Maybe you have to go to city hall or your ward office to complete some paperwork, which can be a confusing and stressful process by any measure. If you need help communicating with the staff in Kyoto City, you can always pick up the phone for a free interpreting service offered by the government!

English Interpreting: Tuesdays & Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Chinese Interpreting: Wednesdays & Fridays: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For both, call: 075-752-1166

(The interpreting service is free, but you will have to pay for the cost of the call itself with your service provider.)

https://www.kcif.or.jp/web/en/support/govtinterpreting/

Several times annually, the Kyoto City International Foundation offers a free day of counselling services for non-Japanese residents of Kyoto. Legal, visa, tax, and pension/social insurance/labor service consultation services with professionals, mental health counseling services (with a psychotherapist) for individuals and couples will be made available. Non-Japanese speaking residents are also welcome to attend, and English and Chinese language interpreting services will be available.

All of these services are offered for free, and consultations are, of course, confidential. However, reservations are required in advance, so be sure to make a phone call!

Location: kokoka Kyoto International Community House, 3^rd floor
2-1 Torii-cho, Awataguchi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto

2018 Dates: June 2^nd (Saturday), September 23^rd (Sunday), December 15^th (Saturday), February 24^th, 2019 (Sunday)

Contact Phone Number: 075-752-3511
https://www.kcif.or.jp/web/en/support/counselling/

Several counseling services for international students are also available in Kyoto.

・Kyoto City International Foundation
Offers free legal advice and guidance on visa/immigration-related procedures to non-Japanese residents of Kyoto with complete confidentiality (amongst a variety of other services). English interpretation is also available.

Services available: Every first and third Saturday, 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. (see link below for full schedule)

Phone number: 075-752-3511 (Advance reservations required; each session limited to 30 minutes)

For more, please visit: http://www.kcif.or.jp/HP/jigyo/sodan/jp/horitsu/law_visa.html

There are many organizations dedicated to making Kyoto life smoother for international students and other non-Japanese residents, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help!

・Kyoto Prefectural International Center

Offers free counseling services (reservation required) for international students, including topics ranging from day-to-day life, to your future in Japan, to meeting other former students who have found work in Japan.

Services available: Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Phone number: 075-342-0088 (Connects directly with the counsellor)

Email: counsel@kpic.or.jp