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Before reading this article, I wasn't aware of the so-called Den'en Symphony train. After doing a little searching on the web I found out that it runs between Hitoyoshi and Yunomae on Saturdays and Sundays, one round trip per day. If you click on the following link you'll see a picture with Kumamon showing the interior of one of the trains:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1300566876686274&id=521116031298033
Kumamon links to a Japanese site that has the details about prices, departure times, etc.
After looking into this I'd like to note that I had to wade through a lot of extraneous information on several different web pages to find the basic what, when, and where of this train. Even if you understand Japanese, poor presentation of information on Japanese web sites can be a problem. -- Kirk
http://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/95-year-old-stationmaster-livens-Kumamoto-11216508.php
95-year-old 'stationmaster' livens Kumamoto railway in Japan
KUMAMOTO, Japan - Kumagawa Rail Road in the southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture is known for its sightseeing train running through the countryside. Dressed in clothing usually worn when picking tea leaves and sporting a stationmaster's cap, Shimoda welcomed passengers with smiles and posed for phot...

This is not specifically related to Kumamoto, but I suspect that, like me, quite a few readers of this page have used H.I.S. to arrange international travel. I had no idea that I was using a company that has been accused of abusing its employees.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/14/national/crime-legal/travel-agency-h-s-referred-prosecutors-labor-violations/
Travel agency H.I.S. referred to prosecutors for labor violations | The Japan Times
Labor authorities on Wednesday referred H.I.S. Co. and two of the travel agency's senior officials to prosecutors for allegedly forcing employees to work o

As the article indicates, this is pretty close to Kumamoto.
-- Kirk
http://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/japan-court-clears-way-for-nuclear-reactor-restarts/715339/
Japan court clears way for nuclear reactor restarts
A Japanese court today gave the green light to switch on two more nuclear reactors despite heavy public opposition, in the latest victory for the government's pro-atomic push.

Over the years, we've had few inquiries about getting things notarized. If you need notarization for something related to the U.S., it may now be possible to have this done electronically. -- Kirk
http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/06/12/532586426/notaries-are-starting-to-put-down-the-stamp-and-pick-up-a-webcam
Notaries Are Starting To Put Down The Stamp And Pick Up A Webcam
Technology and new laws are taking notarizations digital, adding them to the list of things you can do on your phone or computer. However, America's 4 million notaries are split on the idea.

Reduction in voter representation disparities is good for democracy in Japan but bad for Kumamoto, which will lose a seat:
"The 295 lawmakers currently elected from single-member districts will be reduced to 289, with Aomori, Iwate, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Mie and Nara prefectures each losing a seat."
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/09/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-finally-enacts-electoral-redistricting-law-correct-vote-weight-disparities-across-japan/#.WTv3TsaB3m0
Diet finally enacts electoral redistricting law to correct vote weight disparities across Japan | The Japan Times
After years of stalling, the Diet enacted a law Friday to revise Lower House electoral districts to reduce voting weight disparities between densely and sp

Japan beat Romania today. The YouTube video presents highlights and an interview with Michael Leitch. Kumamoto International readers may be particularly interested in Leitch's multicultural background. Here's a paragraph from the English-language Wikipedia article about him:
"Leitch was born in New Zealand to a New Zealand father and a Fijian mother, but moved to Japan at age 15 to study. He learnt the Japanese culture and language which he says he now speaks better than his native English and is considered well integrated to Japan. In 2008 he captained Japan at the Junior World Championship. He became a Japanese citizen in 2013."
-- Kirk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvNLtNONujc
Rugby Football Japan vs Romania Highlights scenes -日本 vs ルーマニア- ハイライトからの...
リポビタンDチャレンジカップ2017 -日本 vs ルーマニア- ハイライトからのリーチ・マイケルのインタビュー

If you are in the Kumamoto area but not watching the test match tomorrow, you can see it on KKT beginning at 2:30 PM.
-- Kirk
http://www.ntv.co.jp/rugby2019/
Road to JAPAN 2019 ラグビー日本代表戦｜日本テレビ
日テレ「Road to JAPAN 2019 ラグビー日本代表戦」公式サイトです。

In anticipation of tomorrow's test match between Japan and Romania, the Romanian athletes visited Karyo Junior High School in Kumamoto City. The video shows how their good-natured rugby lesson made a very favorable impression on the students (both male and female). I think this is a great example of how international sporting events can foster good will!
-- Kirk
P.S. For more about tomorrow's event (venue, tickets, interviews, etc.) see
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134.25925.123734781033296/1471703799569714/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1471786552894772?match=cnVnYnk%3D
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1475945439145550?match=cnVnYnk%3D
http://rkk.jp/news/index.php?id=NS003201706081741230111
RKKラジオAM1197kHz・ワイドFM91.4/92.3/94.2MHz、RKKテレビは3ch！九州・熊本のラジオ＆テレビ放送局(TBSテレビ系列)です。

Articles in this pdf edition of the Spring 2017 YOKA!:
AJET All Kyushu Hanami by CJ Fischer
Mono no Aware by Chase Sutherland
Adapting Is Awareness: Working in Japan by Aaron Maisler
Surya Restaurant Review by Caitlin Puzzar
A Week in the Life of a CIR by Erika Egner
4 Things I’ve Realized After Learning a Language for 5 Years by Josh Anderson
Language Exchange by Zaynab Nakhid
Kumamoto Summers by Jonny Cornish
The Beach House by Rebecca King
Photos by Caitlin Puzzar, CJ Fischer, Erika Egner, Joyce Tan, Laura McGhee, Olivia Poole, Preston Sangster, Rebecca King, Susannah Roberts, Tanya Leonard
-- Kirk
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/
by Caitlin Puzzar, CJ Fischer, Erika Egner, Joyce Tan, Laura McGhee, Olivia Poole, Preston Sangster, Rebecca King, Susannah Roberts, Tanya Leonard

A manga guide on how to make-do after a natural disaster：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--A manga artist found herself in the soup after evacuating following the Kumamoto earthquak

Kumamoto-related computer or smartphone wallpaper, anyone? Free downloads are available at the following address:
http://www.kininaru-k.jp/wallpaper/
-- Kirk
〒862-8570 熊本県熊本市中央区水前寺6丁目18番地1号 TEL（096）333-2027／FAX（096）386-2040 運営：株式会社カラーズプランニング ©2001 Kumamoto Prefecture All Rights Reserved.©2010kumamoto pref.kumamon

MetLife Foundation and Sesame Workshop Bring Financial Empowerment Initiative to Families in Kumamoto
"TOKYO, Jun. 05 /CSRwire/ - MetLife Foundation and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, introduced “Dream, Save, Do: Financial Empowerment for Everyone” to Kumamoto children and their families at the Hiroyasu Nishi Elementary School on June 2-3."
http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/40065-MetLife-Foundation-and-Sesame-Workshop-Bring-Financial-Empowerment-Initiative-to-Families-in-Kumamoto
Copied and pasted by Kirk

Lotsa work going on around Shirakawa, some of which seems to proceed at a pace noticeable to humans, most not ("glacial" would seem rapid in comparison). Yet they did manage to finish this bend in Tatsuda. I mention this because its an interesting case of humans succumbing to nature and just letting it have its way - after the floods in 2012 which subsumed this little spit, they decided not to rebuild but to give the land back to the river. (It was also one of my favorite running courses before my body gave out.)There are a few good photos at the link. - William
https://this.kiji.is/244990849245446147?c=92619697908483575
白川、河道切り替え完了　12年九州北部豪雨で氾濫　龍田陳内 - 熊本日日新聞
九州北部豪雨で氾濫した白川の河道を切り替える工事が完了した龍田陳内地区＝６日、熊本市（高見伸・岩下勉、小型無人機で撮影）蛇行する白川に囲まれ、浸水被害に遭った龍田陳内地区＝２０１２年７月１９日、熊本市　２０１２年７月の九州北部豪雨で白川が氾...

A bit about rainy season for those who are interested in meteorology: the jet stream scoots around the Himalayas and picks up varying amounts of moisture - which, in this season as the snows melt, tends to be a lot. It then rushes east in a narrow band, and its course is pushed north/south by arctic pressure. In other words, during rainy season, it's always raining somewhere, and probably heavily - but you may have a sunny day.
Today's JMA photo looks very alarming, but the front is flowing greatly to the east - so, too bad, Kagoshima! (Kagoshima always gets pounded - perhaps someday I'll write about how their architecture has evolved to deal with this) Don't worry, though - it will hit us soon enough. - William

The following is the text of an annoucment I have received and been asked to share. -- Kirk
----------------------------
Dear Community Leaders of Foreign Residents in Kumamoto, Greetings from Japan IsraAID Support Program(JISP)
Thank you for taking an interest in the "Training Program on Community Leadership in Disaster Situations for Foreign Residents". We plan to hold this program for community leaders of foreign residents in Kumamoto. (Please see attachment).
We are pleased to inform you that we will be carrying out Training A "Disaster and Leadership" (1st training) according to the following schedule.
【Date and Time】 June 11th 2017 13:00-16:00
【Place】International Conference Room( 3th Floor), Kumamoto City International Center
【Language】English
【Lecturer】Tsuguyuki Ichii, expert on Community Based Disaster Prevention and Risk Management
After the training from 13:00-15:00, we will be having snacks, tea and coffee. We hope that we can have a chat with you and look forward to seeing you there.
If there are requests from many who are not able to participate the training on the above date, we are considering conducting the same training on the 18th Jun(Sun).
If you would like to participate, please let us know your 1name, and 2organization name(or community name) via email. Please let us know all of the names and number of people if you are participating as a group.
Contact Information: [email protected] (Samuel Nakahashi, General Affairs, JISP)

The rainy season has been officially declared to have begun in all areas of Kyushu. Oddly, I searched but couldn't find an English news article and this official declaration. There must be something out there but Google failed me.
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20170606/k10011007971000.html
九州北部と山口 九州南部が梅雨入り | NHKニュース
湿った空気の影響で、九州は曇りや雨の天気となっていて、気象庁は６日午前、「九州北部と山口県、それに九州南部が梅雨入りしたと見られる」と発表し…

I'd never heard of a "seismic isolation floor" until now. Apparently, there are various mechanisms to isolate a building floor from seismic shocks using a free-floating system of supports, dampeners, and restoratives. The floor on the left of the building in the attached video appears to be moving because the camera was mounted to the wall on the right, which was not seismically isolated and so was actually the location of movement - notice how the workers are able to walk even during this large quake.
It is nice to see technology succeed despite the sad circumstances. Below is an image of a typical construction; the link is to a fascinating video of such a construction in action in Sendai in a building that housed (probable really expensive and important) servers during the 2011 Tohoku quake. - William
http://digg.com/video/seismic-floor-earthquake?utm_source=atlasobscura

It's been over a month since this article came out but, if you have it seen it yet, it's still as relevant as ever.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/04/25/national/kumamoto-couple-hard-time-parting-son-lost-earthquake/
Kumamoto couple have hard time parting with son lost in earthquake | The Japan Times
Shinobu Yamato, 49, still can't wash a pair of socks that her son, Hikaru, had left lying around before he was killed in the earthquakes that rocked Kumamo

In September of last year, I wrote about "a non-profit organization in Kumamoto that was established to help children and young people of mixed roots study Japanese, finish their homework, and perhaps even more importantly interact with teachers and other young people that understand the challenges, both academic and interpersonal, that children of mixed roots often face in Japan."
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1144708982269199
A program about the NPO was broadcast on NHK's educational channel today:
"熊本県合志市では、NPO法人「外国から来た子ども支援ネットくまもと」を運営する日本語教師が自宅を開放し、無料で日本語を教えている。"
I missed it but, fortunately, it will be rebroadcast at midnight Thursday evening:
再放送6月9日（金）0:00（木曜深夜）
-- Kirk
http://www6.nhk.or.jp/baribara/lineup/single.html?i=462#top
NHK　バリバラ | “外国ルーツ”の子どもたち
“外国ルーツ”の子どもたちのページ。「生きづらさを抱えるすべてのマイノリティー」の人たちにとっての

Come & Enjoy Boccia!
Arts & Sports for Everyone, an NPO, is to hold an event where you can enjoy a universal sport, boccia, with people living in temporary housing after the quake and people with difficulties.
Anyone with/out difficulties and with/out experience of playing boccia is welcome. If interested, please contact ASE by emailing to [email protected] NOW.
No entryfee needed and lunch provided. Ideally, please make a group of three or four, but individuals are also fine. We will make a rainbow team.
-- Yuichi