Orientation and First Weeks
When I arrived in Kyoto, I took a taxi my dormitory. As Kyoto station is pretty much in central Kyoto, finding a taxi is extremely easy. To get to I-House Utano, it costs about 3000 yen. However, one thing that I found was that most taxi drivers didn’t know where my dorm was by name, so I had to use a different landmark that was close by, such as the Utano Youth Hostel. For a cheaper option, there is the bus loop which you can easily catch the 26 bus to the same area (this is a lot cheaper, costing 230 yen, but it takes a bit longer).
The orientation was really useful for getting information on what is around Kyoto, medical information, classes and so on. It can be a bit long, as it spans over a few days, but there is a lot of useful information. You get a lot of papers during the orientation, so be prepared. Some aren’t that useful, but there are a few that is extremely useful, make sure you stay organized!
Accommodation and Living
As mentioned earlier, I was living in I-House Utano. I found this dorm to be extremely comfortable. In the dorm there were two house managers and three “Japanese buddies” that can help you out when you have any questions, concerns, etc.
The dorm itself, is a bit far from central Kyoto, but it is right in front of a bus stop, which is really convenient. The rooms are really comfortable, as you get your own fridge, toilet, sink, etc. (which is the main reason I chose this dorm). One complaint that I have though is that doing laundry is quite expensive, since the machines weren’t that good. It often cost me around 500 yen (~$5) to completely wash and dry my clothes. Also, the kitchen is a bit small for the amount of people trying to cook and I guess depending on your house mates, it can get quite gross.
