Life in Fukuoka "English"

【The Long Holiday】

Every year in Japan, at the end of April and into the beginning of May, we've got a handful of national holidays that translates into a long holiday for all of us, often referred to as Golden Week. During this time, there are usually festivals and events held all across Japan, however due to Covid-19, many of these events have been cancelled or are on a much smaller scale than before. I imagine many people will be enjoying online events and travel this year though. Golden Week starts with Showa Day on the 29th of April. What do you have planned this year? A bit of a stay-cation at home perhaps? Or maybe visiting some hot spots in your area? I'm hoping to see some of the wisteria around Fukuoka. The Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden has become famous thanks to its beautiful wisteria tunnel, but here in the city there are a couple of places that are just a stone's throw away, like the wisteria near the Fukuoka Castle ruins, or in Futsukaichi at Buzoji Temple. They're cycle-able places, so that's probably where you see me over the holiday! On my bicycle, searching for wisteria and enjoying the hopefully great weather!

【The Volunteer Bank to Support Foreigners】

Now, we have some information from Fukuoka City. From April, the Fukuoka City International Foundation has started a Volunteer Bank to Support Foreigners. Those who want to help the international residents of Fukuoka, by using their language skills, can register with the Volunteer Bank under the following categories: translation or interpretation, international exchange and assistance in case of disaster.

Currently, the Volunteer Bank is looking for participants. Participants will help interpret Administrative Scrivener Consultant meetings and translate posters as well as provide online support to people who don't understand Japanese and are having troubles. Other activities might include helping local civic centers with planning and setting up international exchange events or festivals and supporting interpreters during disasters as well as helping to give translation  and interpretation at disaster drills. 

To be a volunteer, you must be over 18 years old and live in the greater Fukuoka area. You must be proficient in Japanese and on one other language, at least above a daily conversation level. And you must be able to set aside enough time to participate in the volunteer activities. Your nationality does not matter.

This is for those who feel like they want to help with international exchange and build their language skills. Your efforts will promote mutual understanding and international exchange between Japanese and foreign residents, leading to a safe and secure life together.

If you are interested, please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website or give the foundation a call. They are waiting to hear from you!

I have another announcement here for those of you who are struggling with letters from school because you can't understand Japanese. At the Fukuoka City International Foundation, another language support program called “Tutor Program” has been started. The “Tutor Program” is a one on one service that will match you with a tutor that you can contact online. You'll be able to ask this tutor to give you simple translations of letter and other documents as well as get advice on daily living.

If you are a foreign resident of Fukuoka City and think you will be able to communicate with a tutor online, then you are eligible for the program. Please visit the Fukuoka City International Foundation's website or call the Foundation for more information.

The phone number for the Fukuoka City International Foundation is 092-262-1799. Again, that number is 092-262-1799. You can call anytime from 8:45 am to 6pm. Feel free to contact the Foundation with any questions you have!

【Tulips-The Spring Flower】

When you think of spring, what flower comes to mind? There are quite a few but maybe the one that really represents the season is the tulip. The leaves and petals are simple but beautiful and that's maybe why it's one of the most popular bulb plants in the world. Countless varieties have been bred, over 5000 are officially registered, and at present about 1000 varieties are grown around the world. White, red, pink and yellow, there are so many colors to admire as you look at these wonderful flowers.

In flower language, generally tulips mean “compassion”, however each individual color has its own meaning as well. In Japan, bulbs brought back from from France around the end of the Edo period are considered to be the introduction of the flower here. Around Fukuoka City and in Kego park, you'll find a variety of tulips blooming. If you find one, get a picture, eh!

【Garbage rules】

I guess there are quite a few people starting a new life in Fukuoka City this season so I have some important information from Fukuoka City on rules when putting out the garbage.

In Fukuoka City, garbage is divided into three categories: Burnable, non-burnable and empty glass and pet bottles. You can buy the designated Fukuoka City garbage bags for each category at convenience stores and supermarkets. 

The red bag is for burnable garbage. Use this bag when throwing away things like food scraps, paper cuttings, clothes, and plastic. The blue bag is for non-burnable garbage. Things like empty cans and glass would go in this bag to be thrown away. Finally, the yellow bag is for empty glass bottles and pet bottles.

Garbage pick up days where you live are on decided days. Burnable garbage is picked up twice a week and non-burnable and glass and pet bottles are collected once a month. You can put out your garbage after sunset until midnight on your garbage pickup day in the designated spot for your residence.

If you add Fukuoka City's official LINE account to your friend list, and register your location, you'll receive a notification on your garbage collection days. You can also look up which category something you want to throw away belongs to with this account. You only need to enter the name of your garbage.

If your garbage is too big to fit or too heavy for the garbage bag, you will need to throw it away as oversized garbage. For this kind of garbage, you need to contact the Fukuoka City Oversized Garbage Center by phone, internet or LINE to arrange to have the item collected. In this case, there is a fee and a specific day and location for pick up so make sure you check all of that before throwing any oversized garbage away.

The phone number for the Oversized Garbage Center is 092-731-1153, again that is 092-731-1153. The center can give assistance in 18 different languages.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】
And once again we are asking everyone to continue practicing basic infection prevention measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations.

【New Beginnings & DJ Introductions】

It's April now and I wonder if you know the wamei, or Japanese name for the month. Although we might think it's shi-gatsu, actually, it has another name and that's Uzuki with the kanji for rabbit in it. I guess rabbits kind of signal spring, at least if you think of Easter, which I talked about last week. Anyway, April is when school and company entrance ceremonies take place and it's also the time of the year when we think about new beginnings in our life. So, speaking of new starts in this season, let me begin with introducing myself again! My name is Colleen Mathieu and I have worked with LOVE FM for over 10 years now. My regular program is on Saturday mornings from 8am to 10 am and it's called Earth Feeling. It's a really chilled out morning program with pretty relaxing music to help you get the weekend started. Tune in when you have the chance! I've lived in Fukuoka for 16 years now, it's become my second hometown after Detroit, Michigan in the USA where I'm originally from. Some of my favorite things about Fukuoka is the Hakata dish, goma saba which is raw mackeral in a sesame sauce, taking walks around Ohori Park, and just how convenient the city is to get around, especially on a bicycle. Two things that surprised me when I came to Fukuoka was first, how cold the houses are in the winter. I'm from Michigan but maybe because we have central heating you never feel so cold inside! The second was how empty many of the beaches were in May and June, even on hot days. In Michigan, if the temperature was high enough, even if the water in the lakes was freezing cold, you'd see people at the beach! Maybe it's just Michiganders? What do my fellow English speakers do on those days?

Well, that's just a little bit about me and I want to say thank for listening over the last year and I hope you'll continue to tune in every week for this short program!

As we all enter this new season and possibly new environments, I'm sure there are some who haven't quite got the hang of things and might feel stressed or nervous, so make sure you get plenty of rest and relaxation on your days off. This month will be a full month, but make it fun and enriching. After all, even with all the work we might need to do, we've got Golden Week at the end of it to look forward to!

【Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents】

Next, I have some information from Fukuoka City. If there's anything that you are worried about or if you want some advice on, the Fukuoka City Consultation Support Center for Foreign Residents is here to support you. This support center can give information on, as well as introduce the appropriate contacts, for things related to general life here such as residency procedures, employment, medical care, welfare, childbirth, child-rearing and child education. The phone number for the center is 092-262-1799. Again, that number is 092-262-1799. The center is open from 8:45am to 6pm on weekdays but is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays and for the New Year's holiday period. If you  call, help is available in 19 different languages. So as you start your new life here, if you have any worries or something you don't understand, don't hesitate to call.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

We've still got to be careful , so once again, we are asking everyone to continue practicing basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations. 

【Pro-Baseball】

Well, the topic up to bat today is Pro-Baseball! Have you ever watched a game here in Japan? Baseball is a really popular sport in Japan and Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League, each of which has 6 teams. They play to win, of course, and work to become number one in their league. The final showdown is when the top team from each league plays to be the number one team in Japan.

Fukuoka City's home team, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks are part of the Pacific League and their stadium is Fukuoka PayPay Dome. The Hawks are a strong team and this year are hoping to keep their position as the number one team in Japan for the 5^th year in a row. The season starts in just a few days on Friday, March 26^th this year, so if you've got the chance, why not catch a game!

I guess I could say I'm a supporter of the Hawks, seeing as how Fukuoka has become my second home. I mentioned way back that I'm from Detroit and, of course, support that team. Baseball fans, do you know which team belongs to Detroit? If you said the Detroit Tigers, you are correct!

【Citizen's Disaster Prevention Day】

Now I have some information from Fukuoka City.

On March 20^th, 2005, the Fukuoka Prefecture Western offshore earthquake hit Fukuoka City. And so that people would not forget what happened on that day, March 20^th became Citizens' Disaster Prevention Day. We never know when a disaster might strike and it's up to each and every one of us to prepare on a daily basis so that we can take appropriate action and protect ourselves for when something does happen.

If you look at Fukuoka City's homepage, you can check hazard maps and get information on disaster prevention and what you should take with you if you need to evacuate. If you check Support for Foreign residents, you'll find disaster prevention information for foreign residents so make sure you check that important information regularly. Citizens' Disaster Prevention Day is an opportunity to think again about disaster prevention for the safety of our ourselves, our families and the community.

【Special Weekend Open Hours at Ward Offices】

As March and April are busy months for moving house, consultation desks at the ward offices tend to get crowded. Therefore, on Sunday, March 28^th and Sunday, April 4^th, ward offices will be temporarily opened to allow those who are too busy during the week to submit their notifications of moving in or moving out. On those days, moving in or moving out notifications and other paperwork related to moving house will be accepted between 10 am and 2pm.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

And once again, we are asking everyone to continue practicing basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations.

【Spring Storm Warning】

Although spring has a calm and gentle image, the weather can be rather unstable. In the US we often say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb because the weather can really come roaring in some days, so be ready for sudden changes in the weather. When the cold air from the North and the warm air from the South crash into each other, we get low atmospheric pressure causing these “Haru no Arashi” or May Storms in English. Typhoon-like blasts of wind and storms, blizzards and high waves on the coast can occur during this time. So make sure you keep up with weather reports and try to avoid going out when it seems like the weather is going to take a turn for the worse. Also, prepare yourself for these storms and violent winds in the same way you'd do typhoon prep. It's always better to be safe than sorry! And don't forget, as Spring approaches, there's often a huge gap between the morning and evening temperatures so dress appropriately!

【Garbage from moving house】

Also with Spring comes moving season and it tends to be a time when we see a lot more oversized garbage like furniture and home appliances put out. So, today, I've got some information to share from Fukuoka City on how to dispose of that oversized garbage.

The first way to do it is by applying for pickup with the Oversized Garbage Disposal Call Center. First, contact them by phone or by internet, or even through the Official Fukuoka City Line Account, to put in your application and then purchase the appropriate oversized garbage disposal ticket.

The garbage pickup day will be roughly one week after you apply.

You must put out the garbage by 8:30am on the collection day in the designated spot.

The phone number for the Oversized Garbage Disposal Call Center is 092-731-1153. Again, that number is 092-731-1153.

If you apply via the internet or Line, you can do so at your convenience, 24 hours a day.

The second way is to take your oversized garbage to a processing facility yourself. First, apply before going by phone or on the internet, and then take your garbage to the facility. The handling cost is 140 yen for every 10 kilograms. To contact the Carry-in Garbage Call Center, please call 092-433-8234. Again, that is 092-433-8234.

For TV's, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, clothes dryers and air conditioners, according to the home appliance recycling law, there are specific guidelines for disposal.

You can have the old appliance removed by the firm installing the new one or you can contact the store where you originally bought the appliance. You can also contact the Best Denki or Yamada Denki in your city about disposal. Recycling fees as well as fees for collection and transport will be required.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

And once again we are asking everyone to continue to practice basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations. 

【Sakura-mochi-Cherry blossom rice cakes】

This morning we're starting off with something pretty yummy and that's sakura mochi or cherry blossom rice cakes, THE Japanese sweet of spring.

It seems that sakura-mochi can be spread into two main categories. There is the Kanto style Chou-mei-ji and the Kansai stayle Dou-myo-ji. Both of them are simply called sakura-mochi but when they need to be differentiated, they're called by the names chou-mei-ji and dou-myo-ji. So what's the difference? Well, chou-mei-ji uses flour to make a dough that is baked. Sweet bean paste is wrapped in it and you get a crepe like sweet in this style. In the case of dou-myo-ji, mochi rice is used to make manju, which looks like a bun. Both are wrapped in salted pickled sakura leaves. They're sweet with a little salty kick and absolutely delicious. Although, if you eat the leaf or not, is really up to you! I'm a fan of the salty pickled leaf, but then again I'm more of a savory than sweet kind of person.

【The earlier the better-House moving procedures】

Alright, now I've got some information from Fukuoka City for you.

Every year at the end of March, the consultation desks at the city ward offices get busy with people wrapping things up for the fiscal year and so the city asks that if you are moving, to come in as soon as you can to get your house moving procedures wrapped up.

If you are moving out of Fukuoka City, you need to submit a notification of your move by the day you move out. The city will then issue a “moving-out” certificate which you'll need to show at the municipal office of your new address. If you are moving to another address within Fukuoka City, you do not need to submit a “moving-out” notification but you do need to submit a “moving-in” certificate to your local ward office within 14 days of your move.

The ward offices have a convenient online reservation system that you can use for these moving procedures. Just make a reservation from your phone or computer, at least 5 business days in advance. You put in the change of address and the date you want to go in to get things done and when you arrive at the ward office to complete your moving procedures, your time at the consultation desk will go quicker and smoother.

You can see what documents or information you need to bring with you if you just check Fukuoka City's official Line account. Two things you shouldn't forget are your residence and my number cards.  You can also check how busy the consultation desk is through that Line account so take advantage of it!

And one more thing. When you move, you have to arrange to have your water turned on or turned off yourself. To get that done, you need to notify the waterworks bureau at least 4 business days in advance of the day you move. You can do that by phone by calling 092-532-1010. Again that phone number is 092-532-1010. The website says they support a number of languages. You can also take care of it via the internet but you need to do that 5 business days in advance of your move. Just type in “Fukuoka shi suido kyoku” in hiragana in your search engine.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

We've still got to be careful , so once again, we are asking everyone to continue to practice basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations.

【Talking about “Usui” or “Rain Water”】

So, of the Niju shi sekki or the 24 solar divisions of the old calendar that we've mentioned on this show before, this time we have Usui which literally means rain water but is the time when the temperature starts to rise and the snows changes to rain. This year, the Usui division started on the 18^th of this month. The melting snow flows into fields and plains and you can finally start to hear the sounds of spring pitter-pattering in and from long ago to even now, the season is used as a guideline for when to start farming.

It's when this season begins that river otters go to catch fish in the rivers where the ice has melted. They catch the fish in their mouths and deposit them on the shores so they can continue fishing. The way they line up their catch on the shore looks like the way food offerings are lined up during a festival to remember ancestors and as such, this habit of the otters has come to be called Dassai which basically translates as Otter Festival. The word is also used to describe a person who lines up a bunch of books side by side as they look things up. That couldn't be used to describe me at all, I guess. I'm the kind of person with books all around me scattered when I'm doing research....maybe I'm mecha kucha?

【A Japanese Study Website】

If you don't know what mecha kucha means, by the way, well, then this might be a great chance to brush up your Japanese and check out the Japanese study website set up by the Agency for Cultural Affairs “Tsunagaru, Hirogaru, Nihongo de no Kurashi” translated to  Connect and Enhance your life in Japanese.

This website is for foreign nationals living in Japan to learn the Japanese language in order to communicate in Japanese and be able to use it in daily life.

Currently, there are translations for 6 languages available on the site: Japanese, English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese. However, plans are to have translations for 14 different languages available by March 2022. There are levels from one to three and you can study at the level that suits you.

The lessons use videos to introduce the Japanese you can use in daily life situations. A few examples of the lessons on the site include “Going shopping”, “Going to the hospital”, “Using a delivery service” and “Going to a restaurant”.

While watching the videos, translations in the supported languages and romaji subtitles appear underneath the videos so you'll be able to understand the meaning as well as practice the pronunciation of the words. The full script of the video is also available.

You'll be able to learn the key words and phrases that appear in the videos. You'll see words that were related to each scene as well as useful information related to the situation. The basics of the Japanese language are also explained, including the characteristics of the language.

It's a great and convenient site that lets you easily study Japanese even if there are no Japanese classrooms nearby. Just search for “Tsunagaru, Hirogaru, Nihongo de no Kurashi” in hiragana or  Connect and Enhance your life in Japanese in English. Start with the situation that interests you the most to jump start your Japanese learning. You can also find the link to this page on the Fukuoka City Official website under Support for Foreign Residents page.

【Preventing the Spread of Covid19】

And once again we are asking everyone to continue to practice basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations.

【Valentine's Day】

So, as you know, Valentine's day falls on the 14^th of February every year. But do you know some of the stories behind it? Apparently, in 3^rd Century Rome, soldiers were banned from getting married. However, a priest, named Valentine, was secretly holding marriage ceremonies for them. Unfortunately, he was caught, charged and executed. And from this, it's said that Valentine's Day became a day to confess your love to the object of your affection. In Japan, on this day, it's become a bit of a custom to give out chocolates as in other countries around the world. However in Japan, the custom has it's unique points like the concept of Giri-Choko or “obligation chocolates” which are typically given to non-romantic relations like bosses or coworkers. Then there are Tomo-Choko or “friend chocolates” which might be exchanged among friends and the recently popular concept of Gohobi-Choko or “reward chocolates”, meaning you buy yourself some top-notch luxury chocolate to treat yourself! Cookies and macarons have become popular gifts as well in recent years. I hope you had a chance to treat yourself yesterday! If not, hit the shops today, you might get lucky and find a gorgeous box on discount. I won't lie, discounts after various holidays is my favorite time to stock up on things. I remember when I was in the US, picking up Valentine's cards for half price so that I'd be ready for the next year. It was pretty common to exchange little cards and candies at school, in fact, in elementary school, we often decorated paper lunch bags for Valentine's and taped them to our desks like little postboxes. Then during lunch, students would go around putting those cards and candies into the bags. It was always exciting to read everyone's messages and count how many candies I got.

【Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center】

Alright, well now I've got some information from Fukuoka City about help you can get if you need to see a doctor. In order to make it easier for international residents to visit the doctor, Fukuoka City has set up the Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center. The Call Center provides real time interpretation for when you are speaking to a doctor at the hospital or when you are picking up a prescription at a pharmacy. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The phone number for the Call Center is 092-733-5429. Again, that number is 092-733-5429. 18 different languages are available and while the service is free, telephone call charges may apply.

【Preventing the spread of Covid-19】

And once again we are asking everyone to continue to practice basic infection prevention measures to fight against the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, gargle and avoid the 3 Cs. That means you should avoid closed rooms with poor ventilation, try not to be in crowded places and avoid close contact conversations.