Posts

Kirk here with an extensive article (over 1000 words) on the local impact of the construction of the new TSMC plant:

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According to the benchmark land prices announced by the land ministry in September 2022, the price for the industrial area in Kikuyo rose 31.6% from the previous year, the highest rate of increase for all types of land across Japan.
“That’s probably an underestimate, as actual prices have already more than doubled,” one local real estate official noted.
--- end quote ---
TSMC’s Kumamoto plant tests Kyushu’s readiness to meet surging investment
The world's leading chip manufacturer has invested around ¥1 trillion in the construction of the sprawling industrial complex, which is expected to employ some 1,700 workers.

Kirk here with a photo I took of the cherry blossoms not far from Kumamoto Prefectural University. There are lots of famous spots but, when the weather is nice, if you can get out and cycle or walk you'll probably find plenty to enjoy in your neighborhood. :)

Kirk here with something about the Janes Mansion (Janes Residence; ジェーンズ亭) and German prisoners of war in WWI. The color photo is of the reconstructed Janes Mansion, which is looking quite nice now and will be open to the public this fall, as I understand it. For background on the historical importance of the residence see the following:
Reconstruction efforts begin Birthplace of Japanese Red Cross Society, "Janes' Residence"
https://www.jrc.or.jp/english/jrc_news/170401_004771.html
The second image is of German prisoners of war relaxing on the porch of the Janes Residence in during WWI. It's a screenshot of the following page:
https://www.asahi.com/articles/photo/AS20221129003101.html?iref=pc_photo_gallery_5
They got to stay in the Janes Residence because they were officers. Also, it seems that Japan was generally quite careful to adhere to the Hague Convention and not abuse POWs:
A Forgotten Tale of World War I: Life for German POWs in Japanese Camps
https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/a03303/
So, it seems that German officers had particularly nice accommodations in which to wait for the war to end.
P.S. It if often rendered the "Janes' Mansion" with an apostrophe to indicate the possessive, but that seems odd to me. Of course, "L.L. Janes' Mansion" is fine but when the family name modifies a word like "mansion" or "estate" in the name of a site, it seems to me that the possessive is out of place. As a case in point, it's the Vanderbilt Mansion, not the Vanderbilt's Mansion:
https://www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm

Kirk here with a share from Msn.com. Naturally, Mt. Aso is at the top of the list. Even if you live here and have been to the Mt. Aso area many times, a nice spring day like today might be a good occasion to take in the scenery in a new way -- perhaps a hike in an area you've never walked through. :)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/10-reasons-why-kyushu-is-worth-visiting-best-things-to-do-kyushu-japan/ar-AA1962x1
10 Reasons Why Kyushu Is Worth Visiting: Best Things To Do Kyushu, Japan
Kyushu is Japan’s third-largest island and is known for its natural beauty, hot springs, and unique cultural experiences. While it may not be as popular as Tokyo or Kyoto, Kyushu is no less amazing and is 100% worth visiting! This region of Japan has plenty ... Read more

Kirk here with a report about research conducted at Kumamoto University. Kumamoto International editor Hari Devkota is one of the co-authors of the academic paper that led to this article being written but, unfortunately, the article fails to mention his contribution. :( Here's a link to the academic article (currently, the entire article is available free of charge):
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/3/581
And here's a link to a post on Hari's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/devkotahp/posts/pfbid02Qk9okE1WYZ9RUJSsz2R59StWH1K8Ktm4WtKCFLibGkeyNQZgpQbtt8kWMBWuqhjJl
Finally, here's a post about an earlier stage in this research that I wrote in 2019:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02UgwvipBMUveM142gG16aVE8X1XkU3hPL14VhfRLKPg6cEweaHfuMprQorcJUaZcKl
https://www.earth.com/news/matcha-tea-relieves-symptoms-of-depression/
Matcha tea relieves symptoms of depression

Kirk here with an English-language article and some comments about Ms. Linh's exculpation by the supreme court.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230324/p2g/00m/0na/032000c
First, I'd like to point out that I learned today that Google news searches are not as good as I thought they were. It seemed odd to me searching for "Kumamoto" via Google news failed to bring up any articles on this case so I tried DuckDuckGo. Well, DuckDuckGo was MUCH better. So, from now on, I'll check DuckDuckGo when looking for articles to share here.
Second, I read some Japanese-language articles on the ruling today and felt I came to understand something that I'd missed so far so I'd like to share that. From the outside, rulings found Ms. Linh guilty because the way she handled the tragedy was, supposedly, not in keeping with public sentiment (in Japan) about what it means to treat a corpse with proper respect. This seemed very odd to me, particularly because I didn't think it was reasonable to expect Ms. Linh to know about what is considered normal and proper in Japan. It turns about that this criterion, while not clearly spelled out in the criminal law itself, has long be applied in cases like this as a matter of judicial custom. Here's how it is presented on Wikipedia:
公衆の敬虔感情、死者に対する敬虔感情
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AD%BB%E4%BD%93%E6%90%8D%E5%A3%8A%E3%83%BB%E9%81%BA%E6%A3%84%E7%BD%AA
And here's a DeepL translation:
Public pious feelings, pious feelings toward the dead
Naturally, Ms. Linh's lawyers complained that this was too vague and not clearly defined. But, conversely, the fact that the criterion is rooted in "public feelings" may have made the supreme court justices that much more inclined to consider the many voices of support for Ms. Linh and the wide-spread public disapproval of her convictions. So, I think this is a case where taking a few minutes to sign a petition really may have made a difference. :)
Japan top court acquits Vietnam trainee of abandoning stillborn twins - The Mainichi
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's top court on Friday acquitted a former Vietnamese trainee of abandoning her stillborn twins, overturning lower court rulings

Kirk here with an article about a sightseeing trolley train（トロッコ列車）in Minami Aso:
Sightseeing trolley train starts running in Kumamoto | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
A trolley train is offering passengers a leisurely ride and majestic views of the mountains of Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

Fiona here, passing along an opportunity for English teachers who wish to become Cambridge English testing examiners. The training takes place at the International Centre on April 1st and 2nd, and requires registration and relevant experience.

Kirk here. The opening of the new airport terminal was yesterday. Please see the NHK video (in English) for details.
By the way, this is my first time to view Kumamon in the context of airline travel. He's pretty wide. I wonder if they make him pay for two seats? ;)
New terminal building opens at Kumamoto Airport | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
A new terminal building has opened at Kumamoto Airport on Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu.

Kirk here. Le Thi Thuy Linh has been found innocent, reversing the Kumamoto judgment. :) For background see this post:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0G16ByzPssrQkTibLYjthwrxC7KyuLoBtGQ64hsLnkfn4wP68UZyf4b8c1G8cWDA8l
ベトナム人元技能実習生に逆転無罪判決 死産児遺棄の罪 最高裁 | NHK
【NHK】3年前、熊本県芦北町で死産した双子の赤ちゃんを自宅に遺棄したとして、死体遺棄の罪に問われたベトナム人の元技能実習生の裁判…

Kirk here. Tomorrow is a big day in the case of Le Thi Thuy Linh, who has been convicted (wrongfully convicted in my opinion and the opinion of many) of abandoning the bodies of stillborn twins she gave birth to while alone at home.
This case is one of several cases that have come to be viewed as indicative of the extent to which the human rights of non-citizens are or are not protected in Japan. For an article on that aspect of the case, see the following:
EDITORIAL: Human rights of foreign residents need protection in Constitution
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14614807
Newborn Abandonment Case Highlights Fears Among Foreign Trainees
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/crime-courts/20230322-98963/
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More than 90,000 signatures were submitted to the court by Japanese supporters and trainees demanding an acquittal, on the grounds that if Linh’s appeal is rejected, other women in similar circumstances may be charged with crimes.
--- end quote ---
Newborn Abandonment Case Highlights Fears Among Foreign Trainees
The Supreme Court will hand down a decision Friday on the appeal of a former Vietnamese trainee convicted of abandoning the corpses of stillborn twins she gave birth to in Kumamoto Prefecture in 2020.

Kirk here with a share from Kumamoto Japan Tourism about Okoshiki Kaigan -- arguably Kumamoto's best spot to photograph a beautiful sunset.
The post recommends days to get a good view. Ideally, low tide should come at about sunset. That's what reveals that beautiful pattern you see in the photo. But, of course, there are other factors to consider -- the weather, your own schedule, etc. So, you might want to look up the tide times yourself and decide weather or not to go. You can do that here:
https://tide.chowari.jp/43/432113/20456/
In 2016, a friend of mine who is an outstanding photographer came and we went to Okoshiki Beach to see and photograph the sunset. As I recall, the conditions weren't ideal but the tide was fairly low when the sun set so we got some good shots. You can see a post about that day here.
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0GjTnCvK8ZpefC9ZCnFbUCWkCuoby9WuTWjbwPWQVF5dvJfAzSeNt4JYGMPiqgeWCl
https://www.facebook.com/kumamoto.en/posts/pfbid02MiyeYyDWF1sY3k7U3fxcj4dZAsyErsRjE95tvmSnSv1NN9iLKjJAyBVzMdDGdoVEl

Kirk here with a follow-up to Sean's post about today's World Baseball Classic final between Japan and the U.S. Murakami came through again to tie the score 1-1 with a solo home run after the U.S. had taken the lead. Final score: Japan 3, U.S.A. 2.
Munetaka Murakami CRUSH a solo homer to help Japan tie game against USA
Munetaka Murakami's solo homer in the second inning helped Japan get back into the ball game against Team USA in the WBC Final.

Sean here -
Looking forward to an interesting and exciting next couple of hours. Shouting out to all the people who made living here so amazing.
Go Team friendship!

Kirk here with a link to a paper just published in Scientific Reports:
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Mount Aso in southern Japan showed frequent volcanic activity during 2016, accompanied by significant earthquake activities with tens of thousands of aftershocks (Kumamoto sequence). Here we investigate the influence of earthquake/volcanic activity on the future productivity of nearby geothermal power plants to determine whether the activity is detrimental or beneficial to energy exploitation.
-- end quote ---
Pretty technical reading but it might be just the thing to help you settle down for a good night's sleep. :)
Citation: Gunatilake, T. Dynamics between earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and geothermal energy exploitation in Japan. Sci Rep 13, 4625 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31627-3

Kirk here with an English-language article about how Kumamoto's Murakami-sama saved the day:
Baseball: Murakami lifts Japan into WBC final vs. U.S.
Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off two-run double in the ninth inning as Japan beat Mexico 6-5 Monday in their World Baseball Classic semifinal to book a spot in March 21's final against the defending champion United States.

Kirk here reporting that Kumamoto's Murakami-sama came through to drive in the winning home runs in today's game against Mexico. Murakami hadn't been doing as well as expected in the World Baseball Classic but he came through when it really mattered. Tomorrow Japan plays the U.S.
【侍ジャパン】村神様が決めた！劇的サヨナラ勝ちで３大会ぶり決勝進出！スター軍団米国との頂上決戦へ（スポーツ報知） - Yahoo!ニュース
◆ＷＢＣ２０２３　▽準決勝　日本―メキシコ（２０日、米フロリダ州マイアミ・ローンデポパーク） 　侍ジャパンの村上宗隆内野手（ヤクルト）が９回、劇的な逆転サヨナラ二塁打を放ちメキシコに勝利。優勝した

Kirk with an update on a trip to visit a shochu factory in Hitoyoshi that Atsuko posted toward the end of last month:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid02FYYmt7FspDAPXiHDC5YbcuU3DJwK7fruxaGZEr7PSjWNnmg6fCDuzXLrpjgE49Ssl
RKK covered the trip. If you participated, there's a good chance that you're in the video. :)
「球磨焼酎はおいしいですか？」「オイシイデス！」ALTの外国人たちを招いて蔵めぐり　 | 熊本のニュース｜RKK熊本放送
球磨焼酎の魅力を世界に広めてもらおうと、18日 熊本在住の外国人を招き、球磨焼酎の蔵めぐりが行われました。これは熊本国税局が企画したもので、参加したのはアメリカやイギリスなど7か国から外国語の指導助手と…

Atsuko here with information about
Sake Event.
Kumamoto's "New Sake" gathers at Amu Plaza!
I enjoyed it yesterday. All the drinks are delicious, and Kawabe fills your cup with lots of sake. For tsumami, I recommend the Chikuwa tempura with cheese and Karashirenkon.(ﾉ≧ڡ≦)☆
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The "Sake Festival" event is held at Amu Plaza Kumamoto, where you can taste Kumamoto's freshly brewed sake at its most delicious time.
Kumamoto New Sake Festival 2023
March 17 (Fri.) 16:00 - 21:00 / March 18 (Sat.) & 19 (Sun.) 12:00 - 21:00
Amu Hiroba (JR Kumamoto Station Shirakawa-guchi Station Square)
Participating Sake Breweries 】
KAMEMAN SAKE Brewery, Kawazu Sake Brewery, Kumamoto Brewing Institute, Zuiyou, Chiyonosono Sake Brewery, Tsuijun Sake Brewery, Bishonen, Yamamura Sake Brewery
Tickets ] 1,200 yen per ticket/ 3 cups of Sake (tax included)
　A large tatami room with tatami mats made of rushes from Kumamoto Prefecture will be available under the roof of Amu Hiroba!
　You can enjoy new sake on the tatami.

https://www.jrkumamotocity.com/en/amu/news/632

Sean here - Spring is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors.
With that in mind, here is an invitation for anyone to join me for a bike ride.
Event: Beginners Cycling Ride
Date: Sunday, April 2nd, 2023
Time: 10:00 AM (Approximately 5 hours round trip)
Where: Yukka Family Road
Meeting place: Kami Kumamoto Eki.
Minimum 3 participants
Fee: Positive energy.
Contact: Sean Benward
イベント：初心者サイクリングライド
日程：2023年4月2日（日）
時間：10:00出発（往復約5時間の予定）
場所：ゆうかファミリーロード
集合場所：上熊本駅
催行人数：3名以上
参加費：ポジティブなエネルギー
連絡先：ショーン・ベンワード
これは、サイクリングに興味のある全ての初心者への招待状です。
特にスポーツとしてサイクリングに挑戦する機会があまりない10 代の若者に、ぜひ挑戦してもらいたくて企画しました。
彼らの何人かがもしかしたら将来、私と同じように情熱的なサイクリストになってくれるかも知れないと期待しています。
サイクリングは、高齢者でもできる数少ないスポーツの 1 つで、生涯の冒険として楽しめます。
ゆうかファミリーロードは初心者にもおすすめのコースです。
熊本から山鹿までの34kmのコースで、ウォーキング、ランニング、サイクリングなど多目的に使用できます。
ほとんどが平坦な田舎道で、農場、庭園、川があり、車が通らないので安全です。
目的地までの距離が1kmごとに表示されているので、移動距離を簡単に測ることができます。
道中、きっと桜も咲いていることでしょう。
もちろん、上級者も含めどなたでも参加可能ですが、ペースは一番遅いライダーに合わせますのでご注意ください。誰も置き去りにしません。
経験豊富なライダーの方は、世話役として参加してくれると嬉しいです。
This is an invitation to any beginner with an interest in cycling.
I would encourage teenagers as there are few opportunities for them to try cycling as a sport.
My hope would be to inspire some of them to join the ranks of us who are passionate cyclists. One of the few sports you can do at an old age, making it a lifelong adventure.
Yuuka Family Road is great for beginners.
It is a 34k multi-use walk, run, and cycling path from Kumamoto to Yamaga.
It is a mostly flat, country path with farms, gardens, and rivers. And NO CARS.
I am certain that there would be some cherry blossoms along the way as well.
It is easy to follow as there are signs at every kilometer telling you how you went and how far to go to your destination.
Of course, everyone is invited, including advanced riders, but keep in mind the pace is as fast as the slowest rider. No one left behind.
Depending on how many participate, a few extra experienced riders would be helpful as wranglers.
Please message me here if you are interested or have questions.