Posts

Do you like what Facebook is feeding you? In recent weeks I've noticed that the Facebook algorithm seems to be tuned to accentuate the difference between "winners" and "losers" among posts. I'm including an image from "insights" (statistics about this Facebook page) that shows that a recent post about cherry blossoms got over 300 views but the others all got only about a tenth as many views. Of course, some posts are just naturally more interesting to most readers than others but I think the extreme differences between "winners" and "losers" I've noticed recently must be the result of a change in the algorithm. If you're interested, please take a look at the most recent posts and see if you think the low numbers are deserved. If you don't see a big different in quality or relevance, the moral of the story may be "If you want to find out if anything posted recently on this page is of interest to you, it might be a good idea to manually come to the page and check." If you just wait for Facebook to "feed" you, you find that you've missed a lot.
-- Kirk

Kumamoto's Shugakkan plays in the semifinals today (Wednesday) at 1:30.
センバツ甲子園：秀岳館、打線が爆発　初の８強入り　千葉・木更津総合ときょう準々決勝　／熊本 - 毎日新聞
　＜第８８回選抜高校野球＞ 　「やったぞ、ベスト８だ」−−。第８８回選抜高校野球大会（毎日新聞社、日本高野連主催）第８日の２７日、秀岳館は南陽工（山口）相手に持ち前の長打力を爆発させるなど終始圧倒、１６−０で降し同校初の８強入りを決めた。投げても３投手の継投で零封した。大会第９日の２８日、準々決勝第３試合（午後１時半、開始予定）で関東大会の覇者、木更津総合（千葉）と対戦する。県勢の８強入りは、２００７年に４強に進んだ熊本工以来９年ぶり。【出口絢、尾垣和幸】

Here's an article that those of you with an interest in the Kumamoto-Montana relationship may enjoy.
http://helenair.com/news/opinion/kumamoto-it-s-waiting-for-you/article_75027315-deed-58dc-8eef-bb3410f89956.html
Kumamoto: It's waiting for you
March. The calendar page turns and my thoughts turn to the arrival of daylight savings time, the coming of spring and, as the president of the Japan Friendship Club of

Here's a nice little summary of the recent gubernatorial election and how the governor's policies relate to the internationalization and development of Kumamoto.
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/03/28/kumamoto-governor-elections/
Kumamoto Governor Elections Kumamoto JET
Kumamoto Governor Elections March 28, 2016 News The elections for the next governor of Kumamoto were held on Sunday, March 27. The candidates were: Daisuke Terauchi, a lawyer Ikuo Kabashima, current governor of Kumamoto running for his third term Seiji Koyama, former three-term mayor of Kumamoto Cit…

This store is very near the entrance to the Kengun Shopping Street (建軍商店街). Here's a map:
https://goo.gl/maps/rvNiYxPJBtR2
To see an article about this (I learned about the shop from this article) go to
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/03/20/kumamoto-shop-has-automatic-door-control-for-guard-dog-so-he-can-take-pee-break/

Shugakkan (a high school in Yatsushiro) has won their first game in the Koshien tournament and will play their second on Sunday morning, starting at 9 AM.

If you are interested, please contact the Kumamoto City International Center via the information in this notice that was published on the Kumamoto JET web page.
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/03/14/kurashi-no-nihongo-kurabu/
Kurashi no Nihongo Kurabu Kumamoto JET
Kurashi no Nihongo Kurabu March 14, 2016 Notices The Kumamoto City International Center (the venue where Kumamoto Orientation is held) holds weekly casual Japanese conversation tables (called “Kurashi no Nihongo Kurabu”) for beginning level Japanese students. This is a good opportunity for people ju…

Hi, Joe Tomei here. There was a message asking if Mt Aso had reopened, and it has been from Nov last year. Realtime info is here http://www.aso.ne.jp/~volcano/eng/
However, the ropeway is still not open
http://www.kyusanko.co.jp/aso/lang_en/
Sorry I didn't see the message, but if you have questions like that, please feel free to post them in the timeline as I'm sure others might have the same question.
Information on restrictions for the Aso Volcano West Crater
Hours are extended during the Golden Week and New Year’s holidays Please be advised that the above hours may be changed due to conditions at the crater, such as the extent of gas emission.

If you are interested in hiking, I recommend that you check out this post from Explore Kumamoto. If you are interested learning about the history of Sankinkotai (which I would call "rule by hostage taking") go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankin-kōtai
-- Kirk
http://www.explore-kumamoto.com/aso-sankinkotai-road/
Aso Sankinkotai Road
Take a walk up and down the Aso Sankinkota stone road, dating from the 16th Century and offering wonderful caldera views.

Here's a post about a job opportunity. I try to share posts like this so that more people will be able to see them.
-- Kirk

Coming soon!
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/03/18/542/
Kumamoto Cherry Blossoms Kumamoto JET
Kumamoto Cherry Blossoms March 18, 2016 Places As of March 16, tenki.jp forecasts that the cherry blossoms in Kumamoto will begin to open on Wednesday, March 23 and full bloom is expected on Saturday, April 2. The Japan National Travel Organization also has a very handy English site with background…

There's a special word in Japanese for "Cherry blossoms at night" -- yozakura (夜桜). According to this announcement published on the Kumamoto JET website, starting tonight, the castle grounds will be open until 9 PM so that people can continue to enjoy the blossoms after the sun has set. I've read, however, that the blossoms are not predicted to start popping until the 23rd or so.
https://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160318002.xhtml
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/03/18/night-cherry-blossom-viewing-at-kumamoto-castle/
Night Cherry Blossom Viewing at Kumamoto Castle Kumamoto JET
Night Cherry Blossom Viewing at Kumamoto Castle March 18, 2016 Events Kumamoto Castle will be open at night from Saturday, March 19 to Sunday, April 3 for night viewing of the cherry blossoms around the castle. Kumamoto Castle and the surrounding area boasts around 800 cherry blossom trees (with 650…

Quote from the article:
"The state established the redress mechanism after the Kumamoto District Court handed down a landmark ruling in 2001 calling the state’s segregation policy against leprosy patients unconstitutional.
A law that decreed patients must be quarantined to prevent the disease’s spread was abolished in April 1996."
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/15/national/crime-legal/former-leprosy-patients-japan-urged-file-state-compensation-final-deadline-nears/#.VugYX8dq0pZ
Former leprosy patients in Japan urged to file for state compensation as final deadline nears |...
Lawyers are urging former leprosy patients in Japan to file for state compensation over decades of mistreatment before their right to make such claims expi

The bank where this incident occurred is very close to Kumamoto University. Here's a Google map showing the location:
https://goo.gl/maps/HpXbDH5C1mn
http://www.tokyoreporter.com/2016/03/10/kumamoto-cops-man-attempts-to-rob-bank-in-front-of-police-box/
Kumamoto Cops: Man Attempts To Rob Bank In Front Of Police Box | The Tokyo Reporter
Ichiro Nakayama brandished a knife in attempting to rob a bank located near a koban in Kumamoto's Chuo Ward

Noyaki (field burning) can be dangerous. Sadly, a veteran of the practice lost his life in a noyaki accident on the 13th. According to the article, the flames surrounded him, leaving him no route of escape.
http://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000070322.html
　長年、野焼きに携わってきたベテランの男性が火に巻かれました。 　熊本県南阿蘇村で、自宅近くの牧野で野焼きをしていた男性が13日午前、火に巻かれました。男性は全身にやけどを負っていて、搬送先の病院で約12時間後に亡くなりました。阿蘇地域では13日、各地で一斉に野焼きが行われていました。男性は長年、野焼きに携わってきたベテランで、当日は枯れ草に火を付ける作業を担当していました。警察は、男性が自分で付けた火や別の場所で付けられた火に追われ、逃げ場を失った可能性があると見て原因を調べています。

Another nice onsen post from Onsen-hop:
http://kurokawa-onsen.com/onsen-hop-20-wafuryokan-misato/
Onsen-hop #20 Wafuryokan Misato
A quick lunchtime onsen-hop today,Wafuryokan Misato (和風旅館美里 number 15 on the English guide map ) only a minute or so on foot from the Visitor Center

This Japanese article is about a Malaysian man who was accused of assaulting a woman in Ozu-machi and then was found not guilty. Now he is suing the government for the time he spent in confinement.
Not guilty verdicts are rare in Japan. I've read that the conviction rate is 99%.
http://mainichi.jp/articles/20160218/ddl/k43/040/330000c
大津町の暴行事件：無罪確定のマレーシア男性、刑事補償を請求　／熊本 - 毎日新聞
　大津町で２０１５年２月、女性の口を塞いだなどとして暴行罪に問われ、熊本地裁の無罪判決が確定したマレーシア国籍、会社員、ガウ・コン・コックさん（３４）が、身体拘束された２８３日間の刑事補償として計約３５３万円（１日当たり１万２５００円）を熊本地裁に請求した。請求は３日付。

Coming soon!
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/03/02/hifuri-shinji-fire-swinging-ritual-at-aso-shrine/
Hifuri Shinji – Fire Swinging Ritual at Aso Shrine Kumamoto JET
Hifuri Shinji – Fire Swinging Ritual at Aso Shrine March 2, 2016 Events The Hifuri Shinji, or Fire Swinging Ritual, will take place on Tuesday, March 15 from 6PM-8PM at Aso Shrine. The ritual is done every year to pray for a good harvest. As part of the ritual, bales of straw are set on fire and swu…

Joe Tomei here passing this on from Julie Waterman
Here's the info on the March Pigate session for anyone involved in teaching English here:
[PIGATE March session]
Date: Saturday, March 12th, 2016
Venue: English Lounge–1st Floor of Building 1 at KGU
Time:13:30–16:40
1. 13:00 ~ 13:30 Preparation(30mins)
2. 13:30 ~ 13:40 Opening remarks(10mins)
3. 13:40 ~ 14:40 ETE(English Through English slot)
by Mr. Kota Kuroki (Aso Chuo SHS Aso Seiho Building)
"Reading Aloud Activities"
4. 14:40 ~ 15:20 Kitemiran and Shitemiran + Break(40mins)
5. 15:20 ~ 16:20 GAS(Grammar Awareness Series)
by Ms. Tomomi Nishioka (Kikuchikita JHS)(60mins)
「EVERの活躍に追いつく(About "ever"」
6. 16:20 ~ 16:30 Summary by Mr. Takaki(10mins)
7. 16:30 ~ 16:40 Annoucements & Closing Remarks(10mins)
Please invite your friends^^ Let's enjoy the session together! |

A new issue of YOKA has come out. The notice comes from the Kumamoto JET website but the articles should be of interest to many, not just JETs.
http://kumamotojet.com/shin/index.php/2016/03/02/winter-2016-yoka/
Winter 2016 YOKA Kumamoto JET
Winter 2016 YOKA March 2, 2016 YOKA The Winter 2016 YOKA is out! This issue of the YOKA features: Failure to Communicate by Liam Nolan A Little of Ourselves: The Decision to Re-Contract by Sara Birnbaum Japanese Residence and Income Tax by Dokken Nakamone Samui Desu Ne! by Denise Wiley Day Trips fro…