Exploring Kumamoto City, Japan on Foot

The Kumamoto Castle from Ninomaru Square on a clear early morning. Behind the fresh greenery stands the Uto Turret, currently under restoration. Eight years ago today, Kumamoto Castle suffered significant damage in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. Previously, I asked a representative from the Kumamoto Castle General Office about the restoration work. They mentioned that it would take many years to complete. Location of Ninomaru Park: 32.80667906949784, 130.70185433131337 Currently, I'm at Ninomaru Park just before the opening time for Kumamoto Castle. Ninomaru park is usually busy with people engaging in various activities, such as exercise.  Perhaps they are waiting to enter Kumamoto Castle, as a family was playing with a ball. Ninomaru Park is a walking and jogging course. Many people were seen enjoying their jogs early in the morning. In the evening, students from a nearby high school track and field team also practice here. They often breeze past me while I'm walking, and I wa

The former residence of Hosokawa Gyobu is now covered in fresh greenery. Currently, it is closed to the public due to restoration work from the Kumamoto earthquake. I've heard it will be several more years before it reopens to the public. The following photos were taken from outside the restricted area. We can't enter the residence, but even just viewing the fresh greenery from outside will likely soothe us. Location: 32.80899689664447, 130.7001988264828 ========= Supplementary information: On November 22, 2023, the former residence of Hosokawa Gyobu, which was at its peak of autumn foliage, was illuminated and opened to the public. The following two photos show how it looked at that time. The residence will be closed to the public until the restoration work from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake is completed in the 2028 fiscal year. For the next four years, such illuminations will be on hold.  

I retire at the end of March 2024. During my current position, I have been blogging and documenting my laboratory for about 20 years. From April, I will start to introduce Kumamoto City and its suburbs by writing this blog with photos and videos I took during my walks. April 1, my first day of retirement, was a beautiful sunny day. I took my grandchildren to Mt.Kinpo-san. Location of Mt.Kinpo: 32.813766575749796, 130.63864097027087 Many people climb the mountain on foot, but since we had small grandchildren with us, we drove to the top of the mountain. There are parking spaces for about 20 cars near the summit. View from the summit. Clear skies. Unzen Fugendake  could be seen over the Ariake Sea. I have been using peanuts to interact with (wild) small birds. It was more than 20 years ago that I learned that the small birds on Mt. Kinpo-san perch on human hands for peanuts. Today, the little birds came again. In the photo, can you see the little bird trying to get the peanut on my hand?