Posts

KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI May
Re: Warning for Photo chemical Smog - It's the seasons of strong sunbeam that photochemical smog may often break out.
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_detail.asp?PageID=5&ID=7802&pg=1&sort=0&LC=e
Take care, and if any concern, please feel free to contact KIF 096-359-2121 or [email protected]
Kumamoto International Foundation
We will be entering into the season of stronger sunshine from now on when the photochemical smog tends to develop easily. If the photochemical smog advisory is issued, it is advisable to stay home if possible without going out. On announcement of the advisory, it is notified on the municipal and pre…

KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI May
Re: This month May is the time for payment of Fixed Property Tax & Light Automobile Tax
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_detail.asp?PageID=5&ID=7801&pg=1&sort=0&LC=e
Kumamoto International Foundation
To pay municipal taxes, please use account transfer system for making payment automatically. For making the application, please go to the nearest financial institution or post office with the tax notice, your bankbook and its seal. The account transfer completion notice of the light automobile tax…

KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI May
Re: Kumamoto Castle Hon-maru Goten Spring events
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_detail.asp?PageID=5&ID=7808&pg=1&sort=0&LC=e
The related Japanese page:
http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileDsp.aspx?c_id=5&id=8891&sub_id=1&flid=59239

KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI
Re: WAKUWAKU Za open hour extended until 19:30(deadline of enter is at 19:00) during the Golden week (until May 6)
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_detail.asp?PageID=5&ID=7807&pg=1&sort=0&LC=e
The related Japanese web site:
http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileDsp.aspx?c_id=5&id=8891&sub_id=1&flid=59241
(pdf file)
Kumamoto International Foundation

In talking with Mr. Kirk Masden, one of the administrators of this Page Kumamoto International, some English translations of "KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI"(Monthly Info from Kumamoto City), that is to be distributed to all the residential families in paper (written in Japanese) in the later parts of each month, would be updated on this Page.
Just the title "KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI" is put on the first, and a brief explanation and URL follow. The, if the Japanese website of Kumamoto City is available, try to put also.
KUMAMOTO SHISEI DAYORI
Re: Kumamoto Environmental Fair - WAKUWAKU EZU lake Festa - is held from May 2 to 31. Around Ezu lake area, various kinds of fun events would be held. Please check up.
http://www.kumamoto-if.or.jp/topics/topics_detail.asp?PageID=5&ID=7798&pg=1&sort=0&LC=e
The related web in Japanese :
http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=5232&pg=1&nw_id=1&type=new
Kumamoto International Foundation
Here aretheGojiruthathigh school studentsmadein considerationto the environmentwinnerofrock-paper-scissorsgame(About 100 people

Yatsushiro's tomatoes are delicious. If you get a chance to try fresh produce in the area, take advantage of it!
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002093753
Rainbow of tomatoes pride of Kumamoto Pref.
In Kumamoto Prefecture, which boasts the largest mini tomato production in Japan, there are producers trying to grow mini tomatoes of various colors such as purple and pink.

Facebook makes it easy to donate.
#SupportNepal
Donating to Nepal Earthquake Relief
Your donation will support International Medical Corps as they provide relief to Nepal earthquake survivors.

This is about the history of Christianity in Sakitsu Village, Amakusa. If you click on the photo, you'll be taken to a manga (in Japanese, alas) in which Kumamon explains the history of the hidden Christians and Japan's bid to get sites like Sakitsu recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites. For an explanation in English and a Google map showing the location go to
http://www.pref.nagasaki.jp/s_isan/en/assets/013/
くまモンのじマンガ #01　世界遺産候補 崎津集落 | 熊本県の情報サイト「気になる！くまもと」
　天草の崎津集落は、「長崎の教会群とキリスト教関連遺産」の構成資産として、平成２８年度の世界文化遺産登録を目指しています。　集落の中心にある『崎津教会』は、キリスト教の禁教時代に「絵踏み」が行われていた庄屋屋敷跡に建てられました。鉄筋コンクリート造りと木造の部分からなることや、内部が畳敷きになっているなど、非常に珍しい造りの教会です。　また、集落を見下ろす『崎津諏訪神社』も、キリスト教と深い関わりがある場所です。潜伏キリシタン発覚事件の際に『どちらへ参拝するときも「あんめんりうす（キリスト教の祈りの言葉）」とお唱えします』と述べたことが記録されており、日本の伝統宗教と潜伏キリシタンの共存という…

The photos are from a show called Wakattorando (若っ人ランド) broadcast by TKU in the early morning hours of April 21. It's a knock off of an equally obnoxious program on national TV called "YOUは何しに日本へ". In both programs, the word "foreigner" is replaced with "you" (e.g. "I see a YOU over there") and foreigners are accosted by presumptuous, annoying interviewers. I occastionally encounter young people and drunks who seem to imagine that my being a foreigner gives them license to be obnoxious and make a big joke out of every little interaction. I think they get it from programs like this. All of the foreigners and family members who appeared in the program handled themselves quite well but I found Ogata, the male narrator immitating Bobby Ologun (the gaijin talent who narrates the nationally broadcast show), and the entire premise (let's make unreasonable requests of foreigners and see what they do) to be very disturbing.
-- Posted by Kirk

Enjoy this report by Charmaine Minami:
http://kurokawa-onsen.com/onsen-hop-7-san-ai-kogen-hotel/
Onsen-hop #7 San-Ai Kogen Hotel
It was a beautiful afternoon here in Kurokawa,so after an English lesson at one of the ryokan in town I made time to drive round to the San-Ai Kogen Hotel on th

Here's an anouncement that I received in an e-mail from the Kumamoto City International Foundation*
--------
■Nabega-taki(waterfall) lighting-up
Nabega-taki is a beautiful waterfall which you can go behind.
Time period: Sat., 2nd. ~ Wed., 6th. May.
17:00~21:00
Place: Nabega-Taki (Oguni Town)
Cost: 200yen
Access: JR Aso Station → Michino-eki Oguni Yuu Statio (about 1 hour by bus)
*It takes about 15 minutes by taxi
For more information: Oguni Town Office Information Division
(TEL: 0967-46-2113) *Japanese language only
--------
The picture you see is from
https://retrip.jp/articles/1697/

The Aso volcano has been active again. This article says that the cloud of ash streaming from the volcano rose 1500 meters into the sky on the 24th. The Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima has been even more active. There, the ash rose 4000 meters high on the the same day.
http://www.nishinippon.co.jp/nnp/kagoshima/article/164981
桜島と阿蘇山で噴火　阿蘇中岳は噴煙１５００メートルに
２４日午前９時１６分、桜島（鹿児島県）の昭和火口で爆発的噴火があり、１月２３日以来、噴煙が火口から４千メートルに達...

For aviation fans out there . . .
"In Japan, it will make appearances in special events at . . . Kumamoto Airport in Kumamoto Prefecture on Wednesday . . ."
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002102719
HondaJet flies over Japan for 1st time
The HondaJet, an advanced light jet plane developed by automaker Honda Motor Co. in the United States, flew over Japan for the first time on Thursday.

I'm not exactly sure where this happened but 212 runs north-south between Oguni and Aso (descending into the valley near Daikanbo).
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/04/23/national/crime-legal/tour-bus-tree-kumamoto-20-south-koreans-injured/#.VTnPNs6yuc8
Tour bus his tree in Kumamoto; 20 South Koreans injured | The Japan Times
A tourist bus slammed into a roadside tree in Kumamoto Prefecture on Wednesday, injuring 20 South Korean passengers on board, police said. The injuries wer

The other day I saw a police car with its lights flashing, but the police were sitting in the car calmly, waiting at a red light. As those of you who have been here a while have surely noticed this is pretty common. I grew up in a country where flashing lights meant that the police were rushing to the scene of a crime, a nearby car was about to be pulled over, or some other urgent business was being attended to. I thought I'd capture the scene on video with my phone as an example of this practice but a policeman on a motorcycle that was following the police car took that as his cue to stop me for questioning. Such questioning is supposed to be reserved for situations when criminal activity is suspected. The policemen said I was allowed to record video of police cars on the street so, though I was able to continue on my way after a few minutes, I didn't appreciate being treated like a potential criminal and being asked all kinds of personal questions. The video I took wasn't very good but this one from YouTube is a bit better and gives a pretty good idea of how the lights are used.
The idea seems to be that the flashing lights encourages people near the car to be on their best behavior. I can't help think, however, that the "little boy who cried wolf" story applies in this case. As people become habituated to the lights I suspect they become less likely to go out of their way to make room for passing police cars just because they see lights flashing. This argument didn't impress the young police office who stopped me, however. He seemed to be entirely convinced that the practice was just fine regardless of what a silly foreigner like me might think.
Posted by Kirk
https://youtu.be/r7wZhEkwI94
Here Come the Police!!
Check out our playlists for hundreds more Japan videos!

I received the following information in an e-mail from the Kumamoto City International Foundation:
--- start quote ---
■Nandaimon Spring Festival
The baby sumo ring debut ceremony and scattering rice cakes will be held, and you can experience rare tea ceremony.
Day and Time: Wed.,29th. Apr.
10:00~16:00
Place: Renge-in Tanjyo-ji Temple (Tamana City)
Admission fee: free
Access: Kyushu Shinkansen (bullet train) from Kumamoto Station to Shin-Tamana Station
(about 15 minutes)
It takes about 10 minutes from the station by car.
Or it takes about 10 mitutes from JR Tamana Station by car.
For more information: Renge-in Tanjyo-ji Temple (TEL: 0968-72-3300) *Japanese only
Website: http://www.rengein.jp/
--- end quote ---
Japanese explanation and the photo you see on this post can be found here:
http://www.rengein.jp/event/detail.php?id=20150318141636

I'm sharing this so that more lovers of knowledge will see it.

"In Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, a high school girl was strangled in May 2014. A man in his 40s who was charged with murder in the case is believed to have met the girl via an online community site."
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201504170004
Record number of minors victimized in crimes linked to online community sites - AJW by The Asahi...
A record high 1,421 minors under 18 years old fell victim to crimes related to social networking services and other online community sites in 2014, a National Police Agency report showed.

This is not about Kumamoto, but it reminds me of the "No Foreigners" issue that came up here in February. Whereas the good people of Kumamoto City's Office for the Promotion of Human Rights intervened so that the issue in Kumamoto could be resolved successfully, Japan's Ministry of Finance has failed to come to bat for the victim in this case:
--- start quote ---
A European exchange student in his twenties who wished to rent an apartment in Kyoto could not get a rental contract because the apartment was “No Foreigners”. He asked for recourse from the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Affairs Bureau in Kyoto for discrimination against foreigners, but the Legal Affairs Bureau refused, stating, “We cannot determine that the facts constitute a violation of human rights.”
. . .
入居を希望した京都市のアパートが「外国人不可」のため、賃貸契約できなかった欧州出身の２０代の留学生が、法務省の京都地方法務局に外国人差別だとして救済措置を求めたところ、法務局は「人権侵犯の事実があったとまでは判断できない」と退けた。
--- end quote ---
http://www.debito.org/?p=13185
debito.org » Blog Archive » Kyodo: Ryukoku U exchange student denied “No Foreigner” Kyoto...
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Douglas Bruce is a highly skilled videographer who lives in Kumamoto. Check out the beautiful images of sakura in this video he posted recently.
https://vimeo.com/124400986
P.S. The announcement was first published at
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/kumamoto-i/conversations/messages/13211
Cherry Blossom - the Flower of the Samurai
The samurai, who were ready to sacrifice themselves in their prime, adopted the cherry blossom as their flower as it, at the height of its beauty, also falls to…