Posts
Another step forward on the road to recovery. -- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201703150051.html
Bridge felled by Kumamoto quakes to be rebuilt in 2020：The Asahi Shimbun
MINAMI-ASO, Kumamoto Prefecture--The collapsed Aso-ohashi bridge here is on the road to recovery und
For some reason, vicious rumors demonizing foreigners were spread after the 2011 quake in northern Japan but, for the most part, not after the Kumamoto earthquake. After the quake here, a lion, not a foreigner, became fodder for fake news:
"In the wake of the Kumamoto quakes in April last year, police arrested a man on suspicion of fraudulent obstruction of business over a fake photo and tweet indicating that a lion had escaped from Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens."
-- Kirk
http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170313/p2a/00m/0na/010000c#csidxd470bc93df5ac05aa89c441e75c013e
P.S. I learned about this article on debito.org. If you are interested in human rights issues in Japan, you may want to check it out.
80% believed fake rumors of crime by foreigners in Japan after quake: poll - The Mainichi
SENDAI -- Fake rumors of rampant crime by foreigners in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami six years ago were believed by over 80 percent of respondents here in a recent survey who said they had heard them, it has been learned.
If you're a US citizen and have registered with the consulate in Fukuoka (and if you haven't, you should), you've likely received this in your email inbox. For those who haven't, we're passing it on. It appears that all nationalities are welcome, not just Americans. - William
Dear U.S. citizens in the Kumamoto,
We wanted to let you know about a project we are organizing at the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka that we were hoping you might help us with. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Kumamoto, we wanted to convey to the people of the region America’s continued solidarity with them, and we also wanted to let them know how touched and inspired we have been by their positivity and resilience after the disaster.
In this spirit, we are developing a “tribute” music video to Kumamoto, adapting and performing the Kumamon Taiso exercise routine and song. The video is a joint project by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Fukuoka are together with other American agencies and organizations in Japan and the Kumamoto Prefectural Government. You can get a feel for the original version of the Kumamon Taiso, if you don’t know it already, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBBZop5j6D0. Maybe you saw a previous video that we made together with the Embassy and other Consulates in Japan, which became a viral sensation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xuXlpvWw1I). We hope this video will have a similar reach.
We are hoping to have a big group join us for the climatic shot of the video at the grounds of Kumamoto Castle on the afternoon of March 21, from 4 – 6 pm (please RSVP so we can let you know more details and if there are any changes). If you have a sense of people who might be willing and interested to participate, please spread the word.
Please RSVP to [email protected] for more information.
U.S. Consulate, Fukuoka
「くまもとサプライズ」キャンペーンのキャラクターくまモンです。 「くまもとサプライズ くまモンオフィシャルサイト」はこちらです！ http://cyber.pref.kumamoto.jp/kumamon/
Rika-chan (リカちゃん) is a "fashion doll" (きせかえにんぎょう、着せ替え人形) of a rather mature 50 years of age; Kumamon is an ursine-like blob of mania 43 years her junior. Common sense would dictate their paths would never cross - yet they have, and in that eternal capital of romance, Paris. Both have been selected as Goodwill Ambassadors to promote tourism between Paris and Japan, a position to be held for one year. The photo below shows Kumamon wearing a tuxedo and a cardboard image of Rika-chan along with le Ambassadeur de France au Japon Thierry Dana (right) at their inauguration ceremony held at the French Embassy in Tokyo. Kumamon's spokesperson was quoted as saying, "Kumamon would like you to learn of the places he visits and of the tasty food he discovers, and he will do his best to help the French people know about the Yoka of Kumamoto."
There is no word as to why the real Rika-chan did not show up. This next year will be nail-biting. Will they ever meet in person? Considering their age difference, is true romance possible? We at Kumamoto International will keep you up to date. Whatever happens, though, they will always have Paris. - William
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20170316001.xhtml
Here's to Kumamoto Castle! ;) -- Kirk
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2017/03/12/japanese-beer-company-sapporo-releases-special-edition-can-to-support-kumamoto-castle-recovery/
Japanese beer company Sapporo releases special-edition can to support Kumamoto Castle recovery
Be sure to spend the drinking funds for your cherry blossom viewing party on these beautiful cans.
New York = the world - there is probably a no more multi-ethnic city on earth, with of course Japanese as well there in large numbers. This Kumanichi article reports on some 3.4 million yen gathered from the Japanese diaspora in New York to aid Kumamoto reconstruction.
On a personal note, my son is in college in the city now and has taken part in many fund raising events. Though the article focuses on the Japanese diaspora, many people with no ties to Japan also donated generously, according to my son. - William
https://this.kiji.is/214189619553583106?c=92619697908483575
米国から復興支援金 日系人会が来熊、支援団体と交流 - 熊本日日新聞
米ニューヨークで熊本地震への支援金を集めた現地日系人会の野田美知代事務局長（中央）＝１３日、熊本市中央区 熊本地震への支援金を米ニューヨークで募った現地の日系人会の事務局長、野田美知代さん（６６）が１３日来熊し、支援金を贈る団体と熊本市内で...
What follows is the text of an announcement about the latest edition of YOKA that was published on the Kumamoto JET site. If you would like to read it, all you have to do is download the pdf.
-- Kirk
The Winter 2017 YOKA is here! This quarter’s YOKA features the following…
2017YOKAWinterCover
How to Survive Winter in Japan by Zaynab Nakhid
A Winter’s Night Tale by Denise Wiley
Learning from Six-Year-Olds by Mary Ellen Greenwood
JHS: Japanese Horror Story by Jazmin Guerrero
Babies on a Plane: How to Deal with the Unknown by Jonny Cornish
Kumamoto, Kyushu’s Own Winter Wonderland by Zaynab Nakhid
Ode to Natto by Mary Ellen Greenwood
Photos by Richie Luu, Laura McGhee, Zaynab Nakhid, Susannah Roberts, Joyce Tan, Denise Wiley
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2017/03/13/winter-2017-yoka/
Winter 2017 YOKA Kumamoto JET
(38 MB) of this issue is also available. Submissions are always accepted for future issues of the YOKA. If you want to contribute an article, photo, or creative piece to be part of a future issue, please e-mail your submission to
Hi, guys. I'm Yuichi. Another information on Special Olympics.
Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held from March 18 to 24 in Austria. 3000 athletes from 110 countries, including 2 women from Kumamoto, will compete in the games.
Do you want to know how the athletes from your country are doing in the games? Here is how. Download an application from App store for free, and you can get various kinds of updated information, including the result of individual athlete.
Information about a 12-week eikaiwa course at the International Center (熊本市国際交流館). There's a trial lesson for 500円 at 10am on Sunday, 19th March. Though the course itself is every Thursday afternoon from May 11th to July 27th. For more details please see the poster. Basic 英会話コース・受講生を募集します. シェアしてください! ワンコイン体験レッスンは3月19日(午前)・500円・要予約 - TIA - Ruth
A new subscriber to Kumamoto International wrote to tell me about a blog on which she has written about her experience in Kumamoto. One post is about the Hitoyoshi Hinamatsuri Festival and an earlier one is about the Kumamoto Zoo and Botanical Garden.
-- Kirk
https://minitrips.wordpress.com
Minitrips - Life is an exploration
Travel with little ones, Food at home, and many more
Extremely inexpensive (100 yen per session) Japanese lessons are available at the International Center downtown. Japanese people interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact the center.
-- Kirk
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_detail.asp?ID=7868&LC=e
Kumamoto International Foundation
TuesdayMorning :10a.m.-12p.m.Wednesday ClassMorning :10a.m.-12p.m.Afternoon :2-4p.m.Evening :6:30p.m.-8p.m.
This exhibition is in progress and will continue through April.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2017/03/07/arts/openings-outside-tokyo/tohoku-kumamoto-exhibition-linked-art-architecture-design/
'Tohoku — Kumamoto Exhibition Linked by Art, Architecture and Design' | The Japan Times
March 1-April 30 In remembrance of the earthquakes that devastated Kumamoto Prefecture a year ago, The Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto looks back on the p
There has been a good deal of national (and local, of course) coverage of this. -- Kirk
JR Kyushu unveils new sightseeing train colored after local forest, river - The Mainichi
KITAKYUSHU -- Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) on Feb. 27 unveiled its new luxury sightseeing train
Facebook, in it's infinite wisdom (sarcasm alert) has removed the search function from the page. I have tried to reintroduce it in the form of the "Learn More" button. If you click on the button (under the picture of Kumamoto Castle) and then replace the ****** in the URL with the word you are looking for, you should be able to use it to search for information on this page.
-- KIrk
Here's a bit of sad news that came out in February but that I neglected to pass on at the time. -- Kirk
Death toll from Kumamoto quakes in 2016 tops 200：The Asahi Shimbun
The official death toll from the series of earthquakes that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southweste
Itsuki Village (五木村), located southeast of Yatsushiro on the Kawabegawa River （川辺川) is beautiful and wild but remote, so the residents have put some effort into activities to attract visitors. One is bungee jumping, as you can see from these photos of Kumamon likely soiling his suit. The bungee jump facility was placed on hiatus in June last year as trained staff were unavailable (and, trust me, staff which is trained is desired here); however, Kumanichi notes that new staff has been secured, and the facility is set to reopen in mid-April, ahead of Golden Week. - William
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20170310005.xhtml
Here's another item for coffee aficionados in Kumamoto.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201703050001.html
Coffee grown in Kumamoto by team of high school students：The Asahi Shimbun
ASO, Kumamoto Prefecture--When you think of coffee plantations you don't think of Japan, but some hi
Our favorite Kumamoto-dwelling Scottish graphic novelist, Seán Michael Wilson, in February received a bronze award from the International Manga Awards (国際漫画賞) of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外務省) for his work, "Secrets of the Ninja." Seán has lived in Kumamoto for many years and is the first British person to ever be awarded this distinction. The novel is available from Amazon via the link below, and more about Seán from the link to his Website below that:
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Ninja-Shinobi-Teachings-Hattori/dp/1583948643
http://seanmichaelwilson.weebly.com/
I'm not familiar with this brand of coffee but if you love coffee you may want to check it out. If you scroll down to the end of the article you will find the address. Copy and paste that into Google maps to find the exact location.
-- Kirk
http://sprudge.com/conjunction-junction-and-coffee-roasters-brings-specialty-to-kumamoto-111483.html
Conjunction Junction: And Coffee Roasters Brings Specialty to Kumamoto
And Coffee Roasters in Kumamoto, Japan.
