Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Mandarin Oranges】
I don't know if you've noticed them in the supermarket and at the vegetable shops yet, but mikan, or mandarin oranges have started appearing in pretty large numbers. Actually mikan season varies by the type of mandarin, but in the winter, when shipments are at their largest nationwide, it's generally considered to be the main season.
The term mikan in Japan actually refers mostly to Unshu mikan and these account for about 70% of the the citrus harvested in Japan.
In Fukuoka Prefecture, Miyama City, Omuta City, Yame City , and Chikugo City are the main production areas for Unshu mikan.
Another variety, the golden yellow "Fukuoka Mikan" is delicious just to look at. Once its delicate morsels are peeled and popped into your mouth, you'll find the juicy pulp overflows with juice, while the sweet, moderately sour, and refreshing flavor fills the mouth.
This seasonal delicacy can be enjoyed only from late September to late March every year. So, take a look at your local green grocer or supermarket and sample this season's fruit.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Environmental Festival 2022

Now, I have some information from Fukuoka City about Environmental Festival 2022. At the end of this week, on Saturday the 29^th and Sunday the 30^th, the Kankyo Festival, or Environmental Festival 2022 will be held at the Fureai Hiroba on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall.

The festival will be on from 10am to 4 pm over those two days and is being put on by the Environmental Festival Fukuoka Executive Committee, made up of the City of Fukuoka and other organizations, with the aim of encouraging people to learn about environmental issues and change the way they do things in a fun manner. Admission is free and there's lots to do. There will be an "ECO Experiment Stage" featuring environmental issues, storytelling by picture book authors, and a stamp rally using a black light to experience "botanical light," which generates electricity with the power of plants.

There will also be a book exchange, a next-generation car exhibition and test-ride event, and a "buy what you want, buy as much as you want" event, the “hakari-uri marche”. At this market, you buy what you want like nuts, coffee beans or other things by weight, and take them home in containers you've already brought from home. It's a great way to reduce
waste, be kind to the environment, and is easy on your wallet!

So, this Saturday and Sunday, enjoy getting in touch with a more eco-friendly life at the "Environmental Festival Fukuoka!"

This year, the festival will be held as an in-person event and an online event.

During the online event, the Fukuoka City SDGs Student Supporters, made up of student members who have a desire to "learn about the environment" and "think about what we can do", will share a whole ton of information on the environment! So make sure you check that out as well!

【Autumn Flowers “Kiku” The Chrysanthemum】

This morning's topic is the Chrysanthemum, an autumn flower here in Japan. It's actually one of the symbolic flowers of Japan, and is even used as a symbol of the imperial family. It is also the birth flower for the month of November, traditionally considered a symbol of wisdom and nobility.

Interestingly, Fukuoka Prefecture is the third largest producer of chrysanthemums in Japan.

From October to November, when chrysanthemums are in full bloom, "kikka-ten"

or chrysanthemum exhibitions are held in gardens and botanical gardens throughout Fukuoka. Dazaifu Tenmangu holds an exhibition from November 1 to November 25, and Munakata Taisha has theirs from November 1 to November 22. This Kikka-ten is one of the largest exhibitions of chrysanthemums in western Japan, so why not come and see these magnificent blossoms?

I went to the Dazaifu one a few years back and was surprised at the variety and the size of some of the chrysanthemums on display. It was a pretty impressive exhibition and it was also right in time for the fall foliage around the area. Not to mention that the weather was great, not too hot or too cold. Both Dazaifu and Munakata make great days out, so I would definitely recommend checking out one or both of these Kikka-ten.

【Fukuoka City Information】

The Creators 2022

Now, I have some information for you from Fukuoka City about an event happening next weekend called The Creators 2022.

The Creators 2022, is an event for experiencing creativity and entertainment and will be held on Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23. It will be held at Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall, Fukuoka City Science Museum, Fukuoka City Art Museum, and other locations.

There will also be online streaming available for those who can't make it to any of the venues. It's a way to enjoy the event even if you can't be there in person.

At the main venue, the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall, there will be a music stage with dynamic lighting and screens, talk sessions with creators, and interactive booths by creativity-related companies.

In addition, there will be a digital art exhibition at the Fukuoka City Science Museum where you can play with sounds and images, as well as screening of a number of video works at the Fukuoka City Museum of Art, and many other events over the two day event.

You won't want to miss this fun and interactive event!

You can get more information if you look at the website //the-creator.jp/

【Moving Day】

Did you know that the 13^th of October is Moving Day? I had no idea. It seems that it was  created to commemorate the arrival of Emperor Meiji from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1868.

At that time, the Emperor moved from Kyoto to Tokyo with thousands of people in tow. He distributed gifts and money to the people along the way in a a pretty spectacular manner. By doing this, he moved the capital of Japan from Kyoto to Tokyo.

 To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this move, Japan's first "eki-den" (relay race) was held. This was a long-distance relay race that started at Kyoto’s Sanjō Bridge and stretched the roughly 500 kilometers to Tokyo, concluding after three days at the banks of Ueno’s Shinobazu Pond. The sport has proliferated since, and Japan now boasts some 100 competitions, but it was originally born as a result of Emperor Meiji's big move. I can't say I've had such impressive moves to any of my homes, can you? I've moved quite a few times around the city though and can give you a bit of advice if you are planning a move. First, plan in advance. Sometimes it's hard with apartment contracts ending and the time you have to get out of the old place and into a new place, but if you can reserve a moving company well in advance, it'll save you from some headaches. Call up a few places and negotiate for a good price, I've had friends that were able to get much lower prices than their original quotes. If you need to box things up yourself, you can get pretty sturdy boxes at the supermarket, just ask the staff where they put their discarded boxes. They're free to take.  I've also cycled between old and new places, carrying things a bit at a time, but that was during my last move. I was able to move in at any time to the new place, so I could work out the closing of the old place at my own pace. I didn't carry everything by bicycle of course, but getting the smaller things out really made a difference at the end when we just needed to get a few big items.

Moving can be stressful, so if you are making a move, I hope it is stress free and quick!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Japanese Speech Contest

Now, I have information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation.

Have you heard of the International Japanese Speech Contest that they hold every year?

Well, this year, the International Speech Contest will take place on Saturday, October 29^th from 1pm in the Science Hall  at the Fukuoka City Science Museum.  Speeches are given by students from Japanese classes and from Japanese language schools in the Fukuoka Metropolitan area. The topic of the speech is up to the participant and ranges from their experiences living in Fukuoka City to their dreams for the future, of course, delivered in Japanese. If you have a chance, come and support these students and listen to the fruits of their language study labor!  If you are planning to attend the contest, you do need to make a reservation. Reservations can be made through the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website.

For more information you can also call the Fukuoka City International Foundation and speak to the Japanese Speech Contest Executive Committee at 092-262-1744.

Foreign Language Newletter FCIF Autumn Edition Release

"FCIF", a foreign-language information paper on daily life, Japanese culture, events and more, is published every three months in English, Chinese, and Korean for the foreign residents living and working in Fukuoka.
The theme of the autumn issue of FCIF, which was published this month, is "Let's Enjoy the Arts in Fukuoka.”
In addition to introducing spots and events where you can enjoy the arts in Fukuoka, the paper also has interviews with foreign residents living in Fukuoka and other useful information for your daily life. So, definitely pick it up and take a look at it!
You can get the newsletter at your ward office, the Information Plaza at City Hall, and Fukuoka International House.
You can also visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation website at www.fcif.or.jp to see this newsletter.

【Do you do sports?】

Well, today I guess I'll start off with a question for you. Do you do any kind of sports on a regular basis? I try to do a few exercises a week with Fitness Blender, one website I love with lots of exercise videos. I used to go jogging and play tennis, over the last couple of years, I've found myself spending a lot more time indoors. And that's not unusual, with more people working at home now, it's easy to spend the whole day without once stepping outside. Sitting all day on a chair can be tough on the body, there are definitely back and shoulder aches and pains that come with it, so why not put aside a set time every day for a little bit of stretching?

If you are out of the house for work or running errands, doing little things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or commuting to work on foot are things you can easily do to get your body moving and blood pumping a bit.

If you decide to do some walking or jogging in the evening, be careful of cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

In the low lights, it is, of course, harder to see what is going on around you, and it is also harder for others to see you which increases the risk of accidents happening. In this season, the sun sets earlier, so it's important to be even more careful as we head deeper into the season and begin to lose daylight even earlier. Of course, there is a pretty easy solution to help you out. Wear brightly colored clothing and use reflective materials or LED lights when you do go out. I like to go walking in the evening, especially when I haven't had time to do an exercise routine during the day. I've got an armband that lights up, I bought it at Sunny supermarket and it really helps cars and bikes to see me.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Myo-jyo-waraku 2022

Now, I've got some information from Fukuoka City about an event happening soon. It's called Myo-jyo-waraku 2022, and will be held from Wednesday, October 12 to Saturday, October 15. Myo-jyo-waraku was launched in 2011 as a festival for people involved in technology and creativity and is a festival where people from all walks of life, regardless of age or status, come together to create new things.

This years theme is GENTEN, or Origin.

And to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the declaration of "Startup City Fukuoka," in which Fukuoka City launched its support for startups during the 2012 Myo-jyo-waraku , a talk session will be held during the event, to look back at Startup City Fukuoka's origin from various perspectives.

In this talk session, participants will look back over the past 10 years of Fukuoka City's startup scene, examine the growth of its ecosystem, and talk about the future.
Other events will be held including art and creative-themed events and workshops at a campsite on the 14^th and 15^th.

For more information on the event, please search "MYOJOWARAKU2022" or visit the official website, https://myojowaraku.net/

【Kui-shin-bou no hi- The Foodie's Day】

Did you know that the 14^th of September is Kuishinbo no hi? It's a bit of word play on the date 9/14 in Japanese but what exactly is a Kuishinbo? Well, it's a glutton but that does bring to mind a sloppy and voracious eater. You could say it is a gourmand, but that sounds a bit fancy. These days we'd probably say a foodie, someone who really likes to eat. There's actually a magazine that caters to these Kuishinbo and introduces the pleasures of various foods. This magazine is called Dancyu (Dan Chew)and is put out by the company, President Incorporated.

From 2021, the magazine made its aim to make meals tastier and more enjoyable as well as to remember to thank food producers, chefs and the others who are involved in the food we have in our lives.

In Fukuoka City, we have so many delicious foods and ingredients all around us. Not only Japanese restaurants but the number of foreign food restaurants have also increased. What food reminds you of when you were a kid? Why not try making it again here? It can be a little difficult to find all the ingredients you need sometimes but if you look around and do a little research, you can probably get your hands on nearly everything you need. Personally, kimchi chige with a ton of tofu reminds me of my childhood and getting what I need to make it here is really easy!

【Infomation From Fukuoka City】

Information about Covid 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 if you are eligible.

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 or who are healthcare workers, or workers in facilities for the elderly and the disabled.

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 are also being done.

People who have recently relocated to Fukuoka City from overseas and who hope to get vaccinated need to fill out an application to receive the inoculation tickets.

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.

The Fukuoka Prize

Now, I have some information to share with you about the Fukuoka Prize. Fukuoka City honors those who have contributed to academic research, art and culture in Asia by awarding the Fukuoka Prize. This year, the laureates of the 32nd Fukuoka Prize are Taiko drummer Eitestu Hayashi, who will get the Grand Prize. The Academic Prize goes to Art Historian Timon Screech and the Arts and Culture Prize will go to Artist Shahzia Sikander.  The three laureates will gather in Fukuoka in September to each hold a public lecture. The Grand Prize Public Lecture is a particularly noteworthy event, as visitors will be able to enjoy a free taiko drum performance by Eitetsu Hayashi. The other public lectures with Mr. Screech and Ms. Sikander are also valuable opportunities to experience Edo art and contemporary art. These events are free to attend and you can even watch them online after the event so definitely apply if you are interested.

For more information on the events, please search "Fukuoka Prize" or visit the event page on Fukuoka Prize official website.

https://fukuoka-prize.org/en/

【駅弁記念日（Anniversary of the Train Station Lunch Box)】

This morning, we are talking about Eki-ben Kinenbi or the anniversary of train station lunch boxes. In Japan, there are anniversary days for so many things and July the 16^th happens to be the one for Ekiben. Ekiben comes from lunch boxes or bento being sold at train stations, or eki and they're one of those “must-haves” for train journeys.

It was way back when on July 16^th 1885 at Utsunomiya station on the current Tohoku Honsen that Japan's very first Ekiben was sold. A local inn wrapped two riceballs and some takuan pickles in bamboo skin and sold them for what would be about 1000 yen now. From there, the ekiben concept spread across the country.

Here in Fukuoka, Kashiwa-meshi, a kind of rice with chicken and other toppings, is famous at Orio Station up towards Kitakyushu. And of course, in Hakata Station there are a huge number of bento to choose from, if you want something to snack upon as you embark upon your train journey. Why not pick one up with some green tea, something to enjoy as you view the scenery from your seat on the train?

If you do get one, don't forget to take your garbage with you. Don't leave it on the train! Fortunately, on the Shinkansen, there are a number of bins between the carriages, so it's easy to keep things clean!

【Information from Fukuoka City】

Anniversary of the Sister Cities
Speaking of anniversaries, Fukuoka has a couple of pretty big anniversaries coming up. I don't know if you know this, but Fukuoka is sister cities with 8 other cities around the world and with each of them share special connections and exchanges. This year, Fukuoka is celebrating 60 years as a sister city with Oakland in the US and 40 years with Bordeaux in France.
To commemorate these big anniversaries, each city is putting on events and sending delegations to visit.
For more information on these events and to learn more about the kind of exchanges Fukuoka does with each of these cities, just look up 【 fukuoka8 】to go to the home page of the Fukuoka City Sister City website.

Asian-Pacific City Summit
I also have information about the Asian-Pacific City Summit which will take place here in July. Representatives of cities from the Asia-Pacific region will connect online to discuss familiar urban problems and work on coming up with solutions.
This year's theme is New Values – New Cities. It will be an opportunity to look at the shared urban problems that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss new urban development with new values.
If you register in advance, anyone is allowed to view the discussion as it takes place. For more information on that, please look up “APCS13th” in your search bar. You should be directed to the 13th Asian-Pacific City Summit's website.

【Daikon radish】

Daikon-It's a vegetable that I think everyone has seen and probably eaten here in Japan, and did you know that from December to February, you'll find daikon radishes are at their most delicious. From top to bottom, even their leaves, they are full of nutrients and whether cooked or raw they are very, very good. They are grown all across Japan but it seems here in Fukuoka City they are grown locally in Hara in Sawara-ku, and Kanatake and Kitazaki in Nishi-ku.

When choosing your daikon, first take a look at the root, or main part. It should be heavy, white and feel firm to the touch. If there are still leaves attached, they should be a bright green and not wilting, but if the leaves have already been cut off, the cut area should still look fresh and not all dried out. If you do buy a daikon with its leaves still attached, cut them off when you get home and store them separately. Wrap the daikon up tightly and in the winter, keep it in a cool dark place. In other seasons, it needs to be kept in the vegetable drawer. As for the leaves, blanch them, and split them up into smaller amounts to keep in the freezer as accents for other dishes.

The root of the daikon is full of vitamin C and the digestive enzyme amylase. Grated daikon is great for helping with digestion, in fact! The leaves are full of carotene, calcium and digestive fiber. They're an easy addition to miso soup or stir-fries. I bought a daikon cookbook last year and my favorite recipe from it is mabo daikon. It's a fairly easy dish to make and tastes great. Just search for “mabo daikon” online. As for the leaves, I use them to make “greens and ham”. In the South of the US and many places in Detroit from when I was growing up, collard greens is a soul-food kind of dish and while collard greens are a specific vegetable, you can make similar dishes with the leaves of kabu, or beets in English, and daikon as well. Just look the recipe up, I recommend some corn bread from City Bakery and maybe a little fried chicken with it too.

【Be Careful about the Norovirus】

As you may know, winter is the season when it's very easy to get infectious gastroenteritis and food poisoning due to the Norovirus. It's a strong virus and can be transmitted even with very little contact.

The virus enters your body via the food you eat or from your hands from touching something. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever. You can get the virus through inhalation if someone with the virus in the area has been vomiting or had diarrhea. You can also get it from foods that have been cooked by somebody infected by the virus. It can also be transmitted by eating shellfish, like oysters, that haven't been thoroughly cooked and are carrying the virus.

Severe vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration. So if you think you have caught the virus, get checked by a medical professional as soon as possible. You'll recover in a few days but the virus can hang around for a week to a month, even in your stools, and so it is possible to infect others, something we need to be careful about.

We can take measures to prevent the spread of infection, however. Be sure to wash your hands with soap before preparing meals, before eating and after using the toilet. Make sure you wash your utensils and cooking tools thoroughly after each use and disinfect them with bleach or boiling water. Alcohol disinfectants aren't that effective against the Norovirus, but heat is. The Norovirus is killed at temperatures of 85-90 degrees Celsius.

So, make sure that when you cook, things are cooked thoroughly and that you wash any fruits and veggies that you don't cook. And, of course, if you don't feel well, try to stay away doing too much in the kitchen.

【Enjoy Walking the Fukuoka Castle Ruins in English】

Our next bit of information to share with you is a chance to enjoy some history here in the city. Language school volunteers will be holding a Fukuoka Castle Ruin walking tour in English for those who are interested in learning more about it. This event will take place every Saturday in February from 10:30am to 12:30 pm and is only 100 yen to join. Spaces each week are limited to ten people on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations need to be made one week in advance of the date you'd like to join. For more information, please call 092-733-5050. Again, that number is 092-733-5050 for the Fukuoka Convention and Visitors Bureau. Why not rediscover some of Fukuoka's great history with your guide? It's a popular tour so sign up soon!

【Telephone Establishment Day】

I've got a little bit of history for you today. Apparently, December 16^th is Telephone Establishment Day. A slightly awkward title for the day, but it was on this day in 1890 that Japan's first telephone service began. Now, there are phones all over the country and it's convenient and easy to even call people anywhere in the world, but at the time the first service was established, phones calls could only be made from Tokyo to Yokohama. And there were only 200 households that were subscribed to the service, a minuscule number compared to how connected we are today!

To make a call in those days, you had to connect to a telephone operator who would patch you through via a telephone exchange. It was a very analog process. The caller would first tell the operator the number of the person they wanted to call. They would then hang up and wait for the phone to ring again to connect. Now, 130 years later, we've all got our own personal phones. And, they're not even just for talking, if you've got internet on your phone, you can connect to anything you want across the world!

So, a little bit of trivia for you about phone calls now. The frequency of telephones ranges from .3 to 3.4 Kilohertz which is the range in which people can hear voices well. In other words, you can't hear things that are outside of this frequency over the phone. So sounds made by cicadas, crickets and wind chimes can't be heard as their frequency is too high. So if you want to share these sounds with friends, it's better to take a recording and send it....over your smartphone!

Announcements from the Fukuoka City International Foundation.

【Call for Applications for International Student Housing: Family Rooms】

Currently, there are some student housing family rooms open to applications for international students enrolled at Universities in Fukuoka City or the Fukuoka Metropolitan area.

To be considered, applicants must be enrolled in a University and also be willing to participate enthusiastically in projects conducted by the Fukuoka City International Foundation. The lease period is for 2 years and single tenants will also be considered.

For more information about the application and other requirements, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage or send an email to dorm@fcif.or.jp with any questions you may have.

【Why don't you “Come and Enjoy the Charms of Thailand”!】

On January 8^th, you can feel like you've taken a quick trip to Thailand at the “Come and Enjoy the Charms of Thailand” event. At this event, Thai students studying in Fukuoka will teach you useful Thai expressions that you can use when traveling as well as hear about everything Thailand has to offer from the Fukuoka Branch of the Thai Tourism Authority. 

It's a great chance to prepare for when we can all travel freely again. You do need to apply in advance to participate in this event, so please check the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage for application information and event details. Whether you just love all things Thai or you're thinking of going someday, definitely check out this event.

【Fukuoka City International Foundation End and Start of Year Holiday Closure】

Finally, the Fukuoka City International Foundation will be closed for a period of 6 days, from Wednesday, December 29^th  to Monday, January 3^rd . It will reopen on Tuesday, January 4^th at 8:45 am.

The appointment-based free legal advice service for foreigners will not be available on

Saturday, January 1^st , the next time it will be held will be on Wednesday, January 19^th.

The consultation services with the Gyousei-shoshi or administrative lawyer for matters

related to immigration, residency and nationality that don't require an appointment will

resume on Sunday, January 9^th.  For more information please call 092-262-1799. Again,

that number is 092-262-1799. You can also check the Fukuoka City International

Foundation's website for information.

The staff members at the Fukuoka City International Foundation hope to continue being an

antenna to gather and provide a wealth of information and support to you, the foreign

residents of Fukuoka, in order to make life here in the city even more comfortable in 2022!

【Osmanthus/Fragrant Olive】

Kinmokusei or Osmanthus fragrans in English, perhaps more commonly know as Fragrant Olive, is in bloom this season, full with it's tiny orange blossoms. You'll probably see it when out walking and will definitely be able to identify it from its sweet smell that fills the air. It's the scent that tells you that fall is right around the corner!

In the past in Japan, this flower was often planted near pit toilets as it was an effective deodorizer. Later, the scent became the standard for toilet air freshening sprays! Perhaps due to that, older generations don't have an overly fond image of the flower. Younger generations however don't have the same association with the flower and tend to enjoy its fragrance.

The flower is actually, also, edible. In China, where the flower is originally from, it is often candied or put into liquors. Yang Guifei, known as one of the 4 beauties of ancient China, was said to drink sake made from Kinmokusei. Hmm, if this was part of her beauty routine then I wonder where can I find some of this sake!

At any rate, it's a flower whose scent can be enjoyed now, just follow your nose!

【Information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation】

【The International Japanese Speech Contest】

Today, we also have information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation.

Have you heard of the International Japanese Speech Contest that they hold every year?Well, this year, it will take place on October 16^th. Speeches are given by students from Japanese classes and from Japanese language schools in the Fukuoka Metropolitan area. The topic of the speech is up to the participant and ranges from their experiences living in Fukuoka City to their dreams for the future, of course, delivered in Japanese. If you have a chance, come and support these students and listen to the fruits of their language study labor! You can attend the contest in person on the day or watch the speeches online later! If you are interested, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website to make reservations to attend or watch the videos of the speeches.

【Call for Applications for International Student Housing: Family Rooms】

Alright, next is the call for Applications for International Student Housing. Currently, there are some student housing family rooms open to applications for international students enrolled at Universities in Fukuoka City or the Fukuoka Metropolitan area. To be considered, applicants must be enrolled in a University and also be willing to participate enthusiastically in projects conducted by the Fukuoka City International Foundation. The lease period is for 2 years and single tenants will also be considered.For more information about the application and other requirements, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's homepage or send an email to dorm@fcif.or.jp with any questions you may have.

【Information on the Mail Magazine】

And now, I want to share a little information about Fukuoka City International Foundation's monthly mail magazine. The magazine, published in English and Japanese, shares news and information about international exchange events and cooperation and is available to everyone!  Just search for FCIF in your web browser and sign up on the Foundation's website to receive that valuable information! If you want to know more about the Fukuoka City International Foundation or have any questions, you can contact them during the week between 8:45am and 6pm at 092-262-1799. Again, the phone number is 092-262-1799.

【Toji-The Winter Solstice】

Well, today, I've got another little bit of Japanese culture that I think may occur in many other countries around the world. In Japan, it's called Toji and it's on December 21^st. Toji is one of Niju-shisekki, the 24 divisions of the solar year from the old calendar. And this is when we have the shortest day and longest night of the year. In Japan, on Toji,  people traditionally take yuzu baths, basically they have yuzu floating in their bath, making it quite fragrant, and eat pumpkin.

The yuzu bath is said to help blood flow which warms up the body and also helps to prevent colds. The pumpkin is supposed to strengthen the skin and mucous membranes which should provide resistance to infectious diseases. It has also long been said that if you eat pumpkins during the winter solstice, you won't catch a cold. I can't say that I've heard of eating anything special on the winter solstice, but I do know that many people say a hearty, hot bowl of chicken soup is what you need for the winter to keep yourself healthy! That, and ginger and lots of vitamin C to keep the colds away. Fortunately, It's mikan season in Japan so getting that vitamin C is no problem! With Covid-19 and influenza prevalent this season, make sure you eat lots of nutritious foods and take care of yourself as you make your way to the end of this year and into the next!

【Foundation Consultation Desk】

Next, I have some information from Fukuoka City about the Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents. This support center can give information on, as well as introduce the appropriate contacts, for things related to general life here such as residency procedures, employment, medical care, welfare, childbirth, child-rearing and child education. The phone number for the center is 092-262-1799. Again, that number is 092-262-1799. The center is open from 8:45am to 6pm on weekdays but is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and for the New Year's holiday period. If you  call, help is available in 19 different languages.

【The Christmas Market】

I'm sure you've started to feel a bit of the holidays around you as illuminations go up around the city and every year, from November to December until Christmas Day, the Fukuoka Christmas Market is held in both Hakata and Tenjin and has become a bit of a winter tradition in Fukuoka City.

It's actually the largest Christmas Market in Japan and there are a number of shops all lined up around the square. It's an event where you can enjoy warm drinks like mulled wine and hot chocolate and delicious foods all while taking in the Christmas illuminations and decorations all around you.

This year, the festival is being held in 4 locations around the city-at the plaza in front of Hakata Station, at the Fureai Hiroba in front of Fukuoka City Hall, as well as at the El Gala Passage and IMS Square. Whether with family, friends, or a sweetheart, it's a wonderful chance to make some fun winter memories.

【Prevention of the spread of Covid-19】

Of course, if you do go, it's important to keep in mind that we still need to take care this winter to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. Although measures to prevent the spread are being taken, more and more people are getting out and with seasonal events like Christmas, New Year's Eve and the New Year holiday, there will be, no doubt, a number of opportunities for people to get together. So, wear a mask, wash your hands and gargle and also practice the 3 C's. And so you don't forget, the 3 C's mean you should avoid closed rooms, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations. It's up to each of us to help prevent the spread!