Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Meiji Park】

Meiji Park, which is currently being redeveloped near Hakata Station, will open this Friday, August 7th.

The newly transformed Meiji Park will serve as a comfortable urban space where people can relax and spend time. Surrounded by abundant greenery, the park will feature a network of multi-level walkways and five distinctive plazas, each with its own character.

Seven businesses will also open in the park, including restaurants and an urban spa, creating a lively new destination where people can spend time in the Hakata Station area.

The businesses throughout the park will reflect the character of Fukuoka. The lineup includes a bakery and bistro supervised by a famous local restaurant, an Italian dining restaurant, and a café and bar where visitors can enjoy music and sweets.

There will also be a pizzeria from Okayama opening its first location in Kyushu, a craft beer bar featuring beer brewed in Saga, and an urban spa offering a new kind of sauna experience.

Meiji Park is set to become a new landmark in front of Hakata Station, so why not stop by and explore it for yourself?

【Information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation】

Consultations Are Available Through LINE Call

Through the Fukuoka City International Foundation’s official LINE account, you can use the LINE Call function to make telephone inquiries about general daily-life consultations, reservations for free specialist consultations, and other services.

Telephone interpretation is also available, allowing inquiries to be handled in multiple languages.

You can also receive information about the Foundation’s events and useful information for foreign residents. Please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation website and add its official LINE account as a friend.

Please note that the Foundation does not respond to chat messages. To make an inquiry in writing, please use the inquiry form on the Fukuoka City International Foundation website.

Legal Consultations and Psychological Counselling

The Fukuoka City International Foundation, located inside the Fukuoka City International Center, offers free legal consultations and psychological counselling for foreign residents of Fukuoka.

Legal consultations are available from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month, and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month.

Each consultation lasts 45 minutes and must be booked in advance. Consultations are provided by lawyers from the Fukuoka Bar Association.

Please let the Foundation know when making your reservation if you require an interpreter.

Psychological counselling is available every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. A Japanese clinical psychologist provides counselling in either English or Japanese.

Please make a reservation if you would like to use this service.

All consultations are strictly confidential, so you can seek advice with confidence.

Inquiries are accepted on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The telephone number is (0120-66-1799).

【Kitazaki Watermelons】

Sweet and delicious Kitazaki watermelons are now in season. They are grown in the Kitazaki area of Nishi Ward, the only watermelon-producing area within Fukuoka City.

There are only three farms producing Kitazaki watermelons, and most of the crop is consumed within Fukuoka Prefecture. As a result, they are rarely available outside the prefecture. 

What makes them particularly special is their sweetness. While ordinary watermelons usually have a sugar content of around 10 to 12 degrees on the Brix sweetness scale, Kitazaki watermelons reach approximately 13 degrees. With the first bite, you can enjoy their crisp, juicy texture and surprisingly rich sweetness. They are sweet right up to the rind, which also means there is plenty of fruit to enjoy.

Many fans look forward to their arrival every year, saying that once you have tasted one, you never forget it. They are truly a hidden local delicacy.

When choosing a whole watermelon, look for one with dark green skin and when buying a cut watermelon, it is recommended to choose one with deep-coloured flesh.

Thanks to favourable weather, this year’s harvest has been plentiful. Kitazaki watermelons will be available until around mid-August at JA farmers’ markets, supermarkets, and other stores.

These wonderfully sweet and delicious watermelons are well worth looking out for, especially if you are a watermelon lover.

【MLB Breakfast Club】

Next, I want to share information about a morning event taking place in Tenjin.

The MLB Breakfast Club in Fukuoka, where visitors can enjoy breakfast while watching Major League Baseball games on large screens, has now begun in central Fukuoka.

The event offers breakfast favourites such as hot dogs and croissants alongside live MLB action.

Many Major League Baseball games are played during the morning in Japan because of the time difference. With this in mind, the event was launched this year to help people start their day with energy by enjoying breakfast while watching Japanese players compete in the major leagues.

The event was held in Tokyo from March through May, followed by Iwate Prefecture in June. Iwate has produced several Japanese MLB stars, including Shohei Ohtani, pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, and pitcher Roki Sasaki. Fukuoka is the third location to host the event.

Screens at the venue will mainly show games featuring teams with Japanese players. Food trucks at the venue will offer four varieties of hot dogs inspired by flavours popular at American baseball stadiums. Other choices include a morning plate with a croissant and bacon, as well as Cajun chicken over rice, a popular American-style dish. There will also be a special local item: the mentaiko hot dog, featuring Fukuoka’s famous spicy cod roe.

The event will run from this week, beginning today the 27th, through August 16th. It will be held in front of the Fukuoka City Tourist Information Centre at the Fukuoka Mitsukoshi Lion Square in Tenjin.

Opening hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on weekends and national holidays.

The MLB Breakfast Club offers a new way to start the day by enjoying breakfast together with some of the world’s best baseball. Why not stop by and experience it for yourself?

【IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES】

This weekend, LOVE FM’s reggae program, IRIE MUSIC, will hold a special outdoor music festival.

Broadcast every Saturday morning from 8:00, IRIE MUSIC is a program dedicated entirely to reggae. Its hugely popular annual outdoor festival returns again this year for three days in the heart of Tenjin.

The venue will be filled with laid-back sounds, including reggae, hip-hop, and traditional Okinawan music. Admission is free, and everyone can enjoy the event, from people who are new to reggae to longtime fans.

The festival will take place over three days, from this Friday, the 24th, through Sunday, the 26th.

On Friday, the music starts at 4:00 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, it begins at 11:00 a.m., so you can enjoy live music throughout the day and into the evening.

The venue is Tenjin Central Park, located just a short walk from Tenjin Station.

Admission is free.

And of course, no festival would be complete without plenty of delicious food. Popular local restaurants and carefully selected food vendors from across Kyushu will gather at the venue where you can enjoy their dishes together with ice-cold drinks.

With live performances by an exciting lineup of artists, delicious food, refreshing drinks, and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, come and make one of your best memories of the summer at the IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Bicycle Rules and Etiquette

I'm sure like me, many people regularly ride bicycles, but are you familiar with the rules and proper cycling etiquette in Japan?

As a general rule, bicycles must be ridden on the left side of the road.

Pedestrians have priority on sidewalks. When cycling on a sidewalk, ride slowly on the side closest to the road.

Everyone who rides a bicycle is encouraged to wear a helmet and at night, you must turn on your bicycle light.

Riding with a passenger or riding side by side with another cyclist is prohibited. In addition, you must not ride while holding an umbrella, using a mobile phone, or listening to headphones at a high volume.

Cycling under the influence of alcohol is also strictly prohibited.

These are all considered bicycle traffic violations, and cyclists aged 16 or older may receive a fine under Japan’s bicycle traffic penalty system, commonly known as the “blue ticket” system. 

When parking your bicycle, make sure you always park your bicycle in a designated bicycle parking area. Bicycles parked on roads or in other undesignated places may obstruct pedestrians or cause inconvenience, so they may be removed as illegally parked bicycles.

In Fukuoka City, it costs 2,500 yen to have a removed bicycle returned. If it is not collected within a certain period, it will be disposed of.

There are bicycle parking areas near shopping facilities and train stations where short-term parking may be free, so please make use of them.

One more thing to remember is that anyone who rides a bicycle in Fukuoka City is required to have bicycle insurance.

If you cause an accident while riding a bicycle, you may have to pay a large amount of compensation to the other person. Bicycle insurance can cover expenses on your behalf, such as medical costs, if you injure someone while cycling, so please make sure you have bicycle insurance in case of an unexpected accident.

Bicycles are a convenient and environmentally friendly way to get around, so let’s all help keep the roads safe by following the rules and showing consideration for others. 

【Agapanthus Black Jack】

Did you see the Agapanthus Black Jack at the Fukuoka Flower Show? General sales of this flower have now begun in Fukuoka City. Apparently, this variety was unveiled in Japan for the first time at the Fukuoka Flower Show, which was held by Fukuoka City in March last year. It was also selected as the very first “Feature Flower.”

“Feature Flowers” are chosen from among highly acclaimed new varieties from around the world. They are flowers that are easy to grow, blend naturally into city scenery and people’s daily lives, and have the potential to become future flower trends.

Agapanthus Black Jack won the top award in the plant variety category at the Chelsea Flower Show 2023, one of the world’s most prestigious international flower shows.

This variety is known for its unique beauty, with clusters of small, deep black-purple flowers. It also has a long flowering season and can be enjoyed from early summer throughout much of the summer.

Another advantage is that it is highly resistant to heat and dry conditions, making it relatively easy to grow even during Japan’s hot summer weather.

This rare new variety, which has received high praise around the world, can now finally be purchased at garden centres and other retailers, around one year after it was first introduced in Japan.

Why not try growing it yourself as a striking new feature for your garden or balcony?

If you didn't have a chance to see the flowers during the flower show and want to see them for yourself, the Agapanthus Black Jack has also been planted at the Fukuoka City Botanical Garden and Maizuru Park.

When you go for a visit, keep an eye out for the beautiful, deep black-purple flowers of the  Black Jack.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Please Take Care to Avoid Heatstroke

Heatstroke occurs when the body fails to regulate its temperature properly due to heat and intense physical activity, leading to an imbalance of body fluids and electrolytes. Symptoms of heatstroke include headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea.

If you are feeling these symptoms, and unable to drink water on your own, or if cooling your body and replenishing fluids and electrolytes does not lead to recovery, please call emergency services at 119 and request an ambulance. Particularly from July onwards, as the temperatures start to rise after the end of the rainy season, there is a rapid increase in heatstroke-related emergency transport cases. During this period, be cautious as the humidity is high and your body may not be acclimated to the heat.

Heatstroke can happen not only outdoors but also indoors, so caution is necessary. Here are some tips for preventing heatstroke:

Stay hydrated by drinking fluids regularly. You should drink things like barley tea or water during normal daily activities, and  rehydration drinks or sports drinks when engaging in physical exercise. Replenish both fluids and electrolytes when you sweat.

Wear a hat and use a parasol to avoid direct sunlight.

Use air conditioning and fans effectively to keep the room temperature below 28 degrees Celsius.

Use cooling items such as cooling sheets or ice pillows.

Finally, maintain your physical condition by eating well-balanced meals and getting enough sleep. Stay safe and cool this summer. 

【HAKATA FISH PROJECT】

Fukuoka is known as a city where you can enjoy excellent seafood. Fresh catches from all over Kyushu are brought into the Nagahama Fish Market every day, and the city is home to countless restaurants serving delicious seafood.

To encourage more people to enjoy local seafood, Fukuoka City is currently holding a seafood promotion campaign called the HAKATA FISH PROJECT. The campaign showcases the freshest seasonal seafood from the Genkai Sea and the Nagahama Fish Market, giving visitors the chance to experience outstanding freshness and the best flavors of the season.

The current theme is "Enjoy the Best Fish in Hakata Right Now," and the first event is the Squid Fair. Squid is one of Fukuoka's signature early summer delicacies, prized for its firm texture, which is so smooth that soy sauce won't stick, and its rich, natural sweetness.

This first round with the Squid Fair runs until July 19.

You can find information about participating restaurants throughout Fukuoka City on the HAKATA FISH PROJECT Instagram page.

Later in the year, the project will also feature fairs celebrating sea bream, yellowtail, and Spanish mackerel.

Why not take this opportunity to discover the clean, delicate flavors of Fukuoka's fresh seafood and enjoy some of the finest fish the season has to offer?

🔎https://www.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/nosui/suisanshinko/charm/documents/ikafair.pdf

🔎https://www.instagram.com/hakata_fish_project/

【Information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation】

School Enrollment and Educational Path Consultation Session For Children with Foreign Backgrounds

The Fukuoka City International Foundation, together with the Fukuoka Tomoni Ikiru Machi Association (NPO), Fukuoka YWCA, and the Fukuoka International Citizens Association, will hold an educational and career guidance session for children with foreign backgrounds. 

At this consultation session, parents and children can receive advice on education and future schooling options for children with foreign backgrounds, from preschool age through high school.

Immigration and residency consultations will also be available with representatives from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and certified administrative scriveners (gyoseishoshi).

Consultations are available in Japanese, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Nepali and are completely free of charge. 

The event will be held on Saturday, July 11, starting at 1:00 p.m and will be held at the Fukuoka City International Center in Tenyamachi, Hakata Ward.

For reservations and inquiries, please visit the website of the Fukuoka Tomoni Ikiru Machi Association (NPO).

🔎https://www.fcif.or.jp/latestnews/consultation/schoolguidance/

Consultations on Immigration, Residency, and Nationality for Foreign Residents

To continue, is there anything you don't understand about residency status, term of stay regulations or other immigration-related matters? If there is, the Fukuoka City International Foundation provides free consultation on these matters to the international residents of Fukuoka City.

Consultations are held every second Sunday of the month. They are offered from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, but you must register by 3:30 PM. A gyousei-shoshi, or administrative lawyer will answer your questions and offer consultation.

There are English and Chinese interpreters present, and so, consultation in English, Chinese and Japanese does not require a reservation. For other languages, please consult with the foundation at least two weeks in advance. 

Your confidentiality is guaranteed, so please feel at ease to use this service. 

For more information, please call the toll free number (0120-66-1799). Phone calls will be accepted between 9am and 5:30pm on weekdays.

🔎https://www.fcif.or.jp/consultation/immigration/

【Cool Share Fukuoka】

This summer, Fukuoka City has launched “Cool Share Fukuoka,” a program that provides places around the city where people can take a break and cool down, to help people stay cool during the hot summer months, . The initiative aims to prevent heatstroke and promote energy conservation by offering designated cooling spots throughout the city. A total of 890 locations, including public facilities such as community centers and gymnasiums, as well as local pharmacies and commercial facilities, are participating. These locations display stickers or banners that say ”気軽に休憩を” or “Feel Free to Take a Break,” welcoming visitors to rest and cool off.

Participating locations include commercial facilities such as Fukuoka City Hall, the Tenjin Underground Shopping Mall, department stores, and all Seven-Eleven convenience stores within Fukuoka City. Participating facilities can be identified by stickers or banners marked “Cool Share Fukuoka.”

In addition, 44 locations throughout the city, including ward offices, gymnasiums, and parks, offer free water refill stations where residents can fill their own bottles with Fukuoka’s safe and delicious chilled tap water at any time.

As the summer heat continues, make use of these cooling spots and water refill stations when you are out and about, and take steps to prevent heatstroke while staying comfortable.

【Information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation】

School Enrollment and Educational Path Consultation Session For Children with Foreign Backgrounds

The Fukuoka City International Foundation, together with the Fukuoka Tomoni Ikiru Machi Association (NPO), Fukuoka YWCA, and the Fukuoka International Citizens Association, will hold a School Enrollment and Educational Path Consultation Session for children with foreign backgrounds.

At this consultation session, parents and children can receive advice on education and future schooling options for children with foreign backgrounds, from preschool age through high school.

Immigration and residency consultations will also be available with representatives from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and certified administrative scriveners.

The service is free of charge.

Consultations are available in Japanese, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Nepali.

The event will be held on Saturday, July 11, starting at 1:00 p.m and will be held at the Fukuoka City International Center in Tenyamachi, Hakata Ward.

For reservations and inquiries, please visit the website of the Fukuoka Tomoni Ikiru Machi Association (NPO).

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).

【Guest Interview】

➖Steve➖

from Canada

https://www.wespeak.jp/
https://www.instagram.com/wespeak.jp/

【Blueberries】

Blueberries, which come into season from early summer and stay in season through the summer, are a popular fruit known for their sweet-tart flavor and rich nutritional value. From June through September, blueberry-picking farms begin opening across Fukuoka Prefecture, offering a fun seasonal activity.

In the nature-rich Wakiyama area of Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City, you’ll find Country Farm Kiichigoya, a blueberry farm where the berries are carefully grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides. The farm now has around 400 blueberry bushes, all full of fruit. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of original products made with freshly harvested blueberries, including blueberry jam, blueberry vinegar, and ice pops. In addition, blackberry picking is available until around mid-July. Part of the farm is covered with rain shelters, so you can enjoy berry picking even on rainy days without getting wet.

There’s something special about walking among the trees and picking perfectly ripe blueberries with your own hands, so why not refresh yourself in nature with family and friends while enjoying the flavors of the season?

【Fukuoka City Information】

Information about the National Health Insuranc

In Japan, to ensure that everyone can receive medical care at a low cost and with peace of mind when they are sick or injured, it is mandatory for all residents to join a public health insurance system. People who are allowed to stay in Japan for more than three months and are not covered by their company's health insurance must join the National Health Insurance. This requires procedures at the ward office of the district where you live.

Those enrolled in the Fukuoka City National Health Insurance must pay insurance premiums. These premiums are an important source of funding used for medical expenses. The insurance premiums for the period from April 2026 to March 2027 were determined in June based on the previous year's income and other factors.

For those enrolled in the National Health Insurance, payment notices have been sent out today June 15th  in a blue envelope. When you receive your envelope, please check the amount of the insurance premium listed in the documents inside the envelope and pay the premium within the payment deadline. Failure to pay the insurance premium may result in an investigation of your assets and the seizure of your savings or salary, so please be aware.

If you have any questions, you can receive consultations over the phone in 24 different languages. The phone 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 the National Health Insurance. 

【Food Education Day】

In Fukuoka Prefecture, efforts are being made to promote food education and local production for local consumption as a prefecture-wide movement. As part of this initiative, on the 19th of every month, known as “Food Education Day,” a special farmers market corner is set up at the Fukuoka Prefectural Government Office in Hakata Ward, where fresh seasonal agricultural, forestry, and marine products, as well as processed goods, are sold.

The market is held every month on the 19th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and ends once items are sold out. If the 19th falls on a government office closing day, it is held on the nearest preceding business day instead. This month, it will be held over two days, Thursday the 18th and Friday the 19th. The location is the first-floor lobby of the Fukuoka Prefectural Government Office.

Why not support Fukuoka-produced agricultural, forestry, and marine products by buying them—and by enjoying them too?

【Fukuoka City Information】

Rainy Season and Heavy Rain

In Japan, the period from June to July is known as the “rainy season,” when there is a lot of rainfall.
Please be careful, as this is a time when disasters caused by heavy rain are more likely to occur.

In recent years, record-breaking rainfall during the rainy season has caused major damage in Fukuoka Prefecture as well.
When there is heavy rain, do not go near dangerous places such as rivers, coastlines, or steep slopes near mountains. Please take action to protect your life.

On the Fukuoka City website, you can check hazard maps and disaster prevention information.
Please check in advance what kinds of dangers exist in the area where you live and how to evacuate if necessary.
For details, search for “Fukuoka City Multilingual Portal” and visit the “Disaster” page.

Important information from Fukuoka City is also shared in multiple languages through the official Fukuoka City Facebook page “Global Community Fukuoka” and the Fukuoka City International Foundation Facebook page “Fukuoka City International Center / Attaka Fukuoka.”
Please follow these pages to receive important information regularly.

Taxes

People who were living in Fukuoka City on January 1 and whose income from the previous year exceeded 1.1 million yen may need to pay municipal and prefectural resident taxes.

A tax payment notice will arrive around June 15, so please make sure to check it carefully.
It will show the payment amount and payment deadline.
You can pay at convenience stores, banks, or post offices.
Payment by smartphone apps and credit card is also available.

If you work for a company, the tax may be deducted directly from your salary.
If you do not pay your municipal taxes, your property may be seized, and it could negatively affect future residency status renewal procedures.

If you do not understand something or have difficulty making payments, please consult your local ward office.
Consultations are available by phone in 23 languages.

The phone number is (092-753-6113).
After contacting the interpretation center, you will be connected to your ward office.
Please tell them the language you speak, the ward where you live, and that your inquiry is about taxes.

【Fireflies】

Fireflies drifting through the air with their soft, magical glow are a beautiful sight to see. Although many people associate fireflies with summer, they actually only appear for a short period from late May to mid-June.

It is said that fireflies are most active on warm, humid nights with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius, especially on cloudy and windless evenings. Nights after rain or just before rainfall, when the air feels muggy, are considered the best time to see them. Their activity usually peaks about two hours after sunset, so visiting around that time is recommended.

Fireflies prefer areas with rich nature and clean water. In Fukuoka City, there are many famous viewing spots where you can see fireflies, including the rooftop of JR Hakata City at Hakata Station, Myohoji Temple in Chuo Ward, and the upper stream area of the Muromi River in Sawara Ward. Firefly viewing is a wonderful outing for an early summer evening.

However, fireflies are very delicate creatures. Touching them can quickly weaken them, so please do not catch them, and simply enjoy watching them quietly. Strong lights such as car headlights, flashlights, and camera flashes are also strictly prohibited. Please follow proper manners while enjoying the fireflies.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Easy Japanese Radio Course

Have you ever listened to the “Easy Japanese Radio Course”?
This program speaks slowly in “easy Japanese” for foreign residents who may not yet fully understand Japanese.
It shares useful information that foreign residents should know while living in Japan.

The program airs every Friday from 9:54 a.m.
Even if there is something you don’t understand or you miss the broadcast, don’t worry!
You can listen again anytime on the podcast while following along with the script posted on the Love FM website.
Please give it a listen.

HIV Testing Awareness Week

The week from June 1 to June 7 is HIV Testing Awareness Week.
In 2025, medical institutions in Fukuoka City newly reported 10 HIV cases and 11 AIDS patients.

Prevention, early detection, and early treatment are very important for HIV infection.
Since HIV infection usually causes very few symptoms at first, testing is necessary to know whether or not you have been infected.

Each ward Health and Welfare Center distributes free HIV self-testing kits that can be used at home.
You can also take tests for syphilis and genital chlamydia, which have been increasing in recent years, at the same time.

Testing is simple. You collect blood and urine samples at home and mail them to a testing center. The results can then be checked online.
Distribution dates for the testing kits are scheduled in advance, so please check the Fukuoka City website beforehand.

By detecting HIV early and receiving proper health management and treatment, it is possible to delay the onset of AIDS.
If you are concerned, please get tested for early detection.