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Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance
For your safety and general well-being, all participants of JSSF 2024 (students and teachers) from outside Japan are required to purchase their own travel insurance for the duration of their stay in Japan. Please make sure to bring the associated documentation with you.
All participants will be asked to confirm that they have enrolled in overseas traveler’s insurance (or confirm their intent to do so before departure for Japan) when completing Form 7.
Food Allergies
Food Allergies
School's have an opportunity to share dietary requirements for their participants while filling out Form 1.
At Ritsumeikan, our campus dining facilities make efforts to clearly identify allergens present in dishes using pictographs. This image shows a typical explanation sign and menu card.
There are 7 major allergens in addition to 21 additional allergens that will be indicated. Please be advised that the pictographs on signs do not include tabletop seasonings such as soy sauce, other sauces, and dressings that may be available to add to your dish.
If you have any concerns about your dietary needs, please do not hesitate to ask your school buddy, or a Ritsumeikan Teacher for assistance during scheduled dining times at one of our facilities.
Please remember that while the 7 major allergens are required by government regulation to be identified on labels, the others are not and are often not on packaging. If you are worried about having a severe allergic reaction error on the side of caution.
There are several good sources of information regarding travelling with food allergies in Japan. As awareness of food allergies increases in Japan, many companies are now putting extra effort into creating foods that are safe for everyone to eat. More and more products now carry labels based on government standards. Unfortunately, as with most food labels in Japan, this information is typically only available in Japanese.
The following online resources are presented to help you prepare for your trip if you have dietary needs. It is advised that you download the PDFs and either bring a paper copy or store them on a smartphone for easy access during your time in Japan.
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency: Food Labelling System (Japanese Government Site - PDF)
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency: Food Allergy Communication Sheet (Japanese Government Site - PDF)
Quick Guide: Know And Understand Food Allergies In Japan (Savvy Tokyo Website - Blog)
Accommodation
Accommodation
During JSSF, student and teacher guests will be staying at either EPOCH Ritsumei 21 or BKC International House, accommodations located at Ritsumeikan University, Biwako-Kusatsu Campus (BKC). Transportation from BKC to Nagaokakyo Campus (NKC), the venue for the first, third, and fifth days of JSSF, takes approximately 40 minutes by bus.
Indoor Shoes
Indoor Shoes
In Japan, people take off their shoes when entering their homes in an area called the genkan (玄関). Think of a genkan as a combination of a porch and doormat. In the same way, when students arrive at school, they take off their shoes and put on indoor shoes at the entrance before they go further into the school.
When you visit Ritsumeikan High School (NKC) you will need to switch from your outdoor shoes into indoor shoes or slippers. Although we have enough slippers for everyone, these slippers are not very appropriate for walking around actively during the event. Also, larger shoe sizes (28 cm / US Size 11.5 / EU 44 and larger) are not widely available. We request that all participants prepare indoor shoes (clean shoes, preferably those that have not been worn outside) for use during the event. Lockers will be provided for you to store your indoor shoes at NKC for the duration of JSSF 2023.
Internet Connection
Internet Connection
Usernames and passwords will be issued for use on the computers at BKC and OIC. If you bring a PC / tablet / smartphone, etc. you can use the password to connect to the internet through the wireless network. In order that you may access the wireless network at NKC, we will issue a separate ID. The network at International House does not require individual IDs to connect.
Voltage
Voltage
Recently, electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets support a wide range of voltages. However, appliances such as hair dryers often do not. Please check the supported input voltages of any devices you plan to bring with you. The voltage in Japan is 100 volts with outlets as shown here.
You will need to bring your own electric adapter suitable for use in Japan (two pin). In addition, participants should have their own transformers for personal electrical appliances that do not support 100 volts. Adaptors and transformers will not be provided. Be sure to prepare and bring your own.
Money
Money
All transport and food will be provided (except for Day 4's Kyoto dinner and shopping free time period). Exchange facilities are available in central Kyoto, but due to the tight schedule it will be difficult to access these facilities during your trip. While credit cards are more widely accepted that before, you may encounter problems with cards issued outside of Japan, especially if you have not notified the issuing company that you will be using the card in Japan. We therefore advise all participants to exchange money in their home countries or at Kansai airport as soon as they arrive.
Weather Conditions
Weather Conditions
Early November is a good time to visit Kyoto as the climate is fairly mild (not too hot or too cold), with average highs between 20 to 23 degrees Celsius, and average lows between 10 to 13 degrees Celsius. Although the average rainfall for this time is quite low it is recommended that students are prepared for rain, either with a light coat or umbrella.
What to Bring
What to Bring
Here is a packing list for what you should bring to JSSF. It may not be a complete list, but we think it will help you get started as you get prepared to make the trip to Japan.
As mentioned above, please do not forget to bring the proper adapters (and transformers) for your devices, as they will NOT be provided.
We will try to make every effort to accommodate all of the participants dietary requests. However, those with special dietary concerns (such as gluten-free) may also wish to bring sealed packaged foods that you feel comfortable eating when you are unsure if a food you find here is safe for you.
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