Kirk here with rather disturbing news about an apparent murder in downtown Kumamoto.
2023-05-31 17:08 JST 2023 Kirk here with rather disturbing news about an apparent murder in downtown Kumamoto. Body found in southwest Japan building identified as missing woman - The MainichiKUMAMOTO -- A body found wrapped in a clothlike material inside a vacant shop in a building in this southwestern Japan city on May 29 has been identif https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230530/p2a/00m/0na/00 … ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 19 · Comments: 8 · Shares: 0 ← 2023-05-30 23:21 JST 2023-06-01 08:19 JST → Around this time … 2023-06-04 11:12 JSTKirk with news that travel between Kumamoto and Taiwan will get easier.https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202306020016https://www.nippon.com/en/news/kd1037353805850657087/Starlux to launch direct flights to Kumamoto Sept. 1 - Focus Taiwan 2023-06-03 20:49 JSTKirk here with another share (this one from Explore Kumamoto) that I hope you'll enjoy as much as I did.https://www.facebook.com/reel/551090300496404 2023-06-03 15:06 JSTKirk here with a beautiful unkai (雲海; sea of clouds) video from Aso (courtesy of the "Aso project" page). I'm not sure when this was taken but I think unkai is a very early-morning phenomenon. On days when the conditions seem to be right, photographers get up in the middle of the night (or don't go to bed) so that they can be there at dawn -- midday tourists aren't likely to see something like this.https://www.facebook.com/reel/262263063042178 2023-06-01 14:29 JSTThere’s a small ‘festival’ going on in Tamana this Saturday ,June 3rd, in the city hall car park and surrounding area. There is usually lots of parking for these events nearby. It’s a combined effort from towns in the area with quite a few ‘experiences’ that might be fun for families (most are limited to a certain number of places so better to arrive earlier than later) For example, Arao city will be giving away melon pan to people who answer quiz questions correctly and Nagasu Town will have a goldfish scoop game. There will be a chance to make bamboo lights,pull a Tawara ( giant version of a traditional bale for storing rice) a few other things as well as the usual food trucks etc. 2023-06-01 08:19 JSTKirk here. A couple of days ago I posted a little Reuters.com piece about the castle:https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0hruoCPjtjrMRsGygL8neCETZRXvvXzZaLGiUkBpKwv97JFk5hVERXK8DkKfvMEQXlHere's a more extensive piece by Stuart Iles that I know history buffs and castle fans will enjoy:https://rekishinihon.com/2015/07/26/kumamoto-castle-kyushu/?fbclid=IwAR3SwRQ6A-LSDVgAAL7jRLCjV1_cYqNantKXUFZFrLTmkIJrHLw6YMHGtW8History of Kumamoto Castle, 1467 to 1877, Kyushu. 2023-05-31 17:08 JSTKirk here with rather disturbing news about an apparent …Body found in southwest Japan building identified as missing woman - The Mainichi (this post) 2023-05-30 23:21 JSTAtsuko here. Information about book donation.ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー3 June 2023 (Saturday)Your Books for Children's Libraries! /／They are accepting book donations for the Children's Library, which will open next spring.Construction of the Children's Library, designed and built by architect Tadao Ando, is progressing in preparation for its opening in spring 2024.Kumamoto Prefecture will be accepting donations of picture books and children's books at various locations around the prefecture from Saturday 3 June. Please donate at your nearest location!ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーPrefectural Participatory Children's Library ProjectBring your books to the children's libraryThe Children's Library is a facility for children under construction by architect Tadao Ando near the prefectural library in Kumamoto City. This project is a participatory project in which citizens of the prefecture donate their books to the children's library.Books solicited for donation: picture books, children's books (up to elementary school students)Limited to books that do not require repair (damage, graffiti, names, stickers, etc.)1st roundSaturday, June 3 ~ Sunday, June 18 Saturday, June 3 ~ June 12nd roundAugust 5th (Sat) ~ August 20th (Sun)The opening date and time differ depending on the venue. See back for details.Notes (Please agree to the following before donating.)●Please make sure that your personal items are not caught in the book.●We will not return the donated book (and any personal items that were placed in the book) for any reason. ●Handling of donated books will be entrusted to the Secretariat.We cannot respond to inquiries.Organizer: Kumamoto Prefectural Board of Education, Kumamoto PrefectureSupported by: Kumamoto City Board of Education, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto UniversityInquiries about this project] Social Education Division (096-333-2697)ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーClick here for more information. (Kumamoto Prefecture website)https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/144/173985.html 2023-05-30 15:45 JSTKirk here with some information about a new consultation desk for foreign residents that has been established in Kikuyo, where the TSMC factory is being built. I think the TV segment I saw gave the name of the woman you see pictured, who speaks very good Japanese and has lived in the area for over 20 years. Unfortunately, however, I neglected to make a note of her name. As I recall, she said that it's good that more support will be available to help people complete various kinds of paperwork that one must fill out after a move, etc.The TV segment and the article both explain that consultation will be available for foreigners who have questions about rules regarding trash separation / disposal. That makes sense and, of course, it's good that such information is available. On the other hand, I'm often struck be the extent to which the first topic mentioned in Japanese-language news reports about "information for foreigners" is "how to separate garbage." Granted, it's an important topic but, on the other hand, it rarely comes up on this page -- even in inquiries sent to the page. Perhaps there's a bit of a gap between what Japanese people think is most important to explain to foreigners and what foreigners are most interested in learning.If you have any thoughts on this topic, I'd be very interested to read them. :)TSMC進出の菊陽町が転入増に備えて『外国人相談窓口』を設置 現在 29か国およそ560人の外国人が暮らす | 熊本のニュース｜RKK熊本放送 2023-05-30 10:55 JSTKirk here with a Reuters article about Kumamoto. Here's one paragraph to give you an idea of what the article is about:--- start quote ---The castle was besieged during the 1887 Satsuma Rebellion, on which the 2003 Hollywood movie The Last Samurai is very loosely based, and was defended for more than 50 days by a vastly outnumbered garrison. The impressive architecture of the castle also inspired legendary director Akira Kurosawa to shoot scenes from two of his classic samurai movies, Ran and Kagemusha, there.--- end quote ---Kumamoto: A Rich Samurai History 2023-05-29 22:07 JSTKirk here. Kumamoto is included in "Northern Kyushu." Here's hoping the rainy season isn't too hard on us this year.Rainy season starts from northern Kyushu to central Japan's Tokai region - The Mainichi 2023-05-29 18:00 JSTKirk here. It seems that the per-person amount spent on hamburgers was higher in Kumamoto than anywhere else in Japan last year. This Japanese-language article contains a national TV segment about the topic that you can watch. If any of you might be willing to share a hamburger joint recommendation, please leave it in a comment.新たに判明…日本一のハンバーガー王国は熊本市？一体なぜ？現地に行って調べてみた | TBS NEWS DIG
