Life in Fukuoka "English"

【March's seasonal vegetable-Nira or Garlic Chives】
Now that we are in March, the days are getting warmer and warmer, but you may still find the evenings a bit chilly. That temperature gap can be a bit rough on the body since you might still be feeling a bit tired out from the cold of winter, so to keep yourself feeling good and strong, it's important that you eat lots of good seasonal foods with plenty of nutrients.
One of those foods happens to be Nira, the garlic chive, which is in season in March.
Allicin, the unique aroma component of garlic chives, is said to increase the absorption rate of vitamin B1 and convert sugar into energy.
One dish that happens to contain a lot of vitamin B1 and allicin is sauteed liver and nira. It is a kind of stamina food and is one way to boost your energy.
When you buy nira, it's good to remember that they are freshest when they are bright green all over, firm to the tips of the leaves and look fresh.
Make an active effort to take advantage of the foods of each season to boost your immune system.

【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 20^th and April 10^th 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 there are several weekend days when the offices are open for paperwork related to moving in or out of the city.

On Sunday the 26^th of March and Sunday the 2^nd of April, Fukuoka City ward offices and their branches will be temporarily opened from 10am to 2pm to take paperwork in regards to moving in or out of the city. 

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.
If you are moving from one place to another inside 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.

There is now an 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 have any questions, you can check with the ward office using a telephone interpreter.
The telephone number is 092-753-6113. Again, that phone number is 092-753-6113.
Tell them you are moving to Fukuoka City and would like to discuss moving procedures with the ward where you live.

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. Again, that number is 092-532-1010. Phone calls will be accepted in languages other than Japanese. This process can also be done online.

Garbage from Moving House

Also with Spring and the moving season, this time tends to be when we see a lot more oversized garbage, like furniture and home electronics. Fortunately, I have information on how to use the Oversized Garbage Disposal Center to get rid of all of that.

The first way to do it is by applying for pickup with the Oversized Garbage Disposal 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.

The garbage pickup day will be roughly one week after you apply.

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 Center is 092-731-1153. Again, that number is 092-731-1153.

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

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 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. 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.