STUDENT LIFE IN KYOTO

Kyoto is home to over 30 universities and colleges, including its famous national university, and therefore has a long history as a student town.This means that the city is relatively well adjusted to students' needs, in terms of accommodation, reasonably-priced restaurants, discount stores, entertainment, and all the necessary infrastructures.

Because Kyoto is also an international tourist attraction there is plenty of information available in English, and signs and announcements in English are also common.

Public transportation is clean and well-organized. Topographically, the city is also bicycle friendly (very few hills) and car drivers are well used to bicycle traffic, so bicycling is a safe, efficient and cheap way to get around. Second-hand and even new bicycles can be bought for between 5,000 and 10,000 yen.

The Kyoto International Community House in Keage is a useful resource with noticeboards, a mass of information handouts, an information desk, and various inexpensive ongoing classes in such Japanese arts as calligraphy, sumie, flower arrangement, and Japanese language. They also put on occasional bazaars, with special early opening for students, and have a good Asian movie program, and other special events.

Tourist Information offices are also a useful resources for maps, pamphlets and other sightseeing-related information. (See our Kyoto Links page for more useful sources).

"100-yen shops" are good for cheap shopping items from kitchenware to stationery to instant food items, and delicatessen-type import stores downtown stock some familiar non-Japanese foods.

Nightlife is diverse enough for all tastes – cinemas, karaoke, Irish pubs, all kinds of bars, "live house" music performances, even a few of the city's old jazz cafes.

Finally, the city of Kyoto is a safe environment (with very rare exceptions), that students can explore without fear of finding themselves in a dangerous neighborhood. You can wander around, and get lost, without any particular concerns about personal security.