EST. 1994 ISSUE 159 August/September 2020 Edition Legend: Contents ity Life is a free English newsletter published every even month by the ☆ events International Division at the Sakai City Government to provide infor- C City Notices 2-3 mation to the residents of Sakai City. It is available at libraries, ward offic- ◆ exhibitions Events 4 es and other city facilities, or you can view it online at the Sakai City Gov- ※ important notices ernment English website. Don’t forget to also sign up for emails to know △ campaigns Puzzles 5 when each new edition is published! There is more information on the back ☺ child & healthcare page. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Ellen at the ○♣ Important Info 6 following email address: [email protected] environment help lines ☆Alphonse Mucha and Czech Republic Related Events Mucha was a Czech painter who was active in Paris towards the end of the 19th century as a representative artist of the Art Nouveau period. Sakai City is home to a world-famous collection of over 500 of his works. The collection was donated to the city by the family of Mr. Doi Kimio, the founder of a defunct camera retail store. His wife had fond memories of Sakai from when they spent their newly-wed period here. This year marks the 160th anniversary of Mucha’s birth and is also the 100th anniversary of exchange between Japan and the Czech Republic. In celebration, there will be special exhibitions of his work at different places around Sakai. Please check them out if you can! ◆Exhibition A: – 160th Birth Anniversary of Alphonse Mucha – Self portrait of Alphonse Place: Sakai Alphonse Mucha Museum Mucha 1888. From Nearest Station: Sakaishi Station (JR Hanwa Line) collection of Sakai Dates: First period: Until 13 September Mucha Museum Second period: 17 September to 8 November Time: 9:30~17:15 Closed: Monday (however closed the following day instead if a public holiday) and exhibition change days (15 & 16 September) Admission fee: Adult 510 yen Senior high/university student 310 yen Elementary and over 100 yen ☆Sakai Marché ◆Exhibition B: “My First Mucha” In collaboration with “My First Mucha” Place: Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko exhibition, there will be a marché (market) Nearest station: Sakai Station (Nankai themed after the homeland of Czech Line), Shukuin Station (Hankai Tramway painter Mucha! There will be a concert, Line) or Shukuin Bus Stop Czech beer, organic cosmetics, traditional Date: Until 10 August crafted goods and more. Time: 9:00~18:00 Date: Sunday 9 August Cost: Free (admission fee is required: Time: 11:00~16:00 Adult 300 yen, senior high school 200 Place: Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko yen, elementary and over 100 yen) *cancelled in case of bad weather ◆Exhibition: “Sakai Alphonse Mucha Museum Collection” Place: Sakai City Museum (near Mozu Station on the JR Hanwa Line) Date: Until 4 October Time: 9:30~17:15 (last entrance 16:30) Closed: Monday (however open if a public holiday) Admission fee: Adult 200 yen, senior high school/university student 100 yen, elementary and over 50 yen 1 August/September 2020 City Notices & Services ※Reminder about Special Cash ※2020 National Census ☆Beginners’ Japanese Lessons Payments The national census will take place from 1 Date: 4 September to 30 October, Have you applied for the Special Cash October this year. The national census is every Tuesday and Friday Benefits yet? The deadline is slowly conducted every five years according to the Time: 14:00~16:00 Statistics Law and is the most important approaching. Place: 6F Sakai International Plaza Applications must be postmarked by survey for the country. Various statistics August 31, meaning that the return can be collected and used as fundamental Eligibility: This course is for people envelopes must be placed inside a post- data for administrative purposes on every living, working or studying (at university box before or on August 31 at the latest. governmental level. etc.) in Sakai City If you need help filling in the form, the Content: Study useful everyday con- Sakai International Plaza is available to All persons registered as residents are versational Japanese assist (details on page 6). required to participate, regardless of Cost: Free nationality which means foreign resi- dents are also included. It will be availa- To apply: Fill in the application form △Tuberculosis Prevention Week ble in 27 languages, 6 of which are availa- and fax, mail, email or hand it in to Sakai (24~30 September) ble online. Please contact the census exam- International Plaza iners or Sakai International Plaza if you 1-4-24 Nakakawara-machi, Sakai-ku require it in a different language. 〒 Every year in Japan, roughly 17,000 590-0077 (TEL) 072-228-7499 people catch the disease and about 2,000 The census examiners people die from it. Also, every year over (FAX) 072-340-1091 will send out the papers (Email） [email protected] 1,000 people born outside of Japan catch and IDs for online ac- the illness and the number is rising cess between 15 to 20 amongst younger ages. September. Answers are Initial symptoms of tuberculosis include required by 7 October (paper documents coughing, phlegm, slight fever, chest must be posted between 1 and 7 October). pain and fatigue. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the If the cough continues for more than 2 census will be non-contact. It would be weeks, it is important to have it appreciated if you answer via the internet. checked at a medical institution. Early The information provided in the national Application Form detection not only prevents the illness census will not be used for any other pur- from getting worse for the patient but poses. also prevents the illness from spreading. ※City & Prefectural Tax Notice In Sakai City, persons at the age of 40 and over can receive tuberculosis screen- ※Cancellations ing for free once a year. For time and August will be the start of the 2nd ap- place, please contact the Infectious Dis- The Sakai Festival, ASEAN Hiroba and pointed time for payment for the city and eases Division (感染 Sakai Grand Evening Fish Market (ouo prefectural tax. The deadline is Friday 31 yoichi) have been cancelled due to influ- August. Please pay at the nearest 症対策課 kansensho ences of COVID-19. banking facility, post office, convenience taisakuka) (TEL) Ohama Park Pool and store, or by internet or mobile banking. 072-222-9933 Shinkanaoka Park Pool are Please make sure to pay before the dead- (Japanese only) closed to prevent the spread line. of infections. For those that use automatic transfer, payment will automatically be deducted on Friday 31 August so please check that ☺ Available Hospitals during the Obon Holiday (8/13~ 8/15) you have sufficient funds. Don’t forget to bring necessary documents with you (National Health Insurance card etc.) Domestic Violence Hotline Plus Sakai Children’s Emergency Medical Semboku Emergency Medical Center Center (TEL) 072-272-0909 (TEL) 072-292-0099 Chat messaging availa- 1-1-2 Ebaraji-cho, Nishi Ward, Sakai City 1-8-1 Takeshiro-dai, Minami Ward, Sakai ble in 10 languages, 24 Field: Pediatric Care City hours a day. Hours: 9:30~11:30, 12:45~16:30, Field: Internal Medicine Depending on the 20:30~4:30 (of the next day) Hours: 9:30~11:30, 12:45~16:30 situation, you may be *for junior high school students and transferred to phone or younger Sakai Dental Health Center (TEL) 072- email correspondence. 243-0099 Osaka Central Emergency Medical Clin- 18-3 Daisen naka-machi, Sakai Ward, Sa- ic (TEL) 06-6534-0321 kai City 4-10-13 Shinmachi, Nishi Ward, Osaka Field: Dentistry City Hours: 9:30~11:30, 12:45~16:30 Field: Eyes, ears, nose, and throat care *there will be no surgeries performed Hours: during this time 13-14 Aug: 10:00~0:30 (midnight) 15 Aug: 15:00~21:30 2 For Your New Lifestyle August/September 2020 Sakai City English Website ※ Extra caution when throwing out rubbish In the ever-changing situation due to The amount of rubbish produced increases as we spend more time at home. Our COVID-19, the best place to find the most rubbish includes things like used face masks, tissues, food waste and other things up-to-date information is either the English that have our respiratory droplets on page of Sakai City Government website. them. The International Divi- sion strives to update it Please put all items that may spread the at least once a week or infection in a separate bag and squeeze when new announce- all the air out before tightly tying it shut ments by Sakai City are when throwing it out. This not only prevents the spread of infection within your made. family, but also protects the workers who collect, separate and dispose of the rubbish from risk of infection. Thank you for your cooperation. English Facebook Page ☺ Exercising Regularly ○♣ No More Free Plastic Bags Check out our page! We appreciate every We tend to lack getting enough exer- From 1 July, free plastic like we get! The Facebook page run by the cise the more we spend time at home. bags were made no Sakai International Plaza and it’s main func- A recommended daily amount of steps longer available across tion is to provide information on emergency for an adult is 8500 for men, and 7500 the country. Let’s start situations, like natural disasters. But there for women. Walking for 10 minutes is bringing reusable bags are also other interesting resources and roughly 1000 steps.