Bicycle Theft: Riding a bicycle is a very popular method of transportation for NILS students for school and part time jobs. However, every year, several NILS students become the victims of bicycle theft. This often happens when a bicycle owner does not lock his or her bike. Unfortunately, if your bike is stolen, your chance of retrieving it is not high, but please register your bike with the Police to increase your chances of getting a stolen bike back.

Taking Photographs: I am sure you will see unique scenery, people and items in Japan. With the widespread use of digital photo technology, you can now easily take pictures with your smart phones, and then, upload them onto the Internet, Twitter and Facebook. Such technology is truly amazing, but you still need to be careful especially when you take pictures of people. Nowadays, strangers can identify individuals in your photos on SNS, and this can cause anxiety among some people. Please ask for permission before you take photos of someone.

Cultural Tolerance: Fukuoka attracts a large number of students from abroad, and the country of origin varies widely. You may encounter those with entirely different cultural background from yours. We would like to encourage you to remain open minded about such differences. This goes the same for Japanese people. Some Japanese can be narrow minded towards people from abroad, but most residents of Fukuoka are very friendly to foreign visitors. You are likely to receive help when you need it and gentle guidance when you make a mistake. At NILS, we ask our students to greet neighbors and people you meet on the street. It may be only a greeting, but we believe this simple act of saying hello removes a layer of barrier between different cultures.