• Multilingual Support
    Multilingual Support
  • Multilingual Support

    Multilingual Support

The Kobe International Community Center (KICC) strives to boost the international spirit of our city by promoting international exchanges among our citizens and working to create intercultural communities. 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!

  • Services Offered

    Multilingual support

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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)

  • 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)

  • Location

    Kobe City Hall, Bldg. No. 2, 1st Floor

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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
  • 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)

  • 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.)

  • Availability

    Please inquire

  • Hours of Operation

    Anytime during work hours

Service introduction

Emergency Translation & Interpreting Services

  • 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.

  • Availability

    As needed

  • Hours of Operation

    As needed

Volunteer application

3 Japanese Study Support Program

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, while also promoting mutual understanding between foreign and Japanese residents, through a number of programs taught by Japanese volunteers.
The KICC is not a Japanese language school. Your Japanese supporter is a volunteer who helps you with your learning.

Inquiry

Asta Kunizuka 1-Bankan, South Building 4F
5-3-1, Udezuka-cho, Nagata-ku, Kobe 653-0036
TEL: 078-742-8705
FAX: 078-691-5553

KICC’s Mascot, Kokko-chan!

KICCマスコットキャラクター カモメの「コッコ」

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!