Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Subway Nanakuma Line Tenjin-Minami - Hakata Extension Opens!】

Fukuoka City boasts some of the most convenient public transport access in Japan, with its proximity to the airport and the city center, trains and subways running from east to west and north to south, and numerous bus routes. Now, the city is even more convenient with the addition of another subway line connecting Tenjin and Hakata!

A new station called "Kushida Jinja-mae" was opened between "Tenjin Minami" and "Hakata" stations, and you can now get to shopping mall "Canal City Hakata" in about 2 to 3 minutes on foot from the nearest subway station, whereas it used to take about 8 to 10 minutes!

Definitely take advantage of the spring weather and the very convenient public transportation here in the city to go out and discover the many charms of Fukuoka City.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Bicycle Manners

I guess like me, many of you probably ride bicycles on a regular basis.

If you are new here, do you know the rules and manners around riding bicycles here in Japan?
 
In Japan, bicycles, as a rule, are supposed to ride on the left side of the roadway.
Pedestrians have priority on sidewalks, so when riding on sidewalks, please ride slowly on the side of the road.
All bicyclists should wear helmets and you need to make sure you have a bicycle light to turn on at night. 
Riding two on a bicycle or riding side by side is prohibited. It is also important to never drink alcohol and then ride a bicycle.

One more thing is to make sure you don't ride a bicycle while holding an umbrella, using a cell phone or even listening to headphones as doing any of these things while riding is dangerous. 

If you need to park your bicycle, make sure it is parked in a bicycle parking lot.
Bicycles parked in areas other than bicycle parking lots, like on streets or in parks , are considered to be obstructive or a nuisance to pedestrians and end up being considered abandoned bicycles and can be subject to removal.
　 Fukuoka City charges a fee of 2,500 yen to have a removed bicycle returned, and if it is not picked up within a certain period of time, it will be discarded.
Fortunately, to keep your bicycle safe, there are a number of parking areas near shopping malls and stations that offer free parking for a set period of time.

Another thing to know about cycling here is that, anyone who rides a bicycle in Fukuoka City must purchase bicycle insurance.
If you have an accident on your bicycle, you may have to pay a lot of money to the other party involved in the accident. If you have bicycle insurance, for example, if you injure someone while riding your bicycle, the insurance will pay for medical treatment and other expenses instead of you. So, make sure you have bicycle insurance in case of an accident.

Bicycles are a great way to get around and are environmentally friendly, but it's important to know the rules and manners as well to have a safe ride around the city!