#Kumamoto prefecture

[pangeen]

“ I Can See The Light “ // ハルマニア

[florealegiardini]

Scenic view of waterfall in forest ~ Masanobu Kozasa

Kikuchi Valley, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan

[todayintokyo]

Beam of light by by Sho Kamasaki

[postcard-from-the-past]

Aso volcano erupting in the Kumamoto Prefecture of Japan

Japanese vintage postcard

[redsamuraiii]

Detective Conan (Ep 294 : The Smash of Determination and Love)

I love this type of episodes where they investigate cases outside of Tokyo. Feels like I'm traveling along with them.

[touristinjapan]

Kyushu North to South 14-day itinerary

This itinerary takes you from north to south through Japan’s southern most main island, Kyushu in 14 days. All the way from the bustling metropolis of Fukuoka in the north, over the historic and picturesque pottery village of Arita, the culturally diverse Nagasaki, steaming onsen baths on valcanoes, and to Kagoshima’s active volcano Sakurajima and Ibusuki’s famous sand baths in the south. The…

[ichim-774]

The symbol of Aso Shrine, the "Roumon", has been unveiled for the first time in seven years.

阿蘇神社のシンボル「楼門 」７年ぶりに新しい姿が公開

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 791: Replacing the lead!!

Pag 1

1: In the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, located at the border with Ooita Prefecture, there's Mt. Hiko, consisting of three peaks, that reaches the altitude of 1200m

2: It has a long history and it's long been worshipped as a training ground for monks

3: Currently, a slope car leading to Mt. Hiko's shrines has been constructed, and a lot of tourists go there to see the autumn leaves' color, the winter's silver frost, and for mountain climbing

4: The main shrine is built on top of Mt. Hiko's sacred mountain, Nakadake

5: Halfway up, passing through the west side, as the altitude increases, there's the winding highway number 500

Pag 2

1: The stage for the mountain stage of the Inter High's first day

Pag 3

1: Kumamoto Daichi is still at the top!! The local team from Kyushu!!

Goo!!

2: He passed the 3km left to the finish line point!!

I see figures following Kumadai's Fujiwara....

4: It's two people!!

Two people!?

Pag 4

1: It's Manami and Mountain King!!

Pag 5

1: I see his back!! One person

Is he the lead!?

2: So it seems!!

3: Two people!! Dammit, they really did catch up!!

So the voices in the audience I heard saying that Onoda and Manami were approaching were true!!

4: Kumadai!! Bad news coming from behind!! Raise your pace!!

5: But I won't lose!! I'm very calm!!

My condition has never been this good!!

Pag 6

1: Alright, once we pass that guy it'll become”the winner will get the mountain prize”!!

3: The one who wins will get the “mountain prize”!! In a race it's better to have some kind of prize

Suddenly...

Pag 7

1: I'm getting fired up!!

3: Okay!! Good!!

Pag 8

1: Woah!!

He's accelerating again!!

2: His concentration is rising again!!

4: His legs are turning more than before!!

5: I can see it from behind, so I get it well

6: You probably don't understand it yourself, but right now you're pedaling with an amazing efficiency of power transmission

Amazing

7: It's like he's 100% synchronized with his bike!!

Really... you

Pag 9

1: He has the power of turning his joy into concentration!!

2: They're already approaching!!

Pag 10

1: I'm sorry but I'll surpass you!!

2: No doubt!!

3: Really... this guy is so strange

4: Last year, on the second day's mountain, after we were passed by Kyofuhi, he chased after them

5: Since we're both running in the same Inter High, this year, before the start I called out to him

I wanted to greet you

I'm Kumadai's Fujiwara. This will be our last Inter High together

Pag 11

1: Wh-wh-wh- what is it!?

He's super nervous!!

2: Are you okay!? Take a deep breath

If you have any problems, you can call anyone from Kumadai, our numbers are in the 60s

Th- ye-

3: Th- thank you so much. Ah... you ran last year with Kumadai's Isa-san – Masa-san...?

That's right, you remember!! I'm Fujiwara Masayuki!!

4: I became captain, too

5: Ahh, is that so? Congratulations!!

No wait, you don't have to bow your head like that

We should do that to each other

6: Such an extremely small and humble guy...

7: That's always the first impression of Onoda...

Thank you for coming here

8: But every year, once he gets on his bike and climbs a mountain, this guy...

Pag 12

1: he feels overwhelmingly big when he approaches!!

Pag 13

1: I don't understand him

And also, he's always...

2: Thank you very much for this morning

Thanks to you, I calmed down a little!!

3: He's so polite...!!

4: I can't help but support him

Do your best Onoda

5: Yes!!

Pag 14

2: Any time now, huh?

3: I guess so

4: Onoda-kun will be reaching the race's climax

5: It's about time they passed the other climbers and started their race

Pag 15

1: I wonder if he's having fun

Hm, yeah, since he was looking forward to it

2: Even though I guess those two are probably thinking of the “mountain prize”as nothing more than a “juice” to buy the other as a treat if they lose

3: Kakaka

That sounds super fun!!

4: Those two

5: In the past two Inter Highs they were both times burdened with heavy races

8: If they can run with a smile, then that's enough

… yeah

Pag 16

1: We're excited too!!

2: Manami-kun moved ahead!!

3: Sakamichi-kun!!

Pag 17

1: 2km left until the mountain stage finish line!!

3: The wind... is blowing from the west

Just ahead of here

4: the trees become lower

5: and it turns back in a U-shape

Pag 18

1: That'll be the decisive moment!!

2: I'll fly!! Sakamichi-kun!!

Pag 19

3: It seems like we'll see them appear here at the mountain gate anytime now

There are currently two people in the lead, and they're passing the 2km point!!

So 2km left, huh

They'll come soon

I can't wait

Pag 20

1: I said it before already, but

2: “History” needs “someone who witnesses it”!!

[itsmarjudgelove]

This blade was signed by Yamato no Kami Fujiwara Nobusada (大和守藤原宣貞), who was especially active in Higo province (today’s Kumamoto prefecture) during the Kan-Ei era (1624-1644: Early Edo period). He is known as an offspring of the Enjyu (延寿) school members. The maker’s name, Nobusada, lasted two generations, and the first-gen created this blade because the second-gen was active during the Genroku era (1680-1709). It is said that the first-gen Nobusada also forged blades in Buzen (today’s Oita prefecture). He served Higo Hosokawa clan as an Okakaekaji. Hosokawa clan was a famous feudal lord who was the head of Kumamoto castle during the Edo period. Considering this fact, we presume Nobusada’s craftsmanship was highly acknowledged, and he must have forged blades for those who served this clan during the early Edo period. During his career, he received an honorable official title, Yamato no Kami for his excellent sword-forging techniques from the imperial court. The sword mountings of this Katana’s Koshirae are related to one motif: Tonbo (蜻蛉, dragonfly). Dragonflies have been inhabited in Japan for a long time. As this insect bag preys quickly, its heroic figure was sometimes the object of belief. During the Warring States period, the dragonfly was called the Kachimushi (勝ち虫, winning insect) because of its fearless character. Dragonflies fly around fast to catch pests, moving only forward, not backward. Therefore, people thought the behaviors of this insect showed the spirit of Futaiten (不退転); it is a state of mind or a state in which a person has some conviction and does not give in to difficulties. It is very persuasive that Samurai warriors cherished this design as an auspicious motif because of the spirit that Samurai should be prepared for the battlefields.

[toweroftunes]

Can’t stop thinking about how clever this is:

How Fujimoto is illustrating the emotional distance between Asa and Denji physically, by putting space between them, then heightening that with the speech bubble?!

Asa’s posturing is creating a wall. She's more concerned with spitting out these facts rather than getting to know Denji, or showing any vulnerability herself. She’s leaving no space for them to say anything else or to understand each other.

Even the facts themselves reinforce this distance, serving as an allegory for the situation. Indirectly, they reference Asa and Denji’s traits and secrets.

How anemones can go a long time without food or proper care? Denji grew up hungry, without anyone to look out for him.

How anemones actually house anemonefish? How they survive alongside each other in a symbiotic relationship? Couldn’t be that both Asa and Denji also have symbiotic relationships with the devils living inside of them!

How there are lots of types of starfish but not all of them are star-shaped? There are lots of devils/fiends and they don’t all look like what we might expect. Asa and Denji similarly don’t know that the other is a fiend by appearance.

How starfish can eat practically anything? Uhhh. Denji. No further explanation.

How they’ll rip off their own arm to survive a predator? Asa is currently sacrificing her own morals to turn Denji into a weapon and escape Yoru. (This could also be possible foreshadowing where Asa will sacrifice herself/her physical body to save her morals instead — idk only time will tell). And let’s not forget how Denji sold his body parts to pay off his dad’s debt. Also the ripping out of his heart.

How they strip starfish down to eat them in the Kumamoto prefecture? Asa has to get to know Denji beyond surface level to create a good weapon out of him (which she’s currently avoiding doing now). Also also, to put it mildly, Denji's stripping down of the Control devil.

Alternatively, we could also say that the speech bubble is bridging the space, but with nothing but pretense.

Anyway. More than excited to see where this all goes. I can’t freaking handle it 😭!!

[noticiasarquelogicasjaponesas]

Sean bienvenidos japonsistasarqueológicos, a una nueva publicación en esta ocasión nos trasladamos a prefectura de Akita una vez más para hablar de la tumba de Ono no Komachi una vez dicho esto comenzamos. - Fue famosa como poeta, si no también tenía una belleza incomparable: ¡Fui a cubrir la tumba de Ono no Komachi en la ciudad de Osaki! ! La ciudad de Osaki, fue donde se refugió tras, ser expulsada del mismo, tuvo que regresar a Akita su ciudad natal. Después de eso, realizó una visita de 100 días para orar por la recuperación de su enfermedad, pero falleció el día en que se cumplió su deseo. Se dice que cuando los aldeanos la vieron, se apiadaron de ella y erigieron una lápida por su triste muerte. - ¿Quién fue Ono no Komachi? Fue una poetisa del periodo Heian, se desconocen cuando nació y murió, pero se la conoce como "Rokukasen", se baraja la posibilidad de que viviera en Kioto, además de la prefectura de Akita, como la prefectura de Kioto y la prefectura de Kumamoto, sobre dónde se dice que nació. - Espero que os haya gustado y nos vemos en próximas publicaciones, ¿Conocían esta historia y a la poetisa?. 今回も秋田県に場所を移し、小野小町の墓についてお話しします。 - 歌人として有名な小野小町だが、その美しさは比類ない。大崎市にある小野小町の墓を取材した！!大崎市から追放された彼女が避難した大崎市は、故郷の秋田に帰ることになった。その後、病気の回復を祈願して百日詣りをしたが、その願いが叶った日に亡くなった。その姿を見た村人たちが憐れみ、悲しい死を悼んで墓石を建てたという。 - 小野小町とは？平安時代の歌人で、いつ生まれ、いつ亡くなったかは不明だが、「六歌仙」の名で知られ、京都のほか、秋田県、京都府、熊本県などに住んでいたと考えられている。 - この物語と歌人をご存知でしたか？ Welcome to a new publication, this time we move to Akita prefecture once again to talk about the tomb of Ono no Komachi, so let's begin. - She was famous as a poet, but she also had an incomparable beauty: I went to cover the tomb of Ono no Komachi in the city of Osaki! ! Osaki City, where she took refuge after being expelled from Osaki, had to return to Akita, her hometown. After that, she made a 100-day visit to pray for recovery from her illness, but died on the day her wish came true. It is said that when the villagers saw her, they took pity on her and erected a tombstone for her sad death. - Who was Ono no Komachi? She was a poetess of the Heian period, it is unknown when she was born and when she died, but she is known as "Rokukasen", and it is thought that she lived in Kyoto, as well as Akita Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture and Kumamoto Prefecture, where she is said to have been born. - I hope you liked it and see you in future posts. Did you know this story and the poetess?

[udonangya]

玉名郡南関町上長田の、うどん処 関所亭で、冷やし素麺720、南関あげ丼（ごはん半分）620、〆て1,340円也。

Cold dipping Nankan somen noodles and Nankan fried tofu and egg rice bowl at Sekishotei, Kaminagata, Nankanmachi, Tamana county, Kumamoto prefecture.

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

U.A. High School Field Trip Around Japan: Day 6 Translations

This is Day 6 of Shonen Jump’s special commemoration of My Hero Academia reaching one hundred million copies worldwide, which is being rolled out daily across one-week in each prefecture’s newspaper.

The schedule:

April 4th, Day 1: Hokkaidō & Tōhōku regions

April 5th, Day 2: Kantō region

April 6th, Day 3: Chūbu region

April 7th, Day 4: Kansai region

April 8th, Day 5: Chūgoku & Shikoku regions

April 9th, Day 6: Kyūshū & Okinawa regions

April 10th, Day 7: Nationwide release

You can see the illustrations on their website here, where they are released digitally the day after the newspaper release.

Here we go!

Kyūshū Region

Fukuoka

Photo credit: twitter user nika2_prpr

Hawks: "Aren't we all just dying for free time? I just want everyone to be happy, you know." Tokoyami: "That ambition is what I, too, wish to realize." Jirou: "He has a rockin' vibe even when sleeping, doesn't he!!"

Nanzo-in Temple is home to one of the largest bronze statues in the world depicting a reclining Buddha, called Shaka Nehan (Nirvana). The statue holds ashes of Buddha and two adherents, which were gifts from Myanmar as thanks for Nanzo-in's donations of medical supplies.

Saga

Photo credit: twitter user yukino_096

Ashido: "The squid are dancing!!" Tokoyami: "The squid, such speed!" Aizawa: "For drying a large amount of squid at once, it's a really reasonable method." Tokoyami: "A magnificent display of stormy turmoil!!!"

This is a fixture at Yobuko Town's morning market which rapidly dries squid by rotating in circles. The Japanese name, ikaguruguru, uses an onomatopoeia for going around in circles so you could call it a "squidy-go-round." Tokoyami uses the Japanese term for the German aesthetic Sturm und Drang. By the way, the term for dried squid, surume, is also used to mean something that grows on you over time. It's one of the most popular snacks in Japan!

Nagasaki

Photo credit: twitter user ssb_uchuubar_

Aoyama: "Merci for the million dollar nightscape~" Asui: "The night views from the sky are exception!"

Nagasaki is considered to have one of the top three best night skylines in Japan. You can visit Mount Inasa's Observatory to see it for free, but they got something even better!

Kumamoto

Photo credit: twitter user 18Miyakonbu

Sero: "Bakugou... did you do that!?" Kouda: "The mountain is burning!" Shouji: "Quick, put it out! Bakugou, you help too!" Nedzu: "Hang on! Dry grass being burnt down helps new grass sprout. This nurtures the animals as well. Humans and nature in symbiosis, that's what burning the fields represents!" Bakugou: "Hey, you bastards, APOLOGIZE!"

The city of Aso lights its mountain on fire every year as part of the Aso Fire Festival, a coordinated effort between farmers to replenish the fertility of their soil. My favorite part is that Katsuki doesn't deny that he blew the mountain up in flames... he's saying, "see, I'm helping, all right!!"

Ōita

Photo credit: twitter user im_mim_966

Kaminari: "Now then, who's getting in!! To soothe your travel weariness!" Iida: "STOP! Do you want to be boiled alive!? Swimming in the Blood Pond Hell area is prohibited!!" Kaminari: "So this is a 'bitterness of denied entry' type hell, then! (cry)"

They are trying to bathe in the Blood Pond Hell in Beppu City, where iron oxide and magnesium oxide mix and get pushed to the surface to turn the water blood red. Beppu is known for its Eight Hells, hot springs that are so hot (often greater than 200 degrees Fahrenheit), they are meant for viewing rather than bathing--hence their being called a "hell," not a "hot spring!"

Miyazaki

Photo credit: twitter user

Yaoyorozu: "The myth of Princess Toyotama and Yamasachihiko exchanging love letters has been passed down in Aoshima, so there is a legend that if you send a love letter with this postbox, your love will come true." Kaminari: "Make a postcard for me right now, Yaomomo!" Mineta: "Make me a hundred! It's my lifelong wish!!" Yaoyorozu: "It's just one apiece for someone special..." Postboxes in Japan are red, so this one, called the "Yellow Postbox of Good Luck," is unique. The couple Yaoyorozu mentions are from the Kojiki and Nihon Shiki, which contain some of the earliest written records of Japanese myths and ancient history. Poor Kaminari... he just asked for one!

Kagoshima

Photo credit: twitter user Door_20200783

All Might: "Continuing to watch over everything for all eternity!! This here, this is the Symbol of Peace!!" Izuku (mumbling): "It's a well-known fact among fans that All Might loves Yakusugi--" Izuku (out loud): "I'm thrilled we can all go together!! Right, Kacchan!!?" Kacchan: "I... Don't drag me into this!! (pleased, though)"

Yakusugi refers to cedars of at least a thousand years old on the island Yakushima, where there are dense coniferous forests with many old-growth trees. The most famous is the Jōmon Sugi, which is estimated to be at least 2,000 years old. Did Kacchan follow them on their tree tour, trying to not be noticed, and Izuku called him out on it~? Or did they companionably embark all together while he put up a grumpy front? Hee!

Okinawa Region

Okinawa

Photo credit: twitter user kkko25

Endeavor: "Shouto, how is it? How is the soba!?" Todoroki: "Okinawa soba is tasty." Endeavor: "RIGHT!? SHOUTOOOOOOO!! (joy)" Todoroki: "Let me eat in peace."

Unlike Todoroki's beloved mainland soba, which is made with buckwheat flour, Okinawa soba is made with wheat flour and is closer to udon noodles.

Aaand that's Day 6, the last release is the grand finale!

[colourful-jack]

Paper Talk Special: YOSHIHARA Rieko's interview (1989)

“Riki is an almost full-grown black panther”

YOSHIHARA Rieko has written in a wide variety of genres, from high-school stories to fantasy and science fiction. If there is one thing her characters, like Aki and Kacchan or Iason and Riki, have in common, it’s their impressive charisma. We had the opportunity to ask her more about Ai no kusabi in this interview.

Profile

Pen name’s origin: My birth name. My family name changed when I got married, so I thought “nobody would know it’s me!”.

Date of birth: October 4th, 1954

Blood type: B

Place of birth and residence: born in Fukuoka Prefecture, living in Kumamoto Prefecture

What made you send your manuscript to the magazine: It had been a long night…

1. What made you start writing Ai no kusabi?

I didn’t really… want to write about “pure love” in a science fiction setting (ah ah ah), because I wanted to write about an “encounter” than would not just be casual, the bonds it would create and the various feelings they would draw along.

2. Which character can you empathize with the most?

Probably Riki, as one could expect. Because, even though he has a sharp tongue and is quite mature, his way of thinking is fundamentally straight. Him running around struggling yet unable to act, because he’s caught between two feelings of different natures, makes him seductive, I like it.

3. What is your favourite scene? And what is a line you like?

My favourite, hmm… It would have to be the scene where Katze cries while stifling his voice. But I also cannot put aside the scene where Riki is kept waiting in vain in the rain by Guy… As for the lines, those would be “there’s no way I’m letting him die alone” or “you may be able to look the other way despite everything, but I… wouldn’t be worth more than trash if I did. I couldn’t go on living.”

4. Could you tell us about the creation process of the characters, like Riki and Iason? (size, weight, blood type, date of birth, etc.)

I had their personality roughly figured out, so I didn’t think about their finer characteristics, but…

Riki: Because he’s a slum mongrel, I pictured him as an almost full-grown black panther. Not frail, but slender and lithe. As for his appearance, his intelligence shines through the strength of his obstinate spirit, that’s all.

Iason: Since he’s an absolutely perfect member of the elite and the Black Market’s king, he should definitely be like the God of the Sun Apollo, but raised in the depths of the sea (or something). He’s shrewd and good-looking, incredibly proud, and wouldn’t collapse under any circumstances. Regarding his height, all things considered, he’s a head taller that Riki.

Guy: In my first draft, he was a tolerant and broad-minded herbivorous felid… that was my intention, but I wonder where and how things went wrong.

Raoul: His looks, intellect and handsomeness are on par with Iason’s. He has a sense of humour and, even more than Iason, nerves of steel.

Katze: Went from being raised in the slums to being a Furniture in Eos to being a broker on the black market. Putting aside the protagonists, he’s the one with the most dramatic life, so that’s probably why I gave him a tragic handicap, like being a scarface or being a man without manhood…

Kirie: Representing slum dwellers in their late teens, he’s overconfident and reckless. He has a very limited worldview, so he’s the most fragile yet also the most dangerous character.

5. Concerning the way you chose the characters’ names, you previously said you were “drawn to the “dragon” kanji”, were you fixated on something like that for Ai no kusabi?

This time I wanted to give them names that would fit their character, so… I gave Riki a name conveying “power” (riki is one of the few ways to read the kanji meaning “power”), I named Iason after a hero from Greek mythology, and Guy after the goddess of the Earth, Gaia, for his ability to embrace everything. But when you list them, they’re not consistent. All things considered, you could say they’re just far-fetched choices, ah ah ah…

6. Writing Ai no kusabi, what did you enjoy? What did you find difficult?

For the most of it, the story was ever changing with the characters’ feelings, so until I had reached the ending, I had fun worrying (somehow) while writing. Difficult things that would bring wrinkles to my forehead, I tend not to think too much about them.

7. A number of different types of Pet Rings appear in readers’ four-case mangas, but how do you picture them yourself?

No, well, when it comes to Riki’s, its basic image was something like Sun Wukong’s circlet. Looking at it like this makes Journey to the West quite salacious too… don’t you think?

8. Could you tell us your thoughts about the cassette adaptation?

I thought “Are you sure we can really do that?”… but when it became real, well, I mean, ah ah ah, what could I say? As you know, this work involves many human relationships, some violent lines, and it’s quite heavy on that. “How can we make all that fit in 60 minutes?” I wondered… When I heard the tape for the first time, it dawned on me that letters and voices are truly two completely different things, obviously. I wrote it, so it’s weird for me to say that, but I thought “can I really make Mr SEKI and Mr SHIOZAWA say those things?”… on the other hand, when I wondered what faces they made then, Tokyo felt so far away… So those were my thoughts. But everyone used their beautiful voice to give impassioned performances, so I’m very happy!

9. And lastly, what is June to you?

A breather between child rearing and house chores, a teatime friend… or something like that. (October 1989)

[tollingreminiscentbells]

Planning a somewhat ambitious trip for the end of June, so I just went ahead and booked all the hotels tonight. They can be cancelled for free if I change my mind on any of it, but I'm aiming to do Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto. Kumamoto is the one I'm most on the fence about, but it would sweep half of Kyushu in one go.

What the fuck I'm going to do in Saga is a bit of a mystery. And Fukuoka is just to eat. Tonkotsu ramen, unagi seiromushi, gyoza, apparently the yakitori is particularly good. I don't love mentaiko, unless it's in monjayaki with mochi and cheese, but Fukuoka is known for it, so I'll probably eat some anyway.

(I've been in Japan too long. When I travel, my top priority is always the food.)

This has been: Noe's ongoing adventures in trying to visit all 47 Japanese prefectures.

[nijigasakilove]

Episode 2 and things already escalating quickly here! Who tf would threaten Takuya over the fake marriage? Like it’s none of the office’s business.. if they say they’re married they’re married that’s the end of it. Mfs treating Anchorage like it’s Syria 😭 you’re gonna get paid and be at a US branch with better work conditions.

Also, we knew they’d have to meet family eventually, but episode 2 and Takuya dad already here!? News travel way too quickly in this universe lmao. Nice fella and seems genuinely concerned about his son. Also it’s cool to see some Kyushu traditions and wedding customs mentioned! My fave part of Japan, particularly Fukuoka.. and Kumamoto prefecture is gorgeous.

Glad we got to see a little of Rika’s true self too. When she’s talking about Maps she really is glowing. I love seeing people talk about things they’re passionate for.

Good episode! Adult workplace romance just hits different