Kumamon doesn't talk but can he sing? -- Kirk https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/attachment/326700/
2026-05-17 10:54 JST 2026 Kumamon doesn't talk but can he sing? -- Kirk https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/attachment/326700/ ↗ View original post on Facebook For a link to the original post on Facebook, open this page on a computer. Reactions: 4 · Comments: 0 · Shares: 0 ← 2026-05-17 08:00 JST 2026-05-17 15:04 JST → Around this time … 2026-05-20 19:48 JSTThis chart shows the increase in the number of foreigners in Kumamoto between 2015 and 2025. In absolute numbers it looks to be close to 20,000 (I can't confirm the exact numbers at this writing). The rate of increase is even more impressive. The number of foreign residents of Kumamoto in 2025 is listed as having grown to 2.92 times the 2015 figure, a rate of increase that is higher than the other prefectures in the graph (Hokkaido, Kagoshima, Okinawa, Miyazaki).https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article_photo/list/?article_id=1242702&pid=15111642 2026-05-19 22:10 JSTKirk here. I may have mentioned that I'm building an online archive of posts to the page. It's mostly finished but I want to improve a few features before formally "launching" it. In the meantime, here's an old photo that the archive helped me find. Here's what I wrote at the time:--- start quote ---In Japanese, you can write from top to bottom, left to right, and, on vehicles, front to back. ("OK TAXI," Kumamoto, Japan)--- end quote ---The thing is, the front-to-back custom (which, on the right side of the vehicle means "right to left" instead of "left to right") is usually reserved for company names written in kanji. So, if you don't read kanji or aren't paying particular attention you might not notice. With "OK TAXI", however, it was pretty obvious to those of us from English speaking countries.I say "was obvious" because these cute old cars are getting replaced by more modern vehicles with more modern designs and the English written in what English speakers would consider to be the "correct" direction. So much for local color. :(Original post from 2012:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=362240597182712&set=a.625846489577146&type=3 2026-05-18 23:19 JSTNice story about a local hospital doing good work. Moreover, there's a link to the original Japanese so language students can compare the texts if they like. -- Kirk'I was saved by the system': Confidential birth at Japan hospital protected teen, her child - The Mainichi 2026-05-17 19:53 JSTAtsuko again.Although the Nakayoshi Club, which supported children with international roots at the YWCA, ended last year, it seems that a new Japanese Support Club is now beginning.The club supports international students, their families, researchers, university professors, and their families and also Japanese residents each other. Over this past 10 years, the number of international schools and international communities in Kumamoto has grown considerably. However, we still need many more international communities and places for connection.It would be so reassuring to have more places where people can casually drop by and easily connect with others anytime.٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و♪ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー☕ 【The First “Nihongo Café” Was Held!】Kumamoto YWCA recently held its very first “Nihongo Café” event.This time, five international students and working adults from China and Taiwan, along with four Japanese participants, joined us for a fun 90-minute gathering 😊We talked about favorite karaoke songs, enjoyed delicious dumplings made by Kou from Taiwan, and shared a warm and friendly time together.The international students told us they had only been studying Japanese for about one and a half to three years, but everyone spoke so fluently — we were amazed!Whenever someone didn’t understand a word, the students helped one another, and Kou, who lives in Japan, kindly supported the conversations so everyone could understand and connect together.Since this was our first event, there were probably many things we could improve, but thanks to everyone who participated, it became a truly enjoyable time.Some people said, “I’ve never made takoyaki before!” so we are now planning our next event in July:🐙✨ “Nihongo Café @ Takoyaki Party”We hope you’ll come join us again! 2026-05-17 15:04 JSTKirk here with some local "foreign crime" news. You may recall a false alarm about a couple of "foreign criminals" about a month ago:https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid09ckSnkoaN27jJFPK8yDAN6u3JcuCNjbbNvmPkcyJeZurbM6apEuNqiVR4a1FAFgplThis case may very well turn out NOT to be a false alarm but, nonetheless, it seems rather problematic to me. In regard to the clothing the suspect is reported to have been wearing, details are provided: "a dark-colored short-sleeved shirt and dark-colored pants." They didn't just say something vague like "he was not wearing red" which would apply to a very large group of people. So why only say "thought not to be Japanese"? If there was something about him -- like a particular manner of speaking or something specific about his appearance -- that indicated "foreigner", why not identify it, just as the specifics regarding clothing were identified? Without such specific information doesn't that make all males one is unfamiliar with who seem in some way to be "foreign" suspicious, and requiring "reporting it to the police"?--- ChatGPT translation ---Man carrying a knife flees in Yatsushiro City; whereabouts still unknownDistributed Sunday, May 17, 11:30 a.m.At around 10:00 p.m. on the 16th, police began searching for a man who reportedly fled while carrying what appeared to be a knife near Koganaka-machi in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. As of 11:00 a.m. on the 17th, the man’s whereabouts were still unknown, and police were urging nearby residents to be careful.According to police, at around 10:00 p.m. on the 16th, they received a report saying that “some kind of dispute is taking place,” and when they arrived at the scene, they found an injured man. According to the fire department, the man had injuries to his head and hand, but his life is not in danger. Meanwhile, a man believed to be a foreign national fled while carrying what appeared to be a knife, and police are searching for him. The relationship between the man who fled and the injured man is not known.The man who fled was reportedly wearing a dark-colored short-sleeved shirt and dark-colored pants, and as of 11:00 a.m. on the 17th, he had still not been found.Police are urging residents to take crime-prevention measures, including making sure the doors and windows of their homes are securely locked, leaving the area immediately if they see a suspicious person, and reporting it to the police.八代市で刃物を持った男が逃走 いまだ行方分からず（熊本ニュース KAB ONLINE） - Yahoo!ニュース 2026-05-17 10:54 JSTKumamon doesn't talk but can he sing? -- Kirk (this post) 2026-05-17 08:00 JSTAtsuko here.It’s finally firefly season.Over the weekend, many people visited Ezu Lake to enjoy watching the fireflies. Lake EzuThe beauty of the fireflies and the fresh early-summer atmosphere felt wonderful. However, when I was a child, there were many more fireflies, and you could find them in lots places. It made me feel that we need to treasure and protect them even more.To protect them, I hope people will first come to know and love the beauty of fireflies, their unique scent, and the importance of nature itself.https://www-ezuko--park-com.translate.goog/firefly?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en#p_top 2026-05-16 13:36 JSTMore IT sector business news. -- KirkSony, TSMC sign MOU to develop and manufacture image sensors 2026-05-15 21:42 JSTDo You Know About Japan’s New 'Blue Ticket' System for Bicycles? 青切符"制度、知ってる？ 留学生と学ぶ自転車の安全利用 熊本To ensure international students understand Japanese traffic rules and use bicycles safely, a traffic safety seminar was held at Kumamoto Technical College in Kumamoto City. A total of 56 first-year students from the Japanese Language Department, who just enrolled this April, participated in the session.日本の交通ルールを理解し、自転車を安全に利用してもらおうと、熊本市の熊本工業専門学校で、外国人留学生を対象とした交通安全教室が開かれました。受講したのは、この4月に入学した日本語学科の1年生56人です。For more detailed news, please see: https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/2661322?display=1-HariDo You Know About Japan’s New 'Blue Ticket' System for Bicycles? 青切符"制度、知ってる？ 留学生と学ぶ自転車の安全利用 熊本 | 熊本のニュース｜RKK NEWS｜RKK熊本放送 2026-05-15 18:48 JSTKirk here with more news about research done at Kumamoto University.Kumamoto University technical expert receives prestigious MEXT Minister’s Award for excellence in research support 2026-05-14 08:38 JSTRecently, there has been a spate of bear attacks in Honshu.There are no bears in Kumamoto except for one: (and I don't think he'd attack anyone): - william
