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Hi! Kirk here. I'm writing to tell you about an event that I hope many of you will be interested in.
Date: March 7 (Thursday)
Time: 6 PM to 8 PM with reception following
Place: Kumamoto City Hall, Large Hall (14th floor)
Admission: Free (including free snacks etc at reception!!)
Languages: Mostly English, some Japanese, all with simultaneous interpretation (headsets provided)
Who: The three main guest are all prominent Japanese Americans who will talk about community building projects they are engaged in.
To learn more about the main speakers, please go to the following page:
https://www.jpf.go.jp/cgp/e/exchange/jald/news190307.html
By the way, there's also a Japanese page, if you prefer:
https://www.jpf.go.jp/cgp/exchange/jald/news190307.html
The explanation at the top of the page describes the basic idea of the event but I recommend that you go right to the bios at the bottom of the page. As you can see, Mariko Silver, Britt Yamamoto, and Kelly Yamasaki are very accomplished Japanese Americans. Since I'll be involved as a moderator (I'll be the weakest link in an otherwise strong chain), I've had the privelege of seeing the PowerPoint slides and I can tell you that each person will make a presentation that describes their roots as a Japanese American, the part of the U.S. that she/he is from, and the community building and/or educational issues she/he is working on. One great perk will be getting to interact with these folks after the event at the reception.
Finally, if you are planning to attend the event and the reception, please drop a line to [email protected]. This is the e-mail address of the part of the Japan Foundation in Tokyo that is planning the event. They would like to have an idea of how many people are likely to show up before hand, especially for the reception.
By the way, as you can tell from the fact that the contact e-mail address is the Japan Foundation, this event has the full backing of the Japan Foundation. Significant resources are going into the preparation of this event, including the employment of first-class simultaneous interpreters. It should be interesting in a number of ways. Even so, my contact at the Japan Foundation tells me that, so far, they haven't gotten a big response. So, if you know people who you think might be interested in something like this (Japanese Americans, people interested in high-quality discussion in English, people interested in community building, etc.) please share this will them. Thanks!!

When the Satsuma army invaded Higo in 1877, they took the coastal route, the most common overland route then; travelers left it dotted with small towns equipped to provide hospitality. On the army's retreat, landings of central government troops in Yatsushiro forced them over Kyushu's spine, the majority dying in deep snow en route. Their retreat is roughly traced by today's expressway (blue). But to prevent the siphoning off of vitality along Kyushu's west coast (which has been huge), the "Minami Kyushu Expressway" was planned. Kumanichi reports that the Ashikita-Minamata leg is complete and the IC open. Work is proceeding in sections, with green showing complete and white under construction. Revitalization of the area is anticipated. Kirk will be pleased, and the next time Satsuma invades Higo, they'll have better choices. - William
https://this.kiji.is/474426190033568865?c=92619697908483575

I was fortunate enough to have some time to get out and jog in the nice weather today. I came across these beautiful blossoms, which were quite popular with the bees. Just so there's no misunderstanding, the cherry blossom season is still a couple of weeks (at least) off. This tree was the only one I remember seeing that was in bloom. The blossoms look to me to be cherry blossoms but perhaps they are peach blossoms, which come out a bit earlier, I think.
At any rate, it was nice to be able to enjoy the spring weather today.
-- Kirk

Something to look forward to . . .
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2221422368109397?__tn__=-R
-- Kirk

I'm not sure how likely this is, but the idea of connecting Kumamoto Airport to the JR Kyushu rail system is being discussed. The image you see is from a Japanese news article. I was prompted to search for this information after seeing the following headline in English:
JR Kyushu agrees to provide funds for Kumamoto Airport rail line extension project
https://centreforaviation.com/news/jr-kyushu-agrees-to-provide-funds-for-kumamoto-airport-rail-line-extension-project-881661
The headline is enticing, but it seems that you have to subscribe to the website to get the details.
In other Kumamoto Airport news, here's an article about plans to privatize the airport:
Japan MLITT commences second round review for Kumamoto Airport privatisation tender
https://centreforaviation.com/news/japan-mlitt-commences-second-round-review-for-kumamoto-airport-privatisation-tender-878708
Again, this is just a headline, not a full article, but the following Japanese article confirms that such a second round did indeed occur:
熊本空港民営化、２次審査に３陣営応募　
https://kumanichi.com/news/841533/
-- Kirk
https://news.mynavi.jp/article/railwaynews-151/
鉄道ニュース週報(151) 熊本空港アクセス鉄道構想が具体化、JR九州は費用負担に応じるか
熊本県知事は12月5日に行われた県議会で「熊本空港とJR豊肥本線を結ぶアクセス鉄道構想を進める」と表明した。空港アクセス鉄道は約40分と見込んでいる。熊本県はJR九州に負担を求めたいようだ。JR九州は空路を便利にす....

Did you know we have a boat? Yes! - the Kumamoto Maru 5 (第５代熊本丸)! Kumanichi reports that the fifth incarnation of this marine training ship, a 48-crewed vessel replacing its predecessor manufactured in 1999, has been launched from Tomioka Port in Amakusa's Reihoku. If you've never been to the Reihoku peninsula, you should go. It's Kumamoto's closest point to Nagasaki's Shimabara, was instrumental in the Shimabara Rebellion (Shimabara Ran, 島原乱), contains remnants of an ancient castle, and has a beautiful if small port. I had no idea the region could manufacture a 495 ton boat, but apparently they did, and put Kumamon's face on the funnel to boot (the stylized version of 熊 in the star's center is also cool). From April, it will steam to Tokyo and Hakodate ports.
Can you borrow it? - Probably not. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. - William
「熊本丸」５代目、いざ海へ　天草拓心高の新実習船 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
約２０年ぶりに新造された天草拓心高マリン校舎（熊本県苓北町）の実習船「第５代熊本丸」（４９５トン）の...

Joe Tomei here with something that might be of interest to folks.
I feel the urge to provide some extra info, so did you realize that Kumamoto is the furthest south for sake production thanks to the provision of a roof window that allows temperature in the room to be carefully controlled. Check out this article about Ken’ichi Noshiro and Kumamoto sake.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2001/07/22/food/gifts-from-the-god-of-sake/#.XHcsoJaRUlQ

Kumamoto is pretty safe but not exactly crime free. If you're curious about the place that got hit, it's in the following Japanese article:
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/Watches-worth-¥43-million-stolen-from-Kumamoto-store
The name of the store is "Second" (and it's a couple blocks behind Tsuruya).
https://japantoday.com/category/crime/Watches-worth-¥43-million-stolen-from-Kumamoto-store
Watches worth ¥43 million stolen from Kumamoto store
About 60 watches worth approximately 43 million yen were stolen from a store in Kumamoto City early Monday morning. According to police, the watches, which include Rolex and other high-end brands, were stolen from the Second store, Sankei Shimbun reported. A security alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and....

Kokai shopping street, named before its now-eponymous bridge, has existed since the Edo era (when there was no bridge, just a hand-rowed ferry) and is known as "the kitchen of Kumamoto." It began as a shopping area for lower-level samurai who lived in the area and then thrived as a black market following WWII, where farmers sold their goods directly. But its roots go back a thousand years further to the Heian era, when it was a center of sericulture - the raising of silkworms - which can be written as 蚕養, but that difficult kanji eventually evolved into the homonymous but more simple 子飼.
The merchants are a close-knit bunch; my wife cannot buy so much as an egg without 10 minutes of chat (I bring a novel). Even the music piped into the street is themed, some days enka, others Beatles (sad there's no band called the Silkworms) - Hawaiian is popular in the summer. That such a location can persevere in our modern world is remarkable and a tribute to the can-do spirit of Kumamoto.
Occasionally, the street association holds events. On Saturday, 3/2, a 100 yen event will be held, where merchants try to price their goods at that level. To support your local merchants, a visit is recommended - but be warned: if you become friends with them, it will take you 10 minutes to buy an egg. - William

Question from a reader: "Anyone know how to correctly dispose of a knackered freezer? I'd rather not do what the locals do..."
If you buy a new fridge, the seller will often cart away your previous one for a reasonable fee. Another choice is to contact a disposal service. Google "reizoukou haiki Kumamoto" (冷蔵庫 廃棄 熊本) for a list of such service providers. (Many are private; the one linked to below is city-run). Finally, particularly on Sundays, roaming scrap dealers pass through many neighborhoods blaring their desire to relieve you of your burdens. Depending on the item, they will do so free of charge or will charge a fee.I suspect with a fridge, a fee will be required.
Refrigerators contain freon, a gas which destroys the ozone layer, so proper disposal is necessary. - William

My home state of California does not get much rain. Heavy precipitation there is like an average rainy day in Kumamoto. A difference is that we're prepared for it, while they're like, "What?! Water falling from the sky?!"
This year, though, has seen very needed precipitation. A friend sent me a photo of the unconventional spillway at Lake Berryessa, in northern California's Napa County - it's an eight-foot diameter pipe similar to a bathtub drain located in the center of the reservoir that saw its last inflow two years ago (now is probably not the best time to swim there). The photo reminded me of Yabe Cho's Enkeibunsui (円形分水）, except that the water flow directions are opposite.
In 1854, some thought directing the flow of Yabe's Sasawaragawa river in two directions would be useful for agriculture, but the problem of dividing a rushing, highlands river was problematic. They settled on a circular diversion fountain in which the incoming water is slowed by forcing it up a pipe and then divided into two sections (an examination of the photo will clarify this). The majority of water which passes through the Tsujyunkyo aqueduct originates via this ingenious work.
If in Yabe, Enkeibunsui is worth a visit. Also, pay attention to other multiple waterworks, most built long ago. - William

The next Gumby core event will be held at Jogglejog in Kawaramachi. The plan is to add bands with an open mic. I also wanna have some tables outside where folks can sell or give away stuff. The show will resemble more of an American house show atmosphere rather than a live house feel. It’s all ages and donations are accepted. John Jay Onyskin

The link is to a post from an Australian attache introducing TESOL-qualified graduates seeking employment. For those seeking an instructor, please have a look. - William
(Did you hear the story of the woman who found a python in her shoe after an Australian-Scotland flight? Please hire these people, if only for humanitarian purposes.)
Hire our TESOL Graduates Japan
To the Recruitment Director, My name is David Robertson, an Australian Government trainer and assessor in Japan. I have a licensing agreement to offer ASQA accredited Certificate IV and Diploma in TESOL programmes from an Australian educational institution. Learning is done both in-person and o...

Parco is a Tokyo-based company whose primary business is operating shopping facilities for tenants. In 1986, they took over a building next to Tsuruya, and for a while, it was a huge hit. However, as the building ages, its tenants are losing their target demographic - youngsters - to more modernized shops, with sales down 20% in 2018.
Kumanichi reports that Parco is considering shuttering the complex. - William
熊本パルコ、営業終了検討　施設老朽化などで来年にも　 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
ファッションビルを展開するパルコ（東京）が施設の老朽化や売り上げの不振を理由に、熊本市中央区手取本町...

When the Shirakawa bank was widened between Taiko and Meigo Bridges - the entire thing was shifted some 50 meters south - arborists used a traditional method to move the trees: Dig a channel, fill it with logs, uproot the tree, and roll it over to its new home. While time is required for these trees and others planted alongside to mature, the riverside park is coming along well. The new bank was constructed of hand-hewed stone; that's expensive, but it lasts forever.
A community organization exists to utilize this public space called "Shirakawa Banks." They will host a night market March 23 on that stretch of river and indicate they plan to continue doing so on the fourth Saturday of each month. Perhaps the area will come to symbolize Kumamoto as much as the castle. -
William

Japan is not monolithic. I have a friend from Aomori who's lived in Kumamoto for 20 years but still feels like a "gaijin" here. But as usual with most countries, it's the extremes that are antipodal. In Japan's case, the most glaring are the Ainu in Hokkaido and the Okinawans.
This makes the Daichi Miura's performance of a song the Emperor wrote as a poem and the Empress set to music all the more impressing. Called "Utagoe no Hibiki" (perhaps "Reverberation of Your Song"), it might be better named "Island in my Heart" - that is, something one never forgets. Watch his eyes. He displays complete respect - even signs of gratitude - but he holds his ground. It was a startling performance: To take the Emperor's words and the Empress' music and turn it into an Okinawan ballad. - William
両陛下が作詞作曲「歌声の響」 三浦大知さん独唱(19/02/24)
天皇陛下の「在位30年記念式典」で両陛下が作詞作曲され、沖縄への思いを歌った「歌声の響」を沖縄出身の歌手・三浦大知さんが歌いました。 ・・・記事の続き、その他のニュースはコチラから！ [テレ朝ｎｅｗｓ] http://w...

When Route 57 - the main route between the city and Aso through the Tateno Gap - went bye-bye during the quakes, engineers quickly determined that its restoration was infeasible. So they started to dig - a lot. We're talking 600,000 cubic meters of excavation. And Friday, the twin Futaenotouge Tunnels (二重峠トンネル) were declared complete. The new route is scheduled to open next year after roadwork and bridge construction is complete. Coincidentally, it will connect Ozu Machi and Aso Kurumagaeri (阿蘇市車帰) - the latter meaning "vehicle return." - William
https://this.kiji.is/471904585490531425?c=92619697908483575

Joe Tomei here. Hope I'm not overstepping, but wanted to give this post a little more notice, Levy Solomon-Magistra has been teaching a monthly yoga class at the Kagonyan Cat Shelter, where all the proceeds (1000 yen per person) go to the shelter but next month is her last class and she's hoping there might be a replacement yoga teacher.
Running the shelter is not cheap, Kagonyan's web page at https://www.kagonyan.com/
says it is more than 60 man a month. Kagonyan has a facebook page as well
https://www.facebook.com/kagonyan/
I was talking to my wife who said that she donated to the shelter after the earthquake from an Amazon wishlist, when there were so many pets that were displaced. I didn't see the wishlist on the blog but there is information if you'd like to donate via bank transfer.
One thing I hate to mention, but just in case, there have been incidents where people just leave cats in front of Kagonyan's door. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to find a home for a cat, PLEASE don't do that.

A note from the Kumamoto International Camellia Desk (not to be confused with the Sazanka Desk - that's a sure way to anger my wife): Nishibira Camellia (tsubaki, 椿 - also a common family name) Park (西平椿公園) in Amakusa Town has a heck of a lot of camellia. 20,000, more or less. About half are Camellia japonica (ヤブツバキ) with the remainder comprising 150 strains collected worldwide. They sure like camellia down there.
Kumanichi notes the photographic opportunities of camellia with the Amakusa Sea as background, which the article wrote as "Amakusanada" (天草灘) - apparently, "nada" (灘) is akin to "sea," but when I checked it on Weblio, my Spanish kicked in and I thought they had no translation. The blossoms are expected to continue through March, and a festival will be held for camellia aficionados on March third (Hina Matsuri, and also my son's birthday). You'll need a car. - William
ツバキ２万本、かれんに　天草町西平椿公園 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
天草灘が見渡せる熊本県天草市天草町の西平［にしびら］椿公園で、約２万本のツバキが見頃を迎えている。広...

Here is a nice video of a neighborhood that is quite unique to Kumamoto. The neighborhood is called Kawaramachi and is located about 10 minutes southeast of downtown. The area was devastated by a fire about 3 years ago but a small portion of it still survives. My cafe is located there along with several other cool shops. This neighborhood might soon be gone as talk about building apartments is happening.On April 6th we will also have a concert at Jogglejog a bar that is reopening with about 3-4 bands.I hope the show will help educate folks on the importance of neighborhoods like this. Jay Onyskin
KAWARAMACHI in KUMAMOTO
This is "KAWARAMACHI in KUMAMOTO" by Lyu Daiwei on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.