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Kirk here. The other day I posted a YouTube link to this ABEMA News segment featuring Kumamoto International's own Hari Devokta, talking about his meeting the other day with the mayor. I was amazed (and actually rather disappointed) to find the "reach" (number of viewers) of the post to be pretty dismal -- a measly 116 at this point. That makes it one of the least popular posts on this page. I'm reposting it now without the link (in order to avoid any suppression by the Facebook algorithm) to double-check to see if people really just aren't interested or if there's something about the Facebook platform that caused this to get ignored.
By the way, it was quite popular on YouTube: 55,000 views, 510 comments (many of them praising Hari's performance).
I'll add a link to my original (extremely unpopular) post in a comment.

Kirk here. A big badminton tournament is currently underway here in Kumamoto.
2023 BWF Badminton Kumamoto Masters Japan
Follow this exciting Super500 tournament in Japan, where the world’s bests will compete for Olympic qualification points!

Atsuko.
Here is a share of Hitoyoshi's sky Lantern Festival.
I am from the northern part of the prefecture, so I don't often go to the southern part of the prefecture, but I was very interested in this Lantern Festival and went there for the first time tonight.
It was fun and beautiful with lots of lanterns flying around. But it was very cold. It was so cold that I went to a nearby hot spring to warm up. Today was the Hitoyoshi Onsen Festival, so I could enter for only 200 yen for adults. It is very slippery.
We also bought a cup of Kuma shochu for 200 yen. I forgot to take a picture of it, so I took a poster of Kuma shochu.
Aoi Shrine was lit up and looked beautiful.
I was surprised to find some venison sprinkles at a nearby Yumemart. It is indeed Hitoyoshi.
https://www.hitoyoshi-skylantern.com/home

Kirk here: "TSMC will soon announce a plan to build its second wafer fab in Japan, according to industry sources. The fab will be involved in 6nm process manufacturing, and the Japanese government has pledged at least JPY750 billion (US$4.96 billion) in subsidies..."
A billion yen here, a billion yen there and pretty soon you're talking about real money. To put it in perspective, the budget for the entire government of Kumamoto Prefecture (education, public works, the whole shebang) was JPY900 billion last year so a figure that is close to the budget of the entire prefectural government will go to one factory.
TSMC to soon announce 2nd fab project in Japan, say sources
TSMC will soon announce a plan to build its second wafer fab in Japan, according to industry sources. The fab will be involved in 6nm process manufacturing, and the Japanese government has pledged at least JPY750 billion (US$4.96 billion) in subsidies for the project.

*NOTE* It has been pointed out that the "Mifune" the onsen ad refers to is a "Mifune" in Saga, not the Mifune in Kumamoto. However, the remaining info is accurate, and the town does deserve a visit. Apologies for the mistake and thanks for the correction.
William Japanese place names tend to be based on physical attributes or economic purpose. Sometimes, though, you'll note a 御 (a general honorific with multiple pronunciations and meanings: https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BE%A1-448357 ) or 御幸 (miyuki, a sure sign that one emperor or another has visited the location https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BE%A1%E5%B9%B8 ). One example is the main road up to the castle, 御幸坂 (Miyukizaka - good read here https://tinyurl.com/4fb9zauw ), which was carved out of the castle to facilitate the visit of the Meiji Emperor in 1902 to relieve him of the embarrassment of having to pass through the then-extant multiple, twisting gates designedhttps://tinyurl.com/4fb9zauw
The town of Mifune (御船) has more ancient lineage. Apparently, when the Emperor Keiko (https://tinyurl.com/kdwj6de2) visited around the year 170 (obviously, time mileage may vary) during his campaign to incorporate Kyushu into the fledging Yamato state, which later became Japan, he traveled by boat. Hence, the name 御船.
Mifune is eponymous with the Mifune River, long used to raft goods from Kyushu's interior. It remains a center of lumber processing. It is a small, picturesque town and will celebrate the autumn leaves with a month-long event through December 3. This is a wonderful chance to discover the historical roots of Kumamoto.
Much information at the link: https://www.mifuneyamarakuen.jp/autumn/?fbclid=IwAR2MhVMVEeDJ17j2k91VFaf5HiWS2LxneLiDm5uVmSRvgzdGW93w1uxS8yI
紅葉まつり｜九州 武雄温泉 御船山楽園
九州 武雄温泉、江戸後期より続く庭園「御船山楽園」。50万平米の広大な敷地に、四季の花々が咲き誇ります。春は桜、つつじ、大藤、春もみじ。秋は紅葉のライトアップ。

Some of you know of Kumamoto's TEAM TONAKAI and the hard work done by volunteers and supporters alike to create fundraising events and encourage people to give what they can so that some 300+ kids in orphanages in Kumamoto get their own presents at the end of the year... Well, among the line-up of events currently being arranged, チーム トナカイ welcomes you to come along, dig deep, and join a delicious dinner party in Suizenji, on Dec. 2nd, that'll give us all food for thought this season!!
POT LUCK PARTY Fundraiser!! 🦌🍳🍪🍖🥬12月2日(土)の夜に、水前寺で、一品料理・ポットラックパーティーの募金活動にご招待いたします✨Circle the date!!! 日付をお忘れなく!!🍲🥐🍺🎁✨
https://fb.me/e/vr2x4vJWz
Please invite and bring your friends!!
Enjoy being TONAKAI together!!
◎大人adult 2000yen
◎学生university students, ALT 1000yen
◎子どもunder 18years kids 500yen
Potluck Party!!
You should bring enough foods or drinks, snacks or sweets to share with others. Thanks😉💕
If you can't bring your own food, you'll have to pay an extra 2,000 yen for the meal.
ALL amount of FEE becomes the DONATION💖 of X'mas PRESENTS for ORPHANS!!
Ru-dolph AKA Ruth 🦌

NEWS FLASH: Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota is really smart!!!
Actually, this isn't news -- I think just about everyone who knows Hari is already aware of the fact. But, it seems to have been news to those who watched him on the Abema NEWS segment. Here are some comments on the YouTube page:
--- start ChatGPT translations of YouTube comments ---
@711akikoo
Hari-san is very proficient in Japanese. I also live abroad, so I often don't know what year of Reiwa it currently is, and it's troublesome when I have to fill in documents during my occasional visits back to Japan.
30 likes
@user-sg3yu9xr1f
I think it's admirable how this person from Nepal can speak so logically and coherently.
50 likes
@HM-ql7nc
I thought it was impressive how this Nepalese person spoke in very fluent Japanese and made very sensible remarks, to the point that even Pakkun was left with nothing much to say. It seems like he's really thought deeply about Japan.
14 likes
--- end of translation (which was tweaked by Kirk) ---
The video is about the flap over the "demand" that the Japanese government do away with year names like Reiwa 5. Of course, this was a mostly a misunderstanding -- the person who brought up the issue in the meeting with the mayor the other day was merely asking that dates be displayed in "2023" format IN ADDITION TO "令和5年" format. As you can see from the comments I translated and others on the YouTube page, that's a position that lots of Japanese folks support.
Hari did a great job (as expected) but I was not very impressed with others on the show. The university professor who was supposed to enlighten us regarding the "foreigner as shimin [市民]" controversy didn't even seem to understand the issue very well. And the MC tried to get some debate going by positing an extreme interpretation of foreigners overrunning the country that I didn't find to be particularly helpful. But, even faced with rather weird questions from the host, Hari continued to speak reasonably and wound up winning fans on the show. Good job, Hari!
.◆続きをノーカットで視聴▷https://abe.ma/3u99nFz　◆過去の放送回はこちら【決断疲れ】Z世代はアドバイスを求めがち？現代社会が情報まみれで疲れる？おすすめを聞くってアリ？｜アベプラ▷https://youtu.be/i0tjY7RxSjE　【移動.....

Atsuko here.
Information about Clothing exchange.😊
大江 グランパレッタ Ooe Grand Palletta, Kumamoto City.
by はぐくみ食堂
https://www.facebook.com/hagukumikomyu
I also took a bunch of my second daughter's elementary school uniforms.
Free to bring and receive.

William Kumamoto National Hospital (https://kumamoto.hosp.go.jp/patients_attending_list.html) has history. During the Seinan War (which coincided with the American Civil War), it was carved out of the castle to "treat" those horribly wounded by muskets and shrapnel in an era before morphine (illustrated below). A good way to visit is to take the tram and walk up the hill; this gives an idea of what attackers were up against when faced by defenders.
A delightful aspect about Japanese hospitals is that citizens paint absolutely wonderful works and donate them. The hospital is a museum in itself. Even if you are not in need of medical attention, it is worth a visit just for the art.

Here's another video about the mayor speaking with foreign residents and the backlash on Twitter (X). Highly recommended if you understand spoken Japanese. -- Kirk
外国人「元号わかりにくい」　“西暦併記”を熊本市に要望で…SNS論争へ【もっと知りたい！】(2023年11月8日)
日本に住む外国人が「元号の表記は分かりにくい」といった要望を行政に寄せたことに対し、SNSを中心に論争が起きています。■熊本市に住む外国人数10年で倍増“過去最多”　X（旧Twitterから）：「なぜわざわざ外国人の.....

Kirk here posting about the much-ado-about-nothing regarding the meeting between Mayor Onishi and local foreigners. The illustration is one I found searching with "伝言ゲーム" (dengon game). Dengon means "message" and "dengon game" is the Japanese equivalent of "telephone game" in English.
The major and/or the foreign participants got lots of criticism for the "unreasonable demands" made at the meeting. In this post I'll present my own take on how what transpired in the media is an example of a telephone-game-like phenomenon and then I'll present an English translation of an X (Twitter) message from the mayor that confirms my suspicions.
First, how is this like a "telephone game"?
1. The major invites 15 people to come to a meeting and asks if there's anything about life in Kumamoto that they find difficult or confusing.
2. Presented with the invitation to talk about such things one person mentions that gengo (Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, etc.) add complexity to the task of deciphering documents.
3. Of the many comments made in the meeting, certain journalists find this to be interesting and make it, of all the comments presented, the headline.
4. People who read the news reports get upset about foreigners coming to Japan and demanding that Japanese people abandon traditional culture and adopt the ways of foreign lands.
5. People reading angry posts about this topic get even angrier and connect the incident with previous incidents of "unreasonable demands by foreigners" which in most cases are equally baseless.
And, here's the mayor's reaction to how this has blown up in the media:
--- start ChatGPT translation of message from mayor ---
It seems that some people have misunderstood the situation based on the headlines of news articles about our dialogue with foreign residents. I would like to add some clarification. It's a bit lengthy, but I hope you will read it.
The majority of foreign residents living in Kumamoto have expressed that Kumamoto is very livable, with good public safety, and the people of Kumamoto are kind, leading to a high level of satisfaction with their lives here.
However, there are certain points of confusion, such as administrative procedures. For instance, administrative documents that only display the Japanese era name or tax payment slips can be difficult for foreigners who are new to Japan, due to the language barrier. Suggestions have been made to make these more understandable, such as by adding QR codes that link to explanations.
Regarding school lunches, people from Islamic regions cannot eat pork, so it was suggested that, similar to allergy accommodations, they could be informed on days when pork is on the menu so they could bring their own food from home. This is an opinion expressed for consideration, not a demand.
I want to clarify that no one has suggested that Japanese people should adapt to the rules of their countries. It's important not to misunderstand this point.
--- end translation ---
https://twitter.com/K_Onishi/status/1720599573801189530

William During the war, California was underpopulated and ill-prepared - and worried of a Japanese invasion. As preparation, a massive blimp container building was built near my hometown to house dirigibles capable of scouting the coast for Japanese warships.
Nothing came from this, of course, but the giant building went on to serve several other purposes in its lengthy life (including as a movie set for such as "Back to the Future.") Sadly, it recently burned down in mysterious circumstances. Suggestions are to incorporate the land into a great park.
Most Nisei in my hometown (near Tustin) come from Kumamoto or its whereabouts. The language they speak and the ramen they eat are from here, I learned belatedly. That an artifact of warfare that dates to the fear of a Japanese invasion will now likely turn into a park is nice to witness.
Massive fire destroys historic WWII blimp hangar in Tustin
In what onlookers described as "tragic" and "disappointing," a massive fire destroyed one of two historic blimp hangars at the former Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin on Tuesday.

I have been contacted by a representative of Higo Bank. We will be meeting on Monday morning but I can report that the bank is willing to be much more flexible than the letter we received would seem to indicate. In particular, am happy to report that I was told that it will not be necessary to appear in person if we can send copies of the required documents to the bank via the mail. On the phone I got the impression that they will be willing to be flexible regarding the deadline as well, particularly if they are contacted about the matter. I'll hear more about how they can work with us in that regard on Monday. In preparation for the meeting, I'll review all of the comments that have been made to Ruth's original post and to this post and then make sure that all questions are addressed when I meet with the representative. If there is anything else you would like me to ask when I meet with the representative on Monday, please send me a personal message or put your thoughts in a comment to this post.
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02mSPbvDYrUMa9ZUHYYBCUxtTj2xnL59fftYA8KWm1cJuh4cmwcyp9av4d7Gyghaeul

Kirk here with another example of backlash to the major's discussion with foreign members of the community.
--- ChatGPT 4.0 translation ---
The comedian Honkon expressed his strong opinions on the 4th of November during his appearance on the Radio Osaka show "Saturday Afternoon is Totally Honkon!" He commented on the opinions raised at a dialogue meeting between the mayor of Kumamoto City and the foreign residents living there.
At the meeting, foreign residents had expressed concerns about administrative documents being difficult to understand due to their focus on Japanese era names instead of the Gregorian calendar. They also requested that school lunch menus consider cultural and religious practices. These comments sparked debates on social media, with some saying if they dislike it, they should just go back to their own country, while others argued that it's normal for local governments to be aware of what issues settled foreigners might face.
Honkon was surprised by this, stating that era names are a Japanese convention, not meant for foreigners, and accommodating every single request would be absurd. He argued that if foreign residents complain about such things, it might lead to Japanese having to change their language.
He continued by saying that when one enters a household, they follow the customs of that household; similarly, when one enters a country, they should abide by its laws and customs. He pointed out that with a population of 730,000 in Kumamoto City, foreigners constitute less than 1%. If the requests of such a small minority regarding school lunches based on religious considerations were accommodated, it would disrupt the daily lives of the 99% majority.
Regarding the school lunch issue, Honkon suggested that if a family has dietary restrictions, they could bring their own alternative food. He strongly expressed that trying to accommodate everyone's needs could lead to the country no longer being a democratic state.
Lastly, on the issue of era names, Honkon suggested using smartphones which can easily convert era names to the corresponding Gregorian years, implying that there was no need to change the existing system.
--- end of translation ---
Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that this even merits a writeup. But, if nothing else, it seems clear that that people outside of Kumamoto have been paying attention.
ほんこん　熊本市定住外国人からの〝意見〟に怒「民主主義国家じゃなくなってしまうぞ」 | 東スポWEB
お笑いタレントのほんこんが４日、ラジオ大阪「土曜の午後は、トコトンほんこん！」に出演...

Kirk here. This article is about the negative feedback the major received on X (Twitter) as a result of sticking his neck out to listen to the views of foreign residents. I haven't actually looked at the major's X account but, according to the article many　opinions there were along the lines of "if those darn foreigners don't like it here, they should leave." It would probably be easier for a politician to do nothing but the major made the effort to hold a roundtable. If nothing else, I think that's an important symbolic act; it sets a good example. And, as I've written before, I have good evidence that the major actually listens and modifies policies where appropriate.
By the way, as I plan to publish an open letter to the head of Higo Bank about its treatment of foreign clients, I fully expect to get "if you don't like it here, go back where you came from" reactions from some. That's OK. I'm used to it.
「嫌なら帰れ」「一理ある」外国人が熊本市長に「元号わかりにくい」「給食は宗教に配慮して」要望で大論争（SmartFLASH） - Yahoo!ニュース
　11月3日に開かれた、熊本市に住む外国人と市長との対話集会が話題となっている。外国人は台湾、米国、ウクライナなどが出身の15人。「行政書類の年号が元号中心でわかりにくい」「学校の給食メニューは、文

Kirk here. The other day I introduced a short (about one minute) video about this meeting with the mayor. This video is over four minutes long. If you understand Japanese you can hear some astute comments by the participants directly. (I may add some notes in a comment later, if I have time.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raHOior1wIU
In addition to this YouTube video, here's a text article that has come out recently:
https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/asahi/nation/asahi_region-ASRC70076RC3TLVB001.html
And here's a ChatGPT 4.0 translation:
---- start translation ----
The article is titled "Multilingual Support Still Insufficient: Kumamoto Mayor, Dialogue Meeting with Foreign Citizens" and was published on November 7, 2023, at 10:00 by Asahi Shimbun Digital.
The dialogue meeting "Let's Talk More with the Mayor!" was held on the 3rd at the Kumamoto City International Exchange Hall (Chuo Ward) to hear the opinions of citizens of foreign origin and to use them as a reference for Kumamoto city administration.
As of the end of September, 8,685 foreign-born residents were registered in Kumamoto City, doubling over the past decade and exceeding 1% of the city's population. With Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) moving into the neighboring Kikuyo town, the number is expected to increase. Fifteen people who had moved from Asia, Europe, and Africa participated in the dialogue meeting.
Many mentioned the low cost of living, the richness of nature, and the delicious food as comfortable aspects of living there. On the other hand, there were many voices of concern and calls for improvement to the city.
An Indonesian man said, "I can't eat pork due to religious reasons. The school understands, but they refuse to let me bring an alternative dish for my child's school lunch."
A Malaysian man mentioned, "My name is about 30 characters in Katakana notation. It's an average length in my home country, but often cannot be registered in Japan."
A Taiwanese woman expressed, "When I came to Japan, I could hardly speak Japanese and had trouble with the moving-in procedures. If only it could be done in English."
A Nepalese man suggested, "Can't the city bulletin include features and interviews about foreign cultures? It would greatly reduce anxiety and prejudice."
Kumamoto City had intended to revise its basic autonomy ordinance to clearly include "persons with foreign nationality" in the definition of citizens, but faced many opposing opinions through public comments and had to give up on the idea.
Mayor Kazufumi Onishi explained, "It doesn't change the fact that foreigners were originally included in the definition. You are all comrades. We will resolve misunderstandings through repeated dialogue." He also said, "I thought we had been advancing multilingual support, but I realized it is still insufficient. We will start making improvements immediately where we can." The article is by Kikuma Morikita.
---- end translation ----
熊本市に暮らす外国人が増加　市長と意見交換「課題をドンドン語ろう」【熊本】 (23/11/07 19:00)
こちら８６８５人というのは、熊本市に暮らす外国人の数です。７３万人余りの熊本市の人口に対しては少ないと思われるかもしれませんが、およそ１０年前と比べると２倍近くに増えています。こうした中、互いに理解を...

:::::::IMPORTANT UPDATE:::::::
I have been contacted by a representative of Higo Bank. We will be meeting on Monday morning but I can report that the bank is willing to be much more flexible than the letter we received would seem to indicate. In particular, am happy to report that I was told that it will not be necessary to appear in person if we can send copies of the required documents to the bank via the mail. On the phone I got the impression that they will be willing to be flexible regarding the deadline as well, particularly if they are contacted about the matter. I'll hear more about how they can work with us in that regard on Monday. In preparation for the meeting, I'll review all of the comments that have been made to Ruth's original post and to this post and then make sure that all questions are addressed when I meet with the representative. If there is anything else you would like me to ask when I meet with the representative on Monday, please send me a personal message or put your thoughts in a comment to this post.
:::::::END OF UPDATE:::::::
Kirk here. I'm grateful to Ruth for posting about the letter from Higo Bank:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0214rTFswZmDdzSWMb9NSbvG96Loo1BuS1vfHH3Fa4mwiux31iiNMnZHuidoVVrE2tl
I think it's an important issue and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it recently. In part to get some closure so that I can concentrate on other work, and in part to let the folks at Higo know that they can't treat us like dirt without getting an earful about it, I went ahead and wrote two versions of a public letter asking for clarification. These are just drafts but I wonder if any of you have any thoughts, pro or con, about my idea of sending the president of the company a public letter demanding a better explanation.
--- start English draft ---
Dear Mr. Kasahara,
In early November of this year, foreign customers of your bank were notified of a requirement to appear in-person to present documents based on "measures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing." The deadline set for these procedures is December 29, 2023, and the notice states that if the procedures are not completed by this date, certain restrictions will be imposed on the use of our accounts. We have some questions regarding the sudden issuance of this notice and the short time frame given to comply. We request a written response by December 1, 2023.
1. The guidelines issued by Financial Services Agency, to which you referred to in your notice, are dated February 19, 2021. Why has it taken you until now to take steps to comply with those guildlines and why was it necessary to issue the deadline of December 29, 2023 at such short notice?
2. All financial institutions must comply with the guidelines from the Financial Services Agency that you cited but Higo bank's response differs from that of other institutions. Are there any circumstances specific to your bank that might explain the specific timing and nature of your response?
3. The letter we have received states that we must present the documents in person at the bank. This represents a significant burden to us. Because the bank's service hours are limited, it may be difficult for some of us to complete these procedures without taking time off from work. Is there a reason why you cannot allow documents to be submitted via the post?
--- end English draft ---
The Japanese text has several problems I've already noticed but here's the text I had when I made the draft documents.
次の日本語にいくつかの問題があることに気づいており、今後修正いたします。この投稿を準備した際の下書きは次のとおりでした。
--- start Japanese draft ---
今年の11月上旬に、貴行より「マネー・ロンダリング及びテロ資金供与の防止策」に基づく、窓口での手続きのご案内が外国人の顧客に通知されました。指定された期限は2023年12月29日であり、期限までに手続きを完了しない場合には口座の利用に一定の制限が生じる旨が記されております。突然の通達と要求に関して、以下の質問をさせていただきます。2023年12月1日までに、文書でのご返答を賜りたく存じます。
1. 金融庁のガイドラインは令和３年２月19日付けでありますが、なぜこの時期に年内の締め切りを設定されたのか、その経緯と具体的な根拠をご説明いただけますでしょうか。
2. 他の金融機関も同様のガイドラインに従っているかと存じますが、対応が異なる理由について、貴行の事情をお教えいただけますでしょうか。
3. 書類の郵送不可とされ、窓口での手続きを求める方針には、顧客にとって大きな負担が伴います。特に、窓口の営業時間が短いため、多くの顧客が業務時間内に手続きを行うことが困難である可能性があります。この点に関し、郵送やデジタル手段を含む他の方法による確認作業の可能性についてもご検討いただけないでしょうか。
何卒、ご多忙の折り恐縮ではございますが、ご対応のほどよろしくお願い申し上げます。
--- end Japanese draft ---

Kirk here with something that may not be of much interested to native speakers of English but that Japanese students of English might want to use to study. It presents the text of a Yomiuri newspaper article called "Kumamoto Pref. pushes ‘Kumamon Land’ vision" in clear, easy-to-understand audio with subtitles.
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/stream/article/22320/
Here's the original text of the article:
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/travel-spots/20230902-133726/
【News English 300 words】熊本県を「くまモンランド」に
ようこそ！　リスニング道場へ！ 英字新聞「ジャパン・ニューズ」で取り上げられたニュースをもとに作成した長文読解問題を出題する読売中高生新聞の「News English 300 words」。読売新聞オンラインでは、記事と連動したリ....

William Ask any Japanese about Kumamoto food culture and they will mention basashi (horse sashimi). Many will disagree with the ethics of eating horse (or even eating meat at all), so let's please stay with the menu: basashi and Kumamoto.
Apparently, Japan's domestic supply accounts for about 30% of consumption, with the remainder met by imports; Kumamoto accounts for almost half of domestic production. By far the greatest exporter is Canada at over 3,000 tons, trailed by Mexico at 730 tons.
There is a caveat, though: the United States holds the slaughter of horses for human consumption illegal. Therefore, many American-raised (or feral) horses are shipped to Canada while still alive, where they are subsequently processed as basashi for the Japanese market. So if you buy basashi labeled as "Canadian," it may in fact be American.
This article (in Japanese) is a bit dated and was published by a Japanese supplier of basashi so may be a bit biased provides more details.
Meanwhile: いただきます！
https://www.sabakitatebasashi.com/blogs/basashi/knowledge-005

Kirk here with "dust devil" news from Sunday. "Dust devils form when a pocket of hot air near the surface rises quickly through cooler air above it, forming an updraft." The difference between the hot air on Sunday (30 degrees!) and the cooler air above seems to be what caused this to occur in Kumamoto (you can see the Aso mountains in the background of the video). In Japanese it's called a つむじ風 (tsumuji kaze). Tsumuji is a "hair whorl" so tsumuji kaze is a "hair whorl wind" -- a much cuter term than "dust devil." :)
連休中に「つむじ風」が発生　竜巻とは違うメカニズムで原因は「暑さ」と「乾燥」？ | 熊本のニュース｜RKK熊本放送
連休中の熊本県内では、暑さの影響もあり「ある現象」が見られました。11月3日（金）「文化の日」の午後1時ごろ、大津町の畑で茶色い砂が高く巻き上げられている様子が見られました。青空が広がり、周辺に雲はない…