Typhoon 18 expected track. Another thing to keep an eye on.
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A note from the Kumamoto International botany desk:
It is that season again when the whole neighborhood smells like bubblegum! What could it be? Look around a bit and you'll find an unassuming evergreen festooned with thousands of tiny orange blossoms. This is the fragrant olive (kinmokusei, 金木犀 - or, if white, the ginmokusei 銀木犀 - not actually related to the olive). Japanese gardeners are careful to cultivate plants which invite enjoyment in every season, and the pervasive, delightful fragrance of the fragrant olive stretches from late September through October.
Kanji fans might have noticed that 犀 is normally pronounced "sai" in Japanese and means rhinoceros. The name derives from China, where apparently the bark of the plant was considered to resemble the skin of the rhino (the Javan rhinoceros used to range through southern China but is now on the verge of extinction with only some 60 animals left).
The tree is relatively unattractive, but the fragrance is heavenly and a harbinger of autumn. Enjoy it while it lasts! - William https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmanthus_fragrans
Osmanthus fragrans - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Osmanthus fragrans (lit. "fragrant osmanthus"; Chinese: 桂花, guìhuā, and 木樨, mùxī; Cantonese Yale: gwai3 fa1; Japanese: 木犀, mokusei; Hindi: सिलंग, silang), variously known as sweet osmanthus, sweet olive, tea olive, and fragrant olive, is a species native to Asia from the Himalayas through southern C...
When I first wrote about this "pinky promise" or "pinky swear" project I also wrote about the origins of these phrases. Personally, I thought what I wrote was fascinating ;) but it didn't get a single comment. :( I'm giving it one more try. Once again, here's my take on the Japanese origins of these English expressions. There's no need to massage my ego with comments but I hope those of you who are interested the influence of Japanese language and culture on English will take the time to read it. :)
"I hate to admit my own ignorance, but when I first saw the words "pinky swear chain" I thought it was an example of a translation of Japanese ("yubi kiri genman") that didn't really make sense in English. In fact, however, it seems that "pinky swear" has been used in English since at least 1860:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinky_swear
What I think is even more interesting, is that "pinky swear" (along with a song much like the Japanese "yubi kiri genman" song) came into English at a point in history when only a handful of English speakers would have had direct contact with Japanese people. I imagine Commodore Perry, or a member of his crew, performing a little "yubi kiri genman" ceremony with a Japanese samurai and then introducing this exotic ritual to his compatriots upon return to the U.S. :) "
Redundantly yours,
Kirk
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1094213633985401
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201609260053.html
‘Pinky promise’ for quake-hit Kumamoto sets world record：The Asahi Shimbun
KAMIAMAKUSA, Kumamoto Prefecture--It suffered a series of devastating earthquakes, but Kumamoto Pref
A while back I wrote about plans to break a Guiness World record by making a human chain that extended over all of the five Amakusa bridges:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1094213633985401
Well, they did it! Click on the image to see the Japanese video.
http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye2876990.html
-- Kirk
「指きりげんまん」をした人の数でギネス世界記録に挑戦するイベントが、熊本県上天草市の天草五橋の上で行われました。 これは、天草五橋の開通５０周年を記念して地元の観光業界などが呼びかけたもので、これまでの記録１３４３人を３１５人を上回る１６５８人を達成。見事、ギネス世界記録に認定されました。（25日16:23）
I learned recently that there is 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. My daughter has been helping out there recently and saying "if only I had known about them when I was in school!" If you are the parent of a child whom you think might benefit or would be willing to help as a teacher or supporter, please contact the groups founder and representative, Tomoko Takemura, at the e-mail address you see in the 4th image.
-- KIrk
P.S. I'm concerned that the people who might be most interested in this information may not see it. If you know someone who you think might be interested, please share this with them.
I'm searching for someone in Kumamoto called 'Ide Rie'.
A letter turned up at my house during the summer with a jumbled address - I think the postman delivered it to my house because it is written in romaji and I am the only foreigner in the area. I found someone on Facebook in Kumamoto by the name Ide Rie but have received no response.
The letter is marked 'priority' so perhaps the content is important. As the return address features some katakana, it is possible that the senders (Volker and Gerda Esslinger) used to live in Kumamoto.
If you know either Ide Rie or perhaps the Esslinger's, please leave me a message so I can find out how to pass on this piece of mail.
Thanks,
Celia
Whether you are an American citizen or not, you may be interested in watching the up-coming presidential debate. It will be aired live on NHK's BS1 channel beginning at 10 AM on Tuesday morning. BS1 is a satellite channel so if you don't have access to satellite or cable TV (CNNj will also air it live), you will probably need to watch it streamed on the web. One problem, however, is that those of us in Japan are not always able to watch programs that are streamed in the U.S. because of geo restrictions. You can get around them using proxy servers
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/access-blocked-websites-using-proxy-servers/
but that's a hassle if you only want to watch one debate. I spent a lot of time searching for information about streaming options for people who are not in the U.S. but, no matter what keywords I typed in, Google did not seem to understand what I was looking for. I finally figured out how to use the "verbatim" option to force Google to give me only pages with the keywords I chose but even that didn't yield the information I was looking for. :(
If any of you happen to have information about whether or not there will be geo restrictions or how people in Japan can watch the debate on the web, please share it here.
-- Kirk
http://qz.com/790110/how-to-watch-the-first-us-presidential-debate/
How to watch the first US presidential debate on TV and online
Whether you're a cord-cutter, a cord-never, or a cable loyalist, you'll have several options.
Eugene Smith is famous for the iconic photos he took of Minamata disease victims and their struggle to make the Chisso Corporation respond to their demands. See, for example,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomoko_Uemura_in_Her_Bath
He was also a jazz fan and jazz photographer. If you are interested in either jazz, photography, or Minamata disease (or, like me, all three), have a listen to this radio segment. You can download the mp3 file to enjoy at your leisure.
-- Kirk
http://www.wnyc.org/story/sara-fishko-jazz-loft/
The Jazz Legends Next Door
Between 1957 and 1965 in New York, dozens of jazz musicians jammed night after night in a dilapidated Sixth Avenue loft. Sara Fishko's new documentary chronicles those years.
If you click on the link, you'll find a video of the work on the Asahi site.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201609220059.html
Stones moved from Kumamoto Castle with view to major surgery：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--The media were invited in to this beloved castle to witness repair work being carried out,
A note from the Kumamoto International botany desk,
Kirk had posted a few days ago some beautiful photos of spider lilies ("higanbana" 彼岸花); these flowers deserve a bit more attention. They are often found planted both on aze dikes (those separating paddy fields, also called "keihan" 畦畔) and around tombs for reasons we'll discuss below.
First, the plant has evolved an unusual strategy to compete with faster growing plants: It is dormant all summer, allowing farmers to mow down their dikes without harming the plant. It then blooms suddenly in autumn before its leaves sprout; the leaves remain until the following spring. This, combined with its large bulb and extensive root system (the plant is a perennial) make it perfect for stabilizing dikes. Also, the bulb is quite poisonous so is effective at deterring burrowing animals; even grubs and worms avoid it, and their absence deters moles.
Second, the flower has multiple connections with Buddhism. Higan (彼岸), or autumn equinox, also refers to (and literally means) "the far bank," or the other shore of Sanzu River ("sanzunokawa" 三途の川) - akin to the River Styx. As such, it has many other names related to Buddhism, in particular "manjyushage" (曼珠沙華) as it's described in the Lotus Sutra, "shibitobana" (死人花, dead man's flower), "jigokubana" (地獄花, hell flower), and "yuureibana" (幽霊花, spirit flower) - in other words, not the kind of flowers you want to give to a loved one, unless they're dead (or you never want to see them again). The fact that the flower and leaves never meet has led to many legends regarding separation in both China and Japan. This, in addition to the bulb's efficacy at deterring pests, lead it to be planted around tombs and graves.
Our friend Liz Suenaga posted some photos of spider lilies the other day which I am reposting below totally without her permission. (Thanks, Liz! - okay, right?) Here is the link to the Wikipedia page on spider lilies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoris_(plant)
- William
Coming up to the best season for visiting Kurokawa Onsen,can be enjoyed on a day trip with plenty of onsen-hopping!
http://kurokawa-onsen.com/onsen-hop-22-yumerindo/
-- Charmaine
Onsen-hop #22 Yumerindo
One of the great things about Kurokawa Onsen is that even on a rainy day you can go ahead and enjoy a spot of onsen-hopping in the outdoor baths,as most of them
Apologies if you get this twice, but the local orchestra I am playing with is having their 29th annual concernt on October 1st. We are playing
Mozart Marriage of Figaro Overture
Mendelsson 1st Symphony
Hummel Trumpet Concerto
The facebook event page is here
https://www.facebook.com/events/1472806489695495/
The conductor is Nami Fujisaki and a youtube video of her conducting the 4th mvt of Tchaikovsky 6th is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoD7OLmFs2s
It is at the Prefectural Theatre, doors open at 6 and concert starts at 6:30. Tickets are 1800 yen at the door, 1500 yen in advance, (1300 and 1000 in advance for students) If you'd like a ticket, please let me know, I'll get you one to you.
If you do come, please say hello!
-- Joe
Tchaikovsky Symphony no.6 4th movement
The Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra Conductor Nami Fujisaki 26th Aug. 2016 カルロヴィ・ヴァリィ シンフォニーオーケストラ 指揮 藤崎奈美
The typhoon has left our area and, thankfully, it doesn't seem to have caused major problems in Kumamoto Prefecture. Miyazaki, however, was not so lucky. There was both flooding (e.g. the image from a Sankei Shimbun article I have appended) and wind damage. As I wrote earlier, when typhoons come from the south, their counterclockwise spin makes their impact greater on the east side of Kyushu than on the west, where we are. I suspect that the bad results for Miyazaki were due to the fact that the wind and rain that hit them was coming directly from the sea. By the same logic, Kumamoto is more vulnerable when typhoons come from the west or northwest.
-- Kirk
http://www.sankei.com/west/photos/160920/wst1609200039-p2.html
Calls for evacuation have been issued in some areas, particularly those vulnerable to landslides. The image you see is only a sample. To see all notices, go to the following link:
http://crisis.yahoo.co.jp/evacuation/43/
To translate the Japanese contents into English, use the translate function on the Chrome browser.
On a more positive note, based on what I saw on tonights 7PM NHK news, it looks like the storm will be on it's way northeast by 8 or 9 tomorrow morning. In other words, the worst is likely to be over for those of us in Kumamoto by the time the sun comes up.
-- Kirk
Here's an update on the infrared animation showing the approach of the typhoon. As you can see, the eye of the storm has just disappeared (a good sign) and the system is heading for Kagoshima.
http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/gms/index.html?area=0&element=0
-- Kirk
Earlier today, I wrote about the possibility of strong winds. The following YouTube video (in Japanese, unfortunately) points to the danger from heavy rain in Kyushu -- as much as 30 centimeters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-p6z111SUo
On the other hand, my university (Kumamoto Gakuen University) has decided to go ahead with classes. Students have been advised to attend class is they feel they can get to the university safely:
http://www.kumagaku.ac.jp/news/archives/1089
-- Kirk
This image may look somewhat less threatening than what I posted earlier, but it's actually an indication or a greater threat -- Category 1 or higher winds. Category 1 winds are between 119 and 153 kph (74-95 mph). Imagine sticking your hand out of a moving car traveling at that kind of speed and that should give you an idea of the power of such winds. The storm itself is now a Category 3 cyclone (178-208 kph or 111-129 mph). It is not on course to hit us directly but it's coming close enough for us to take notice. In the northern hemisphere cyclones (typhoons, hurricanes, etc) spin counterclockwise (see the video I posted here earlier today). This is good for us when a storm comes from the south because the winds must travel over land before they reach us -- they don't come directly from the sea. Land offers more resistance and tends to slow them down. Still, this storm looks like one that deserves to be treated with respect. Even if the winds don't cause mush damage in Kumamoto, there is significant risk of rain-related disasters (flooding, landslides, etc.). Kumamoto is quiet now but the "quiet before the storm" can be deceiving. Take care!
-- Kirk
http://tropicalstormrisk.com
Quake-hit art museum finds temporary home in Nagasaki：The Asahi Shimbun
SAIKAI, Nagasaki Prefecture--After Katsuhiko Ono's art museum was forced to shutter its doors becaus
Here's a nice video news report about yesterday's festival. The video will probably be taken down soon (videos put up on this site never last long) so, if you're interested, take a look now.
The headline says that the festival was held in hopes of speeding Kumamoto's recovery. Some felt that festivities of this kind would be inappropriate after such a great loss but the idea that the festival should be held as a sign of Kumamoto's determination to recover won out.
-- Kirk
http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye2871913.html
熊本に秋の訪れを告げる「藤崎八幡宮秋季例大祭」は、祭りの呼び物「神幸行列」が行われています。 今年は、地震の影響で去年の半数ほどの３５団体、およそ８０００人の参加となりました。 「みんなが元気になるように、精いっぱいやりたいと思います」（女性） 「熊本復興」の文字が書かれたのぼりも掲げられ、勢子たちは例年通りの威勢の良さで沿道に活気を与えていました。（18日13:53）
Here's an infrared animation of the approaching storm. It begins yesterday morning and shows how it has moved over the past 24 hours. Note the distinct "eye" (hole) in the middle. A clear eye is an indication of power.
http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/gms/index.html?area=0&element=0
-- Kirk
