Posts

Kirk here sharing this nice post from Michi No Eki Aso. Reading the post made me want to visit Tarutama Onsen, in part because I'm particularly interested in facilities with private baths.
Tarutama Onsen in southern Aso
A visit to Tarutama hot spring in Aso as part of the 88 hot spring challenge Kyushu.

Kirk here, forwarding information from an e-mail I received from the Prefectural Advisors.
--- start quote ---
Can you believe it’s already March? I hope you guys are keeping well!
Without further ado, we present you with the YOKA Winter 2024!
The newest edition of the YOKA is now available for your reading pleasure on KumamotoJET.
This issue of the YOKA features...
First Winter - Melanie Wakefield
"The Right to Bear Arms" - Shane Meekin
Come Join - KUMAJET
JET Spotlight - Ryan Pascua
Winter in Kumamoto - Alexander Gilmour
"JP VS NZ" - Megan Wilson
"How Far to Home" - Paige Turner
"The Oil Squisher" - Austin Fontenot
Artist Statement - Quinlan Fletcher
Winter Fashion - Shawna Kay Lipscombe
Photos Exhibition - Austin Fontenot, Lily Nguyen, Tiffiany Tsang, Shane Meekin
International Recipes - Julie Pearl Guanzon
This YOKA was Designed by Megan Wilson
--- end quote ---
URL: https://www.kumamotojet.com/reiwa/the-yoka/
I'm always impressed by the extremely high quality of the artwork in each edition of YOKA. :)

Joe Tomei here, apologies is this has been posted before but I picked up this English postcard for the red Charichari bikes that have popped up around town explaining the process. I've never used one so anyone who has experiences with the bikes, please comment!!

William The history of the Buddhist temple (and former Shinto shrine) Honmyoji is complex. It got its start in 1585 - in Osaka, actually - to pray for the repose of the soul of Kato Kiyomasa's father, Kiyotada. In 1600, after Kiyomasa became the lord of Kumamoto Castle, it was moved to within Kumamoto Castle grounds. Kiyomasa died in 1611, and according to his will, a statue of himself was enshrined at Jochi-byo Mausoleum on Mt. Nakao, to which the temple and shrine were relocated and co-occupied from 1614. Due to the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism ordinance during the Meiji period, the temple and shrine were separated, with the shrine moved to Kumamoto Castle to become Kato Jinja and the temple remaining as we know it today.
Leprosy (or "Hansen Byo," as it's known in Japanese) affected the temple greatly. Afflicted beggars lined its steps, and inns were created along the slope to accomodate both beggars and pilgrims alike. Devote pilgrims donated stone lanterns which proceed up the center of the double steps, and many cherry trees were planted.
It is the cherries that will catch your attention at this time of year. Rather than a sit-and-drink hanami, consider a mobile (and rather strenuous) one, drinking in the fragrance of the cherries and the historical ambience (as well as a beer or two) while you enjoy what really should be a World Heritage Site. During this season, the stairs are illuminated at night, when it's also less crowded. It's a very long walk from the tram stop Honmyoji to the top and back. Your legs may hate you the next morning, but your memories (and camera) will not. (Photos ripped from Web.)

For Kumamon fans who might need to rent a car in Kumamoto. -- Kirk
Explore Kumamoto in a Kumamon Rental Car! | Kumamoto Scoop
Kumamon, a beloved local mascot not just in Japan but a Tour Kumamoto in style with Kumamon themed rental cars! From compact to SUV, these adorable rentals promise a delightful ride.

Won't be long until the cherry blossoms start to pop! :) -- Kirk
Latest Japan Cherry Blossom 2024 Forecast: When & Where to See Sakura in Japan (Updated 2/29) | LIVE JAPAN travel guide
Planning your dream trip to Japan in spring for cherry blossom season? Here is where and when is the best time to see the cherry blossoms in Japan in 2024! In this deep dive, we share the Japan cherry blossom forecast, talk about sakura viewing culture, and see where are the best places to see cherr...

William Kumanichi notes that the new library `annex "Children's Book Forest Kumamoto" (Honnomori, 本の森 - "Book Forest" in Japanese), designed by architect Tadao Ando, will open with a ceremony to be held on April 7th.
The library is a two-story building of reinforced concrete and wood and a design featuring an atrium structure with tall bookshelves lining one wall containing about 10,000 books, mainly for children.
General admission will begin at 1:30 pm on the 8th. In order to enable comfortable usage, participant numbers will initially be limited to 50 for admission up to 100 minutes, and reservations will be required which can be made on the Honnomori website from March 25th (probably a good idea to wait a few weeks for the hype to die down):　https://kodomohonnomori.kumamoto.jp/
This looks to be an incredible asset to Kumamoto.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/1349236

Postscript: Atsuko posted a useful Google-translate link that makes this site pretty intelligible, even if you don't read Japanese:
https://kumamoto--guide-jp.translate.goog/oshiromatsuri/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&fbclid=IwAR3EZGvP7NKk4L1OLjT9Vh9l5CY1_5oYQSUeXgrxZ7DYoFLdyrVDxsKMlxo
Thanks Atsuko!
--- original post ---
Kirk here with a bit about the Oshiro Matsuri ("castle festival") that's starting today. A large number of events is planned but, alas, nobody seems to have thought about how to share information about the events with people who don't read Japanese. Even though I can read Japanese pretty easily, I still find it to be a bit of a pain in the *** to look through events by clicking on all of the buttons they have used to segregate the information. If they would just give us one page with all of the events and brief explanations listed in chronological order, in text that can be copied, I could then copy the text, use AI to translate it, and share it here. :(
Perhaps someday I'll have an opportunity to tell the mayor that the city's event promotion could be greatly improved by a few simple changes to their approach. In the meantime, if you know of any good source of information about the festival in English, please let me know in a comment. I haven't been able to find anything yet.
熊本城で開催される「くまもとお城まつり」の公式ホームページです。祭りの開催日・詳細・交通情報などをご案内しています。お城まつりは特別史跡熊本城跡で春と秋に継続して開催しているイベントで、市民はもとより...

Atsuko here with an introduction to the spring festival in Kawashiri, which will be held tomorrow, March 10.
Kawashiri is an interesting town. It is full of old streets with many temples and rice warehouses, old stores such as cutlery and sake breweries, Japanese sweets, delicious bread and ramen shops. The remains of the oldest public toilet in Japan is also located near the Kasegawa River. Last week I went to Kawashiri Elementary School for an exchange program, and the third graders taught me about it.
Please enjoy the spring festival in such an interesting town with new sake, Japanese sweets, and various other delicious foods.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
March 10, 2024 [Kawashiri Kuramae Street Festival]
is finally being held!
This year, a section of Kuramae Street will become a pedestrian paradise.
You can relax and enjoy Kawashiri in spring.
https://kawashiri--sui-com.translate.goog/infomation/%e5%b7%9d%e5%b0%bb%e8%94%b5%e5%89%8d%e9%80%9a%e3%82%8a%e7%a5%ad%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b%e3%81%a7%e3%81%99/?fbclid=IwAR3xia2shMKl-2eEXW2meN1gAnQdDmh0uQyFdxVNTfY4lvlsjCmPm19YXkw&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

I didn't know that there was such an event in Hong Kong. :) -- Kirk
Gear up for the return of Kumamon Run in Hong Kong this April
An exciting sports event is happening in Hong Kong this April 14. The Kumamon Run will return at the Hong Kong Science Park.

Kirk here with some geothermal news.
Construction completed for Oguni geothermal power plant, Kumamoto, Japan
The 5-MW Oguni Machiokoshi geothermal power plant in the town of Oguni in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan has been completed and will soon supply power for 8000 households.

For Fortnite fans. -- Kirk
Kumamon Island Custom Map Heading to Fortnite
Kumamoto Prefecture revealed that a custom Kumamon Island map will be heading to Fortnite, and it will play like a business simulation game.

Joe Tomei here. In response to the almost audible cry for Funky Friday Finds, we will be dusting off the FFF desk and scheduling those posts. The next two months will be places in and around Ezuko and Kengun Jinja.
The first Funky Friday Find is the ramen shop Mensho Kinoe (麺処 きのゑ the shop sign uses the hentaigana for we). It is located where the old 2nd Sunny Place hamburger shop was, just down the street from the Jinja and the shop has 2 parking spots just behind it. I highly recommend the miso ramen, made with 3 different types of Kumamoto miso, with an added softboiled egg (ajitama) and a second order of noodles (kaedama). I've not gotten past that to order the special gentei ramen. It's a tiny place and can often be busy around lunch time.
The Funky Friday Finds map is here (new sports are going to marked with a red pin)
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1qUH94Bac7Hr939b7_8gtvebaJZffGRsX&usp=sharing
The tabelog page is here
https://tabelog.com/en/kumamoto/A4301/A430101/43016158/dtlphotolst/?smp=s
I'm working my way through the old spots and marking the ones have sadly passed. If you find a place that has closed (or a place you want to suggest), feel free to let us know.

Letting students nap for a short time during the day strikes me as a very good idea. This enlightened approach is being practiced at Uto Junior and Senior High School. -- Kirk
School where falling asleep in the classroom is encouraged | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
UTO, Kumamoto Prefecture--Kids caught napping in the classroom at prefecture-run Uto Junior and Senior High School here are not punished. Quite the reverse. They are encouraged.

Kirk here recommending that you check out this NHK World interview with Andrew Mitchell. NHK World videos don't usually stay up forever so take a look before it's taken down.
Good work, Andrew!!!
P.S. Here's the the Facebook page of the KEEP project:
https://www.facebook.com/kumadaiquake/
KEEP stands for Kumamto Earthquake Experience Project
#22: Things I learned from the Kumamoto Quakes - Chatroom Japan | NHK WORLD-JAPAN On Demand
Do you know what to do when disaster strikes? If you don't, Andrew Mitchell from the UK has some stories to tell you from his own experience living through the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.

Kirk again. I've posted quite a few articles about the arrival of TSMC but this one has some new information you might want to check out. Major topics:
* Kumamoto Driving School's “international” division and special classes for foreigners
* Kyushu Lutheran School's new "international educational institute for elementary school children"
* Skyrocketing land prices
* Ripple effects (more investment in Kumamoto)
Kumamoto goes all out to prepare for influx tied to TSMC chip plant | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
From transportation to education, governments and businesses are gearing up for the arrival of foreign newcomers ahead of the opening of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plant in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture.

Kirk again, catching up with posts I should have made earlier. This one is advertising an opening for a homeroom teacher assistant of 5–6-year-olds. Please read the quoted text below:
---- 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 the end of March or by the first week of April 2024. (Start date is negotiable.)

Position: Homeroom teacher assistant of 5–6-year-olds. (There is also a Japanese licensed nursery teacher in the classroom.)

Responsibilities: Assist homeroom teacher throughout the day. After training, teach the class by yourself one day a week and take over determined blocks of time during the day. This usually consists of one morning and two afternoons per week. 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 (40 hours/week). However, some days may have slightly longer or shorter hours.

Additional Work: Teach roughly 2 or 3 English conversation classes per week and assist during extended care.

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 of quote (and post) ----

Kirk here with a recommendation for people in need of a good lawyer who speaks English. The man whose image you see is KITAZATO Toshiaki. My wife needed some legal advice (NOT regarding how to divorce me, thank goodness ;) ) and decided to enlist his services. I first met him when my wife and I visited his office. It was only then that I learned that he had studied at Harvard Law School, which seems to be considered to be a pretty good place to study law -- at least that's what I hear. ;)
Actually, I met Kitazato-sensei a long time ago but never got around to posting about him on this page. I'm only posting now because I got an inquiry about a good divorce lawyer that speaks English. As I wrote above, that's not what my wife and I were talking to him about but I see on his website that he does deal with divorce, in addition to many other legal issues. If any of you have any other tips about good English-speaking lawyers (particularly divorce lawyers), please share your wisdom here. Comments to this post are particularly welcome but, if you prefer, please feel to write to me directly, or to the page, with recommendations.
Addendum: As one might expect from his study at Harvard, I would put Kitazato-sensei in the "high-powered" category of lawyers. It became clear in talking with him that he hobnobs with politicians and is generally well-connected. That's good but that means that his fees may be a bit higher than others. By the way, though I don't think he charges extra for it, he's a related to KITASATO Shibasaburo, the famous physician and bacteriologist from Kumamoto who is "remembered as the co-discoverer of the infectious agent of bubonic plague in Hong Kong during an outbreak in 1894." (quote from Wikipedia)
http://www.kumamoto-keizai.co.jp/content/asp/kuma/detail.asp?PageID=21&id=2469&word=&k_id=37
https://kitazato.net/staff-introduction/

Kirk here with some information from Megan.
--- start quote ---
Upcoming Used Book Fair in Mifune:
March 9 & March 10, 2024
A great way to support a wonderful local community!
2024年
3月9(土),10(日)
11: 00-18: 00 ( 10日は ~17 : 30 )
街なかギャラリー
〒861-3207 熊本県上益城郡御船町御船 794
【ミフネ古本市・大山鹿古本市について】
古本タケシマ文庫:096-223-5145
--- end quote ---
Apologies to Megan for being so late. Megan, do you have any idea about whether or not any English-language books might be available? Even if not, I think this will be worth visiting. Ikeda Movable Print (my translation of 池田活版印刷所) is participating in the event. It's a Japanese typesetting printshop that started in 1890 (!!):
https://ikedakappan.com/index.php/about/history.html
The area itself if very historic; it's on the old Buzen Kaido, the route traveled in the Edo period. I've enjoyed touring the stretch of the same old road in Yamaga and would love to visit this area, though I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it this weekend.
Here's a Kumanichi page that has a useful Google map:
https://kumanichi.com/event/1341231

William Kumanichi reports that Mt Aso is acting up a bit and provides two lovely photos. The article describes a "fire phenomenon" in which high-temperature volcanic gas ejected from underground causes the walls of a crater to become red-hot. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised the eruption alert level from 1 to 2 (restrictions around the crater) and warned of risk of volcanic blocks and pyroclastic flows within a radius of about 1 km from the crater. Click on the photos for a better view.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/1347306