The Kobe International Community Center was established in order to boost the international spirit of our city, establish a comfortable living environment for foreign nationals, and promote international exchanges among our citizens. We offer assistance in many languages, providing various services aimed at promoting international exchanges, daily life advice and comprehensive information about municipal services. We look forward to serving you!
Services Offered at the KICC
1 Daily Life Information and Consultations in Various Languages
Our multilingual staff is here to help!
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Services Offered
Multilingual support
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Language Availability
- English
- Monday – Friday
- Chinese
- Monday – Friday
- Korean
- Friday
- Spanish
- Tuesday&Thursday
- Portuguese
- Thursday
- Vietnamese
- Monday&Wednesday
- Filipino
- Wednesday
- Nepali
- Monday
- Thai
- Tuesday
- Indonesian
- Friday
*In case the interpreters are unavailable, we also have access to remote interpreting services via tablet terminals.
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Hours of Operation
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm*Phone support available from 9:00 am.
Daily Life Advice / Information on Daily Life & Municipal Services
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Services Offered
Counseling on everyday matters.
Information on municipal services and living in Kobe -
Language Availability
- English
- Monday – Friday
- Chinese
- Monday – Friday
- Korean
- Friday
- Spanish
- Tuesday&Thursday
- Portuguese
- Thursday
- Vietnamese
- Monday&Wednesday
- Filipino
- Wednesday
- Nepali
- Monday
- Thai
- Tuesday
- Indonesian
- Friday
*In case the interpreters are unavailable, we also have access to remote interpreting services via tablet terminals.
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Hours of Operation
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm*Phone support available from 9:00 am.
Immigration and Residential Status Consultations (By appointment only)
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Services Offered
1. Counseling on immigration, residential status, naturalization and other administrative procedures
2. General information related to immigration procedures, residential status, etc. -
Availability
1. 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month
2. 2nd Friday of the month -
Hours of Operation
1. 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
2. 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
These are specialist consultations, so please make an appointment ahead of time if you require an interpreter. (Interpreting available in English and Chinese; please inquire about other languages)
Kobe City Government Citizen Consultation Center(Volunteer interpreters available upon appointment)
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Location
Kobe City Hall, Bldg. No. 2, 1st Floor
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Availability
1.Labor Issues 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month
2.Insurance & Pension 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month
3.Taxes 1st & 3rd Friday of the month -
Hours of Operation
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
2 Translation & Interpreting
Phone Interpreting Service for Ward Office Visitors
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Services Offered
If you find it difficult to communicate in Japanese at one of the service desks at a ward office, phone interpreting services are available at each of them.
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Language Availability
- English
- Monday – Friday
- Chinese
- Monday – Friday
- Korean
- Friday
- Spanish
- Tuesday&Thursday
- Portuguese
- Thursday
- Vietnamese
- Monday&Wednesday
- Filipino
- Wednesday
- Nepali
- Monday
- Thai
- Tuesday
- Indonesian
- Friday
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Hours of Operation
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm*Phone support available from 9:00 am.
On-site Interpreting (By appointment only)
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Services Offered
If you need to carry out procedures or want to get a consultation at the ward office or any other public institution within the city limits of Kobe, but find it difficult to communicate in Japanese, we can dispatch a volunteer interpreter to accompany you to that institution. (This service is offered in 11 languages.)
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Availability
Please inquire
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Hours of Operation
Anytime during work hours
Emergency Translation & Interpreting Services
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Services Offered
In the event of an earthquake, flood or other major disaster, we will offer translation and interpreting support at evacuation shelters, ward offices and other locations in order to assist foreign nationals who find it difficult to communicate in Japanese.
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Availability
As needed
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Hours of Operation
As needed
3 Support for Japanese Language and Culture Courses
Purpose of the Program
The Kobe International Community Center (KICC) provides support to foreign residents to make it easier for them to live in Kobe. The KICC is also a place where both Japanese and foreign nationals can interact and learn about each other’s cultures. The main purpose of the program is to provide foreign residents the chance to learn basic level Japanese language and culture, while also promoting mutual understanding between foreign and Japanese residents, through a number of programs taught by Japanese volunteers (language study, calligraphy and flower arrangement).
The KICC is not a Japanese language school. Your Japanese supporter is a volunteer who helps you with your learning.
Courses
You can choose one of the following courses: Japanese Language, Calligraphy or Flower Arrangement.
Program information(147.81 KB)Japanese classes in Kobe
4 Events
Kobe International Fair
The annual Kobe International Fair (held every year in March) aims to (i) make citizens aware of, and encourage them to participate in, the activities of international cooperation and communication organizations (primarily in Kobe) that strive to contribute to the internationalization of Kobe; (ii) facilitate collaboration and communication among organizations; and (iii) help citizens learn more about different cultures and traditions.
Kobe Community Forum
This event aims to enable people with different views and backgrounds to exchange opinions in order to strengthen the ties between them and their communities, and deepen the understanding of what it means to live in a multicultural environment among all citizens of Kobe, including foreign nationals. It has been held since 2017.
FY2018 Kobe Community Forum ReportFY2019 Kobe Community Forum Report
Other Services
Book borrowing
Japanese textbooks and learning materials can be borrowed.
International exchange bulletin board
Please feel free to use the bulletin board provided in the Center for sharing information on nonprofit language exchange programs between Japanese and foreign residents, volunteer activities, and freecycling (items to give away and items wanted for free).
KOBE Free Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi service is available inside the Center.
Meeting rooms (fees apply)
Meeting rooms are available for nonprofit international exchange organizations registered with the KICC, and whose aim is to promote international exchange amongst the citizens of Kobe.
Applications for conference rooms will begin on the 10th of the month two months before you wish to use the service (or the next business day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays).
Example: If you wish to use the conference room on September 20th → Apply on July 10th.
Meeting Room A or B
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Max. Capacity
30
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Rental Fees
- 2 hours
- 1,800 yen
- 4 hours
- 3,200 yen
- 6 hours
- 4,800 yen
- 8 hours
- 6,100 yen
- 10 hours
- 7,100 yen
- 1-hour extension
- 900 yen
Meeting Room AB (Both rooms together)
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Max. Capacity
60
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Rental Fees
- 2 hours
- 3,400 yen
- 4 hours
- 6,100 yen
- 6 hours
- 9,100 yen
- 8 hours
- 11,500 yen
- 10 hours
- 13,400 yen
- 1-hour extension
- 1,700 yen
Contact
- Address
- Kobe International Center for Cooperation and Communication
Kobe Commerce, Industry, and Trade Center Building, 2nd Floor
5-1-14 Hamabe-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe
- TEL
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078-291-8441 (Office Hours: Weekdays 9:00am to 5:30pm, closed on Sundays & public holidays)
078-291-8442 (Phone Reception Hours: Weekdays 9:00am to 8:00pm, Saturdays 10:00am to 5:00pm, closed on Sundays & public holidays)
- FAX
- 078-291-0691
- Hours of Operation
- Mon. to Fri. 10:00am to 8:00pm, Sat. 10:00am to 5:00pm
Closed on Sundays, Japanese public holidays, and a number of days over the new year holiday season.
KICC’s Mascot, Kokko-chan!
Hi there! I'm Kokko, the KICCs seagull mascot. My name comes from the "Ko" in "Kobe", "kokusai" (meaning "international") and "Kouryu" (meaning "exchange" or "networking"). My head is based on an image of the Earth, and my necktie is inspired by Kobe City's Port Tower. I'm very glad to meet you. Yoroshiku, ne!
- Birthday
- May 29th (The same day that KICC was founded)
- Personality
- A happy and cheerful girl who loves adventure
- Hobbies
- Viewing Kobe from Port Tower Occasionally going fishing Traveling
- Special Talent
- She can draw all the flags of the world
- Her Dream
- To become an expert (?) in languages (In fact, she is studying now!)
- The truth is...
- If she tries really, really hard, she can fly!