Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Professional Baseball Day】
Baseball is a popular sport in Japan and February 5th is the day to commemorate it. That's because it was on this day in 1936 that the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, as it is currently known, was formed and so this day is essentially the birthday for professional baseball in Japan. At that time, only 7 teams belonged to the organization. The very first contracted player was Osamu Mihara who had contracted with the Tokyo Giants at that time. The starting salary? It was 177 yen. That might not sound like much but at the time, the starting salary for college graduates was about 64 yen, so it was actually a pretty good salary for the time. Here in Fukuoka, our local team is the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. Last year, they placed 4th in the league but this year there is a new coach. I'm sure he'll do his best to bring the team back to their former glory. It seems like training starts at the beginning of February and the game season will start in late March, so be sure to cheer on and support Fukuoka's very own Softbank Hawks!

【Life-style 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. It also increases your risk of getting diseases such as diabetes. So make time to exercise to maintain your muscle strength and mass. Even if you don't have much time, aim to add on an additional 10 minutes of walking to your day. 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. And of course, immunity is what helps keep us from getting sick. But to maintain our immunity, it's important that we are getting enough sleep and that our sleep is good quality sleep. The best way to do this is to not use your smartphone before going to bed. You should also avoid watching TV or drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages before bed. They will all affect the quality of your sleep. Instead, find another way to relax, perhaps by taking a bath before bed, reading  book or spending some time meditating. It's important to live a stress-free life. Perhaps this is a chance to take a look at your own daily life-style.

【Daikon radish】

Daikon-It's a vegetable that I think everyone has seen and probably eaten here in Japan, and did you know that from December to February, you'll find daikon radishes are at their most delicious. From top to bottom, even their leaves, they are full of nutrients and whether cooked or raw they are very, very good. They are grown all across Japan but it seems here in Fukuoka City they are grown locally in Hara in Sawara-ku, and Kanatake and Kitazaki in Nishi-ku.

When choosing your daikon, first take a look at the root, or main part. It should be heavy, white and feel firm to the touch. If there are still leaves attached, they should be a bright green and not wilting, but if the leaves have already been cut off, the cut area should still look fresh and not all dried out. If you do buy a daikon with its leaves still attached, cut them off when you get home and store them separately. Wrap the daikon up tightly and in the winter, keep it in a cool dark place. In other seasons, it needs to be kept in the vegetable drawer. As for the leaves, blanch them, and split them up into smaller amounts to keep in the freezer as accents for other dishes.

The root of the daikon is full of vitamin C and the digestive enzyme amylase. Grated daikon is great for helping with digestion, in fact! The leaves are full of carotene, calcium and digestive fiber. They're an easy addition to miso soup or stir-fries. I bought a daikon cookbook last year and my favorite recipe from it is mabo daikon. It's a fairly easy dish to make and tastes great. Just search for “mabo daikon” online. As for the leaves, I use them to make “greens and ham”. In the South of the US and many places in Detroit from when I was growing up, collard greens is a soul-food kind of dish and while collard greens are a specific vegetable, you can make similar dishes with the leaves of kabu, or beets in English, and daikon as well. Just look the recipe up, I recommend some corn bread from City Bakery and maybe a little fried chicken with it too.

【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 doing too much in the kitchen.

【Enjoy Walking the Fukuoka Castle Ruins in English】

Our next bit of information to share with you is a chance to enjoy some history here in the city. Language school volunteers will be holding a Fukuoka Castle Ruin walking tour in English for those who are interested in learning more about it. This event will take place every Saturday in February from 10:30am to 12:30 pm and is only 100 yen to join. Spaces each week are limited to ten people on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations need to be made one week in advance of the date you'd like to join. For more information, please call 092-733-5050. Again, that number is 092-733-5050 for the Fukuoka Convention and Visitors Bureau. Why not rediscover some of Fukuoka's great history with your guide? It's a popular tour so sign up soon!

【Ways to Battle the Cold without Burning through Electricity!】

January 20th is known as the coldest day of the year and is called “Dai-kan” in Japanese which translates to “Big Cold”. Sometimes winter brings in cold that is so harsh that even if you are using heaters and other warming appliances, the room doesn't manage to warm up. And as you're trying to get that room warm, you end up keeping the heater on which means a big electric bill later. But then again, if you try to just grin and bear it and stand the cold, you'll end up making yourself sick. So here are a few tips to help you get through the winter cold.
First, get some thick curtains. There are curtains made especially for holding in the heat and also provide soundproofing. So if you are looking for some new curtains, these are the ones you want to protect you from the cold outside. You also want to avoid letting drafts in through the window, so make sure your curtains are long enough to touch the floor. If there are windows you don't need to open, I would also recommend putting thick, clear vinyl over them. You can either tape it over the window or make a frame that fits into the window. My dad did this every year in his bedroom and it made a huge difference without sacrificing the daylight.
Another thing to do is get a nice thick carpet or rug. You can really feel the cold through the flooring in houses and apartments in Japan. By putting a carpet down, that fluffy goodness will keep a layer between you and the cold hard floor, making your feet happier for sure. It also serves the double purpose of providing some soundproofing too.
If you're trying to save a bit of cash, you can still find some good stuff at the 100 yen shop they've got those interlocking sponge mats, cushions and other things that will help you get through the winter. My winter necessity is my “yutanpo” or hot water bottle. I keep that at the foot of my bed and it keeps me warm all night. It brings the cats to the bed too, adding to the warmth!

Some information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation to share with you.

【Japanese Chatting Salon】

Today's information is for any international students who are studying in Fukuoka. Do you 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 31^st. 

To learn more about this event or to make a reservation, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website or the Attaka Fukuoka Facebook page. You can also call the Foundation at  092-262-1799. Again that number is 092-262-1799. Phone calls will be accepted from 9am to 6pm on weekdays.

Definitely check it out!

【 Looking for Residents for the International Student Dormitory】

The Foundation is also looking for students who are interested in living in their international student dormitory. Applications are open to international students who are currently enrolled in universities and graduate schools in the Fukuoka Metropolitan area. Other qualifications for residency in the dormitory include being able to actively participate in and cooperate with projects held by the Fukuoka City International Foundation. The period of residence is for two years from the day you move in. Single residents are also eligible.

For more information and other application requirements, please check the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website or contact them by email at dorm@fcif.or.jp.

【Toshi-ake Udon-Opening the year with udon】

Have you ever heard of Toshi-ake Udon? I hadn't and so I'll share a little bit about it with you. As you know, on New Year's Eve, people eat toshi-koshi soba, or kind of “year-end” noodles. It's a pretty well known tradition across Japan and I'd guess nearly everyone tries to have soba before the clock strikes midnight. Toshi-ake udon, however, isn't nearly as well known. And, well to be honest, that's understandable as it's a fairly recently created custom. Apparently, it was introduced on New Year's day in 2009 in an attempt to expand the consumption of udon and bring back udon's popularity.
Since long ago in Japan, udon has been considered an auspicious food with it's soft white color. It also signifies a wish for health and longevity as it is a thick, long noodle.
To make toshi-ake udon is a pretty simple process. You only need to top your udon with a red ingredient of sorts and eat it between the 1st and 15th of January. Things like umeboshi, kamaboko or even shrimp tempura are all great ideas and the sky is the limit really, when you think about it.
And although Fukuoka is famous for ramen, historically, this area is said to be where udon was first brought from China, Jotenji-temple is considered its birthplace here, and as such, there are a ton of udon shops in the city. Udon on a cold winter day is just the thing to warm you up, so why not give toshi-ake udon a try? So where to go? Well, you could just pick up a pack from the supermarket and do it at home if you want to keep the price down, but if you feel like getting out, I'd say search for Asian Beat, Fukuoka Udon, to take a look at one article I found with a whole variety of udon shops in the area. The Samurai Udon shop over by Hakata Station looked interesting, but if you want something more traditional, Yataro Udon near Tenjin Minami station also looked good.

【COVID-19 Vaccination Information】

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City to share with you. Fukuoka City has been working toward making sure everyone who hopes to be vaccinated can do so with peace of mind. In Fukuoka City, inoculations for the third dose of the vaccine have begun. Residents of Fukuoka City, who are over the age of 18 and have received the previous two inoculations will receive the vaccination coupon for the third dose in the mail.

For those who have not yet taken your first or second inoculation but hope to do so, please visit the Fukuoka City homepage or contact the call center for information on where you can get your vaccination done.

For information on vaccinations or for advice or to make a reservation, you can call 092-260-8405. Again, that number is 092-260-8405. Calls will be taken between 8:30 am and 5:30pm every day. 7 languages are available at that number, including English, Chinese, Nepali, Vietnamese and Korean.