Daily life
在留カード / Zairyū card
zai-ryoo KAA-do
Your residence card, issued at the airport on arrival for medium and long-term stays. You must carry it at all times — police can and do ask.
住民登録 / Jūmin tōroku
joo-min TOH-roku
Ward registration, required within fourteen days of moving in. Fukuoka has seven wards and it must be the right one. Everything else waits on this.
マイナンバー / My Number
mai-NAN-baa
Your individual number for tax and social security, issued after ward registration. Now doubles as your health insurance card.
礼金 / Reikin
RAY-kin
'Key money' — a non-refundable gift to the landlord. Fukuoka has more zero-reikin stock than Tokyo or Osaka, but never assume it.
住民税 / Jūminzei
joo-min-ZAY
Residence tax, calculated on last year's income and billed the following June. Cheap in year one, expensive in year two, and it follows you out of the country.
黄砂 / Kōsa
KOH-sa
Yellow dust blown across from the Asian mainland, worst in spring. Kyushu gets it first and hardest, and forecasts are on the evening news.
Culture
屋台 / Yatai
ya-TAI
The open-air food stalls that appear along Nakasu and Tenjin at dusk. Fukuoka holds most of the ones left in Japan and licences them by public tender.
替え玉 / Kaedama
ka-e-DA-ma
A second helping of noodles added to the broth you already have. Say it before you finish the first, and say it firmly — this is Hakata ramen's home.
Food
とんこつ / Tonkotsu
ton-KO-tsu
The cloudy pork bone broth invented in this city. Ordering it here is not a preference, it is the default.
Social
博多弁 / Hakata-ben
ha-ka-ta-BEN
The local dialect — softer than Kansai, with '〜と?' for questions and '〜ばい' for emphasis. Widely considered one of the most charming in Japan.
Emergency
110 / 119
—
110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both free from any phone.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.