Life in Fukuoka "English"

【The End of Year Big Cleanup】

There's only just a bit of 2023 left, how time flies. And at the end of the year just before the new year, in Japan, many people typically do a big, thorough house cleaning. It's called “O-souji” in Japanese. 

Originally stemming from ancient Shinto rituals in Japan, many people still practice this custom with the intention of cleaning away the dirt of the past year from their homes, workplaces, and places they are grateful for, to welcome the new year in a clean and refreshed state.

As December begins, it is common for people to plan and gradually complete the cleaning by the end of the year, taking into consideration how much time they have and where they need to clean. Though, in reality, it often becomes a bit hectic, especially after Christmas. It seems it is considered unlucky to do your cleaning on the 29th, 31st of December, and the 1st of January. So, you shouldn't do any major cleaning or New Year's preparations on those specific days, and make sure you plan to clean before then. We don't want to be superstitious, but maybe knowing and respecting these customs is a good idea just in case.

Doing household chores, especially ones that require a lot of water or washing, can become a bit of a pain during this period. I'm sure all of us are pretty busy this time of the year with plans, work and other events all overlapping on our calendars as we wrap up this year, but we've still got a few weeks before the year ends. Just doing a bit every day will get your house clean before the year ends and will let you enjoy a leisurely and pleasant start to the New Year. So make that effort now and spend the year-end and New Year's feeling relaxed and positive!

【Fukuoka City Information】

official LINE account

The Fukuoka City International Foundation does have an official LINE account.

If you connect with the Foundation's official LINE account, you can make an appointment for consultations on daily life or free professional consultation using the LINE call feature. Telephone consultations are available in 22 languages, so please feel free to contact them. In addition, the Voom function of LINE is used to send out information on the Foundation's events and announcements from Fukuoka City. Please add the Foundation's official LINE account to your friends' list from the Fukuoka City International Foundation website. The foundation will not accept consultations via LINE talk, but you can use the inquiry form on the foundation's website. So if you want advice via text rather than calling, use that form on the homepage.

 End of year information

Also, the Fukuoka City International Foundation will be closed for a period of 6 days, from Friday, December 29th  to Wednesday, January 3rd . It will reopen on Thursday, January 4th 2024 at 9 am.

The first session in 2024 for the free legal advice service for foreigners will be on Saturday, January 6th.  You do need an appointment before you go, so please call to make an appointment as soon as you can. 

For consultations with a gyousei-shoshi, or administrative lawyer, reservations are not necessary. The first day available in 2024 for that is Sunday, January 14th. 

For more information please call 092-262-1799. The call is free to make. You can also check the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website for information.

The Fukuoka City International Foundation will continue being an

antenna to gather and provide a wealth of information and support to you, the foreign

residents of Fukuoka, in order to make life here in the city even more comfortable, so feel free to use their services!