Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Asparagus】

Well, to start us off today, I've got a little bit about asparagus. Asparagus, you say? It may seem like a random topic but actually, May June and July are the prime season for asparagus in Japan.

I guess most of you know what vegetable I'm talking about, it's that long, thin green looking stalk type vegetable with small shoots on the end of it. It was actually first introduced to Japan during the Edo period by the Dutch but was only grown as an ornamental plant, rather than as food! It wasn't until the 1970's that it was widely cultivated as something to be eaten here.

And it is a great vegetable to eat. It's full of vitamins and minerals.

If you've ever prepared asparagus, you'll know that there are differing levels of hardness in the asparagus stalk and how the heat gets through when cooking can also vary. So, if you are planning on cooking some, first, remove the harder parts toward the bottom of the stem. You can actually just just snap it off, it's pretty simple.  Don't throw them away though, asparagus is not that cheap here!

You might want to boil those harder parts to soften them up.  As the bottom of the stalk is often quite a bit thicker than the rest of the vegetable, you can peel  the skin off before boiling to make it easier to soften them up.

In Fukuoka Prefecture, the brand grown locally is called Hakata Asparagus and you can usually find them in the supermarket.

If you do pick some asparagus up but aren't going to eat them right away, wrap them in cling film and keep them in the fridge but try to eat them at max, one or two days later. Or you could boil them, and then wrap them and keep them in the freezer to have ready anytime. They're fairly versatile and can be used in salads, stir-fries, grilled and more. I like to sautee them with a bit of butter, bacon, onion and garlic and give them a splash of lemon.

【Information From Fukuoka City】

Foreign Student Taught Language Classes

This time, it's information from the Fukuoka International Foundation about the available language classes taught by international exchange students. At the Fukuoka International Foundation, this program “The Foreign Student Taught Language Classes” is where international students hold classes and teach the language of their countries. This year, 10 languages are available with 12 classes being held from July to February of next year. It's a great chance to learn not only a new language, but also experience a different culture and cuisine.

In addition to these language classes, the Fukuoka International Foundation also provides other opportunities for international students to play an active role in various activities, such as acting as management staff for events held by the foundation. Currently, the foundation is working on a email system to get information out to international exchange students who want to participate in various activities so that all of you can enjoy exchange with the local community in Fukuoka City .

Administrative Lawyer Consultations

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 foundation at least one week in advance. Confidentiality is guaranteed. Please feel at ease to make use of this service, no matter how simple a question you may have.

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

And to prevent the spread of Covid-19, measures are being taken so please wear a mask and disinfect your hands when you come for a consultation.

【Cleaning Out The Fridge】

Well, rain is definitely on the mind, basically because June more or less equals rainy season. And after this season comes summer in all it's blazing glory..in a sense. It's definitely hot, not sure that it's glorious. But with this hot weather comes something that we need to be careful about and that's actually food poisoning. Yikes...

So, to make sure that you don't do that to yourself, you should clean out your fridge on a regular basis and of course, check expiration dates.

You'll also want to make sure you're cleaning your cutting boards, sponges, around the sink and the counter well, because this hot season is a time when bacteria can really multiply.

For cleaning the inside of your fridge, use a weak alkaline solution like water with baking soda dissolved in it, and wipe down your shelves and walls. Then, spray everything down with kitchen alcohol to kill the bacteria. For your sponges and cutting boards, you can soak them in a bleach and water solution or pour boiling water at 90 degrees Celsius on them to kill bacteria.

【Information From Fukuoka City】

Child Support Allowance

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City for you.

In Fukuoka City, families raising children can receive a support allowance up until each child finishes junior high school.

The amount per child varies from 5000 yen to 15,000 yen depending on the age of the

child and the household income. The allowance is paid three times in four month installments, once in June, then October and again in February.

The child allowance system has had some changes made to it that will go into effect after the October payment. An income limit will be set in regards to benefits and depending on the amount of a household's income, the allowance may no longer be paid. In principle, it is also no longer necessary to submit an annual status report. However, if your marital status changes, you do need to send in a document to update your status.

A letter outlining the changes to the child support allowance was sent out on May 10th to those who receive the allowance, so make sure you take a look at that notice.

Taxes

If you live in Fukuoka City, and have earned more than 1 million yen the previous year, from

January 1st to December 31st, you may need to pay taxes. You will receive a tax payment notification around the 15th of June. Please make sure you open that envelope, it has information on when you need to pay and how much will be due. You can pay at convenience stores, the bank or even the post office. If you are a regular company employee, these taxes may be taken out from your salary by your company.

If you do not pay your taxes, you may risk facing difficulty when it comes time to renew your residence status or risk being subject to seizure of property.

If there is anything you don't understand, or if you may have difficulty making payments, please consult with your local ward office. You can also consult by phone in 18 different languages. This phone number is 092-753-6113. Again, this phone number is 092-753-6113. This phone number will connect you to the ward office after you speak with an interpreter. Please tell the interpreter which ward you live in and that you are calling about taxes.

【Umbrella Day】

So it seems that June 11^th is “Umbrella Day” or Kasa no Hi in Japan. It seems to be a reminder that June is when most of the country is hit by rainy season, so before it gets too wet, makes sure you've got a sturdy umbrella ready to handle the weather!

If you've got a good umbrella at home, do you know the right way to take care of it to make sure it lasts a good few years?

It's pretty simple for the most part. If you have to use your umbrella, after you get home, you should wipe it down to get most of the moisture off and then leave it open to dry in an area where you get some air flow. Although in the US, we have a superstition that it's bad luck to open an umbrella inside, it might actually be bad luck if you don't. The metal joints in the umbrella will rust if they stay wet and your umbrella won't last as long as it should.

I'm sure quite a few people have the clear umbrellas they sell at convenience stores, but as they all look exactly alike, it's pretty easy to accidentally take someone else's or have yours taken. To prevent that, put a sticker or some kind of charm on it. It's a pretty easy solution for a common problem.

By the way, if your umbrella does break, make sure you throw them out in the blue garbage bag. If the handle sticks out of the bag, it's fine. It's also okay if the cloth or vinyl is still on the frame when you throw it out.

If you get suddenly get caught in the rain without an umbrella, fear not, there's an umbrella share service in the city called I-KASA and you can get more information about that and how to sign up if you check out their website www.i-kasa.com. Good luck staying dry this rainy season.

【Information from Fukuoka City】

Covid-19 Vaccinations
Now, I have some information for you from Fukuoka City about Covid-19 vaccinations.
Fukuoka City has been working toward making sure everyone who hopes to be vaccinated can do so with peace of mind.
In Fukuoka City, inoculation tickets for the third and fourth doses of the vaccine are being sent out. Residents who have received the previous two or three inoculations will receive the vaccination coupon for the next dose in the mail, roughly 5 months after their last dose.
Vaccination coupons for the fourth dose will be sent to people over the age of 60 who have had three previous doses, and to people between the ages of 18 to 59 who have underlying illnesses.
When the inoculation coupon arrives, please visit the reservation site or call the vaccine call center to make a reservation. Please wait until that coupon does arrive.
If you haven't received that coupon, please phone the call center.
You can also phone that call center to register if you have an underlying illness.
Vaccinations for children between the ages of 5 and 11 have also begun.
For questions regarding vaccinations 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.