Housing in Kyoto

Kyoto program Spring Quarter 2021/22 housing arrangements

For reasons of COVID safety, in Spring Quarter 2021/22 rather than living in home stays, all students on the Stanford in Kyoto program will live in private apartments. 

Compared to a home stay experience, students will have a different set of challenges and opportunities. Much like a local university student, they will be responsible for managing the practicalities of daily life such as organizing their own meals, doing the cleaning, laundry, recycling, and some of the general admin that comes with living in their own place. The experience is also distinct from living in a student dorm where live-in help is quickly on hand at all hours; students living in private apartments are challenged to develop the problem-solving skills necessary for living independently - and doing so using Japanese! 

Besides daily practicalities, outside of school hours students in private apartments have more scope to set their own schedule; however this also means that they must also have the discipline to make sure that their schedule supports their academic goals and other responsibilities. Students in private apartments must be especially proactive in making and maintaining connections with local friends from Doshisha and elsewhere. Students have a great opportunity to (and responsibility for) defining their own experience in Kyoto whilst gaining all the personal confidence that goes with knowing they can operate on their own - and in a different country and culture.

Students in private housing will have their basic living costs covered by the program:

• Meals: Students will receive a stipend to cover three meals a day (¥2,400/day).
• Commuting: Most private apartments will require a 30-60 minute commute (considered short by Japanese standards) to the Stanford Japan Center by public transportation. Commuting costs are covered by the program.
• Living spaces and equipment: Students living in private apartments will typically find that their living space consists of a living area containing a bed and bedding, a desk and chair, TV, wardrobe and air conditioning. Apartments normally also have a small kitchenette with a stove, refrigerator and microwave, basic crockery and kitchenware, as well as a toilet/bathroom, and a washing machine to do laundry. Students are given an allowance to purchase essentials they don’t find in their apartment. Apartments will have internet access in most cases, but if not students can use a pocket wifi unit. Students will usually be housed in the same apartment building as a small number of other students from the program, subject to availability.