Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Fukuoka Civic Orchestra】

Do you enjoy classical music?

This Sunday, June 15th, the Fukuoka Civic Orchestra will hold its regular concert at the ACROS Fukuoka Symphony Hall in Tenjin, Fukuoka City. 

Founded in 1972, the Fukuoka Civic Orchestra is an amateur ensemble that has continued vibrant performance activities with the aim of becoming an "orchestra loved by the citizens." The orchestra consists of around 100 members, mainly working adults, but also includes students, homemakers, and people from various walks of life. They rehearse every Saturday and focus on holding two regular concerts a year, along with other performances throughout the year.

The program for this concert includes:

Spring Song, a symphonic poem by Jean Sibelius

Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major by Jean Sibelius

Selections from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 by Felix Mendelssohn

Before the main performance, there will also be a lobby concert and a pre-talk by the conductor.

The concert takes place on Sunday, June 15th. Doors open at 1:00 PM, and the performance begins at 2:00 PM.

All seats are non-reserved. Tickets are 1,500 yen for general admission, and 500 yen for students from elementary through university level.

We hope you’ll take this opportunity to enjoy a wonderful afternoon of classical music!

【Fukuoka City Information】

About Taxes

If you live in Fukuoka City and earned more than 1 million yen in the previous year from January 1 to December 31, you may be required to pay residential taxes, those are municipal and prefectural taxes. 

A tax payment notice will be sent to you around June 15.
Please make sure to open the envelope, as it contains important information about how much you owe and the payment deadline.

You can pay your taxes at convenience stores, banks, or post offices.
Payment is also possible using a smartphone payment app or credit card.

If you are employed by a company, these taxes may be automatically deducted from your salary.

If you do not pay your taxes, you may face property seizure or experience difficulties when renewing your residence status.

If you are unsure about anything or have trouble paying, please consult your local ward office. You can also get help over the phone in 23 different languages.

The phone number is (092-753-6113). 
This number connects you to an interpretation center, which will then connect you to the appropriate ward office. Please tell the interpreter which language you speak, which ward you live in, and that you are calling about taxes.

【Hakozaki Hydrangea Festival】

As the seasons shift from spring to summer, the rainy season—tsuyu—brings many cloudy and rainy days. In Fukuoka, the tsuyu typically begins in early June and ends in mid-July. One of the joys of this season is appreciating the flowers of the moment,  hydrangeas or ajisai in Japanese.

Hydrangeas begin with pale colors and deepen in hue as they bloom over time. Interestingly, the color of the flowers can also vary depending on the acidity of the soil. With their vibrant shades of white, blue, pink, and purple, hydrangeas brighten streets and gardens, lifting our spirits even during damp, dreary weather.

There are many famous hydrangea spots in Fukuoka City. Close to Tenjin, Maizuru Park is especially recommended for a stroll. You'll see hydrangea if you look for the wooded area behind the Fukuoka Art Museum and near the entrance of the peony and Chinese peony garden.

At the Fukuoka City Botanical Garden, you can admire not only hydrangeas but also a wide variety of plants in the greenhouse, making it a great rainy-day destination.

You can also enjoy hydrangeas on a grand scale at Uminonakamichi Seaside Park in Higashi Ward and Nokonoshima Island Park in Nishi Ward, where wide-open spaces showcase colorful blooms in abundance.

Another highlight is the Hakozaki Shrine Hydrangea Festival, held throughout June. In the shrine’s vast 1,700-tsubo Ajisai Garden, around 3,500 hydrangea plants from 100 varieties bloom beautifully. Don’t miss the hydrangeas displayed in the water basin used for purifying hands and mouth before prayer. They’re one of the festival’s special sights.

Let the beauty of hydrangeas soothe your soul during Japan’s rainy season.

【Fukuoka City information】

Rainy season and heavy rains

 In Japan, June to July is rainy season and is called "tsuyu" in Japanese. It is a period of frequent rainfall and is also a time to be cautious as it is also a season when heavy rain disasters can occur.  

In recent years, Fukuoka Prefecture has experienced significant damage due to record-breaking heavy rainfalls during the rainy season. When it is raining heavily, please avoid going near places that can become dangerous during these rainstorms, such as rivers, coastlines, and mountainsides. It is also important to take action to protect yourself during this time.

One thing you can do is to check hazard maps and disaster prevention information on the Fukuoka City website. It is advisable to familiarize yourself in advance with the risks and evacuation procedures specific to your residential area. For more details, search for "Fukuoka City Multilingual Portal" and refer to the "Disaster" page.

Important information from Fukuoka City is also shared in multiple languages on the official Facebook page "Global Community Fukuoka" and the Fukuoka City International  Foundation Facebook page "Fukuoka City International Center/ Attaka Fukuoka." Follow these pages to stay updated on important information.