At one night...

I went to AEON MALL KUMAMOTO CLAIR, a shopping mall in Kasima, on January 27(^_^) I looked clothes and accessories there（＾◇＾） Then, I found an illumination in front of the entrance after I left there. I felt it was beautiful!(^^)! I couldn't go to any shopping malls recently, so this was a good pastime after a long interval(^^♪ [63 words]

The website of AEON MALL KUMAMOTO CLAIR is below.

http://kumamoto-clair.aeonmall.com/

Portfolio

beginning of template [copy from here] /////

Student ID: 06118
(last five digits of
your student no.)

Writing IVc: Portfolio
(See: Note 1, below)

0.0. Overview

Reviews, Posts, and Words

(See: Note 2, below.)

Months	08	09	10	11	12	01	Totals	fn	Indices
Book reviews	0	0	3	1	8	6	18	2
Blog posts	11	13	16	17	31	14	102	1.36
Words	712	797	3718	2321	7353	3462	18363	4.8968
TOTAL	723	810	3737	2339	7392	3482	18483	---

1.0. Essays

(See: Note 3, below)

1.1. Showcase	Short titles [+ links]	Dates (yy.mm.dd)	¶	W	C	L	P	M	Notes
Mega- essay 07.10.12	Good information about Kumamoto	07.10.10	17	999	1	15	0	0
Favorite place(-s) 07.10.26	My favorite place	07.10.26	5	390	1	0	0	0
Movie review 07.11.11	Toy Story (the first story)	07.11.11	4	312	0	1	1	0
Community life 07.11.25	♪Community life♪	07.11.25	5	435	2	0	0	0
TV in Japan 07.12.09	TV in Japan	07.12.09	5	330	0	4	1	0
Learning w/ computers 07.12.21	Learning with computers	07.12.21	6	522	0	1	1	0
Totals	---	---	42	2988	4	21	3	0	---

Key:

¶: number of paragraphs three or more sentences in length

W: number of words

C: number of comments

L: number of links

P: number of photos or other graphics
M: number of other media included

1.2. Best Essay

Selection and Assessment: Which of those essays do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Please remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

• I feel the fifth essay is the best of all my essays in the fall semester. There are 3 reasons why I feel so. First, it was easy for visitors to see, and it concluded the moderate number of sentences in length in each paragraph. Second, it might be able to please visitors thanks to 4 links and a graphic. Finally, I could write about advantages and disadvantages of digital broadcasting adequately.
  

2.0. Comments

Showcase	Titles of posts with links	Dates of comments (yy.mm.dd)	Numbers of words in comments	Qualities of comments**
2.1. Your first comment on your instructor's blog*	Kenji & pab in Seattle	07.09.26	24	a little bad
2.2. Your best comment on a classmate's blog*	Movie Review: Toy Story	07.11.14	32	good
2.3. Best comment by a classmate on your blog*	A passion fruit	07.11.14	42	very good
2.4. Most comments on:	Titles of posts with link	Dates of posts (yy.mm.dd)	Total number of words in comments	Qualities of comments*
2.4.1. Any one of your essays*	♪Community life♪	07.11.25	47	good
2.4.1.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---	07.12.07	---	---
2.4.1.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---	51	so-so
2.4.2. Any of your other posts*	Learning with computers	07.12.12	63	good
2.4.2.1. When did you respond to those comments?	---	07.12.19	---	---
2.4.2.2. How did you respond to those comments?	---	---	106	good

----------
* Current semester comments on essays and other posts
** Please list the most important qualities of comments on each type of blog post.

2.5. Recent comments display

Does your blog display recent comments from blog visitors in a prominent location, for example in a sidebar, header, or footer widget? Where or why not?

• Yes, it displays them at the top of the sidebar, because it is easy for visitors and me to see what recent ones there are on my blog.
  

2.6. Additional reflections on comments

• I made comments on blogs such as my friends', teacher's and classmates' ones. Wholly, I think I couldn't make good comments on them. However, I wrote only easy words when I made comments on them. Therefore, this was the only my good point about comments.
  

3.0. Typing Speed Trials

Showcase	Numbers of words	Dates (yy.mm.dd)
3.1. Worst typing speed trial*	63	07.09.06
3.2. Best typing speed trial*	158	07.12.19
3.3. Improvement (best minus worst)	95	---
3.4. Average speed for three (3) most recent speed trials**	112.3	07.12.19 07.12.05 07.11.21

----------
* Current semester typing speed trials (five minutes)
** Please list all three dates.

4.0. Book Reviews

4.1. Showcase	Short titles with links	Dates (yy.mm.dd)	Words	Comments
Example:	Vampire Killer	07.05.16	39	1
2-01	The Barcelona Game	07.10.09	367	0
2-02	GIRL meets BOY	07.10.22	398	0
2-03	JENNIFER LOPEZ	07.10.30	485	0
2-04	Karen and the ARTIST	07.11.30	585	0
2-05	The Call of the Wild	07.12.06	1006	0
2-06	ISLAND FOR SALE	07.12.17	626	0
2-07	BROWN EYES	07.12.18	583	0
2-08	Julia Roberts	07.12.26	394	0
2-09	THE TROY STONE	07.12.27	385	0
2-10	Marcel and The White Star	07.12.28	324	0
2-11	MAISIE AND THE DOLPHIN	07.12.30	474	0
2-12	THE LONG ROAD	07.12.31	492	0
2-13	Kim's Choice	08.01.01	480	0
2-14	WHO WANTS TO BE A STAR?	08.01.02	435	0
2-15	Freckles	08.01.04	454	0
2-16	Tom Cruise	08.01.05	400	0
2-17	Newspaper Chase	08.01.07	404	0
2-18	PELE	08.01.08	383	0
---	---	TOTALS:	8675	0

Note: Please calculate book review words and comments totals without the example (above).

4.2. Best Book Review

Selection and Assessment: Which of those book reviews do you feel is the best that you've written this semester, and why? Please remember that a complete answer is better than a short answer, and give at least two reasons to support your assessment.

• The book review about Freckles is the best of all my book reviews in the fall semester. There are 3 reasons why I think so. First, I could summarize the story of it briefly. Next, I wrote my thoughts about it concretely. Finally, I could write an introduction better than other book reviews.
  

5.0. Blog Layout, Labeling, Linking, & Media

Showcase	Yes	No
5.1. Does your blog have an archive?	○
5.1.1. Does the archive display the titles of posts?	○
5.1.2. Is the archive organized by month?	○
5.1.3. Is the archive at or near the top of the sidebar?	○
5.2. Does your blog have labels displayed in sidebar?	○
5.2.1. Do your labels include these required labels (typed accurately):	---	---
"books" (plural) AND "reviews" (plural)	○
"essays" (plural) AND "portfolios" (plural, without "proto-")	○
"quickposts" (plural, with no space between quick and posts)	○
"links" (plural) AND "media" (plural)	○
"movies" (plural) AND "photos" (plural)	○
5.2.2. Does your sidebar display other labels?	○
How many other labels have you attached to three (3) or more posts? 3 other labels attached to three or more posts	---	---
Which labels, and to how many posts each? Please list those labels instead of www, xxx, yyy..., and list numbers of posts instead of n, m, o... (in parentheses), below. books (32) diaries (64) essays (12) graphics (5) links (24) media (2) movies (1) photos (130) portfolios (5) quickposts (46) reviews (33) typingtests (21)	---	---
5.3. Links & media	---	---
5.3.1. Does your blog include pictures or other graphics?	○
Does your blog profile include a picture or graphic representation?		○
How many of your blog posts this semester include pictures or other graphics? 97 posts including pictures or other graphics	---	---
5.3.2. Does your blog include posts with multiple links?	○
How many of your posts this semester include three (3) or more links?* 4 posts including three or more links (including this portfolio!)	---	---
5.3.3. Does your blog include other media?	○
How many of your blog posts this semester include other media? 2 posts including other media	---	---
What kind(-s) of media have you included in posts this semester? Please list them here: I have included a medium about a song which I downloaded from YouTube. I have included a medium about a comedian which I downloaded from YouTube. ...	---	---

5.4. Overall presentation

What have you done to enhance the overall presentation of your blog? List and explain the three most important content, formatting, layout, or other presentation changes or enhancements that you have made on your blog this semester.

1. I have posted more pictures I took by my cell-phone on my blog than the number of them which I posted them on it in the spring semester. I hope it was interesting for visitors.
2. I have started to use 'words' in order to check sentences and count how many words I wrote on my blog. To do so was very important for me to let visitors know what I wanted to say rightly.
3. I didn't use media from YouTube until a friend of mine told me how to post videos on blogs. I wish videos which I posted on my blog were interesting for visitors to see.
   

6.0. Additional reflections on your blog writing

• I posted various things on my blog in the fall semester. It was difficult for me to write 'mega essay' and a movie review. In order to please visitors, I posted videos which I downloaded from YouTube on it for the first time. Then, I checked sentences which I wrote by 'word' in the fall semester. Thanks to that, I think I could find mistakes on them soon. Of course, however, I am still poor at writing English sentences. Therefore, I will have to make a lot of efforts to be able to write them. In order to achieve it, I think I will restudy English grammar first.
  

7.0. Suggestions for your peers and successors

• At first, you should write your blog regularly and finish all assignments such as essays and book reviews punctually. Then, if you have time after you get them done, I suggest that you check sentences which you wrote by 'word' to improve your writing skill. I also propose that you try to write your good blog. It may be easy for visitors to see it. In my case, I changed fonts, or I posted pictures and videos to please them on my blog. Moreover, you should practice typing in English. I feel it is necessary to pass tests of typing. What is the most important for you is that you mustn't be lazy. Even if you have little knowledge about computers and blogs, I think you'll be able to get Writing III and IV's credits if you make efforts.
  

____________________
Notes:

1. This portfolio template amplifies the template for Writing IIIc portfolios.
2. The overview section (0.0. Overview, above) derives from Proto-Portfolio 2-01.
3. This essays section (1.0. Essays, above) derives from Proto-Portfolio 2-02.

///// [copy to here] end of template

Joyfull

I went to Joyfull to have dinner with my friends today(^^♪ A lot of people came here, so we had to wait about for 10 minutes(-_-;) I ordered mixed grill for the first time. It was delicious than expected(^^)/ We met each other for a long time, and had various things which we wanted to talk. Therefore, we talked about 3 hours there!(^^)! I had a very good time(*^^)v [68 words]

Learning with computers

http://hibi.hamazo.tv/e862447.html

Introduction

We can use various functions by computer. Among them, the Internet, 'powerpoint', 'excel', 'word' and so on especially are more useful. Then, it becomes taken as a matter of course for a member of society to be able to use them in recent years. Therefore, junior high school, high school and university students learn about computers in class. Well, I'll talk about my computer skill before, during and after Writing Ⅲ and Ⅳ.

Body

(Before Writing Ⅲ & Ⅳ)

I took the class of introduction to information processing at Kumamoto Gakuen University (KGU) when I was a freshman. However, I didn't learn about blogs in the class. Therefore, I couldn't understand what I had to do when a KGU's English teacher told me to start my blog in February, 2007. Then, I became anxious about blogs. However, I thought I would do my best then.

(During Writing Ⅲ)

I heard some words such as 'browse', 'label' and 'attachment' in Writing Ⅲ for the first time. At first, I couldn't understand them, so I couldn't keep up with the class. However, the more I took it, the more I got to keep up with it. Then, I learned how to write essays and book reviews in English. It was also the first time for me to learn about them. What was the most difficult for me in Writing Ⅲ was that I had to type more than 100 words in a test of typing. I practiced for the test many times, so I could pass it in July! Thanks to this, I could type faster than before.

(During Writing Ⅳ)

Although I had various experiences in Writing Ⅲ, I had new ones in Writing Ⅳ. One of them was that I wrote a movie review. A way of writing the movie review was different from the way of writing book reviews, so I had trouble with it. In Writing Ⅳ, I often browsed through some blogs to make a comment on them. Then, I learned the usefulness of links when I visited to them. Moreover, since I learned how to post videos on my blog, I posted some ones on it to please visitors. I also posted many pictures on it, so I thought it became more interesting for them than before.

(After Writing Ⅲ & Ⅳ)

Through Writing Ⅲ and Ⅳ, I could learn about advanced computer skills. In addition, I could type faster than before. However, I didn't study about 'powerpoint' in the classes, so I thought I had to study about it in person. Sometime, I want to start my blog in Japanese by using my experience about blogs to advantage. Of course, there are still a lot of things to learn to do it. Therefore, I'll take classes of information processing at KGU.

Conclusion

Well, I have talked about my computer skills before, during and after Writing Ⅲ and Ⅳ. Learning with computers isn't so easy for us. It becomes essential for a member of society to be able to use 'word', 'excel' and 'powerpoint' in recent years. Therefore, we have to learn about computers, especially the software. Anyway, it is important for us not to give up learning about computers. [522 words]

A new cellphone sold by NTT Docomo

New cell-phones are being sold by NTT Docomo now. The upper picture shows 'SH905i', which is one of '905i' series（*^_^*） I wanna buy this cell-phone now, so I feel people who have it envious when I see them(>_<) In order to buy it, I need to save money for it(^^♪ [50 words]

http://docomokeitai.blog95.fc2.com/blog-category-70.html

Tomonori Jinnai

Do you know Tomonori Jinnai(?_?) He is a famous comedian. He sometimes appears on The God Of Entertainments, which is a comic dialogue TV program. Personally, his materials are very funny, I think(^_^)v One of them, about a car navigation system, is my favorite material(^^♪ I posted a video about it below(^_^) If you have time, please watch the video!! [60 words]

SHIDAX

SHIDAX is one of karaoke bars. I often go there with my friends after I went to a drinking party in Shimo Street.(^_^)v The fee for a karaoke room per hour is a little expensive compared with common karaoke bars(>_<) However, SHIDAX gives us great service(^.^) Now is such as the Christmas and year-end party season, so there is convenient for now, I think♪ [64 words]

http://www.shidax.co.jp/sc/

For the first time...

31

I went to 31, an ice cream shop, with my family yesterday(^^ゞ When I entered the shop and looked at the menu, I was a little surprised because there are more kinds of ice creams than before! I ordered 'cappuccino and espresso concert', which is an ice cream released in November, 2007(^_^) It tasted slightly bitter and delicious(^^♪ In the case of tastes of ice creams, I don't like too sweet ones, so I thought I found a great ice cream when I had 'cappuccino and espresso concert'♪ If you like slightly bitter taste of ice creams, I recommend you to have it once☆ [105 words]


The website of 31 is here（*^_^*）

TV in Japan

http://www.sharp.co.jp/aquos/lineup/gx3_52/index.html

Introduction

TV is one of major sources of knowledge for us now. Then, we can get lot of information about such as news, education, sports and music on TV. In Japan, there is a variety of television stations. The broadcasting system has started to switch in recent years. Well, I'll talk about digital broadcasting, NHK and commercial messages.

Body

(Digital broadcasting)

From 2003, the broadcasting system in Japan began to switch from analog to digital broadcasting. One of advantages of the digital broadcasting is that images on TV are more vivid than before. Incidentally, analog broadcasting will be terminated by 2011. Therefore, people who have TV sets which aren't had tuners for the digital broadcasting built-in will have to buy the tuners by the year if they want to watch TV. Now, they ate more than 500 yen at least, so it's one of disadvantages of the digital broadcasting.

http://www.dpa.or.jp/

(NHK)

NHK is a television station in Japan. It means Japan Broadcasting Corporation in English. As features of it, there are many TV language programs on it. An English TV program, 'can you speak English?' is famous among them. Anyway, we can learn not only English but also French, German, Chinese and so on on NHK. Personally, TV language programs on it are very useful and valuable.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/

(Commercial messages)

Now, a lot of commercial messages are broadcasted on TV. Usually, each of them is broadcasted for 15 to 30 seconds. They can affect us more or less. For example, when a person watches a good commercial message about something to drink, the person can get to feel like having it. Recently, commercial messages are also delivered on the Internet. Therefore, we can watch them anytime we like.

http://www.cmjapan.com/

Conclusion

Well, we are benefiting from TV before we know it. Watching TV moderately is very good for us. We can get information anytime now. However, it is important for us to choose the right information. In other words, it's up to us how we make use of information from TV. [330 words]

CoCo ichibanya

CoCo ichibanya is a curry restaurant. I like curry rice very much, so there is one of my favorite restaurants. When I go there, I often order vegetable curry or fried chicken curry. They are relatively reasonable. Then, we can choose hotness of curry rice when we order. It is a good service, I think. What do you think about that!? Anyway, if you wanna get more information about CoCo ichibanya, please click the website below!! [76 words]

http://www.ichibanya.co.jp/

TOEIC

I took the TOEIC test last Saturday(^_^) This was the third time for me to take it. Since I had a lot of assignments to finish recently, I could hardly spend time studying for it(T_T) It was very difficult for me to solve this time's TOEIC problems(>_<) I won't score high marks in it probably(-_-;) Next time, I do have to make efforts for it more than before(^^)v [68 words]

The website of TOEIC
　　　　 ↓
http://www.toeic.or.jp/

A dice

What's the thing which the left picture shows when you see it!? It is a dice used in a TV program, Gokigenyo(^_^) Do you know the TV program? If you wanna know about Gokigenyo, please click here♪ By the way, it is not the real, of course. I bought it as a souvenir for my family in Tokyo when I went there as a school trip(*^。^*) We put it on the table now. [73 words]

British Jacket: Book Review 2-6 Marcel and the Mona Lisa

British Jacket: Book Review 2-6 Marcel and the Mona Lisa

I have heard of Mona Lisa, but I have never read Marcel. When I read your book review, I knew about him a little. it is colorful, so it is easy to read. I suggest that you write 'introduction' on your book reviews from now. [45 words]

Hi-Ho's blog room: Book Review 2-04

Hi-Ho's blog room: Book Review 2-04 "Robin Hood"

Your book review includes the brief summary of it, so when I read it, it was easy for me to understand the content of it. Then, introduction and conclusion of it is also very good. In addition, the length of your book review is moderate. I think I want to write my book reviews like it!! [56 words]

Proto-Portfolio 2-02

(beginning) /////

Fall Semester Essays

Essays	Short titles [+ links]	Dates yy.mm.dd	¶	W	C	L	P	M	Notes
Mega- essay 07.10.12	Good information about Kumamoto	07.10.10	17	999	1	15	0	0
Favorite place(-s) 07.10.26	My favorite place	07.10.26	5	390	1	0	0	0
Movie review 07.11.11	Toy Story (the first story)	07.11.11	4	312	0	1	1	0
4th essay 07.11.25	♪Community life♪	07.11.25	5	435	2	0	0	0
5th essay 07.12.09	TV in Japan	07.12.09	5	330	0	4	1	0
6th essay 07.12.21	Learning with computers	07.12.21	6	522	0	1	1	0
Totals	---	---	42	2988	4	21	3	0	---

Key:

¶: number of paragraphs three or more sentences in length

W: number of words

C: number of comments

L: number of links

P: number of photos or other graphics
M: number of other media included

///// (end)

Toy Story (the first story)

http://rororo17.blog88.fc2.com/blog-entry-70.html

Introduction

Toy Story is a popular movie in Disney films. This movie is composed of computer graphics. It was released by Disney in 1995. The director of it is John A. Lasseter. Then, the genre of it is animation. Andy, Woody, Buzz and so on are characters of Toy Story. Among them, Andy and Woody are main characters of it. Incidentally, it made 3 hundred million and 6.2 million dollars in the world.

Body

(summary)

Andy, an owner of toys, gets a new toy one day. It is Buzz, Space Ranger. He is the latest one of all Andy's toys. Therefore, he has a lot of functions which they had never seen. Andy gets to like him about such as qualities and looks. Woody, his favorite toy, thinks he is the most favorite toy of all Andy's ones. However, Buzz becomes his favorite toy. Then, Woody is dissatisfied with it. He does various things in order that Andy gets to like him better than Woody.

(impressions)

In Toy Story, there were 2 interesting scenes for me. The one is that Andy's toys moved and talked each other only when he went to bed. There was an unspoken understanding, which is that his toys mustn't remind people that they can move and talk, among them. Therefore, they kept the secret. Personally, I thought they were great about it. If I were them, I would reveal the secret someday. The other is Woody's behavior after he got Buzz. Woody held his ground desperately. This was very impressive for me. Then, when I watched the scene, I thought I knew how he felt.

Conclusion

Toy Story was made for children. Of course, however, adults can enjoy its story enough. I learned the importance of friendship by watching this movie. If you have never watched it, I recommend you to watch it once. I think you will learn something from it. [312 words]

HERO(theatrical version)

http://www.hero-movie.net/wallpaper/images/hero_wp03_s.jpg

I watched HERO (theatrical version) with my friends last Sunday（*^_^*） I heard a rumor that this movie is exciting. Actually, it was very exciting!(^^)! Personally, Takuya Kimura who played 'Kohei Kuryu' in HERO was very cool, and Norito Yashima who played 'Kenji Endo' in it was very funny(^_^)/ The price is 1500 yen, so this is reasonable. If you are interested in it, I do recommend you to go to watch HERO♪★♪ You will like it, I think(^^)v [83 words]

Mega essay

Good information about Kumamoto

Introduction

Kumamoto is a very good prefecture. There are some famous or popular things here. Well, I will talk about 5 main topics, famous places for sightseeing, entertainers, historical people, food and drink and universities. Each main topic includes 3 sub-topics. In other words, I will introduce 15 things about Kumamoto to you.

Famous places for sightseeing

Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle was built by Kiyomasa Kato. Then, surprisingly, it has been done for 400 years! The most famous feature of it is a stone wall. The stone wall is called 'Kiyomasa's style' because of its elegance and solidness. By the way, some events such as a display of fireworks are held around Kumamoto Castle every year. Therefore, a lot of people come around Kumamoto Castle to watch them regularly.

http://hinokunimatsuri.jp/castle/

Mt. Aso

Mt. Aso is one of active volcanoes in Japan. It is famous for one of the largest calderas in the world. You can watch it only when its volcanic activity is calm. Its scene is very good! Incidentally, the formal name of Mt. Aso is Aso gogaku.

http://www.geocities.jp/sub_ori/aso/aso06.html

Kurokawa Hot Spring

Kurokawa Hot Spring is in Oguni Town. There is a souvenir street near here. Therefore, you can buy some kinds of souvenirs such as sundry goods, sweets and alcoholic beverages there. Now, spring quality of it is the sulfur spring. It has effect to muscle aches, sensitivity to cold temperatures and so on.

http://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/nosiyu/onsen.html

Entertainers

Yumi Ogata

Yumi Ogata is a reporter. She is 26 years old now. She appears on Wakattoland which is broadcasted on TKU (Television Kumamoto) every Saturday. It is popular among young people. Yumi Ogata is good at doing kendo. In a project of Wakattoland, she has taken the level 2 Kanji Proficiency test 8 times. However, she hasn't passed it yet. Although she hasn't passed it yet, she has made efforts very hard! Yumi Ogata is a great hard worker!!

http://www.tku.co.jp/webland/programs/wakatto/mc.html

Hiroshi

Hiroshi is a comedian. His real name is Kenichi Saito. His materials are self-condemnation. Before he says his materials, he always says 'I'm Hiroshi' every time. Then, BGM whose title is Glass Rooms is played while he says them. Hiroshi is a funny comedian.

http://www.sunmusic.org/get/profile/profile_hiroshi.html

Suzannu

Suzannu is 21 years old. Although her name is like a foreign one, she is native-born Japanese. Her real name is Sae Yamamoto. She got popular by appearing on QUIZ HEXAGON Ⅱ. The reason why she got popular on appearing it is that she often struck wrong notes when she answered questions. In other words, Suzannu established a fool character on TV!

http://tv.goo.ne.jp/contents/cast/4c52033ab216a9bed5bce259facab5e1/index.html

Historical people

Shiro Amakusa

Shiro Amakusa was born in Amakusa in 1621. He was a Christian lord. At that time, the shogunate prohibited Christianty, so he was tried to kill by the shogunate. Then, he broke out The Battle of Shimabara with a lot of Christians. However, Shiro Amakusa was killed by a warrior.

http://www.kumamotokokufu-h.ed.jp/kumamoto/shoukai/rekisi/sirou.html

Kiyomasa Kato

Kiyomasa Kato is known to everyone as a builder of Kumamoto Castle. He was a excellent warrior. He was good at using spears, so he was counted among Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Then, he served Hideyoshi Toyotomi. There are some theories about his cause of death, and it hasn't clear yet. He died when he was 49 years old.

http://burari2161.fc2web.com/katoukiyomasa.htm

Soseki Natsume

There are some famous novels which Soseki Natsume wrote such as 'wagahaiha nekode aru', 'bocchan' and 'kokoro'. His real name is Kinnosuke Natsume. He could understand English thanks to going to United Kingdom to study. He was very clever. He died from excessive bleeding in 1916. In this connection, it is Soseki Natsume that called Kumamoto 'The Forest City' for the first time.

http://www.library.tohoku.ac.jp/collect/soseki/soseki.html

Food and drink

horse sashimi

As home of horse sashimi, Kumamoto is known to everyone. It is said that Kiyomasa Kato had no choice to have war-horses because there were no food while he participated in a war. This was a beginning of getting had horse sashimi. The price is a little expensive compared to sashimi. Horse sashimi is tasty, but if you don't like a fishy taste or smell of it, I recommend you to have grilled one.

http://basasi.jp/

dago soup

Dago soup is one of local dishes in Kumamoto. Ingredients such as carrots, burdocks and dumplings are in it. It tastes like the taste of home cooking. If you have it when it is cold, the taste may be especially delicious. Incidentally, 'dago' means 'dumplings' in English.

http://www.rkk.co.jp/gamadase/ryouri/5s.html

groundwater

In Kumamoto, there is much groundwater. Moreover, groundwater in Kumamoto is very clean and clear! Amazingly, almost all of people who live in Kumamoto area supply the daily life water by groundwater!! It may be an unbelievable thing for people who live in other prefecture. Groundwater is a limited resource, so we mustn't waste it!

http://homepage3.nifty.com/jagh_torikichi/visit/visit_001.htm

Universities

Kumamoto University

Kumamoto University (KU) has 7 departments. Its department of education, pharmacy and medicine are more famous and popular than its other department. Then, school expense of KU is cheaper than that of private schools. Therefore, a lot of high school students want to enter KU. However, its entrance examination is very difficult.

http://www.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/

Kumamoto Prefectural University

Kumamoto Prefectural University (KPU) has 3 departments. Its department of combined management is popular among high school students who want to enter KPU because employment rates of students who have a degree in the department of combined management are almost 100 percent!! By the way, KPU is famous for a school cafeteria. Particularly, fresh-baked bread is cheap and delicious. Therefore, people also sometimes buy fresh-baked bread besides KPU's students and professors.

http://www.pu-kumamoto.ac.jp/index.php

Kyusyu Tokai University

Kyusyu Tokai University (KTU) has 3 departments. There is a station near KTU, so it is easy for us to go to KTU. We can learn agricultural industry, business management, architectonics and so on at KTU. Every year, competition rates are not so high. Therefore, it is easy for us to enter KTU compared to other university.

http://www.ktokai-u.ac.jp/index.html

Conclusion

Now, I have introduced many things about Kumamoto to you. Perhaps, there may be things which you don't know in my introduction of Kumamoto. Kumamoto is really a very good prefecture. If you are interested in Kumamoto by reading my introduction of Kumamoto, that is wonderful for me. Then, if you know things about Kumamoto which I didn't talk, please do let me know!! [999 words]