Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Baby Stations】
For the new parents out there who are worried about taking your babies out with you on a day out in the city, this information is some great news for you. Fukuoka City has a variety of "baby stations," or "akachan no eki" , located throughout the city, where you can breastfeed and change diapers which makes outings with infants a whole lot easier.

The symbol for these facilities is an illustration of a pink baby's face. To find out where these facilities are located, you just need to access Fukuoka City's official LINE account.
Simply by sending your location information, you can find a nearby "Baby Station," . Talk about convenient!

With an infant in tow, you may be a little hesitant to go out because you are worried about breastfeeding, diaper changing and everything else that goes with taking care of a baby, so make good use of these baby stations and enjoy your shopping, dining or sightseeing day out in the city.

【Fukuoka City Information】

Light vehicle tax

Now I have some information from Fukuoka City about the Light Vehicle Tax.

People who are in possession of a motorized bike or a light vehicle, as of April 1^st, must pay a light vehicle tax.

If you do have a motorized bike or light vehicle, you will receive a tax payment notification in the post, so make sure you take a look inside. Payment is due by the 31^st of May and you can make your payment at a convenience store, bank or post office.

If you do not pay your taxes, like the light vehicle taxes, you may run into difficulties when it comes time to renew your residency visa  and you may face having your assets seized.

If there is anything you don't understand or if you are finding it difficult to pay your tax, please contact your ward office for consultation. If you contact them by phone for consultation, 18 different languages are supported. That phone number is 092-753-6113. This phone number will connect to the Multilingual Interpretation Center. After registering with them, you will be connected to your ward office. When you call, make sure that you tell them which language you need to use, the ward in which you live and that you are calling in regards to paying your taxes.

Bicycle parking manners

For those of you who commute by bicycle, this is important information for you. There are a lot of us who get around the city by bicycle and it's important to make sure that we are parking in designated bicycle parking areas.

Bicycles parked in areas other than bicycle parking lots, like on the street or in public parks are considered an obstruction to pedestrians or even a nuisance, and are therefore subject to removal under the assumption that they are abandoned bicycles.
Fukuoka City charges a fee of 2,500 yen to return a bicycle that has been removed, and if the bicycles are not picked up within a certain period of time, they will be discarded.
There are bicycle parking lots near shopping centers and stations that offer free parking for set periods of time, so even though it might seem like a hassle, make use of them because it's a lot better than paying money to get your bicycle back from bike jail!