Kinugasa Campus
The International Houses (I-Houses) are dormitories primarily for international students coming to Japan from overseas to study at Kinugasa Campus. There are three I-Houses near campus, and Resident Mentors (RMs) living in each house support students who are living in Japan for the first time.
日本語English
Eligibility and priority
- Exchange students and students in short-term programs
- International students entering regular undergraduate programs taught in English (both privately funded and government-sponsored)
International undergraduate students in Japanese-taught programs, international graduate students, etc.
If rooms remain after the students above have moved in, we may send these students information about moving in. They have lower priority (undergraduate students first, then graduate students), and depending on availability, no information may be sent in some semesters.
Other Japanese students
Students cannot move into an I-House when they enter the university. However, in semesters when rooms are available, we may recruit short-term residents for one semester from students already enrolled at Ritsumeikan. → Short-term residents
*Japanese nationals entering an undergraduate program taught in English may also be eligible if their circumstances are similar to those of international students, for example if they have lived overseas for a long time and have never lived in Japan. If this may apply to you, please contact the International Center, Kinugasa Campus.
*Whether you can move in, and which house you are assigned to, depends on applications and room availability each semester.
Overview 概要
Rent
From JPY 39,000/month
Water, electricity and internet included
Rooms
Furnished single rooms
Each room has a desk, chair, bed, bookshelf and air conditioner, so you can start your life in Kyoto from the day you arrive in Japan.
Support
Resident Mentors in every house
Feel free to ask them about dorm life, the university and daily life in Japan.
Available in all three houses
- Desk & chair
- Bed
- Bookshelf
- Air conditioner
- Lounge
- Coin laundry
- Bicycle parking
- Auto-lock
- RM support
Choosing a house 寮の選び方・3寮の比較
- I want to keep my rent lowTokiwa →
- I want my own toilet and sinkUtano →
- I want to live near campus and make lots of friendsTaishogun →
| Item | I-House Tokiwa | I-House Utano | I-House Taishogun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (monthly) *1 | JPY 39,000 | JPY 49,000 | JPY 49,000 |
| Rooms | 52 | 35 | 190 |
| To campus: walk | — | — | approx. 20 min |
| To campus: bicycle | approx. 20 min | approx. 15 min | approx. 10 min |
| To campus: public transport | Randen approx. 30 min | Bus approx. 20 min | Bus approx. 5 min |
| Fridge in room | — | Yes | Yes |
| Toilet in room | — | Yes | — |
| Sink in room | — | Yes | Yes |
| Kitchen | Dining kitchen | Dining kitchen | Living-dining kitchen |
| Bath | Shared bath (by gender) | Bath + shower rooms (by gender) | Shower rooms (by gender) |
| In-room internet | Wired LAN / Wi-Fi | Wired LAN / Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi *2 |
| Details | See details | See details | See details |
*1 Water, electricity and internet included. Applies to residents moving in from March 2026. A separate administrative processing fee also applies.
*2 In-room Wi-Fi at Taishogun can be unstable. We recommend arranging your own pocket Wi-Fi or a similar service.
I-House Tokiwa
Iハウス常盤(formerly Ritsumeikan International House I)JPY 39,000/month — lowest rent of the three
Highlights
- Lowest rent of the three: JPY 39,000/month
- Easy to get around by Randen and bus
- Many supermarkets and shops nearby
- A close, family-like community
Access
To campus
Bicycle approx. 20 min / Randen approx. 30 min
Nearest station
Narutaki Station (Randen)
Room types
- 52 roomsSingle student rooms
In your room
- Desk & chair
- Bookshelf
- Closet
- Bed & curtains
- Air conditioning & lighting
- Internet (wired LAN / Wi-Fi)
Shared facilities
- Kitchen with fridge
- Shared bath (by gender, no individual shower booths)
- Toilets (by gender)
- Coin laundry with dryers
- Internet room
- Lounge & Japanese tatami room
- Bicycle parking
I-House Utano
Iハウス宇多野(formerly Ritsumeikan International House II)JPY 49,000/month — private toilet & sink
Highlights
- Private toilet, sink and fridge in every room
- A cozy house with 35 rooms
- Quiet, surrounded by greenery
Access
To campus
Bicycle approx. 15 min / Bus approx. 20 min
(may vary with traffic and weather)
Nearest bus stop
Yūsu Hosuteru-mae (Youth Hostel)
Room types
- 35 roomsSingle student rooms
- 2 roomsGuest rooms
(for researchers and faculty)
In your room
- Desk & chair
- Bookshelf
- Closet
- Bed & curtains
- Fridge
- Toilet
- Sink
- Balcony
- Air conditioning & lighting
- Internet (wired LAN / Wi-Fi)
Shared facilities
- Dining kitchen (each floor)
- Bath (by gender)
- Shower rooms (by gender, individual booths)
- Coin laundry with dryers
- Internet room
- Lounge with kitchen corner
- Japanese tatami room
- Bicycle parking
I-House Taishogun
Iハウス大将軍JPY 49,000/month — closest to campus
Highlights
- Bus approx. 5 min / bicycle approx. 10 min to campus
- 190 rooms — lively, with many residents
- Women-only floor (4th floor)
Access
To campus
Bus approx. 5 min / Bicycle approx. 10 min / Walk approx. 20 min
Nearest bus stop
Tōjiin-michi
Room types
- 190 roomsSingle student rooms
- 1 roomAccessible room
- 12 roomsShort program rooms
(4 people per room) - 5 roomsGuest rooms
(for researchers and faculty)
The 4th floor is for women only. Residents cannot choose their floor.
In your room
- Desk & chair
- Bookshelf & trash bin
- Shoe rack & clothes hanger
- Bed & curtains
- Fridge
- Sink
- Air conditioning & lighting
- Internet (Wi-Fi only)
Shared facilities
- Living-dining kitchen (each floor)
- Shower rooms (by gender, each floor)
- Toilets (by gender, each floor)
- Study room (each floor)
- Coin laundry with dryers
- Rooftop drying area
- Multipurpose room
- Lounge
- Courtyard
- Table tennis
- Public phone
- Vending machine (drinks)
- Bicycle parking
Note: In-room Wi-Fi can be unstable. If this concerns you, we recommend arranging your own pocket Wi-Fi or a similar service.
Fees and period of residence 寮費と入寮期間
Fees (residents moving in from March 2026)
| Item | Tokiwa | Utano | Taishogun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (monthly) | JPY 39,000 | JPY 49,000 | JPY 49,000 |
| Residence entrance fee | One month's rent (one-time, non-refundable) | ||
| Bedding rental (monthly) | JPY 2,000 | ||
| Move-out cleaning fee | JPY 10,000 | ||
- Rent includes water, electricity and internet.
- The accessible room at Taishogun has the same rent.
- Fees may change each semester.
Costs when you move in
In addition to the residence entrance fee, rent and bedding rental, a separate administrative processing fee applies.
Details of the initial costs will be provided in the dormitory application guide.
Period of residence (up to one year in general)
April enrollees: from a date in mid-March designated by the university to the end of February the following year
September enrollees: from a date in early September designated by the university to the end of August the following year
Move-in dates are set each semester and announced in the dormitory application guide. The period may differ depending on the resident.
Steps to move in 入寮までの流れ
- STEP 1ApplyFollow the application guide for your student category.
- STEP 2Get your resultWe will let you know whether you have a place and which house you will live in.
- STEP 3PreparePay the initial costs, register your move-in date and read the guidebook.
- STEP 4Arrive and move inMove in on your designated date and get an introduction from an RM. Check-in is on weekdays, 10:00–17:00, in principle.
Life in the house 寮での生活
Resident Mentors (RMs)
RMs are student staff who live in each I-House. They help run the houses and plan events, and they are the people closest to residents — feel free to ask them about dorm life, the university and daily life in Japan.
House rules and emergency contacts
House rules and emergency contacts are in each house's guidebook. Please read it before you move in.
Downloads ダウンロード
Related information 関連情報
Resident Mentor (RM) recruitment
We recruit student staff who support residents' daily lives and plan events and activities in the I-Houses.
Application period and how to apply: Resident Mentors (RM) Information (in Japanese)
Short-term residents
Only in semesters when rooms are available, we recruit undergraduate and graduate students already enrolled at Ritsumeikan (all nationalities) to live with international students for one semester. Recruitment may not take place in some semesters, depending on availability. This does not guarantee a room at the time of entry to the university.
Application period and how to apply: Short-Term Residence Information
Contact 問い合わせ先
Office
International Center, Kinugasa Campus
Meigakukan, 1st floor
We can help you in English or Japanese.
Office hours
