That’s not all, though: every October, the Association of Thai Students in Japan holds a sports festival with student groups. The festival is put together by Thai students from all across Japan, and is a real display of their hard work and skill. The festival location changes from year to year, but it’s typically held in either the Kanto or Kansai regions.

We call our group a “student group” or “student association,” but we’re not nearly as stiff as those words imply. We give presentations not only about our own research, but about ways to contribute to Thailand, so we welcome not only university and graduate students, but international students from technical schools and language schools, too. Our group is made up of about 200-300 people. At our sports festivals, you can enjoy playing soccer, basketball, table tennis, and other sports with all of them. It’s a really fun event where we get to share advice, and break a sweat together.

During the New Years holidays, we also hold a very popular ski and snowboarding trip. Many people want to participate each year, but only about 100 people are actually allowed to attend. (The location and application for the trip are different every year) The trip usually costs a little under 30,000 yen. We arrange the bus and the hotel, and explain all the details, which makes the trip very popular. It’s easy for beginners to join, too!

If you’re considering studying abroad in Kyoto, know that you don’t need to worry. There are lots of fun things to do here, and you won’t be alone!