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This is old news but, since I seem to have missed it at the time and most of the articles are still relevant, I'd like to share this link to the Fall 2017 YOKA magazine:
http://kumamotojet.com/documents/YOKAs/2017AutumnYOKA.pdf
----- Start quote from e-mail announcement I received -----
The 2017 Autumn YOKA is here! This YOKA features the following...
With Friends, in High Places: Climbing Mt. Fuji by Olivia Poole
Minamata and Bamboo by Greg Corbett
Success Amidst Misfortune: A Reflection on My Hospitalization in Japan by Erika Bareng
Untitled haiku by Alexandra Butler
A for Annyeong, B for Busan by Joyce Tan
Onsen Ideas for Winter by Chris Ott
Invitation to the Kumamoto International Friendship Festival by the Kumamoto Prefecture International Affairs Division
Photos by Greg Corbett, Luna Howell, Justin Lau, Laura McGhee, Olivia Poole, and Joyce Tan
---- End quote
-- Kirk

Attention for Bird Lovers (and others who are wondering why there are many ducks around Ezuko these few days)
I had the chance joining Bird viewing yesterday at Ezuko (that's what my Friend said to me)
Some ducks are migrating to Ezuko from Siberia this winter.
My Friend said that this season is a good season for Bird viewing.
We managed to see
アオサギ (Grey Heron)
キセキレイ(Grey Wagtail)
コガモ (Eurasian Teal)
シジュウカラ (Japanese tit)
セグロセキレイ (Japanese wagtail)
タシギ (Common snipe)
ハクセキレイ (Blackback wagtail)
ヒクイナ (Ruddy breasted crake)
ヒドリガモ (Eurasian wigeon)
ムクドリ(White cheeked Starling)
メジロ (Japanese white eye bird)
There were too many to see. But it was great experience because I never put any attention on birds before.
Bringing Binoculars is recommended for those who wish to see the birds in details.
We missed seeing the Kingfisher yesterday.
I share similar news at my own Facebook page, Kumamoto and Beyond.
https://m.facebook.com/Kumamoto-and-Beyond-699941546778813/
昨日えずこに行って来ました。今のところ鳥いっぱい来てるので、鳥見に行きました。友達が鳥のこと詳しいので、探しながら説明してくれました。これぐらいの種類見れました。
アオサギ (Grey Heron)
キセキレイ(Grey Wagtail)
コガモ (Eurasian Teal)
シジュウカラ (Japanese tit)
セグロセキレイ (Japanese wagtail)
タシギ (Common snipe)
ハクセキレイ (Blackback wagtail)
ヒクイナ (Ruddy breasted crake)
ヒドリガモ (Eurasian wigeon)
ムクドリ(White cheeked Starling)
メジロ (Japanese white eye bird)
カワセミもいると言われましたが今回見れなかったけど、次の機会に是非見に行きたいと思います。
Olivia

Greetings
Sharing with you such a rare snow treat up there at 3334 steps at Nihon Ichi no Ishidan at Misato Machi. I went up there 2 days ago.
Address is here:
Sakamoto, Misato, Shimomashiki District, Kumamoto Prefecture 861-4415
Going down is more difficult because some of the stairs are slippery. Do go early because once it gets dark I can't imagine how to go down safely.
We started climbing at 12pm and reached the top at 2pm.
Wear gloves and hat because it is cold there.
Beware of the icy steps.
This can be alternative of seeing snow spots other than Aso when snow comes to Kumamoto.
I shared more pictures at Facebook Page "Kumamoto and Beyond"
https://m.facebook.com/Kumamoto-and-Beyond-699941546778813/
Note:
These pictures were taken on Saturday 13 January 2018. I don't know how much snow left now when you reach there. But at least it is a good climbing exercise.
This was my 2nd climb. I stopped at 650 steps at my first climb.
Olivia

This exhibition will continue until March 18. -- Kirk
‘Shin Godzilla’ artist recreates quake-hit castle in Kumamoto：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Miniature models featuring special effects techniques used in Godzilla movies have recreat

Japanese has a plethora of profanity, though unlike English, few are taboo. Accurate translation of American presidential utterances is important, so how to render "shithole" presented a problem. One couldn't simply use a direct translation as it wouldn't convey the sentiment. The consensus seems to have settled on 便所のように汚い国 (countries that are dirty like toilets). - William

You might see blossoming now yellow flowers that resemble a plum. Your faithful correspondent looked into it and found it's called the "roubai" (蝋梅 - literally, "wax plum" due to its waxy petals), and is in fact not a plum variety. It was domesticated in China as an ornamental plant during the Sung Dynasty and spread as far west as Iran and also to Japan. Wikipedia has the details at the link. - William
Chimonanthus - Wikipedia
Chimonanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Calycanthaceae, endemic to China. It is also grown in Iran, called "ice flower" (Gole' Yakh) and probably imported from China. The genus includes three to six species depending on taxonomic interpretation; six are accepted by the Flora of Chi...

The Kumamon juggernaut continues . . .
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2018/01/ee364180f018-kumamon-bike-sharing-in-china-to-promote-japans-kumamoto-pref.html
-- Kirk
Kumamon bike sharing in China to promote Japan's Kumamoto Pref.
50,000 bicycles bearing images of Kumamoto's bear mascot Kumamon available for month in bike-sharing service in China

This is the last weekend to see the "Karada no Fushigi (Wonders of the Human Body) IN KUMAMOTO" exhibit. From what I've seen on TV it's very interactive (including slides, etc) and allows kids to learn about "gross" bodily functions in a fun way.
My impression is that Japanese culture is a bit more open to direct, comical portrayals of "gross" bodily functions that is the U.S., with its puritanical roots. (Note the "grossology" on the web page I'm sharing.) So, seeing the exhibit might be an interesting cultural experience for adults as well.
-- Kirk
からだのふしぎ大冒険 IN KUMAMOTO

Experienced as we are with disaster here in Kumamoto, we send out our heartfelt sympathy to the victims of the floods in southern California's Montecito and surrounding areas. - William

Hi! I teach a university course in which I ask students to submit newspaper articles that are relevant to understanding cultural differences, discrimination, and other topics. Going through some of those submissions I found a Dec 22 Kumanichi article that introduces a local organization called "Kumaniji" (or "Kumamoto Rainbow"). The web sites is bilingual and the English side is asking people to fill out a questionnaire. Here's the explanation that on the web site:
--- start quote ---
Kumaniji Survey
Unfortunately, Kumamoto has not taken much action on LGBTQ issues yet.
Now we're conducting a survey to collect the real voices of LGBTQ community in Kumamoto to present to Kumamoto Prefecture and municipalities within the prefecture, and demand to promote LGBTQ friendly policy in Kumamoto.
if you consider yourself as part of LGBT community and live in Kumamoto, or have lived in Kumamoto before, please participate in this survey in order to change Kumamoto into a place where each individual is respected and be able to live who we are even for LGBTQ people, and where nobody has to move out due to their sexuality.
--- end quote ---
-- Kirk
https://kumaniji.jimdo.com/english/
P.S. Here's an article on a related topic that I posted last year:
Bilingual guidebook to help LGBT community in natural disasters
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/20/national/bilingual-guidebook-help-lgbt-community-natural-disasters/
Let’s change Kumamoto into an LGBTQ friendly prefecture!
Unfortunately, Kumamoto has not taken much action on LGBTQ issues yet. Now we're conducting a survey to collect the real voices of LGBTQ community in Kumamoto to present to Kumamoto Prefecture and municipalities within the prefecture, and demand to promote LGBTQ friendly policy in Kumamoto. if you c...

Vocabulary is an indicator of cultural importance of an object - look at the multiple words in Japanese for the singular English "rice," or the multiple English words for the Japanese singular 牛 ("cow" being most common). "Snow" is another example. Growing up in Los Angeles, snow was not of particularly importance, but at my Maine college, it was. Such words are commonly divided into falling-type and accumulated-type.
Tonight, downtown, we have graupel (arare, あられ、霰 ), which occurs when freezing fog condenses on a snowflake - conditions which occur when it's cold enough to snow above but not quite below. It is also known as snow pellets or soft hail.
Another useful word is slush (mizuyuki, みずゆき、水雪), a half-melted form of snow on the ground. Tomorrow will likely be very slushy; fortunately, I don't have to travel.
Other English words for different snow types can be found here. Enjoy! - William
Types of snow - Wikipedia
Types of snow can be designated by the shape of its flakes, description of how it is falling, and by how it collects on the ground. A blizzard and snow storm indicate heavy snowfalls over a large area, snow squalls give heavy snowfalls over narrow bands, while flurries are used for the lightest snow...

Long ago, Japan, Korea, and China (Oxford comma) were sorting out who was who, and that sorting often resulted in men with pointy metal things sent to settle arguments. So castles were built as counterarguments. One such counterargument was built in today's Kikuchi, called "Kikuchijyou" or "Kikuchinoki" (both in Japanese 「鞠智城」, but the latter reflecting that it was a wooden fort rather than an actual castle). It was built around 670, according to the Syokunihonki (「続日本紀」, the go-to written in the Heian Era - around 700 - for everything that happened before) and is a predecessor kanji to today's 菊池, which refers both to the clan that dominated the region before the Edo Era and the region itself. The combination of a robust counterargument and a bunch of determined men with pointy metal things who called themselves 「和」(peace - yeah, irony, but you try to combine "peace" and "survival" in that era ) were instrumental in making Japan Japan, particularly as the capital at the time was in Fukuoka's Daizaifu, not so far away.
Anyway, remnants of the fort are long gone, but a building in the contemporary Tang Dynasty style has been erected, which few people visit, so they created a signature character, ころうくん (probably a disassociated form of 古老, meaning "ancient wisdom"), which was enough to draw our friend Michiko-san. The location is a desolate windswept plain barely worth visiting, but if you do go, remember that it is the birthplace of Japan. - William

Kumanichi has a disturbing article about illegal cell phone surveillance. Kumamoto police in Omuta recently arrested a 33-year old man for installing software to the phone of a woman in her 20s which allowed him to monitor her calls and mails, take photographs and videos remotely, ascertain her location via GPS, and access her phone records. Apparently, several such cases have occurred in Japan, and police warn these cases represent just the tip of the iceberg (hyouzan no ikkaku, 氷山の一角).
Police recommend:
- Do not leave your cell phone unattended;
- Be aware of the camera shutter sound;
- Monitor your phone records for unusual activity.
The story with a diagram is at the link. - William
スマホ監視、知らぬ間に　遠隔操作アプリ悪用で - 熊本日日新聞
遠隔操作アプリを使い、パソコンの画面に映し出されたスマホの位置情報＝県警本部　かつて交際していた女性のスマートフォンに無断で遠隔操作アプリを仕組んだとして、熊本県警が１１月末に大牟田市の男（３３）を不...

Kirk had written about that cute polar bear at the zoo, and I thought to add a thought. Polar bears are good at three things: being white, floating well, and surviving cold. All of these are due to an aspect of their fur: it is hollow, unlike the solid strands of other mammals. The fur is actually translucent, and the scattered reflection makes them appear white; the fur's hollowness also traps air, which both aids the bear in floating and acts as insulation so that they're like a giant down jacket.
A problem with this is that, in more temperate climates (such as Kumamoto's), algae often grows within the hair tubes. This does no harm to the bear but makes it turn green, and zoo-goers are oft put off by green polar bears. A solution is to add chemicals to their water, but this would in fact harm the animal. Kumamoto zoo had a problem with this a while back (photo below), but I do not know how they have dealt with it. (I suppose you could shampoo them periodically - volunteers?) - William

Kumamon may be Kumamoto's most famous bear but Maruru (the polar bear in the video; Marle?) may be even more fun to watch. As the Japanese title on the YouTube video indicates, Maruru's corner of the Kumamoto Zoo recently reopened after a hiatus of over year and a half (due to the earthquake). In the interim, Maruru has learned a new way to play with one of his toys -- throwing it into the air and diving in after it. Humans may have provided the toy and taught Maruru the game but it's pretty obvious that he plays for his own enjoyment.
Not all parts of the zoo have reopened but, if you visit, you should be able to see Maruru.
-- Kirk
さびしさで一人遊び習得？ 熊本の人気ホッキョクグマ「マルル」 熊本地震から約１年８カ月ぶり公開
熊本地震で被災した熊本市動植物園のメスのホッキョクグマ「マルル」が１２月２３日夜、約１年８カ月ぶりに一般公開された。非公開だった間に覚えたおもちゃの「浮き」を壁に投げつける壁当てのような遊びを披露し、...

A note from the Kumamoto International religion desk (merged with other various desks for obvious reasons): Some shinto religious omamori (お守り、amulet) manage to retain their protective powers over an entire year, at which time they must be replaced by others which are identical in appearance but renewed, while some peter out protectively in a few weeks. But in neither case may you casually huck them out with the garbage.
Omamori of the former type are generally disposed of at a shrine around New Years (where, conveniently, new are available for purchase), but the New Years decorations (shimenawa, しめ縄, are most common) miss this boat. Consequently, an event to dispose of these is held in most neighborhoods, usually on the second Saturday of January, called "dondoya" - kind of an interesting word. It is a portmanteau of「尊や尊」(tou ya tou - respect and respect)、the phrase for "speedily" (どんどんと - referring to the rapid burning), and an onomatopoeia of the sound the bamboo traditionally used as the combustible material makes as the gas in each of its separate chambers expands and explodes. Participants often roast mochi over the embers, though I usually brought enough marshmellows for all the neighborhood kids (I was a popular dad).
Check around your neighborhood for the location and date it will be held. It's actually quite fun - and convenient for relieving oneself of amulets. - William

"Kumamoto Gov. Ikuo Kabashima announced at a press conference on Jan. 4 that the ban on foreign companies selling products bearing the popular black bear character would be lifted. Kumamon is also set to star in his very own anime as well for both domestic and foreign audiences."
-- Kirk
P.S. The Japan Times also covered this story:
"Domestic and overseas sales of Kumamon-related products, including stuffed toys and stationery, increased 27 percent in 2016 from the previous year to some ¥128 billion, according to the prefectural government."
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/01/04/business/kumamoto-prefecture-decides-allow-foreign-firms-use-kumamon-bear-brand/
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180105/p2a/00m/0na/002000c
Foreign licensing ban for Kumamoto mascot 'Kumamon' lifted, anime in the works - The Mainichi
Popular Kumamoto Prefecture promotional character

Though not specific to Kumamoto, a previous post on this topic
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1565907143482712
got a big reaction so I thought I'd share this as a kind of update.
-- Kirk
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/11/11/national/media-national/lawsuit-over-students-dyed-hair-confronts-outdated-thinking-in-japan/
Lawsuit over student's dyed hair confronts outdated thinking in Japan | The Japan Times
A Japanese public high school has come under fire for its strict policy regarding the color of its students' hair. An 18-year-old teen filed a lawsuit in l

Joe Tomei here. A nice BBC Travel article about Kumamoto castle here
The Japanese castle that defied history
Kumamoto has seen its fair share of drama over the centuries – but perhaps most famously, it was the site of the final battle between 20,000 samurai and the ruling Meiji government.

This BBC article discusses the colorful history of Kumamoto Castle.
-- Kirk
The Japanese castle that defied history
Kumamoto has seen its fair share of drama over the centuries – but perhaps most famously, it was the site of the final battle between 20,000 samurai and the ruling Meiji government.