2017-03-21 16:59 JST 2017 Bonfire glows on mountainside as Kumamoto’s Aso strives to rebuild：The Asahi ShimbunASO, Kumamoto Prefecture--A massive bonfire lit up a mountain here on March 18 in a show of gratitud https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201703190026.html?utm_i … ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 22 · Comments: 0 · Shares: 5 ← 2017-03-21 13:56 JST 2017-03-22 10:33 JST → Around this time … 2017-03-23 23:38 JSTA reader noted that last year the Honmyoji Hanatourou festival was held on 3/26. Unfortunately, according to the following web page (and to a comment below from Jan) no similar event is being held this year due to damage from the earthquake:http://hanatourou.otemo-yan.netThe official site (which, unfortunately, seems not have been updated since the earthquake) is http://hanatourou.com/Corrective edits added by Kirktop of 本妙寺桜灯籠 Official Website 2017-03-22 17:55 JSTWhere's my tram? Thanks to the magic of GPS technology, it's now possible to see in real time exactly where the tram you are waiting for is:https://www.kumamoto-city-tram.jp/Sys/web01-- Kirk 2017-03-22 15:54 JSTI'm not sure if this is still available but this printer, which was offered for free, is an example of the kind of information that you can find on the Kumamoto-i mailing list that may not show up here. -- Kirkhttps://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/messages/13493Yahoo! Groups 2017-03-22 14:38 JSTThis job announcement came to me via a mailing list called PMJS (for specialists in pre-modern Japanese studies). I'm not sure if anyone who reads this page would be interested in actually applying for these positions but I found it interesting to learn that there is a strong Japanese studies department in Kyushu University that offers advanced degree programs taught in English. -- KIrkhttp://www2.lit.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/impjh/ 2017-03-22 10:33 JSTFor a long time, I've been wondering why we couldn't use Google maps to figure out what bus to take to get where we need to go in Kumamoto City. I even wrote a letter to the editor in the Kumanichi and prepared a video letter for the mayor. Here's the address of the video letter:https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/152794928181679Well, either someone was listening or it was simply an idea whose time had come -- we can now use Google maps to choose the best bus to reach the local destination of our choice.-- Kirk 2017-03-21 16:59 JSTBonfire glows on mountainside as Kumamoto’s Aso strives to … (this post) 2017-03-21 13:56 JSTThere are times when you look around and think, "Gee, there are not enough characters." This happened recently when those in charge of Higomaru, Kumamoto Castle's official character (below left) decided he needed some friends and thus came up with 熊本城の仲間たち (Kumamotojyo with Friends, below center). The characters are all named after various famous locations within the castle (Iidamaru-kun, Gennoshin-kun, Nagabei-kun, Utoyagura-ji, and the sole female representative, Akazu-chan - the latter is hilarious if you know anything of the history of that gate); they are portrayed with various ailments symbolizing the current dilapidated condition of the castle, but their appearances will improve as castle reconstruction proceeds. - William 2017-03-21 12:02 JSTAn update on the American Consulate video shoot to be held today (3/21): The gathering time is from 3:30 at the parking area of Ninomaru Park; rehearsals and shooting will last from 4:00 to about 6:00. Everyone is welcome, whatever nationality! I have reposted the original mail from the consulate below. - WilliamDear U.S. citizens in the Kumamoto,We wanted to let you know about a project we are organizing at the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka that we were hoping you might help us with. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Kumamoto, we wanted to convey to the people of the region America’s continued solidarity with them, and we also wanted to let them know how touched and inspired we have been by their positivity and resilience after the disaster.In this spirit, we are developing a “tribute” music video to Kumamoto, adapting and performing the Kumamon Taiso exercise routine and song. The video is a joint project by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Fukuoka are together with other American agencies and organizations in Japan and the Kumamoto Prefectural Government. You can get a feel for the original version of the Kumamon Taiso, if you don’t know it already, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBBZop5j6D0. Maybe you saw a previous video that we made together with the Embassy and other Consulates in Japan, which became a viral sensation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xuXlpvWw1I). We hope this video will have a similar reach.We are hoping to have a big group join us for the climatic shot of the video at the grounds of Kumamoto Castle on the afternoon of March 21, from 4 – 6 pm (please RSVP so we can let you know more details and if there are any changes). If you have a sense of people who might be willing and interested to participate, please spread the word. 2017-03-21 11:31 JSTAbout a month ago, the caution level at the Aso volcano returned to Level 1. Under normal circumstances, tourists would be allowed peer down into the volcano from its rim at this level but damage to the roads and other infrastructure make that impossible now. I'll try to post something to this page if the situation changes.-- Kirkhttp://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/eng/P.S. The link above has another link to "more detailed information" but it is a machine translation of a Japanese page, so the English isn't perfect. As I have written before, machine translation can be useful when there's no budget for proper translations but I really wish a link to the original page could be included with the translated information. Here's the missing link to the original page:http://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/2017/02/17/阿蘇中岳警戒情報-2/It is certainly true that providing information in English (and other languages) (even if only a machine translation) is a welcome addition to Japanese information for non-Japanese users. However, I'm afraid that too many people have jumped to the mistaken conclusion that foreigners ONLY need information in foreign languages and that information in Japanese is irrelevant. I need to try to find the time to talk to more people who might be in a position to change this.Information on restrictions for the Aso Volcano West Crater 2017-03-20 14:26 JSTIt's cloudy today but yesterday was a beautiful, warm, sunny day that really felt like spring. I noticed the bee in this photo when I stopped to admire the flowers. I think you can see that its 'pollen baskets' are almost full. For more about how bees carry pollen, see:http://science-at-home.org/kid-questions-pollen/-- Kirk 2017-03-18 18:40 JSTJoe Tomei here. PIGATE is looking for some high school students who would like to make short (2-3 min) presentations at their next meeting (8 April, in the afternoon) The tentative theme is pets, but if the students don't have pets, any topic is fine. If they would like to do it, but are nervous, I (Joe Tomei) am happy to help them, and they can come to Gakuen to get help making the presentation and practicing. If you are a teacher or an ALT and have a student or students who might be interested, please contact me! (tomeiter (at) gmail
