Life in Fukuoka "English"

【The Flavors of Autumn】

Now that summer heat has finally settled down, we can build up our autumn appetites  and enjoy the delicious flavors of autumn. This week, I'll talk about some of this season's best ingredients!

First, we have the classic autumn favorites: sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and chestnuts. Although they are available year-round, they are at their sweetest and most flavorful in the autumn. You can enjoy them in a variety of dishes, such as simmered dishes, tempura, mixed rice, stews, or simply steamed or roasted. You'll want to be sure to try out the seasonal sweets made from these ingredients that are only available this time of year. Just last Monday, I had a chestnut paste filled donut from Mr. Donuts. That was tasty!

We've also got root vegetables, like lotus root and burdock, in season at this time. They are also delicious in simmered dishes, stir-fries, or deep-fried into chips. They pair perfectly with ground meat and other meat-based dishes.

For something a little more indulgent, there are the fragrant and flavorful matsutake mushrooms. Though a luxury ingredient, they are worth enjoying grilled, in mixed rice, or as dobin mushi (steamed in a teapot) — delicacies that are only available in this season.

Moving on to fish, you can't go wrong with sanma (Pacific saury), simply grilled with salt to really enjoy its flavor. Also in season are the fatty mackerel, firm autumn salmon, bonito that is perfect for sashimi or tataki, and versatile red snapper. Be sure to try these seasonal fish while they are at their best. If you have a chance to try sanma sashimi, I recommend it. It is so rich and almost buttery, it just melts in your mouth. It's only during this season, if you can find it.

And of course, we can't get forget the fruits of autumn. Right now, we have pears, grapes, persimmons, and apples. They are great to eat as is, but they also work wonderfully in salads or as jams. I ordered a box of nashi, or asian pears, with Furusato Nozei and have already finished them. I've just received another box from a farm via Mercari, so I'll have pear for a few more weeks. We indulged in some shine muscat last month, they were really good, but something to eat sparingly, as they were quite expensive. Speaking of expensive, I'm hoping to have a few dishes with matsutake mushrooms this season, if I can find a nice course somewhere to enjoy! Are there any autumn dishes you are looking forward to trying?

Autumn is truly full of delicious ingredients! And remember, seasonal foods are packed with nutrients, so be sure to fully enjoy the flavors of autumn!

【Fukuoka City Information】

The Creators 2024

The event "The Creators 2024", will be on again this year. This is an event where you can experience creativity and entertainment with the latest in entertainment elements and technology-driven content.

There's a big change this year though. Before, it was only two days, but this year, the event will be held over two weekends: Saturday and Sunday, October 5th & 6th, and Saturday and Sunday, October 12th & 13th. With four days to explore, you'll have more time to leisurely experience all the various content, which was previously difficult to see in just two days.

During the first weekend, on October 5th (Sat.) and 6th (Sun.), at the Fukuoka City Science Museum,  the popular event called "Playable! Digital Art Exhibition,"  will be held. There,  you can immerse yourself in sound and visuals for a magical experience. You'll also find workshops where you can try programming and crafts, as well as an AI Dance Show featuring a 3D dance generation AI service called "Strongest AI Dancer," developed by creative companies in Fukuoka.

On the second weekend, on October 12th (Sat.) and 13th (Sun.), at the Fureai Hiroba on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall , you can enjoy live performances by creators and artists on a stage enhanced by large-scale lighting and screens. Additionally, there will be eSports battles between professional players and students, immersive experience booths, VR trucks, and more, offering a wide range of exciting content.

Plus, at the first-floor lobby of City Hall a new immersive space, a satellite branch of "Manga Dive" will be set up for you to experience the world of the popular manga "[Oshi no Ko]"  And at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, there will be events such as a screening of the popular movie "Summer Wars" and film-making workshops.

Admission is free at all venues, so get out and enjoy these four days of experiencing cutting-edge entertainment, culture, and technology in "Creative Fukuoka!"

【MUSIC CITY TENJIN 2024】

 We’re nearly at the end of September and hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy the music we’ve had all this month. The city has been buzzing with music this entire month. And this weekend, the event MUSIC CITY TENJIN 2024 will be held. Special stages will pop up all over Tenjin, turning the entire Fukuoka-Tenjin area into one big festival venue for Kyushu's largest music live event.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the festival, with the theme "Connecting Through Music." On Saturday, September 28th, and Sunday, September 29th, more than 30 free live performances will take place at the main venue, Fureai Hiroba Square on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall , as well as at special stages at Solaria Plaza and Fukuoka Mitsukoshi Lion Plaza.

For the impressive artist lineup, check the official MUSIC CITY TENJIN website or social media.

In conjunction with this, another music event, TENJIN SHOWTIME, will also be held. This event will feature around 70 performances by 35 groups at eight locations throughout Tenjin. Music genres will range from classical to rock, jazz, gospel, and pop, offering something for every music lover.

Enjoy Tenjin, filled with music, during this event-filled time of year!

【& SAKE FUKUOKA】

Next, I’d like to let you know about another event happening this weekend. On September 28th and 29th, the large-scale event & SAKE FUKUOKA 2024 will take place at the Fukuoka International Center, bringing together sake breweries from Fukuoka Prefecture and renowned local restaurants.

This event is not just about enjoying food and drinks, but also about experiencing the beauty of connections through sake, food, music, atmosphere, and meeting new people. Items from 43 sake breweries across Fukuoka will be featured, and in addition to the sake, exclusive dishes from hard-to-reserve restaurants will also be available.

Fukuoka Prefecture is one of Japan's premier sake regions, with many breweries utilizing locally grown sake rice such as Yamada Nishiki and Yume Ikkon.

Be sure to visit and indulge in the wonderful sake of Fukuoka!

【Sing! HAKATA】

 I've mentioned it before, but September in Fukuoka is Music Month, a time when the city comes alive with music for the entire month. This week, I’d like to tell you about a citizen-participation music event, "Sing! HAKATA," which will be held this weekend at JR Hakata Station Square.

For the past 10 years, the Kyushu Gospel Festival in Hakata has been held, but it has now evolved into Sing! HAKATA, adding new genres such as choir and a cappella, alongside gospel.

The event will feature guest performances by famous artists and collaboration stages with radio programs. There will also be a general participation stage with three sections: gospel, choir, and a cappella. Attendees can experience the joy of singing together across a wide range of music, from classical to pop.

Sing! HAKATA will take place over the two days of this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22, from 10 AM to 8 PM at JR Hakata Station Square. Be sure to drop by and join in the singing!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Tuberculosis Prevention Week

Tuberculosis Prevention Week is from September 24 to September 30. 

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by the tuberculosis bacteria, primarily affecting the lungs. It is an infectious disease that spreads from person to person. In 2023, 140 new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed in Fukuoka City. In recent years, there have been cases of group infections occurring in places such as Japanese language education institutions.

Symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing, sputum, fever, blood in the sputum, chest pain, fatigue, night sweats, and weight loss. The initial symptoms are similar to a cold. If you experience symptoms such as "a cough lasting more than two weeks," "sputum production," "feeling tired," or "sudden weight loss," please see a doctor as soon as possible. Early detection and early treatment are important not only to prevent the disease from becoming severe but also to protect your family, friends, and workplace from infection.

Although contracting TB does not always lead to the disease developing, if the body's immune system cannot suppress the bacteria, it can multiply over time and cause the disease.

To prevent infection and disease onset, maintaining good health through sufficient sleep, a balanced diet, and regular exercise is effective.

Even if you are diagnosed with tuberculosis, you can recover by following the doctor's instructions and taking the prescribed medication daily.

Fukuoka City has a Medical Interpretation Call Center, where you can get help finding a hospital. You can also use it when speaking to a doctor or receiving medication at the hospital or pharmacy. This service is available 24/7, every day. The phone number is (092-733-5429). The service supports 20 languages, so please feel free to consult them if needed.

【Nakasu Jazz】

Right now we're in Fukuoka's Music Month where we can enjoy a Month of Musical Festivities in Fukuoka and during the second weekend of September, on the 14th and 15th, the Nakasu JAZZ festival will take place in Nakasu, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City. This free JAZZ festival transforms the streets of Nakasu into stages where live performances by top artists fill the air with music, creating a pretty awesome two-day experience.

Whether you're a die-hard music lover or someone who isn't very familiar with jazz, the festival offers a welcoming atmosphere where anyone can stop by and enjoy the music.

The performances range from jazz standards to the latest hits, and witnessing them up close is truly an overwhelming experience, filled with energy and excitement. The best part? All stages are free to attend, making it a must-visit event!

Now in its 16th year, Nakasu JAZZ is a music festival born out of the love and passion of local residents and jazz enthusiasts who volunteer to make it happen. It's a carefully curated event with the slogan "Jazz suits Nakasu," and it's an experience you won't want to miss, so head out this weekend to Nakasu.

【Fukuoka City International Foundation Information】

September 24^th Naraya Community Center-Infant Interaction Class

For those of you with children, wouldn't you like to visit a place where you can have fun with your children? At the Naraya Community Center in Hakata Ward, a parenting exchange salon takes place every month. Every fourth Tuesday of the month, they hold an infant interaction class, called Yarana Hiroba, where parents and children can have a great time together.

In September, the event will take place on the 24th, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The theme for September is a "Parenting Support Concert (Relaxation Harp & Guitar)” and at the center this month, you can listen to beautiful music while enjoying a relaxing time with your child.

For more details on how to register, please visit the Fukuoka City International  Foundation's website or Facebook page.

Legal Consultation and Personal Counseling

 The Fukuoka City International Center offers free legal consultation and personal counseling for the international residents of Fukuoka City.

Legal consultations are available from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM on the first Saturday of every month, and from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on the third Wednesday

of the month. Each session runs for 45 minutes and is completely free.

However, you do need to make a reservation to consult with the lawyer from the Fukuoka Bar Association. Free English interpretation services are also available so if you will need an interpreter, please mention that when you make your reservation.

Personal counseling services are available every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday with a Japanese clinical psychologist in English or Japanese. Reservations are necessary, so please make one if you are interested.

Both types of consultations ensure strict confidentiality, so you can feel at ease when you come to these consultations. Reservations will be taken from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays. For detailed inquiries, please contact （0120-66-1799）.

【SUNSET LIVE 2024】

September in Fukuoka is Music Month—a whole month where the city comes alive with music, and the first week of September is highlighted by the annual music event, SUNSET LIVE 2024, which will mark its 30th and final edition this year.

This outdoor music event will be held this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, September 7th and 8th, at the special stage set up at Keya Beach and Campground in Itoshima City. In this beautiful natural setting, close to the sea and mountains, you can enjoy performances by top artists, as well as enjoy delicious food and drinks from popular Fukuoka restaurants, and have some fun in the sea and on the beach with a variety of marine sports.

SUNSET LIVE is an event filled with hospitality, not only for people but also for the environment, featuring activities like beach cleanups and a daycare center. It's an event for people of all ages.

It's often said, "Fukuoka's summer ends with SUNSET," making it an essential part of September in Fukuoka. Don’t miss the chance to witness this special final stage.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Disaster Prevention Day and Stockpiling Encouragement Week

Disaster Prevention Day is an annual awareness day and is on September 1st. And in Fukuoka City, the week of the 1st to the 7th of September is Fukuoka City's Stockpiling Encouragement Week. Stockpiling refers to keeping a good supply of food and other necessities in your home. And through this one week event, the city hopes to raise its citizens' awareness of disaster prevention, including the need to stockpile in both our homes and workplaces.

So why do we need to stockpile? Well, if there is an earthquake or typhoon, even if you aren't in danger, without food or water, we can't survive. If the stores shut down, we can't buy the food and drinks we need. If the water supply is disrupted, there's no water to drink. And, if the electric and gas are out, there's no way we can cook food. So, in order to ensure that the lives that have been saved can actually survive, it's important to have emergency supplies prepared in advance.

Alright, so what should be stockpiled?

Make sure to have a three-day supply of drinking water and food. One person needs roughly three liters of water per day, this is something to keep in mind. Nonperishable emergency foods like freeze-dried rice, canned foods, biscuits, chocolate bars and hardtack are some things that are good to have on hand. Food that doesn't need to be cooked is essential.

If you have a radio and flashlight, make sure they have batteries. And if you take medicine, or need bandages or anything like that, make sure you have extra supplies in with your first aid kit. If there is an infant in your family, make sure you have diapers in your supplies as well.

In addition to the water you'll need for drinking, you'll also need water for flushing the toilet and other daily needs. Keep a polyethylene water tank with tap water and consider keeping your bathtub filled as well.

Buy a little more than you usually do, of the foods you normally eat, and as you use them up, consuming them based on their expiration dates, keep replacing them so that you always have a little more than enough in your house. This is your rolling stock. This is recommended because you always have a certain level of stored food, and it falls within the scope of your usual shopping routine in terms of cost and time.

As typhoons do often occur around this time of year, take this opportunity to prepare for disasters once again.