The Nagoya International Center (''Japanese: ''名古屋国際センター　''Nagoya Kokusai Sentaa'') is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organization based in Nakamura-ku,

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most po ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. The center was established in 1984 and is known locally as the "NIC."

Description

The center's facilities are located on the third to fifth floors of the Nagoya International Center Building, a 7-minute walk or a 2-minute subway ride from

Nagoya Station is a major railway station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is one of the world's largest train stations by floor area (410,000 m2), and houses the headquarters of the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). Much of this space is located in ...

Kokusai Center Station is a train station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The station is linked to Nagoya International Center, after which the station is named. A long underground passage links this station directly to Nagoya Station; that is, the ...

, on the

Nagoya City Subway The is a rapid transit system serving Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture in Japan. It consists of six lines that cover of route and serve 87 stations. Approximately 90% of the subway's total track length is underground. The subway system ...

, is linked to the Nagoya International Center at the basement level. The facilities that are open to the public free-of-charge include an information corner and a

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vi ...

with an extensive collection of foreign books--including over 10,000 English language books. There is a limited internet service in the 3F Information Counter, as well as a billboard where ads may be posted. Here, there are ads from people seeking a roommate/flatmate to live with, and people simply seeking to dispose of their accumulated possessions (a.k.a. sayonara sale) before they leave the country. Prior to January 2009, the board was also used to post individual ads by people seeking partners for

language exchange Language exchange is a method of language learning based on mutual language practicing by learning partners who are speakers of different languages. This is usually done by two native speakers teaching each other their native language. Language ...

as well as foreign exchange students seeking part-time employment, but these services are no longer offered. It is also possible to rent other facilities in the building itself. The center organizes activities that promote multi-cultural exchange between the local communities and the somewhat transient foreigner population of the area. It also provides information and hosts free consultations (health, tax, legal, personal counseling, etc.) services for foreign residents in 8 languages (English, Filipino, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, French, Japanese). It publishes monthly newsletters in English and Portuguese (The Nagoya Calendar); content includes event listings, classifieds section, advice column, and daily living information. The Center also runs Japanese language classes for foreign residents, a home-stay program, a taiko drumming class, a children's soccer school, and a school visit program. It is an ideal information hub for first-time foreign visitors to Nagoya as it is possible to avail of information regarding the must-see, must-visit attractions in the region.

External links

Nagoya International Center official website
Buildings and structures in Nagoya Organizations based in Nagoya 1984 establishments in Japan Libraries in Nagoya Organizations established in 1984 Nakamura-ku, Nagoya {{Japan-org-stub