Frequently asked questions

Expo House is truly international. At any given time, we have residents from all around the world, including Asia, Europe and North America. University and exchange students, Japanese language school students, working holiday makers, remote workers, local professionals and people training in Kyoto all live here together.

No — language skills are not required. English is often used as a common language, but one of the best things about an international share house is that you can naturally pick up and improve languages through everyday life. Many housemates are learning Japanese too, so it’s a friendly place to teach each other.

We hold seasonal events regularly, such as hiking, plum wine making, nagashi somen and mochi making. Chats in the living room and spontaneous plans to go out together happen too. Joining in is never mandatory — you can enjoy house life at your own pace. See our events

Yes. Tate, Halu and Fuji are women-only houses. Rozan, Ichi and Jurack 3 are mixed houses. Compare all six houses

Yes — many of our housemates are working holiday makers. Rooms come fully furnished, rent includes utilities and Wi-Fi, and the minimum stay is 2 months, so you can settle in quickly without buying furniture or setting up contracts. Living with housemates from Japan and around the world is also a great way to make friends and find your feet in Kyoto.

Definitely. Several housemates attend Japanese language schools in Kyoto, and daily life with Japanese and international housemates gives you plenty of real-world practice. There are buses from the neighbourhood to central Kyoto, and every room has a desk for homework and study.

Yes. Every house has free Wi-Fi, and every private room has a desk and chair, so many remote workers and digital nomads stay with us. If you’d like a calmer, more spacious house for working, ask us about Jurack 3.

Yes. All six houses are in Nishijin, Kyoto. Ritsumeikan University (Kinugasa campus), Bukkyo University and Otani University are nearby, and there are direct buses to Doshisha University and Kyoto University. Several housemates also train at an aikido dojo in the neighbourhood.

Every private room comes with a bed, a desk and chair, storage and air conditioning, so you can start living comfortably from the day you move in — just bring your suitcase.

The kitchen, living room, bathroom and toilets are shared. Shared spaces are cleaned regularly by our staff, so there’s no cleaning rota for residents. We just ask everyone to follow the house rules and be considerate of each other.

Kitchens have frying pans, dishes, a rice cooker, a microwave oven, a blender, a hand mixer and more. Living rooms have a TV (Rozan also has a DVD player), and each house has a washing machine, iron and ironing board.

Yes. Free Wi-Fi is available in every house for everyday use.

Monthly rent ranges from ¥47,000 to ¥54,000 depending on the house and room. It includes utilities, Wi-Fi, basic supplies such as toilet paper, bin bags and cleaning products (please bring your own laundry detergent), and regular cleaning of the shared spaces — so there are no surprise bills. See rent for each house

The initial cost is mainly the deposit of ¥40,000 (¥20,000 of this is kept as an administration fee) plus your first month’s rent. Contact us for the exact amount for the room you’re interested in.

The basic minimum contract is 2 months, and 3 months for move-ins during the busy March–April season. Depending on the house, we may be able to be flexible, so let us know how long you’d like to stay.

Our houses are for residents aged 18 to 45.

Send us an enquiry through our contact form with your preferred move-in month and the houses you’re interested in. After a confirmation screen, your message is sent, and we’ll reply by email with available rooms.

Of course. The phone number field is optional, so you can leave it blank.