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Kirk again. The article I posted about a few hours ago mentioned the pamphlet described on the page I'm linking to. Here's a ChatGPT translation of the text on the page:
--- start translation ---
The multilingual disaster prevention card 'Anshin Note', which includes information related to disasters and evacuation in multiple languages including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tagalog, and Nepali, has been created. It is distributed at various places including the International Exchange Hall, city offices, ward offices, and community centers. Please take one, fill in the necessary information inside, and always carry it with you.
--- end translation ---
I haven't seen the actual pamphlet. Anyone seen it? Is there worthwhile information in it?
Paper publications you can hold in your hand are useful but I have difficulty understanding why they have not also made the texts available in pdf format. :(
多言語防災カード「あんしん・あんぜんノート」 / （一財）熊本市国際交流振興事業団

William For American denizens residing in Kumamoto, it is voting time! To request an overseas ballot (they'll generally consider that you are military), go to the below link. Here is a recent message from the Fukuoka Consulate:
Your vote counts! Did you know that many U.S. federal elections for the House of Representatives and Senate have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by absentee voters? All states are required to count every absentee ballot that is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline.
Follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2024 federal U.S. election1. Request your ballot. Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2024 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2024 elections. Submitting the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. All local election officials in all U.S. states and territories accept the FPCA.
You can complete the FPCA online at FVAP.gov. The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state. We encourage you to request your blank ballots be delivered electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state). Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option. Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website. The online voting assistant will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original ink signature. If you must return a paper version, please follow the same instructions below for returning your ballot.
2. Receive and complete your ballot. States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and generally send ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.
3. Return your completed ballot. While some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically, others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Place your ballot in a postage-paid return envelope or in an envelope bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address them to the relevant local election officials.
Using the U.S. Embassy: Mail your completed ballots to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo for forwarding to the United States. You will need to place your ballots in an envelope bearing sufficient U.S. postage, in order for them to be delivered to the proper local election authorities. You can also return your FPCA or ballot to your local election officials via international mail or professional courier service at your own expense.
Send Voting Materials To:
American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy Tokyo
1-10-5 Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo
107-8420
Research candidates and issues. Please see the FVAP links page for resources you can use to research candidates and issues. FVAP regularly sends information about election dates and deadlines through their Voting Alerts. Email [email protected] to subscribe or follow FVAP on Facebook or Twitter.
Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Embassy Tokyo's Voting Assistance Officer at [email protected].
Remember, your vote counts!

END Message for U.S. Citizens
Inquiries for American Citizen Services
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Kirk here with another TSMC article. The formal start of the plant is approaching.
--- start quote ---
"In Japan, we are building a special technology fab(rication plant) in Kumamoto which will utilise 12- and 16-nanometre and 28- and 22-nanometre process technology," Liu said.
"We will hold an opening ceremony for this fab on February 24 next month and volume production is on track for fourth quarter of 2024."
--- end quote ---
TSMC to launch chipmaking plant in Japan, but US plant to face delays
Taiwan's TSMC will open its latest chipmaking foundry on Japan's Kyushu island on February 24, but a plant in the United States will face further delays, the company said Thursday. In recent years, the company has had to navigate geopolitical tussles between the United States and China as the two f...

William with an inquiry from a British reader. At his request, please post responses below, and thank you for your contribution to our international community.
(Post)
Good morning, please could you post this inquiry on your page for me. I need to get certified copies of my Passport, Driving Licence and Utility Bill to send to England. Can anyone recomend a qualified solicitor or certified accountant who could do this. Has anyone gone through this process? and any idea of cost? Regards,

William Looks like we may get some snow later in the week. Mt Kimpo is a good place to experience the phenomenon. There are two parking lots, the lower and upper, and in the event of snow, the former is greatly recommended. Also, hiking the road up is not only safer than the trail but preferable from a viewpoint point of view: the road winds around about 300° of the mountain, with wonderful views of the paddies of Tamana, Nagasaki's Mt Unzen, and our city with Mt Aso. Go up one side and down the other. Make sure to bring bread crumbs for the birds that will feed from your hand at the peak.

Atsuko here with information about standing demonstration against genocide in Palestine today.
Last night's documentary film was very heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I attended with my college student and junior high school daughter, and with Japanese subtitles, I keenly felt that it is very important to know first.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=763244515837342&id=100064554018003
Unfortunately, I cannot attend the demonstration today due to my schedule, but I can share it with you. I hope that the voices from Kumamoto will be heard🍀*゜
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10228051063213532&id=1582731582
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Standing demonstration against the genocide in Palestine
January 14 2024 14:00-16:00
In front of New-S, Kumamoto
Since October 7, attacks have continued in the Gaza Strip. As of January12, 2024, 23,708 Palestinians have been killed and t housands are missing under rubble and debris. Nearly half of the population in Gaza are children, and many of them have been killed since October7. Additionally, violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has intensified.
Attacks on the Gaza Strip continued on January 11 and 12 during the hearing of South Africa's ICJ case alleging that Israel is committing genocide.
For nearly 100 days, photos and videos of the situation in the Gaza Strip have been reported by Palestinian journalists and civilians on social networking sites. The photographers rushed to the scene of the attacks to take pictures of the injured and the brutally killed, and they continue to share their information with the world with limited power and internet access, despite the loss of friends and family members and the uncertainty that they themselves may be killed at any moment.
We in Kumamoto, as human beings and as members of the international community, are also receiving these messages, are deeply concerned about the situation of the Palestinian people, and are calling for a ceasefire immediately.
On Sunday, January 14, 14:00-16:00, a standing demonstration will be held in front of New-S, where citizens will take the lead in expressing their opposition to the indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Gaza and the genocide of the Palestinian people.
The standing will include the following
-Holding up a placard of your choice.
*We will provide pens and other materials for those who wish to write their placards on the spot.
-Taking pictures of participants with placards.
*Only those who have given us permission will be photographed.
-Speeches about the current situation in Palestine, thoughts of citizens, what each one of us can do, etc.
-Flyers with "Key words to know Palestine”(Sorry, Japanese only) and flyers of what we can do will be distributed.
-Petition collection for Itochu corporation.
*We will provide written communication and UD talk for people who need. For further information or questions about accessibility, DM us in advance or ask us on the day.
10がつ7にちいこう、パレスチナガザちくでのこうげきがつづいています。
2024ねん1がつ12にちげんざい、わかっているだけでパレスチナじん23,708にんがさつがいされ、がれきのしたじきなどでゆくえふめいになっているひとがすうせんにんいるといわれています。
ガザのじんこうのはんすうちかくがこどもです。10がつ7にちいこう、おおくのこどもたちがころされてきました。
くわえて、せいがんちくでのパレスチナじんにたいするぼうりょくもげきかしています。
また、みなみアフリカがイスラエルはジェノサイドをおこなっているとしてこくさいしほうさいばんじょ（ICJ）にていそしましたが、そのしんりきかんの1がつ11にちと12にちもガザちくでのこうげきはつづけられました。
このやく100にちかん、パレスチナじんジャーナリストやみんかんじんによってガザちくがどのようなじょうきょうにあるのかほぼリアルタイムでしゃしんやどうががSNSにほうこくされています。さつえいしゃはこうげきされたげんばにかけつけ、けがにんやむざんにころされたひとたちをさつえいし、ゆうじんやかぞくをうしない、じぶんじしんもいつころされるかわからないじょうきょうにありながら、かぎられたでんりょくやネットかんきょうのなかでじょうほうをせかいにはっしんしつづけています。
くまもとにすむわたしたちも、おなじにんげんとして、またこくさいしゃかいのいちいんとして、そのはっしんをうけとめ、パレスチナじんのおかれているじょうきょうにこころをいため、いっこくもはやいていせんをもとめています。
1がつ14にちにち14:00-16:00 びぷれすひろばまえでおこなうスタンディングデモでは、しみんがちゅうしんとなってガザにおけるみんかんじんへむさべつこうげきとパレスチナじんジェノサイドにはんたいをひょうめいします。
スタンディングでは、いかなどをよていしています。
・おもいおもいのプラカードをかかげる　※そのばでカードをかきたいかたにペンなどをよういするよていです
・プラカードをもったさんかしゃのしゃしんさつえい　※きょかをいただいたかたのみ
・パレスチナのげんじょう・しみんのおもい・ひとりひとりができること、などについてスピーチ
・「パレスチナをしるキーワード」フライヤーや、わたしたちができることをあんないしたフライヤーをはいふ
・いとうちゅうしょうじへのしょめいあつめ
プラカードがあるひともないひとも、パレスチナのことをしらないひともしっているひとも、ひとりでもすうにんでも、とちゅうまででもとちゅうからでも、ぜひごさんかください。
＊じょうほうほしょうについて：ひつだんとUDトークのじゅんびをしています。そのほかひつようなはいりょがあるばあいは、じぜんにDMをいただくか、とうじつおしらせください。
パレスチナ人へのジェノサイドに反対するスタンディングデモ
2024年1月14日(日)14:00〜16:00
熊本 びぷれす広場前
10月7日以降、パレスチナガザ地区での攻撃が続いています。
2024年1月12日現在、わかっているだけでパレスチナ人23,708人が殺害され、瓦礫の下敷きなどで行方不明になっている人が数千人いると言われています。
ガザの人口の半数近くがこどもです。10月7日以降、多くのこどもたちが殺されてきました。
加えて、西岸地区でのパレスチナ人に対する暴力も激化しています。
また、南アフリカがイスラエルはジェノサイドを行なっているとして国際司法裁判所（ICJ）に提訴しましたが、その審理期間の1月11日と12日もガザ地区での攻撃は続けられました。
この100日間、パレスチナ人ジャーナリストや民間人によってガザ地区がどのような状況にあるのかほぼリアルタイムで写真や動画がSNS上に報告されています。撮影者は攻撃された現場に駆けつけ、けが人や無惨に殺された人たちを撮影し、友人や家族を失い、自分自身もいつ殺されるかわからない状況にありながら、限られた電力やネット環境のなかで情報を世界に発信し続けています。
熊本に住むわたしたちも、同じ人間として、また国際社会の一員として、その発信を受け止め、パレスチナ人の置かれている状況に心を痛め、一刻も早い停戦を求めています。
1月14日（日）14:00-16:00 びぷれす広場前で行うスタンディングデモでは、市民が中心となってガザにおける民間人へ無差別攻撃とパレスチナ人ジェノサイドに反対を表明します。
スタンディングでは、
・思い思いのプラカードを掲げる　
※その場でカードを書きたい方にペンなどを用意する予定です
・プラカードを持った参加者の写真撮影　
※許可をいただいた方のみ
・パレスチナの現状・市民の思い・一人ひとりができること、などについてスピーチ
・「パレスチナを知るキーワード」フライヤーや、わたしたちができることを案内したフライヤーを配布
・伊藤忠商事への署名集め
などを予定しています。
プラカードがある人もない人も、パレスチナのことを知らない人も知っている人も、一人でも数人でも、途中まででも途中からでも、ぜひご参加ください。
＊情報保障について：筆談とUDトークの準備をしています。そのほか必要な配慮がある場合は、事前にDMをいただくか、当日お知らせください。
#CeaseFireNow #StopGenocide #EndOccupation #パレスチナ #ガザ #ジェノサイド #即時停戦 #熊本 #kumamoto
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10228051063213532&id=1582731582

Atsuko here, this is an announcement for a support request for Ishikawa from Kumamoto.
I will leave the relief supplies for Ishikawa with my fellow volunteers.
The team to be supported is Bonjas. They are the team that helped us in the Kumamoto earthquake by serving food at various evacuation centers and temporary housing. This team and the team that worked with us at Akitsu temporary housing will be taking the relief supplies to Bonjus in Ishikawa.
They need towels, bath towels, shampoo, underwear, toothbrushes, shoes, socks, boots, vacuum-packed bacon, ham, water, etc.
I'll leave fresh vegetables from a mini-tomato farmer and an eggplant farmer I know. I will also leave some rice from my parents' house.
Tomorrow Friday I will go to the Palestine Seminar at Kumadai, and 22th evening at 6:30 I will hand over the relief supplies to the team at Karikusa Park in Karikusa, Minami-ku.
If you are interested in supporting the Ishikawa Noto Earthquake, we are waiting for you. Some items cannot be brought, so please indicate in the comments section if you have items you would like to support. If you can't fit in the truck, there will be another next flight. Please direct your donation to the team you are working with.
19, January, 6pm to 8pm @ Kumamoto university
l'll be there.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=763244515837342&id=100064554018003
22, January, Karikusa Park 6:30pm.
Please contact us in the comments( ˊᵕˋ🙏🏻 )
https://www.facebook.com/NpoBondandjustice
https://www.facebook.com/kyusyu.s.f.s.l

Kirk here. I think it's cool that an article about an new development in AI starts with a Kumamoto dateline.
Nikon develops AI system that can detect cows are about to give birth
Nikon has developed a system that uses AI to alert farmers if a cow is about to give birth, analyzing their movements with cameras installed on farms.

Kirk here. The high tech investment news just keeps coming.
Fujifilm to Invest 6 Billion Yen in its Kumamoto Site for New Advanced Semiconductor Materials Production Facility | Fujifilm [United States]
Reinforces production capacity of color filter materials for image sensors, further expanding the Electronic Materials business

Kirk here with a job offer.
--- start quote ---
Hilltop International School (English kindergarten), located in the Tatsuda area of Kumamoto City, is looking for a full-time teacher to join our staff from March or by the first week of April 2024. (The earlier the better.)

Position: Head classroom teacher of 2–3-year-olds. (You will have three licensed Japanese nursery school teachers in the classroom with you.)

Responsibilities: Conduct classes using our curriculum. Play with students outside. Interact with all Hilltop students in English. Other responsibilities will be discussed at the interview.

Work Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 4:30. However, some days may have slightly longer or shorter hours.

Additional Work: Teach roughly 2 or 3 eikaiwa classes per week.

Requirements: Native English speaker, living in Japan, minimum one year experience, four-year degree, driver’s license and car or scooter.

Contract: Multi-year renewable contract (Visa sponsorship if needed)

Vacation: 5 weeks paid vacation plus all national holidays.

Salary: 270,000-290,000 yen/month

Apply by email with resume, cover letter and photo. Send to Marty Tomao at [email protected] or [email protected]

Our website is https://hilltop-is.com

Instagram: hilltop international school
--- end quote ---

William　Once was a time that the only way to travel to Kagoshima to Kumamoto was via the coast. With the advent of the expressway, though, the route has turned into a seldom-used backwater with its chain of small towns withering. Yet this adds to its charm, particularly if you have a few days and a tent (all you need can be purchased at a single outing to Hirose - avoid those expensive "trekking" shops) . Even a map is not required, though a bit of advanced research on onsen locations is recommended to plan overnight stays. Remember, you can camp anywhere as long as you leave your site as you found it.
Gaijinpot has an article on the phenomenon of cranes gathering from Siberia in the wintered rice paddies of Izumi. Farmers leave gleanings of rice and the birds plenty of guano, so it's a win-win. Best is to plan three or four days for a leisurely drive with plenty of unscheduled stops. The article contains links to other wonderful, woefully overlooked sites in the area.
https://travel.gaijinpot.com/izumi-crane-observation-center/

Kirk here with some news: "Twelve people from Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto City arrived in Ishikawa on Thursday with foodstuff for about 300 people."
This is the Jikei Hospital that has led Japan in it's efforts to prevent tragic cases of infant abandonment by providing alternatives to young women. Wow!
Kumamoto hospital staff serve hot meals to counterparts in quake-hit city | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
Hospital staff who experienced major earthquakes eight years ago in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto have volunteered to help provide hot meals to their counterparts in a quake-hit city on the Noto Peninsula.

William Kumanichi reports on an interesting new transportation mode to be introduced in the Kami/Shimotori areas. This is a pilot program intended to identify problems which must be rectified if/when more widespread rollout can be conducted. Perhaps it is another tool in the box sagging shopping streets would have against their shopping megacenter rivals. Google Translate is as follows.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/1290663
Starting on the 13th, Kumamoto City will begin a two-month demonstration experiment of ``Green Slow Mobility (GRISLO),'' a transportation service that utilizes small electric vehicles that run at low speeds, in the Kamitori area. The aim is to improve the ease of getting around the city center and encourage the use of public transportation. Demonstration tests are also planned for the Shimotori/Shinshigai area from mid-March to mid-May.
Grislo is an environmentally friendly vehicle that does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) and travels at speeds of less than 20 km/h. It will also help support the mobility of elderly people who have difficulty walking long distances.
　One of two cars, one for 4 people and one for 6 people, will be operated alternately. In principle, you can get on and off the train as you like, but to ensure safety, you cannot get on and off the train at National Route 3, the Kumamoto Tamana Line, or other high-traffic locations such as intersections. Advance reservations are not required and the fare is 100 yen per ride.
There are two stops: the Fujisaki Miyamae Station bus stop and the north side of Hotel Nikko Kumamoto, connecting the 2.5 km round trip route that passes through Uenoura Street and Namikizaka in 15 minutes each way. The buses run every 30 minutes, with the first bus departing at 9 a.m., the last bus departing from Fujisaki Miyamae Station at 4:30 p.m., and Hotel Nikko Kumamoto Kitagai at 4:45 p.m.
The city hopes to attract Kumamoto Electric Railway passengers as well, and says, ``We would like them to use it as a means of transportation to the city center,'' said the City's Transportation Promotion Division. During this period, we will also run a campaign where you can ride for free by presenting a one-day pass issued by a prefecture bus operator or city transportation bureau.
Operation has been outsourced to a taxi company that has been conducting its own Grislot test since March last year in the area east of Kamikumamoto Station. The project cost is approximately 5.9 million yen, including the entire Shimodori/Shinshigai area.

William Why camellia (椿 - tsubaki, literally, "spring tree" and also a common family name) bloom at this time of year when pollenating insects are hibernating was a mystery to me 'til I learned that they're pollenated by birds. That explains their splayed-open appearance and commodious pollen and nectar.
A similar blossom is the sazanka (山茶花, known by that name in English), whose kanji - "mountain tea flower" - reveals that they are relatives of tea. Even today, some still steep dried camellia or sazanka leaves in hot water for a type of poor-man's tea.
Asahi has an illuminating article on the two. One point new to me: The sazanka tends to drop its petals one by one, while tsubaki flowers come off whole; thus, "some people in the past were said to disdain the flower because the manner in which the blossoms dropped to the ground reminded them of decapitations by feudal samurai warriors." Eww.
After being pummeled by Satsuma cannons in the Seinan War, the "maru" of the castle were left empty - the most famous being Ninomaru. A staircase from there, to the left of the museum, leads to a footbridge crossing to the stadium. At the foot of the bridge on the left is a small maru once occupied by a shrine (宮内神社、みやうちじんじゃ) which has been converted to a bird sanctuary, designed with trees to feed birds year-round. That it is filled with a contemplative (or eerie) silence is that no one visits. It is a marvelous place to view tsubaki and sazanka and ponder in solitude, and now is the time.
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13039293
Info about the park:
http://tinyurl.com/262esk9c

Kirk here. The other day I posted about the Crossroad Cafe in Amakusa (I'll link to that post in a comment). Since then, I've found a copy of the article and used ChatGPT to translate it into English:
--- start translation ---
Connecting with Foreigners: A Hub of Interaction
A civic group in the Amakusa area, "World Friends Amakusa," dedicated to supporting the lives of foreign residents, has opened a café in Suwa Town, Amakusa City, to serve as a place of interaction. The café aims to be a hub where Japanese and foreigners acknowledge and connect through diversity. It was introduced to the local residents in late December last year.
According to the city, as of the end of November 2023, there are 479 foreigners living in the city. This marks a 39% increase since the end of March 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. Many of these residents are from Vietnam, Myanmar, and Indonesia.
World Friends Amakusa reports that many of the residents are technical intern trainees, who often find themselves isolated due to their limited interaction with the community and difficulty understanding the Amakusa dialect. "A place where Japanese and foreigners can get to know each other and expand the circle of mutual assistance is necessary," led to the establishment of the café.
The café, named "Crossroad Cafe," was set up in a warehouse dating back to the 1950s, incorporating local timber for the ceiling. The name reflects the desire to be a place where people, regardless of nationality or culture, intersect. It started operations in October and is currently run by a total of 10 staff members, including those with foreign roots. In addition to beverages, the café offers sandwiches and Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan, among other dishes.
Adjacent to the café is a consultation center targeting inbound tourists, which was showcased in a ceremony on December 21, coinciding with the completion of the center's construction. During the opening event, the staff prepared sweet red-bean soup, and many locals visited and enjoyed the interaction. The café shares information on Instagram and plans to organize events to learn about the cultures of the countries of origin of Amakusa's foreign residents. Tomoko Matano, the president of the group (aged 54), commented, "I hope this helps people living in the same area to spend time together with kindness." The café is open from 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed on weekends and public holidays. (Written by Saaya Shimizu)
--- end translation ---

Kirk here with news that you don't need to be able to speak Japanese to call 110. Here's a ChatGPT translation of the article:
--- start translation ---
"Call 110 Even If You Don't Understand Japanese": International Students Experience Reporting Through an Interpreter-Assisted Three-Way Call
January 10, 2024 (Wednesday) 19:20
Domestic News
On "110 Day," international students learned how to make emergency calls.
In Kumamoto Prefecture, the number of emergency calls from non-Japanese speakers has sharply increased compared to the previous year, with 89 cases reported by the end of November last year (89 cases last year, 3 cases the year before).
In response, the prefectural police held a training session on 110 emergency calls targeting foreigners.
The participating international students experienced making 110 emergency calls through a three-way call with an interpreter.
An international student who participated said, "I thought it would take time because an interpreter was involved, but it was easy to use because the interpretation was clear."
The prefectural police are urging, "Even if you don't understand Japanese, please feel free to call 110 if you encounter an incident or accident."
--- end translation ---
By the way, you can view the TV report (video) on the linked page.
『日本語が分からなくても110番して』留学生たちが“通訳を介した三者通話”で通報を体験 | 熊本のニュース｜RKK熊本放送
「110番の日」に合わせ留学生たちが通報の仕方を学びました。熊本県内では、日本語を話せない外国人からの通報が、去年は11月末までに89件と、前の年に比べ急激に増加しています。（去年89件、おととし3件）そこで…

Kirk here. The latest version of the YOKA is out. The publication is primarily for JETs and former JETs but is published on the web for all to read and enjoy.
Here's a portion of the e-mail I received:
--- start quote ---
This issue of the YOKA features...
The Year So Far - KUMAJET
JET Spotlight - Sheena Moore
Artist Statement - Lauren Chidel
Kumamoto Boardgames Club - Julie Waterman
"Carefully Constructed Nest" - Beatrice Thorstensen
Top 10 Albums of 2023 - Matthew Trecek
Photos Exhibition - Austin Fontenot, Beatrice Thorstensen & Cricket Lee
"Midday in Toyo Town" - Jesse Norman
International Recipes - Iona Fleming & Nthatuoa Mabathoana
KenJETkai Information
This YOKA was Designed by Quinlan Flecther
--- end quote ---
I'm really impressed by Quinlan Flecther's cover. :)
https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/the-yoka/

William Many unfamiliar foods introduced to unsuspecting populaces during the Age of Exploration acquired names of their supposed location of origin, often wildly off the mark (particularly those from the Americas or from along the Silk Road - turkeys are no more native to Turkey [North America, actually - even Turkey is now insisting that it be known as Türkiye - try finding "ü" on your keyboard] than tangerines are to Tangiers [look to China] - the latters were just a more proximate stop along the way).
Such comes the amazing story of the kabocha (南瓜 or カボチャ) - the use of katakana is a giveaway to its foreign origin. According to many researchers, the ancestor of kabocha was brought from North America to Europe, then transmitted to Dutch colonies in SE Asia, from which it was introduced to Japan, and when startled, starving denizens asked, "What's this nutritious, delicious food that can be grown on marginal land?," the answer was, "Dunno, but it came from Cambodia." Which morphed into カボチャ, at least according to many anthropological linguists. Read a short intro here: https://gochisohistory.com/kabocha/ (In my hometown of Los Angeles, "kabocha" are called "kabocha pumpkin" - that was rather a long route from Peru) and look up the he Cambodian–Spanish War [1593-1597]).
Kabocha are in season now. They can be cooked in dozens of ways - heck, make your own up! (I recently roasted one in my oven until soft, then fried it with plain oil - any flavored oil will ruin its delicate taste - until crunchy. Worked out better than I could have imagined.) They are cheap and healthy. And they are grown locally. Bon appétit!
Kabocha: Japanese Pumpkins and Squashes - Gochiso History
The Japanese pumpkin, or kabocha, has been a staple of Japanese cuisine for centuries. We will take a look at its origins and history.

William with a message from reader Greg Howes:
Freedom English School, located in Kumamoto City, is seeking an English teacher for a full-time position starting late March / early April. Currently with branches in Kamitori and Suizenji, we will be opening a third branch from April this year. Applicants should be comfortable teaching children of all ages, ranging from kindergarten age through to Junior High School students. Experience is preferred, but not essential for the correct candidate. Pre-employment and on-the-job training will be provided. We offer a competitive financial package - details of which will be provided on request - and an excellent working environment. If you are interested in joining our growing teaching team and would like to find out more information, please contact Greg Howes at [email protected] or 096-322-7100.

Kirk here with a message about an opportunity to view an important film. The message is from Joshua Rickard, who teaches at Kumamoto University:
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On Friday January 19th we will hold a Film Screening of the award wining documentary Imprisoning a Generation. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director and producer Zelda Edmunds. The film will be shown with Japanese subtitles and discussion will be held in English.
Friday January 19th, Doors open 18:00. Film Screening/ Seminar 18:30-20:00
Location: Center for International Education Lounge. Kumamoto University
Admission is free, no registration required.
Imprisoning a Generation is an award-winning documentary which follows the stories of four young Palestinians who have been detained and imprisoned by the Israeli military detention system. The children’s experiences, along with the voices of their families, form a lens into the complicated structures of oppression that go beyond the prison walls.
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Imprisoning a Generation — Anemoia Projects
A documentary film following the stories of four young Palestinians who have been detained and imprisoned under the Israeli military and political systems. Their perspectives, along with the voices of their families, form a lens into the entangled structures of oppression that expand well beyond the