Posts

Kirk here with national news made by KIHARA Minoru, who is from Kumamoto.
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Defense Minister Minoru Kihara on Monday retracted comments he made over the weekend in which he appeared to imply that a vote for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a key by-election would be good for the Self-Defense Forces and their families — despite the SDF's strict policy of political neutrality.
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Defense chief retracts comments implying LDP vote would be good for SDF
Article 61 of the Self-Defense Forces Law explicitly forbids SDF personnel from engaging in political activity, with the exception of voting.

William Lafcadio Hearn (also known by his Japanese name, Koizumi Yakumo (小泉 八雲 - the surname taken from his Japanese wife https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn), was a peripatetic Anglo-Greek writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West. Hearn longed for the "true Japan," which he found in Matsue - apparently, all else failed in comparison, particularly Kumamoto (where he spent three years, 1891-94), which he abhorred, finding it cultureless and blindly adoptive of anything Western. His Kumamoto house is directly behind Tsuruya; tours are free.
Hearn was particularly well-known for his ghost stories. One of the scariest stories I've ever read is "A Passional Karma," which can be read for free here: https://tinyurl.com/4wey3pmb. It's a relatively short, hair-raising tale suitable for English students looking to read their first English literature. Happy Halloween!

This extensive (about 1500-word) article is chock-full of interesting tidbits about the Aso area.
In volcanic Aso, the land gives much more than it takes
Locals in Aso have a saying: “The land takes away, but it gives us something, too.”

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William Our friend Jeff Cairns, a legend at the shakuhachi, will team up with Hidehiko Kashihara on guitar for what will certainly be a magical, mesmorizing evening. Jeff lives at the foot of Mt Kimpo, and his music incorporates the wonder of ancient Higo. Information at the link:

Sean here-
File under: Been there. Done that. Don't wanna do it again.

OMO5 Kumamoto by Hoshino Resorts (Tatsuro Sasaki Architects) won Best of Globe at the 2023 Shaw Contract Design Awards! -- Kirk
https://www.shawcontract.com/en-ap/Design/OMO-Kumamoto-by-Hoshino-Resort

Fiona here with news for fans of escape rooms and immersive games. Scrap, one of the pioneers in the escape room industry, is running a night-time amusement park escape game at Greenland in Arao. The event will be held in November and tickets are on sale now. Having played a couple of their games in the past, I would recommend teaming up with people who can read Japanese well!
累計25万人以上が参加した「夜の遊園地シリーズ」最新作！ 仮面サーカス脱出が全国各地の遊園地で開催！ ピエロに扮して素顔を隠し、サーカスに潜む闇をあなたが暴け！ 夜の遊園地を貸し切って行う唯一無二の体験型エ....

Kirk here with a post from Leanne in Amakusa:
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This is Leanne, Canadian living in Amakusa with an opportunity for two lucky people.
I'm involved in a project focused on creating a pilgrimage route in Amakusa.
We are organizing a two day pilot trip around Amakusa. It is free of charge. We need 2 more English speaking participants for November 26th and 27th.
Email me at [email protected] for more information.
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Sean here -
File under: Really? Yeah really.
Don't let this be you.

Kirk here with an inquiry from longtime Kumamoto International participant Jackie:
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Hi, I have a question for the Kumamoto International community. I have been charged with the task of developing a literature “repertoire” for the Lutheran International Primary School that will open at the Luther campus in April. I have a good background in American children’s literature, but am not well-versed in what books could represent other countries. The books must be in English, and it is helpful if they are available on amazon-japan. Wondering if any folks out there have recommendations from your home country of books (ages 5-12) that you think every kid should read. Feel free to send me a direct message or post here. If you have an author’s name to go with the title, that’s even better. Many thanks, gracias, merci, abrigado, danke, asante, and so forth!
This ”repertoire” will eventually become the library at the school, so recommendations for good books that stand the test of time are appreciated.
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Please post thoughts or recommendations in a comment. :)

Kirk here with a fake image that illustrates what seems to be a historical fact. Here's a translations of a Japanese news article from last year:
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Kumamoto City announced by the 21st that they conducted an archaeological excavation on the artificial hill in Suizenji Jōju-en (located in the Chuo Ward), a national scenic beauty and historical site. They have confirmed the locations where soil from the Edo period was used for construction and where, during the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877 (Meiji 10), part of the hill was carved out to place artillery batteries by the government forces. The city will hold an on-site explanatory meeting on the 23rd.
According to the city's Culture Promotion Division, this is the first excavation of the artificial hill. The decision to excavate was made in order to determine the best method of restoration after the top of the hill sank about 60 centimeters due to the Kumamoto earthquake.
From early August to about a month later, they dug down from several centimeters to 50 centimeters at two locations on the north and south sides of the artificial hill. From differences in the color and layering of the soil, they were able to identify sections from the Edo period, the location where the artillery battery was placed, and the layer of soil added after the Satsuma Rebellion. The current height of the artificial hill is approximately 8.5 meters, and it is believed that the artillery battery was placed at a height of about 5.8 meters. Fragments of thin friction tubes (1.5 centimeters long and 5 millimeters wide), used for firing cannons, were also unearthed.
It was previously known from old photographs taken before and after the Satsuma Rebellion that the government forces had carved out the artificial hill to set up the artillery battery.
The on-site explanatory meeting will be held from 4 pm on the 23rd and is free of charge. In case of cancellation, it will be announced on the city's website.
(By Sawako Tobimatsu)
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https://taron.hatenablog.com/entry/2018/11/03/234730
The site is in Japanese. ChatGPT 4.0 did the translation for me.
Thanks to Explore Kumamoto for the tip. :)

Sean here-
立野ダム.
I was fortunate enough to catch a sightseeing train (Minami Aso Railway) gliding past the mostly completed Tateno Dam. Cool weather brings the colors of autumn. A great time of year to catch a train. All aboard!
Some info below about both. Most in Japanese – Although Google translate isn’t perfect, if you have it, it suits the purpose in this case.
Williams original post
https://www.facebook.com/search/posts?q=%E7%AB%8B%E9%87%8E%E3%83%80%E3%83%A0&filters=eyJycF9hdXRob3I6MCI6IntcIm5hbWVcIjpcImF1dGhvcl9tZVwiLFwiYXJnc1wiOlwiXCJ9In0%3D
Cool site about dam, and interesting videos. https://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/tateno/
NHK video on Minami Aso Railway
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/japanrailway/20230914/2049133/
Minami Aso Railway Homepage
https://www.mt-torokko.com/about/

Kirk here with some news for martial arts fans.
Kumamoto: Back from Brink of Extinction, Local Fighting Style Marks 450 Yrs
HITOYOSHI, Kumamoto — A sword-fighting style that originated in the Kyushu region and was once on the verge of extinction celebrates 450 years since it was first developed. Hyoho Taisha ryu originated in the Hitoyoshi and Kuma regions of Kumamoto Prefecture and is known for its combination of swor...

Hi, Joe Tomei here. I’m not sure if this will make a difference, but I noticed that the Kumamoto internatonal Facebook feed is full of ‘Sponsored’ and ‘suggested for you’ posts. I’m not sure how much of a difference this will make but I’d ask the other editors, when the have a few minutes, to click on the upper right corner and hide those ads so as to discourage the facebook algorithm from adding unconnected posts. For people who aren’t editors, if you know facebook channels or accounts/profiles for businesses that are local, please add them in the comments so we can list them as favorites. I’m not sure if this will work but it is worth a try. Thanks.

Here's a link to an article about Suizenji Jojuen (Garden) with some notes about the "mini Mount Fuji." The article is correct; the grass-covered feature is indeed intended to look like Fuji-san as viewed from the Tokaido. What the article doesn't say is that there's a term for this kind of man-made garden mountain: tsukiyama (築山; literally "built mountain"). The mountain in Suizenji Jojuen is a representative example of the technique. In fact, if you look up the Japanese term on Wikipedia you'll find a picture of Suizenji Jojuen. -- Kirk
See mini Mount Fuji at this traditional garden
The origin of Suizenji Jojuen Garden dates back to the 1630s when the first lord of the Kumamoto area, Hosokawa Tadatoshi, ordered the construction of a tea house and Suizenji Temple near his seat of power at Kumamoto Castle. Although the temple would be relocated elsewhere and Izumi Shrine later bu...

Hi! Kirk again! I got a request for eye doctor (optometrist) recommendations. Information about English speakers and those who seem to be knowledgable about recent medical trends would be particularly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Kirk here posting an inquiry on behalf of a friend who is here in Japan due to serious medical issues that her family member is facing. She needs to receive money from her husband in the States and Japan's Post bank has been recommended to her. Those of us trying to help her, though, wonder if there isn't a better way. As our friend is not a long-term resident of Japan, she can't be expected to deal with the Japanese language. Something that is convenient, has a decent exchange rate (no huge service costs), and doesn't require knowledge of Japanese would be nice. If you could please share your recommendations and thoughts about various options in a comment, I'm sure our friend and many other readers would appreciate it (as will I, of course). Thanks in advance!

Service between Hong Kong and Kumamoto. -- KIrk
Hong Kong Airlines resumes services to Kumamoto | TTG Asia
Hong Kong Airlines will restart its direct service to Kumamoto from December 2, operating three flights a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday initially.