This for anyone in the Nagomi area.
2019-01-04 00:32 JST 2019 This for anyone in the Nagomi area. ↗ 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: 0 ← 2019-01-03 21:19 JST 2019-01-04 16:54 JST → Around this time … 2019-01-05 13:03 JSTQuestion for readers: A friend has both foreign and international drivers licenses but wants some practice before venturing out on Japanese roads (good idea!). Does any of our readers have recommendations of where and how this can be done? - William 2019-01-05 08:24 JSTSome Kumamoto Castle news (including a video) from late last year:http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201812280032.html-- KirkKumamoto Castle’s fortified curved stone walls rise again：The Asahi Shimbun 2019-01-04 20:10 JSTLooks like disasters make the birth of a boy less likely than that of a girl, including in Kumamoto:"A study published in August this year by Misao Fukuda at M&K Health Institute in Kariya, Hyogo, looked at births in areas hit by events that caused extreme stress. They included Hyogo Prefecture, after the Kobe earthquake of 1995; Tohoku, after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daichii power plant; and Kumamoto Prefecture, after the 2016 earthquakes. It turns out that nine months after such disasters, the proportion of male babies born in those prefectures dropped by 6 to 14 percent.What’s going on here? Perhaps sperm carrying the Y chromosome are more vulnerable to stress, or the male embryos themselves are more vulnerable. No one knows the answer. We also don’t know why, by the way, that even under normal conditions there is an inequality in the number of babies born of each sex: on average 105 boys are born for every 100 girls."-- Kirk2018 in science in Japan: Climate change, space exploration and water bears | The Japan Times 2019-01-04 17:25 JSTWe got a big scare with the quake last night. Fortunately, however, its direct impact was not as severe as the "level 6 lower" shindo level seemed to indicate. Nonetheless, NHK spend a lot of air time (way over an hour) providing continuous coverage (which I think was mostly national). In this case, it turned out to be overkill, but I support the "when in doubt, err on the side of caution" approach.Ultimately, it seems like the people who suffered the most as a result of the quake this time were those who depended on the Shinkansen to travel between Fukuoka and Kumamoto.Of course, this quake could wind up being a prequel to a more serious one -- as happened in 2016. So, it's better not to assume that we have heard the last from Mother Nature in regard to this matter. I'm relieved, though, that last night, at least, it wasn't as bad as it might have been.-- KirkNo deaths, no houses toppled from big quake in Kumamoto：The Asahi Shimbun 2019-01-04 16:54 JSTJoe Tomei here, this is a translation of an announcement I received concerning the recent earthquake, just in case anyone is wondering ——-Regarding the earthquake occurred on 1/3 at kumamoto pref.There are no damage report from hotels and other tourism facilities. Kyushi express way and other transportation ( bus train air) are operating normally. 2019-01-04 00:32 JSTThis for anyone in the Nagomi area. (this post) 2019-01-03 21:19 JSTHas anyone signed up for the Kumamoto International Foundation's (or the International Center's) "Disaster and emergency e-mail information" service? Actually, I attended planning sessions about this so I should know about it but I neglected to sign up in advance. Now, when I go to the foundation's web page, I can't figure out how to sign up:http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/default_e.aspIf any of you signed up earlier and are receiving information about the most recent quake, could you please share it here? Thanks!-- Kirk 2019-01-03 20:59 JSTHere's an English-language newspaper report. I'll post links to other articles as comments to this post.-- KirkPowerful earthquake jolts Kumamoto in southwestern Japan - The Mainichi 2019-01-03 20:56 JSTKumamoto International participate Atsuko Furue shared the following information for people near the epicenter of the quake:"和水町防災連絡自主防災避難所を中央公民館(旧菊水町)と三加和公民館(旧三加和町)を解放されました。For victims who wants to escape from earthquake in Nagomi town.Now 2 Evacuation centers are opened One is at Tyuou Kouminkan at Kikusui area, One is at Mikawa Kouminkan at Mikawa area."Thanks Atsuko! You're ahead of the Nagomi Town website. I suspect that they are sending information out via e-mail but I think updating the website is also important at times like this because not everyone has signed up for e-mail notifications in advance.-- Kirkhttp://www.town.nagomi.lg.jp/kinkyu/pub/Default.aspx?c_id=13 2019-01-03 18:31 JSTFrom the Kumamoto International Desk of Rattling (moved a few centimeters to the south due to recent events): an earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale and six on the Japanese scale occurred with its epicenter at Nagomi-machi, in northern Kumamoto. That's a rather strange place for a quake and makes me worry about tectonic activity moving under the Ariake Sea north.Emergency services are calling for care as this may be a preshock. In particular, secure items which may cause fire or which may fall on your head. - William 2019-01-03 16:41 JSTPersonal note: my daughter is back in town with California boyfriend in tow. He'd done some basic research which piqued his desire to deck out in hakama for photos at Suizenji, and this led us to a most delightful shop, Wa Collection Mito, located steps away from the park's gate. There, males and females can choose kimono (including footwear), be dressed and photographed, and be let loose so clothed for the entire day, all for 2,600 yen. Their service was very impressive. For out-of-towners, the experience is highly recommended. English Website follows. (Please don't tell my daughter I posted this - she'd kill me.) - Williamhttp://www.wa-collection.jp/english/