Living Conditions

1. Housing

(1) International Student House, International House

The International Student House and the International House are provided for students to live. Rooms of the International Student House are all single type. This student house is built for Japanese and foreign students.

The International House is consisted of the rooms of family type, couple type and single type.

Students must ask the clerks in the Student Welfare Division for moving in the International Student House, and them in the Student Division for moving in the International House. However, it may happen that students cannot move in them because of some reason.

(2) Private Apartments and Houses

Private apartments and houses in Japan are generally unfurnished. Students who rent such places have to check it previously. Also they should know that in Japan, when one rents an apartment or a house, it is customary to pay a considerable amount of money as key - money(kenri-kin) or a deposit(shiki-kin)n.

For further information they should ask and consult with the clerks in the Student Welfare Division.

When students find a house or an apartment, they should tell their hope on conditions and ask mediation to real estate agents. If students like one of them, they will take it on a lease. Then, they should confirm its rent, key - money and deposit.

2. Electricity

The voltage of Nara located in Kansai area is 100V, and the frequency is 60Hz. For inquiries, students should call The Nara Branch of Kansai Electric Power Co. (Tel.36-1201). Being in an apartment or a house, they should tell it to Kansai Electric Power Co. a few days before when they start to use or remove.

3. Water

For inquiries on water, students should call Nara City Water works Bureau (Tel.34-5200). They should tell it to Nara City Water works Bureau previously when they start to use or stop to use.

4. Gas

In some areas of Nara city, the gas is not provided and there propane gas is used. For inquiries on city gas, they should call The Nara Branch of Osaka Gas Co. (Tel .44-1111).

Gas appliances vary with the types of gas. They should confirm them at the branches of gas company or gas service shops.

5. The Methods of Payment for Public Utilities

The methods of payment for electricity, gas, water,and telephone are mentioned below;
  1. Automatic Payment: to have them paid automatically from one's bank or post office account

    Students should ask the clerks in a bank or a post office the procedures.

  2. Direct Payment by Oneself: to pay them directly at their branches,a post office or a bank
  3. Payment beyond the Deadline: to pay them directly at their branches
  4. When students remove, they should pay them on that day. In this case, they should tell it previously to the branches or the offices .

6. Telephone

Domestic Calls

In Japan, public telephones can be found here and there in a city. Especially in busy city areas,there are a lot of public telephones.

There are roughly two types of public telephones: those which accept 10 -yen coins or 100-yen coins or both, and those which accept telephone cards. (Some accept coins also.)

Students should confirm the type of telephone by specifications.

It is convenient to use telephone cards.

Local calls cost 10 yen per three minutes. Long - distance calls vary with the areas or the hours.

Overseas Calls

The telephones which students can make international calls from are located in the International House.

Near the university,telephones of this type are located in the office of The Nara International Foundation Commemorating The Silk Road Exposition.

7. Postal Service

Receipt of Mail

Students should tell their addresses to their family or companions and ask them to write to students' home.

If it is unavoidable that the university should receive students' letters, the letters should be sent to them c/o their respective faculties or the graduate divisions and received at the mailboxes which are located in each faculty office or graduate division office.

Sending Mail and Packages

Letters,parcels and cash can be sent by mail.

Letters should be dropped into a mailbox in the city, parcels and cash should be carried into a post office.

Students should write the addresses correctly and clearly even if they write them in English.

Parcels can be also sent by home delivery service. The Co-op (in University Union) acts as the agent, and in the city, so do rice shops and convenience stores which have the sign of Handling Home Delivery Service.

8. Post Office

Post offices in Japan are marked with a red T sign.

They carry on mail service, postal savings service, and payment for telephone charges and electric charges and others. Near the university, there are a number of post offices, such as the Nara Central Post Office, Higashimuki Post Office and Houren Post Office.

Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Only on Saturdays, the Nara Central Post Office opens from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m..

If students send in a report previously to a near post office when they change addresses, mail will be forwarded to new addresses within Japan for a year.

Postal rates vary with the kinds, the dimensions and the weight of mail. Further information about these may be given by clerks in a post office or the university or other Japanese fellows.

9. Bank

The foreign currency which can be changed to Japanese yen varies with the banks in Japan.

Near the university, there are a number of branches of banks, such as The Head Office of Nanto Bank, The Nara Branch of Sanwa Banks, The Nara Branch of Sumitomo Bank and The Nara Branch of Dai-ichi Kangyo Bank.

Business hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m., and they close on Saturdays, Sundays and the national holidays.

There are some banks where money can be deposited or withdrawn with bank cards even after hours or on Saturdays.

10. Newspapers

Major newspapers in Japan include The Asahi Shinbun, The Mainichi Shinbun, The Yomiuri Shinbun, The Sankei Shinbun (all of them have morning and evening papers) and The Nihon Keizai Shinbun which is specializing in economic news. Major English language papers published in Japan are The Japan Times, The Mainichi Daily News, The Daily Yomiuri.

There are two ways to get newspapers: to buy them at the shop and to enter a subscription at the nearest newspaper sales office and make them delivered to one's own home.

Students can read most of these papers and major magazines at the newspaper lounge in the school libraries.

11. Hospitals

Besides the Health Administration Center in the university, Students may make use of nearby hospitals. They are as follows:

Name Tel. Service available / Check - in Hours
The Nara National Hospital 22-1251 Internal Medicine,Surgery,Radiology,etc
Sakurai Hospital 26-0277 Internal Medicine,Surgery,Radiology,Orthopedics,etc
Sawai Hospital 23-3086 Internal Medicine,Surgery,Radiology,Orthopedics,etc
Nara City Nighttime Emergency Clinic 30-1288 Internal Medicine, Pediatrics
  • Holiday 0:30 - 18:30
  • Night 21:30 - 5:80 the next day
Nara City Nighttime Emergency Dental Clinic 34-3144 Dentistry
  • Holidays 9:30 - 3:30

12. Television and Radio

Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) is financed by the Japanese nation's taxes and viewer fees collected from subscribers. Those who own a television set or a radio are supposed to sign a contract with NHK and pay the viewer fees.

(1) Television

Viewers fees may be collected at home every two months, but it is more convenient method of payment to have them paid automatically from one's bank or post office account.

In Nara, there are some television channels broadcasting every day. they include:

(2) Satellite Broadcasting

Satellite Broadcasting can be received by installing the special receiving set.

In the university, a television which can receive Satellite Broadcasting is set in the Audiovisual Room in the University Union. Information for use of it can be obtained at the Student Service Section in the Student Division.

(3) Bilingual broadcasting

One can listen to the news in English, and en joy the foreign programs, if he owns a television set which includes the function for Bilingual Broadcasting.

(4) Radio

In Nara, there are some radio channels broadcasting every day. they include:

13. Telephone Numbers in case of Emergency

(1) Telephone Numbers

For fire, serious in jury, emergent illness: For crime, traffic accidents:

(2) to Make an Emergency Call from public Telephone

Only in case of emergency, public telephones can be used free.
  1. To push the red button with lifting the receiver.
  2. To push the buttons of 119 or 110.
Students can ask and consult immediately about anything that they want to know to their academic advisors, tutors and the clerks in the university.