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Manga library tours quake-hit Kumamoto to soothe evacuees：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--A nonprofit group here is generating smiles from all ages in quake-ravaged areas of the pr

1,800 still living in evacuation centers in Kumamoto：The Asahi Shimbun
KUMAMOTO--Four months after the first of several powerful earthquakes shook the Kyushu region on Apr

Kumamoto's Shugakkan beat Inabe Sogo of Mie Prefecture 6-1. Their next game is Thursday at 8 AM but their opponent has not been determined yet. This victory puts them in the top eight.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/koshien/articles/ASJ8J25Z5J8JPTQP00D.html

To see a Japanese news video about the identification of Yamato Hikaru's remains, go to
http://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000081328.html
Kirk
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/body-found-in-car-in-quake-hit-kumamoto-identified-as-missing-student
Body found in car in quake-hit Kumamoto identified as missing student
A body found in a car buried under sand and rocks has been identified as the last person missing since…

Thanks to Franck and Michi No Eki Aso for this encouraging news.
-- Kirk
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/denku_franck2711/56144002.html
Mount Aso: Partial reopening in mid September - Michi No Eki Aso
Hello everyone ! Bonjour ! A very good news appeared on the newspaper this week. The road to Mount Aso is planned to par...

Shugakkan plays their next game in the Koshien series of Tuesday at about 10:30.
-- Kirk

Shugakkan won their first game in the Koshien tournament.
-- Kirk
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/baseball/news/2016/08/12/kiji/K20160812013152340.html

I never had the pleasure of meeting Hikaru, but he had signed up for one of my classes. Today, I held the final exam in that class. Seating was done according to the class roster so, of course, Hikaru's seat was empty. I pointed this out to the other students and asked them consider how it was only chance timing and circumstance that allowed us to survive while Hikaru did not.
-- Kirk
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201608120044.html
Skeleton, likely last person lost in quakes, found in Kumamoto：The Asahi Shimbun
MINAMI-ASO, Kumamoto Prefecture--A skeleton, strapped in a car with a seat belt, has been recovered

The forecast for Friday is 37 C (98.6 F) for Kumamoto City and 39 C (102.2 F) for Kikuchi.
-- Kirk
http://www.tenki.jp/forecast/9/46/

Today's (or yesterdays, depending on when you are seeing this) holiday was new. I had a vague "?" sort of feeling when I saw the holiday name on my calendar but didn't realized what was going on until I read this article.
-- Kirk
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/10/national/third-japan-unaware-mountain-day-holiday-makes-debut/
Third of Japan unaware of Mountain Day as holiday makes its debut | The Japan Times
Nearly a third of the public surveyed by a weather news company said they have never heard of Mountain Day, as the newest official public holiday is set to

If you can get away from city light pollution (or if you happen to live in such a place) you might want to take a look at the night sky.
-- Kirk
See also:
http://www.vox.com/2016/8/9/12411932/perseid-meteor-shower-schedule-peak-time-viewing-live-stream
http://www.spacedex.com/perseids/locations/perseid-asia-japan.php
Meteor shower coming soon, view inormation and viewing times!
Get viewing times, information, and plan meet-ups for all upcoming meteor showers!

Today's NHK evening news reported that the body found in Minami Aso appears to be that of Yamato Hikaru, though final identification is yet to be made. The Kumamoto Gakuen University student's bank book and other documents were found in the car. The body was taken from the scene by helicopter.
-- Kirk
P.S. If you would like to see a video report in Japanese, click on the photo.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160811/k10010631841000.html
熊本地震で不明の大学生か 南阿蘇村で遺体を収容 | NHKニュース
一連の熊本地震でただ１人行方がわかっていない大学生の捜索が行われていた熊本県南阿蘇村で、警察や消防などは１０日に車の中から見つかった遺体を１…

Kumamoto cops nab earthquake volunteer for pot | The Tokyo Reporter
Suspect allegedly passed 10 grams of marijuana to a fellow volunteer

Body found in quake-hit Kumamoto may be that of last missing victim | The Japan Times
A body found Wednesday in a car buried under sand and rocks in Kumamoto Prefecture is thought to be that of a university student missing since tremors deva

For more information in English about this project to get 2,500 people together to break a Guinness World Record in celebration of the 50 anniversary of the building of the Amakusa Gokyo (system of five bridges), see
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1094213633985401
-- Kirk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1p_CuywACk
天草五橋Hand in Hand 参加者募集CM
天草五橋開通50周年記念プロジェクトとして、天草2号橋から4号橋までを約2500名の参加者が手をつなぎ、島と島をつなぎます。皆さんも一緒に天草から元気と笑顔を届けましょう！

We had a Shindo 4 quake earlier this evening, the epicenter of which was Kashima-machi (near Kumamoto City). The image is from a Japanese news video:
http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye2841421.html
-- Kirk

Kumamoto's Shugakukan High School will play their first game in the Koshien tournament on Friday at 3:30 PM:
http://www.asahi.com/koshien/schedule/
-- KIrk
http://kab-koshien.jp/victoryteam/
めざせ！甲子園 第98回 全国高等学校野球選手権熊本大会
めざせ！甲子園 - 第98回全国高等学校野球選手 権熊本大会 - ワクワク、ドキドキ甲子園。KAB熊本朝日放送は、今年も頑張る高校球児を全力で応援します。

Kumamoto earthquake takes toll on camera sales - Amateur Photographer
Sales of Olympus and Nikon cameras fell in the weeks following the Kumamoto earthquake in April, according to statements released by both companies.

The temperature in Kikuchi-shi rose to 38.5 C (101.3 F) -- high enough to make national news. The temperature near the train station in Tajimi-shi in Gifu is reported to have risen to 40.7 C (105.2 F) so even Kikuchi wasn't the hottest place in Japan.
Yahoo's weather says that the temperature will rise to 35 again in Kumamoto City.
-- Kirk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESQUafkRefc

Kumamoto Castle: Repeated Damage Due to Natural Disasters and the Repairs Performed – HeritageDaily – Heritage & Archaeology News
Two major earthquake occurred sequentially on April 14th and 16th, 2016 which caused significant damage across the Kumamoto region. Kumamoto Castle, the symbol of Kumamoto, suffered serious damage including the collapse of stone walls, damage to several small turret towers, and damage to the main ca...