Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Umbrella Day】

So it seems that June 11^th is “Umbrella Day” or Kasa no Hi in Japan. It seems to be a reminder that June is when most of the country is hit by rainy season, so before it gets too wet, makes sure you've got a sturdy umbrella ready to handle the weather!

If you've got a good umbrella at home, do you know the right way to take care of it to make sure it lasts a good few years?

It's pretty simple for the most part. If you have to use your umbrella, after you get home, you should wipe it down to get most of the moisture off and then leave it open to dry in an area where you get some air flow. Although in the US, we have a superstition that it's bad luck to open an umbrella inside, it might actually be bad luck if you don't. The metal joints in the umbrella will rust if they stay wet and your umbrella won't last as long as it should.

I'm sure quite a few people have the clear umbrellas they sell at convenience stores, but as they all look exactly alike, it's pretty easy to accidentally take someone else's or have yours taken. To prevent that, put a sticker or some kind of charm on it. It's a pretty easy solution for a common problem.

By the way, if your umbrella does break, make sure you throw them out in the blue garbage bag. If the handle sticks out of the bag, it's fine. It's also okay if the cloth or vinyl is still on the frame when you throw it out.

If you get suddenly get caught in the rain without an umbrella, fear not, there's an umbrella share service in the city called I-KASA and you can get more information about that and how to sign up if you check out their website www.i-kasa.com. Good luck staying dry this rainy season.

【Information from Fukuoka City】

Covid-19 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.
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.
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 have also begun.
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.