Lafcadio Hearn, the Irish-Greek-Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West, has a connection to Kumamoto: in 1891, he obtained a teaching position at the Fifth High Middle School, the predecessor of Kumamoto University. Apparently, he was not fond of Kumamoto, finding it provincial and charmless. This Wikipedia article mentions fellow Scots-Higokko Sean Michael Wilson, who has turned several of Hearn’s works into illustrated novels. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn Hearn was well-known for his work in the surreal. A very, very scary piece, “A Passional Karma,” can be read here for free (being out of copywrite): https://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/p16998coll8/id/1262/rec/1 Kumanichi notes that the annual summer vacation “Children’s Fun Haunted House” has returned to the Art Loft of the Contemporary Art Museum for the first time in four years, by reservation only, from 27th to August 6th. Read the short story, visit the haunted house, read the story again, and you’ll be scared sufficiently pantless. https://kumanichi.com/articles/1123703