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Kirk here. The elderly gentleman you see was describing the suffering of his mother, who died from Minamata disease, to Ito Shintaro, Minister of the Environment, when he was prompted to "wrap it up" (matomete) by a ministry bureaucrat. Not particularly nice but sort of understandable given the need to limit each speaker to three minutes that had been conveyed earlier. But, what came next was something that has really made lots of people (including me) angry. Seconds after the gentleman began to try to conclude his short presentation, his mic was cut.
Moreover, he was not the only victim; at least one other gentleman's mic was also cut off mid-sentence. Then, a ministry bureaucrat tried to say that what happened was "inadvertent" (futegiwa). If a mute switch gets hit once, that might be "inadvertent" but when you do it twice (or more?) at the same three-minute point, that's different; it may be a "bad decision" (to handle it that way) or a "mistake" (to be so incredibly insensitive) but it's not "inadvertent."
An hour or two earlier, Minister Ito had actually recognized and apologized for the government's failure to prevent Chisso from poisoning the people of Minamata. In response, some said that the apology was a step in the right direction but that the Ministry needs to actually take steps to help the victims. I feel like the Ministry, despite Minister Ito's words, showed their true colors by cutting off the mics of the patients and family member. That behavior is more consistent with the historical stance of the Ministry than Minister Ito's apology.
By the way, another point that came up in the meeting with the patients and family members was the failure of the government to do a proper survey of people living in affected areas to determine the health impacts on people who have not come forward to be certified as patients. The response of the Minister was something like "we're thinking about taking steps to begin getting ready to form a committee to decide when we might be able to start considering such a survey" (only slightly exaggerated). The phrase "justice delayed is justice denied" comes to mind. The Ministry has been delaying the start of such a survey for decades (the better part of a century, depending on how you look at it).
All of this illustrates how horrible treatment of Minamata disease patients is not a historical issue; it's ongoing.
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/1149996?display=1

Atsuko(｡•̀ᴗ-)و ̑̑✧
Joe asked for the location of the Papaya and Watermelon Market, so here is some additional information.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/kmQ3HQKExNLdzKpc/
Hitoyoshi Super Kid is here.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ti8kBKV4qF5TaTpV9
There were yellow papayas and green papayas this morning too. White strawberries, boiled (scrubbed) bamboo shoots, yuzu miso (It is delicious to eat cucumber and cabbage dipped in this miso.) and yuzu pepper are also recommended. The best recommendation is onigiri wrapped in pickled takana (instead of nori). These are really tasty. I want people who like the taste of spring takana to try it.
By the way, when you go to Hitoyoshi from Kumamoto city, do you know that you will lose money if you go directly to Hitoyoshi by Highway?
Now, from Yasushiro to Hitoyoshi is ''Free of charge''. Therefore, when you go to Hitoyoshi from Kumamoto, it is a hassle, but you go from Kumamoto City to the Yatsushiro Interchange, exit the Yatsushiro Interchange onto a public road, and from the public road again enter the Yatsushiro Interchange to go to Hitoyoshi. That alone will cost you more than 1000 yen less. 2350 yen becomes 1310 yen.
ONLY the motorway toll between Yatsushiro and Hitoyoshi is free.
Meanwhile, the watermelon market in Mashiki is here.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pV1wkWRCb3ZD4McP8
On Tuesday this week, several foreign visitors came, and they were all happy to see international guests. Unfortunately, due to the rain, they could not harvest the watermelons and could not sell them, but they are all waiting for the next chance. The local ladies and gentlemen of Mashiki do not speak English, but they welcome foreigners. Please make friends with them and get tea, sweets, tastings and souvenirs.

Joe Tomei here. While strolling down from Tatomiya cafe and the Kohaku ramen shop is Chez Tani, a sweets shop. As I mentioned before, many shops in Kumamoto are linked and Chez Tani is another example. Today, we'll talk about the Ezuko branch
https://www.chez-tani.com/shop/ezu/
but there are six other branches, all worthy of Funky Friday Find status.
[ed.] Just went to Tatomiya today and just down from that is a new curry place called トルネード. Also, the parking lot across the street is public, so park there, though be careful crossing the street!
The Funky Friday Finds map is here
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1qUH94Bac7Hr939b7_8gtvebaJZffGRsX&usp=sharing
Friday Funky Finds for Kuma-i - Google My Maps
All of the Friday Funky Finds are here! If you find a place has gone out of business or moved, please drop me a line through the facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/ New spots (circa 2024) will be marked in red, if it has closed, it will be marked in black.

Kirk here. I saw a notice in my Google news feed for "熊本" (Kumamoto) and "外国人" (foreigners) about this opening of a Kumamoto branch of GTN (Global Trust Networks). The translation on their website says "GTN, foreigners support organization, to launch on May 1st Kumamoto branch opened ~ Supporting coexistence with foreigners in Kumamoto, a semiconductor booming region, and further expanding regional revitalization​～". Even after looking at the website for a while, I'm still not exactly sure what they do but it would seem that, in part at least, they function as a recruitment agency or temporary staffing agency that specializes in foreigners. Their arrival in Kumamoto seems to be connected to the arrival of TSMC.
5月1日、GTN熊本支店OPENのお知らせ | GTN | 株式会社グローバルトラストネットワークス
グローバルトラストネットワークス（GTN）のニュースカテゴリ「5月1日、GTN熊本支店OPENのお知らせ」のページです。

Sean here:
File under: Kids are alright.
Raku san, a local teen, with out of the box solutions to a global problem - trash.
Trash Gets Fun!
Dispose of trash with trivia questions in this playful event.
It’s from May 3rd to 5th at Shimotori, mark your calendars!
Participate, have fun, and show your love for the planet!
⁡
📣GWは下通で楽しくゴミを捨てちゃおう📣
⁡
楽が @goodlife_on_earth で取り組んでいる
プロジェクト【ポイ投票】。
「ポイ捨て」と「投票」をかけ合わせた言葉です。
⁡
2つのゴミ箱と看板を設置し
思わず投票したくなるような二択クイズを用意。
ゴミを捨てることで投票に参加してもらいます。
⁡
投票形式のゴミ箱があれば、ゴミをポイ捨てせず
ゴミ箱に捨てたくなるのではないか。
そんな発想から生まれたプロジェクトです。
⁡
この企画の肝は「ゴミを捨てる」という行為を
楽しめるものとして再定義したこと。
投票という遊び心のある行動に置き換えることで
気軽に参加してもらい
環境問題について考えるきっかけを提供する
とてもユニークで面白い取り組みです。
⁡
心理学を応用して、ゴミ捨てを「やらなくちゃ」から
「やりたい」に変えていく。
彼が小学生の頃に思いついたアイディアを
GLE の力を借りて形にしました。
⁡
そしてこの度、下通繁栄会のご協力を得て
GW中の5月3日〜5月5日の3日間
熊本市中心街・下通にて
社会実装に向けた実験を行います。
⁡
お近くをお通りの際は
ぜひお立ち寄り・応援お願いします😘
そして偶然にもゴミをお持ちであれば
ぜひご参加いただけると幸いです😂
⁡
⁡
【ポイ投票】社会実験 2024 GW
期間: 2024.5.3〜5.5
時間: 11am〜7pm
場所: 熊本市中央区下通
内容: 二択クイズの投票形式でゴミを捨てる社会実験
目的: 楽しくゴミを捨て、環境問題への関心を高める
⁡
【参加方法】
1. 熊本市中心街・下通にあるイベント会場へお越しください。
2. 3ヶ所に設置された2つのゴミ箱と看板をご確認ください。
3. それぞれのゴミ箱に書かれた二択クイズから、自分が支持する答えを選びましょう。
4. 選んだゴミ箱にゴミを捨ててください。
5. 落ちてるゴミを拾って投票してもOK！手が汚れないようマジックハンドをご用意します。
6. 投票結果は翌日のゴミ箱及び @lalajoy._gle で発表します（フォローお願い❤️）。
⁡
【注意事項】
・ゴミは分別して捨ててください。
・煙草の吸い殻は絶対に捨てないでください！
・家庭ゴミの持ち込みはご遠慮ください。
・ゴミ箱周辺は綺麗に保ってください。
・イベントは天候等により中止する場合があります。
・その他、詳細は会場スタッフにお尋ねください。

Kirk here with more architectural news:
"Hotakubo Housing was completed in 1991, the first housing complex built under Kumamoto Prefecture’s Kumamoto Artpolis project. There are a total of 110 units, of which 89 are currently occupied."
Pritzker Prize Laureate Shows Thoughts on Families and Communities Through Housing Architecture
KUMAMOTO — Hotakubo Housing, a housing complex in Kumamoto City, is the first work of Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto. The housing units offer a glimpse into how this year’s U.S. Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate views the social nature of architecture.

Another high-tech company to come to Kumamoto? -- Kirk
[News] Following TSMC, ASE Reportedly Plans to Establish Plant in Kumamoto | TrendForce Insights
Following TSMC's announcement of investing USD 20 billion to build two plants in Kumamoto, Japan, industry sources cited by a report from Commercial T...

Kirk here. I saw a segment about this little vegan ice cream shop in Yamato-cho (not far from Tsujunkyo) the other day. I haven't had a chance to taste the ice cream yet but I fully expect to enjoy it when I finally get a taste. If my memory serves me correctly, in the news segment ARBOL (see picture) said she tasted vegan ice cream while traveling abroad and decided she wanted to do something similar in her home town of Yamato-cho.
https://www.facebook.com/p/ARBOL-Dairy-Free-Icecream--100083466543973/
The exact address is on the Facebook page.

Kirk here. I saw an interesting segment about an unusual festival in Yatsushiro -- Funatori Shinji -- on this evening's RKK news. I was pleased to see the person pictured referred to as "a local resident" (地元の人) rather than as a visitor from a foreign land. She commented on the festival in fluent Japanese, but my guess is that she's probably from an English-speaking country (perhaps a reader of this page?). It's nice to see a person who has taken up residence here recognized as a member of the local community. :)
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/1143685?display=1
Here's an English translation of the text of the video (first half only):
Title: "'It's not just a bizarre festival': The 'Funatori Shinji' returns after 5 years - We asked a university professor specializing in folklore!"
Date: Monday, April 29, 2024, 18:27
In Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, there is a festival called "Funatori Shinji" (Crucian Carp Catching Ritual) with a history of over 800 years.
Local people refer to this festival as a "bizarre festival," and we investigated behind the scenes.
The Funatori Shinji, held today (April 29), is being held for the first time in 5 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The men throw the crucian carp (funa) out of the pond to offer them to the spectators.
The executive committee of this festival, which prays for a bountiful harvest, is...
Mr. Masaomi Mori (68), Funatori Shinji Executive Committee
"It's a bizarre festival! I don't think there's any other festival that's so blunt."
This ritual originates from a legend that when Ishikawa no Sukune visited Kyushu to suppress rioters, the weather was bad and he couldn't obtain seafood, so local young men caught crucian carp in a pond and offered them to him.
Mr. Mori: "The feeling of gratitude has been cherished and blended into the activities in nature. I think there's the weight of history that has continued for hundreds of years."
It's not just a bizarre festival
We asked Professor Yusaku Yamashita (58) of Kumamoto University, who specializes in folklore, about the beginning and significance of the festival.
Prof. Yamashita: "In spring, they clean the waterways and the pond, which is the water source, to improve the flow of water. Rice farming is about to begin. You have to work hard. I think there were various meanings, such as celebrating and praying to the gods for a good harvest."
Prof. Yamashita emphasizes that the Funatori Shinji is not just a bizarre festival.
Prof. Yamashita: "Bringing things that Japanese people usually ate into rituals and celebrating together is not so much a bizarre festival, but rather an event that is part of the agriculture that the people of this region have been working hard on, and the joy of the people engaged in agriculture."
Especially in Yatsushiro, where there are many reclaimed lands, the connection with river fish and crucian carp is strong, and it is said that this has been passed down as a tradition to the present day.

Kirk here with Uto-Yagura news. This tower (yagura or "keep" is another English translation) is smaller than the main one (the tenshukaku) but it has survived for over 400 years. The main part of the castle was burned to the ground in the Satsuma Rebellion (Seinan Senso) of 1877.
Kumamoto: Open Restoration of Castle Draws Tourists; Number of Visitors Gaining on Previous Levels
KUMAMOTO — Kumamoto Castle, which was heavily damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, has been getting more and more visitors thanks to its “visible restoration” that is expected to last decades.

Here are some recommendations for local, inexpensive and delicious fruit shops.
Atsuko\(❁´∀`❁)ﾉ𖤐´-
Recommendation①
I discovered that my favorite fruit, papaya, is grown in Hitoyoshi. I knew that mangoes were grown in Tensui, but I was SO surprised to find sweet yellow papayas, not green papayas, on sale there.
My grandparents were Hawaiian immigrants (they came back to Kumamoto before WWII), and my father used to buy them as souvenirs for my grandmother when he used to go to the prefectural office on business. Papayas, which are still hard to buy in supermarkets, are made in Hitoyoshi! and sold at Superkid in Hitoyoshi!. I had sometimes seen green vegetable papaya at vegetable shops in the countryside, and Super Kid had them, and I ate them in curry and miso soup, but I had no idea that the yellow fruit papaya could be found in Kumamoto. I can't believe I can buy it in Kumamoto, in Hitoyoshi!!
They are sweet and delicious. Hitoyoshi's Superkid! I recommend it.
Recommendation②.
GW is the season of watermelon in Kumamoto. My volunteer friend has a vegetable market by farmers every Tuesday morning from 10am to 12pm at Ramen Party in Mashiki. Mashiki is also famous for watermelons. They are very cheap and tasty, out of standard products that cannot be sold in the market. You can also enjoy delicious ramen at the Ramen Party. Proceeds from the sales will be used to fund a soup kitchen for disaster relief. The team did a lot of soup-runs during the Kumamoto earthquake, and I have taken Kumamoto University international students to volunteer many times, so I am sure they will welcome international customers as well.
They also run a community space, so please come and have a cup of tea and get to know the local farmers. The vegetable market is every Tuesday morning.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
⭐️Regular, Tuesday "Vegetable Sale" (in the morning)
⭐️Schedule of items to be sold
Watermelons (out of standard that cannot be shipped to the cooperative = almost half price)(800 yen to 1,500 yen)
Ripe tomatoes = sold out early every time!
Mashiki rice = 3k for 1,000 yen is great 😃.
Cabbage = 150 yen!
Carrots = 100 yen
Garlic in soy sauce
⭐️We are waiting for you at the edge of the community 😃.
Tea, snacks and free hospitality ‼︎
⭐️Tuesday,"Vegetable Market" (direct sales by farmer's aunts)Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cheap prices because of direct sales! (Sometimes freebies!) ・No sales tax.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
PS.
Papaya, I bought some and the smaller ones were sweeter.

Sean here:
File under: A shout out to a teen hero.
A local hero and 3rd year student reminding us that not just athletes come out of Kyugaku.
Miharu-san, our intrepid hero, has embarked on a mission. In a world inundated with processed and fast food, she wants to remind us and the world of a humble food staple that has nourished people for over 2000 years: the Onigiri. The Onigiri, literally at our fingertips, or in the palm of our hands?🍙

Joe Tomei with another Kami Ezu FFF. This time, it's the Tatomiya sandwich cafe, which is just across the street from the Ezuko Boat House, with parking in front. The google map link, with tons of photos, is here
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EJdEzwvAyn2t4qLj7
As I mentioned last week, you can get to it by going to Kami Ezu and walking across the bridges that span the lake. The place has a nice airy feel with some outdoor seating, I believe Tatomiya is connected to the former MissFruitsParlor in Oe. (it seems that a lot of eating places in Kumamoto are in groups, which, with the price of raw ingredients, makes sense)
I read one online review from a few months ago that expressed joy that they have a pastrami sandwich but lamented that there wasn't much pastrami. While it is not like Katz's deli in New York, I thought that there was a pretty good amount of meat in the sandwich.

Here's a share from Kuma Visit. -- Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02Z5dVnSLKEtCNn6ppWSqqYcS3f65STTx1EbSG2eDa11VimxZ4naH9Uum3P8yi5uc4l

Kirk here. Today I'd like to share something that is tangentially related to Kumamoto (TSMC specifically) and something I think is just plain amazing, regardless of whether or not it's connected to Kumamoto. First of all, if you are like me until recently, you may not know that Nvidia is the third largest tech company in the world as measured by market capitalization. That puts it ahead of Google and Amazon!!
Graphic source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1350976/leading-tech-companies-worldwide-by-market-cap/
What does this relatively unknown giant do? Well, according to Wikipedia, it is a "software and fabless company which designs and supplies graphics processing units (GPUs)."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia
It's become a huge company because those wonky GPUs are what make the AI revolution we're experiencing now possible. And, something I find to be even more amazing is that Nvidia doesn't even actually make its main product -- it designs the chips and has companies like TSMC manufacture them on its behalf.
With TSMC, I'm finally approaching the tangential connection to Kumamoto. Today, I found the following article in my "Kumamoto" feed:
Nvidia Joins Forces with Japan's Tech Institute for Hybrid Supercomputer Project
https://www.tradingview.com/news/benzinga:390ce3c6f094b:0-nvidia-joins-forces-with-japan-s-tech-institute-for-hybrid-supercomputer-project/
The article mentions TSMC in the context of Japan's desire to produce chips here in Japan, rather than relying on foreign sources. The Nvidia connection ends there, though, at least for now. The kinds of chips to be produced here are logic chips -- not the GPUs relied upon by ChatGPT and other AI companies.
Still, I think the relationship between TSMC and Nvidia is interesting and provides some context for understanding the significance of what's happening here in Kumamoto. "TSMC’s dominance owes much to its now-retired founder, Morris Chang, who pioneered a model which separated producing chips from designing them." Nvidia, on the other hand, is the most successful example of a company specializing in design and letting TSMC actually build stuff for it.
Source of last quote:
https://www.reuters.com/breakingviews/tsmcs-most-complex-engineering-task-is-itself-2024-04-03/

Kirk here with a list, in simple Japanese, of various expat communities in Kumamoto. This kind of information is very welcome because I think a lot can be gained by bringing communities together, even if only through the sharing of information online, especially in emergencies (national disasters, etc.). There are several communities with which I am not familiar (and therefore haven't been able to introduce on this page) so I'm glad to learn about them. There are also several groups and sources of information that I know well and have mentioned or quoted on this page many times. Among them (in alphabetical order):
Kumamoto Earthquake Experience Project (KEEP)
Kumamoto Islamic Center
Kuma Visit
Kumustaka
World Friends Amakusa
Unfortunately, one expat community that is not included is Kumamoto International (this page). I'm in the process of contacting the people who put the pdf together so that future iterations of the list can be improved.
I found the list here:
http://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page213.html

It we can get beyond the "yuck" factor, it's probably a good idea. -- Kirk
World's 1st recycled diapers go on sale at stores in southwest Japan - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO (Kyodo) -- A major Japanese hygiene products maker began selling the world's first

Kirk here. A while ago I posted about the opening of the new Kumamoto Children's Book Forest (children's library; こども本の森　熊本) and asked if anyone had been inside to check out the collection of books in English. Although I got quite a few comments, no one reported on what they actually observed inside in that regard (see the url at the end of this post). Part of the problem may have been that it's not at all easy to gain admission. It's a very popular place and so, to prevent little kids from being trampled by a stampede of curious adults, they require that you have a reservation and limit the number of reservations they will take for any single period.
There's a link to the reservation interface from the main website:
https://kodomohonnomori.kumamoto.jp/
The main website has a convenient Google translate button that lets you translate the site into English and other languages but, unfortunately, Google translate and the reservation system haven't learned to play nicely together (in other words, you can't make a reservation via the Google translation). So, you need to deal with the Japanese interface which is here:
https://reserva.be/kodomohonnomori
If you give it a try, you'll find that most days in the near future are full. At this writing, all weekend spots are taken for a parent and child (two people); only Wednesdays and Thursdays have openings. So, if you want to take a child (or some children) to the library, you'll need to plan in advance.
In regard to English books, I was told when I visited the library (but wasn't allowed into the Children's Book Forest because I didn't have a reservation), that they are mixed in with Japanese books.
By the way, if you haven't seen it already, I highly recommend that you look at the Kuma Visit bilingual post about the library:
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02JSX5JX55y2GQuXpXAfdQxnjABg2LWMW2xgYcjEYfDanngwayPv4NPvjB1dxo3ZT9l
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0s4FtH7rEnAQDc8UCsFGjcfhyfVkima3gPzuBPMnSruyAwKXvhYPV8usjHqpQzwMul
こども本の森 熊本
『こども本の森 熊本』は、建築家の安藤忠雄さんの未来を担う子どもたちの豊かな感性や創造力を育むため、更には熊本地震からの復興を応援したいとの思いから、子どもたちへ贈られた図書館です。“本からの感動は生.....

According to the article, the luminescence is caused by the presence of a large number of noctiluca, a plankton that glows when stimulated. The article says that the video was recorded on April 16 in Amakusa. A map in the video that's embedded in the article shows the exact location:
https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/articles/2021z0f0qg7be5yx5adz.html

Ironically, this old guy seemed to imagine that he was teaching some elementary school girls good manners by punching one of them in the face. -- Kirk
75-yr-old man accused of punching young girl after argument over park trash in Japan - The Mainichi
KUMAMOTO -- A 75-year-old man was arrested here on April 18 for allegedly hitting an elementary school girl in the face following an argument over tra