Kirk here with information about a recently unveiled One Piece statue:
2022-01-27 15:43 JST 2022 Kirk here with information about a recently unveiled One Piece statue: One Piece Zoro Statue Unveiled in KumamotoA new bronze statue of Zoro from One Piece has been unveiled in Kumamoto Prefecture, as part of its ongoing revitalization efforts. https://www.siliconera.com/one-piece-zoro-statue-unveiled-in … ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 12 · Comments: 2 · Shares: 1 ← 2022-01-27 14:26 JST 2022-01-27 18:36 JST → Around this time … 2022-01-29 09:57 JSTWilliam Kumanichi points out a shortage of corona antigen test kits, with testing at hospitals thus prioritized to "essential workers" and those with symptoms - and even then, shortages persist.A vending machine for test kits at ￥3,000 apiece has been installed at the Sakuramachi mall However, it too is now sold out (the phrase 入荷待ち, nyūka-machi, means "awaiting stock"), and when it will be restocked is unknown. Still, if you're unsure if you've been infected, I suppose visiting a vending machine is better than waiting in a crowded doctors office. https://kumanichi.com/articles/542201 2022-01-28 18:32 JSTKirk here with some information that may be of special interest to those of you with small children. The following Kumanichi article says that parents of kids attending pre-school (hoikuen or youchien) are being requested to keep their kids at home if possible.There's been quite a lot of news like this about kids not being able to attend school, which obviously complicates things for working parents.https://kumanichi.com/articles/540760By the way the number of positives in the prefecture today was 1123 -- not a record but still quite high. 2022-01-28 17:26 JSTChuck Waterman here: Still no ticket for a booster shot for this 60-65 year old age bracketer. Very glad you got yours, Carlton. Has anyone heard an estimate for the rollout of the next set of mailed booster tickets? 2022-01-28 14:46 JSTKirk here. The page received an inquiry about PCR testing: "Good morning. Would you mind posting information for non-Japanese speaking people about where PCR testing centers are and if there is English assistance available? Thank you."There are two things I can do in this regard. The first is to share an earlier post I made on the topic:https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/6644740002266042The other thing I can do is to request that people share their knowledge and wisdom in the comments to this post. I seem to recall seeing something in the news about shifting away from trying to give PCR tests to all who would like to take one because the labs are overwhelmed. My memory is fuzzy but perhaps the idea was that you either had to have clear symptoms or be aware that you had had contact with an infected person. Another thing I wonder about is whether or not antigen (antibody?) tests are being recommended now.Also, I recall seeing something like "no walk-ins" (by appointment only) for tests. Is that right?I don't have time at the moment to research the topic so I hope the good readers of the page will share what you know. Thanks! :) 2022-01-27 18:36 JSTKirk here reporting 1) that there were 1281 new infections identified today (another record) and 2) that the official risk level in Kumamoto Prefecture has been raised from 2 to 3 on the prefecture's 5-point scale. The image you see is from the following page pn the prefecture's website:https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/51409.htmlThe following article on the Kumanichi website says that the level increase means that hospitals may (or will?) need to restrict services.According to the article, criteria for level 3 include at least 874 new infections in a week (there have been about 5200 in the past week) and a hospital bed occupancy rate of at least 40% (it is currently 49.5%).https://kumanichi.com/articles/540765 2022-01-27 15:43 JSTKirk here with information about a recently unveiled One …One Piece Zoro Statue Unveiled in Kumamoto (this post) 2022-01-27 14:26 JSTWilliam We had planned a series of posts on out-of-the-way beaches closer to summer, but a Kumanichi article has forced our fingertips to start a tad early. Just over the first Amakusa bridge is a large natural port named Kushi (串, or "shish ka bob", perhaps due to its linked shape), which harbors both fishing boats and yachts. Its beach is likely the closest swimmable to Kumamoto, though the water quality is marginal. The crescent-shaped beach of good-quality sand lies at the base of a steep bluff accessible by stairway; the sea, always waveless and quite warm, is covered with smooth stones and dotted with octopus pots, making it attractive for snorkelers. Better, though, is taking in its magnificent views by hiking. A trafficless road skirts the bay, and a path rounds the steep hill of the western peninsula. Some good swimming may be found just at the harbor entrance, if you manage to find your way down. As a small town, one may park pretty much anywhere - a hint is to find the road that heads up to the shrine on the peninsula and parking there, thus eliminating one climb. There is an onsen called Yumigahama onsen (弓ヶ浜温泉 - google for photos).As new roads are built, the area is finally growing more accessible to town. Kumanichi writes about a man named Fujikawa Moriaki born in Kushi and a Kyushu Gakuin high school graduate, who plans to build ten cottages on the bluff overlooking the sea. The two-story cottages, to open in October, are intended as shared workspace as the pandemic leads more to work from home, a phenomenon which may outlast the pandemic itself. The plan sounds quite interesting - inspiring views from workplace windows, contemplative walks a step outside the door. An asset unique to Japan it may well become. We'll report more as information becomes available. Kumanichi article: https://kumanichi.com/articles/539171Onsen: https://hikyou.jp/report/dayuse/51283/More about Mr. Fujikawa: https://kumamoto-cen.or.jp/member/515/ 2022-01-26 21:59 JSTWilliam Speakers of Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese who are interested in translation between those languages and Japanese, please PM me at my Facebook page, William Baerg for a discussion.Thank you. 2022-01-26 20:32 JSTKirk here feeling both surprised and pleased to learn about a way in which schools in Kumamoto are actually quite progressive:"The city of Kumamoto has made student participation in the establishment and change of school rules compulsory under its school management regulations for municipal elementary, junior high and high schools."Kyushu drives changes to school rules to ensure freedoms are respected 2022-01-26 19:22 JSTKirk here, reporting that there were at least 1018 positives today in Kumamoto Prefecture -- a new high, of course. Even if Omicron is generally less severe than Delta, high numbers of new infections means that there is an increased risk of hospitals being overwhelmed. Yesterday, RKK reported that two hospitals, the National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Medical Center (国立病院機構 熊本医療センター) and Kumamoto Central Hospital (熊本中央病院) had begun refusing to accept patients from other hospitals or limiting the number of such patients (links below). That's just two hospitals and I think there are plenty of hospitals who are currently able to take up the slack. But, nonetheless, it's not a good sign, especially as the daily number of people who test positive continues to increase.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ULs8zHl9z4https://rkk.jp/news/backno_page.php?id=NS003202201251431520111 2022-01-26 16:26 JSTWilliam Sign of the times: the number of non-Japanese entering Kyushu via its only international airport, Fukuoka, fell from a tad over 5,000,000 in 2018 to 6,119 in 2021. Considering the population of Kyushu is 13 million, that's about 0.0004 foreign visitors per native. Many shops which depend on visitors are likely feeling pain.https://kumanichi.com/articles/539199
