Life in Fukuoka "English"

【International Women's Day】

Have you recently seen any mimosa flowers decorating the city streets? March 8th is "International Women's Day," a commemorative day established by the United Nations to celebrate and protect women's rights and honor the accomplishments they've achieved. It's celebrated worldwide.
Mimosa flowers symbolize International Women's Day. Blooming from February to March, heralding the end of the cold winter and the arrival of spring, in the language of flowers, the mimosa represents "gratitude" and it's also known as the "flower of happiness." The bright yellow vitamin color is cute and charming, making you feel cheerful just by looking at it!
Just like sending carnations on Mother's Day, how about expressing your gratitude on this year's International Women's Day by giving someone dear to you some mimosa flowers?

【Fukuoka City International Foundation Information】

「Let's Build Our Town Together with UN Staff! 」Participants Wanted.
Now, I have some information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation to share with you. The Fukuoka City International Foundation will host a workshop on community building with staff from UN-Habitat Fukuoka Headquarters as instructors and are looking for participants.
The workshop, targeting elementary fourth graders to junior high school third graders, will take place on Saturday, March 23rd, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am at Acros Fukuoka.
UN-Habitat Fukuoka Headquarters, engaged in projects related to "people's dwellings," is the only UN agency in Kyushu.
During the workshop, participants will become residents of Habitat Village and brainstorm reconstruction plans for a village heavily affected by heavy rainfall.
The workshop will be conducted in simple Japanese, so children of foreign nationalities are encouraged to participate. The foundation is looking forward to the participation of everyone interested in the global activities of the United Nations.
To continue, I have some information regarding consultation times at the Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents.

Consultation hours at the Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents.
The Fukuoka City Consulation Support Center for Foreign residents on the first floor of the Fukuoka City International center in Hakata Ward's Tenyamachi aims to address the questions and concerns of foreign residents. They provide consultations on various aspects of daily life, such as residence procedures, employment, healthcare, welfare, childbirth, childcare, and children's education, and also provide information and guidance to relevant agencies.
From April, general consultations are available from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays, from Monday to Friday. The center offers face-to-face, telephone, and email consultations. For face to face or telephone consultations, interpretation services are available in 22 languages, including English.
The address for the center is 4-1 Tenyamachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, and the telephone number is 0120-66-1799. You can also use LINE call through the Foundation's offical line account.
For more information, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation website.
The service is free, but you do need to make an appointment. To find out how to make an appointment, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage or its Facebook page. The website address is fcif.or.jp. If there is anything that you don't understand or if you still have questions, you can also contact 092-262-1744.

【Sake】

What is your drink of choice? I guess at this hour a lot of people are having a coffee or some tea, but how about later in the evening? A cold beer? A small glass of whisky? Well, have you ever had "sake"? Being here in Japan, the sky's the limit when it comes to the varieties of sake we can try. It can be enjoyed throughout the year, but winter is the season for making sake, and it's the time when new sake is released.
The main ingredients of sake are "rice, rice koji, and water," and its simple ingredients and as well as the techniques used to make it, determine its taste and quality. You can choose how you'd like to drink it, chilled, at room temperature or even warmed up. The alcohol content is typically around 15%.

In February, many sake breweries hold an event called "Kura-biraki" or a Sake Brewery Opening. During these times, you can sample the season's new sakes and tour the breweries.
There are currently 68 sake breweries in Fukuoka Prefecture, including Ishikura Shuzo, the only remaining sake brewery in the Hakata area that continues to make sake today. The eye-catching white-walled storehouse with brick chimneys was built in 1870, and is used as a restaurant, concert hall, and wedding venue. It is probably better known to people around the city as "Hakata Hyakunengura." There is also shop right on the premises, so you can pick up a bottle of your favorite sake while tasting it!
This year's sake brewery opening of "Hakata Hyakunengura" will be held for two days on February 29th (Thursday) and March 1st (Friday) from 2pm to 8pm. There will be plenty of sake for sale, including freshly squeezed new sake, a sake tasting corner, complimentary amazake (non-alcoholic), and food sales.
Why not take this opportunity to visit the brewery?

【Blue Bottle Coffee opens at Kego Shrine】

Now, I have some information about a new store opening, that might interest the coffee drinkers this morning.
In the heart of Tenjin, you'll find Kego Shrine, just next to Kego Park near Solaria Plaza. If you have been around the city for a few years, you probably noticed the renovation work going on around the shrine. It was two years ago, the shrine office underwent a major renovation, creating new space and a very cool building. In that space you'll now find the first Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Kyushu, on the first floor of the shrine office building!
Blue Bottle Coffee was founded in Oakland, USA, a sister city of Fukuoka, and operates under the belief that "a delicious coffee experience enriches life." They prioritize not only the coffee in the cup but also the experience surrounding coffee, including the space and the mugs, relentlessly pursuing deliciousness by offering specialty coffees.
Whether you choose to relax in the spacious, glass-walled interior or grab a takeout on your way back from visiting the shrine, it's open from 8 am to 8 pm. Be sure to visit for a delicious cup of coffee. Just look out for the blue bottle logo!

【Breaking World Match 2024】

Later this month, on February 24th, for those who are interested in dance and competition, you'll have the
chance to see Breaking World Match 2024, at Marine Messe Fukuoka here in Fukuoka City. "
Breaking" is an acrobatic dance competition in which dancers take turns performing acrobatic dances to
improvised music on a one-on-one basis to compete in terms of technique and expressiveness. Breaking has
been accepted as a sport for the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time, and the Marine Messe event on the
24th offers an opportunity to watch the exciting performances of athletes who are expected to win medals at
this year's Paris Olympics.
The United States, the birthplace of breaking, and Japan, with high-caliber male and female athletes, will face
off. The competition will feature athletes who have already been selected to compete in the Paris Olympics, as
well as athletes with high world rankings. This battle, which can be called a prelude to the Olympics coming
up in six months, is sure to be a battle worth watching!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center

Fukuoka City has established the Fukuoka City Medical Interpretating Call Center to provide telephone
interpretation for medical care. This is to allow foreign residents who have difficulty communicating in
Japanese to receive medical care with peace of mind.
The call center can be used when looking for a medical institution, talking to a doctor at a hospital, or
receiving medicine at a hospital or prescription pharmacy, and provides telephone interpretation to and from
the call center.
Requests for interpretation can be made by foreigners as well as by hospitals and prescription pharmacies.
The call center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The telephone number is 092-733-5429. 
The call center supports 20 languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepali, Thai, Tagalog,
Indonesian, Malay, Myanmar, Khmer, Mongolian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Russian,
Sinhalese, and Hindi. Interpretation services are free of charge, but phone call charges are the responsibility
of the user.

【Valentine's Day】

So, as many of you probably know, February 14 is "Valentine's Day. There are differnent ways of celebrating
the holiday in different countries, but one that has been gaining momentum in Fukuoka over the past few
years is the "Flower Valentine," in which people send flowers to their loved ones on the day as a token of their
appreciation and love.
Fukuoka Prefecture actually grows a number of different flowers such as roses, carnations, and gerberas. And
you may have noticed, as you've passed flowerbeds in Fukuoka City, signs with "Hitori Hitohana (One person,
one flower)" or "FLOWER CITY FUKUOKA", written on them.
This "Hitori Hitohana (One person, one flower) Movement," is something Fukuoka City is doing with the aim of
creating "Flower City Fukuoka" by encouraging citizens, businesses, and government officials to grow flowers
in parks, sidewalks, offices, homes, and other places in Fukuoka City to increase the amount of flowers and
greenery.
Around the city, starting from today and going until the 14th, during this Flower Valentine event, flowers will be
displayed in various places around Fukuoka City, and on Valentine's day, at JR Hakata Station, Kokura
Station, Kurume Station, and Shin-Iizuka Station, flowers will be handed out to people passing by. The event
really will bring flowers and love throughout the city.
It's easy to get involved, just send flowers with your feelings to your loved ones and have a wonderful
Valentine's Day!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Fukuoka City Child-Rearing Exchange Salons

Have you heard of the Fukuoka City Child Rearing Exchange Salon? Child-rearing exchange salons are
places where parents with children between the ages of 0 and 6 can freely spend time together at community
centers and other familiar venues in the city. Parents and childen have a chance to get together with others
and have a refreshing day out spending time playing. There is no charge for the event and childcare
supporters are also there to help watch over and help out with the event.
The next child-rearing exchange salon is happening at the Naraya Community Center in Hakata Ward. It will
be on Tuesday, February 13th from 10:30 to 11:30am. Activities like making handprint and footprint stamps
and story telling will be held. It's a wonderful chance to make a memorable keepsake of your child's
handprints and footprints. Make sure you wear clothes that are okay to get dirty, if you decide to join the
event. Everyone is welcome and Japanese language skills are not necessary.
Any parent and child living in Fukuoka City can participate. For more information, including how to apply,
please check the Fukuoka City International Center's website or call 092-262-1744. Phone calls will be accepted on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00.
There's definitely a child-rearing exchange salon near you, so make sure you check the Fukuoka City
homepage to find out where and when!

Get Consultations Through Line Call!

I've got one more bit of information to share with you from the International Foundation. This is about their
Line Call service. If you are connected to the Foundation's official Line Account, you can use Line Call to ring
the center for advice on life here as well as to make reservations for the free professional consultation
services that the Foundation provides. Interpretation over the phone for 22 different languages is available.
You can also sign up to get information on events or useful information for foreign residents of the city, so if
you aren't already connected on Line, just go to the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage and
click on Add Friend to get connected.

However, be aware that you cannot send messages through the chat function. If you want to send a message
regarding getting advice, then please look up the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage on the
internet and fill out the help request form on their website.

【Eho-Maki】

This Saturday,February 3 is Setsubun, the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan.
The name literally means 'seasonal division. On this day, there is a traditional event to drive away evil spirits
and wish for good health and good fortune throughout the year." One thing people do for Setsubun is
"mamemaki" (bean-throwing), which you do while chanting"Oni wa soto - Fuku wa uchi" . This means “Ogre
go out, good fortune come in”. Another thing people do for good luck on this day, a more recent custom, is to
eat "ehoumaki" , so today I'll talk a little bit about this Ehou-maki.
Basically, “Ehoumaki" is a type of sushi roll. There are no rules regarding the ingredients to be used in the roll,
but it is said that egg , shrimp, sea eel, cucumber, shiitake mushroom, dried gourd, and sakuradenbu, a kind
of pink flaked fish egg, should be used as ingredients as they represent seven kinds of lucky charms.
However, you'll see “Ehoumaki” with lots of different fillings.
And although there aren't really rules about the filling, there are some rules about how to eat "ehoumaki".
The first rule is that one person must eat the whole entire roll by himself/herself. Ehoumaki is a sushi that rolls
in good fortune, so it must not be cut so that the karma or the good fortune isn't broken.
The second rule is that you have to eat it facing the direction that is considered auspicious for the year. This
year it is "East Northeast,”, so get your compass out and make sure you are facing the right way!
Finally, it is important that as you are eating it, you make a wish in your mind and continue eating silently until
you finish the roll. Don't let your luck escape by talking while you are eating!
Think you'll celebrate setsubun? You can buy beans for "mamemaki" at supermarkets and you can buy
ehoumaki in supermarkets and convenience stores if you don't want to make one. So give this little bit of
Japanese culture a try at home on February 3 and bring in some extra luck and fortune for the year.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Lifestyle Related Disease Prevention Month

February is Life-style related disease prevention month.
These are diseases that develop due to, as you may have guessed, our life-style. Life-style related diseases
include diabetes, hypertension and heart attacks and are caused by a lack of regular exercise and by
nutritionally imbalanced diets. Smoking, excessive drinking and stress can also cause life-style related
diseases.
To maintain a healthy life-style, balanced and appropriately portioned meals, three times a day at regular
times, is key. Constantly eating nutritionally unbalanced foods, like instant meals or greasy foods, can cause
obesity and diabetes. They also say that chewing your food properly is important in a healthy diet as it will
reduce the burden on your digestive system and strengthen the muscles around the mouth. Taking your time
to eat, spending at least 20 minutes enjoying your meal, is suggested.
Regular exercise is also important as the loss of muscle mass due to a lack of exercise will affect your basal
metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn as your body performs basic life-sustaining functions.
If this rate decreases, it's more likely you'll gain weight. So make time to exercise to maintain your muscle
strength and mass. For those who do not have many opportunities to exercise, walk when shopping, use the
stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, or take other short breaks in your daily life to get about 10 minutes
more physical activity than you do now. It will go a long way toward your health.
Sleep is also essential to your health. It plays an important role in our health as it allows us to get rid of mental
and physical fatigue and boosts our immunity. But to maintain our immunity, it's important that we are getting
enough sleep and that our sleep is good quality sleep. Avoid using your smartphone, watching TV, or
consuming caffeine or alcohol before going to bed, as these will reduce the quality of your sleep. Instead, find

another way to relax, perhaps by taking a bath before bed, or doing whatever is it you like to do to relax. It's
important to live a stress-free life. Perhaps this is a chance to take another look at your own daily life-style.

　【interview】

GUEST：Allan Wido from Mexico

work： construction company

favorite place in FUKUOKA：Fukutsu beach

Enjoy：baseball and soccer. an Avispa fan

for listenner,,,

【Amaou Strawberries】

So, are you a fan of strawberries at all? If you are, January 15^th might be the day for you. January 15^th is Strawberry Day in Japan and it comes from a bit of word play as the words いい・いちご"  mean good and strawberry, but can also be understood as one and fifteen, or January 15^th.

Strawberries are eaten all over the world, but it seems Japan is the largest consumer of fresh strawberries, and it is said that more than half of the world's strawberries come from Japan, with about 300 varieties grown.

Actually, here in Fukuoka, strawberries are so famous that the prefecture ranks second in Japan in terms of production. Among the many varieties available in Fukuoka, "Amaou" is a brand-name strawberry grown only in Fukuoka. Named after the initial letters of its characteristics in Japanese which translate to, "red, round, large, and tasty," it is a very popular variety. They are in season this time of year and are extremely tasty, so please find some and try them.

Of course, eating them as they are is delicious, but in Japan, people often recommend eating them with condensed milk or as part of a Japanese-style confectionery called "Strawberry Daifuku," which is only available during this season.

For those who love strawberries and want to eat a lot of them, "strawberry picking" is also available at various locations in Fukuoka Prefecture. There are quite a few ways to enjoy strawberries here, like trying different kinds of strawberries as you pick and compare them, enjoying them as an all-you-can-eat type of picking, making your own strawberry recipes such as jam from ones you've bought, or just enjoying full strawberry dessert menus at a cafe.

It's the season for strawberries, so enjoy them to the fullest. Oh, and strawberries are sweetest at the tip, so start from the leafy end and eat them so that you can enjoy that sweetness at the end!
Please enjoy Fukuoka's strawberries this season.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Special Foreign Student Visit for Setsubun Grand Festival at Tochoji Temple

Setsubun is an annual event to drive away illnesses, disasters, and other bad things, and to wish for a healthy life. The custom of "Mamemaki" has been practiced since ancient times, in which beans are thrown to drive out the ogres which are considered the source of misfortune. The custom at this event is to say, "Fuku wa uchi, Oni wa soto” which means “Luck inside, Ogres Out!” to pray for good luck against misfortune.
 
Tochoji Temple in Hakata Ward holds the Setsubun Dai Matsuri or Grand Setsubun Festival on February 3 every year.

The temple is crowded with visitors every year, and the seven gods of good fortune, the deity Otafuku, and red ogres, and blue ogres make an exciting appearance to throw beans.

To promote this Setsubun festival, on Friday, January 19, international students living in Fukuoka will visit various locations in Fukuoka City dressed as the Seven Deities of Good Luck, and as the red and blue ogres, to throw beans and hopefully bring all of us luck. International students participate in this event every year for the purpose of experiencing Hakata's traditional festival as an opportunity for international exchange. The highlight of the event is the performance by international students dressed as demons at each bean-throwing site, such as at Fukuoka City Hall, and shops and hotels around the city.

Have you ever been to mame-maki, the bean-throwing ceremony? It's a fun and exciting way to experience a little bit of Japanese culture with the added bonus of bringing in good fortune for the year.

【Gen-Katsugi -Keeping a lucky streak】

University entrance examinations are coming up this weekend in Japan.

Students have been furiously studying and are all hoping for good results. Actually, in  Japan, there is a custom called "Gen-Katsugi," which is an action or behavior that one performs in the hope of a good result. We repeat the actions we have done in past that have resulted in success, things like using the same pencil for a test or wearing lucky socks. In Japan, people also eat lucky foods if they have an exam or big competition. Some of it is based on word play like with pork cutlets, tonkatsu because katsu means to win in Japanese. Omusubi, which are rice balls, has the meaning of “to tie”, so people want to tie their efforts to success. Sticky foods are also good luck, it seems.  Other things people do include cleaning and grooming oneself for good luck, and paying a visit to a Buddhist temple. It is also believed that wishes come true when they are spoken aloud, and that power resides in the words that are uttered, an effect known as "kotodama" (the spirit of speech).

Of course, wishes cannot come true without effort, but it might be worth it to make a wish to relieve any test anxiety and calm your mind, or to cheer up your loved ones.

So, to all the students, their families, and supporters for their hard work over the long period of time, I wish you all the best. The time has come to put those study efforts to work. Take care of yourself physically and mentally so that you are ready and good luck on your exams!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Be Careful about the Norovirus

As you may know, winter is the season when it's very easy to get infectious gastroenteritis and food poisoning due to the Norovirus. It's a strong virus and can be transmitted even with very little contact.

The virus enters your body via the food you eat or from your hands from touching something. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. You can get the virus through inhalation if someone with the virus in the area has been vomiting or had diarrhea. You can also get it from foods that have been cooked by somebody infected by the virus. It can also be transmitted by eating shellfish, like oysters, that haven't been thoroughly cooked and are carrying the virus.

Severe vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration. So if you think you have caught the virus, get checked by a medical professional as soon as possible. You'll recover in a few days but the virus can hang around for a week to a month, even in your stools, and so it is possible to infect others, something we need to be careful about.

We can take measures to prevent the spread of infection, however. Be sure to wash your hands with soap before preparing meals, before eating and after using the toilet. Make sure you wash your utensils and cooking tools thoroughly after each use and disinfect them with bleach or boiling water. Alcohol disinfectants aren't that effective against the Norovirus, but heat is. The Norovirus is killed at temperatures of 85-90 degrees Celsius.

So, make sure that when you cook, things are cooked thoroughly and that you wash any fruits and veggies that you don't cook. And, of course, if you don't feel well, try to stay away from  doing too much in the kitchen.

【Nanakusa-gayu】

Happy New year! Thank you for starting the year off with me. I hope you have a wonderful 2024 filled with good food, fun and friends.

How did you spend your New Year's eve? What's the plan for today?

I hope you have a chance to enjoy the food, customs, and atmosphere around the city that are unique to the New Year.

I don't know if you know this, but on January 7, the last day of the New Year week, people eat "Nanakusa porridge," a traditional food containing seven kinds of seasonal medicinal herbs, for breakfast, to pray for good health and good fortune throughout the year. It is also meant to help the stomach and intestines, which may be tired and overworked from the rich foods and alcohol consumed during the New Year's holiday. The porridge is usually seasoned simply with salt. You can find these seven herbs as a set, sold at supermarkets and other places, so you don't have to worry about trying to gather all of these ingredients together.

Once again, I wish you all a happy and healthy year in 2024!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Japanese Chatting Salon

The first topic is about their Japanese chatting salon which might be useful for any international students who are studying in Fukuoka. Do you know about the monthly Japanese Chatting Salon? Using Zoom, international students and Japanese volunteers meet one on one or in small groups to talk about topics that interest them. If you are looking for a chance to use daily Japanese as well as practice the Japanese you've learned in class, or just want to chat with a native Japanese speaker, then definitely join in! The sessions are free and the next session will be held online on January 31st.  You do need to make a reservation to join this event though.

To learn more about this event or to make a reservation, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website or their Facebook page. The website for the Fukuoka City International Foundation is www.fcif.or.jp. Again that website is www.fcif.or.jp.  You can also call the Foundation to get details at  (092-262-1799). They're looking forward to hearing from you, so check it out.

Consultations for Immigration, Residency, and Nationality Matters

To continue, is there anything you don't understand about residency status and term of stay regulations? If there is, the Fukuoka City International Foundation provides free consultation on these matters to the international residents of Fukuoka City.

Consultations are held every second Sunday of the month. They are offered from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, but you must register by 3:30 PM.  A gyousei-shoshi, or administrative lawyer will answer your questions and offer consultation.

There are English and Chinese interpreters present, and so, consultation in English, Chinese and Japanese does not require a reservation. For other languages, please consult with the center at least one week in advance.

Your confidentiality is guaranteed, so please feel at ease to use these services.

For more information, please call  (0120-66-1799). Phone calls will be accepted between 9am and 6pm on weekdays.