Posts

Everyone loves kanji. Kirk's post below regarding the documentary on Richard Brezina, 天草の鳥人 ("Birdman of Amakusa"), used a stylized form of "bird" and brought to mind the four recognized stages of kanji development:
甲骨 (kōkotsu) - literally "shell/bone," this earliest form was used by shamans to divine the future;
金文 (kinbun) - literally "metal character," this dates from the bronze age, when making a mistake on a piece of metal would annoy your boss;
小篆 (shyouten) - literally "small engraved," this is a stylized form often used on seals even today;
楷書 (kaishyo) - literally "square writing," is the block-style characters currently in use.
As an example, the character for "bird" written in 楷書 is 鳥, but in the advertisement is written as 小篆 (which is a font impossible to use on Facebook). Kanji evolution of the word "bird" can be seen in the four characters below. - William

Minamata disease (aka mercury poisoning) is normally Kirk's territory, but I'll go ahead and post this, a good primer. I remember a few years ago with my wife in Minamata eating oysters we'd pried off rocks ourselves and suddenly locking eyes: From the sacrifice of these victims comes a better world.
Aging Minamata disease victims continue to convey lessons
Most Saturday nights, a group of patients with the congenital form of Minamata mercury-poisoning disease dine together to discuss the challenges they face in coping with the ailment now that they are mostly in their 60s. The focus on a night in early September was Shinobu Sakamoto, who three weeks�...

Somebody had asked recently about how to recycle unneeded clothing. Apparently, Uniqlo has a program which takes clean, lightly-worn clothing and ships it to needy communities globally. Link below. There is also a facility in Suizenji called "Kumamoto Boshi" (熊本市母子) which cares for single mothers - if your clothes are children size, I would recommend that (very nice people - they sent me a letter of thanks after a recent donation). Link below.
Make sure the clothing donations are in presentable condition; anything too old can be mixed with burnable garbage and go out with the trash. - William
http://kumamoto-boshi.com/
http://www.uniqlo.com/en/sustainability/
Making the World Better Place/Sustainability(Corporate Social Responsiblility)
FAST RETAILING’s essential approach to Sustainability is to make the world a better place through planning, producing and selling clothing, which is one of the basic necessities of life. To remain a company that creates enduring value for the world, we will pursue appropriate management, grow with...

The recent horrific department store fire in Davao City, Philippines reminded me of the Taiyo Department Store fire, which occurred in Kumamoto on November 29, 1973 and led to major reforms across Japan for large buildings where public gatherings are held regarding exits and internal extinguishing equipment.
Taiyo Department Store was on Shimotori; the site later became a Daiei franchise; the building was demolished two years ago to become the current Cocosa. The fire broke out on the second floor, quickly trapping those above in the 13-story building. 103 were killed and over a hundred injured. A monument exists on Shirakawa across from Shimotori for the tragedy, where a ceremony is still conducted each year. - William

JR elevating its tracks through the city not only pleased pretty much every driver but also opened up valuable real estate which the company has to figure out what to do with now.
Freed space to the south of the station (red below) will become a shopping and dining area which will be called "Higo Yokamon Market" (sheesh - okay, feudal era name for Kumamoto + Kumamoto dialect catchphrase which means "good" + market = 肥後よかモン市場). The plan is for an eventual 60 shops; 33 have thus far come aboard. The planned atmosphere is Kumamotoesque (and, yes, I do ignore those red squiggly lines under my writing which indicate a misspelling).
The new shopping area is set to open from March next year and is expected to not only offer a venue for local products but to contribute to revitalization of what has long been a neglected area. (Plus - more shops. My wife is pleased.) - William
熊本駅、高架下施設に60店　「よかモン市場」来年３月開業　ＪＲ九州 - 熊本日日新聞
　ＪＲ九州は２５日、来年春の熊本駅周辺の在来線高架化に合わせて駅構内に整備する新しい商業施設の概要を発表した。名称は「肥後よかモン市場」。６０店舗が入居し、３月１７日に開業する。人気ラーメン店や有名菓...

Albero Fujimori, born in Lima, was president of Peru from 1990 to 2000. He is called "polarizing" because, despite having been found guilty of murder, bodily harm, and kidnapping, some people are still like, "Yeah, but...." He was sentenced to what would have been a life term (unless he lived a really long time) but was released yesterday on humanitarian grounds.
His parents were born in Kawachi, Kumamoto, and immigrated to Peru in 1934.
Fun fact! Japanese law prohibits dual nationality from the age of 22; Peruvian law stipulates the president must be a Peruvian citizen - so, by accepting that position, Fujimori was de facto renouncing Japanese citizenship - yet, when on the run from the law and seeking refuge in Japan, he was recognized as a Japanese citizen. Lesson: Sigh and shrug shoulders. - William
Peru's president grants medical pardon to jailed Fujimori
Peru's president announced Sunday night that he has granted a medical pardon to jailed former strongman Alberto Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses, corruption and the sanctioning of death squads. President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski released a statement saying he decided...

Good morning, merry Christmas, and happy holidays! Here's an announcement from KUMISA (Kumamoto University International Students Association). The event is being organized by international students at Kumadai but all international students are encouraged to participate as performers, exhibitors, etc. and all interested persons are encouraged to attend on January 27th.
If you're interested in participating, particularly as a performer or exhibitor, please contact the organizers at [email protected]
By the way, KUMISA has a Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/KUMISA15/
and several KUMISA participants were involved in putting together an booklet about the impact of the 2016 earthquakes on foreign students and non-Japanese residents:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1378337522239676
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1407729719300456
-- Kirk

Merry Christmas to our Kumamoto International friends from all of us at KI! We'll continue to keep an eye on things in 2018.

A note from the Kumamoto International Ornithology Desk (merged with the Feline Desk due to budget cuts, which, in retrospect, was a bad idea): the white wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine (perching) bird known in Japanese as "hakusekirei" (ハクセキレイ, 白鶺鴒) - couldn't find any etymological meanings behind the kanji probably because this bird exudes an attitude of "We don't need no stinkin' etymology!" (though it is awesome kanji). Its various subspecies live pretty much everywhere in the northern hemisphere. With a striking black/white plumage in winter, it is known for its active tail movements. Nobody knows the purpose of its active tail movements; perhaps it simply enjoys moving its tail actively. (Wouldn't you?) It is insectivorous so prefers an open environment where it can hunt down those lower on the food chain - you'll often see them in parking lots.
When my son was a tot, we called them "pointy birds" after the famous poem by the American poet Steve Martin:
Pointy birds -
Pointy, pointy.
Anoint my head -
Anointy, nointy.
You can read more about the 白鶺鴒 here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_wagtail
- William

Charles LaFayette Brown, born in North Carolina, lived from 1874 to 1921; during his brief life, he spent 1898 to 1916 mostly in Kyushu, and mostly in Kumamoto, working as the head of the Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary. After returning to America, he was sent to Africa, where he died, in Liberia, of typhoid. If interested in the history of early Lutheran missionaries in Japan, please see the attached link (PDF).
His missionary work was closely intertwined with his belief in education, and what resulted was Kyushu Gakuin (九州学院), today encompassing both a junior and senior high school (Disclaimer: Both of my children attended both.) It is considered upper-middle in terms of academic rigor; however, due to the presence of American missionaries as English teachers, it is the closest to an "international" school that Kumamoto has. (And, being Lutheran, they offer Christianity as a sort of study area and never push dogma.) In 1925, a church was completed on the school grounds named Brown Chapel. It remains one of the oldest Christian structures in Kyushu. (Photos below)
There will be a special service Sunday, 12/24, at Brown Chapel from 10:30 and another service in the evening at the main church, just across the lane, from 7:00 PM. All are welcome. Please PM for more information. - William

Hi! Here's some information from Sarah Faherty at Sojo University:
"At Sojo, we have a Teaching and Learning Forum every year, and 2018 will be our 4th year. We choose a different theme each time, and welcome presenters from all over Japan. Next year's theme will be "Beyond the Classroom", focusing on learner autonomy, English in the community, study abroad and professional development. The information is included in the link."
-- Kirk
SUTLF 2018: English Beyond the Classroom - NanKyu Chapter
Homepage for the NanKyu Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT)

Question time:
A referral visited today - a lad of three, along with his mother and grandmother. His speech reticence had resulted in his rejection from kindergarten, and though I'm neither a licensed speech pathologist nor a pediatrician, they ended up here. I set the boy up in a comfort zone with some shape toys - nesting dolls and a figure puzzle - and kept an eye on him as I talked with his elders and was impressed with his purpose and dexterity as he explored the puzzles. He didn't speak but did look at me when he encountered a problem he couldn't solve in a way very similar to the way my dog does - as if I'd understand, so words are superfluous.
I next brought out a large box filled with various toys, some anthropomorphic and some not, and noticed he withdrew when confronted with the former - particularly those with discernible faces. All in all, he was an engaged, active boy, not afraid of the new environment or the dog - he just spoke very little.
I advised the mother, who was thinking of putting him in some sort of special facility, to simply wait another year before kindergarten. My own educational history reflects this; it was once called "delayed development," but a better term would be "asynchronous development."
His engagement and demeanor clearly set him apart from the autistic class (though autism is a wide spectrum). I just wonder if there is a connection between his fear of faces and speech reluctance. Does anyone have any ideas? - William

My daughter studies in America. She'd procrastinated booking the Narita-Kumamoto leg of her お正月 (oshyougatsu, New Year) return journey (likely a genetic trait response) and was shocked to find the one-way ticket at some 40,000 yen. I suggested that she check out the JR free pass; for the same price, she could get two weeks of unlimited rides on the shinkansen and related vehicles.
The rub is that the deal is limited to non-Japanese entering as tourists. To date, my daughter has always used her Japanese passport for Japan and her US passport for the US, but she would have to enter Japan on her US passport to get the deal. I instructed her to discuss with her local JTB branch to parse, and she responded that they gave their assurances all would be okay. I'll let you know how it goes.
For those Kumamoto-I'rs with dual-national kids abroad, this might be an economical option. Funny thing is that this will be the first time in my daughter's 20 years of existence that she will be a non-Japanese in Japan. - William
Discounted Shinkansen Bullet Train Tickets & JR Packages
Special price: 17% off Shinkansen tickets from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka! Plus huge savings on Shinkansen train & hotel packages to Kansai, Hiroshima, Nagoya and more!

Hi all! It's been a while since I've been able to post due to work and illness, but I had a thought this morning and wanted to ask a quick question in preparation for a potential future post.
While studying abroad in university and then working as a volunteer at my university's study abroad office, I gathered quite a bit of information about study abroad programs and scholarship opportunities for students. Many of these scholarships are easy to apply for but unknown by a lot of students and, unfortunately, one of the biggest things that keeps students from studying abroad is the notion that it's expensive and they can't afford it.
Would anyone be interested (or does anyone know someone who might be interested) in a list/spreadsheet of scholarships and programs? Most of my knowledge is aimed at American college students, but I would happily do some research about opportunities for students from Europe and Japan, etc. This also extends to foreign postgrad programs.
Let me know in the comments and I can whip something up!
-Grace

Kumanichi reports on positive aviation news. The article is a bit lengthy, so I'll summarize:
- Kumamoto Airport now has four international routes - Seoul, Gaoxsiung (Taiwan), and Hong Kong. The fourth, to Pusan, commenced from 12/15.
- Flights are charter-style conducted by LCCs (HK Air, Tea Way Airlines, Airsoul, and JAL to Taiwan).
- Due to its central location, Kumamoto has proven a popular alternative gateway to Fukuoka for Asian visitors.
- The Kumamoto prefectural government provides various subsidies averaging 2,500 yen per passenger.
- Between April and October of this year, international travelers amounted to 46,931, 4.8 times over the same period last year, and seems set to exceed the all-time high of 75,567 passengers set in fiscal year 2015.
- Due to the increase in international flights, the number of overseas guests at hotels and inns in the prefecture has recovered to the same level as before the quakes. Governor Kamoshima says, "By increasing the number of tourists from overseas through the resumption of three international routes," - now four by my count - "we can contribute to the economic development of Kumamoto."
Photos and a bar graph of passenger number are at the link. - William
熊本空港、国際線Ｖ字回復　利用客、過去最高の勢い - 熊本日日新聞
香港線が再開し熊本空港に到着した香港エクスプレスの第１便＝１１月、熊本空港くす玉を割って就航を祝う香港エクスプレスの何泓蔚総経理（中央右）ら＝１１月、熊本空港　「熊本は九州の中心。福岡や鹿児島にも近く...

Ah, the pure joy expressed in Kimiko Nishimoto's self-portraits!!
William posted about this Kumamoto City native a few weeks ago:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1667932429946849
I'm prompted to post this update because I saw a report on national television about the opening of her exhibit in Tokyo. I love the name of the exhibit, too: "Asobo ka ne" (遊ぼかね; I think I'll have some fun):
http://www.epson.jp/osirase/2017/171002.htm
I'm especially fond of the photo that accompanies this article, in which she seems to be on the verge of passing a speeding car -- to the astonishment of its driver.
I learned a bit about how to came to be a photographer. It seems that her husband (now deceased) gave her a camera and she took a photography class at Yubijuku (遊美塾) in Kumamoto:
http://www.yubijuku.net
Conveniently, the school is run by Kazutami Nishimoto, her son.
Obviously, she's doing a lot more than just pointing and shooting to make her photos. It seems that she has become extremely adept at crafting her photos using Lightroom and Photoshop (Adobe software) on her Mac. Adobe has made a Japanese web that describes how she works:
https://helpx.adobe.com/jp/photoshop/how-to/nengajo_newyear_greeting_birds_layer.html
If you'd like to check out her official Facebook page (of course, she's on Facebook!), you can find it at:
https://www.facebook.com/kimiko.nishimoto.official/
Enjoy!
-- Kirk
P.S. I'll try to let you all know if I hear about an exhibit that will be held in Kumamoto.
https://petapixel.com/2017/11/15/89-year-old-shoots-playful-self-portraits/
This 89-Year-Old Shoots Playful Self-Portraits
Kimiko Nishimoto picked up a camera for the first time when she was 72 years old. 15 years later, the 89-year-old photographer is now receiving a good deal

An English-language report on Jikei Hospital was just published. - William
Baby hatch operator calls for allowing anonymous childbirth
The operator of Japan's only baby hatch said Saturday the country should allow women in cases of unwanted pregnancy to give birth anonymously at hospitals, while ensuring the children's right to know their mother's identity after they grow up. Jikei Hospital in the city of Kumamoto, southwestern Jap...

Kumamoto's Jikei Hospital (慈恵病院) is well-known nationally for its "baby hatch," into which desperate mothers (or fathers) can entrust an infant rather than resort to far worse measures.
A characteristic of Japanese officialdom is the "family register" (koseki , 戸籍), however, on which such desperate mothers' (or, to scandalously less frequency, the fathers') child would be noted and permanently remain. This is a major cause of the prevalence of highly dangerous home births.
Kumanichi reports that Jikei Hospital is investigating a method to circumvent this system. The plan has three steps: (1) A sealed document with the mother's identity is entrusted to the hospital; (2) the mother gives birth at the hospital under anonymity; (3) the hospital arranges for the child's adoption as a child with unknown parentage. Hasuda Ken, deputy director of the hospital, said, "After consulting with administrative agencies and confirming procedures, we will implement our plan."
As an adoptee myself, I have an existential understanding of the importance such a system would offer - and this is yet another example of Kumamoto dragging Japan into the 21st Century (however reluctant the latter might be). I will try to keep you up to date with results of government-hospital negotiations. - William
慈恵病院、内密出産の可能性検討　「母親の孤立防ぎたい」 - 熊本日日新聞
内密出産の可能性を検討している慈恵病院。左奥に「こうのとりのゆりかご」がある＝熊本市西区　親が育てられない赤ちゃんを匿名でも預かる「こうのとりのゆりかご（赤ちゃんポスト）」を開設している慈恵病院（熊本...

Kumamoto's Animal Welfare Center is well-known in Japan for its no-kill policy. However, faced with space restrictions, it was recently forced to euthanize 16 pups, :( the first such action in 20 months. Over a hundred dogs remain under the care of the facility. If you're thinking of a Christmas gift - well, give a dog a home. Contact info is at the link, or message us for help. - William
犬の殺処分、１年８カ月ぶり実施　熊本市 - 熊本日日新聞
熊本市動物愛護センターで収容している子犬たち＝熊本市東区　２０１４年度と１６年度に犬の「殺処分ゼロ」を達成した熊本市動物愛護センター（同市東区）が、１年８カ月ぶりに犬の殺処分をしたことが１２日、分かっ...

Y'know when you go to a party and you don't want to be the first to leave but at the same time you don't want to linger too long? In terms of lifespan, Kumamoto hits that sweet spot. (Below chart: blue = stay to long; yellow = depart too early; pink = sweet spot - and white = fall asleep under the kotatsu while the party is still raging.) According to a government survey of 2015 for lifespan among all 47 prefectures, Kumamoto ranks 10th for men at 79.22 years, meaning we leave the party a tad earlier after those from Nara but at the same time as those from Okayama (we can share a taxi!), and 3rd for women at 86.54 years, who depart on average just earlier than Okayama women to snag the best taxis, but after those from Shimane because, y'know, well, Shimane.
Sex discrepancy was attributed to the naturally ingrained stubbornness of women.* - William
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/life/tdfk05/02.html
*I made that up. But maybe it's true.