Post
Posts
(Fiona) Tatsuda-yama Walk and Talk Take Two!
Since the first attempt got rained off, I'd like to give it another shot on Saturday May 7th from 3pm. If you'd like to join fellow Kumamoto-i members for a walk in the woods, please sign up in the comments below, or look out for the event post coming soon with further details.
Carlton here. Awhile back Kirk posted about the subject of Japanese signs and advertising translated ineptly into English. It‘s been a source of amusement over the years to us native English speakers.
But can someone explain about this sign? I’m given to think that the medical practitioner is maybe burning the candle at both ends?
Kirk with another Kumamoto-ben post. The other day I posted about a sign in which ここば使わす人 was used to mean ここ
をお使いになる人 (people who use this spot).
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7208160865923950
In this case, ば is used in place of を in standard Japanese. In response, some Japanese people seem to have told a reader (thanks for your participation, Anett :) ) that ば is no longer used in this way. I beg to differ.
In the following video on Kumamoto-ben (all in Japanese, unfortunately), the following phrase is the first one mentioned as "frequently used Kumamoto-ben":
なんばしよっと？
何をしているの？
What are you doing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4iYiNbnJLY
This, of course, is another instance of ば taking the place of を.
Here are some other popular expressions:
たいぎゃうまか！
たいへんおいしい！
Very delicious!
さしよりどっか行こうか？
とりあえずどこか行こう？
To start off with, why don't we just go someplace?
(とりあえず is a bit difficult to translate. I'm not sure that this is the best rendering of it. I think there may be many ways to express the same sentiment in English.)
The video also features an expert on Kumamoto-ben explaining that ancient linguistic forms that have been dropped from standard Japanese can still be found in Kumamoto-ben.
Kirk here with an update on the Janes Residence, which was severely damaged and then completely destroyed by the double punch of two strong earthquakes in 2016. Many posts about the Janes Residence have been made to to this page over the years, both before and after the quakes. If you're interested click on the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/page/123734781033296/search/?q=Janes
The first picture is of the actual-sized image of the building being rebuilt that is on the tarp that covers the enclosure in which the work is being done. I took this and the other images today, on site, and then reworked them a little with photo editing software to make them a bit more presentable.
The second image shows the progression from before the earthquake to after the first quake to the decimation following in the second. This and a number of reports showing construction progress are posted on a wall at the site.
Finally, the third image work on the edifice that was done in March. It's slow work, in part because the are attempting to use materials that were salvaged from the original building to the extent possible.
I didn't see a projected completion date but the following article from 2020 indicates that it should be done this year, in 2022:
https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/item/n/578846/
(Douglas) Today's offering from our recently opened can of old videos is about the Higo Mondo biscuit.
Higo Mondo Biscuits
This is another of our early videos. From 2006 to be exact.Ask any Japanese what they remember most about any place they have ever visited and they will almo...
Hi, Atsuko here.
The ESA (European Space Agency) portal site featured the caldera of Mt. Aso as imaged by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 earth observation satellite.
Mt. Aso from Space.ଘ(੭ˊ꒳ˋ)੭✧
Earth from Space: Mount Aso, Japan
In this week's edition of the Earth from Space programme, Copernicus Sentinel-2 takes us over Mount Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan.See also Mount Aso, Japan to download the image.
Kirk here with some news for skateboarders and/or skateboarding fans. For a fee (adults 1,200 yen; kids 1,000 yen) you can use the skateboarding facilities that have been installed temporarily in front of Amu Plaza Kumamoto (near Kumamoto Station). On the 8th of May, two olympic medalists (Momiji Nishiya and Funa Nakayama) will come to show you how it's done.
(Douglas) Here is another of our older video productions. This is from 2007.
Higo Tops
Kirk here with a little news about Aso. KKT (local TV station) reported that visitors could observe a beautiful unkai (sea of clouds) in the Aso valley on the 20th:
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ace0f208d4e08dedb5c2cab38e1d32102b618f2e
RKK also had some good shots of the unkai:
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c4ae9580a542cc43d84fbdce09b3516e528d434e
In other Aso news, the warning level (噴火警戒レベル) around the Aso volcano has been downgraded from 2 to 1. I saw something on TV about some hiking trails openning up but one still can't get up to the lip of the crater. There was significant damage from last year's eruption and work needs to be completed before people can be allowed to view the crater up close.
https://www.city.aso.kumamoto.jp/2022/04/27/【火口規制情報】阿蘇山の噴火警戒レベル1の発表/
This NHK news piece (video) shows the damage that was observed when specialists were first able to visit the site near the crater:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/kumamoto/20220425/5000015444.html
Kirk here with a follow-up to my post about the Syugakukan High School issue. Here's what I posted the other day:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/7204145446325492
Last night, RKK aired a segment that revealed some more details. That report can be found here:
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/32597?display=1
The two screenshots I've added to this post are from that report. This first is of an upperclassman who reportedly explained that he hit a new student "because he was goofing off (horsing around, not taking things seriously)." The implication (whether deserved or not) seems to be that the soccer team (or the school) had a culture of violence.
The second screenshot is of the headcoach (not the person caught on film kicking a student). He is reported to have referred to the student who published the video as the "kagaisha." Kagaishi (加害者) is the opposite of "victim." So, it would seem that the head coach saw the REAL harm to have been caused by the whistle-blowing student -- not the violent coach.
This head coach is also reported to have talked about how this incident might lead to "being sued for damages." It's not entirely clear from the report (at least to me) who would be sued for damages to whom but the impression I get from RKKs report is that he was implying that the whistle-blowing student might have to pay damages. The school is reported to have said that his "comments were clearly inappropriate."
It would seem that the perspective of this head coach may have been behind the YouTube video put up by the students in which they bowed their heads in apology.
Kirk here with a "handicapped parking" sign in Kumamoto-ben (dialect). The top part is standard Japanese meaning: "This parking spot is for people with handicaps." The bottom is in Kumamoto dialect. I'll do my best to translate each phrase from the dialect to standard Japanese and then to English. My Kumamoto-ben is even worse than my standard Japanese so I hope native speakers of Kumamoto-ben will let me know if I've gotten something wrong:
あいとっと？
空（あ）いているの？
Is this parking spot open?
あけとっと！
空（あ）けてあるよ！
It has been left open (intentionally) --
ここば使わす人んため！
ここをお使いになる人のために！
-- for those who need it!
The fine print says that this was the winning submission in a contest held in 2015.
I took the picture in the parking lot of Shimo Ezuko. And, of course, this is NOT where I parked that day. :)
Grammatical points:
1.「と」is often used in a way that is very similar to 「の」in standard Japanese. However, they may not be exactly the same. I'd need some help from native speakers of Kumamoto-ben in that regard.
2. 「を」in standard Japanese becomes「ば」in Kumamoto dialect.
Kirk here reporting that Syugakukan High School has made international news -- and that ain't good. The image you see on top is from the following news story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0NnfL1RmHU
It shows an instructor (coach) kicking and hitting a student.
The second video is from the following news story and is said to be of students who belong to the soccer team apologizing (?) for the incident. The RKK news story says that the students seemed to apologize of their own accord but I still don't understand what they thought they needed to apologize for. The original YouTube video of the apology has been taken down.
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rkk/31596?display=1
I say that this has gone beyond national news to become international news because I saw something on the internet about coverage in Korea. I imagine it will get picked up in English before too long. Japan's Minister of Education says that he saw the video and was disturbed by it.
To state the obvious, I think defenders of what this adult did to high school students are few and far between in Kumamoto. On the other hand, there is a tendency here, perhaps even somewhat stronger than in other parts of the country (?), to view "taibatsu" (corporal punishment) as necessary. I've met quite a few students who have experienced it; some bitter but some feeling that it was what a teacher (coach) sometimes needs to do to get though to his students. I've also met adults who justify it, even though it is illegal. Speaking of illegality, it looks like the police will press charges.
In this case, the two media sources I'm citing are both using the word "暴行" (boukou; violence or assult) to describe what happened. I've frequently been dismayed by the use of the term "体罰" (taibatsu; coporal punishiment) in media reports of such incidents because it seems to view that act as educational (that is, "punishment" not an "attack" or "abuse"). For me, characterizing this incident as "boukou" and not "taibatsu" is a step in the right direction.
Kirk here with a question that came to me personally from a participant in Kumamoto International. I had no idea so I said that I could post it to Kumamoto International to see if anyone had anything to offer.
"Has anybody experienced mind games from an employer? Has anybody had to deal with sticking to rules such as not making friends with Japanese, yet the employer taking full advantage of friendships within the workplace? Has anybody been told there's no other work out there, you are too old, employers want someone young. You are lucky to work here."
When we first started our discussion, I thought the inquiry might have something to do with social media. Now, re-reading the summary quoted above. I see that that's not the case. Just the same, I had started to look into social media policies so I'll go ahead and share what I found:
"The employer . . . may not control or restrict an employee’s personal use of social media outside the workplace, except in limited circumstances, for example, where an employee intends to leak business secrets or defame the company."
https://iclg.com/practice-areas/employment-and-labour-laws-and-regulations/japan
And this:
"An employer can restrict the employee’s use of Internet and/or social media in the workplace during working hours. This is because employees are obliged to devote themselves fully to their duties at the workplace, during working hours."
https://knowledge.leglobal.org/social-media-and-data-privacy-in-japan/
Any thoughts or comments, or answers to the inquirer's questions?
Employment & Labour Law Report 2022 Japan
Employment & Labour Laws and Regulations covering issues in Japan of Terms and Conditions of Employment, Discrimination, Business Sales
Kirk here with a Kumamoto-related share from "Engrish in Japan." Last week, I wrote about how I wish that people making signs and websites, etc. would ask for feedback at an early point in the planning process. I still feel that way but I have to admit that many Japanese people probably don't know who to ask. Does anyone know if there's a Facebook group or page or something where someone might post a draft version of something to get some feedback? I'd love to be able to tell Japanese people to "Just post a draft of your sign at such-and-such."
https://www.facebook.com/groups/EngrishInJapan/posts/5133819126634261/
Kirk here reporting that quite a few heads of state participated in the Asia-Pacific Water Summit, held this weekend in Kumamoto. Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia is pictured in one of the articles I'm sharing today with Prime Minister Kishida of Japan, both of whom came to Kumamoto. Another article I'm linking to shows Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh of Laos addressing participants directly. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines gave speeches virtually (among others, I'm sure; I don't have a complete list of the speakers). And, Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, wrote as follows:
" . . . around the world, three in ten of the world’s population still lack access to safe drinking water at home. Six in ten live without safely managed sanitation services. Millions of lives are lost each year as a result. With just eight years to go to the deadline of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we are seriously off-track to achieve the sixth Sustainable Development Goal of clean water and sanitation for all."
Water for Sustainable Development - Best Practices and the Next Generation
https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2022/04/water-sustainable-development-best-practices-and-next-generation
Duterte seeks bold, urgent climate action
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/04/25/news/national/duterte-seeks-bold-urgent-climate-action/1841181
Asia-Pacific Water Summit: President speaks about his plans for next three years
https://www.newswire.lk/2022/04/23/asia-pacific-water-summit-president-speaks-about-his-plans-for-next-three-years/
Laos calls for sustainable water resource management at Asia-Pacific Water Summit
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/04/25/laos-calls-for-sustainable-water-resource-management-at-asia-pacific-water-summit
Outcome of Cambodian PM’s participation in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Japan
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501063083/outcome-of-cambodian-pms-participation-in-the-4th-asia-pacific-water-summit-in-japan/
Outcome of Cambodian PM’s participation in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Japan - Khmer Times
Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sunday issued a press release on the outcomes of the participation of Prime Minister Hun Sen in the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit in Japan.
(Douglas) I have just finished uploading 5 more video I have made about things around Kumamoto. You can view them on the Gaijin-Eyes YouTube channel.
I will not post here everytime I upload videos, therefore I suggest that if you want to keep up to date with new videos, you should subscribe to the channel.
Here is the link:
Gaijin-Eyes - YouTube
Share your videos with friends, family, and the world
Hi Atsuko.
Sharing the beautiful view of Kumadai and Sakura from the sky.
I was an education student 25 years ago and my older daughter is now a Kumadai student.
I hope many international students and alumni will remember and enjoy the view and memories.╰(*´︶`*)╯
(Douglas) During today's ZOOM chat with some members of Kumamoto-i, I was asked about my 360º photos and videos.
Here is a link to a tour I made in 360º format that can be viewed on a computer, tablet or cellphone.
If you decide to watch, I suggest that you first watch the video explaining how to navigate the tour. You will see it to the left side of the main screen - It is called, "Navigating the Tour"
The tour is about the Takahashi Inari Jinja, one om my favourite shrines in the Kumamoto area.
Here is the link:
Takahashi Inari Jinja
Virtual Tour | 高橋稲荷神社 | Opening image wide
Kirk here noting that Earth Day came and went without much notice in Japan (or Kumamoto) this year. It was Friday. The Water Summit that is underway now could have been connected to Earth Day but as far as I can see, it wasn't. Earth Day was once a bit more of a "thing" in Kumamoto. I searched in Japanese (アースデイ、地球の日) and found stuff from several years ago but came up almost completely empty-handed for events, etc. in Kumamoto this year.
What got me thinking about this was a podcast on the topic of how Earth Day got started in the U.S. In fact, until I heard the podcast, I had completely forgotten about Earth Day this year. If you enjoy podcasts, I recommend the following:
THROUGHLINE
Force of Nature (2021)
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/08/1091840917/force-of-nature-2021
https://theweek.com/political-satire/1012856/earth-day-2022
Check out this cartoon via The Week
Editorial Cartoons from The Week
