Life in Fukuoka "English"

【The Kyushu Sumo Tournament】

Well, it's time of year again...what time of year you say? The time of year in which you may see sumo wrestlers in yukata, around the city. That's right, the Ozumo Kyushu Basho is back. Have you ever seen a sumo match live?

Well, from the 14^th to the 28^th of November, you might have a chance. The Ozumo Kyushu Basho or Kyushu Sumo Tournament will be held during that time at the Fukuoka International Center. It's been two years since the last Kyushu Basho due it being cancelled because of the pandemic.

Many of the Sumo wrestlers you may spot around town are still minor but in the future, many of them will become famous. The sumo whose names are often mentioned on TV and in newspapers don't often appear in public, as they are quite popular.

You can get tickets to see the sumo matches for only 2000 yen for the cheapest seats, but be prepared to line up from first thing in the morning to get those tickets. The best seats in the house, called Tamari, are about 20,000 yen per person. It's a sumo fan's dream to watch a match from a Tamari seat at least once in their life. As it's been two years since the last Kyushu Basho, there is no doubt that this year's event is going to be exhilarating. It's been about 10 years since I last went so I'm definitely thinking about going this year.

【Autumn's National Fire Prevention Campaign】

Now I have some information from Fukuoka City. This year, November 9^th to 15^th is the Autumn National Fire Prevention Campaign week. As we move from Autumn to Winter, the air becomes drier and incidents involving fires increase. In Fukuoka City last year, there were 261 incidents! The main causes of incidents involving fires include cigarettes, gas burners and home heaters.

Some concrete examples of the incidents that might occur are when clothes hanging to dry or curtains are near a gas heater catch fire, or when your futon or blanket is too close to the gas heater and, while you are sleeping, catch fire. It's really dangerous to put things that might be flammable near a gas heater. Also, don't forget to switch off the gas heater when it's not in use.

You've also got to be careful with those little gas burners. When it gets cold, and you want to make a nabe or hot pot at the table, the gas burner often comes out. And when you do use it, make sure you're far enough away from anything flammable, like curtains or blankets.

Finally, be careful of starting fires with cigarettes. This should go without saying but do not smoke while in bed and don't let your cigarette butts just pile up. Make sure you put your cigarette out completely when you are done smoking.

Also, check that the smoke alarm in your house is working and that your fire extinguisher is up to date every now and again. It's important to practice fire safety every day.

【Nice Teeth Day】

One more announcement for you. November 7^th and 8^th are Iina, Iiha day. It's a bit of word play with the sounds of the month and days and basically it means 'ahh, lucky you, nice teeth' day. So what's happening on these days? They are a reminder for everyone to take care of those handy, dandy chompers we have in our mouth that let us bite down on and chew the food we love so easily. Of course, to keep our mouths healthy, it's important to brush our teeth every day to keep our mouths clean. In addition, regular checkups for cleaning, cavities and other oral diseases are something to get done to make sure you can keep your teeth healthy for years to come.

Fukuoka City wants to help its residents out with that with milestone dental examinations. Residents who have celebrated their 35^th, 40^th, 50^th or 60^th birthday between April 1^st to March 31^st of the following year can go for a dental and gum examination for only 700 yen. For residents who have turned 70 during that period, the examination is free. In addition, women who are expecting can receive a free prenatal and postnatal dental exam once during pregnancy and once within one year after childbirth.

You can get advice on how to brush your teeth better and also check if you're missing any spots when you go for your exam. It's important to know if you are missing spots, as you want to keep your teeth as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Take this time to look back on your eating habits and oral care, is there anything else you should be doing?