Posts

Kirk here. Why has it been so hot this year? Here's an explanation from Fukuoka Now:
El Niño Fuels Late Summer Scorcher in Northern Kyushu | Fukuoka Now
Heads up, Northern Kyushu, including Fukuoka Prefecture. It seems Mother Nature's cranked up the thermostat. The next three months? Expect them to be warmer than your average summer...

Kirk here with a bit more about the Yamaga Lantern Festival. The screenshot is from the following page:
https://yamaga-tanbou.jp.e.zh.hp.transer.com/about/toromatsuri/
This is an automatic translation of the two-day schedule that has been published in Japanese:
https://yamaga-tanbou.jp.e.zh.hp.transer.com/about/toromatsuri/
Check it out for yourself. There will be fireworks on the 15th.
Please be careful about crowds and parking. I can't provide compete details here so, if you're planning to go, please try to do some research on your own. If you find out anything you think would be valuable for others, please share it in a comment.

Kirk here with a share about an event at Aso Shrine that is already over. Sorry I couldn't give you advance warning. If you'll be here next year, mark your calendar! ;)
https://www.facebook.com/eng.michinoekiaso/posts/pfbid02h12trRYNr7Mx3UhF46weGHa1DiFHtXpiEQV98CQrtyWA5hZXMoVw4RivbCo1hhpel

Atsuko here, sharing experience Japanese musical instruments, Koto, shakuhachi, shamisen, taiko drums, Japanese dance, etc.
The taiko drumming teacher is from the taiko team I was part of before Corona. This is a fun chance to touch and play Japanese instruments such as the koto and shakuhachi. Free for children, ¥2,000 for adults.
Hoping you can enjoy it(๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Thursday 17 August, 13:30-16:00.
3rd Summer Workshop for Traditional Performing Arts
@ Kumamoto Prefectural Theatre Music Rehearsal Room
Children, primary schools - university students/free
General/2000 yen
Application: Please send an email to the address below with your 'name, number of people and contact details'.
[email protected]
Kumamoto Traditional Music Hall
Izumi Fujikawa ( @izumi_fujikawa )
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
5th year Kumamoto Prefecture Arts and Culture Promotion Association Project
Kumamoto Prefectural Theater Music Rehearsal Room
A program where you can experience Japanese musical instruments
August 17, Thursday, 13:30~16:00
3rd Summer Vacation Traditional Performing Arts Workshop
Koto, shakuhachi, shamisen, taiko drums, Japanese dance, etc.
Children, elementary school students to university students/ free. General 2000 yen
This is a workshop where you can experience Japanese traditional performing arts in an interesting way.
Don't miss this opportunity to try playing Japanese musical instruments!
This year's theme is yukata♪ I will teach you how to wear a yukata!
Teacher
Izumi Kawa, Chihiro Tsunoda III Shakuhachi Hideki Ueno Taiko Iwasaki Riki Japanese Dance / Kaho Nakamura Kado General Incorporated Association
August 17, Reiwa 5 (Wed) 13:30~16:00
Kumamoto Prefectural Theater Music Rehearsal Room (B1F)
2-7-1 Oe, Chuo- ku, Kumamoto
Participation fee: Elementary school students to college students (guardians) free / General 2000 yen
Application for participation [email protected] (Please let us know your name, number of people and contact information) Contact: 096-372-2355 090-4475-2352 (Fujikawa)
Organizer: Kumamoto representative Izumi) 11-2 Haramachi, Chuo- ku, Kumamoto 862-0957
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=706360104867968&id=100064819533239&sfnsn=mo

Kirk here. There will be fireworks in Hitoyoshi and Namino (Aso area) on the 15th (Tuesday).
https://hanabi.walkerplus.com/detail/ar1043e00323/
https://hanabi.walkerplus.com/detail/ar1043e00498/
第68回(令和5年)人吉花火大会（人吉市）の日程・開催情報 | 花火大会2023 - ウォーカープラス
【開催・中止(延期)情報もいち早く更新！】夏の一大イベントとして、県内外から観覧客が訪れる。約3000発の花火が空ばかりか、人吉市内中心街に流れる球磨川の川面にも鮮やかに映し出される。...

Kirk here. Last night I posted about the upcoming lantern festival in Yamaga. Another great place to visit in Yamaga is Yachiyoza, the traditional theatre.
https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/pfbid0ed5wJjuMr3o5s5dsmvwZHLDSuETxGZuCKstxSr8ya9u2TGsmdcSiMH4K5U1j8x19l

Kirk here with a link to an English-language page about the Yamaga Lantern Festival, coming up on the 15th and 16th. For details about this year's event, all I have is the official Japanese-language site:
https://yamaga-tanbou.jp/events/3296/
https://ohmatsuri.com/en/articles/kumamoto_yamaga_lantern_festival
Yamaga Lantern Festival
Lanterns crafted by Toro-shi (Toro lantern craftsmen) are displayed on the 15th from the d...

Kirk here with information about an upcoming party.
https://www.facebook.com/events/240616055545272/?post_id=240616072211937&view=permalink

Kirk here. There will be fireworks in Uki tomorrow (Saturday).
豊野町ふるさと祭り（宇城市）の日程・開催情報 | 花火大会2023 - ウォーカープラス
【開催・中止(延期)情報もいち早く更新！】熊本県宇城市で毎年お盆の時期に、仲間たちとのふれあいの場として開催される豊野町ふるさと祭り。歌や地元の和太鼓、神楽なども披露され、祭りの最後は約1000発の花火で締め...

Kirk here with a post about an event at the International Center that came via our friend Luz. :) It's Saturday, tomorrow.

Kirk here. I definitely agree that Kikuchi Keikoku has a great place to cool off. Even on the hotest of days, the whole area feels like it's air conditioned. Come to think of it, I guess it is -- cold mountain water air conditioning.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/824994709196846

Kirk here. Tomorrow (8/11) is "Mountain Day" (山の日) and Mountain Day is also the day of the Kaimon festival in Kagoshima.
鹿児島県指宿市のかいもん夏祭り2023について、開催日程・スケジュールや場所、花火打ち上げ時間、屋台・露店の出店、アクセスや駐車場等気になりますよね。ここでは、かいもん夏祭り2023の日程・スケジュー

Atsuko, with the information that Hello Work can also provide help in foreign languages. This announcement seems to have been made a long time ago, but as it is from October, I thought it might be useful to share it with you.(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
For foreigners looking for work.
You can call Hello Work in a foreign language.
○Hello Work is a government office where you can get free advice on how to find a job and referrals.
From 1 October, some Hello Work offices will be able to take calls in foreign languages.
Phone number to call in a foreign language
English 0800-919-2901
中文 0800-919-2902
Korea 0800-919-2903
Português 0800-919-2904
Español 0800-919-2905
ภาษาไทย 0800-919-2906
Tagalog 0800-919-2907
Vietnamese 0800-919-2908
Nepali the clock 0800-919-2909
Bahasa Indonesia 0800-919-2910
When the call is connected, please tell (1) where you live and (2) the name of the Hello Work you wish to contact.
Monday to Friday
Hours you can call:8:30~18:00
Saturday 10:00~17:00
Excluding Sundays, public holidays, New Year's Day and Christmas Day.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Prefectural Labour Bureau
Hello Work
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=927460218311696&id=100031431792772&sfnsn=mo

Kirk here with a share from Kuma Visit about an opportunity you can take advantage of this month.
https://www.facebook.com/kumavisit/posts/pfbid02PAAAqBK7TcY7Swsn8xegyUHEE9LgwJvgDJYvokR9uPMr4rPwWS87FxuZpzhDEcLTl

Kirk here with a note on how the typhoon affected Kumamoto Airport. This RKK reports shows a plane coming in from Tokyo that, after aborting two landings, decided to return to Tokyo. Many other flights were cancelled. Not a good day for Kumamoto Airport.
「着陸まであとわずか・・・」台風の影響で２回試みるも “空港着陸できず” 『羽田へ引き返し』 | 熊本のニュース｜RKK熊本放送
空の便にも影響が出ています。きょう午前10時すぎの熊本空港の様子です。全日空機が着陸しようとしますが。着陸直前に再び高度を上げていきました。全日空によりますと、この機は羽田発の641便で2回着陸を試みたも…

Kirk here with something I hope will raise your spirits on this mostly overcast and rainy day. This 90-year old lady works at a McDonald's downtown. Perhaps some of you have met her. :)
Japanese woman, 90, works at McDonald's 5 days a week & lovin' it — for the last 23 years
The rest of us really have no excuse.

Kirk here with two sites that provide some perspective on the effects of the cyclone to our west. Both show a precipitation prediction for 6 PM today. The one with more red is Ventusky and the other is the JMAs radar map. The results are fairly similar -- both showing that Kumamoto City is not likely to experience heavy rain this time around. Folks in Amakusa, however, need to be more careful.
https://www.ventusky.com/?p=31.80;128.83;7&l=rain-3h
https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/kaikotan/#zoom:7/lat:32.616243/lon:130.297852/colordepth:normal/elements:rasrf&slmcs&slmcs_fcst

Kirk here. Shinkansen service to and from Kagoshima has been suspended:
---start quote---
Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) will suspend Kyushu Shinkansen service between Kumamoto Station and Kagoshima Chuo Station from the afternoon of Aug. 8 as it braces for approaching Typhoon No. 6.
. . . . ellipsis . . .
JR Kyushu announced that Kyushu Shinkansen service between Hakata Station and Kumamoto Station will be operated as usual.
---end quote---
JR Kyushu to halt Shinkansen with approach of Typhoon No. 6 | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis
Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) will suspend Kyushu Shinkansen service between Kumamoto Station and Kagoshima Chuo Station from the afternoon of Aug. 8 as it braces for approaching Typhoon No. 6.

Kirk here with information about an opportunity to enjoy utase net-fishing (from a boat of the kind pictured) for just 4,000 per person if two or more make a reservation. First, an official explanation:
--- start quote ---
Utase net-fishing is a traditional style of fishing passed on in the Ashikita district since the end of the Edo period. A trawl net sunk to the bottom of the sea is pulled by a sailboat, guided by the sea breeze. It’s slow but unique fishing using natural forces, mainly for catching tiger prawn, crab, and squilla. Guests can take home some fish they caught as a souvenir. On the boat, you may also catch cutlass fish, or have seafood freshly prepared upon your request.
--- end quote ---
https://kumanichi.com/articles/1131259
The "special deal" is that it used to be the case that you had to reserve an entire boat for a fee of about 10 times the current per-person rate. However, the following Kumanichi article says that, because of the decline in tourism rentals caused by COVID-19, they are allowing initial reservations for just two or more at 4,000 yen per person. I think this is probably a temporary promotion; once they can bring back a substantial flow of tourists they may end this nice deal and go back to requiring guaranteed rental of entire boats.
I was part of a group that rented a boat many years ago. If the description sounds intriguing to you, I recommend that you give it a try.
https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/kumanichi/region/kumanichi-dr1131259.html

Kirk here with high school baseball tournament information. Tokai University Kumamoto Seisho Senior High School will play Hamamatsu Kaiseikan in the first game of the day on Thursday. Here's the Japanese information and my source:
8月10日(木)
7:00開門
第5日
8:00 第1試合(1回戦)東海大熊本星翔 (熊本) - 浜松開誠館 (静岡)
https://www.hanshin.co.jp/koshien/highschool/summer2023/schedule.html
Assuming that Tokai wins this game, the schedule for their subsequent games will also be published on this page.
I got the photo for this post here:
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20180809/k00/00m/050/040000c