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KUMAMOTO

Introduction

Kumamoto has a lot of specific characteristics. We chose 5 topics from them. We would like to introduce about Kumamoto Castle, Food, Water, People, and Historical cultural fortunes.

Castle

Kato Kiyomasa

Kato Kiyomasa served it as a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and he fought in one place after another in each place and showed a military exploit. He became a feudal lord of Higo Kumamoto. He became a vassal of Tokugawa in Hideyoshi posthumously and I gave a military exploit by a fight of Sekigahara and became Higo Kumamoto feudal lord.

Build

There is Kumamoto castle in the center of Kumamoto. Another name is “Ginkgo castle. Kumamoto castle is famous castle in Japan. The characteristic of Kumamoto castle is Musya-gaeshi. It is the wall that warped diagonally. The wall is made of a lot of stones. This wall was made to prevent a samurai from entering in a castle. In addition, Musya-gaeshi is sold as a Japanese cake. The view to watch from the castle tower is very beautiful.

Memorial Festival

There are some events because Kumamoto castle was built for four hundreds years ago. Every year, in Knmamoto castle has same festivals to see cherry blossoms and morning glory. However, this year’s events are held special festivals which are Japanese traditional dances in every season. I want to appreciate the dance because I have never seen it.

Food

Horse meat

Kumamoto is known as the birthplace of Horse meat. In Kumamoto, we eat raw horse meat. We call it “Basashi”. I think to eat Basashi is unusual custom. We soak it in soy sauce and eat. Some people eat with the spices such as grated ginger or the leek. There may be the person saying that I feel sorry for a horse. I think it is right. But how about cow, pig, fish and so on. We eat many animals. Horse meat is same thing. Horse meat is popular as a souvenir. You can also get a horse meat pie as a souvenir.

Chinese noodles

There are many restaurants of Chinese noodles in Kumamoto. In particular, Tamana’s Chinese noodles is famous nationwide. This soup made from bone of pigs. Cook it stow for a long time. This soup’s taste is rich.

Sweets

Koubai is the most famous sweets shop in Kumamoto. “Jindaiko” is best sweets in this shop. It is sweet bean jelly and including bean paste. I think it is more popular among elder people than young people. It will be very pleased when you bring as a gift.

“Ikinari dango” is also famous Kumamoto sweets. It is local sweets of Kumamoto. It is made by mother and grand mother for long time in Kumamoto. Its recipe is easy. First, you cook crust. You mix salt and water into flour and knead them. After you knead, it is left around 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel sweet potato and cut for a bite size. Next, you put bean paste on a piece of sweet potato. May be it taking 30 minutes from the beginning. So it is good time to use crust. You divide crust equally for the right size. Then you wrap a piece of sweet potato and bean paste with crust. Finally you steam them. Actually “Ikinari” mean easy in Kumamoto dialect.

Water

Ground water

The capital of the water

Kumamoto City is blessed with water environment to be called "the capital of the water" for a long time. The places providing with all of water to use for the waterworks in cities more than a population of 670,000 people in groundwater are few nationwide.

Groundwater of Kumamoto

Because minerals melt a lot into it, the water of Kumamoto is delicious. The water of Kumamoto uses groundwater to running water.

Problem

People wastes groundwater recently. Groundwater is one of the limited resources. So we should use groundwater carefully. Kumamoto City appeals to the citizens to save water now.

Springs

Shirakawa spring

The spring water, "Shirakawa spring" are represents Aso. In the Shirakawa source of a river, water of 60t a minute springs out. This spring becomes First-grade River “Shirakawa”. In addition, this spring is chosen in "100 Japanese famous water" from the Environmental Agency.

Todoroki spring

Todoroki spring is chosen in "100 Japanese famous water" from the Environmental Agency, too. This spring has less quantity of the spring than Shirakawa spring. This water is sweet.

Rivers

Kuma River

The Kuma River runs into Hitoyoshi and Yatsushiro. The span of this river is 115 kilometer. Kuma River is torrent in Japan. A lot of people raft and enjoy it. In addition, you can catch a lot of Ayu in this river.

People

Dialect

In Kumamoto, there are some words which are spoken in only Kumamoto. There are many Kumamoto dialects in here. Kumamoto dialect is like with other prefecture in Kyusyu. If you went to Fukuoka, you can understand what people say. Then I often speak with Kumamoto dialect because I was born in Kumamoto. My favorite Kumamoto dialect is “tai”. Most of us speak “tai” in place of “dayo” in a sentence of the end. I’m proud of Kumamoto dialect because I like them. So, I want to keep speaking Kumamoto dialect if I live in other place.

Character

People living in Kumamoto has a character which many people mains other people’s careers. Most of them ask people’s careers even if they have never met before. I think we must not decide people’s character with several careers because we should be fair.

Famous people

Natume Souseki

He was a famous novelist in Japan. He stayed in Kumamoto because he taught English in Kumamoto University. He was wrote many novels before he died forty nine years old. His works are “Bottyan”, “I’m a cat”, “Sanshiro”, and “Kokoro”. They are read by many people now. I think his works is so difficult for me when I read them. Because he had an experience that he lived in Great Britain, I am interested in his novels.

Yukisada Isao

He is a movie director. He was born in Kumamoto and graduated from Kumamoto Daini high school. Most popular of his works is “GO”. He became very famous because he made it. I like his movies. Especially, my favorite one is “Spring Snow” because I have ever read the original novel. This movie’s image and story is very good. I made my mind move when I finished watching this movie. If you have a chance, you should watch it.

Historical culture fortunes

Bridge of water

Kumamoto has a big bridge of water. The name is “tujyunkyo” in Japanese. It is in Yamato town. It is an aqueduct of the water by putting a lot of rocks together built over the valley. Futa Yasunosuke who was a village headman all-out of the hometown made a plan in building and recruited a fund. It is chosen to 100 selections of an irrigation canal of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Stone stairs of 3333

Kumamoto has a stone stairs of 3333 in Misato town. It’s the longest in Japan. The stone stairway construction starts it from January 1980 and overtook 2,446 steps of Yamagata Mt. Haguro in November 1985. And Kumamoto’s stone stairs became number one in Japan, and it is completed in the end of March 1988. It is 3,333 steps of number of the total steps.

Yamaga’s garden lantern festival

This festival is annual festival. It held in every summer. Many women who from or live in Yamaga city are dance. They put a garden on them head. It is very beautiful. Every year many people come to watch this festival. I heard this dance is very difficult and hard work for women. They practice many times. Someone who was born in Yamaga city and graduate from Yamaga junior-high school and Yamaga high school can only dance on the stage. On same day, we can watch fireworks near the dance stage.

Conclusion

Kumamoto Castle was build by Kato Kiyomasa since 400 years ago. This Castle’s outside is very beautiful and it is very famous in Japan. Now, memorial events are hold in Kumamoto Castel. House meat is very famous as local dishes of Kumamoto. Chinese noodles and Ikinari dango are also famous food and they are popular food in Kumamoto. Kumamoto is famous as the capital of the water. Kumamoto City is blessed with water and it is very delicious because minerals melt in it. We have to save our precious water. Most of people in Kumamoto are use Kumamoto dialect, because we like our dialect. Kumamoto has a lot of famous person, for instance Natume Souseki, Yukisada Isao, and so on. Kumamoto has a lot of historical culture fortunes too. For example bridge of water, stone stairs, Yamaga’s garden lantern festival and so on.

Kumamoto has really a lot of specific characteristics. I think we can proud of that. I think Kumamoto is a very good prefecture.

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