While technically an alluvial plain due to its two main rivers, Shirakawa and Midorikawa, Kumamoto can also be considered a basin when taking the Shimabara peninsula on the other side of Ariake sea into account, and basins can get very hot very quickly (one article I read while looking into this compared Kumamoto with Nara - they do have strikingly similar topography, though quite different latitudes - and in the immortal words of Jimmy Buffet, “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes”). Today is forecast to be 35°C (95°F), with astounding humidity. To all our friends, take care over the next few days. - William