Cara pasang Safarikai Extension pada Safari versi 12

Sedang belajar bahasa Jepun?

Ini ada satu alat yang dapat membantu pembelajaran anda.

Sejak 10 tahun lepas aku gunakan rikaichan, add on dalam Firefox untuk cari perkataan Jepun yang kita tak tahu bila kita layari web.

Senang je, kita letak je kursor kita pada perkataan yang kita tak tahu tu, terus terjemahan dia keluar.

Memang membantu sangat-sangat.

Contoh pop-up keluar bila kita letak kursor pada perkataan yang kita tak tau.

Boleh cek sini untuk dapatkan add-on percuma tu --> http://www.rikai.com/
Boleh juga cari di add-on Firefox dan plug-in untuk Chrome.



Kemudian, aku berpindah ke Safari.

Malangnya, rikaichan tiada untuk Safari masa itu.

Jadi, bila nak baca web Jepun pindah ke Firefox.

Untuk firefox dah ada, kemudian Chrome, akhirnya dah ada untuk Safari.

Yahoo!

Ni cara untuk install Safarikai bagi Safari version 12.

Safari lama kena cek website, install manual.




Semoga bermanfaat.

Cara daftar Portal MyASNB

Yang ada akaun PNB tu, sudah daftar portal MyASNB?

 

Apa manfaatnya?

Tanpa hadir ke cawangan/ejen,

1- anda boleh periksa baki semasa.

2- mencetak penyata transaksi. (lepas ini tak guna buku dah)

3- membuat pelaburan tambahan melalui FPX.

**Portal tidak menawarkan khidmat pengeluaran atau pindahan keluar.

 

Macam mana nak daftar?

Saya bahagikan proses pendaftaran sehingga lengkap kepada 5 Proses, iaitu

Proses A: Kemaskini akaun

Proses B: Daftar portal MyASNB

Proses C: Log Masuk Kali Pertama

Proses D: Pengesahan Email

Proses E: Nagivasi Portal

 

Kenapa banyak sangat proses?

Kebanyakan web/blog hanya jelaskan sehinggga proses C. Saya akan bagitahu sehingga habis. Dalam promo pun tulis "Langkah Mudah", tapi teknikal sangat. Ini untuk menjamin keselamatan pelabur. Setiap langkah penting akan memerlukan no TAC melalui SMS.

Jom kita mulakan.

Proses A : Kemaskini akaun

Benda yang diperlukan:

1.  MyKad dan 2 salinan


2.  Buku akaun

Langkah-langkahnya:

A1- Pergi ke mana-mana cawangan/ejen PNB. Saya pergi ke Maybank.

A2- Beritahu petugas, anda ingin daftar Portal MyASNB.

A3- Petugas akan bagi borang kemaskini akaun. Penting untuk kemas kini nombor telefon bimbit untuk penghantaran nombor TAC kelak.

A4- Anda akan dapat nombor akaun baharu 12 digit.

A5- Selesai

Proses B : Daftar portal MyASNB

Benda yang diperlukan:

Kompas Arah Kiblat

Kompas Klasik
Menentukan arah kiblat yang tepat merupakan elemen yang penting dalam menunaikan sembahyang bagi umat Islam. Saya masih ingat lagi kompas kiblat pertama saya beli di Plaza Angsana, Johor Bahru pada tahun 2000 dengan harga RM25. Bentuknya lebih kurang seperti di bawah ini (gambar di ambil dari sumber internet).

Kompas ini disertakan dengan buku panduan kecil di mana nombor bagi lokasi tertentu diberikan. Sebagai contoh katalah kita berada di Kuala Lumpur dan nombor lokasinya "22". Maka kompas dipusingkan/dilaraskan sehingga jarum hijau betul-betul berada di atas tanda "22". Arah kiblat ditunjukkan oleh anak panah. Biasanya kawan-kawan akan pinjam sekiranya mereka pindah ke rumah sewa baru, atau bertukar bilik di kolej. Seingat saya kompas yang kini berada di rumah saya adalah kompas ke-3 setelah yang sebelum-sebelumnya hilang entah kemana.

Jam Casio CPW-310
Pada tahun 2005 saya mencari jam tangan di Plaza Bukit Bintang, KL dan terjumpa model jam islamik yang menarik ini. Harganya sekitar RM300. Jam ini mempunyai ciri-ciri berikut
1) Menentukan arah kiblat
2) Menentukan arah utara dsb seperti compass biasa
3) Mengira waktu solat dan "alert" sekiranya masuk waktu


Perhatikan anda bahagian menonjol di sebelah kiri jam dimana terletaknya sensor kompasn. Untuk menentukan arah kiblat dan waktu solat, kedudukan longitud dan latitud perlu dimasukkan. Kedudukan geografi bagi bandar-bandar utama seperti Tokyo, KL, Jakarta telah sedia ada dalam memori jam. Tetapi untuk penentuan yang lebih tepat, kedudukan geografi lokasi semasa boleh dimasukkan jika latitud dan altitude diketahui. Kelemahannya jam ini ialah resolusi kompas agak rendah (+-11.25 darjah). Namun secara kasar dapat membantu saya kerana saya selalu juga outstation di seluruh Semenanjung Malaysia.

Pada tahun 2008, jam saya ini tertinggal (lalu hilang) di tandas selepas mengambil wudhu' di Jepun. Peristiwa ini menjadi modal utama isteri saya untuk memperli saya sekiranya saya ingin membeli gadget elektronik sehingga ke hari ini :) kerana saya memang seorang yang pelupa dan sering "terhilang" barang. Tetapi pada penghujung 2009, saya telah beli yang baru dengan variasi latarbelakang hitam dari seorang teman di Singapura. Sekarang ia berada kemas di pergelangan tangan saya.

iPhone 3GS
Bulan Mac yang lalu bateri telefon bimbit saya telah mencapai hujung hayatnya setelah 2 tahun digunakan. Model bateri tersebut pun telah outdated dan tiada lagi dipasaran. Jadi saya telah membeli iPhone 3GS 16GB. Antara fungsinya ialah kompass. Saya telah memuatturun aplikasi percuma dari eQibla.

Aplikasi eQibla hanya perlukan liputan 3G. iPhone akan mengenalpasti lokasi semasa dan arah kiblat akan ditentukan secara automatik. Dengan aplikasi ini juga, waktu solat juga akan dikira secara automatik berdasarkan lokasi semasa. Hebat bukan? Jadi kemana sahaja anda pergi di dunia ini, eQibla akan membantu anda dengan syarat adanya liputan 3G.

Ketiga-tiga gadget di atas amatlah membantu sekiranya anda seorang yang selalu berkerja atau melancong di luar kawasan. Di Malaysia, arah kiblat dapat ditentukan secara kasar berpandukan arah matahari terbenam. Namun, bagi negara di luar kawasan Khatulistiwa seperti Jepun, Jerman, New Zealand dsb, prinsip arah matahari terbenam tidak boleh dijadikan panduan yg tepat kerana kedudukan matahari terbenam berubah sepanjang tahun bergantung kepada 4 musim. Waktu solat juga berubah secara ketara sebagai contoh di Sapporo, Jepun, solat subuh masuk pada pukul 1.40 pagi pada Musim Panas dan pada pukul 5:30 pagi pada Musim Sejuk. Bagi solat isyak pula pukul 9:30 malam pada Musim Panas dan 5:57 ptg pada Musim Sejuk.

Perkara yang penting dalam penentuan arah kiblat menggunakan sebarang jenis kompas termasuk gadget2 di atas ialah JAUHI DARI BAHAN LOGAM DAN PERALATAN ELEKTRONIK ketika penentukuran. Ini kerana kesan medan magnet dari logam dan arus elektrik pada alat elektronik akan memesongkan kompas anda.

Sekian Wallahua'alm

Tandas Jepun

Tandas adalah satu elemen penting dalam kehidupan seharian. Paling tidak, sekali sehari kita semua akan menggunakannya.

Antara perkara yang saya sukai mengenai Jepun ialah tandas elektronik. Saya sangat kagum dengan ciptaan ini. Saya juga telah pasang satu tandas elektronik yang paling murah di pasaran Jepun di rumah dan saya sangat berpuas hati dengannya.

Tahukah anda bentuk dan penggunaan tandas Jepun berbeza sedikit dengan Malaysia. Saya dah lama hendak berkongsi maklumat mengenai tandas Jepun ini.

Di mana-mana, samada pasaraya, komplek membeli belah, pejabat, terdapat dua jenis tandas yang disediakan iaitu jenis Oriental (和式-washiki）　dan jenis Barat　（洋式-youshiki）. Kemudahan ini disediakan samada salah satu, atau kedua-duanya sekali dalam bilik air.
Umumnya kedua-dua jenis ini adalah tandas kering, bermakna mereka menggunakan tisu tandas. Jadi jangan lupa bawa sebotol air kecil jika masuk ke tandas :) kerana tiada kepala paip di dalam tandas

Mari kita lihat satu persatu ciri-cirinya.

1) Oriental (和式-washiki）

Berikut merupakan jenis oriental yang biasa dilihat di rumah-rumah lama, atau kompleks lama. Perhatikan ada sedikit bahagian menonjol di atas lubang tandas. Tahukah anda bagaimana menggunakannya?


Saya pasti mengikut kebiasaan orang Malaysia, bahagian menonjol tersebut pastinya adalah bahagian belakang atau bahagian punggung. Namun begitu ianya salah.
Berikut adalah cara menggunakan tandas jenis Oriental.

Bagi kaum lelaki, jika anda terkencing semasa berhajat, maka bahagian tandas menonjol ini akan mengelakkan anda terpancut keluar dari landasan. Maka persekitaran tandas akan sentiasa kering.
Perhatikan juga paip air di tepi tandas. Ia berfungsi sebagai pemegang sekiranya anda perlukannya ketika meneran.

2) Barat (洋式-youshiki）
Berikut pula merupakan jenis Barat. Pastinya tidak asing bagi kita.
Namun ada sedikit kelainan dimana penutup tandas ada sedikit bahagian lopong berbentuk U.
Ini juga mengelakkan daripada air kencing mengotori bahagian tersebut.
Terdapat juga saluran paip kecil di atas pam tandas. Selepas tangki air kosong selepas dipam, air akan masuk semula melalui paip ini dan jatuh kedalam tangki air melalui lubang kecil di atas tangki. Jadi sebagai langkah penjimatan air, air yang keluar dari paip ini digunakan untuk mencuci tangan. Maka tiada kepala paip air tambahan disebelah tandas dan tandas akan sentiasa kering.

Dengan kemajuan teknologi Jepun, bangunan-bangunan baru mula menggunakan tandas elektronik. Berikut merupakan tandas elektronik yang mungkin anda akan temui jika berada di Jepun. Umumnya terdapat panel kawalan di sebelah kanan dengan pelbagai butang.

Panel kawalan adalah seperti berikut.
SHOWER untuk pancutan air ke punggung dan tekanan pancutan air boleh dikawal dengan melaraskan SPRAY STRENGTH. Untuk menghentikan pancutan, tekan butang STOP. Tandas ini juga mempunyai penderia (sensor) dimana sekiranya anda tidak duduk di atasnya, panel tidak akan berfungsi. Jadi jangan risau kerana pancuran air tidak akan berlaku ketika anda sibuk memakai semula seluar.
BIDET digunakan khas untuk kaum wanita.


Fungsi panel diatas adalah yang paling asas. Terdapat juga variasi fungsi tambahan seperti
1) tekanan pancuran air berirama.
2) kawalan suhu air pancuran
3) hembusan angin suam dari bawah untuk mengeringkan punggung selepas pancuran
4) penutup tandas autmatik, dimana sekiranya pengguna datang ia terbuka sendiri dan tertutup sendiri sekiranya pengguna meninggalkannya
4) semburan pewangi automatik selepas penggunaan
dan sebagainya. Sudah tentulah harganya lebih mahal untuk yang lebih canggih.

Saya sendiri memasang satu di rumah yang dengan fungsi paling asas dengan harga JPY20,000 iaitu lebih kurang RM700. Pastinya saya akan bawa pulang satu yang baru untuk dipasang di rumah Malaysia nanti.

Penggunaan tandas ini terpulang ke pada anda. Mungkin anda mahu mencangkung di atas tandas jenis Barat. Atau mencangkung berlawanan arah ketika menggunakan tandas jenis Oriental. Tiada siapa yang tahu bagaimana anda menggunakan tandas selepas pintu ditutup :)

Menariknya, terdapat siri animasi pendek yang popular di Jepun iaitu Shimajiro yang bertujuan untuk mendidik kanak-kanak mengenai penggunaan tandas dan menghargai fungsi tandas.
--> http://youtu.be/g6eu6nJKEbA

sambungan bahagian 2

moving service from hokkaido -> worldwide

A friend of mine and her Japanese bussiness partner are offering moving service from home to port, from Hokkaido to whole over the world, as the website claimed :)

Here is the website --> http://www.ace-solution.com/

The service is suitable for foreign student/worker who plans to return to home country for good.

They also sell used cars for those who are interested.
I myself bought a second-hand cute Kei-car from them, and it was no hassle since she can speak English, Malay and Japanese. Everything was clear. Just quote your budget, car specs and they will search for the matched one.

Tips for Hokudai Newcomer

[will be updated]

When I first arrived in Sapporo, I needed to find many things to start up my life. I need cup, spoon and bowl to eat, futon and pillow to sleep etc. I believe this is also true for other newcomer. With limited budget, strange environment, Japanese writing illiterate etc. to find something with cheap price and quick is a priority especially for those who arrive in the scary winter of Hokkaido :P. Here are some shops you should go to start your life.

1) 100yen shop (100円　ショップ）

There are many 100 yen shops around Japan. Its locations is generally near to train station or subway station. Among the popular chain of 100yen shops are Daiso (ダイソ） and FLET'S.
Everything is 100 yen per item (or otherwise stated) including kitchen tools, toiletries, junk food, stationeries, etc.

２） 2nd hand shop (中古店）

If you see this kanji (中古 - chuuko）on any shop, the shop generally sell second hand things including books, clothes, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, tv, computer and even car! (depending on their specialization). I suggest 2nd Street shop to hokudai students, click here* (北10条東５ - Kita 10 jo Higashi 5 - North 10 East 5）　to the nearest 2nd Street shop to Hokudai. They also provide delivery service of bulky items to your home.

* there are also 100 yen shops, Homac (Home Improvement store), Sports Items Mall, Supermarket, Media Shop around this area. Perhaps the best area to buy everything you need as a beginner.

3) Hokudai ISC (International Student Center)

Sometimes graduated students want to give away their things and the will advertise what they want to let on the ISC notice board. Just check it out.

4) Flea Market
The flea market is usually held between April and November. Futons, kitchen utilities, etc. are sold at very low price and can be bargain. Locations and dates can be check out in the periocal What's on Sapporo issued monthly by Sapporo Communication Plaza. For website version of the periodical, click here.

5) Bicycle

The most important thing is bicycle. But to ride a bicycle in the Hokkaido's magnificient winter is very dangerous even for professional :D. The new bicycle costs around 10,000 yen to 20,000 yen. But the second hand bicycle can be bought at half price or FREE!

1- Go to second hand shop or sometimes Hokudai COOP (Seikyou) will sell it in front of Clark Hall. Generally costs about 5,000 yen.

2- Around March and September every year, Hokudai COOP will distribute / give away free bicycles (which were collected by Sapporo City Hall) to Hokudai students with COOP card (check my post on how to apply COOP card). Just check out the chance on ISC notice board.

[Malay] Beribadat di Perantauan

Sila lawati pautan berikut sebagai panduan menunaikan ibadat di perantauan atau ketika bermusafir seperti permasalahan puasa, sembahyang dan sebagainya..

http://hafizfirdaus.com/ebook/musafir/index.htm

beware of these HARAM-related kanji

beware of the following kanji/writing in what you eat (will be updated)

strictly forbidden

豚 (buta) pig
酒 (sake) japanese alcohol

ポーク (pooku) pork
ラード (raado) lard *fat from pork
ハム　(hamu) ham *pork slice
ベーコン (beekon) bacon
アルコール (arukooru) alkohol
ラム (ramu) ram *a kind of alcoholic product which is widely used in ice-cream
ワイン (wain) wine
ビール (biiru) beer
ウイスキー (uisukii) whiskey

depending on their original constituents or otherwise stated

動物 (doubutsu) animal
肉 (niku) meat
牛 （ushi)　cow *BUT 牛乳 (gyuunyuu) means cow milk :)
鶏 (tori) chicken/bird
鳥 (tori) chicken/bird
乳化剤 (nyuukazai) emulsifier

チキン (chikin) chicken
コンソメ （konsome) consomme
ショートニング (shooteningu) shortening
ゼラチン (zerachin) gelatin
レシチン (reshichin) lecithin

** sometimes word 大豆　(daizu - soy bean) or 植物　（shokubutsu - plant) is written in a bracket next to food chemicals such as emulsifier, shortening, gelatin and lecithin which shows that those are synthesized from plant sources. In that case, they are safe to be consumed.

useful link--> halal list by kmii

Wallahua'alam

Getting Japan Driving License

*I followed the procedures as a Malaysian in Sapporo, different citizenship or place might follow the different procedures.
** please bring together someone who can speak Japanese to reduce problems.

Step 1 - JPJ confirmation letter. [For Malaysian]

If you have renewed your driving license once, please ask JPJ to issue a letter which describes when your license was first issued. You will have to pay RM10 for the letter. (I asked my sister in Malaysia to do that and mailed me the letter)

Make sure that
- your license is still valid at the time you want to take the Japanese driving test.
- for the new driver, you obtained your first driving license 3 months in your country before coming to Japan.

** Some of my Malaysian friends did not apply for the JPJ lettter and still they passed the Step 3 below. So, it depends on your luck! Sometimes the officer does not request this document. But make sure that the issued or renewed date on your current license is 3 months prior to your arrival to Japan.

Step 2 - License Translation to Japanese.

Go to any Japan Automobile Federation.
For Sapporians, take the subway Touho line (blue line) to the last station named Fukuzumi. At the station, there will be the signboard to go to JAF, Sapporo Branch. Here you don't need someone to speak Japanese with the officer. You can go by your own.

Click JAF for the required documents for the translation.
Please bring together all your previous expired license slits (if you still have them) and the JPJ letter (from Step 1) to support you application.

The process takes about 30 minutes only.

Step 3 - Registering test. [In case of Teine Driving Test Center, Hokkaido]

Here is the place --> (in Japanese)

Go to counter 6 to register your test. Pass all the following documents to the officer.
a- your passport and your previous expired passport(s)
b- alien registration card
c- 1 photo (taken within 6 months)
d- the translation from JFA (from Step 2)

The officer will ask you to wait. In my case, she asked me to wait for an hour. After an hour, I went back to the counter again and she asked several questions about our driving experience and documentation. If you don't have complete supporting documents such as previous expired password(s), please be prepared to cheat :). But if you are could not convince the officer, you may have to involved your country embassy to support your application later on.

After the officer satisfied with the documents, she will askyou to pay about Y2,800 at cashier, taking vision test and return back to the counter.

For vision test, you are tested for 4 symbols (up, down, right, left) and colours (blue, red, yellow) which takes only 1 minute.

Then, she will bring you the test room. you will be asked 10 pictured-objective question which are extremely easy. But make sure you read the question properly. I think the pass point is 7/10. Mark "O" for correct answer and "X" for wrong answer.

She will tell you your result immediately. If you passed, you have to book for the driving test schedule. You can choose to have a test with Automatic Transmission (AT) or Manual Transmission (MT). If you choose MT, you can drive both AT and MT in Japan.

Step 3 process takes about 2 hours.

Step 4 - Training

I recommend you to try and practice at the test circuit. In Teine Driving Test Center, the circuit is open for Y1,000 per hour using your own car. The opening schedule is

6.00 am - 8 am (weekdays from April to October)
5.00 pm - 7 pm (weekdays whole year)

Step 5 - Be idiot

At first the test officer will explain you how to drive, where to give signal and so on theoretically on the map on his table. If you think your Japanese is not strong enough, please bring someone who can translate for you.

Then, he will bring you to the car. At first, he will drive and show several important points and place on the actual circuit.

Now, it is your turn to start the test. You can read other websites to get tips how to pass the test. But for me, I suggest that you are better to be the most idiot as you can. Exaggerate all of your action. Don't show your F1 driving skills and your confidence. Show him that you are always alert when driving.

When the test is over, the officer will comment your driving but does not telling the result yet. You have to go to counter 6 again to wait for the result.

If you passed, you have to pay another Y1,800 for getting the Japan driving license. The license will be ready in the same day. If you failed, please repeat Step 3 (without vision test and objective test). Yes! you have to pay again for the next driving test schedule.

Step 5 process takes about 5 hours.

Useful links
Japan Automotif Federation
www.japandriverslicense.com

ganbatte kudasai!

monthly transportation pass (teiki - 定期）

I am currently living close to Gakuen Mae Station (学園前駅）. The one way trip using subway to Kita 12 jou Station (北１２条駅） costs me 240 Yen. If I use the route every day, the total cost will be about 10,000 Yen per month. Ee....takai yo! Yeah, there is the solution for regular user of Sapporo Transportation System (Bus, Subway, Train).

I bought a subway pass which cost me 5,760 Yen for a month. It would be slightly cheaper if one buy for 3 months pass. The pass price depends on the distance between two commuting points/terminal/station and also user category (worker, student, etc.)

Where to buy? at Odori subway station (also at specified stations, ask the subway staff)
Need to show identification card i.e. student card, alien registeration card
Bring cash money too

here is the website (in Japanese)
benri na...

car disposal (haisha - 廃車)

I sent my previous 1991 Mitsubishi Minica for disposal at :

Sapporo Parts Rainbow House
Sapporo-shi Higashi-ku Kita 25 Jou Higashi 21 Choume 1-5
website (Japanese)

㈱札幌パーツレインボーハウス
電話011-786-0077
FAX011-780-7000
〒065-0025
札幌市東区北25条東21丁目1-5

The person-in-charge is Sasaki-san. She is very helpful and nice. She was okay with my bad Japanese skill :D. I think as long as we have all the required documents, nothing to worry about.

Since its shaken will due in the next two months, I got the tonnage tax proportion back (about 2,500 Yen.
Due to miscommunication, I thought I have to pay 15,000 Yen for the disposal process.
BUT, actually the company gave me that amount for buying the scrap car and the amount of remaining tax proportion period of the shaken. I was really happy to get some money back. The paying price depends on the condition of the car.


The company will take care of all process, and terminate the tax record from the City Hall. In order to do that, just prepare the following items to be handed over:

1- Car Inspection Certificate (jidoushakensa shou -自動車検査証）- called shaken
2- Compulsory Insurance Receipt (jibaiseki hoken shoumeisho - 自賠責保険証明書）
3- Recycle Ticket (kaitai shoumeitou - 解体証明書等) - this ticket/receipt showed that the recyle fee for the car has been paid.
4- Stamp (inkan - 印鑑）
5- Stamp Registration Certificate　（inkan touroku shoumeisho - 印鑑登録証明書）

The car can be brought in ourselves to the company or the company person can take them from our home. In either case, confirm with the company first.

When deregistration is completed, the company will send a notification postcard which shows that everything is settled.

Ja.

p/s : really happy to get some money back..kaimono shimashou!!

International Food Store - Carot (キャロット）

I found Carot （キャロット） store is pretty amazing. They sell various international food ingredients where it is hardly to find it another stores/malls. Here you can find various Asian ingredients, dried condiments/spices, flour, frozen seafood (from outside Japan) , Western cheese etc. Just stop by and you will surprise with what they have.

Sapporo stores website (Japanese)

Chuo-ku Kita 9 Jou Nishi 21 Choume
札幌市中央区北９条西２１丁目
（０１１）６１５－５８５８

Chuo-ku Minami 6 Jou Nishi 11 Choume
札幌市中央区南６条西１１丁目
（０１１）５３０－２７７７

Toyohira-ku Nakajima 1 Jou 3 Choume
札幌市豊平区中の島１条３丁目
（０１１）８２０－２７７７

Higashi-ku Kita 26 Jou Higashi 8 Choume
札幌市東区北２６条東８丁目
（０１１）７１２－２７７７

Atsubetsu-ku Atsubetsu Chuo 3 Jou 4 Choume 6 Ban 2
札幌市厚別区厚別中央３条４丁目６番２
（０１１）８９３－９０００
　

feel sick..don"t know which hospital to go?

For Japanese non-speaking foreigners, it would be very difficult to deal with many procedures in Japan. If suddenly you feel sick, it might be difficult for you to explain your simptons and sickness to doctor. Beware that not all medical doctors can speak English. Thus, I recommend you to the Sapporo City General Hospital (Ichi Ritsu Sapporo Byouin - 市立札幌病院->Japanese website). There are volunteers in the hospital who can speak main world languages (English, Korean, French, Russian, Chinese etc). They will help you through the process from registration until you get your medicine prescription. When you enter the main entrance of the hospital, ask the Info counter person about the one who can speak your preferred language. For the female Muslim, you can request for a female doctor to treat you.

Location : Chuo-ku Kita 11 Nishi 13 Sapporo　（札幌市中央区北１１西１３）, near to Souen Train Station (桑園駅）and Souen AEON Jusco Mall.

Do not forget to bring you National Health Insurance card!!

MADO Japanese Free Lesson

There is a group of Japanese teacher volunteer in Sapporo which named themselves as MADO who provide free Japanese Lesson. Their website is here.

The lesson is held every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1 to 5 pm except on specific National Holiday. The place is in Conference Room, 2nd Floor of Sapporo International House, just behind Gakuen Mae Subway Station (学園前駅）。

Today I joined the event for the first time. They assigned one volunteer to each student. The lesson can be customized according to the Japanese level of the student. It is a one to one lesson. Great! Even if one does not know anything, the teacher will teach patiently and very helpful. I was with Satou-sensei, a housewife. She is very very nice. We are in the same age..she is funny too :)

Do come and join the group, I hope I can improve my Japanese conversation skill. Ganbareyou!

shaken (車検） renewal

Shaken needs to be renewed every two years. My car which I got yesterday will due its shaken in two days. So I just bring it to Eneos petrol station at Kita 19 Nishi 4. Make sure the following documents are ready:
1- Inspection certificate (shakesho - 車検書）
2- Compulsory Insurance certificate (jibaiseki hoken - 自賠責保険） - get this from the previous owner
3- The latest yearly tax receipt （nouzei shoumeisho - 納税証明書） - get this from the previous owner. If he already paid the tax, and the recipt is lost, you have to pay extra charge about Yen3,000 to request for the new receipt)

The whole shaken price depends on your car engine transmission. For 2.0 cc class, the basic price is about Yen80,000. This does not include some part which might need to be repaired. You just give the car to the shop and they will handle everything. They will call you when the new shaken is ready. It takes about a day if you let the shop to handle it.

You can also renew the shaken by yourself. Since I don't know Japanese and my knowledge about car is nearly null, I just bring it to the shop.

*If your shaken period is going to finish, I suggest that you make a reservation at least one month earlier at the shaken shop/station. Some shop give a price reduction about Yen5,000 on the prior reservation.

medical check up (kenkou shindan - 健康診断)

For Hokudai students, there is free medical check up provided by Health Center in April. Only in April, so please watch out the date which will be announced at your faculty. I suggest you (I mean Hokudai students) should take this opportunity since later perhaps you may need the medical certificate for other purposes for example applying for academic course, job and moving to the new house where this certificate is one of the required documents.

I wrote this entry because I missed the chance and I need to give the medical certificate to my new house management. TPublish Postoday I went to on of the medical check up center. click here to its webpage (in Japanese). The location is at 5th Floor, Sapporo Erupu Plaza, Kita 8 Nishi 3. There are fluent English speaking nurses who can help you through the process. Don't worry, they are really nice. I made the following check up :
- blood pressure
- weight and height measurement
- hearing and sight test
- chest check
- urine test
- x-ray
which cost overall for about Yen2,200 (Next year I will for sure take the free medical check-up at Hokudai Health Center)
I also did blood type test which cost another Yen900 because I forgot what type of blood I have :)

The report will be ready in a week. ki wo tsukete!

Ja!

Change Ownership

My friend want to give way his Toyota Corona 2.0 to me. So we have to transfer the ownership of the car.

MAKE SURE before you change the ownership,
1- the current owner MUST handover to you the following documents
- recycle fee receipt
- inspection certificate (shaken- 車検）
- compulsory insurance certificate (jibaiseki hoken -　自賠責保険）
2- the current owner give you the latest yearly tax receipt (nouzei shoumeisho - 納税証明書）. The tax should be paid before the end of May every year. If he wants to give away the car to you on June, MAKE SURE he already paid the tax　otherwise you will face BIG PROBLEM when you want to renew the shaken.)


In case you and the current owner want to do it yourself, make sure the following documents are ready :

From current owner
1- Alien Registeration card (gaikokujin touroku shoumeisho - 外国人登録証明書）
2-Current valid inspection certificate (shaken - 車検）
3- Stamp and Stamp certificate (inkan & inkan touroku shoumeisho - 印鑑　＆　印鑑登録証明書)

From owner-to-be
1- Alien Registration card (gaikokujin touroku shoumeisho - 外国人登録証明書）
2- Stamp and Stamp certificate (inkan & inkan touroku shoumeisho - 印鑑　＆　印鑑登録証明書)
3- Prepare some cash around Yen3,000
4- In case the car plate is not Sapporo (札幌） number, you need a new plate which cost around Yen2,000.
5- Parking certificate (shako shoumeisho - 車庫証明書)

Ｂring the documents to Sapporo Transport Office (unyu shikyoku 運輸支局) at Higashi-ku Kita 28 Nishi 1 (東区北２８条西１丁目). Please bring some one who can speak Japanese to help you.

It takes only about 15 minutes to finish the process. You will receive shaken with your name on it. That's all.

*for Kei-car or yellow plate care, the process is quite different and at the different office.

Parking Ceritificate (shakosho - 車庫書）

For white plate car, parking certificate is a required document for ownership registration. Here are the procedures which I followed

1) I went to Police Station to get the form for Shakosho for free. It was a set of 6 papers.
2) I searched the parking space. The parking space must be around 2 km from your house.
3) properly filled out the first four papers and stamp clearly on every page with your inkan/hanko.
4) Drew the map of the parking space on the 5th paper. The parking space owner may provide you the map of the space. I just used Japan Google Map and stick it on the paper.
5) Asked the parking space owner to stamp (inkan/hanko) on the last paper.
6) Sent the completed form to the Police station again.
7) Paid 2,200Yen for the processing fee. The counter person gave the date when I can collect the shakosho which was 5 days later.
8) I picked up the shakosho certificate and paid another 550Yen for the certificate.
9) There was a parking sticker which was given together with the certificate to be sticked at the rear glass window.
10) The shakosho is valid for only 30 days. Thus, you have to manage your time to register your car.

when you search for the parking space, make sure the following term
1- charge fee for drawing the map
2- the deposit
3- monthly fee
4- snow clearance fee on winter season
I got to pay 2 and 3 only. Some company charge all 1, 2, 3 and 4.
I also found a company which charge the monthly fee only.
Ganbareyou!

coop card (seikyou kaado)

I think all Hokudai students must have this card. The card integrates two functions (as far as I know), as a prepaid card and credit card.

1) Prepaid Card
- There is a machine in Hokudai Cafeteria/Coop branches around Hokudai where we can reload the Hokudai Coop Card with some amount of money for example 1000 yen, 2000 yen..etc
- With the virtual money in the Coop Card, we can use it when we buy anything from Hokudai Coop shops/cafeterias . The money will be deducted automatically from the Card. For me, I can get rid of 1 yen coins from my wallet :D

2) Credit Card
- The credit limit is 100,000 yen
- Can be used worldwide
- Usually when we use it at any shops, the cashier will ask for how many times we want to pay the price/installment.
- no extra charge/interest for 2 times installment
- but if 3 times installment or more is chosen, be ready for the interest/charge which will be applied

How to apply?
- Go to the main Seikyou building (next to Clark Hall building, they called Kuraku Kaikan) and ask the person in charge for "SEIKYOU KAADO"
- bring together Alien Registeration Card and Student ID card
- fill out the form
- pay 1500 yen (1000 yen for Seikyou membership which will be returned back after graduation and 500 yen for temporary Seikyou card)
- wait for the Seikyou Card delivery to home address (about 2 weeks)
- return the temporary Seikyou card to the counter person and get 500 yen back
- ready to use!

hokudai international student center

Hokudai International Student Center (ryuugakusei sentaa - 留学生センター） is the center for foreign students to meet together, ask about anything, learn Japanese and etc. There are staffs who can speaks English, Chinese and of course Japanese. Here is the website.

I am attending Kanji Class at the center. Most of the times, I found many useful information at the bulletin board for example
- sightseing tour group
- giving away / selling out stuffs from previous students at low price
- current enforced laws/regulations in Japan

For foreign studens, this is the must-go place in Hokudai :)
Meet friends there!