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With permission from Tamana's Claire I'm gratefully posting the following:
Claire in Tamana posted this update on vaccination rates on her feed.
Taken from the Kumamoto Prefecture website.
Kumamoto prefecture now has over half its population with at least one vaccination completed 40% have had both jabs. Not bad at all! However we do have over 500,000 people over 65 of which 80% are fully vaccinated so that’s a third of the eligible population right there!
National figures are based on the whole population but these figures only include those above 12 years old.
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/45/102050.html

Joe Tomei here with some information from Robert Remmerswaal, NanKyu JALT chapter treasurer, about joining the JALT. On this one, please feel free to contact me if you are interested and want more info.
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Need to renew your JALT membership? Interested in joining a network of English teachers living throughout Japan? Join/renew with a group membership rate until Aug 10. Send an email to [email protected] if interested and to get more details. The group rate is 8500/year rather than the 13000/year individual rate. This also give you access to the latest online publications as well as allowing you to attend other chapter events (Fukuoka and Oita have chapters) and attend events at the members fees.
For current members, expect to see more events from NanKyu as Covid restrictions start to ease. For more info about JALT, visit
About Us | JALT
The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to the improvement of language teaching and learning. JALT promotes excellence in language learning, teaching, and research by providing opportunities for those involved in language education to meet, share, and...

"Cicada" (a loan-word from a Mediterranean substrate language - that's when you realize people really look down on you) in Japanese are called "semi." Perhaps they have identity issues: "Are you an insect?" "Well, semi." They kind of have a bummer of a life, living seven years underground to emerge expecting a semi-orgy (never done one of those but I've put it on my list) only to caught by some kid with a net and a plastic box. Just leave them alone and allow them to fulfill their lifespan. - William

Summer is shoe season! Japan offers a wide variety of shoes quite adapted to the season. Attached is a quick guide to traditional Japanese footwear. I generally go with the geta 下駄 - the wood is quite comfortable in the summer heat, and the raised height makes them convenient during deluges. Kokai Shopping Street has several marvelous shops that sell traditional footwear. They're all about the same; just choose a pair of geta that suit you. - William

I was just chatting with Katarina Maria Mantzas about ロバのパン - "donkey bread." So very long ago that it was even before my time, actual donkeys were used to draw the carts; they later became motorized, but the song they broadcast maintained the donkey theme. Sadly, they've all but disappeared; I suppose they could no longer compete with modern convenience stores. But this is what convenience stores were like back in the day. You can enjoy the song at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ck5JKVaGRM - William

Joe Tomei here. If anyone hasn't gotten their jab, the prefecture has opened a vaccination center (Moderna) at Gran Messe (near the airport expressway entrance) for anyone who has a coupon
This is the reservation link
https://www.covid19-vaccine.mrso.jp/kumamoto/VisitNumbers/visitnoAuth/
The hours are weekdays 6pm-9pm and weekends noon- 6.
Mike Rupp, in the comments, writes about the Vaccine Passport
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You go to the Kuyakusho, and they can give it to you at the window where they do Japanese passports. You need to bring your passport, the proof of 2 shots (the sheet with stickers) and you must write down a date for which you plan to travel on the form. It took about 15 minutes for me [Mike] and I was the first foreigner.
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Mike's timeline has a photo of his document but unfortunately, I can't add it to this post ($%&'&$ Facebook) and we've blocked photo comments ($'%&#%& trolls on the Internet), but if you ask him nicely, he may help. If you aren't sure of your Japanese (or even if you are!) having a photo of the object of your desire can really help things along.

Seems like rainy season has finally caught up with us. I'm not sure how my plants feel about it - it's always too little or too much. - William
The Rain Rain Rain (came Down Down Down) English
I dont own anything remotely Disney. This is the English verison of the Rainy day song in the Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohLyrics:the Rain Rain Rain cam...

This is a follow-up to a topic that William posted about the other day. -- Kirk
Kumamoto Prefecture Unveils One Piece Bronze Nami Statue as Part of Revitalization Project
Kumamoto Prefecture has unveiled a new statue of Nami from One Piece, as part of a collaborative effort with Shueisha to revitalize the area.

Congratulations to local author and Kumamoto International participant Sean Michael Wilson on his most recent publication. It's in English and available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats:
https://www.amazon.com/Minamata-Story-Sean-Michael-Wilson/dp/1611720567
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/72c464265b666a622d193b0ea4cc2849eed3fc45
-- Kirk
ＭＩＮＡＭＡＴＡに関心を　英語の漫画本、米で出版　原作者・ウィルソンさん「多くの人の目に」（熊本日日新聞） - Yahoo!ニュース
　英国出身で熊本市中央区の漫画原作者、ショーン・マイケル・ウィルソンさん（５１）がこのほど、水俣病をテーマにした中・高校生向けの英語の漫画本を米国で出版した。 　タイトルは「ＴＨＥ　ＭＩＮＡＭＡＴ

Words, created by people, are much like their creators: One never knows how they'll morph or where they'll end up. For example, "monsoon" comes from Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monçao, from Arabic mawsim "time of year, appropriate season" (for a voyage, pilgrimage, - but not for shopping), according to etymonline. Keep a folding umbrella in your bag at all times just in case, Kumamon says. And check JMA before you go out. http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/index.html - William

I like Nishiharamura. It's a good day trip if you have a car. There's a 道の駅 selling all-local produce directly from the farmers - they have the grower's name on the packaging , which gives it a very personalized feeling. They're having this event now based on the TV show "One Piece," which I was into when it was new and original but quickly lost interest in when it began coasting on its own success (tell me about it!). I also objected to their sexualization of women (once I became the father of a daughter, that is. It's never too late to learn.) The point appears to be to attract more tourists to the area- I don't think there's any other connection. If I'm wrong, please let me know. The link to the event is below. - William
https://kumanichi.com/articles/337432

I knew about Kumamoto's reputation for having excellent water (especially ground water) and I also knew about semiconductors being manufactured in this area. Until I read this sentence, however, I hadn't put the two together.
"Kumamoto is known for having an abundance of water, necessary when manufacturing semiconductors."
-- Kirk
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/07/28/business/corporate-business/tsmc-taiwan-chipmaking-kumamoto/
Another article:
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/48a21b9f9c7e-taiwans-tsmc-eyes-kumamoto-as-site-for-1st-japan-chip-plant.html
Taiwan's TSMC considering building first Japan chip plant in Kumamoto Prefecture
The development comes after efforts by Japan's government to persuade the world's largest contract chipmaker to set up a factory in the country.

I think I've posted about this issue before. As before, the City of Minamata doesn't want to support a showing of the film. My take is that it's still too hot to handle in the area where everything happened. -- Kirk
‘Minamata’ film starring Johnny Depp fails to gain city’s support | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
MINAMATA, Kumamoto Prefecture--Municipal authorities here declined to formally back a citizen group’s screening of “Minamata,” a film about the devastating effects of mercury poisoning in the city, mainly out of consideration to the real-life victims.

I used to pay to run marathons but eventually realized, "I'm paying a hundred bucks for a T-shirt and orange slices," so I started doing them on my own. Two good courses: follow the winding path of Shirakawa (don't take route 57! It's less pleasurable and cheats on the distance!) over the Kitabypass bridge, then follow the rail line (called 杉並道り) until you get to Milk Road 入り口, where, conveniently, there's a 7-11. Get your beverage of choice (don't forget to bring money, especially in the case that you get injured and have to take a taxi home) and return on the same route. That's exactly 42 kilometers from my house in Oe. A second is a bit more challenging but more beautiful: the farm road up to the peak of Mt. Kimpo. Don't take the main road - too many cars. You'd seldom see a single car on this route. It's all paved and lined with delightful springs where you can hydrate (and, as always, there are household hoses). Be aware that the slope is deceptionally gradual at the start, but that changes quickly. I don't know the distance, but the slope is enough. Late autumn is a good time for these types of adventures. And don’t forget to bring money just in case. - William

On the subject of the increase of Covid-19 infections nationwide and in Kumamoto I was wondering if there has been any reference made in the media about "breakthrough infections" among those already fully vaccinated?
Big news in the USA, however I've not come across reference to the problem here..yet. And I'm not a regular reader of the Japanese press except in English. --CM

Fiona Wall Minami is too modest to do this, so this is Joe Tomei. Fiona is a finalist for an ELTon Innovation award. If you don't know about them, this is a big thing. From the webpage:
"Now in their nineteenth year, The British Council ELTons Awards for innovation in English language teaching and learning celebrate the newest and most original courses, books, publications, apps, platforms, projects, and more, which find new ways to meet the real-life needs of English language learners and teachers around the world."
Fiona's book "Escape the Classroom", published by Perceptia Press, is up for the award, which will be announced on 4 October.
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/eltons-innovation-awards-2021-finalists
http://www.perceptiapress.com/books/escape_the_classroom/escape_the_classroom.html
Perceptia Press: Escape the Classroom

Vick here,
I just wanted to screencap the dates, ages, and locations from my Kumamoto vaccination procedure packet.
The official website for logging in your info (please see your individual packets) is:
https://vaccines.sciseed.jp/kumamotocovid19

Studying scuba diving, I learned the concept of "atmosphere," which is defined as 4.6 pounds per square inch at sea level. This is important as it regulates the volume of air one can contain in one's lungs, which is why exhaling is very important while surfacing: not doing so will cause your lungs to explode. Atmospheric pressure increases greatly during a Japanese summer, which means your lungs contain a higher concentration of very moist air. Convenience stores are your friends when out and about.. - William

Studying scuba diving, I learned the concept of "atmosphere," which is defined as 4.6 pounds per square inch at sea level. (That's about one meter of water, for comparison.) This is important as it regulates the volume of air one can contain in one's lungs, which is why exhaling is very important while surfacing: not doing so will cause your lungs to explode. Atmospheric pressure increases greatly during a Japanese summer, which means your lungs contain a higher concentration of very moist air. Convenience stores are your friends when out and about.. - William Baerg

Lafcadio Hearn was a pretty typical guy: of Greek-Irish descent, he became one of the first foreigners nationalized in Japan. An early educator of what they called it 洋学－ yougaku - then, meaning "western learning," as opposed to that Confucius stuff, he was much like George Washington, as in "Lafcadio Hearn lived here!" His periplectic habits mean you could probably lob a rock randomly and hit a house where he'd lived. One particularly delightful example is in the park directly behind Tsuruya. It is worth a visit for those interested in how Westerners encroached upon Kumamoto. - William
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn