Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Eki-ben (Train Station Bento)】

Have you ever tried an eki-ben (駅弁)? Eki-ben refers to bento boxes sold at train stations or onboard trains, often full of  local specialties and delicacies from the area. These bentos, using ingredients from the region, are a reflection of the area's culture, history, and flavors and shows off the diversity of Japan's culinary culture. 

There are a wide variety of eki-ben available at train stations across Japan. From luxurious options featuring fresh seafood or wagyu beef to bentos showcasing regional dishes or collaborations with famous restaurants, the choices are endless. Recently, some eki-ben even include self-heating features, allowing you to enjoy a warm meal while on your train trip.

Eki-ben, are of course, difficult to sample unless you visit the region where they're from, but  from Wednesday, February 26, to Tuesday, March 4, those ekiben will be in one place for you to try them! The "National Famous Eki-ben and Delicious Foods Competition” will be held at Hakata Hankyu that week, bringing together more than 100 varieties of eki-ben, packed with the flavors of their local regions. 

In addition to eki-ben, the event will feature local specialties from across Japan, ranging from gourmet dishes to sweets. Don’t miss the chance to experience the tastes of Japan and enjoy the feeling of traveling through its regions!

【New Spots in Tenjin-"Solaria Daigamen" and "Hulic Square Fukuoka Tenjin"】

To continue, I'd like to introduce some exciting new spots in Fukuoka’s Tenjin area.

First up is SOLARIA DAIGAMEN. The large screen at the Stage Plaza on the first floor of the Solaria Stage Building, a landmark and popular meeting spot in Tenjin, has undergone a major transformation this month. The new screen is massive—8 meters wide and 9 meters tall, making it nine times larger than the previous version.

To celebrate its renewal, the screen is currently featuring a limited-time collaboration with the Marine World Uminonakamichi aquarium. The video uses visual illusions to create the striking impression of adorable penguins leaping out of their tank and into the real world. It’s a fun and entertaining spot to pass the time while waiting to meet someone, so be sure to check out SOLARIA DAIGAMEN if you’re in the area!

Next is the newly opened HULIC SQUARE FUKUOKA TENJIN. This new building was constructed as part of Fukuoka City's redevelopment project, the Tenjin Big Bang.  It is located along Meiji-dori Avenue, next to 'Fukuoka PARCO.'

HULIC SQUARE FUKUOKA TENJIN is a 19-story complex with three basement floors. It’s directly connected to Tenjin Station, and its commercial floors feature eight restaurants, including several making their Kyushu debut. From yakiniku to Chinese cuisine and wine bars, there are some rather wonderful dining options.

Beyond restaurants, the building houses a drugstore, apparel shops, and even a clinic. Additionally, the upper floors are scheduled to open in April as a hotel. 

With these new developments, Tenjin is becoming even more lively for both locals and tourists. It's exciting to see more convenient and attractive spots popping up in Fukuoka, isn't it?

【Community Cat Activities】

February 22 is nyan nyan no hi or Cat Day, a day established to express gratitude for the happiness of living alongside cats and to celebrate this joy together.
Have you ever heard of "community cats"? You may have seen them! Community cats are stray cats that are managed and cared for within a specific area. These cats undergo spay or neuter surgeries and are often marked with a small notch on their ear or a tag as an identifier. If you see one of these cats on the street, it’s likely a community cat loved and cared for in that neighborhood.
Leaving stray cats unmanaged can lead to issues like noise or waste, creating problems in the local
environment. In any community, there are people who love cats and want to help care for stray cats, but there are also individuals who may have allergies or are simply not fond of cats. Regardless of how they feel about cats personally, most people share a desire to prevent issues caused by stray cats and to keep the population from growing uncontrollably.
One solution to this problem is "community cat activities."
This approach treats stray cat issues as a community environmental concern. With the agreement and participation of residents, community members take the lead in spaying/neutering the cats, providing food under specific guidelines, and managing litter areas. Rather than eliminating stray cats, the goal is to gradually reduce the number of unowned cats in the community over several years.
The success of community cat activities relies on the cooperation and understanding of local residents. To ensure everyone in the area can live comfortably, why not take a closer look at the community cat activities happening near you?

【Fukuoka City Information】

Filing City and Prefectural Taxes

I'm pretty sure that most of you have received your tax forms to file in Reiwa 7, notices and forms
have been sent out.
The deadline for filing is Monday, March 17th. The tax department of the ward office will accept your tax return in person, however the counters there may be crowded so please consider filing your tax returns by mail or online.
Those who need to file taxes with Fukuoka City include anyone who, as of January 1, 2025, has an address in the city and earned income during 2024. However, individuals who submit a tax return to the tax office or those whose only income is from salary and have already completed year-end adjustments through their employer do not need to file.
When filing, you need your My Number card or a document that shows your number and a driver's license, passport or resident card to show proof of identity.
Documents, such as withholding slips that show your income from 2024 and any documents for deductions made during 2024 are also necessary.
For information on what documents are needed and anything else about filing your taxes, please visit your local ward offices website. The websites support English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali. If there is anything that you don't understand, please use the telephone translation hotline to call the ward offices. The hotline supports 23 languages including English , Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali. The number is (092-753-6113). 

That phone number is for a interpretation center, so after speaking to a representative you will be connected to your local ward office. Make sure you tell them which ward you live in and that you want help with filing taxes. If you go to your ward office in person, you can also use your phone and this service to help you with interpretation, so don't hesitate to use it!

【Akutagawa Prize / Naoki Prize】

One of Japan's most prestigious literary awards, the Akutagawa Prize, has been awarded this year to 23-year- old Yui Suzuki, a graduate student at Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka City. While conducting research on English literature in graduate school, Suzuki also pursues creative writing.

Japan's literary world is home to numerous awards, but two of the most prominent and historically significant are the Akutagawa Prize and the Naoki Prize.
The Akutagawa Prize recognizes short to medium-length pure literary works by emerging writers published in magazines. The Naoki Prize, on the other hand, is awarded to single-volume novels, full-length works, or collections of short stories by both emerging and mid-career authors in the realm of entertainment literature.
Selection committees for both awards convene twice a year—in July for works from the first half of the year and in January for those from the latter half of the year. These awards are not open for public submission. The Akutagawa Prize focuses on works published in magazines, while the Naoki Prize targets works released as books. Both prizes go through several preliminary screenings before the final nominees are selected, and the winners are determined after deliberation during the selection meeting. In some cases, no winner is chosen.
The winning works often reflect the social context and values of their time, offering insight into modern Japanese culture and history.
This year's Akutagawa-winning story features a male professor who is a scholar of Goethe, the German literary giant. If you have the chance, be sure to give it a read!

【Fukuoka City International Foundation Information】

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. 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 these consultations. Reservations will be taken from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays. For detailed inquiries, please contact (0120-66-1799). 

Use Line Call for Consultations

And if you connect with the Foundation's official LINE account, you can make an appointment for
consultations on daily life or free professional consultation using the LINE call feature. Telephone
consultations are available in a number of foreign languages, so please feel free to contact them. In addition, you can get information on the Foundation's events and announcements from Fukuoka City, so please add the Foundation's official LINE account to your friends' list from the Fukuoka City International Foundation website.
One thing to keep in mind though is that the foundation will not accept consultations via the Line chat feature.
So if you want advice via text rather than calling, please use the inquiry form on the foundation's website.

【Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed】

Now in season, Fukuoka proudly offers one of Japan's highest quality laver seaweeds, Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed. The Ariake Sea, located in the southern part of the prefecture, is one of Japan's three major seaweed production areas. This seaweed is known for its rich aroma, delicate texture, and umami that melts on the tongue From rice balls to toppings for various dishes, seaweed has long been an essential ingredient on Japanese dining tables. It's also a nutritional powerhouse, packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium, dietary fiber, and more. Despite being low in calories, seaweed is a natural food that is rich in flavor.
The flavor and texture of seaweed vary depending on its place of origin, season, and grade. What makes Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed so delicious is the abundant nutrients and moderate salinity brought by the rivers flowing into the Ariake Sea, as well as the unique tidal flats exposed during low tide. This combination of natural blessings and expert techniques results in an exceptional product. The seaweed season in Fukuoka's Ariake Sea runs from mid-October to early April. During this time, you can enjoy the fresh aroma unique to seaweed at its peak.
However, even the finest seaweed can lose its flavor if not stored properly. The greatest enemy of seaweed is moisture. To maintain its quality, store dried seaweed in an airtight container with a desiccant, in a dark place away from direct sunlight. While it can be kept at room temperature, storing it in the refrigerator is also recommended. Just before eating, lightly toast the seaweed over an open flame or heat it in the microwave to remove moisture and restore its crisp texture.
Now is the perfect season to savor Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed. Pair it with rice and experience the authentic taste of Fukuoka!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Lifestyle 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 habits.
Life-style related diseases include diabetes, hypertension, CKD or chronic kidney disease 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.