Life in Fukuoka "English"

【March's seasonal vegetable-Nira or Garlic Chives】
Now that we are in March, the days are getting warmer and warmer, but you may still find the evenings a bit chilly. That temperature gap can be a bit rough on the body since you might still be feeling a bit tired out from the cold of winter, so to keep yourself feeling good and strong, it's important that you eat lots of good seasonal foods with plenty of nutrients.
One of those foods happens to be Nira, the garlic chive, which is in season in March.
Allicin, the unique aroma component of garlic chives, is said to increase the absorption rate of vitamin B1 and convert sugar into energy.
One dish that happens to contain a lot of vitamin B1 and allicin is sauteed liver and nira. It is a kind of stamina food and is one way to boost your energy.
When you buy nira, it's good to remember that they are freshest when they are bright green all over, firm to the tips of the leaves and look fresh.
Make an active effort to take advantage of the foods of each season to boost your immune system.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Avoiding the Rush When Moving House

March and April are busy months for moving house and as a result, the consultation desks at your local ward offices may be quite crowded. The period between March 20^th and April 10^th are especially busy with wait times of 2 to 3 hours, so if you can try to avoid that period. However, that's not always possible,and if you find that you're too busy on weekdays to submit the notification of your move to the ward office, then you'll be glad to know that there are several weekend days when the offices are open for paperwork related to moving in or out of the city.

On Sunday the 26^th of March and Sunday the 2^nd of April, Fukuoka City ward offices and their branches will be temporarily opened from 10am to 2pm to take paperwork in regards to moving in or out of the city. 

If you are moving out of Fukuoka City, you do not have to go to the ward office to report your move-out. You can do so by mail or online if you have your My Number Card.
If you are moving from one place to another inside Fukuoka city you do not need the notification of the move out of your previous residence, you just need to submit notification that you have moved into your new residence.

There is now an online service available to make reservations with the ward office to take care of moving procedures. Reservations can even be done via a smartphone but must be made by 8:30 am, 5 business days before your desired date. You just need to send the date you want to go in, and information about your address change. With this system, an appointment can be easily arranged and the process at the consultation desk will take less time.
If you have any questions, you can check with the ward office using a telephone interpreter.
The telephone number is 092-753-6113. Again, that phone number is 092-753-6113.
Tell them you are moving to Fukuoka City and would like to discuss moving procedures with the ward where you live.

One more process that you should remember when moving is making sure you call to have your water turned on or turned off. You will need to have the notification of your move for this. Please call at least 4 business days before you move to arrange this. The phone number for that is 092-532-1010. Again, that number is 092-532-1010. Phone calls will be accepted in languages other than Japanese. This process can also be done online.

Garbage from Moving House

Also with Spring and the moving season, this time tends to be when we see a lot more oversized garbage, like furniture and home electronics. Fortunately, I have information on how to use the Oversized Garbage Disposal Center to get rid of all of that.

The first way to do it is by applying for pickup with the Oversized Garbage Disposal Center. First, contact them by phone or by internet, or even through the Official Fukuoka City Line Account, to put in your application and then purchase the appropriate oversized garbage disposal ticket at the convenience store or other shops.

The garbage pickup day will be roughly one week after you apply.

You must put out the garbage by 8:30am on the collection day in the designated spot.

The phone number for the Oversized Garbage Disposal Center is 092-731-1153. Again, that number is 092-731-1153.

If you apply via the internet or Line, you can do so at your convenience, 24 hours a day.

For TV's, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers and air conditioners, according to the home appliance recycling law, there are specific guidelines for disposal.

You can have the old appliance removed by the firm installing the new one or you can contact the store where you originally bought the appliance. You can also contact the Yamada Denki in your city about disposal. Recycling fees as well as fees for collection and transport will be required.

【Seasonal Flowers=Nanohana】

Nanohana or Rapeseed blossoms, with their bright yellow flowers, are a well-loved “Promise of spring” , much like cherry blossoms and are in bloom right around the same time.
In fact, rapeseed is a member of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables, and is related to komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) and Chinese cabbage.

From the past until now, this plant has been valued not only for its flowers but also as a source of food with its fresh spring flavor. The rapeseed season in Fukuoka is relatively long and lasts from early February to mid-April. As the weather gets warmer, people are out enjoying the view of the blossoms in a number of spots around the prefecture. And, as I mentioned before, the timing is right around the time the cherry blossoms bloom, giving visitors a colorful spring scene to feast their eyes on.
In some places in Fukuoka Prefecture, two types of rapeseed  are planted: "early blooming rape blossoms" and "late blooming rape blossoms," allowing visitors to fully enjoy them during the season.
There are also many places to enjoy these blossoms such as Umino-nakamichi Seaside Park (Umino-nakamichi Kaihin-Ko-en) and Nokonoshima Island Park. It's just about time to go out and enjoy these lovely yellow flowers, they're waiting for you and will surely brighten your day. 

【Info From Fukuoka City】

Filing City and Prefectural Taxes

Well, moving on from that, now I've got some information from Fukuoka City about filing taxes. I'm pretty sure that most of you have received your tax forms to file in Reiwa 5, they were sent by post from Fukuoka City.

The deadline for filing is Wednesday, March 15^th. The tax department of the ward office will accept your tax return from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, however the counters there may be crowded so please send your tax returns by mail or by internet.

Those who are required to file Fukuoka City taxes include anyone who has lived in Fukuoka City since the first of January 2023 and had income in 2022. Those who submitted a final tax declaration to the tax authorities or those who only received a salaried income whose company filed year end adjustments  do not need to file a tax return.

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 2022 and any documents for deductions made during 2022 are also necessary.

For information on what documents are needed and anything else about filing your taxes, please visit your local ward offices website. If there is anything that you don't understand, please use the telephone translation hotline to call the ward offices. The hotline supports 18 languages including English , Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali. The number is 092-753-6113. Again, the number for that hotline 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!

【The End of the Year and the New Year】

We are coming up toward the end of the year and during this time, as well as over the New Year's holidays, at Christmas parties and New Year's celebrations, we tend to eat and drink way too much. Too much stress on the stomach and intestines can lead to stomachaches and bloating. So, when you are out, try to not consume too much meat, coffee, alcohol, strong spices, or strong black or green teas, as they can really do a number on the stomach by  increasing the production of stomach acid.

It goes without saying, but I'll say it here: One of the simplest ways to maintain good health is to eat a regular, nutritionally balanced diet. This is important not only for maintaining a healthy digestive system, but also for enhancing the body's immune system and which will keep you from getting sick easily.

Although it may be difficult during the year-end and New Year's holiday season with all the bonenkai invitations and chances to meet up with friends and family, try to at least eat at home for dinner. When you are at home, keep it simple with meals like nabe or udon which are easy to digest, and try to keep your eating schedule fairly regular.

Let's all welcome the new year with a fresh start while maintaining a healthy diet and a happy belly.

【Fukuoka City information】

Ward office consultation and putting out the garbage over the New Year Holidays

Over the New Year's holidays, there are a few changes to ward office consultation hours and the days on which you can put out the garbage. For ward offices and the Health and Welfare Center, please be aware that these places will be closed from Thursday the 29^th of December to Tuesday the 3^rd of January.  In the days before and after the new year holidays, the ward office consultation counters will be busy so make sure you give yourself plenty of time when you go there.

Also, from Saturday the 31^st of December to Tuesday the 3^rd of January, please do not put your garbage out for pick up. Burnable garbage can only be put out on your area's scheduled garbage day up to Friday the 30^th of December and then after Wednesday the 4^th of January. For nonburnable garbage and glass and pet bottles, if Sunday January 1^st  is your regular day to put them out, instead they can be put out beforehand on Thursday, December 29th.

If it is Monday, January 2^nd , put your nonburnables out on Friday, December 30^th.

For areas where Tuesday, January 3^rd is a regular pickup day, garbage will be picked up instead on Friday, January 6^th.

Also, applications and pickup for oversized garbage will be stopped between Thursday, December 29^th to Tuesday, January 3rd, so please be aware of that.

Spend the New Year's Holiday safely

Fukuoka City wants you to enjoy your winter holidays safely and enjoyably and has a few tips to share.

From the end of the year to the start of the new year, there are a lot of opportunities to drink alcohol. So, make sure, 100%, that you don't drink and drive, don't make others drink and drive, never allow someone to drink and drive and don't ignore someone who would drink and drive. Even cycling after drinking is against the law.

And it's important to remember that even the next day you might have some alcohol in your system or will be hungover. In that case, even if you think you only have a little bit of alcohol left in your system, it doesn't mean you should drive, because you shouldn't.

Also, every year, at the end of the year sees more and more traffic accidents. If you are out late at night, make sure you are wearing bright or reflective clothes that are easy for drivers to notice. And if you are driving, make sure you turn your headlights on earlier in the evening.

Next, we have a warning for you about bag snatching incidents. There have been a number of these crimes from the evening to midnight in places where there are few people around. A lot of these incidents have occurred with the criminals riding motorbikes and snatching bags as they pass by. To avoid being involved in such an incident, make you carry your bag on the side opposite to the road and pay attention to your surroundings, making sure you look back behind you if you sense signs of people or hear a motorbike.

Protect yourself and the things that are important to you and have a safe and enjoyable winter holiday.

【Getting Through December】

In Japan, the months of the year have two names. One is the number of the month, the way we normally refer to the month. December is juu-ni gatsu, juu-ni meaning 12. However the other name for December is "shiwasu. The Chinese characters for the name are teacher or master and run, and so, the popular theory is that this name originates from "the busy month when master monks run around from east to west to give sutra chantings.
In the old days, the 13th of December was considered the "start of the New Year," and people would do susuharai, which was cleaning the house of dirt that had accumulated over the year as well as prepare pine trees for kadomatsu or the pine tree decorations you see at people's gates and entrances during the new year. All of this is now just called O-Soji or the Big Clean Up.

From the 22^nd, the winter solstice which is called Toji in Japanese and the shortest day of the year, the days start to get really cold.  Yuzu comes into season at this time and there's a tradition of taking a bath with this citrus fruit floating in it. It is supposed to keep you healthy throughout the winter and help to prevent you from catching a cold. 

2022 will be at an end soon, despite just being at the start of December. How should we get everything done so that we can greet the new year relaxed and in good health?
Well, plan ahead and imagine the order in which you want to get everything done. It's also a good idea to make a shopping list and a to-do list with dates on the calendar marked to motivate you to get things done. If you've got a lot on your plate to finish up before the end of 2022, it'll be important to stay organized. In saying that, make sure you enjoy the holiday season as well, don't get caught up work too much!

【Info from Fukuoka City】

World Aids Day

Now I have a few announcements from Fukuoka City.

First is about World Aids Day on December 1st. Every year around the 1st of December, around the world, various events and activities take place, to deepen awareness and understanding of AIDS.

Even after being infected by HIV, definitive symptoms may not appear for a period of time and so it is believed that there are a number of people who have been infected but will not be diagnosed until the onset of AIDS. By detecting HIV infection early and receiving the appropriate health care and treatment, the onset of AIDS can be delayed.

At the health and welfare centers of each ward, HIV screening is offered. This screening is free of charge and anonymous. So, if you think you may be at risk, get checked as soon as possible. Screening is only on certain days so make sure you check which days before you go.

And, I don't know if you know this but the red ribbon is a symbol that shows awareness and solidarity with those affected by AIDS. The red ribbon announces to others that you have no prejudice against people affected by AIDS and gives that message that we will not discriminate against those living with AIDS. The red ribbon days are from the 1^st to 7^th of December and over this period, the Hakata Port Tower and the Fukuoka Red Brick Culture Museum will be lit up in red in support. So for World AIDS Day, let's all take the time to learn the correct information about AIDS and how to prevent it.

Illegal dumping of garbage or Fly-tipping

I hope this doesn't really need to be said, but dumping oversized garbage and household waste in the mountains, forests, by the seaside, by rivers, on the road, or in parks is illegal.

In Fukuoka City, at the end of the year, many people do a big house clean and a lot of garbage is produced. As such, December has been designated as “Illegal Dumping Prevention Reinforcement Month”. Activities will be undertaken to strengthen measures to prevent the illegal dumping of waste.

Fukuoka City has, in cooperation with the police, installed surveillance cameras and warning signs in places where illegal dumping is common and will carry out patrols of those areas. Home appliances like TV's, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines and dryers, air conditioners and the like, are all subject to the Home Appliance Recycling Law and there is a set way to dispose of them. If you are buying replacement appliances, the shop will pick up your old appliance. In Fukuoka City, you can speak with Yamada Denki for help with this.

When disposing of these items, recycling fees or collection and transportation fees are necessary.

Traders who advertise “Free pick-up for items you don't need” through flyers and the internet, are illegal collectors who have not received permission from Fukuoka City. Please do not use these unauthorized collectors as problems such as illegal dumping, high fees and improper processing of waste may occur.

【Somen】

Somen noodles, if you haven't had them yet this summer, are thin noodles made of wheat flour. In Japan, somen is a pretty common dish and quite often eaten during the hot summer season.
It is said that somen was brought to Japan from China in ancient times.

To prepare somen, you just need to boil them in water, cool them down with ice water and eat them with some cold tsuyu, a kind of dipping sauce.

Another popular dish is stir-frying those cooked somen noodles with some summer vegetables like goya and a little meat. Of course, it is also delicious in hot soup.  I personally like cold somen with some cucumbers, kimchi, a little bit of dashi or tsuyu and sesame seed oil.

You can find somen pretty easily at supermarkets and convenience stores for pretty good prices, especially if you buy in bulk. It's a great thing to have on hand when you don't really have an appetite in the summer due to the heat, but know you need to eat something. It certainly is my go-to dish!

【Information from Fukuoka City】
Eliminating Drunk Driving
Now, I have some important information from Fukuoka City.
If you are a recent resident of Fukuoka you may not know about this incident but for those of you who have been here for awhile....did you hear about the drunk driving accident that occurred in Fukuoka City on August 25, 2006?

This year marks 16 years since that drunk driving accident which killed three children on the Umino-nakamichi-ohashi Bridge in the Higashi Ward.
Since then, Fukuoka City has made various efforts to eliminate drunk driving .
However, drunk driving has not disappeared. In fact, in 2021, there were 23 accidents caused by drunk drivers.

Drunk driving is a crime.
You must not drive a car, motorcycle, or bicycle after drinking alcohol.
You must not lend your car to a person who has been drinking alcohol and never offer alcohol to a person who will be driving.
You must not get into a car knowing that the driver has been drinking.
If you drink alcohol and drive, you increase the risk of a traffic accident.

Your ability to pay attention and make good decisions, which are necessary for safe driving, are impaired. You may drive too fast and your ability to judge a dangerous situation will be slowed. The time it takes to use your brake pedal will increase.
If you see someone driving in the way I'm going to describe, it's possible that person is driving drunk. If you see someone driving like this, please call 110. Signs of a drunk driver include stopping the car well before the stop line when stopping at a stop sign, not starting the car up again when the traffic light turns green, weaving while driving and repeatedly accelerating or accelerating suddenly.
Each and every person needs to take action and say “I will never drink and drive, I will never allow another person to drink and drive and I will never ignore a person who is drunk-driving!”
Let's all work together to eliminate drunk driving!

【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.

【Cherries】

Among the mountains of Fukuoka you'll find an area full of a number of different fruits that are famous throughout Japan. Of these, May heralds the arrival of cherries, as these delicious fruits come into season. And throughout orchards in Fukuoka Prefecture, cherry picking is a fun tourist activity for couples, families and friends alike.

These fruits can only be eaten for about 2-3 days after being picked if they aren't treated, so being able to eat them freshly picked is a delicious treat.

If you're planning on going cherry picking, here are a few tips for how to find the most delicious ones. First, you want to look for big, fat ones with no damage to the skin and make sure the stem doesn't look dried out.

If you are planning on keeping them for a few days, you can put them in the fridge but instead of the fridge, it's better to keep them in a cool room. If you want to chill them before you eat them, then put them in the fridge about two hours before you plan on eating them for the best flavor.  I don't know if you know this, but my home state of Michigan is actually famous for its cherries. If you look in the stores here, you'll find Michigan Cherries, they're often quite tart but they are great for pies and other pastries. I made a Black Forest Cake in my patisserie class the other week and was pleased to see Michigan Cherries being used. A little taste of home, I guess!

【Information From Fukuoka City】
Light Vehicle Tax
Now I have some information from Fukuoka City about the Light Vehicle Tax.
People who are in possession of a motorized bike or a light vehicle, as of April 1st, must pay a light vehicle tax.
If you do have a motorized bike or light vehicle, you will receive a tax payment notification in the post, so make sure you take a look inside. Payment is due by the 31st of May and you can make your payment at a convenience store, bank or post office.

If you do not pay your taxes, like the light vehicle taxes, you may run into difficulties when it comes time to renew your residency visa and you may face having your assets seized.

If there is anything you don't understand or if you are finding it difficult to pay your tax, please contact your ward office for consultation. If you contact them by phone for consultation, 18 different languages are supported. That phone number is 092-753-6113. Again, that number is 092-753-6113. This phone number will connect to the Multilingual Interpretation Center. After registering with them, you will be connected to your ward office. When you call, make sure that you tell them which language you need to use, the ward in which you live and that you are calling in regards to paying your taxes.

【Earth Day】

To start us off, today's topic is Earth Day which falls on April 22^nd, that's a Friday this year. Earth Day is a day to say thank you to nature and all of its beauty as well as encourage each of us to recall how the Earth provides life and sustenance and think about the environment we live in.  Earth Day was first established in 1969 at a Unesco meeting and the following year, the first Earth Day began with Senator Nelson of the United States calling for a debate on environmental issues on April 22^nd. Earth Day was first observed by Japan in 1990 and since then, a number of events and projects have taken place all across the nation.

In recent years, SDGs or Sustainable Development Goals have become a hot topic across the globe, with countries working on achieving each of these goals. However, it's not just governments that need to work toward them, we should, as individuals, also do our best to try and help achieve these goals and consider what we can do to help and protect the environment on a daily basis. Some easy things to do include turning off the lights when we aren't in a room, considering our daily meals and not wasting food and reducing the amount of garbage that we produce.

【Information from Fukuoka City】

Rules about putting out the garbage

Speaking of garbage, I've got some information to share with you about that very topic from Fukuoka City.

There are a lot of people who are starting a new chapter in their lives this month and that does typically mean buying new things or getting rid of old things. Which brings us to garbage.

In Fukuoka City, garbage is separated into three types. There is burnable, nonburnable and plastic pet bottles and glass garbage. You can buy the bags for each type of garbage at convenience stores and supermarkets.

The red bag is for burnable garbage. This is used for garbage like paper waste, food scraps, clothes and plastics.

The blue bag is for nonburnable garbage which includes things like empty cans and glass or ceramics.

And the yellow bag is for plastic pet bottles and glass bottles.

The day on which garbage is picked up is specific to your neighborhood. Burnable garbage is picked up twice a week and nonburnable and glass bottles and plastic pet bottles are picked up once a month.

Garbage is picked up late at night so garbage should be put out between sunset and midnight on your collection day in the designated location.

If you need to find out when garbage is picked up in your neighborhood, you can do so by adding the official Fukuoka City LINE account to your friend's list. Set your location when you add the account and you will get notifications for the pickup day.

And, if you type in the name of the garbage you want to throw out, the account will tell you which bag you should put it in, so it's a pretty handy service.

If you can't fit something you want to throw out in one bag because it is too big, it is considered over-sized garbage and needs to be thrown out through a different process. For over-sized garbage, pick-up can be arranged if you contact the Fukuoka City Oversized Garbage center, or Sodai Gomi Uketsuke in Japanese, by phone, on the internet or through LINE. They will tell you how much it will cost to throw away the item, where to put it and on what day and time they will pick it up.

If you decide to call the Oversized Garbage Center, you can call 092-731-1153, again that is 092-731-1153. And they have support for 18 different languages.

【Spring Allergies】

As the season begins to warm up, sugi or Japanese red-cedar pollen becomes a worry for a good number of us. Pollen is tiny and it floats on the air, getting absolutely every where. So what to do? Even if you vacuum or sweep in an attempt at keeping things clean, pollen just gets caught up in the air produced, flying around even more. So, in the house, if you're trying to clean the floor, one thing to do is to use a dust cloth or one of those swiffer type dry sheets to wipe the floor to keep the pollen from flying up. If you wipe the floor regularly and get an air purifier for the house, you'll find that you'll start winning your fight against not only pollen but dust and other bits.

If you're out for a walk, know that pollen will get all over your clothes. So when you get home, take off your coat in the entryway and lightly knock the pollen off of your clothes so that it doesn't get all over the house.

I don't have bad allergies, but I do feel a bit stuffed up as the season comes. I rely heavily on my robot vacuum and wipes to keep things cleaned up, good luck with your battle against pollen this year!

【Get things done earlier when moving house】

I've got some information from Fukuoka City to share with you.

 March and April are busy months for moving house and as a result, the consultation desks at your local ward offices may be quite crowded. So, try to get any paperwork and other things for moving done sooner, rather than later.

If you find that you're too busy on weekdays to submit the notification of your move to the ward office then you'll be glad to know that there are several weekend days when the offices are open for paperwork related to moving in or out of the city.

On Sunday the 27^th of March and Sunday the 3^rd of April, Fukuoka City ward offices and their branches will be temporarily opened from 10am to 2pm to take paperwork in regards to moving in or out of the city.

If you are moving into Fukuoka City from another city, you need to submit the notification of your move to the ward office by the day that you move in. You also need to have the notification of the move out your previous residence with you as proof of a move.

If you are moving from one place to another inside the city you do not need the notification of the move out of your previous residence, you just need to submit notification that you have moved into your new residence within 14 day of moving.

There is now an online service available to make reservations with the ward office to take care of moving procedures. Reservations can be made even with a smartphone but must be made 5 business days before your desired date. You just need to send the date you want to go in, and information about your address change. With this system, the process at the consultation desk will take less time.

One more process that you should remember when moving is making sure you call to have your water turned on or turned off. You will need to have the notification of your move for this. Please call at least 4 days before you move to arrange this. The phone number for that is 092-532-1010. Again, that number is 092-532-1010

【Garbage from moving house】

Also with Spring and the moving season, this time tends to be when we see a lot more oversized garbage and so I've got some information on how to use the Oversized Garbage Disposal Call Center.

The first way to do it is by applying for pickup with the Oversized Garbage Disposal Call Center. First, contact them by phone or by internet, or even through the Official Fukuoka City Line Account, to put in your application and then purchase the appropriate oversized garbage disposal ticket at the convenience store or other shops.

The garbage pickup day will be roughly one week after you apply.

You must put out the garbage by 8:30am on the collection day in the designated spot.

The phone number for the Oversized Garbage Disposal Call Center is 092-731-1153.

Again, that number is 092-731-1153.

If you apply via the internet or Line, you can do so at your convenience, 24 hours a day.

For TV's, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers and air conditioners, according to the home appliance recycling law, there are specific guidelines for disposal.

You can have the old appliance removed by the firm installing the new one or you can contact the store where you originally bought the appliance. You can also contact the Best Denki or Yamada Denki in your city about disposal. Recycling fees as well as fees for collection and transport will be required.

【Shiro-uo Fish】

In Fukuoka, one of the things that says that spring is definitely on its way is fishing for Shiro-uo fish, or Ice Goby in English. This little fish has a transparent body that only gets to about 4 or 5 centimeters long and as its name suggests, is part of the Goby family.  They usually live in shallow waters along the coast and at the beginning of spring, moves up the river for spawning, it lays eggs under the sand.

Now, in Fukuoka Prefecture, the Muromi-gawa River is the only place where ice goby fishing still happens. This seasonal tradition will go until about mid-April. There are restaurants in the area where you can eat ice goby in a variety of dishes such as in clear soups, as tempura or in scrambled eggs, however, among those ways to enjoy the fish is a rather unusual one called Odori Gui or Dance-eating, which is the feeling of eating live sea creatures. You can try this method of consumption by scooping the live fish up with a small net and eating them together with a vinegared soy sauce. In your mouth, you'll feel them squirming and jumping about, a rather novel sensation some might say. It may be a bit grotesque for some, but if you have the courage, go ahead and give it a try. I, personally, have never tried it and probably never will, but to each their own as they say.

【Filing City and Prefectural Taxes】

Well, moving on from that, now I've got some information from Fukuoka City about filing taxes. I'm pretty sure that most of you have received your tax forms for Reiwa 4, they were sent by post from Fukuoka City.

The deadline for filing is Tuesday, March 15^th. The tax department of the ward office will accept your tax return from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, however the counters there may be crowded so please send your tax returns by mail or by internet, or take them to one of the temporary counters that have been set up.

Those who are required to file Fukuoka City taxes include anyone who has lived in Fukuoka City since the first of January 2022 and had income in 2021. Those who submitted a final tax declaration to the tax authorities or those who only received a salaried income whose company filed year end adjustments  do not need to file a tax return.

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 2021 and any documents for deductions made during 2021 are also necessary.

For information on temporary tax counters, what documents are needed and anything else about filing your taxes, please visit your local ward offices website. If there is anything that you don't understand, please use the telephone translation hotline to call the ward offices. The hotline supports 18 languages including English , Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali. The number is 092-753-6113. Again, the number for that hotline 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!