Life in Fukuoka "English"

【ride-sharing】

Have you heard about the ride-sharing service that has started here in Fukuoka? It is a service where private drivers, under the management of a taxi company, use their own cars to transport passengers for a fee.
White license plate vehicles that contract with a taxi company are now allowed to operate commercially. Just like using a regular taxi, you can arrange a ride-share through a smartphone dispatch app, where you can choose between a regular taxi or a private car taxi.
The service area includes Fukuoka City and the surrounding municipalities within the Fukuoka transportation zone. The service is primarily available from evening to night. Since the private cars do not have meters, the fare is calculated in advance when you set the pick-up and drop-off locations, and you pay that fare as long as there are no significant route changes.
This service was introduced in Kanto and other areas in April, and it has finally started here in Fukuoka. It is expected to alleviate the chronic shortage of taxis, something that I've even heard people I know talking about. With the introduction of this service, we hope Fukuoka will become an even more livable city.
That was some information for you this week on the new ride-sharing scheme, so keep it in mind the next time you are out!

【Hakata Gion Yamakasa】

Now that it's nearly July, from next week, the big event in Fukuoka in July is the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival. Held from July 1 to 15, this is a traditional Hakata festival. Have you ever seen it? I've been nearly every year to see it and never get tired of it!
From the beginning of July, gorgeous and powerful "Kazariyama" which are towering, highly decorated kazariyama floats, some 10 meters high, are displayed in various places in Fukuoka City. This year, for the first time, a Kazariyama inspired by the Japanese anime "Gundam" has been created and will appear in the Kamikawabata Shopping Arcade.
On July 15, the last day of the festival, the finale, an event called "Oiyama" is held. It is the main highlight of the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. The approximately 5-km timed race starts at 4:59 a.m. from Kushida Shrine in Kamikawabata-machi, Hakata Ward, to the signal of a drum. Men carry the Yamakasa, which is about 3 meters high and weighs about 1 ton, on their shoulders and run out into the town, cheering and shouting. The course from Kushida Shrine, the starting point, to Susaki Town, the goal, attracts locals and tourists from outside of the prefecture, even before dawn. The Gundam Yamakasa will also participate in the race, by the way!
The "Hakata Gion Yamakasa" festival is such a significant early summer tradition that it is said, "Summer comes after Yamakasa." It is a festival created by the united efforts of the people of Hakata. Be sure to get up early and enjoy this vibrant celebration!