08-01 12:17 JSTThis image shows the steep decline in smoking rates among men by age group in Japan. It comes from the following article in the Japanese version of the Huffington Post:http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2014/07/30/tobacco-women_n_5636293.htmlI'm posting it because it's a good visual indication of trend described in the following short article:Japan smoking rate falls below 20 percent for 1st timehttp://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/108842.phpThough it's a national trend, I've seen big changes in smoking culture here in Kumamoto since the 1990s.http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1940054/thumbs/o-TABAKO-570.jpg?1 2014-08-01 11:34 JSTYesterday I wrote that "There will be a huge hanabi (fireworks) event in Tamana tomorrow (Aug 1)." Apparently due to the weather, however, the fireworks show has been postponed until Thursday, August 7.玉名市 玉名納涼花火大会 2014-08-01 11:30 JSTHere's another item that is not specific to Kumamoto, but that I hope many readers will be interested in. The article is also available in Japanese -- something that might come in handy if you have a Japanese friend who cannot believe that there is no connection between blood type and personality.http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/science/20140719-OYT1T50087.htmlhttp://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001458735Blood type ‘plays no role’ in personality - The Japan News 2014-08-01 08:30 JSTThis is a national issue, but Kumamoto is certainly affected by it.http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201406260058Japan's population drops for 5th straight year - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun
