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Recent Mt. Aso eruption attests to the fury of Mother Nature：The Asahi Shimbun
Mount Aso's pre-dawn eruption Oct. 8, the most violent in 30 years or so, lobbed mighty boulders in

This image is from a detailed pdf map I found at
http://d2bbxa7r541r3a.cloudfront.net/whatsnew/photo/1475963817.pdf
The map is dated "October 8th," immediately after the eruption so I think the information should still be correct. The roads shown in dark blue are "restricted" (daytime hours, alternating single-lane traffic, etc.) but open.
A little more information is available in English at
http://kumanago.jp/whatsnew/?mode=detail&id=366
-- Kirk

Earlier today, I posted about Aso Farmland. Now I'd like to write a little note about a problem that comes up fairly regularly with foreign-language information in Japan: No links to the original Japanese-language information. Take this page as an example. The English page contains a link to itself (which merely refreshes the page) and to Chinese and Korean. However, there is no link to Japanese! I think this is the result of the assumption that foreigners ONLY need information in foreign languages. Even if one doesn't understand Japanese, however, one might want to be able to send a Japanese friend a link to the Japanese information -- particularly if there seems to be some sort of problem with the translation. I think the assumption behind this phenomenon is that non-Japanese live in a foreign-language bubble and couldn't possibly find a way to make use of information in Japanese. I hope the day will come when more people recognize the importance of providing links from foreign-language translations to the original Japanese-language material.
By the way, the only way I could find to get to the original Japanese was to erase "lang/en/index.html" from the URL:
http://www.asofarmland.co.jp/lang/en/index.html

Though this article doesn't mention the impact of the quakes and the current state of repairs (an omission that I find to be rather puzzling), the Aso Farmland website includes the following statement:
"We're close since the earthquake of April but started to accept reservation after August.
A part of facilities and shopping area are still under repairs now.
Available facilities might be changed depends on progress of the restoration."
As I looked for information about the current situation at this facility, I came across an interesting article that I think we missed when it first came out:
"Quake-proof, dome guesthouses offer comfort to Kumamoto evacuees," July 10, 2016 (Mainichi Japan)
http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160710/p2a/00m/0na/002000c
It looks like the facility might be a fun place to take kids! For more, please read the article.
-- Kirk
https://fastjapan.com/en/p116071
Aso Farm Land in Kumamoto Has 300 Egg Shaped Dome Hotels
Aso Farm Land in Kumamoto Prefecture is a health conscious theme park. Play brain games and relax in the onsen surrounded by nature. Come relax and enjoy this family friendly retreat.

NHK has published a video and article about the Honmaru Goten. Actually, I think "main building" is a mistranslation of "honmaru." The is not the iconic castle keep but the lord's residence, which is situated right next to the castle keep.
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20161012_25/
Main building of Kumamoto Castle opened to media- News - NHK WORLD - English
A main building of a castle in Kumamoto has been opened to media for the first time since strong earthquakes hit the southwestern prefecture in April.

Kumamoto marks six months after quakes, as rebuilding homes remains issue | The Japan Times
As Kumamoto Prefecture marked six months since two powerful quakes hit the region, some 200 residents are still living in evacuation centers while many oth

As of today, it's been exactly six months since the shaking started. This article and the TV program that Charmaine mentioned earlier are among a wide variety of commemorative media publications.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201610130043.html
Survey: 35% of quake evacuees in Kumamoto can’t go home：The Asahi Shimbun
More than one-third of residents displaced by the series of earthquakes that rocked Kumamoto Prefect

Tomorrow! This is the biggest fireworks event in Kumamoto and one of the biggest in Japan.
-- Kirk
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/10/12/event-yatsushiro-fireworks-festival-2/
Event – Yatsushiro Fireworks Festival Kumamoto JET
Event – Yatsushiro Fireworks Festival October 12, 2016 Uncategorized FYI… The Yatsushiro Fireworks Festival will be held Saturday, October 15 from 18:00 to 20:15. This is the largest fireworks show in Kyushu and each year pyrotechnicians from across Japan compete to produce the most spectacular fire...

I learned a new expression today: "volcanic bomb" (火山弾 kazandan). According to Wikipedia, a volcanic bomb is "a mass of molten rock (tephra) larger than 64 mm (2.5 inches) in diameter, formed when a volcano ejects viscous fragments of lava during an eruption."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_bomb
Today, when I took another look at an NHK news program about the eruption I had recorded, heard the announcer describe the first big explosion you see as the landing of a "volcanic bomb" (the announcer said "kazandan") near a cable-car tower. Pretty impressive bomb!
-- Kirk
https://youtu.be/A3W7JLyridw
Raw: Japan's Mount Aso Volcano Errupts - YouTube
A volcano in southwestern Japan erupted early on Saturday, spewing a plume of ash 6.8 miles into the sky, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency. Ja...

Here's a video report that NHK published several months ago but that I have just found. Part of the reason I have been looking at the Newsroom Tokyo material is that I'll be interviewed on their show this Friday. That, like this, will be easy to stream after the fact. More later.
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/newsroomtokyo/aired/20160617.html
Reconstructing Kumamoto Castle - NEWSROOM TOKYO - TV - NHK WORLD - English
Recent earthquakes in southern Japan caused heavy damage to an important cultural landmark, but artisans and workers are teaming up to repair Kumamoto Castle.

From Charmaine, written yesterday:
"For those who cant read Japanese, there has been a large fire in Oguni Town where I work and previously lived for over ten years. The report says 20 buildings, including shops and houses in one of the main streets, have burnt down, but incredibly no casualties. I can't bear to go to work tomorrow. My classroom building is just around the corner, and have to see this kind of destruction. What a shock!"
"This will probably affect the annual town festival, held October 18th every year. The parade always takes a route around town directly through that area. It looks as if it will probably have to be cancelled ... that part of town is still closed off today while they investigate what caused the fire."
Posted by Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/articles/photo/AS20161010000711.html
密集地で火災、約２０棟が全焼か　熊本・小国：朝日新聞デジタル

Here's an NHK program featuring Jason Morgan of Kumamoto talking about Tsuetate Onsen and other hot springs in the area.
-- Kirk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vod/jtripplan/20161003/
The Hot Springs of Kyushu & Country Life in Tottori Prefecture - J-Trip Plan - Video On Demand - NHK WORLD - English
Hot springs are sure to warm your body and soul, especially during the colder months. Our correspondent recommends hot spring areas in Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures. Many inns there are back in business after the earthquakes that hit Kyushu in April 2016. Our reporter escapes the city to Tottori Pre...

This video report from NHK WORLD discusses several aspects of the impact of the eruption. I'd like to add one little bit of information regarding the fireworks-like image you see in the image associated with the report. I heard on another NHK broadcast that the fiery explosion you see occurred outside of the crater, near a cable-car tower, when a large mass of material from the volcano landed there. It's my impression from watching the video that the NHK camera began filming automatically after the eruption had already started. You can see hot material elsewhere, presumably from similar bombs of volcanic material that had landed earlier.
-- KIrk
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20161008_21/
Ash from Mt. Aso confirmed in wide areas- News - NHK WORLD - English
Mount Aso in Japan's southern main island of Kyushu erupted early on Saturday morning. The volcano spewed ash over wide areas of western Japan.

Click on the link or image below to view the high-quality video.
-- KIrk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201610070038.html
Drone reveals extent of damage to Kumamoto Castle：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--The famed Kumamoto Castle here now stands in a sorry state six months after a series of ma

I'm sharing this on main part of the page so that more people can see it. Personally, I don't know anything about it but I too would be interested to learn about whether it might be a good option.
-- Kirk
Japan Cellphone Monthly Plans - DOCOMO POSTPAID PLANS FOR VISITORS - Sakura Mobile
Sakura Mobile offers Japan cellphone services in English. Our plans include Japanese mobile phone number (docomo 090) + cheap international call w/ free minutes

One of several eruption-related problems this article mentions is the lost of electrical power:
"Also, around 27,000 residences in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures suffered a brief power outage, which was believed to have been caused by falling ash."
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/10/09/national/quakes-kumamoto-tourism-industry-takes-another-hit-eruption-mount-aso/
After quakes, Kumamoto tourism industry takes another hit with eruption of Mount Aso | The Japan Times
Still reeling from a series of earthquakes beginning in April, Kumamoto Prefecture is once again experiencing nature's fury, this time in the form of Mount

This article points out that the eruption of Mt. Aso has been very bad news for local tourism-related businesses and for farmers.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201610090015.html
Mount Aso eruption dents Kumamoto effort to regain footing：The Asahi Shimbun
As tourism and farming industries in Kumamoto Prefecture were starting to recover from the devastati

I'd like to recommend this article for its explanation of the type of eruption scientists believe occurred (a steam or phreatic eruption).
-- Kirk
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003269764
Boiling water likely cause of Mt. Aso blast
An eruption at Mt. Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture early Saturday morning was likely a phreatic eruption, in which underground water in the volcano was heated by magma to cause an explosion, a volcanic expert said.

In addition to the details this article provides via text, I'd like to recommend it for several memorable photos it contains.
-- Kirk
http://phys.org/news/2016-10-volcano-southern-japan-erupts-injuries.html
Volcano in southern Japan erupts; no injuries
Mount Aso in southern Japan sent huge plumes of gray smoke as high as 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) into the air on Saturday in one of the volcano's biggest explosions in years.

One would think that a volcanic eruption would be enough excitement for one day but Mother Nature has followed up with heavy rain. It should not be a problem for most of us, but if you live in a vulnerable area, take care.
-- Kirk
P.S. Some evacuation recommendations have been made for parts of Amakusa:
http://crisis.yahoo.co.jp/evacuation/43/
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/warn/