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The other day, I mentioned that a magazine called Espresso was putting together an issue that features interviews with several non-Japanese residents of Kumamoto, including me. The interviewees you see in the composite photo I put together are:
Top row (left to right)
Mr. Allan Sutherland (from Scotland/ Researcher)
Ms. Ana Maria Shigaki (from Mexico/ Staff at Kumamoto City Zoo)
Mr. David Cappelaere (from France/ Educator & Coordinator at Mifune Dinosaur Museum)
Bottom row (left to right)
Mr. Hansuke Koga (from Sweden/ Master artisan of Koshirae, handle parts of Japanese swords)
Mr. Robert Ferrari (from Italy/ Kendo 5th dan holder)
Mr. Greg Ramit (from New Zealand/ English teacher and kick boxer)
Yours truly (from U.S./ Associate professor at Kumamoto Gakuen University)
Note: Name spellings have been taken from the Espresso Facebook page. I hereby absolve myself of all responsibility.
Ms. Ana Maria Shigak'si countenance adorns the cover of the magazine. Since I didn't get to be on the cover, I considered asking to be the nude centerfold, but I was afraid that Greg would deck me if I spoke up, so I kept quiet. ;)
-- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/espresso.kumakei/posts/2363563663695985?__tn__=-R

Here's some information about an opportunity to learn to prepare shojin ryori (精進料理), which is the vegetarian cuisine associated with Japanese Buddhism. If you're not familiar with shojin ryori, you may want to check out the following pages:
Shojin Ryori: Japan’s Sophisticated Buddhist Cuisine
https://savorjapan.com/contents/more-to-savor/shojin-ryori-japans-sophisticated-buddhist-cuisine/
"A typical shojin ryori meal is centered around soybean-based foods like tofu along with seasonal vegetables and wild mountain plants, which are believed to bring balance and alignment to the body, mind, and spirit. This simple meal contributed to Japan’s elegant haute cuisine called kaiseki, and today can be eaten at the dining halls located in Buddhist temples across Japan."
Books have been published on the topic as well:
Shojin Ryori: The Art of Japanese Vegetarian Cuisine
https://www.amazon.com/Shojin-Ryori-Japanese-Vegetarian-Cuisine/dp/9814516287
If you're vegan, the Japanese text in the announcement indicates that, while the shoji ryori taught in this class normally uses eggs and dairy products, the teacher is willing and able to adjust the ingredients to accommodate vegans. If you'd like to participate, please send an e-mail to the address listed on the flier.
-- Kirk
P.S. The photo of shojin ryorin is one that I took from a website and added as an illustration of what a typical shojin ryori meal looks like. So, the meal that you learn to prepare in the class may be somewhat different.

Hello friends.
I introduced local company, リバテープ in UEKI town before. Today, I would like to introduce local company, HIRATA in UEKI town too.
I've thought the company as just a local company long time. My home town is NAGOMI, next to UEKI. So I go through the HIRATA company street many times to go to Kumamoto city. You might find the company easy because it's opposite side of watermelon market.
Recently, I met my friend who worked Hirata Engineering before. (My friend read my facebook post on Kumamoto-i, and became friend.) I've thought Hirata Engineering is a local something technology company, but they work all over world. They make production line, manufacturing line. Yes they make factories, companies. (You might find many famous companies they do business with in their homepage.) They also did business with Steve Jobs and made their manufacturing line of Mac!! It's Steve Jobs beginning his work of mass production. My friend's story was so interesting,and inspired!
I thought I should share this wonderful company for more Kumamoto citizen, especially all of technology international students in Kumamoto. We should be proud of this company as Kumamoto citizen more. I'd like to share its thinking about technology, business, globalization, pride of quality,,,,. Wooo.
HIRATA's thinking is so impressed, so I shared you.
In Addition they are not so famous company in Kumamoto, in Japan, like HONDA in Kumamoto. I think they don't need to share their advertisement because they get enough customers from all over world by known their great works. ーAtsuko(*Ü*)
https://www.hirata.co.jp/en/
This link is English
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dp0Uc7lRoDk
This link you watch below is Japanese.
Please watch the video by using automatically translation subtles.
Sorry, I posted twice, so It's complicated.
平田機工㈱ 会社案内 2019年 Hirata Corporation Japanese
平田機工株式会社 2019年度 会社案内（日本語） Hirataは、生産エンジニアリングと「ものづくり力」という総合力を持ち合わせた世界的にもユニークな企業です。開発・提案、設計、製作、試運転、生産立ち上げまでのソフ.....

'Tiss the season to eat delicious, Kumamoto-grown watermelons. Be careful, though, about the orange ones, of the type you see in picture. Among watermelon aficionados, they are known as "basketballs" and are definitely not good to eat, though they are lighter and easier to carry than a typical watermelon -- and you can drop them without damaging them at all. Experts are currently considering a number of methods that have been proposed to reduce the percentage of "basketballs" that make it to market.
This vital watermelon news has been brought to you by Kirk.
Grade a Sweetness #AsiaNewsNetwork
Rows of greenhouse-grown watermelons await shipping in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture, which was devastated in the Kumamoto Earthquake in 2016. The watermelons, harvested on Wednesday morning, are guaranteed to be sweet because of their high average sugar content.

Here's one for basketball fans (and Kiwi fans)!
-- Kirk
Former New Zealand national team coach Nenad Vucinic hired to lead Kumamoto Volters | The Japan Times
Well-traveled coach Nenad Vucinic served an assistant for the New Zealand men's national team during the 2006 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Japan.

Next year, an olympic torch runner will pass by the Kumamoto Castle. The castle is one of several iconic sites associated with natural disasters that are on the route. The idea seems to be to promote recovery efforts and progress. This has gotten a lot fo national coverage on TV.
-- Kirk
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005767373

A latest edition of YOKA is out. Here's the table of contents (copied from the JET web page):
"Aso Village Festivals by Zaynab Nakhid
Koinobori of Kyushu by Greg Corbett
Golden Week in Seoul and Sayonara Sensei by Alicia Lim
A Day in an Inaka Life and Anata no Warehouse by Jess Langshaw
Sakitsu Church UNESCO World Heritage Trip by Olivia Saputra
To Cross a Threshold by Luna Howell
Cat Island by Melissa Wright
Photos by Greg Corbett, Bilal Khan, Jess Langshaw, Alicia Lim, Charles Marchant and Daniel McCoy"
Copied and pasted by Kirk
The YOKA Spring 2019

Fiona here, with an announcement about my latest Escape from Britz event.
Looking for some indoor entertainment for rainy season? Escape from Britz is a pop-up escape room in Kumamoto city. The latest game is INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF SPIES in which you and your team have one hour to investigate and uncover the deadly plot.
The game will run through June and July, and costs 1000 yen per player. It's best played in teams of 2-6 players, and will take around 90 minutes from start to finish. Flexible opening hours - if you're keen to play, get your team together and send me a message (@Fiona Wall Minami). It's in Onoue, Higashi-ku, close to Kencho and the streetcar line, with parking available. You can also find out more, and make a reservation via the Escape from Britz Facebook page.

Hi friends. Unfortunately It's rainy today.
My daughter is having EIKEN, English exam now. I met lots students there. I hope students should try to talk and interact more freely. They think they must speak correct words, correct sentences. I don't think so. The important thing is just enjoy to interact and conversation without worrying to make mistakes, yeah like me,HAHA. My English is poor but I enjoy my great opportunity to interact you and share information.
We, YWCA will hold interacting activities on next Saturday, on 8th June from 10am to 12.
We'll make 混ぜご飯 MAZEGOHAN and eat together. MAZEGOHAN is mixed tasted rice. Of course, we'll prepare Halal chicken for Muslim friends.
No need to book and any fee. Just come to join us. Come to see me! And talk about lots things.
I'm really looking forward to seeing you there!
PS. It's YWCA in Kurokami next to KUMADAI campus, it's not YMCA.ーAtsuko(*Ü*)

Jigoku Onsen in the Aso area was hit hard by the 2016 earthquakes. For a while, landslides had made it impossible to even get to the facility. Recently, however, they've opened for business again. They still can't take overnight customers at the inn, but you can enjoy a nice soak in their deliciously muddy "Suzume no yu." ("Delicious" as in "extremely enjoyable" . . . but the mud is definitely not edible ;) )
Here's a page from Seifuso, the inn, announcing the partial reopening (English explanation included):
http://jigoku-onsen.co.jp/2019/03/17/ついに決定！%E3%80%80すずめの湯%E3%80%80再開/
And here's a page explaining how much they charge:
http://jigoku-onsen.co.jp/charge/
-- Kirk
P.S. I've been meaning to post about this for a while. I saw some TV programs about this (including at least one that was nationally broadcast) but was a bit busy at the time.
Oh, and the main inn is scheduled to reopen next year.
https://www.nippon.com/ja/guide-to-japan/gu900097/
南阿蘇村にある地獄温泉「青風荘」は、2016年に発生した熊本地震、その後の豪雨による土砂崩れで甚大な被害を受けた。3年後となる19年4月に、“奇跡の温泉”と呼ばれる「すずめの湯」を再開し、入浴客でにぎわっている....

Hi friends.
This photo is a Japanese text page of 3rd grade of elementary school. I taught students about this page yesterday. Some of you might know the words こそあど言葉 ko-so-a-do Kotoba.
こ～、(ここ、これ、こんな、この....)means the thing it's placed close to you, here.THIS.
そ～、(そこ、それ、そんな、その...)means the thing it's placed far from me but near from you, there. IT.
あ～、(あそこ、あれ、あんな、あの...)means the thing it's placed far from both of you and me, over there, THAT.
ど～、(どこ、どれ、どんな、どの...)means the speaker doesn't understand which, where it is. It's where, which, how, and who.
It's a simple rule.
Yeah,Kumamoto dialect is also adapted.
こぎゃん、そぎゃん、あぎゃん、どぎゃん。
It's very familiar Kumamoto dialect. If you want to hear the words, you just ask someone, like Kumamoto-jin the road to somewhere. Older is recommended, haha. Some taxi drivers also ask us どぎゃん 行(い)きますか?'' (Which way we should take?'' ) "' こぎゃんでよかですかね' ''Is it OK in this way.?''
Sometimes,
someone can explain the direction with on the map or with their finger.
They say without こそあどwords. "ぎゃん 行(い
)って、ぎゃん行(い)ったら着(つ)く''It means ''If you go .this, this, you can arrive''. With lots gestures and pointing.
You might also know about,
こっちさん、そっちさん、あっちさん、どっちさん。
It's said in middle of Kumamoto. It seems to be said these as little bit more polite words.It's like this, あっちさん 行きなはっとよかですよ。You should go that way, it's better for you. (行きなはっと、and よかですよ。 also include polite , honorific meaning)
In Addition,If you go to north of Kumamoto prefecture, like Arao, Nankan, Taimei, near to Fukuoka.
The words might be こげん、そげん、あげん、どげん。
For example, そげんこつ言いなすなyou should not say such things(it).
If you go to Fukuoka, the words become
こげな、そげな あげな、どげな。
I was born and brought up in north of Kumamoto so I only know about there. If someone knows about the these words in
Kumamoto dialect, Please post it here.ーAtsuko(*Ü*)

A walk my dog particularly enjoys (not that he disenjoys any walk, but he enjoys some more than others) traverses Meigo and Taiko bridges (the former was used by the Hosokawa clan when they visited Suizenji; the latter hosts the streetcar and was the official route through Kyushu - hence, Kokubu). Being off-lead, my dog requres more attention than this stele between the bridges that had long begged for attention deserved, so I photographed it for later consideraton. Here the mystery begins with two steps: deciphering the calligraphy and considering its meaning.
The stele's caligraphy is quite so stylistic (apperantly, it's a rubbbing of the originale stele that had deteriorateed) that even my Japanese friends could't read it, but a sufficient amount of fragments and Mr. Google resulted in this:
しら川の水を鏡に生ひたちし
黒髪にほへ妻となりても　まさ子
So the content was solved, but then we get down to the meaning. A few eldely gents, bereft of family but blessed with knowledge, visit most mornings for breakfast, and their take was startling. (Sorry - this is kind of long.)
Good poetry is purposely ambiguous. Here, obviously, 黒髪 could mean actual hair but could also indicate the direction in which she was gazing - which is also the direction of her college. More interestingly is that 鏡 - mirror - is also the name of Natsume Souseki's wife, 鏡子 (Kyouko), herself also an accomplished author. Apparently, Souseki was too rather violent for Kyouko-san to put up with, and she tried to drown herself at this spot.
My take: The author, Yasuda Masuko (安田昌子), was an early graduate of Kumamoto Women's College, and this poem is an example of Japanese proto-feminism. Here is one way it can be translated. If you have other ideas, please let us know. - William
Shiraka is born a mirror
And though betrothed, my hair retains the river's fragrance
Which perhaps means
My past and present are here visable
As is my future.

I was interviewed about this Facebook page by a local magazine called "Espresso" which is published by Kumamoto Keizai:
http://espresso-kumakei.com/information/espresso-vol-2/
The new issue with the article about our little community hasn't come out yet but, in anticipation, I took a look at the magazine's "back number" (back issues). And, lo and behold, is it not our friend and local shakuhachi virtuouso Jeff Cairns on the cover of the second issue (2008)?
Here's a page about Jeff but it seems to be rather dated:
https://www.komuso.com/people/people.pl?person=528
Jeff, please add a word or two to this post about your recent activities for your local fans! ;)
By the way, Jeff, your home is looking very nice. ;) Just kidding, of course. That's the opulent interior of the Honmaru Palace (Honmaru Goten) near the castle -- before the quakes, when we could still get in to see it. Still, Jeff, the place suits you. You should have been born a Tono-sama!
P.S. I'll write again about the Espresso article on Kumamoto International in a week or so.

Kirk here with a post about a new, easier to understand, 5-level warning system that has been put into effect.
When the weather's nice, as it is today, those of use who edit Kumamoto International post about whatever happens to interest us or seem important at the time. When there's some kind of natural disaster, or the threat of one, however, we try to do what we can to provide practical information about how to weather the storm. That was particularly true in April of 2016, after the quakes hit, but we've also posted a lot about approaching typhoons, landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, and other worrisome natural events. At such times, since there is often not enough good information available in English, we need to rely of warnings issued in Japanese and try to summarize the information in English. And, at such times, I have frequently found myself feeling irritated by cryptic, ambiguous Japanese-language warnings.
Apparently, I wasn't alone in feeling that more clarity was needed. Here's a link to an article about a new 5-level warning system that was put into effect because, in regard to last year's system, "complaints were raised that there were too many difficult-to-understand warning and evacuation advisories released":
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201905270039.html
Clarity in Japanese makes the job of translating and/or summarizing the same information in English that much easier so I'm very glad to see this improvement. I wonder, however, why no one seems to have bothered to translate the reasonably simple and clear Japanese table (see attached image) into English. The Asahi article describes the five levels in text but in an emergency we'll need to refer to this color-coded chart. I'll make a few notes about it in this post in preparation for rainy days when I might need to quickly put out some information about warnings that have been issued.
First, one really nice feature is the clarity of the 5-level scale itself. Level 1 is the lowest level ("be on the look up for bad weather in the next few days") and Level 5 the highest. One important point is that Level 5 advises NOT to evacuate. By the time you get to Level 5, it's too late to try to go to an evacuation center because of the risk involved in moving to one. At Level 5, you need to do what you can within your house or apartment to weather the storm: move to a higher floor in case of flooding, move to a part of the building farthest from a possible landslide, etc. Level 4 is "everyone should evacuate" and level 3 is "the elderly and others who cannot evacuate quickly should begin evacuating now."
If anyone happens to see a clear graphic in English that explains this, please post a note about it to this page. In an actual emergency, I would like to have such a graphic available.
Ideally, I think the color-coded warning levels should be displayed on a map but, as far as I know, that is part of the plan at this point. "To evacuate or not to evacuate" is a very site specific decision. For now, however, I guess I just need to put such a map on my wish list.
Finally, here are some musings about confusing warnings issued in Japanese by the prefecture. I am posting them mostly for my own reference (I'm planning to write about this for a different forum later and would like to be able to find the links quickly) but, if you're interested, have a look.
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/667596949980407
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/667492209990881
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134/667780409962061/?type=3&theater
Thanks for reading and stay safe! :)

A note from the Kumamoto International Desk of We're Not Suggesting You Do This but It Would Be Really Cool If You Did (we have lawyers): Discussion arose on our recent post regarding the Tsujun aqueduct (通潤橋) in Yabe about the Gorougatake waterfall (五老ヶ滝), just downstream and quite downhill from the bridge. It is one of the highest waterfalls in Japan, and as the photo shows, was created by that mighty Aso eruption that created most of central Kyushu 300,000 years ago. The falls fall into a relatively placid pool which then drains to Midorikawa.
While there are many visitors, nobody swims in that pool except me. I suppose one reason is that it is a common suicide spot. If you decide to do so (and I'm not saying that you should but not saying you shouldn't), here is advice: as you approach the falls, the water will hit your face like bullets, so you should swim backwards. Swim backwards to the right of the falls where you can climb up behind the divulge to a ledge covered with moss the thickness you've never seen. This is a sight you will never forget. - William

Hello friends. Do you like Macha? Have you ever joined tea ceremony before? I like to have macha at tea ceremony. If you join it, you can enjoy the atmosphere, macha taste, Japanese sweets, beautiful this season cup, flower, calligraphy... No need to worry if you don't know how to do. Just enjoy the precious time.
I sometimes take my kids to tea ceremony at 公民館 KOUMINKAN. (Some Kouminkans have culture festival twice a year.They also have it sometimes)
Especially this tea ceremony is for international people. It also has Japanese salon. Hoping you enjoy the bitter tasty tea and wonderful chatting there.ーAtsuko(*Ü*)

British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli is credited with saying, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." Having studied economics in college, I am aware of this - but absent figures, nothing makes sense.
Kumanichi reports that the number of child abuse consultations at consultation centers in Kumamoto in 2018 has reached an historic peak at 1,532 cases, of which consultation with police was 43.5%, followed by neighbors and acquaintances (13.5%) and schools (8.2%). How the data was acquired and its accuracy is not stated. Abuse types were divided into three: psychological abuse of spouses in front of children, which accounted for about half at 48.5%; physical abuse (28.6%), neglect (21.1%), and sexual abuse (1.8%). Abusers were somewhat evenly divided: 43.4% fathers, 41.1% mothers; child ages were reported as predominantly primary school children.
Much of this rise, I suspect, is not an increase in child abuse but an increase int the willingness to report and a growing awareness of what abuse is. My wife's childhood was perhaps normal at the time, but her father's behavior would be considered abusive today. And that's a sign of progress, as sad as it is. - William
児童虐待の相談、最多１５３２件　１８年度熊本県内 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
２０１８年度に熊本県内３カ所の児童相談所（児相）が対応した児童虐待の相談件数（速報値）は、前年度より...

Long ago, people in Yabe gazed longingly at land on a plateau which could be farmed if only it had water, but a narrow river valley cut it off. One day, a villiage leader, Futa Yasunosuke (布田 保之助), came up with a good idea: Let's build an aqueduct! So, at about the price of one Hosokawa clan visit to Edo, they did (seriously - this is like building an aqueduct for the same cost as a single Trump golf outing). The bridge was completed in 1854. To save on cost, they let it sag a bit in the middle, with water pressure moving things along - but there was a problem with sediment building up in the center, so Futa-san came up with the brilliant idea of vent-holes at the arch's lowest point which can be periodically opened to flush the plumbing (there are large wooden plugs). From this practical purpose, a work of art was born.
The bridge was damaged in the quakes and then by heavy rain, with the southern side subsiding by some ten meters. Kumanichi reports that restoration work has begun - the integrity of the structure and of its plumbing, still vital to the area, must be maintained. (Disclaimer: Decades ago, my father-in-law worked on a previous bout of the bridge's restoration.) - William
https://this.kiji.is/505923696441082977?c=92619697908483575

Hi friends. You might speak English well or study English. This is a event just for You!!
Hoping you enjoy speaking English and interact local English learners here. Of course, English speaker is special welcome!! [ I don't write you as Native speakers here. If I wrote the words ''Native'' speaker special, someone will ask me ''how long he has studied English makes him Native speaker??'' Hahaha٩( ᐖ )۶]
I will also join with my daughter. Hoping to see you there! ーAtsuko(*Ü*)
Here is event page.
https://www.facebook.com/events/320880158583537/?ti=cl
This is a form page to book it.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqjvpCcws2Q9mvcsnUJDrouboRNTD0xuudBe4o_IczVfftUw/viewform

Hi friends.
Your knowledge and your skills are special for local people. Yes, you have a special talent! You are the super teacher!! Please join it as a behalf of your country!! ーAtsuko(*Ü*)