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A note from the KI department of mixed feelings: Many on the margins of society make ends meet by gathering recyclables such as newspaper and aluminum cans; conversely, this raises cost for municipal garbage collection by reducing the value of what authorized collectors take in, amounting to some The originally collected recyclable waste to sold to finance city sanitation, and the amount of damage caused by pilfered recyclables is estimated to be at least 26 million yen. Kumanichi recently announced a plan to crack down on unauthorized garbage collectors. Violators were initially fined 200,000 yen, but this is expected to be increased to 26 million yen.
I love my gomi hunting as I walk my dog in the morning and have found many treasures. That the government would go after collectors like me is unlikely; it's the guys in the kei trucks who vacuum up every valuable item that they're after. So don't worry about selecting a treasure; just don't do it in a truck. - William
資源ごみ持ち去りに規制厳しく　違反者は公表、熊本市改正条例が施行 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
熊本市は資源ごみの持ち去りの規制を強化するため条例を改正し、１日施行した。違反者の氏名を公表するほか...

You know when you encounter an insect named "Paederus dermatitis" that it's probably something you should avoid. Unfortunately, their numbers have increased greatly in Kumamoto. While not particularly dangerous, they can leave alarming rashes, so if you meet one, don't shake hands and say "'Sup, dude?" Run away.
Paederus dermatitis - Wikipedia
Paederus dermatitis, medically known as dermatitis linearis[1], is a skin irritation resulting from contact with the hemolymph of certain rove beetles, a group that belongs to the insect order Coleoptera and the genus Paederus.[2][3][4] Other local names given to Paederus dermatitis include spider-l...

Here's a bit more about rice than you'd probably like to know: mid-13c., from Old French ris, from Italian riso, from Latin oriza, from Greek oryza "rice," via an Indo-Iranian language (compare Pashto vriže, Old Persian brizi), ultimately from Sanskrit vrihi-s "rice." The Greek word is the ultimate source of all European words (Welsh reis, German reis, Lithuanian ryžiai, Serbo-Croatian riza, Polish ryż, etc.).
It is rice harvesting season in Kumamoto. If you have a chance to venture out to the countryside to see the terraces covered with golden sheathes of rice, I recommend doing so. The Ogi Rice Terraces in Ubuyama Village are particularly famous.
On a related note, the miniature tractors commonly used in Japan, usually manufactured by Yanase, are commonly exported to the United States, often used, where gardeners love their compact size and reliability. - William
黄金の稲穂「扇棚田」弧を描く　産山村で農家が稲刈り ｜ 熊本日日新聞
日本棚田百選の一つで、国の重要文化的景観の構成資産でもある熊本県産山村の扇棚田で２９日、稲刈りがあっ...

A good thing about running your own country is that you can create your own currency (though it can be a bad thing, too - anyone remember the Japanese 銭? It was the version of the Japanese penny until postwar inflation made it worthless). The country of the Cook Islands has concocted a way to literally mint their own profits by issuing Kumamon-themed coins as legal currency. They come in two valuations: one gold and one silver. I doubt either will be accepted by vending machines as the former costs 39,800円 and the latter 19,800円, exclusive of tax. Still, they're cute, and undoubtedly many Kumamon aficionados will buy them. - William
I・E・I オリジナルショップ
スヌーピーやキティなどのキャラクターオリジナル商品ほか、世界的に有名なデザイナー、ブランド、美術館等と提携して、「他では手に入れることができない一流品のみ」を通信販売で提供。

Passing this on. Your chance to join Kumamon's entourage!
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Former Kumamoto Resident Looking for Americans in Kumamoto to Film with Kumamon!
Hello! My name is Ara and I worked as an ALT in Kumamoto a few years ago. Currently, I'm working with the planning committee of the annual Japan Festival here in Boston. Our festival is being held virtually on December 5th and 6th this year. As a part of our festival, we would like to film a short 5-10 minute video in Japan with some Americans having fun with Kumamon.
We have already secured Kumamon's involvement, but now we are looking for Americans in Kumamoto that would be interested in participating in the video. We are hoping to get multiple people to go around town together with Kumamon and basically record yourselves having fun exploring and doing Kumamoto related activities. I hope to work together with the actors to plan out the video, as activities will depend on what location works best for all the participants and what is available to you in your area. If you have video/audio equipment and would like to do filming, we would be VERY excited to have you help us. Otherwise, we will use the actors' phone cameras to record footage.
My deadline to submit a list of actors and a preliminary script is October 7th. Then filming would take place between October 12th - October 26th.
We are an entirely volunteer run festival, so unfortunately there is no compensation for this project. But you will be free to use the clips or even the entire video as you like on your social media (facebook, youtube, etc). There is no issue with licensing!
If you have any questions or are interested in participating, please contact me at [email protected]. Thank you very much for your time!

Joe Tomei here with some information from the JET Prefectural Advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. Fortunately, a little more cheerful than previous emails!
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The 2020 Summer YOKA is here!
http://kumamotojet.com/documents/YOKAs/2020SummerYOKA.pdf
This YOKA features the following...
輝かしき半生 by Alicia Lim
Japan's Last Civil War by Adam Pool
The Sounds I'll Miss Most When I Leave JET by Jessica Langshaw
Walking on Water by Seinao (Lewis Marks)
Messages from the incoming Area Leaders of Kumamoto Prefecture
Messages from the outgoing PA Bilal Khan and incoming PA Chase Sutherland
Photos by Kevin Anderson, Jessica Langshaw and Alicia Lim
Drawing by Eleanor Paybins
This YOKA was designed by Mary Painter. An HQ version of this issue is also available.

Joe Tomei here with another update from the Prefectural JET advisors, Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland.
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Hope everyone had a great weekend. We're sending another update sooner than we expected, but there's some good news. Here it is!
Prefecture risk level lowered to Level 3
Due to the decrease in new confirmed infections, Kumamoto Prefecture has lowered the risk level to Level 3, effective 22 September. In the one-week period from 15 September to 21 September, just 2 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Kumamoto. Further, in the tests being conducted among employees of dining establishments in central Kumamoto City, so far 169 such tests have been conducted but none yet have been positive. Currently, there are 18 people hospitalized in the prefecture due to COVID-19.
Kumamoto Prefecture is no longer requesting residents to avoid all travel outside the prefecture. However, the Prefecture still asks all residents to avoid the 3 Cs as well as travel to locations where the virus is spreading.
The prefecture is also no longer asking people to avoid dining in groups of 10 or more people. However, the Prefecture does ask that you avoid participating in any such events if you have a fever or any cold symptoms, and to continue to implement the "new lifestyle" recommendations.
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileOutput.ashx?c_id=3&id=32638&sub_id=44&flid=252522
National government to allow new arrivals of foreigners from all countries
The national government has announced that it is planning to allow for new entry of foreigners from all countries who acquire medium- to long-term visas (of 3 months or longer) as early as 1st October, including new entries and exchange students, but not tourists. People with newly issued visas, on the condition that they self-isolate for 2 weeks. In addition, the government is planning to limit the number of new entries of foreigners to 1000 per day.
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASN9Q6G46N9QUTFK003.html
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO64124630T20C20A9MM0000/
Kumamoto clinic provides elective PCR Tests for people who plan to travel abroad
A clinic located in Mashiki Town is now providing elective PCR tests available for anyone who needs a PCR test before exiting Japan in order to visit a foreign country (previously only offered by clinics in Fukuoka and Kagoshima)
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Here is information on that clinic:
Haga Pediatric Clinic
408-1, Miyazono, Mashiki-machi, Kamimashiki-gun
Tel：096-289-7020
全世界から新規入国再開へ　在留資格もつ外国人対象
政府は10月にも全世界からの新規入国の受け入れを一部再開する方向で調整に入る。3カ月以上の中長期にわたり滞在できる在留資格の取得者を対象とする。新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大を防ぐため、2週間待機など

Hi friends.
How is your holiday, hoping you enjoy it.
It's Autumnal Equinox Day, today.
We make おはぎ at お彼岸, OHIGAN, Equinox Day. It's very easy Japanese sweet you can make.
=Ingredients=
もち米Mochigome,(not うるち米)
(もち米 is for もち. うるち米 is for ごはん)
あんこAnko, Soy beans sweet paste.
きなこKinako, Soy beans powder
黒ゴマKurogoma, Black sesame
あおさ、青のりAosa, Aonori, green seaweed powder.
※Before you cook, you should put もち米 into water to be able it to get enough water for one night.
①Cook もち米Mochigome as usual way to cook rice by rice cooker.
②Mash them, no need to mash it complately.
③a Make small Anko balls.
b Spread mashed rice round.
c Put an Anko ball on spread rice.
d Cover Anko and make round shape.
e Put Kinako, Kurogoma, Aonori powder outside.
③a Make small rice balls.
b Spread Anko round.
c Put a rice ball on spread Anko.
d Cover rice ball and make round shape.
I used 2cups of Mochigome and made 15 OHAGIs.
By the way, the sweet is called OHAGI in Autumnal Equinox Day but it's called BOTAMOCHI in Spring Equinox Day.
Both are same. The name comes from the flower name 萩 Hagi in Autumn, 牡丹Botan in Spring.
Every year, I had workshop to make OHAGI for long time with international students. But I couldn't hold it because of Corona this year, unfortunately. So I made it at home and share you to be able to make it.
Enjoy Japanese traditional taste and beautiful Autumn you too.
ーAtsuko╰(*´︶`*)╯

One other point about basahi I learned at Tasaki Market: Rendering horse for food is illegal in the United States but not in Canada, so feral horses are often rounded up and sent by train on a one-way ticket to Canada, which is legal, and then rendered into basashi, which is also legal there, and shipped to Japan. Check out the label the next time you purchase basashi: it will often note its origin as "Canada," when it was actually born and raised in America. - William

I don't eat much meat, partly due to my dog, who snags it before I. But I do love bashashi - horse sashimi - a Kumamoto delicacy, so I decided to look into it. Turns out horses, all native to Central Asia, migrated to Japan - particularly over the land bridge that existed between Korea and Kyushu - during the last ice age, explaining their importance here. They (the horses) may have soon regretted their relocation as the locals thought "Meat?! Cool! Let's eat it raw!" And then you add some weak soy sauce and ginger and you've got yourself a meal. Horses here range from small, feral types to gigantic plow horses - and the latter is the type displayed at Boshta Matsuri, which, likely to their relief, has been cancelled this year.
A point of interest for kanji fans is that the kanji for a horse as an animal is 馬, while that for one respected for some purpose (such as enduring a festival or being served on a plate) is reversed to what is called a "hidari uma," (left horse, 左馬), written in reverse as shown below. - William https://this.kiji.is/680602195549029473?c=92619697908483575

A reader recently wrote that he thought the Takamori Yusui Tunnel was built as a refuge from WWII bombings. It was in fact a failed attempt to create a tunnel from Takamori up the caldera to Yabe. However, if you poke around a bit in mountainous areas near the city such as Tatsudayama and Kimpozan, you can still spot shelters denizens dug in those days to protect themselves from air raids. An example is below. - William

A bit of good news: the Houhihonsen JR line (豊肥本線, ほうひほんせん), which splits from the line connecting Kumamoto and Oita and travels south of Aso, has reopened. Not only is it a beautiful ride, but there are two must-see locations. The first is the Shirakawa Fountainhead, an almost mystical, Gibili-like pond; the second is the Takamori Yusui Tunnel, which has an interesting story: long ago, they tried to create a tunnel linking Takamori with Yabe, but the more they dug, the more spring water filled their hole, so they finally gave up part-way and it is now a tourist attraction filled with magical lights and all of the leftover decorations from the Tanabata festival. Links to those two attractions, neither of which are a far walk from the nearest station, and the train line are below, and autumn is the perfect time to visit. - William
https://www.minamiasokanko.jp/suigen-list/shirakawa-suigen.html
http://www.town.takamori.kumamoto.jp/kanko/kankomap/kanko/yusui.html
https://spice.kumanichi.com/outing/outing-feature/94318/
【542号】祝！ 全線開通 豊肥本線 途中下車の旅 ｜ くまにち すぱいす
熊本市を中心に30万3000部戸別配布のフリーペーパー「くまにち すぱいす」がお届けする、熊本の暮らしに役立つ生活情報サイトです。

A bit of advice which, if you need to take it, means you're probably already too far gone: Do not embezzle money. This a regional tax officer in Takamori recently found out when an audit discovered ４０２万１５８６円 (that's 38,460.25 in US dollars) missing from pension payments due by local school teachers. A deep bow and apology will not get him out of this, though it might work for his bosses, who are bowing as if their jobs depend on it. - William
高森町職員、所得税４００万円を着服　懲戒免職処分　 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
高森町は１８日、臨時職員などの所得税計４０２万１５８６円を着服したとして、町税務課収納係の男性主査（...

Most who envision Kumamoto Castle summon up the massive donjon topping Chausuyama (茶臼山), part of a string of volcanic mounts which stretch from Unzen to Aso, and Kato Kiyomasa, the first Edo lord of Kumamoto who built it. In fact, he was adding on to a more ancient structure known as Chibajyo (千葉城), built by the then-dominant Kikuchi clan, in around 1485. The name survives in Chibajyo Machi, the area around the NHK studio, though the castle itself was built on the opposite side of the current structure, much of it having been absorbed by Daiichi High School. (Disclaimer: both my children were born across a narrow street at Fukuda Hospital.) A long, narrow park exists in what used to be the moat, but plans are to restore this to its former glory. I love the quite ancientness of this forgotten corner and highly recommend a visit. Take the streetcar to Senbabashi（洗馬橋）, the stop just in front of the post office, and happy wandering. - William

When the last typhoon looked to hit Kumamoto, many tried to access the Kumamoto flood hazard map, only to find it offline due to heavy traffic. The site administrator has apologized and vowed to beef up its accessibility. In the meantime, it's worth a look, if only to identify high ground near your domicile. This is particularly important if your family is dispersed during the day when a flood hits: prearranging a meeting location is important. - William

Kumamoto City plans to make anterior cars of dual-carriage streetcars for exclusive use of women and children only between the morning rush hour between 7:30 and 8:30 AM starting on September fourth and running through December 28. Questionnaires will be distributed to passengers to gauge opinion so as to plot plans further ahead. - William
朝ラッシュの痴漢、盗撮防げ　女性専用の熊本市電スタート ｜ 熊本日日新聞
熊本市交通局は１４日、朝の通勤・通学ラッシュ時間帯の市電で、「女性専用車両」の試験運行を始めた。痴漢...

Kirk here with an update on the castle:
Kumamoto Castle unveiled to the media
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200914_35/
"All renovation work for the main tower and a smaller tower is scheduled to be completed by next March. The site will then open to the general public."
For video and photos try:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200914/k10012617831000.html
Both are from NHK. I have no idea why the English item from NHK doesn't have images.
地震被害から復旧進む熊本城「大天守」内部を報道公開 | NHKニュース
【NHK】4年前の熊本地震で大きな被害を受け、復旧工事が進む熊本城では「大天守」の内装工事がほぼ完了し14日、報道陣に内部が公開さ…

Hi, Joe Tomei here. I wanted to pass on this information, I asked Victoria for it earlier and forgot to get it out. If you know a business that might benefit from getting the word out here, please send a message via facebook.
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My name is Victoria Yoshimura, originally from the UK and I have been living and working at Shonenji Temple in Takachiho, just on the edge of Mt.Aso over in Miyazaki-ken, for the past 25 years.
Shonenji Temple is a 440-year old Pure Land Buddhist temple and two years ago, my husband, the 17th generation priest at our temple and myself, opened a luxury Lodge in the grounds of the temple. It sleeps 11 people in total in 5 rooms with an open lounge area with log stove and hammock swing. It has a fully equipped kitchen. The bath is a specially order-made pottery bath with waterfall feature. The Lodge is a great place to relax, enjoy the artwork, the Lodge’s extensive library, the atmosphere and the beautiful nature of Takachiho and its surrounding area.
Due to covid-19 foreign visitors have stopped coming to Japan and we foreign residents haven’t been able to get away.
If you, your family or your friends want to escape and enjoy a little bit of “refresh time”, check out our website.
Shonenji & Shonenji Lodge – official web site
「Think, Feel, and Stay at a Real Buddhist Temple」 Where the surrounding mountains have born witness to the sound of Buddhist prayer for over 440 years. Get away from it all and surrender yourself to the natural beauty of Takachiho. We look forward to welcoming you to our temple. Genbuzan Shonenj...

So they built a new bridge bridging the Tateno Gap. Looks good to go to me, but it won't open until March. If you're in that neck of the caldera, though, I suggest you park and walk down to the river, where there exists a most excellent example of basaltic columns, which occur when magma cools and does not shrink in the horizontal direction but instead results in the formation of columns. Other sites exist in Kyushu displaying this phenomenon, but this is closest to home. - William

Before the expressway and later the Shinkansen connected Kumamoto and Kagoshima through a series of tunnels passing through the central part of the island, the only way to traverse north-south was by a road and railroad which skirted the coast. As a vital link to the small towns on its route, it's kept running by a third sector railway company administered by Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefectures along with other municipalities along the line. Of its 28 stations, only 10 are manned. Its name is the Hisatsu Orange Railway: "Hisatsu" as it connects "Higo" and "Satsuma" and "orange" due to the abundance of citrus cultivation along its route.
I'd never taken it and was excited to accompany a young student of mine snorkeling in Minamata when I realized the extent of the damage remaining from the Hitoyoshi-Yatsushiro floods. This will take years to repair. In the meantime, the residents of those small towns will have to hump it over the mountains to reach the central Kyushu expressway, or perhaps travel by boat. I'll try to see if I can beat a path, but the residents there must be experiencing great hardship. - William