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Two nuclear reactor complexes exist in Kyushu. Genkai Genhatsu (玄海原発), located in northern Saga quite far from Kumamoto, and Sendai Genhatsu (川内原発), located in northern Kagoshima just on the border with Kumamoto.
All are in areas with little risk of tsunami, but as we've recently understood, the "Whoops!" factor with nuclear power plants can escalate quickly. With that in mind, Kagoshima yesterday held a drill involving some 5,000 participants which included 100 evacuated from Kagoshima's Akune and Izumi north to Kumamoto's Minamata and Ashikita. This was the third such drill held. Let's hope reality does not go beyond drills. - William
原発事故想定し防災訓練　鹿児島から芦北町などへ避難 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
九州電力川内原発（鹿児島県薩摩川内市）の事故を想定した防災訓練が９日、同県を中心に約５千人が参加して...

Olivia here,
The plum flowers are blooming. They have really fragrant smells.
Suizenji garden’s website just posted that now it’s best time to view them.
http://www.ezuko-park.com/blog/26109
Plum blossoms are stronger than Cherry blossoms. The flowers can withstand rainy days.
But viewing them during “見頃” (read: “ミゴロ“ ; Best time to view) is recommended.

An icy Kumamoto Castle has been put up as part of a winter festival in Monbetsu, Hokkaido. The image I'm sharing is from an NHK news report. You can find the video (in Japanese) here:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/sapporo/20190209/7000007755.html
-- Kirk

A note from the Kumamoto International Kumamon is Here to Save the Day desk (we've been kinda busy): Kumanichi reports on an 11-minute video produced by Kumamoto Prefecture in which Kumamon uses shogi to impart basic disaster prevention measures. His (her?) three points are: ¹ to fix household items「tomete, とめて」; ² to store provisions「tomete, ためて」; and ³ to have a plan「kimete,きめて」. I'm no mascot, but those sound logical to me.
Our friend Furue-san has kindly provided a link to the English language version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_tr9HLN2E4&fbclid=IwAR3NGhsA4Upw47UGueCtkLptOvPvOGR0eJ8UMkgy-8cUHKgcdN_hIMeyOBQ
Even in Japanese, the video is worth a look. It's validated my decision not to become a crash-test dummy. - William
https://this.kiji.is/466438509325239393?c=92619697908483575
くまモン「災害に備えて」　熊本県が啓発動画（動画あり） ｜ 熊本日日新聞
熊本県は熊本地震を教訓に災害時に自らを守る「自助」の啓発動画を作成し、７日から県ホームページなどで公...

Kumanichi reports that the livery of JR's 800-series Shinkansen, which run between Kagoshima and Hakata, will feature Kanakuri Shisou in a nod to NHK's Taiga Drama (Sundays, 20:00). Perhaps this will cause them to run even faster. - William
「いだてん」ラッピング新幹線スタート　博多―鹿児島中央間 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
ＮＨＫ大河ドラマ「いだてん」の登場人物の写真をラッピングした九州新幹線が７日、博多－鹿児島中央で運行...

A report on NHK's morning news show today introduced new research on the earthquake that hit Nagomi-machi in Kumamoto Prefecture on January 3rd. The rating on the Japanese seismic intensity scale was "lower 6" -- quite high on a scale that tops out at 7. The amount of damage, however, was surprisingly low given that rating. Well, the NHK report said that, according to researchers at Tokyo University, the relatively high intensity scale number was caused by the "period" (shuki; the time that one back and forth movement takes) of the quake: 0.5 seconds (fairly slow). Apparently, this kind of shaking is what people can feel most easily and the Japanese scale tends to respond more to this type. The slower rate of shaking seems to be related to the softness of the ground there.
I guess the amount of energy was low enough that, even with this kind of shaking, the damage wasn't that great. I wonder, though, if this means that Nagomi could have suffered a fate like that of Mashiki if the energy of the quake had been significantly higher. As I recall, Mashiki also had a fairly slow "period" that resulted from its own soft ground.
-- Kirk
０．５秒ほどの局期の揺れ・軟弱地盤の影響で増幅 NHK総合【おはよう日本】

Franck, of Michi No Eki Aso, reports on his 15 minutes or so of TV fame. -- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/eng.michinoekiaso/posts/2214556652093758

Fuki is known in Latin as Petasites japonicus and in English as butterbur, giant butterbur, or great butterbur (it seems to prefer the latter). Fukinotou (蕗の薹 － cool kanji! Memorize it to impress your Japanese friends as it's usually in hiragana, ふきのとう) is the flower of the plant and a local delicacy.
Spring sees the hardy, wide-spreading plant send up shoots which, if harvested before they blossom, are commonly prepared as tempura. During this season, my wife and I scour the neighborhood for them. As the plant contains alkaloids, it is quite bitter, but some (me!) love the taste. It is said to contain antioxidant compounds. Below are photos of the plant, the flower before blossoming, and the tempura my wife prepared. - William

So the Chiba-born guy pulls out a bonito (saba, 鯖) and a bag of peanuts and also proclaims his allegiance to the Nippon Ham Fighters.
If you faced a similar situation, what talismans would you produce to prove your Kumamoto heritage? Please suggest in the comments.
(I'd go with kashirarenkon, a pair of jogging-worn tabi, and a reference to the Fukuoka Hawks - no one knows the Volters or Roasso.) - William

Kanakuri Shisou, known as the father of the Japanese marathon and the subject of the NHK Sunday night Taiga drama (大河ドラマ「いだてん」, 20:00), has sparked renewed interest in this scion of Higo. Kumanichi has a cute story on kids from his home area, Tamana, who are preparing polyvinyl jackets for participants in the upcoming Kumamoto Marathon (2/17) with images and encouraging messages. As a usage of class time, I suppose it beats studying - and it is very thoughtful. - William
熊本城マラソンに防寒ポンチョ　玉名市の児童・生徒、ポリ袋で製作 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
１７日に熊本市で開催される熊本城マラソンに向け、玉名市の児童・生徒が、ランナーに着用してもらう防寒ポ...

Here's an example of a visual message and text message that say very different things. Kumamoto is mentioned in this misleading article:
Japan: Is it safe to travel to the country after third earthquake in three weeks?
https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1080302/japan-japanese-earthquake-is-it-safe-travel-Kyushu-kumamoto
After a bit of searching, I was able to identify the photo as being from January of 1995, when a huge quake hit the Kobe area:
https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/rentoku/photo_gallery/06/201501/p_0007644656.shtml
So, other than being the result of an earthquake, it has nothing to do with recent shaking. Way to go, Express journalists!! Who cares about accuracy, right? Clickbait is king!
-- Kirk
P.S. The caution mark applies to the information source, not the subject of the article.

Hi! Kirk here. Here's some information from Atsuko Furue of Nagomi Town:
-- start quote --
If you would like to visit Kanakuri Sisou museum,
I suggest to visit on next Sunday. On 10th February, the town has SAMURAI festival, 肥後国衆まつり。 http://www.tabirai.net/s/sightseeing/column/0008316.aspx
If you visit that day, you can enjoy both.✩°｡⋆⸜(˙꒳˙ )⸝
-- end quote --
熊本県玉名郡和水町（なごみまち）で、2019年2月10日（日）に開催される「戦国肥後国衆祭り」。田中城を舞台として巻き起こった和仁軍と豊臣軍との約2カ月に及ぶ壮絶な戦いを再現した県内唯一の祭りで

Here's a video about Nabegataki Falls, complete with English subtitles. It's a video on Kumamon's YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjlxrKtnopg
-- Kirk
P.S. Here's an article about the start of Kumamon's YouTube channel.
くまモンTV #10「くまモンを探せ！鍋ヶ滝編！ 」( Kumamon TV #10 )
※이 영상은 한국어 자막으로 안내하고 있습니다. 설정버튼에서 언어를 변경해 보실 수 있습니다. ※影片有繁體中文的字幕。觀看之前，請您先從設置功能設定為繁體中文語言。 ※Cette vidéo peut être vu en sous-titre français. Choisiss...

Here's another useful bit of information from Kuma Visit:
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/2222958014622499?__tn__=-R
This one should be of particular interest to people who prefer vegetarian food.

-- KIrk

A note from the Kumamoto International Desk of All Your Base Are Belong to Us (open 24/7): Our friend Matthew informs us of a Kumamoto Branch of Gaijin Gaming Brothers, which translates and publishes English info about Smash Brothers events throughout Japan. Recently an organizer in Kumamoto started a weekly Smash Ultimate meet up.
Matthew says, "Hello everyone! Myself and a few friends run a group called "Gaijin Gaming Bros" (GGB for short) and we publish information about Smash Brothers events happening in Japan in English. Recently, a tournament organizer in Kumamoto has started a weekly Smash Ultimate Meet Up at a Game Bar, and there is a semi-regular tournament series that happens in Kumamoto as well. The weekly Smash Ultimate Meetup happens every Wednesday. No pre-registration or anything is required for the weekly. The tournament series (called "Higobura") is happening this weekend (Feb 10) and on Feb 23.
Feb 10 tournament: https://gaijingamingbros.com/higobura-sp-1
Feb 23 tournament: https://gaijingamingbros.com/higobura-sp-2
The tournaments are both full at the moment, but you can register as Interested and some participants might cancel.
I hope this lets you guys get out there and connect with the local Smash scene!"
More info specific to Kumamoto can be found at the link here: https://gaijingamingbros.com/?fbclid=IwAR3G-Fp9eXsnh-Z2GOoiw5f6-mmOPbs5p7UrQG-58TuA66mhmXyZG2dlm6Q Thank you, Matthew! - William
Higobura SP #1 - Gaijin Gaming Bros - Super Smash Bros Events in Japan
A tournament with 20+ people to be held in Kumamoto City. Only 1000 yen for entry, don’t miss this chance to test out your Smash Ultimate skills in a competitive environment.

Oda Eichirou (尾田栄一郎) is an artist and director best known for his phenomenally popular animated series "One Piece." Oda was born and raised in Kumamoto, though he now lives in Tokyo. A Higokko made big, he is quite honored in his hometown - for example, a statue of one of his characters now graces the entrance to Kumamoto Prefectural Hall.
Kumanichi reports that a pop-up One Piece-themed cafe will run at Tsuruya for one month starting from 2/6. (Disclaimer: My son, also a Higokko, works in Tokyo for the movie company which produces One Piece. He tells me that Kumamoto is being looked at as a future base for animation.) - William
復興応援「ワンピースカフェ」　熊本市にオープン　 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
人気漫画「ＯＮＥ ＰＩＥＣＥ（ワンピース）」の世界観を楽しめる「ワンピースカフェ」が６日、熊本市中央...

We've already discussed the site (Men no ishi) recently:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/2369400659800019
I'm introducing this page, however, because it has lots of details about the area that the article I introduced last time didn't.
-- Kirk
A Purr-fect New “Power Spot” for Kumamoto
Men no Ishi, a precariously balanced stone at the mouth of a cavern in Minamiaso in Kumamoto Prefecture, used to attract visitors from around Japan. But in 2016, a pair of strong earthquakes dislodged the rock, revealing in its place the silhouette of a cat that now attracts a whole new wave of visi...

Our neighbor to the west, Nagasaki, hosts a Holland-themed amusement park, Huis Ten Bosch, which recreates the Netherlands by displaying life-sized copies of old Dutch buildings. This is a nod to the Dutch trading post Dejima, notable as the sole official location of international trade during the Edo period. As a survivor of Disneyland employment, I'm theme-parked out. Everyone I know who has visited Huis Ten Bosch has said the only thing to do there is shop, further dampening my enthusiasm. But these two articles have tindered a flame of interest.
Scientists in Europe have developed a low-price, flexible solar material called perovskite solar cells, and the only place it's been deployed in Japan is Huis Ten Bosch. In fact, the park has been designated as one of the six "next-generation energy parks" by METI. It generates 4MW of green power, more than enough to operate the park; the surplus is sold. Here is a link to the park: https://tech.nikkeibp.co.jp/dm/atclen/news_en/15mk/062502187/ and to the technology: https://tech.nikkeibp.co.jp/dm/atclen/news_en/15mk/123002587/?ST=msbe Maybe this will facilitate my phobia of theme park recovery. - William

By and large, tectonic activity raises our archipelago as we're on the receiving side of several subductive plates. The process is not uniform, though, as subsidence may create localized cavities. My house sits atop a minor fault, and I've watched as its western side has subsided and noticed subsidence on area roads. This can be dangerous for drivers and pedestrians as large holes can appear quite suddenly.
Kumanichi reports that the two companies the Transportation Ministry had hired to inspect roads had done a lousy job so has hired a third company which has created an ingenious way to detect these cavities. First, a vehicle equipped with ground-penetrating radar (chichyuu reda, 地中レーダー) will sweep an area; if anomalies are found, a crew will conduct a more thorough investigation and repair the damage before the road falls through. Look for these around town. (Note that the radar mark resembles the poo poo emoji.) - William
熊本市内の国道下空洞、大幅増か　国交省、異例の再調査 ｜ 熊本日日新聞
国土交通省が熊本地震後の２０１６年に熊本市内の国道で実施した路面下の空洞調査で、地中に当初の調査結果...

Here's a story about a local man who is very good at folding leaves: oriha (this not origami). Ah, I feel a song coming on . . .
"The folded leaves are on his desk top
The folded leaves, of many shapes
I see a sheep, and there's a lion
How can he do it, with dried up leaves"
If you get this joke, you're probably a jazz fan. Here's Nat King Cole's version of the original song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnp58oepHUQ
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201901230007.html
Take a leaf out of this artist's book on molding nature’s bounty：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--In early winter, when leaves come falling down, Yoshihiro Watanabe's world changes.It is t