Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Mount Fuji】

Did you know that this Friday , February 23, is Fuji San no Hi, or Mount Fuji Day. The day comes from the
word play of the date 2-2-3 in Japanese. Have you ever seen Mt. Fuji? When it comes to mountains in Japan,
Mount Fuji is the first to come to mind. It's the tallest mountain in Japan, standing at 3,776 meters tall. It's an
active volcano that continues to show volcanic activity.
It is located between Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, with Yamanashi Prefecture on the north side of
the mountain and Shizuoka Prefecture on the south side. Interestingly, the exact location of the summit isn't
defined by prefectural borders; it's considered to be neither Yamanashi nor Shizuoka. However, there is a post
office at the summit, and its address is listed in Shizuoka Prefecture. Additionally, there's a shrine where you
can hold wedding ceremonies. Moreover, it's the birthplace of skiing in Japan, so you can also enjoy skiing
there.
For those who have visited Japanese public baths, you might have seen depictions of Mount Fuji on the walls.
Mount Fuji is often portrayed on the walls of Japanese public bathhouses. It's also a symbol used in Japanese
poetry, literature, and even on currency notes. It's globally admired for its symmetrically beautiful cone shape,
which is rare, and it's registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I've actually climbed Mount Fuji once, in 2010 at the end of July. It was a perfect day for it. My friends and I
spent the night in one of the lodges at the 8th station and woke up in the middle of the night to finish our climb
to the top to see the sunrise from the peak. It was a wonderful experience. I also went on a trip, about 4 years
ago, around Shizuoka and Yamanashi to see different views of the mountain. Unfortunately, for most of the
trip, it was cloudy, but we did finally get to see it at the end of our trip and with an umbrella cloud. Hopefully, I'll
be able to climb it again someday soon!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Filing City and Prefectural Taxes
Well, moving on from that, now I've got some information from Fukuoka City about filing taxes. I'm pretty sure
that most of you have received your tax forms to file in Reiwa 6, they were sent by post from Fukuoka City.
The deadline for filing is Friday, March 15th. The tax department of the ward office will accept your tax return
from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, however the counters there may be crowded so please send your tax returns
by mail or by internet.
Those who are required to file Fukuoka City taxes include anyone who has lived in Fukuoka City since the first
of January 2024 and had income in 2023. Those who submitted a final tax declaration to the tax authorities or
those who only received a salaried income whose company filed year end adjustments do not need to file a
tax return.
When filing, you need your My Number card or a document that shows your number and a driver's license,
passport or resident card to show proof of identity.
Documents, such as withholding slips that show your income from 2023 and any documents for deductions
made during 2023 are also necessary.
For information on what documents are needed and anything else about filing your taxes, please visit your
local ward offices website. If there is anything that you don't understand, please use the telephone translation
hotline to call the ward offices. The hotline supports 18 languages including English , Chinese, Korean,
Vietnamese and Nepali. The number is 092-753-6113. 
That phone number is for a interpretation center, so after speaking to a representative you will be connected
to your local ward office. Make sure you tell them which ward you live in and that you want help with filing
taxes. If you go to your ward office in person, you can also use your phone and this service to help you with
interpretation, so don't hesitate to use it!