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Hi! This is a repost of a survey request from Ryohei Matsumoto. He's added some questions about the attributes of those who answer. If you have a minute and wouldn't mind helping an earnest student with his studies, please fill out the form.
-- Kirk
Hi!I'm Ryohei Matsumoto. I'm a fourth year student at Kumamoto Gakuen University. I'm writing graduation thesis. The research content is the difference of personality and culture. Please answer these question. I need to your cooperation!1=strongly disagree 2=disagree a little 3= neither disagree nor...

My wife's grandmother, Kikukawa-baachan, and uncle have lived in Yabe forever, so I've spent much time there over my 25 years in Japan, and during that time, absolutely nothing has changed (although grandma has cut back on her gardening; she is 97, after all). The locals, invariably rice farmers, are as conservative as they come. If a new rice cultivation practice is suggested, for example, they'll collectively remember that so-and-so-san had tried that to poor results back in 18, requiring one to confirm the reign era (18 what? Meiji? Taisho? Showa? Heisei?) - these people have long memories, so one can never be certain.
And they drink. A lot. Of shochu. Why not? - between sowing and reaping and during the winter, there's not much to do aside from gossiping about Kikukawa-baasan's exotic grandson-in-law - and drink. A favorite local brew is Tsujun Syuzou (通潤酒造), utilizing the crystal spring waters and golden rice of the region. The brewery is inviting guests in October to help hand-harvest rice and enjoy a BBQ, sake, and beer afterwards. The cost is 2,000 yen, and reservations are required. One can get there by bus from Kotsu Center. Info is below. - William
http://shop.tuzyun.com/html/page13.html

Here's another Arita event to add to your calendar - Arita's annual autumn pottery festival! The festival runs from November 22nd to 26th and features a huge lineup of events, including open days at some of the town's traditional brick kilns, walking tours around the city, beautiful fall foliage, a pottery bazaar, kids' activities, and food. I would especially recommend a visit to the brick kilns. The potters are always eager to talk about the history and tradition of their work.
According to legend, Arita-yaki, Arita's traditional form of pottery, has a history dating back to the mid 1600s. Arita-yaki is known for its quality and bright colors and remains famous across Japan. Many potters who live there today still hand-shape their wares and decorate them with paints made locally using many of the same methods that were used several hundred years ago.
Arita itself is beautiful, and I'm not surprised that its soft hills and rivers still attract many accomplished artists. I've been to the pottery festival that Arita holds during Golden Week and the bazaar stretched for blocks and blocks through the center of town. When I left Japan, I left with a whole suitcase just filled with Arita-yaki.
Aside from a great day out, the autumn festival would be the perfect place to get Christmas gifts!
At the top of the webpage you'll find a PDF version of a brochure, including a handy map. I've included a link here as well:
http://www.arita.jp/pamphlet/data/aki_2017.pdf
Please let me know if you're interested but don't read Japanese, and I'd be happy to provide more information! Also, please share your experiences here if you do end up going, as I don't currently live in Japan and want to live vicariously through you. ;)
-Grace
第13回秋の有田陶磁器まつり｜有田観光協会 ありたさんぽ
有田観光協会ホームページ「ありたさんぽ」。イベントや観光施設、オススメコースを、有田焼からグルメまで情報満載。ぜひ有田へお越しください。

Autumn marks the sudden (and perhaps to some, alarming) appearance of the jorōgumo (女郎蜘蛛, L. Nephila clavata), literally "prostitute spider" due to the female's bright colors. They've been around since spring, but the females explode in size during this season as they prepare to mate and bear eggs; males are half or less the size and can often be seen on the periphery of the female's web contemplating their fate: attempt to mate and risk being eaten, or contemplate a bit longer. Perhaps the males are also contemplating this: In Japanese folklore, the jorōgumo female may change her appearance to that of a beautiful woman so as to seduce men whom she then binds in her silk and devours - except it's not innocuous folklore to these suitors but hard reality unless the mating dance is concluded flawlessly.
Orb webs of female jorōgumo can reach one meter in width, and their structures are unusual: in addition to the central orb, there are layers of irregular, thick, criss-crossed silk on either side, probably to slow down autumn's large prey.
You will know immediately if you've walked into such a web. The following is advice based on experience:
1. If only partway through the web, back out.
2. If fully crashed through the web, do not panic.
3. Look back at the web's wreckage to see if the spider is still there; if she is, water helps in removing the web from your face, clothing, and hands.
4. If she is not there, she may be on your body (though she also may simply have dropped from her web, but this is not the time to be complacent). Feel free to panic by jumping about while vigorously rubbing every surface of your body.
Below are photos of an exceptionally large female (or a very small hand); in human form, seducing a male; and with two male spiders, both in deep contemplation. - William

The "Tokyo Reporter" publishes it's articles on a really sleazy website so I hesitated to share this but the article itself seems to be accurate. The crime occurred in the Higashi-ku (East Ward) of Kumamoto City.
Here's a link to a Japanese article about the same incident:
https://breaking-news.jp/2017/09/18/035369
-- Kirk
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2017/09/22/kumamoto-man-used-cord-to-strangle-wife-to-death/
"I flew into a rage and strangled her" | The Tokyo Reporter
Kumamoto: Man used cord to strangle wife to death

“'There isn’t much room left for Kumamon’s popularity to grow in Japan. We want it to depart from being a local mascot and instead make anime for a worldwide audience and then to milk that for all it’s worth,' said Tomoko Takahashi, an anime producer at leading advertising agency Asatsu-DK Inc. and KumaLab member."
This article is accompanied by a video you may enjoy as well.
-- Kirk
Kumamon plots global takeover to avoid slipping in popularity：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Kumamon rules. A household name in Japan, the bear seems to have his paws in everything, e

A note from our friend Evelyn Martinez. I will certainly attend and hope to meet many of our Kumamoto Internacionalistas there. Bring something yummy for the potluck! (You can pick something up at Sun Live.) - William
The Mexican community in Kumamoto is organizing an event for this Saturday (September 23) to collect donations for the victims of the earthquake that hit Mexico yesterday.
Many people lost their homes, more than 250 people perished, and many more are still trapped under collapsed buildings.
We in Kumamoto recently experienced a quake of nearly identical size and received help from many parts of the world. Now it is our time to give thanks by giving back.
Place: Tamukae Kouminkan (next to Tamukae Shrine)
2 Chome-7 Tamukae, Minami-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto-ken 862-0962 (¡Copy-paste to Google Maps, or see the map below en español!)
Time: Saturday, 9/23. From 12:00 pm, we will have a pot luck lunch; from 14:00pm, Mexican folk dances and piñata will be held on a stage.
We invite you to join us enjoy Mexican culture and help victims of the Mexican earthquake.
Entrance is free, though there will be a donation box for those who wish to contribute.
All donations will be deposited with the Mexican Red Cross.
No parking is available, but the Kominkan is a 10 minute walk from Sun Live Kumanan, which has ample free parking.
On behalf of the Mexican community in Japan, thank for your generosity. - Evelyn
Tamukae Shrine
2 Chome-7 Tamukae, Minami-ku, Kumamoto-shi, Kumamoto-ken 862-0962, Japón

I think this is a good introductory article for readers who are learning about congenital Minamata disease for the first time and also a good update for those already familiar with the topic. By sure to check out the slide show included with the article.
-- Kirk
More than 60 years on, Japan's mercury-poison victims fight to be heard
Shinobu Sakamoto was just 15 when she left her home in the southern Japanese fishing village of Minamata to go to Stockholm and tell the world of the horrors of mercury poisoning.

This article is similar to another one I posted on September 1st:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1578123352261091
Still, it's a new article with added details and so I thought some people might be interested.
-- Kirk
Mythical fish ready to adorn quake-hit castle in Kumamoto：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Earthquake-damaged Kumamoto Castle is set to look better than ever when its main keep is r

The giraffe is the tallest terrestrial animal. There are six subspecies, each with its own fur pattern (a photo of their fur patterns is below). One subspecies is the Masai giraffe, of which there are only nine in existence in the country spread across four facilities; four Masai giraffe are currently at Kumamoto Zoo.
Among these four is Toma (冬真), who was born a year ago and has now reached a length of 3.5 meters and weight of 500 kilograms. Any bigger and giraffes become difficult to move, so now that Toma is weaned, he will be sent to live with a female at the Phoenix Natural Wildlife Park in Miyazaki in November.
The article contained two cute words I didn't know:
- ラブコール (love call): to call out to someone with love or good will
- 婿入り (mukoiri; literally, "entrance of groom"): to move in with one's bride's family
Farewell, Toma! The ラブコール has reached Kumamoto from Miyazaki, and now you will 婿入り with your new sweetheart. We look forward to the gamboling of Masai giraffe calves in the near future. - William
https://this.kiji.is/283035039473763425?c=92619697908483575

Birder Alert
Hello from Amakusa!
Due to the typhoon, our precious long weekend was pretty much a write-off.
Monday however was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed the day hiking and paragliding in Kuratake (the highest mountain in Amakusa).
During flight we were able to observe large groups of hawks circling together with our paragliders. These birds are called Akaharadaka (Chinese Sparrowhawks) and are currently migrating south to overwinter in the Philippines.
These hawks as well as various migrating birds including cranes can be observed flying over Amakusa at this time of year. The best location to bird watch in Amakusa is Mt.Rokuroji in the south of Amakusa. Be sure to bring your binoculars and fancy camera lenses! https://www.city.amakusa.kumamoto.jp/kiji0031394/index.html
Leanne Vibe

Our friend Ryohei-san would like your help with a short survey. If you have a moment, please lend him a hand by completing the form at the link below.
Hi! I'm Ryohei Matsumoto. I'm a fourth year student at Kumamoto Gakuen University. I'm writing a graduation thesis. The research content is differences between personality and culture. Please answer the questions on the Google form linked below. I need your cooperation! Thank you for your help.
https://goo.gl/forms/osq83rlZytfPfj0r1
Google URL Shortener

"'Some things happened that we could not have predicted until they actually took place. We learned many lessons,' Suzuki said. For example, the company now recommends that employees carry their wallets, purses, and home and car keys with them at all times. Many of the production line workers previously stored them in the locker room after changing into their uniforms. If an earthquake takes place, lockers may fall over and the room itself might be rendered inaccessible, leaving the workers stranded without money and unable to drive to or get into their homes."
http://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00347/
I hope "the next big one" is far away -- both geographically and temporally. :)
-- Kirk
Sony High-Tech Plant Prepares for the Next Big One
As major earthquakes could take place anywhere in Japan, they are a significant risk for the country’s high-tech firms. Precision equipment in plants can be easily damaged. Following last year’s earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture, a Sony subsidiary is taking action to reduce the potential impact of…

Joe Tomei here, I'm posting something I posted on the KumAJET list, apologies if you get it twice.
I wanted to let all of you know that you can get a library card at Kumamoto Gakuen University and check out 5 books a week, as well as come in the library and use the facilities. The university charges 1000 yen a year, with the period tied to the school year, so if you joined now, you'd need to renew in April. You need some id and an address. It's a program that I tell people about, and posting it for the newly arrived JET participants made me realize that it might be good to post here. You can visit the library and just sign in (and save 1000 yen), so if you don't want to check out books, you don't need the library card, but filling out the form every time is a bit of a pain.
The holdings are good, and a range of English books, but the coverage can be spotty. You can search the holdings here
http://www1.lib.kumagaku.ac.jp/mylimedio/search/search-input.do?mode=comp&lang=en
The school cafeteria is next door, you just buy a ticket and get your food and it is quite cheap and the food is good. If you come and need any help, I'm sure I can get one of my students to help you.
If you are interested and need some help or have questions, please contact me offlist.
Material Search

The Iwashitas, Kesumi-san and Kaoru-san (袈裟實さん、カヲルさん) were both born in Aso Town in Taisho 6 (大正6年), which corresponds to 1917. They met, fell in love, married, and had two sons. He did office work for JA, she taught elementary school. 60 years ago, Kaoru-san began to have heart trouble, so Kesumi-san added housework and child raising to his schedule.
They now live in Jonan, two centenarians still together, alive and in love, and they were celebrated for it yesterday, Respect for the Aged Day. "They still have good appetites and are healthy. Taisho, Showa - they've lived through turbulent times, and all I have for my parents are words of gratitude. I'd like them to live even longer", their son said.
BTW, "ko" (子) was reserved for royalty until the Meji census reform in 1882, and most females (and even some males except for the first-born) were given names written in katakana. The ability to read was not prevalent among the poor of that time - not just the offspring but the parents as well - and official documents were usually dictated orally, with katakana considered more official than the more feminine hiragana. Parents would often pay big money to a scholar for a very fancy name for their first-born son: Consider Kesumi-san's kanji, 袈裟實. I wonder how old he was before he learned how to write that.
A bit of good news for a Tuesday back at work. - William
夫婦一緒に100歳、祝福に涙　熊本市の岩下さん夫妻 - 熊本日日新聞
夫婦で１００歳を迎え、お祝いを受けた岩下袈裟實さん（右）とカヲルさん＝熊本市南区　熊本市南区城南町の岩下袈裟實［けさみ］さん、カヲルさんが今年、夫婦で１００歳を迎え、１８日、同町の指定介護老人福祉施設「祥麟館」で家族や施設利用者らから祝福を...

Kumamoto wasn't hit as badly by the typhoon as some other areas but, as these photos from yesterday's RKK evening news show, areas outside of Kumamoto City such as Yamato-cho had some problems. The caption in the second photo says that roads became impassable at four points.
-- Kirk

If you've got connections to Montana in general or The University of Montana in particular, you may already have heard about the university sending non-renewal notices to a 30-odd professors in the past weeks. Though the professors are not necessarily being fired for sure, they've basically been reminded that their contracts are ending and that the university COULD decide not to rehire them for next semester depending on a variety of factors, including student enrollment in classes and programs. This is part of a series of actions the university is taking to deal with a budget problem in part caused by decreasing enrollment numbers.
I feel like the humanities often bear the brunt of such cuts, and looking at a list of the professors who were sent non-renewal notices paints a depressing picture about the university administration's views about these departments - of 33 letters, for example, 10 went to professors in the English and languages departments, departments that are already small and understaffed but which still strive to provide excellent programs for UM students. If you aren't connected to Montana in any way, you might not know that UM has a strong history of exchange with Kumamoto Daigaku. Both schools have rich humanities programs that attract students from all over the world, and I wouldn't be who or where I am today without their incredible professors and programs.
I'm not sure how much can be done to sway the UM administration's eventual decision about renewing contracts, but this is not how hard-working, dedicated professors deserve to be treated. I've shared an article about the letters as well as a link to a petition that, if it gathers enough signatures, might at least help the university realize how unhappy many of its alumni and supporters are about its behavior. Please think about adding your name!
-Grace
Here's a link to an article with some more information:
http://missoulian.com/news/local/university-of-montana-sends-non-renewal-notice-to-estimated-lecturers/article_53e30d72-4a57-50b7-80a7-e6f1430b1d7b.html
Stand with Anna Louise Stene
434 signatures are still needed! University of Montana Students : Protest the University of Montana's sending 33 lecturers non-renewal notices mid-year!

Our friend Jay hails from the San Francisco bay area, one of the great pâtisseries of the world (sourdough!). He and his wife, Chikae, have been gradually rolling out a full-service deli-style cafe, Out of Step, and will take a big step towards realizing their dream by adding hand-kneaded bagels to their menu of muffins, cupcakes and sandwiches (eat in or take out) from tomorrow, 9/19. Cream cheese is available; lox (home made, of course) and capers are envisioned in the near future.
You want to eat bagels. Jay and Chikae want to sell bagels. This is thus a very good thing. Their address is 2 kawaramachi, Kumamoto, 860-0023. Their phone number is 080-8380-3679. The menu changes daily, hours are unstable during the rollout, and special orders are available, so it might be a good idea to call ahead. Out of Step's Facebook page is at the link. Good luck, you two - and thanks for the bagels! - William
https://www.facebook.com/outofstepbagels/

Kirk had written about destruction of the basalt columns near Tateno by construction workers intent on stabilizing the gorge - ironic, since those columns, having been there for some 300,000 years, were not likely going anywhere. While construction workers being unaware of the geologic value of a cliff is understandable, that their superiors didn't realize this is inexcusable. Perhaps some disaster mitigation is possible.
Aso underwent four eruptions from 300,000 to 90,000 years ago; earlier eruptions led to creeping, slowly-cooling basalt that crystallized into hexagonal-shaped columns, while the last ejected an amount of material equivalent to the volume of Mt. Fuji which covered half of Kyushu and resulted in the caldera that we know today. (Still want to live in Tokyo, knowing that?)
Takachiho gorge displays basalt columns from the earlier eruptions topped by tuff deposited when Aso went complete kablooey in its grand finale 90,000 years ago; the two rock types are clearly seen in the below photo. Takachiho has made the list of the 11 most beautiful basalt columns in the world. See the article below for more info and beautiful photos. - William
P.S. - I know of a stunning location of crystallized basalt that plunges into the sea down in southern Kagoshima and is accessible to the slightly adventurous. If interested, PM me.
https://www.fromthegrapevine.com/nature/11-intriguing-basalt-formations-around-world

These two photos show Tateno Gorge before and after government construction. If the gorge had been damaged by the earthquake that would have been one thing, but this seems to have been a human decision -- one in which not even the government of Kumamoto Prefecture was consulted:
"The restoration work in the area includes the construction of a new bridge designed to replace the Great Aso Bridge that collapsed following the Kumamoto earthquake disaster in April 2016. The central government, however, did not inform the Kumamoto Prefectural Government that it would be tearing down the naturally formed columnar joints in the process.
The vertical cracks, which were created after lava from nearby Mount Aso cooled down and solidified, are considered to be a geological phenomenon. The demolished cracks were discovered by a member of a citizens' group on Aug. 30."
-- Kirk
http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170914/p2a/00m/0na/024000c