Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Coffee Day】

Did you know that October the first was Coffee Day? I didn't know it and I love coffee. I'm ashamed of myself....
I'm definitely a daily coffee drinker, how about you?
Apparently, coffee first made its way to Nagasaki around 1640 as it was among the most prominent ports of the time. It's said that it was brought by a Dutch merchant who was stationed in Dejima, the only place in Japan that allowed international exchange as Japan had closed itself off from the rest of the world during the period of Sakoku.
However, at that time, only a limited number of people had the opportunity to drink coffee, including officials, merchants, interpreters and geisha as these were the only people who came into contact with the people on Dejima.
Fortunately, now, coffee isn't limited to such a small area or number of people! In recent years, quite a few research presentations have been given on the health benefits of coffee and a lot of this information has been picked up and shared by the media and SNS. You can find a lot of the information about it on the internet yourself, if you are interested in knowing how good your morning brew is for you.
I don't know about you, but after all this talk of coffee this morning, I'm starting to crave a cup and if you are too, you're in luck as Fukuoka city has a number of great coffee shops and cafes scattered throughout the city. There are even shops with baristas who have won world champion brewing competitions! Definitely check them out if you have a chance!We brew a lot at home, there's a whole drawer dedicated to coffee in my kitchen, but I do love getting out to good coffee shops as well!

【COVID-19 Vaccination information】

Now, I have some important information from Fukuoka City to share with you. I hope you have all received your vaccination notices from the city. In Fukuoka City, anyone over the age of 12 who is registered as living in the city should have received a COVID-19 vaccination notice in the mail. When you receive it, make sure that you have received both the vaccination tickets and the preliminary health check documents. If you have not yet received your notice, I will give you the phone number you should call a little later. Also, if the address you are at now is different from the address you registered with the city, make sure you go to your ward office to change that.

Once you have received your notice and made a reservation, you will be able to receive your vaccinations. You will receive 2 doses, 3 to 4 weeks apart. You can receive vaccinations at clinics in the area, at the mass vaccination centers in each ward or at the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center. If you choose to go to the Chuo Wharf Cruise Center, there is a free shuttle bus from Tenjin. There are also late night vaccinations available from 10pm to 8 am at the Fukuoka City Hospital.

If you are planning to get vaccinated, make sure you make your reservation in advance.
Please make sure you reserve a day and time before getting your vaccination.
If you can, make reservations for both your first and second vaccination doses on the special reservation website. If making a reservation online is too difficult, reservations can also be made by phone. In order to make a reservation, you must have the number that is printed on your inoculation ticket.

On the day of your vaccination, make sure you have 1 vaccination ticket and your preliminary exam sheet with you, as well as some kind of ID. The vaccination ticket is a sticker, so bring it as it is, on the sheet that it is attached to. DO NOT remove it from the sheet. You will use one preliminary exam sheet and one vaccination sticker at each appointment. So make sure you read the instruction manual before your appointment and fill in all necessary information in advance.
You will be given the vaccine in an area around your shoulder, so make sure you are wearing clothes that allow you to expose your shoulder area easily. Make sure you come wearing a mask.
The prepared number of vaccines must be used on the day, so unless you are feeling ill, please do not suddenly cancel your appointment.
After you receive your vaccination, a sticker will be placed on your vaccination sheet. This shows that you have been vaccinated and is an important document, so make sure you do not lose it.

For information on places that are doing inoculations and for the most up to date information from Fukuoka City, check the Fukuoka City homepage.
For more information about the vaccination program or to arrange for your envelope to be sent again, please 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, Chinese and Korean.

It will not cost anything to you to get vaccinated. You will not receive a bill for the vaccination. In addition, you will not get phone calls or emails asking for personal information. Please be careful, there have been suspicious phone calls and emails recently.