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Kirk here. When a falling star is very bright it can be called a "fireball" (火球; kakyuu). Well, a very bright one fell near Kyushu last night. Kagoshima and Nagasaki had some cool shots (most news reports feature those) but this video has the best I've seen from Kumamoto.
Anyone out there notice it in real time?
目撃情報が相次いだ大きな流れ星『火球』ＴＫＵの情報カメラでも【熊本】 (25/08/20 19:00)
夜空を照らすひと筋の光、熊本でも見られました。九州など西日本の各地で１９日夜、目撃情報が相次いだ大きな流れ星『火球』。ＴＫＵの情報カメラでも昼間のように空が明るくなりました。これは、１９日午後１１時す...

One of my favorite cartoons depicts a foreign jogger sweating through the heat. A bystander remarks, "Henna gaijin," to which is companion replies, "Isn't that redundant?" - William

We've got a typhoonette coming. - William

Kirk here. It's been a while since I've visited this tunnel. It's not my favorite place in the Aso area but it's cool inside and kind of unique. Might be good to put it on your itinerary if you're going to in the area. :)
William has written a couple of times about the history of the tunnel (originally planned as a train tunnel but project abandoned). I'll post links to to those posts in a comment.
Kumamoto: Tanabata Festival Decorations Adorn Unique Tunnel
TAKAMORI, Kumamoto — Step into a world where vibrant colors meet refreshing coolness. An array of colorful Tanabata decorations offers a unique summer escape in a park located in a tunnel in Takamori, Kumamoto Prefecture.

Kirk here with a heads up for high school baseball fans. Kumamoto's representative plays their second game in the Koshien elimination tournament today. Should be exciting.
Go Tokai Dai Kumamoto Seisho!!
https://koshien.hanshin.co.jp/
P.S. Here's a translation of a Kumanichi article about the first game. I haven't found anything in English but the Japanese media covered how the supporters could get to the game because of the rain Monday. They are SURE to be there today!
=== start ChatGPT translation ===
Summer Koshien 2025, First Round – Tokai University Seisho 10–7 Hokkai
Absent due to heavy rain – “For the Seisho students too”… Support from an affiliated school helps secure their first Koshien win
August 13 (Wed) 14:59
Photo caption:
Third-year members of Tokai University Seisho High School’s baseball team cheering from the Alps stands. The empty seats behind them were meant to be filled by first- and second-year students. – August 11, Koshien Stadium
“Well done!” “We’re counting on you next time!” On August 11, Kumamoto Prefecture’s representative, Tokai University Seisho High School, defeated Hokkai High School (Southern Hokkaido) 10–7 in the first round of the National High School Baseball Championship, achieving their long-sought dream of a “first Koshien victory” on their fourth appearance. Due to heavy rains in Kumamoto, most current students were unable to attend, but more than 2,000 strong – made up of alumni, parents, and the brass band from affiliated Tokai University Gyosei High School (Osaka) – formed a massive cheering squad to support the team.
The game saw action from the start. In the top of the first, after the leadoff batter drew a walk, Seisho had runners on first and third with one out. Cleanup hitter Hoshi Teruki Ōga delivered an RBI single to put them ahead. His father, Satoshi (55, from Tamana City), smiled and said, “He did exactly what a cleanup hitter should do. I hope the whole team keeps this rhythm.”
In the fifth inning, Hokkai tied it at 3–3, and the Seisho cheering section’s atmosphere turned heavy. Still, the third-year players not in the dugout shouted encouragement like “Let’s just play as usual!” to lift their teammates.
The momentum swung back in the seventh. Seisho strung together hits to take a three-run lead. Then, with one out and runners on first and second, Nobuki Horita smashed a two-run triple to the left-center gap. His father, Shuhei (46, from Kikuchi City), said, “I think he showed the results of his training. I hope it’s the hit that seals the game.”
Hokkai fought back in the late innings, keeping the outcome uncertain, but Seisho held on to win by three runs. As the school song rang out at the sacred ground of high school baseball, parents and alumni in the stands raised towels emblazoned with the school’s name and sang in celebration.
About 140 first- and second-year baseball team members and brass band members had left Kumamoto by bus on the night of the 10th, heading for Koshien. However, heavy rains forced them to stop en route, and they gave up on cheering at the stadium. Third-year student Takeshi Fukue, the cheering squad leader who had already arrived on site, said, “Even with a small number, we want to do what we can.” Nao Hatta, a second-year member of Tokai University Gyosei’s brass band, said while wiping sweat, “We want to cheer for the Seisho students who wanted to come but couldn’t.”
Third-year manager Airi Ueshima comes from a “Seisho family,” with her father and siblings having been on the baseball team. Beaming after the school’s first Koshien victory, she said, “In the second round, I want to cheer with a large crowd, together with the first- and second-year members.”
(Reported by Takuma Sonoda)
=== end translation ===
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/73050ce9acad99c2d886fdec70877d12e7846cfd

About collection of disaster garbage due to heavy rain damage.
I too have experienced flooding above floor level twice as a child. I know it's a lot to clean up, but hang in there. It's hot, so don't get dehydrated.
Atsuko ( ｰ̀֊ｰ́)و♡
Before you clean up the damage, you should take pictures of the damage (how deep it was, where it flooded, what was damaged). Information on the damage certificate was shared by Kirk also.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14EdTquXZhw/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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Kirk here. I complained about EVERYONE getting repeated midnight warnings and reports that gave the impression that everyone had to evacuate. But, it's also true that a lot of people were put in harm's way and quite a few suffered significant damage, particularly in the Tamana area.
If you are one of those whose property was damaged, you may be able to get compensation. Check out this page from the prefecture.
https://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page375.html
The page also says that you may be able to receive compensation if your car was damaged.

Kirk here. In a comment I'll put a link to this video showing how Shimotori flooded yesterday. It was particularly sad for folks with shops below street level. :(
Fun fact: When Kato Kiyomasa built the castle, the Shirakawa flowed through this part of town. After he used the river to carry all those heavy boulders to the construction site, Kiyomasa diverted the flow, producing the state we know today. The diversion of the river was very successful and invaluable to the building of what we now know as downtown Kumamoto. But, even Kyomasa couldn't change the fact that Shimotori used to be a riverbed and, as such, is subject to flooding at times like this. Next time you walk down Shimotori look around and imagine how the street used to be a river. :)

Kirk here. I have found the quality of journalism in the Japan Times to be pretty good in the past but not so much so in this case. As I posted previously, it may be true that the "literal" message sent to millions of people was an "evacuation order." But, it's also true that most of the millions who were not in a flood plain and not near a steep incline had the good sense to stay put -- a point that the article doesn't explain.
Most social phenomenon observable in one country can be found to some extent in other countries. So, I assume that this "don't do what we say; do what we mean" type of communication is not unique to Japan. But, even after decades living here it still bugs me. It strikes me as part of a communication pattern where the bulk of the burden is on the recipient of a message to figure out the actual intent of the message sender (in such communication, the words used by the sender are important "clues" but may not always be taken at face value).
I'll put links to this Japan Times article and my previous post in a comment. If I put them in the body of my post the Facebook algorithm will give it a lower priority when deciding who to show it to. :(

Good morning.
Be careful.
Watch out for the rain, everyone.Atsuko(ง •̀_•́)ง
Kumamoto city River flood monitoring system.
https://city-kumamoto-pub.e-monitor.jp/city-kumamoto/.
https://www.nhk.or.jp/kishou-saigai/city/status/43100004310100/

Kirk here after a very long hiatus. The screenshot you see is from this website:
https://city-kumamoto.my.salesforce-sites.com/#
But don't panic; the "evacuation order" is very, very misleading -- despite the wording, we have not actually been ordered to evacuate.
Here's a post I made a long time ago that explains what this "evacuation order" REALLY means:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02HaDrsnR5wfsRQzQZWQSmZZjHz7ndPxTRKx3PciVuRRVTsJtiPRhWspXfhBTTDJMrl
So, if you got up in the middle of the night because you were worried about your alarmist phone (mine was very noisy!), you can probably go back to sleep as long as you are not living on an incline (danger of landslides) or in a low lying area (danger of flooding). I'm in neither situation so I would prefer that my phone be quiet but, alas, I'm not sure if that is even an option.
A footnote about where I found the "evacuation" (which really means, evacuate IF you are in a dangerous place) information. It's being reported in the news but today I went to the city website:
https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/
This site has machine translation to English and other languages. In the information about evacuation centers I found this:
For more information, please visit the official website.
https://city-kumamoto.my.salesforce-sites.com/
Last Updated at 4:20 on August 11, 2025
This site is in Japanese but it provides links to other languages. The problem is that, in order to switch to English you have to be able to read "言語選択" (language selection) and "英語" (English). Folks who can't make sense of those kanji may be out of luck.
This issue of an "evacuation order" not really being an order is the same for Japanese and English. Whichever language you are reading, what the website tells you to do is not REALLY what you should do. If the 740,822 people subject to the "order" really did try to evacuate, that would cause its own disaster. Another issue is that 避難 (hinan; evacuation) isn't really "evacuation". The characters mean "avoid danger"; and, in Japanese, you can actually 避難する (hinan suru) at home!!
[Correction: I happened to be using a browser set to Japanese. If the default language of your browser is set to English, the indications from Google as to how to translate the page will be in English.]
So, in a situation where clarity and clear communication is needed, we have something of a house of mirrors: only those familiar with the system really understand what's going on.

Just so you know what the castle looks like when it is struck by lightning. - William

Sharing information for children from abroad and their mothers and fathers.Atsuko (* 'ᵕ' )☆
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
We are pleased to announce the August 2025 schedule for “Orugated Kids,” a study group for children from abroad and their mothers and fathers.
At “Orugated Kids”, children can learn how to pronounce and use Japanese correctly, and mothers and fathers can consult with the children about things they don't understand or worry about at kindergarten or school.
The program is open to children between the ages of 5 and 8 and their mothers and fathers (guardians).
https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/plaza/kiji0032290/3_2290_6459_up_qgvuh3rb.pdf
https://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/plaza/kiji0032290/index.html

The argument over rebuilding Kumamoto City Hall is ridiculous.
Here is my hometown city hall. Notice the dates. - William

Atsuko here.
Sharing Hanabi and Nihonshu,Shochu.
You can enjoy Japanese summer night, cool!!
KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA “HANABI GARDEN” will be held 🍉✨!
KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA “HANABI Garden” will be held!
Friday, August 15, 2025 16:00 - 20:30
Venue: Kawajiri Kanko Parking Space
4-10-28 Kawajiri, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture (in front of Zuitaka Kawajiri Honzo)
★500 meters to Kasegawa riverside, the venue of the Shoryo Nagashi Fireworks Festival

In conjunction with the Kawajiri Syoryo Nagashi Fireworks Festival, the KAWASHIRI SUMMER FESTA “HANABI Garden” will be held, where you can enjoy Japanese sake and shochu from the long-established local sake brewery “Zuiyo” with fireworks at !

There will also be many other tasty kitchen cars with beer, fried food, fries, freshly baked pizza🍕
candy apples, takoyaki, shaved ice, etc. 🍎🐙🍧✨.
Restrooms (multi-purpose available) are also available. There will be tables for eating and drinking so that everyone from young children to adults can enjoy a relaxing summer evening 🍹✨.

There is no parking at the venue. Please come by public transportation.
HANABI Garden" will be canceled if the Kawashiri
Syoryonagashi Fireworks Festival is postponed due to rain.
#HANABI Garden

Fiona here, sharing updated details of the running session to be held in Yamaga.
Running session for ladies runners supported by the 1st Yamaga Lantern Women's Marathon ambassador Yuko Kawakami.
This is a running session leading up to the event to enjoy running.
The main aim is to build a community among runners, including those who want to start running, and jogging.
[Overview] Running session with Yuko Kawakami, Ambassador of the 1st Yamaga Lantern Women's Marathon in Kumamoto.
Target: Female runners only (beginners to experienced runners) but children 3-15 years old are free to join with guardians.
All sessions (Total 5 sessions), only the first 25 people.
Tea time after each session (drinks and snacks included).
English speakers are also welcome!
Instructions will be in English too.
Fee:
Drop in: ¥3,500 per session *Inc.insurance fee
All sessions (Total 5 sessions): ¥12,000*Inc.insurance fee
◇Contents◇
Session 1
Sunday 3 Aug Early morning running in Yamaga
Reception 5:30 am -
6 am - Morning run, morning yoga
8 am Hot spring time at Sakura Yu - Free of charge for 3-15-year-old children-
Session 2
Sunday 7 September in Yamaga
Reception 8:30 am -
9 am - XC run, muscle training, stretching
Session 3
5 Oct (Sun) at Yamaga Women's Marathon course
Reception 8.30 am -
9 am - Course trial run
Session 4
Sunday 2 November in Yamaga
Reception 8:30 am -
9 am - 2 hours LSD (with pacer) run and talk
Session 5
30 Nov (Sun) Running reviews after the event,
Running clinic with ambassador Yuko Kawakami (including stretching, after care)
*Additional offer*
Special online consultation course before the Yamaga Women's Marathon
From July to November before the marathon
Online running consultation with ambassador Yuko Kawakami (only for the first 20 people)
*Yuko Kawakami a representative of the Japan team in the past two Olympics and a former head coach of the professional running team, will have an opportunity to directly discuss your running-related problems, such as training, stretching, and injury prevention.
25 minutes per session, 3,000 yen, booking required.
Please apply via the following moshicom: 🙇‍♀️
Or DM this account.

Sharing Suizenji park summer festival. ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* Atsuko

Fiona here, passing along a job opportunity for Russian speakers. Anyone interested can contact the organisation by email.
We are a Supporting Organization based in Kumamoto and currently looking for someone from Uzbekistan or Russia who can translate Japanese (daily conversational level) for a part-time online position.
📌 Requirements:
Able to understand and translate normal Japanese conversation
Part-time
Online work (remote)
📩 If you or someone you know is interested, please feel free to message us directly.
Thank you!
https://office-worldatlas.com/
[email protected]
熊本県熊本市で企業の人手不足解消の為に外国人(特定技能外国人)を雇用(就労)するサポートを行います。外国人を雇う為の手続きを豊富な実績でサポートします。

Fiona here, passing on a message from former long-term Kumamoto resident Greg Rammit about an apartment for rent that's available in Mashiki.
Hi everyone.
Our old landlord has reached out to us to see if there's anyone interested in renting a 1LDK in Mashiki, Souryou. Comes with a parking space and is ¥55,000 per month. I believe there is no key money, but I can look into that further for anyone interested.
It is situated next to a bus stop, supermarket, and Daiso. Close by to Costco, Mashiki Interchange, and the tram in Kengun. Awesome place where we lived for 15 years. It has been recently renovated.
Anyone interested can send me a message on Facebook. Thank you.

Hi, Joe Tomei here. We've gotten a stray cat, it's a female and, unfortunately, we can't keep it. It's about 1.5-2 months old, a very sweet calico. If anyone is looking for a cat, please contact us. It seems to have been abandoned by her mother, we took it to the vet and got the medicine for mites and parasites administered. If anyone is willing to take her, we'd also get the cat vaccinated and if it is a first cat for you, we can give you help and details.
Also, if anyone knows what the situation is with pet shelters in town, etc. please either post in the comments or drop me a dm.