Posts

Kirk here. Sorry for the alarmist headline but we have a new record. I saw something on RKK that indicates that hospital beds in Kumamoto are filling up but I couldn't find good verification in a text article. Nonetheless, I'd recommend taking even more care than normal to stay healthy and avoid unnecessary hospitalization until this settles down.
P.S. Though I don't want to take up a hospital bed myself, I'm still interested in visiting a hospital to donate blood because I suspect that this is a time when such donation may be especially appreciated. Who knows, I may even get an extra juice box! ;) (Actually, the little presents they give to those who donate can be pretty nice -- even better than a juice box. Last time, I got a portable phone recharger!)
【速報】過去最多感染者数更新　新型コロナ　熊本県新たに 5684人感染確認　死者 1人 　8月18日発表 | 熊本のニュース｜RKK熊本放送
熊本県は8月18日 木曜日、過去最多 5684人の新型コロナウイルス感染を確認したと発表。（先週の木曜日は3745人）熊本市　　　3061人熊本市以外　2623人死者　1人

Kirk here suggesting that those who are able consider donating blood. The Japanese-language news report I'm appending to this post says that August and February are normally slow months for blood donation and that the most recent wave of infections we are experiencing is causing an additional reduction in donations. The image has some suggestions about where to donate in Kumamoto City but I'm sure that hospitals in other parts of the prefecture must be accepting donations too. If you need help finding an appropriate place to donate, let me know.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d7520e1ac03c27f109f3cf6979bddf791cf745a6

Kirk here, following up on William's post about the castle. William mentioned that, with the dark sky as background, the castle keeps in the photo he shared reminded him of Darth Vadar:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/pfbid0KWReqBXVENeZqqEbmD72N4vrbqKiLXq7qinTkCb5fateFXNU8KDBA7aGXpxCQ2rpl
I immediately saw the resemblance and was prompted to start playing with my photo editing software. The image you see is the result. That made me wonder if this might be more than a coincidence. I've read an article about how Darth Vadar's helmet was inspired by one worn by Date Masamune of modern-day Sendai:
https://nipponrama.com/date-masamune-samurai-darth-vader/
I've never seen any indication that the mouth on the helmet has roots in Japanese castle design but it's seems plausible to me that designers flipping through images from 15th century Japan might have borrowed part of the design of the helmet from castle architecture.

William Yagi-sensei with an interesting perspective of our castle. Looks a bit like Darth Vader & Son.
The KKR Hotel (which has a wonderful tea room in the lobby and patio) area offers interesting perspectives of the castle with its steepest, tallest walls as well as the Kumamoto Art Museum Annex and the Traditional Arts and Crafts Museum, the latter definitely worth a visit. The entire area used to be within the castle walls. If you poke about east (to the right, downhill) a bit, you can find remnants of castle wall and a portion of old moat. http://www.kkr-hotel-kumamoto.com/

Kirk here with some COVID-19 stats. Today, the prefecture set a new record for new cases in a single day: 5,157 (Wednesday, August 17th). Though the current variant tends to be less lethal than previous ones, the high infection rate is leading to a spike in deaths. Today there were 11 deaths in Kumamoto and 286 nationally. To put that in perspective please look at the attached image. Japan has surpassed the current death rate per million in the U.S. and the current wave may be close to outstripping the number of deaths from the previous wave.
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/127194?display=1
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-cases

William Much has been said about Kumamoto being the only major municipality to provide 100% artisanal water. My older sister made me buy bottled water at the combini and, when the manager scolded me, I said, "Yeah, well, she's from LA, Boston, and Baltimore respectively, so give her a break. (Plus, she's older than me.)"
Words do not do justice. Behold actual artesian water intake pumps whose water flow directly to your taps. Apparently, the prefecture operates 98 such wells across the city. Whether you're cooking, brushing your teeth, or flushing the toilet, this is the extravagant substance you are blessed with. (Photos from Prefectural Waterworks - love the bottom photo clearly showing the water gushing up to enter the intake pipe).

Kirk here. Kyushu Gakuin plays their third game in the series tomorrow (Thursday, the 18th) at 3:30 in the afternoon. The will play against Seiko Gakuin of Fukushima. Thus, Kumamoto and Fukushima, two places known for big earthquakes that have hit in the 21st century, will compete to advance to the semifinals. Seiko Gakuin is a school that has a history of doing well in the Koshien Tournament:
https://office-morioka.com/h_baseball/seiseki/seiko_gakuin.html
Schedule screenshot taken from here:　
https://www.hanshin.co.jp/koshien/highschool/summer2022/schedule.html

Waterman: Where/how to get 新型コロナウイルス感染症に関する自宅療養証明書 after ending home recovery?

Kirk here. Kyushu Gakuin plays their second game today (against Tochigi) starting at about 10:30:
10:30　第2試合(3回戦)
九州学院（熊本）　－　国学院栃木（栃木）
https://www.baseballchannel.jp/etc/132610/3/
I'll be watching on the web here:
https://vk.sportsbull.jp/koshien/
【夏の甲子園2022】試合日程スケジュール 組み合わせ一覧｜第104回全国高校野球選手権大会 | ベースボールチャンネル - Part 3
第104回全国高等学校野球選手権大会が2022年（令和4年）8月6日から17日間、阪神甲子園球場（兵庫県西宮市）で行われる。全国47都道府県の49代表校（北海道・東京は2校）が出場し、夏・王者をかけて熱戦を繰り広げる。試合....

William "Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (Greek: Πατρίκιος Λευκάδιος Χερν), was a Greek-Irish-Japanese writer, translator, and teacher who introduced the culture and literature of Japan to the West," Wikipedia notes. His Japanese name was Koizumi Yakumo (小泉 八雲) .... His writings offered unprecedented insight into Japanese culture, especially his collections of legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things."
In 1891, Hearn obtained teaching position in Kumamoto, at the Fifth High Middle School (a predecessor of Kumamoto University), where he produced many of his most famous works.
He was particularly interested in Japanese folk tales, which, fortunately for posterity as most were oral stories, he noted down. Many of these were ghost stories. As the Japanese ghost season coincides with Obon (rather than the west's Halloween), which is now, this would be a good time to familiarize yourself with them.
His works have fallen out of copyright so are available for free at Project Gutenberg: https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=Lafcadio+Hearn&submit_search=Go%21 "In Ghostly Japan" is a favorite of mine.

(Fiona) The news of the attack on Salman Rushdie is not directly relevant to Kumamoto of course, but as one of the editors here at Kumamoto-i it struck a chord with me. Our diverse readership extends to a few thousand people with an interest in Kumamoto, and it's inevitable that some posts will offend or annoy. Our remit at Kumamoto-i is to provide useful and interesting information about this region, but occasionally we veer off track or facts need correcting. Sometimes we receive requests that news articles be suppressed and posts taken down as they are deemed to have offended sensitive readers. I hope that we will always strive to uphold the values of tolerance and freedom of expression, including of course the right to reply and express opinions in the comments.

William The lovely town of Shisui is not the place one would stop at (even more go to) other than to visit the Michi no Eki Melon Dome. Work took me through the area countless times, yet I had no idea of its history as host to the Army Kikuchi Airfield. Next time I visit, I will view it through different eyes. Kumanichi reports on this: https://kumanichi.com/articles/759215
In 2008, the "Association to pass on the war legacy of Hanafusa (Kikuchi) Airfield to the future (花房（菊池）飛行場の戦争遺産を未来につたえる会)" was established. Their website is here: http://ans0924.blog.fc2.com/ Perhaps contacting them before visiting will result in a bilingual tour.
Pictured below is Yasushi Kurasawa (101), a resident of Shisui, who says, "(This water tower) is a living witness to our history, standing up to the fires of war and sustaining our lives even after. I want to leave it to future generations as a symbol of peace and recovery."

Kirk here with something that came out in relation to the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki:
"A Mainichi Shimbun survey conducted in July and August found that second-generation hibakusha headed prefectural groups in Yamanashi, Toyama, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto prefectures. The leadership switch began with Yamanashi in 2015, followed by Toyama in 2018 and Kumamoto in 2019. Second-generation hibakusha became the leaders of groups in Shimane and Kochi in 2022. Meanwhile, groups in the eight prefectures of Yamagata, Tochigi, Ishikawa, Shiga, Nara, Wakayama, Tokushima and Miyagi have disbanded."
Aging hibakusha groups face tough decision: disband or entrust activities to 2nd gen. - The Mainichi
Prefectural groups of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo) are currently at a crossroads, pondering wheth

Good morning, Atsuko here.
Are you off today?
I know this is a local topic, but this is my #1 recent.
For the past two weeks, I have had classes downtown and frequently drove in the evenings. I'm from the country and hate the one-way streets, narrow streets, and high parking fees in the city.
But here, it's a bit further than the center and you have to walk, but it's very inexpensive. Especially from 6pm to 7am, the maximum fee is 200 yen no matter how long you park.
It is cheaper during the daytime, but even cheaper for long hours at night.
The location is across the street from 熊本中央警察署 Kumamoto Chuo Police Station, around 上の裏通りKAMINOURA DOORI.
タイムズ熊本中央警察署前
0120-728-924
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cNU92YmkVgAc8jpM6
I think it is very cheap, but what do you think? Do you have any recommendations or cheaper places? (๑˃ᴗ˂)و♡

William Carlton had noted this below, but a recap:
I've attended several Protestant Christian-denominational churches in my life, sometimes coerced, sometimes in trying times, sometimes simply out of curiosity, and of them all, I've found the Lutheran Church most palatable, instructing, and accepting. Their ten tenants https://www.lutheranchurch.dk/.../ten-important-dogmas
I've found the denomination intriguing and not entirely out of step with what I'd have likely discovered if I'd had a few hundred years to consider things - and, more important, if not always in step with my natural proclivities (I'd describe myself as a philosophical Buddhist), at least not always opposed, and at best inclusive. Perhaps that is why the denomination is so wide-spread in Japan.
Kyushu Gakuin is a Lutheran school in Oe, one of several in Kumamoto but the most talented at baseball.
For the first time in 12 years (disclaimer: both my children were students there the last time this happened), Kyugaku has not only advance through the Kumamoto tournament to Koushien but, with their 14-4 win today over an Ehime team, has advanced to the final six. God (if there is one, and if H(S)he takes an interest in baseball, works in mysterious ways.
Their next game is Tuesday at 10:30, broadcast on NHK. One can bet that few Higo-ko will get much work done that morning. BTW, there is a dearth of international schools in Kumamoto; perhaps Kyugaku is an alternative. The school is, by nature, inclusive. Those who would like further information should contact us.
https://kumanichi.com/articles/758154

Carlton. I believe a tip of the hat is owed to Kumamoto’s high school baseball representatives today — Kyushu Gakuen — for a resounding 14-4 victory in their (delayed by Covid infections) first game at Koshien in the national high school championships. The lopsided win was so uneven NHK evening news didn’t warrant it worthy of mention or video. They only like to report on squeakers it seems.

Kirk here with a bit of national news that applies to Kumamoto (and Kumamoto International) as well. Facebook uses some sort of algorithm to determine what people are interested in and, conversely, what they're are not interested. The "reach" (the number of people the Facebook algorithm shows a post to) of posts I've made to this page in recent months has been consistently low, even when I've reported new records highs. So, the expression "people just couldn't be bothered" rings true to me.
https://www.facebook.com/ShingetsuNews/posts/pfbid0kGKMuDJaZNEAP7SPetCxewyqWvpkfv7pojyJC3FEx3jTmTV5bcRwrSWPzLYZcjbgl

Hello,Atsuko here. It's vacation and Obon, but difficult to go out in Corona.
William once recommended that if you climbed the 3333 stone steps, the highest in Japan, in Misato Town, you should also go see the temple.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5970886576318058&id=123734781033296
It was not open when William and I went there before, but the other day, at the end of July, I went there and the temple was open and the priest explained lots things to me .
The temple seems to have been recently renovated and is very beautiful.
This Shaka-in temple seems to be very famous (so much so that Japan's highest stone steps were built to get there).
In the Edo period, it was the fourth most visited tourist site in Kumamoto prefecture, following Mt.Aso, Kumamoto castle, Shiranui.
If you climb up the 3333 steps, pray, draw a fortune, and ring the bell, you may feel as if something good will happen to you or your wish will come true.
Everytime,I climbed the 3333 steps on a hot day at the end of July, and the more I climbed, the cooler and fresher I felt with the sweat and the mountain breeze.
Last summer
:https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5762133557193362&id=123734781033296
Also, as you climb, you can enjoy the refreshing summer and shade of the trees while listening different cicadas songs : Kuma-zemi, Abura-zemi, Niinii-zemi, Tsukutukuboushi, Higurashi, and so on.
The priest of the temple at the end of the 3333 steps awaits you all.
Hoping lots happy comes to you.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳​ˋ)੭✧

William Stat of the day: " The impact of heat is cumulative, and the body only starts to recover when it drops below 80F" - or 28C. It is 31C in Kumamoto today and very humid.
There are places you can seek shelter from the heat, such as a library or convenience store. Stay safe.
‘Getting harder and hotter’: Phoenix fire crews race to save lives in America’s hottest city
As temperatures soar at triple digits, heat-related 911 calls have increased 34% since 2020, with first responders facing the brunt

William My wife has been stricken by cancer, that ghastly phenomenon that took both her parents. But her month-long hospitalization was likely cheaper than if she had stayed at home (though the food wasn't as good). Remember that the next time you complain over your health insurance bill.