About the Homestay
- Welcomes
- Males
- Females
- Couples
- Families
- Students
Hello there! I'm Tomo and I manage this profile on behalf of my mother Toshiko (or as she likes to be called: "Okaasan"). She lives in a traditional Japanese home located in Otsu city, 10 min by train from Kyoto station.
There are always a lot of opportunities of language exchanges when staying with us. My mother is very outgoing and talks a lot. We also offer you the chance to come and talk with the students at my English school (10 min by train from the house).
We can also offer you to take Japanese lessons every week.
10.00 - 11.30 on Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri.
10.00 - 11.00 on Wednesdays.
Generally, we only accept monthly stays and the fees are to be paid in 1 month increments (the price includes electricity and utility fees).
The payment for Japanese lessons will be made separately, to the school. The price for lessons is 100,000 yen per month (textbook included).
(Note. We are not in the position of giving you a VISA, so without a VISA your stay will be limited to 3 months.
House Facilities
- Laundry
- TV
- Internet Access
- Air Conditioning
Bedrooms available for booking
About the Area
The house is located 10-15 min on foot from Otsu-kyo station (JR, Kosei Line), or 5 min on foot from Minamishiga station (Keihan Line).
The school is located 10 min on foot from Otsu station (JR, Biwako Line), or 3 min on foot from Shimanoseki station (Keihan Line). It is a 3 min walk from Biwa lake.
Local Area Facilities
- Park
- Shopping Centre
- Train station
- Hospital
Meals
Hosts can offer a complimentary light breakfast at their discretion. All other meals, including a full breakfast, might incur an additional cost, if offered. Meals and any additional payment should be arranged directly with your host.
Included in the stay
- Complimentary Light Breakfast
- Use of Kitchen
House Rules
1. Pay for your stay on the day of your arrival.
2. Keep your room tidy and clean.
3. You may use the kitchen and dishes etc, but we need you to wash your own dishes and keep the kitchen clean.
4. Contact us if you are not coming home for the day OR if you are coming home late.
Smoking Rules
Your host is a non-smoker.
Smoking is not allowed.
9 Reviews
April 2024
I couldn't have found a better host. Sorako san's homestay was excellent. It was like being home. She is an excellent cook
The breakfast was beyond words. Great variety. On top, she is a great entertainer and she speaks well English. I learned much about Japanese gastronomy and Culture from here. I can highly recommend it.Host reply
February 2024
Staying with Sorako and Tomoyo was a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend this homestay to anyone looking to get out of the big cities and see some more of the countryside. They've been hosting travelers for decades and that experience shows through their excellent service. The home is in a very convenient location allowing access to Kyoto in 1 hour and Osaka in 90 minutes, but I also very much recommend exploring the local communities and attractions near Biwako. I enjoyed my time here to the degree that I will very likely stay here again in subsequent visits to Japan.
Host reply
November 2023
Mon séjour de plus d'un mois chez Tomoyo, du moins chez sa mère Sorasan fut enchanteur.
Sorasan est une personne accueillante, vivante et ouverte sur le monde ; très dynamique, elle m'a fait partagé de très jolis endroits à côté de Kyoto. L'endroit est stratégique : près de Kyoto, nous en avons les avantages et bénéficions à Minamishiga d'un lieu calme et apaisant, où les environs recèlent des trésors de beauté. La maison est à à peine 10 minutes à pied et à 30 minutes de Kyoto. Ma chambre était très confortable. De plus Sorasan cuisine extrêmement bien.
Je recommande ce lieu pour la chaleur et la gentillesse de Sorasan, de sa fille Tomoyo et des possibilités innombrables que possède cet endroit.Host reply
September 2023
The location of the house is perfect for those who don’t want to be in the middle of the hustle and bustle of tourism. The family who runs the homestay is very kind and helpful, and the house itself is cozy and clean. What more could you want out of a homestay in Japan? I loved my 3 months staying with Tomoyo’s mom, one of the best decisions I made.
Host reply
May 2023
Sorako-san est une personne adorable et pleine d'énergie. Sa maison est très chaleureuse. Nous avons passé de très bons moments ensemble, que nous n'oublierons jamais.
Tomoyo-san et Sorako-san sont très à l'écoute et prêtes à nous aider si besoin.
La maison est située dans un environnement calme en périphérie de Kyoto mais est proche (10 mns) d'une gare de banlieu. Le train nous dépose (2 arrêts) à la gare JR d'Otsu. Il y a également un centre commercial à proximité (resto + magasins).Host reply
March 2023
I enjoyed the stay a lot, it was very relaxing. You have a bunch of activities nearby and almost everything is within a walking distance. Tomoyo was very kind and helpful for any sort of questions I had. She also speaks very good English so communication was never an issue.
Host reply
February 2023
Staying with Tomo's family was the best decision I could have made when I went to Japan. They truly made me feel at home and are very kind people. It is a very pretty area and is super convenient to the nearby train station. I would always recommend this homestay to anyone going to Japan.
December 2019
Actually it is not Tomoyo San house but her parents.I have chosen this home because I was interested by the Japanese language lessons provided by Tomoyo San, in her small school, 15 mn by train from her parents house
Sorako San, Tomoyo San mother is fabulous, very energetic, very warm person
She speaks english
Both Tomoyo San and Sorako San are very helpful
The family dog, saizo, is a singing dog. Cute!The house is 4 train stations from Kyoto, quite convenient location
Host reply
October 2019
Very nice place! Otsu-shi is a beautiful city on the coast of Biwako, rich in history and culture, and a short train ride to neighboring cities such as Kyoto and Osaka. I stayed with this family for one month and attended the Japanese-English language school that they run. They are very kind and cool people, generous and accommodating, and also very active. It's a short, direct walk to the nearest train station (approximately five minutes), and about three minutes to the nearest kombini, which is en route to the station.
Every morning oka-san (the mother) prepared a delicious breakfast - which I felt slightly guilty about, since I'm used to cooking for myself, but she's extremely gracious about it :P She has a strong functional knowledge of English, and the daughter, whom runs the language school, is by far one of the most proficient English speakers that I met in Japan.
I highly recommend this home, and Otsu in general, as a great alternative to staying in one of Kansai's more densely-populated, tourist-packed areas (such as Kyoto), with convenient access to wonderful natural and cultural sites, and very nice people!
How do I book?
Contact the host to check their availability and ask them any questions you have about staying with them. Once the host confirms they’re available for your dates, you can complete your booking.
When do I pay?
Once a host confirms they're available, you can go ahead and pay the 15% booking fee (maximum of 250 $£€ for longer term bookings) using a choice of payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Laser, JCB & PayPal (not available in certain countries). You then pay your host on arrival or as stated by your host on their profile and agreed by you on booking. Please be cautious if a host requests advance payment if its not included on their profile. Our hosts have been advised that if they wish to request advance payment they must make this explicit in their profile. We do not recommend the use of Money gram or Western Union.
When can I share my contact details?
Host and Guest email address, phone number and home address will be exchanged in a confirmation email sent to both immediately after a booking is completed. It's against our policy for Guests and Hosts to exchange direct contact details via our messaging system.