Posts

Here's some news about a manga exhibit being held downtown (between Tsuruya and the Shiyakusho). --Kirk
The "Record of Ragnarok III" special exhibition Vol. 1, "Hades vs. Qin Shi Huang," is currently being held in Kumamoto!
Kumamoto Manga Arts, a manga entertainment spot in Kumamoto operated by Coamix Co., Ltd. that houses

This came up before but it's pretty enough to share news on the topic again. ;) --Kirk
New cherry tree species found at Kumamoto Castle features pink and white flowers - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO -- A cherry tree believed to be of a new cultivated species was found on the premises of Kumamoto Castle here, and the municipal government a

This 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

Kirk 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

Nice 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

Atsuko 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!

Kirk 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/pfbid09ckSnkoaN27jJFPK8yDAN6u3JcuCNjbbNvmPkcyJeZurbM6apEuNqiVR4a1FAFgpl
This 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 unknown
Distributed 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
　１６日午後１０時ごろ、熊本県八代市古閑中町付近で、男が刃物のようなものを持って逃走したとして警察が男の行方を追っています。１７日午前１１時現在、男の行方は分かっておらず、警察は周辺の住民に対し注意

Kumamon doesn't talk but can he sing? -- Kirk
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/attachment/326700/

Atsuko here.
It’s finally firefly season.
Over the weekend, many people visited Ezu Lake to enjoy watching the fireflies. Lake Ezu
The 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

More IT sector business news. -- Kirk
Sony, TSMC sign MOU to develop and manufacture image sensors
Through the JV, both companies expect to leverage Sony's expertise in sensor design alongside TSMC’s strengths in process technology and manufacturing excellence as part of a broader collaboration aimed at enhancing image sensor performance.

Do 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
-Hari
Do 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
※日本語訳は後段にあります。To ensure international students understand Japanese traffic rules and use bicycles safely, a traffic safety seminar was held at Kumamoto Technical College in Kumamoto Ci…

Kirk 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
Kumamoto University is proud to announce that Mr. Takenobu Nakagawa, a Senior Technical Specialist has been awarded the 2026 Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Mr. Nakagawa received the Outstanding Support for Re...

Recently, 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

Kirk here with some research news.
--- start quote ---
Professor Araki is recognized for his transformative work in the field of Diabetology, particularly his pioneering research into insulin signaling and the molecular mechanisms of diabetes.
--- end quote ---
Kumamoto University Professor Emeritus Eiichi Araki awarded Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon for landmark discoveries in diabetes research
Professor Emeritus Eiichi Araki of Kumamoto University has been awarded the prestigious Japanese Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon (Shiju Hosho) in the Spring 2026 Conferment for his extraordinary contributions to academic and scientific development. A pioneer in the field of Diabetology, Professor....

Kirk here. The numbers of visits of foreign tourists to Kumamoto City have been rising in recent years. The blue bars represent numbers of foreign tourists; yellow bars show numbers of such tourists who spent the night. I'm not quite sure how the numbers are calculated, especially for people who don't spend the night (no border check to see if a foreigner in Oita drove in to Kumamoto to look around, for example) but I don't doubt the overall trend.
Note: Y-axis values are in units of 万 (10,000). So, in 2025 there were approximately 180万 or 1.8 million foreign visitors.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/1989824

Kirk here. The two most interesting takeaways from the article for me were:
(1) the grasslands of Aso support unique species
(2) grasslands can be better than forests at recharging aquifers
In regard to the second point, while forests are excellent at preventing runoff, they tend to use more of the water, which ultimately returns to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration from the leaves of the trees. Grasslands, however, are somewhat more susceptible to runoff in heavy rain, but since they use less water, more of it can seep into the ground to recharge the aquifer.
And, to maintain this ecosystem, the grasslands need to be maintained by controlled burns in the spring.
Editorial: Biodiversity crisis calls for support for 'nature positive' initiative - The Mainichi
We are said to be in the middle of a

Kirk here. I'm in the process of building a searchable archive of everything that has been posted to this page over the years. I've made a lot of progress but it's still not quite ready for prime time. In the meantime, I thought I'd share this old photo that came up in the process. Here's what I wrote on March 25, 2012:
--- start quote ----
I found this photo on the following page:
http://www.flickr.com/ (broken URL; no longer works)
I think that if you could look at the left side with your left eye and the right side with your right eye, the photo would be in 3D. Unfortunately, I couldn't make my eyes do that.
--- end quote ----
The Facebook URL for this post is as follows:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=293942520679187&set=a.625846489577146&type=3

Kirk here with more business news.
Sony, TSMC agree to cooperate on next-generation image sensor development
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corp., and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said Friday they have agreed to cooperate for the development and manufacturing of next-generation image sensors.

If you're young and still have knees, you really need to climb Misato Machi's 3,333 steps, which lead from a parking lot at the base of a mountain to a temple at its peak (technically, it is a 参道). It's more like 4,000 steps (I've counted them) that pass through lush sugi forest with beautiful glimpses of Yatsushiro. At the top, of course, there is the temple.
I once did the hike, forgot my glasses at the temple, so had to go back to get them. Don't make that mistake, but do do the hike. - William
この石段は、1200年の歴史を秘めた由緒ある釈迦院(八代市泉町)の表参道である御坂に日本一の石段(美里町)を建設し、世紀の文化遺産として後世に残すとともに町の活性化を図るための観光の目玉づくり、町おこしのシンボ....

The headline is misleading because this is about Yatsushiro City, not Kumamoto City. But it's big news; covered nationally as well as locally. -- Kirk
Kumamoto city councilor arrested over ¥60 million bribe to rig post-quake city hall bid - TokyoReporter
Police here have arrested a 54-year-old city council member for allegedly pocketing 60 million yen in cash to rig the bidding process for the construction of a new city hall