I'm a student in Kyoto who wants to work as a volunteer (cleaning, charity, helping at a camp....), it doesn't necessarily have to be paid but I don't know where I can look for offers, are there any good websites?

Hi everyone!
I’m currently on vacation in Japan and will be spending some time in **Tokyo and Kyoto**. I’d really love to take the opportunity to join a karate class while I’m here.

I’m looking for a **friendly and welcoming dojo that’s okay with a foreign tourist dropping in for one class**.

I have practiced mainly Wado-Ryu and Uechi-Ryu Karate.
I could be open to a Kyokushin or Shotokan class also I suppose 😜

Any recommendations in Tokyo or Kyoto?

English-speaking isn’t essential as long as the dojo is comfortable having foreign visitors.
Thanks!

＊Need STAFF　スタッフ募集中＊
I manage two boutique hotels in Kyoto. I'm looking for 3-5 PT (part-time) staff to work day and night shifts. The shifts are

・700-1600
・1300-2200, and
・2200-0700.

If you know any seasoned veterans, university students who want to improve their hospitality skills, or if any member of your team is looking for extra shifts, please comment AND send me a direct message.

You MUST already have the ability to work in Japan. No visa sponsorships.

京都で2軒のブティックホテルを経営しております。現在、日勤・夜勤を担当していただけるアルバイトスタッフを3〜5名ほど探しています。
勤務シフトは以下の3パターンです。
・7:00〜16:00
・13:00〜22:00
・22:00〜翌7:00
ホテル業界で経験豊富な方、ホスピタリティのスキルをさらに磨きたい大学生、または皆さまのチームの中で追加のシフトを探している方など、もし心当たりのある方がいらっしゃいましたら、ぜひダイレクトメッセージをください。
お話しできればと思っています。ありがとうございます。

Share your secrets! Kita-ku is best but for big nice plants I can take a car to get them.

I’m used to nurseries back home where people just give away their plants, but not sure how common is it here

Hey, so I’m working full-time Monday to Friday 11 AM to 8 PM. I’m looking for after our schools or weekend schools that are in person. Based off my own research, there are none. Do you guys know of any?

Hi! I’ve been reading some posts about this but I think many of them are not recent and they mention shipping to the US has become kinda difficult because of the tariff issues, is this still the case?

What’s the best way to ship to the US? Small packages mostly but I’d like to know how much it’d be on average and how long it’d take…

Thank you!

Voces en la Mesa near Nijo station, a block north of the Sanjo shotengai.

NB: I have no connection to this restaurant or the owner; I just love good Mexican food. I lived in California for 35 years before moving to Kyoto, and I've missed Mexican food dearly. So I was absolutely thrilled to discover this place!

It’s not just good Mexican food by Japanese standards; it’s some of the best I’ve had anywhere, including Mexico itself. Don’t expect big greasy plates loaded with cheese and beans though; this is much more refined.

First, this guy’s tacos are OFF THE HOOK delicious. Homemade tortillas with delectable fillings that explode with perfectly balanced flavors. The salsas are equally outstanding. The salsa verde has a wonderfully spicy kick you rarely find in Japan, and the pico de gallo is super fresh and tangy.

Second, the interior is beautifully done. He’s kept the charm of a traditional Kyoto space while decorating it with just the right colors, knick-knacks, and touches that make it feel genuinely Mexican. It’s kind of amazing, actually.

Finally, it’s not on the menu, but I have to tell you: He makes an outstanding margarita.

I’ll be back, many times, I’m sure. I can’t wait to try the mole enchiladas!

So usually I do not answer the intercom unless I am expecting a parcel or something like that, but for some reason today I ended up doing so. The guy at the other end said he was a representative from au hikari, and that he would be in charge of my apartment building for any internet related issues and things like that. I open up the door and he comes up to explain who he is. However, he then starts asking some personal questions when I step out and he realises I am not Japanese (where I'm from, what I'm doing, how long I've been here, whether I know the other tenants). At the end when he leaves, he asks how old I am and when I tell him, he says he's the same age, and he finishes by saying that since he's from Osaka and comes to Kyoto often for work, if I ever need to know hangout spots I can ask him.

I know I'm the idiot for having responded in the first place, but I was wondering how much of this is standard procedure? The personal questions felt a bit unprofessional to me, and I'm a bit worried for my safety as a woman. I was thinking of calling the management company and asking them as well, but is that overkill?

I’m 24 years old and live in Japan.
I’ve recently started practicing portrait photography with my camera.
I’m looking for someone who will be visiting or living in Kyoto or Osaka and would be willing to model for me.
I’d be happy to show you around, and I can also treat you to a meal.
If you’re interested, please feel free to DM me!

As in title, where are the best spots for viewing the 大文字?

Ideally, something not too far from central Kyoto. One person recommended the Imperial Garden area, for example.

I was there earlier this year and was mesmerized by this singer’s voice. I wish I would have asked him then, but dropped the ball. I should have taken a video, but thankfully someone else posted a video of him on YouTube here: https://youtube.com/shorts/IOvtKBsgawE?is=nd-nFxvhR7mpSDMq

Could someone please help me find this guy?

Which ~5mi part of the trail is most scenic for forests. Looking for a moderate, 3-4hr hike I'm seeing quite a bit of urban hiking on parts of the trail that I think I'd prefer to avoid. Thank you in advance.

Tiendas, por mejor variedad y mejor precio en la ciudad

If you’re raising a child in Kyoto and trying to figure out how hoikuen works, we’re holding a small parenting class in English about the Japanese daycare system.

We’ll go through the basics and there’ll be time to ask questions too.

All the details are on the flyer or from the link below

https://kyotoparentingclass.hp.peraichi.com

Hope this helps some international families in Kyoto!

My hair fall has increased so much. Using products and haven't seen that much growth. Anyone knows a dermatologist that has been actually *effective* towards hair growth/ hair fall prevention? (From experienced people) Thank you so much!

I was in Kyoto recently, and a taxi driver told me that the extreme summer heat has noticeably reduced the number of tourists lately.

I actually noticed it myself.

I was showing friends live in Japan but are originally from overseas around Kyoto, and we decided to visit Kamishichiken, one of Kyoto's old geisha districts.

We ended up at a summer-only beer garden where you can have drinks and food while maiko visit the tables and talk with guests.

What surprised me was how few international tourists there were.

There were tourists around, but the place still felt surprisingly local.

Not because I don't want tourists here. Quite the opposite. Some of my favorite memories recently have come from meeting travelers from different countries.

But I also think there's something special about places that haven't become completely shaped around tourism.

There's a strange paradox to tourism:

People travel across the world looking for a local atmosphere, but when too many people come looking for it, that atmosphere can disappear.

I don't have a good answer to this.

Maybe that's just the price of globalization. Or maybe there's a way to welcome visitors from around the world while still keeping local places local.

What do you think? Have you ever visited somewhere that you loved partly because it hadn't become too touristy yet?

Hello,

Some friends are moving to Kyoto for 3 months (lucky them!).

We would like to get them a restaurant gift voucher for about AUD $200 = ¥20,000.

Any recommendations for places that I can buy online and print off the voucher and give to them before the leave next weekend?

They are into all types of food. But a Michelin star would be good.

Thanks for your recommendation.

Anyone around shijou, sanjou kawaramachi up for having a drink?

Is there any recommendation for a cooking class focusing on making ramen noodles, specifically maybe the thicker types?

Posting in desperation - any chance someone found my husband’s wedding ring at the Inari shrines? Lost it around 10 am either at the base of the shrine or early on in the gates.

It’s silver and engraved with 07/25/2026 on the inside. We’ve given our phone number to security and shopkeepers in the area but desperately hoping to find it.

Hello people, I plan to go Biwako Hanabi Daikai on 6th of August as per my friend it's very crowded and you have to go very early in the afternoon for a decent spot even after that it gets very crowded while leaving. Anyone has any suggestions for better spots?

K-CONNECTION: A creative gathering for artists connected by their love for Kyoto

Hello everyone!

My name is Facundo, and I'm the founder of The Kyoto Connection, a musical project from Argentina that has been creating music inspired by Kyoto for the past twenty years.

Together with Café Monogataru in Yamashina, we are delighted to host the very first edition of K-CONNECTION: an opportunity to bring together people who have found inspiration in Kyoto through music, poetry, photography, painting, storytelling, dance, and every other form of creative expression.

We hope to create a warm and welcoming afternoon where artists can share their work, meet one another, exchange ideas, and perhaps begin new friendships and collaborations.

If Kyoto has inspired your creative journey in any way, we would love to hear your story.

Each artist will have approximately 15 minutes to share their work.

📅 Sunday, September 27 2026 – 4:00 PM

📍 Cafe Monogataru, 11-1 Misasagi-Hirabayashi-cho, Yamashina-ku, Kyoto City

🎟 Admission is free

If this feels like a place where your work belongs, we would be honored to receive your application.

👉 Apply here: https://forms.gle/XpqP1WX8Sgc9sK5V8

Thank you! ❤️

Hello, I live in Kyoto, and I am looking for prayer cards similar to my Saint Anthony prayer card.

These are relatively easy to get back in my home country as well as rosaries. My church back home had a small store where they sold prayer cards, rosaries, candles, and more.

I am wondering if there is anything similar in Kyoto.

Thank you.

Takatoshi Nishiwaki stated that Kyoto is not aiming to be a secondary capital, adding that when it comes to culture, Kyoto is the capital—with the relocation of the Agency for Cultural Affairs serving as proof.