Megumi's (highly opinionated)

Guide to Japan for foreign participants

The Osaka City University Guest House information

• BRING YOUR OWN....

  If you are staying at the Guest House, then bring your own shampoo. (Towels and soap are provided.) Since this facility is meant for foreign long-term visitors, it is NOT set up like a hotel, but rather more like an apartment building. The advantage is that you will have a small kitchenette and an eating area, but on the other hand, you will be expected to clean up after yourself (including taking out the garbage at the end of your stay).

• Remove your shoes

  There will be a small step to enter the room. You are expected to remove your shoes before stepping up ``into'' the room. There should be slippers laid out for your use in the room.

• Keycard use

  The electricity in your room (lights, heater, etc) will not operate until and unless you insert your keycard into a keycard reader located very near the door as you enter the room. Similarly, as you leave, you of course need to take out your keycard as you exit the room. This will automatically turn off any remaining lights that you had left on in the room.

  The door to your guest room is NOT self-locking. You must lock it ``by hand" from the outside.

• International telephone calls

  There is a telephone on the wall near the entrance to your room. To make any personal calls outside of the Guest House itself, you will need a prepaid telephone card (available at the vending machines in the Kansai Kenshu Centre lobby). To get an outside line, dial ``0'' first, and then enter your telephone card number.

• Bath and shower use

Please see the "Cultural Notes" in the KKC section above, regarding Japanese customs for baths. You will not find a conventional shower head in the North American sense, although there is a handheld showerhead available for your use.

Please note: the computerized temperature controls for the hot-water system in the bathroom are located opposite the water taps in the bathtub. The default temperature setting is LOW so you very likely need to adjust this if you want to have a hot bath or shower!!

• Heating and air conditioning

  The air conditioner/heater is operated by a remote control. The On/Off button is the large purple button. Temperatures are indicated in Celsius; press the up and down arrows to adjust the room temperature to your liking.

• Laundry and Ironing

  There is coin laundry (both washer and dryer) available. The laundry machines are MUCH SMALLER than North American ones. (See also the ``Laundry notes'' section in the ``Kansai Kenshu Centre'' section of this website, above, for cautionary information.) You should bring your own laundry detergent (or else there are small packets of detergent available for purchase at the Kansai Kenshu Centre across the street). One (small) load should cost about 300-400 JPY to wash and dry (but again, see the warnings in the ``Laundry notes'' section above).

  There is also an iron and ironing board available for your use. They are stored near the laundry machines. You can take them back to your room and then return them promptly after use. To use the iron, plug in the iron STAND -- this heats the iron as it sits in the stand. There are three settings; the ``high" is on top.

• Computer access

  If you bring your own laptop and LAN cable, you can use the Internet at the OCU Guest House. Look near or by the desk in your room for where to plug in your cable.

• No smoking in the Guesthouse

  The Guesthouse has a no-smoking policy throughout the building. The smoking area is located outside, near the front entrance of the building (where there is an ashtray).

• Alarm system

  The alarm system at OCU Guest House is very sensitive. It can sometimes detect air movement in the room when no one is there. Please shut off the heater and CLOSE ALL WINDOWS before exiting your room.