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So I got a flyer for ordering Eho Maki yesterday.
I don't celebrate Setsubun, but there is a special corner at every supermarket which sells Beans for Mamemaki so everyone who lives in Japan will feel that Setsubun day is near (Valentine comes first though)
Here is information about Setsubun taken from Wikipedia,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun
And here is interesting article about Eho maki,
http://shun-gate.com/sp/en/power/power_style_25.html
At this article above ☝️ I found out that Kikuchi produce good eggs (Shicijo Eggs).
Anyone has ever bought them ?
I always thought Eho maki's ingredients are all vegetables, but apparently we can put sliced beef, seafood, and even Spiced Cod roe (明太子) for the roll.
Eho Maki is not cheap, I hope I will have the chance making it in the future.
-Olivia-

Kumamoto has a women's football (or soccer) team: Kumamoto Renaissance. The men's team is Roasso Kumamoto:
http://roasso-k.com
-- Kirk
P.S. I took the photo of star player Ayumi Kaihori from
https://www.soccer-king.jp/news/japan/nadeshiko/20170502/582960.html
Kaihori was "Japan's goalkeeper in the 2011 World Cup Final, where she saved two penalties in the shoot-out which saw Japan defeat the US by winning 3–1." (Wikipedia)
She joined Kumamoto Renaissance, where she's working as a player/coach, last year.
http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2018/01/17/afc-supports-kumamoto-renaissance-grant-earthquake-relief-fund/
AFC supports Kumamoto Renaissance with grant from earthquake relief fund - Inside World Football
January 17 – The AFC from its earthquake relief fund has made a $300,000 donation to the Japan Football Association (JFA). The money will be used to build new facilities for the Kumamoto Renaissance Football Club. Kumamoto Renaissance play in the first division of the Regional Women’s League in ...

An article in CNN about Japanese bamboo baskets ( http://edition.cnn.com/style/article/japanese-bamboo-art/index.html ) reminded of a gem of a little store in Oe called ＂Kougei Kikuchi" (工藝きくち - Kikuchi Artisans). The shop sells crafts of all types. Prices are quite reasonable considering the quality, and the proprietress is very friendly; she'll proffer a cup of tea while you browse. There are also many cats which wander in and out. Highly recommended. - William

Today, a "nude festival" (hadaka matsuri) was held in Reihoku-machi (Amakusa area). Today is officially "daikan" or "big cold" day. Fortunately for the revelers, it was relatively warm for this kind of year but even if I had been invited, I think I would have passed up this opportunity to swim in freezing water and then prance around the neighborhood with next to nothing on.
-- Kirk
P.S. If you click on the link you can see a video news report.
　熊本県苓北町で、男衆が神輿と海に入って無病息災を願う「裸まつり」が行われました。　さらしを巻いた男衆は水温１０度の海へ。大勢の見物人が見守る中、神輿を担いだ男衆たちは波にもまれながら、冷たい海を泳ぎ...

The portion of the video that features Charlie Nagatani starts at about 2:10. Thanks to Mark Frey for sharing this with us:
"Charlie Nagatani, owner of the Good Time Charlie country music club in Kumamoto and organizer of the Country Gold Festival in Aso, features prominently in this new film about the pioneers of country music in post-war Japan. The film receives its California premiere in February as part of the San Francisco Independent Film Festival, I hope I can see it! Try to catch this film however you can. Friends in Kumamoto may want to organize a local screening? https://www.facebook.com/farwesternmovie/"
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1741889519217806
-- Kirk

If you see this 🌺 flower around Kumamoto these days, it's called Tsubaki (Camelia).
Information taken from Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camellia
Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–300 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. There are also around 3,000 hybrids. The genus was named by Linnaeus after the Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who worked in the Philippines and described a species of camellia (although Linnaeus did not refer to Kamel's account when discussing the genus).[1] Camellias are famous throughout East Asia; they are known as cháhuā (茶花, 'tea flower') in Chinese, tsubaki (椿) in Japanese, dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃) in Korean, and as hoa trà or hoa chè in Vietnamese.
-Olivia-

I saw a segment about this on RKK's local news.
You can see some pictures that look a bit more like what I saw on local TV (submissions from ordinary viewers) here
https://weathernews.jp/s/topics/201801/180055/
and here
https://twitter.com/souki_e/status/953747110251278336/photo/1
As the article explains, these clouds were caused by today's early-morning launch of the Epsilon-3 rocket.
-- Kirk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180118_18/
Epsilon-3 causes noctilucent clouds to form- News - NHK WORLD - English
Shining night clouds were observed in skies over wide areas of western Japan after a rocket lifted off from southern Japan early on Thursday.

I have just finished reading this article, I think it's worth sharing. Good to know.
Hollywood movies do differ from reality no matter how "Based on Real story" they say.
Reminded me when I read how dark Walt Disney's life was.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5221851/Showman-P-T-Barnums-outrageous-cruelty-racism.html
Thank you for sharing, Sean Mc Coy.
-Olivia-
Showman P.T. Barnum's outrageous cruelty and racism
P.T. Barnum invented the big top circus entertainment extravaganzas and launched the first superstar tour, with singer Jenny Lind, the ‘Swedish nightingale’.

William Merrell Vories was born in Kansas in 1880 and came to Japan in 1905 to work as a missionary and English instructor, based in Shiga Prefecture. Along the way, he fell into architecture despite having no training in the field, and is responsible for some 1,600 of the earliest Western-style buildings in Japan. Among these is the Brown Chapel at Kyushu Gakuin. He later married the daughter of viscount Suenori Hitotsuyanagi and became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 1941, adopting his wife's family name to create Hitotsuyanagi Mereru - with an interesting accompanying kanji rather than katakana, 一柳米来留. He is also credited with, for better or worse, introducing the Hammond Organ to Japan. He died in 1964 and was posthumously honored the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 3rd class, by the Japanese government.
There will be an exhibition of his works at the Kumamoto Museum annex from 1/16 to 1/21. Admission is free. - William
ウィリアム・メレル・ヴォーリズ展 in 熊本
ボランティア・社会貢献、専門学校・高等学校・日本語学校、幼児教育、子どものスポーツ・キャンプ・学習、大人のための語学・生涯教育・フィットネスなどのご案内

This might have been fun to see. Sorry I couldn't give you a heads up in advance. -- Kirk
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2018/01/14/basketball/b-league/hometown-hero-shintaro-kobayashi-steals-show-b-league-star-game-kumamoto/
Hometown hero Shintaro Kobayashi steals the show at B. League All-Star Game in Kumamoto | The Japan Times
The players didn't take themselves too seriously during the second annual B. League All-Star Game. Instead of focusing on lock-down defense for the full 40

My friends in Jakarta is talking about this movie now.
I checked Aeon cinema in Ooe but they don't have it yet. Watching movies is a luxury in Japan. New movies' pace is quite slow here.
For those who wants to check movies at Aeon Ooe (the website is in Japanese)
http://eiga.com/theater/43/430101/7037/
-Olivia-

"What is Kumamon?" We're experiencing an existential moment. Until recently, licensing was only permitted to Japanese manufactures, with ３～５％ of the sale price taken for use to safeguard the brand.
Recently, though, Kumamoto has decided to allow overseas licensing (with a rate of ５～７％） - most of which will likely go to China. This has displeased many domestic manufacturers of Kumamon products, who fear they will be unable to compete with cheaper imports as well as losing their export markets. Apparently, some 6 million yen worth of overseas orders have already been canceled.
"What is the purpose of Kumamon?" is the question being bandied about. - William
くまモン、海外解禁で地元困惑　大口の取引キャンセルも（朝日新聞デジタル） - Yahoo!ニュース
熊本県のキャラクター「くまモン」のイラスト利用が今月から海外企業にも有料で解禁さ - Yahoo!ニュース(朝日新聞デジタル)

For those who live around Kurokami area.
YWCA has event on Feb 3rd (Sat) at 11:00-15:00.
Address: 2-27-21 Kurokami
Note: I have never been to their bazar, and I don't really know what they sell there.
I just realised it's written "We have lunch". Not really sure if They are giving out lunch or They are selling lunch.
Hope it will be great event for those who can go.
-Olivia-

China's Suzhou (蘇州）is a sister city of Kumamoto. Suzhou borders a region endemic to the golden snub-nosed monkey (ゴールデンモンキー), so called because they're golden and have snub noses. They look a bit like Trump would if he were in any way cute. And their main staple is lichen, which is unusual for a monkey.
There are only five golden snub-nosed monkeys in Japan, all of whom live at Kumamoto Zoo and are related, complicating breeding. Kumanichi reported that respective zoos of the two cities have commenced negotiations towards solving this. A member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference met with Kumamoto Mayor Ohnishi and expressed hope that the initiative would deepen ties between the two regions.
Likely, this is the only example of golden snub-nosed monkey diplomacy in the world. - William
https://this.kiji.is/326164240619160673?c=9261969790848357
熊本市動植物園と中国・蘇州の動物園　キンシコウ繁殖へ“縁談”協議 - 熊本日日新聞
熊本市動植物園で飼育されているキンシコウ＝２０１６年１月（横井誠）　熊本市動植物園（東区健軍）が、市と交流都市協定を結ぶ中国・蘇州国家高新区の動物園と、キンシコウの繁殖に向け協議を開始することで一致し...

It's interesting that the error was only sent out in Japanese. I guess it's good that people who depend on the English language to get vital information about whether or not we're about to be nuked were not disturbed. But, does that mean that it's possible that, in the event of an actual attack, a notice might NOT be sent out in English? Or, perhaps there's no analogous app in English. Either way, the "only in Japanese" aspect of this news strikes me a bit problematic.
I guess the "real" warnings are supposed to come from the J Alert system, which does come in English too. But, I just learned that if you have an unlocked phone (SIM free), you may need a separate app:
"Overseas terminals, MVNO, SIM lock free smartphones may be unable to receive a J-ALERT. In such cases, please install "Yahoo! JAPAN disaster prevention flash report" app on your Android or iOS device so you will be able to receive a J-ALERT."
http://www.realestate-tokyo.com/news/j-alert-system/
-- Kirk
http://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/16/asia/japan-false-missile-alarm-intl/index.html
Japan broadcaster sends false North Korea missile alert
Japanese national broadcaster NHK issued an on-air apology Tuesday after issuing an alert incorrectly claiming that North Korea had launched a missile.

My Friend sent me this picture. Most Dondoya events have finished last weekend.
I missed joining Dondoya this year.
Some people put sweet potatoes at the inner part of the fire, and everyone will enjoy the roasted potatoes together. People can put their New Year decorations surrounding it to be burned together.
Every community has their Dondoya event, and Misato machi had quite a large one. Missed that event too.
It is a good event to meet people in your Neighbourhood. Some skipped the opportunity though. Hope I can join one next year.
Olivia

Jackie posted about saving money on mobile phone bills with Sakura Mobile and Asahi-net:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1735055426567882
Thanks Jackie! I strongly agree with her that it's a good idea to avoid the big three providers (Docomo, AU, SoftBank) if you want to get a good deal on your mobile phone service. Personally, I use Rakuten Mobile which is even cheaper than Sakura Mobile but doesn't provide service in English as far as I can see.
I'm not sure which kakuyasu (inexpensive Mobile Virtual Network Operator) provider is best but I definitely recommend avoiding or severing ties with the big three. It amazes me that despite paying through the nose for service most of my students use one of the major providers. I found a Japanese article from about a month ago that indicates that nationally about 90% of Japan's users are getting service through one of the major providers:
http://www.data-max.co.jp/300105_ks01/
In my opinion, they are paying a lot of money for their ignorance or their preference the service they get when they sign up. (By the way, speaking of service, the service I got from AU was good until I signed on the dotted line but, after that, I was frequently frustrated by the poor service I got -- a factor that led to my departure.)
Also, Rakuten is planning to start their own network:
https://asia.nikkei.com/magazine/20171221/Business/Rakuten-wants-to-create-Japan-s-fourth-mobile-network
This will make them the fourth company in Japan (after the big three) with their own network.
-- Kirk
http://jpninfo.com/52923
Tired of Expensive Monthly Mobile Bills in Japan? Check Out this Cheap and Cheerful Option! – Japan Info
Nowadays, almost everywhere in the world children, teenagers, and adults own their own mobile phones so that they can stay connected every day for either work or social purposes. This is no different in Japan, however, one of the downsides of having a mobile phone in Japan is that it can be expensiv...

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