Life in Fukuoka "English"

【FUKUOKA FLOWER SHOW】

Starting this coming Sunday, Fukuoka City will host FUKUOKA FLOWER SHOW 2026, a five-day festival of flowers and greenery where visitors can enjoy flowers with all five senses under the theme “City of Flowers, Fukuoka.”

Held at the Fukuoka City Botanical Garden, the event will feature an international-level garden competition with top gardeners from Japan and around the world. There will also be large-scale flower exhibitions showcasing blooms from across the globe, along with a variety of stage programs and daily events. In addition, visitors can purchase flower seedlings and gardening supplies, and popular restaurants from around Fukuoka will gather to create a special garden restaurant, where guests can enjoy lunch, light meals, and even afternoon tea in a beautiful flower-filled setting.

Inside the greenhouse, a special exhibition called the “Fukuoka Orchid Exhibition” will also be held, offering visitors a chance to admire the delicate and fascinating world of orchids in the unique environment of the botanical garden. During the event period, areas around Tenjin and Hakata will also be decorated with flowers under the theme “Flowers in Fashion,” creating a citywide atmosphere where visitors can enjoy strolling through flower-filled streets.

Once again, the event runs for five days, from Sunday, March 22 to Thursday, March 26, at the Fukuoka City Botanical Garden.

Be sure to stop by and experience FUKUOKA FLOWER SHOW 2026, a festival of flowers and greenery that can be enjoyed with all five senses.

【Fukuoka City International Foundation】

Free Legal Consultation and Psychological Counseling

At the Fukuoka City International Foundation, located in the Fukuoka International Center, free legal consultations and psychological counseling services are available for foreign residents living in Fukuoka.

Legal consultations are held on the first Saturday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and on the third Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Each consultation lasts 45 minutes and is available by appointment only. Licensed lawyers from the Fukuoka Bar Association provide the consultations.

If you need an interpreter, please let the staff know when making your reservation.

Psychological counseling is available every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, provided by a Japanese clinical psychologist, and sessions can be conducted in English or Japanese.

Please make a reservation if you wish to use this service.

 All consultations are strictly confidential, so you can feel safe discussing your concerns.

For inquiries or reservations, the office is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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

Consultation on Immigration, Residency, and Nationality for Foreign Residents

Do you have questions about visa status, residency periods, or nationality procedures?

The Fukuoka City International Foundation offers free consultations for foreign residents living in Fukuoka.

These consultations are held on the second Sunday of each month from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., where a gyoseishoshi, or administrative scrivener, will answer your questions.

If you would like to receive a consultation, please complete your registration by 3:30 p.m.

Consultations in English, Chinese, and Japanese are available without an appointment.

If you would like assistance in another language, please contact the foundation at least two weeks in advance.

All consultations are confidential, so please feel free to use this service with peace of mind.

For more information, please call (0120-66-1799).

Calls will be taken from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

【LOVE FM FESTIVAL】

Music, gourmet food, workshops and interactive radio experiences! Sounds like a great time and you can enjoy all of it at a global and fun festival unique to LOVE FM,  the LOVE FM FESTIVAL, also known as “Love Fes”. This year, the festival will be held over two days next week, on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21.
The venue is the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall and admission is free, so why not come and experience this global and exciting festival that only LOVE FM can bring you?

This year’s theme is “REUNION.”
Listeners, our DJs, programs, artists, and the entire city-everything and everyone is connected. It is the first Love Fes in two years. LOVE FM proudly presents live performances by talented artists, and the food booths will feature carefully selected curry shops from Fukuoka, Kyushu, and even from around the world.

In addition, on Thursday, March 19, the day before the festival, we will broadcast a special program packed with information to help you enjoy the festival 100 times more. From 3 p.m. for four hours, we’ll share the latest Love Fes updates, introduce the booths, and even give you a preview of the performing artists — so don’t miss it!

On March 20 and 21, let’s enjoy this “reunion” together — connecting through music, voices, and smiles.
We’ll be waiting for you at the venue!

【Fukuoka City Information】

 Over-sized Garbage Disposal

It's moving season now that spring is here. That means that this time tends to be when we see a lot more oversized garbage and so I've got some information on how to dispose of oversized garbage. 

 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.

If you apply via LINE, you can also make your payment online.
Spring is a busy season for moving, and reservations may fill up quickly. Please apply early to ensure you can secure your preferred date. 

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.

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

For more information, please check the Fukuoka City official website. 

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 cannot put them out as over-sized garbage or in the city garbage bags. 

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. If you can't remember where you bought it, 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.

Citizen's Natural Disaster Prevention Day

To continue, I have one more announcement. Fukuoka City has designated March 20 as "Citizens' Disaster Prevention Day" to keep the experience of the March 20, 2005 Fukuoka Prefecture Seiho-oki Earthquake from being forgotten.

In recent years, major disasters such as earthquakes and heavy rain have occurred in many areas. We never know when a disaster will strike. In order for each of us to take appropriate actions when a disaster strikes, it is important to be prepared on a daily basis.

Please check the Fukuoka City website for hazard maps and information on disaster prevention, and again prepare and confirm what to take with you when you evacuate.
Let's take this "Citizens' Disaster Prevention Day" as an opportunity to think about disaster prevention for the safety of yourself, your family, and your community.

【Spring Timetable Revisions for Nishitetsu Trains and the Fukuoka City Subway】

From Saturday the 14th of this month, a new service on the Nishitetsu Tenjin–Omuta Line will begin operating. It's a new paid reserved-seat train called the “N-Liner,” which guarantees a seat during the weekday evening rush hour.

The “N-Liner” will run once on weekday evenings. Passengers can board only at two stations: departing from Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station at 7:11 p.m., or from Yakuin Station at 7:14 p.m. From Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station to Omuta Station, the seven stations along the route are for drop-off only. The train has a capacity of 200 passengers.

To use the service, passengers must complete a reservation and cashless payment in advance through Nishitetsu’s official LINE account, which guarantees a seat. Seats are not assigned; after boarding, passengers may choose any available eligible seat.

The fare is the regular ticket price plus an additional 400 yen. Payment is cashless, and no physical ticket is issued.

In addition, to ease congestion during the morning commuting and school rush hours, the Nishitetsu Tenjin–Omuta Line will increase services. On weekdays, additional local trains bound for Fukuoka (Tenjin) will operate between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., and additional express trains bound for Dazaifu will run between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. On the Kaizuka Line, more trains will run on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., making travel more convenient.

The Fukuoka City Subway will also increase services starting Monday, March 16. On the Airport Line, additional trains will operate during the morning rush hour between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. on the section between Meinohama and Fukuoka Airport.

For more details, please check each operator’s official website.

【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 23rd and  April 10th 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 on Sunday the 29th of March and Sunday the 5th  of April, Fukuoka City ward offices and their branches will be temporarily opened from 9am to 1pm to take paperwork in regards to moving in or out of the city.  

There is also a convenient 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 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. However, please note that if you're moving out of the country, you can't submit your notification online, so please be aware of that.
If you are moving within 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. 

If you have any questions, you can check with the ward office using a telephone interpreter.
The telephone number is 092-753-6113.
Tell them what ward you are living in and that you would like to discuss moving procedures.

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). Phone calls will be accepted in languages other than Japanese. This process can also be done online.  Please check the Fukuoka City official website for more information.

【Hinamatsuri (Doll Festival)】

March 3rd is Hinamatsuri, a traditional Japanese celebration that has been observed for centuries. Families decorate their homes with ornamental dolls known as hina dolls, and offer peach blossoms and diamond-shaped hishimochi rice cakes in beautiful shades of pink, white, and green.

This festival carries wishes for the good health and happy growth of girls. Traditionally, families and relatives gather around special Hinamatsuri dishes to celebrate together, passing down this custom from generation to generation.

Typical Hinamatsuri foods include colorful chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi), hamaguri clam soup which is considered auspicious, and hina-arare rice crackers. In addition, spring-themed sweets such as sakura mochi and strawberry cake add a festive, seasonal touch to the celebration.

In recent years, changes in family structure and lifestyle have led to an increase in households that do not display hina dolls. Even so, Hinamatsuri remains an important tradition in Japan. Today, it is not only a way to preserve cultural customs, but also an important opportunity for family communication and bonding.

And as technology advances and lifestyles diversify, hina dolls themselves have evolved. Compact, space-saving sets and dolls with modern designs have become increasingly popular, offering a wide range of choices. 

While the form may change, the heartfelt wish for girls’ health and happiness remains the same, now as in the past. Hinamatsuri can be seen as a Japanese cultural tradition where the old and the new blend gently together and are passed on to future generations.

Recently, Hinamatsuri has expanded beyond households with young girls. Many communities now host events where traditional hina displays are opened to the public for everyone to enjoy. In Fukuoka Prefecture as well, visitors can experience a variety of Hinamatsuri celebrations, each reflecting the unique character of its local area.

Hinamatsuri offers an early glimpse of spring. So why not enjoy it alongside seasonal flavors and a stroll around town, and welcome the coming of a new season?

【Kawazu Zakura】

To continue, I'd like to ask: have you heard of Kawazu-zakura, an early-blooming variety of cherry blossom that begins to flower in early February? Unlike Somei-yoshino, the pale-pink cherry blossoms most commonly associated with spring in Japan, Kawazu-zakura are known for their deep pink, large blossoms. Another of their charms is their long blooming period, which is for about one full month, much earlier and longer than typical cherry blossoms.

When it comes to recommended spots in Fukuoka City to enjoy Kawazu-zakura, one of the first places to visit is Kushida Shrine. Known as the guardian shrine of Hakata and famous for the Hakata Gion Yamakasa, Kushida Shrine offers a chance to enjoy these blossoms in a setting rich with history.

You can also see Kawazu-zakura at Kego Shrine, a local guardian shrine located in the heart of Tenjin. Both spots allow visitors to feel the arrival of spring while staying right in the city center.

For those willing to venture a little farther, Miyajidake Shrine in Fukutsu City is another excellent choice. Known for the famous “Path of Light,” the shrine is home to Kawazu-zakura often referred to as Kaiun-zakura (Good-Fortune Cherry Blossoms). As spring approaches, the area becomes lively with many visitors and worshippers.

Even amid the lingering cold, Kawazu-zakura offer a gentle hint of spring. Why not enjoy Japan’s changing seasons by pairing a stroll around town or a short outing with a visit to these early cherry blossoms?

【Please Cooperate with Water Conservation】

Since last autumn, there has been very little rainfall in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Rainfall in the area where Kyushu's largest river, the Chikugo River, is located, has been the lowest in the past 50 years, according to observations.
As a result, the water storage level of the dams connected to the Chikugo River continues to decline.

About one-third of the tap water used in Fukuoka City comes from the Chikugo River. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure water from the river as we have in the past.
The forecast for the coming month also predicts less rainfall than usual.
If this dry weather continues, Fukuoka City will face a very serious water shortage.

For this reason, Fukuoka City is continuing efforts to conserve limited water resources and avoid waste.
It is said that if every citizen of Fukuoka saves just one bucket of water per day, the city can conserve approximately 6 million cubic meters of water over the course of a year.

So, let’s all be mindful and do our part to conserve water.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Filing City and Prefectural Taxes

I'm pretty sure that most of you have received your tax forms to file in Reiwa 8, they were sent by post from Fukuoka City. 

The deadline for filing is Monday, March 16th. 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 2026 and had income in 2025. 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 2025 and any documents for deductions made during 2025 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 25 languages including English , Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Nepali. The number is 092-753-6113. 

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

"Blue Ticket” System for Bicycle Violations Starting in April

To continue, I'd like to share some changes coming to traffic violations regarding bicycles. 

In Japan, bicycles are considered "vehicles" and are subject to traffic regulations.

Starting in April 2026, a blue ticket (fine) system will be applied to bicycle traffic violations for riders aged 16 and older.

There are 113 types of violations that may be subject to fines. Among them, the following are especially important to watch out for:

Ignoring traffic signals

Using a smartphone while riding

Riding without lights at night

Riding against traffic

Riding on sidewalks

Riding side by side

Using earphones or headphones

Holding an umbrella while riding

Riding on the right side of the road

Entering prohibited areas

Not stopping at stop signs

In addition, it's important to never ride under the influence of alcohol.
Any of these traffic violations can lead to accidents and injuries.

To use bicycles safely and comfortably, please review the traffic rules and make a conscious effort not to violate them.

【Taiwan Festival in Fukuoka】

Currently, the Taiwan Festival in Fukuoka is being held at the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall.

In Taiwan, the Lunar New Year—its biggest annual celebration—begins this year on Saturday, February 14 and continues through Sunday, February 22, with a 9-day holiday period. To coincide with this festive season, Taiwan’s Lunar New Year is coming to Fukuoka!

The Taiwan Festival is an exchange event held under the theme “Taiwan Night Market 365 Days a Year in Japan,” allowing visitors to experience Taiwan through various regional night market foods and more. This year, the festival is being held in collaboration with Tainan City, an ancient city in southern Taiwan, showcasing its unique food, culture, and charm.

At the Taiwan Festival in Fukuoka 2026, the event titled Spring Festival Tainan Lantern Festival lets you enjoy the lively atmosphere of Taiwan’s Lunar New Year and the dazzling world of Tainan’s Lantern Festival—right here in Fukuoka, like a special journey through Tainan.

At the venue, alongside classic Taiwanese street foods such as juicy xiao long bao and the massive fried chicken da ji pai, visitors can enjoy local Tainan dishes like Tainan danzai noodles topped with minced meat. Local chefs prepare these dishes on-site, offering an authentic taste of Taiwan—perfect for those who’ve been to Taiwan and those who haven’t!

The space itself also evokes the feel of Taiwan. As night falls, the venue transforms into a festive celebration filled with the vibrant lights of Lunar New Year. Uniquely designed Tainan lanterns, some painted and others shaped like dragons, light up the area, creating a surreal experience that feels like traveling through Taiwan without leaving Japan—a truly photogenic moment!

So, once again the Taiwan Festival in Fukuoka 2026 – Spring Festival Tainan Lantern Festival is currently underway. It is being held at the Fureai Plaza on the west side of Fukuoka City Hall, right in the heart of Tenjin, and runs through Monday, February 23. On weekdays, the event is open from 12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on weekends and holidays from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

This is a rare opportunity to experience authentic Taiwanese culture. Don’t miss it!

【Information from the Fukuoka City International Foundation】

Children's Workshop

The Fukuoka City International Foundation will host a workshop for children on Sunday March 1st from 10am to 12pm. The target participants are elementary school students from 1st to 6th grade. 

This workshop will be held at the Fukuoka City International Center, on the 4th floor, in Conference Room 1 and will be conducted in simple Japanese.

During this workshop, children will make three cute handmade items while learning how people from different countries experience the arrival of spring.
The event is free, but advance registration is required.
For details and to apply, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation website [www.fcif.or.jp] and check the “Latest News” section.

You Can Now Use LINE Call for Consultations!

To continue, did you know that through the Fukuoka City International Foundation’s official LINE account, you can now make inquiries via LINE Call about general daily life consultations or reservations for free expert consultations?
Telephone interpreting is also available, allowing support in multiple languages.

You can also receive updates about the foundation’s events and information for foreign residents.
Please add the Fukuoka City International Foundation as a friend via their website! However, please note that chat messages are not supported.
If you prefer to consult via text, please use the contact form on the foundation’s website.

【Rakugo in English ”イングリッシュ de 落語”】

This Saturday, the much-acclaimed “English Rakugo” returns to Tenjin!

Have you heard of “English Rakugo”?

Rakugo is a traditional Japanese storytelling art that dates back to the Edo period. A single storyteller, or rakugoka, performs multiple characters and brings an imaginative world to life. “English Rakugo” retains the essence of classic Rakugo while expressing it in English, stimulating the imagination beyond language barriers. It’s gaining attention as a form of universal entertainment that everyone—Japanese speakers and non-Japanese speakers alike—can laugh at and enjoy together.

Originally performed in 2024, English de Rakugo—led by two rakugo performers, Tatekawa Shinohachi and Shinoharu—received great acclaim as a unique opportunity to experience Japanese culture through English. Whether you’re a longtime fan of rakugo or completely new to it, you can laugh together in the same space! It’s a shared comedy experience that transcends both borders and language.

English de Rakugo with Tatekawa Shinohachi and Shinoharu will take place this Saturday, the 7th, starting at 3:00 PM. The venue is Resola Hall, right in the heart of Tenjin, just steps away from the LOVE FM studio. All seats are unreserved and tickets are ¥2,000. Student discounts are also available.

For more information, please check the LOVE FM website.

I went to the first volume in 2024 and enjoyed it so much that I'm planning to go this time too!

Wouldn’t you like to experience this new form of entertainment—where laughter, English, and traditional arts come together? If you have the chance, take this opportunity to enjoy Japan’s traditional “sit-down comedy”: Rakugo!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Lifestyle Related Disease Prevention Month

February is Life-style related disease prevention month. 

These are diseases that develop due to, as you may have guessed, our life-style. Life-style related diseases include diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and heart attacks and are caused by poor nutrition, a lack of regular exercise and insufficient sleep. Smoking, excessive drinking and stress can also cause life-style related diseases. 

To maintain a healthy life-style, balanced and appropriately portioned meals, three times a day at regular times, is key.  Constantly eating nutritionally unbalanced foods, like instant meals or greasy foods, can lead to obesity and diabetes. They also say that chewing your food properly is important in a healthy diet as it will reduce the burden on your digestive system and strengthen the muscles around the mouth. Take your time to eat, aim to spend at least 20 minutes enjoying your meal. 

Regular exercise is also important as the loss of muscle mass due to a lack of exercise will affect your basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn as your body performs basic functions. If this rate decreases, it's more likely you'll gain weight.  So make time to exercise to maintain your muscle strength and mass. For people who don’t exercise much, try walking to the store instead of driving, using stairs instead of elevators or escalators, and adding about 10 more minutes of physical activity to your daily routine by taking advantage of small opportunities throughout the day. 

Sleep is also essential to your health. It plays an important role in our health as it allows us to get rid of mental and physical fatigue and boosts our immunity. But to maintain our immunity, it's important that we are getting enough sleep and that our sleep is good quality sleep. Avoid using your smartphone, watching TV, or consuming caffeine or alcohol before going to bed, as these will reduce the quality of your sleep.  Instead, find another way to relax, perhaps by taking a bath before bed, or doing whatever is it you like to do to relax. It's important to live a stress-free life. Perhaps this is an opportunity to reflect on and improve your daily habits.

【Fukuoka Budokan】

This month, the relocated Fukuoka Budokan has newly opened at Higashi Park in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City.

The Fukuoka Budokan is a martial arts center managed by Fukuoka Prefecture. It hosts martial arts competitions such as judo, kendo, kyudo, and sumo, as well as police training exercises. It also serves as a hub for promoting sports among the public. The facility was originally located near Ohori Park in Chuo Ward but has now relocated due to the reconstruction of the Fukuoka Prefectural Art Museum. The new Budokan has opened on the west side of the Fukuoka Citizens’ Gymnasium.

The new building has one basement floor and four above-ground floors. The first floor houses a sumo ring. On the second floor, there are four indoor judo and kendo courts, which were previously outdoors. The fourth floor has a kyudo (Japanese archery) range. Additionally, the basement level now features a newly built gymnasium the size of one basketball court.

Designed as a space that “connects martial arts and Fukuoka’s culture,” the building features a design inspired by the spirit of Japanese martial arts, with an exterior patterned after Hakata-ori (traditional Hakata weaving) to reflect the essence of Fukuoka. Inside, traditional crafts from Fukuoka Prefecture are on display. The facility is also environmentally friendly, with solar panels and the use of local Fukuoka wood for interior walls and seating.

Managed under the jurisdiction of the Fukuoka Prefectural Police, the Fukuoka Budokan is open to the public outside of scheduled police training times. Reservations can be made at the front desk.

Whether you are already familiar with martial arts or completely new to them, come visit the newly reborn Fukuoka Budokan and experience its charm for yourself.

【Fukuoka City Information】

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 from  doing too much in the kitchen. 

If you feel unwell and need to visit a hospital, Fukuoka City provides access to a Medical Interpretation Call Center. This service can help you communicate with doctors during consultations and also assist when receiving medication at hospitals or pharmacies.

If you're not sure which medical facility you should go to, you can also call for advice on where to seek care.

The phone number is (092-733-5429).

The service is available 24 hours a day, every day, and supports 20 different languages, so please don’t hesitate to call if you need help.

【Guest Interview】

➖Ikarah Woodvine➖

Fukuoka Woman's University international students from England

instagram:@ikarahswoodvine

https://www.instagram.com/ikarahswoodvine/

【Street Piano】

In recent years, more and more street pianos have been installed in towns, including at train stations and public facilities, allowing anyone to play freely. Street pianos offer the joy of making music, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player. In Fukuoka City as well, there is a street piano on the first floor of Solaria Plaza in Tenjin, where the LOVE FM studio is located. Additionally, in Bayside Place Hakata in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka’s first grand piano has been installed in front of a large aquarium. It’s a popular photo spot where you can perform with around 3,000 fish swimming in the background.

And this week, a street piano that was exhibited at the 2025 Japan International Expo (Osaka-Kansai Expo) is coming to Fukuoka. The piano is decorated with designs including the official Expo character "Myakumyaku," and will be on special display at Yamaha Music Fukuoka starting this week on the 17th.

Yamaha Music Fukuoka is located on the first basement floor of ACROS Fukuoka in Fukuoka City. The display period is from Saturday the 17th to Monday the 26th of this month. Store hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., but please note that the store is closed on Tuesdays.

This street piano was displayed at the Osaka-Kansai Expo from September to October 2025. As a special model featuring Expo visuals such as Myakumyaku, it is now on tour in five cities across Japan due to popular demand. Fukuoka is the third stop on the tour. During the display period, anyone is free to play it and enjoy the special upright piano in the heart of Tenjin. It’s a rare opportunity to see and play a designer piano that was only viewable at the Expo.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Student Recruitment for Fukuoka Kibou Junior High School

Do you know about Fukuoka Kibou Junior High School ?

Fukuoka Kibou Junior High School is a public night school created by Fukuoka City for individuals who couldn’t complete compulsory education due to various circumstances, including truancy. Enrollment is open regardless of nationality.

The school offers all the subjects taught in daytime junior high schools, and for those concerned about their Japanese skills, Japanese language teachers provide instruction from basic levels. Graduates receive an official junior high school diploma.

Classes are held from 5:50 PM to 9:15 PM on weekdays on the 4th floor of the Fukuoka City Education Center in Momochi, Sawara Ward. It’s conveniently located, just a 10-minute walk from the subway and bus terminal, and tuition and textbooks are free.

Fukuoka Kibou Junior High School is now accepting applications for students who wish to enroll. If you’re interested in applying, please contact the school by January 30^th, via phone or email. The phone number is (092-400-0751). You can call on weekdays between 2:00 PM and 9:15 PM.

You can find the school's website by searching for "Fukuoka Kibou Junior High School Student Recruitment." They are happy to take any questions or give advice as needed.

The email address is provided on the school’s website so feel free to send questions or inquiries via email.