There seems to be some dispute about the etymological origins of 熊本. This is the…

There seems to be some dispute about the etymological origins of 熊本. This is the most persuadable argument I’ve heard. The original kanji for Kumamoto didn’t use 熊本 but 隈本ーthat is, “foot of a nook.” And if you think about the city before the land reclaimers got to work, that was so - we were a small alluvial plain at the foot of the central Kyushu mountains. It was also (and still is) known as “Higo” （肥後）, as opposed to “Hizen,” modern Fukuoka, across the mountains. https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%82%A5%E5%89%8D%E5%9B%BDBut The eventual powers that chose our name chose to somehow imbue us with a glory that us Higokko naturally avoid so changed the 隈 to 熊, and thus, Kumamoto became associated with bears (see: Kumamon) despite the fact that no bears have ever lived here. Pictured are Hizen and Higo. - William