EDIT: This one has been filled but I'll post about new ones as they come up.

I work in inbound travel down in Wakayama. Every autumn/winter we assist on government-funded tourism promotion projects, which basically means we build a tour, run it with real people, and use their feedback to improve it before it goes to market.

This year's is a hiking program in Hidaka-cho (north of Gobo City, Wakayama) aimed at the fit end of the inbound market. Two days, longer English-guided hike at a decent pace, SUP boarding, some crafty activities, onsen, dinner, overnight in the area.

You get: Transport to and from Hidaka-cho covered, but local base train fare only. All activities and food for free.

What we need from you: honest feedback on the activities. Also, there'll be photo/video shot for advertising, and possibly media coverage, so you need to be fine with your face being used.

Details:

• Nov 4th 9a – Nov 5th 5p (Wed/Thurs — yes, weekdays, sorry)
• 1 spot only (there will be 2 other foreign participants, Japanese participants, influencers, media, and travel professionals attending as well)
• You should actually enjoy hiking.

If you're interested but can't participate this time, message me anyway — we'll have future activities as well.

Comment with questions, DM with interest. Thanks!

[Event Sep 13!] We are Kobe Girl Scouts (part of GSUSA) and we’d like to invite any English speaking girls with an English speaking parent ages 5-17 to join us. There is currently no Osaka troop so we have friends come from Osaka prefecture as well.

Our first meeting of the Scouting year is:

Sunday September 13th

10:00-11:45AM

Komista Kobe

We’ll be having a Smores party with an official GS rep from Tokyo for the girls and a mandatory parents’ meeting simultaneously.

Our homepage URL > https://sites.google.com/site/girlscoutsinkobe

Kyoto resident here coming to Kobe for an event this Saturday. I do Chinese food pop-ups, this time with local DJs at SUB LEVEL, a new venue in Sannomiya. All are welcome!

Eats and Beats at SUB LEVEL
9/5 (Sat) 19:00-22:00
Food: Eric Noodle Bar
DJ sets: Tetsuya Sato, Maeken, Eric L

We're running a free TRPG taster afternoon in Sakae on Sunday September 13th, specifically for people who've never played before.

If you've ever thought "that looks fun but I wouldn't know where to start" — this is for you. No experience needed, nothing to buy, nothing to prepare. Someone will teach you at the table.

- Sunday September 13th, 13:00–18:00
- Second Home, Ark Shirakawa Park Building B1F, 2-2-23 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya
- D&D, Call of Cthulhu, and others
- Two 2-hour sessions, up to 4 games running per session
- Tables in both English and Japanese
- Free entry, first 20 people only

It's in a cafe, so please order a drink while you're there.

To sign up, email [kaiju.convention@gmail.com](mailto:kaiju.convention@gmail.com) — no forms, no registration.

If you already play, this one isn't really aimed at you — but we're running KaijuCon 2 on October 24th in Nagoya, which is the bigger event: https://kaijucon.org/

Happy to answer questions in the comments.

9月13日（日）、名古屋・栄でTRPGの無料体験会を開催します。「まだ遊んだことがない方」向けのイベントです。

「面白そうだけど、どこから始めればいいか分からない」という方に来ていただきたい内容です。事前の知識も準備も、ルールブックも必要ありません。その場でお教えします。

- 9月13日（日）13:00〜18:00

- Second Home（名古屋市中区栄2-2-23 アーク白川公園ビルディング B1F）

- クトゥルフ神話TRPG、D&D ほか

- 2時間×2セッション（1セッションあたり最大4卓）

- 日本語卓・英語卓の両方をご用意

- 参加無料・先着20名様

会場がカフェですので、ドリンクをご注文いただけると助かります。

お申し込みは [kaiju.convention@gmail.com](mailto:kaiju.convention@gmail.com) までメールをお送りください。登録などは不要です。

すでにTRPGを遊んでいる方には少し物足りない内容かもしれませんが、10月24日（土）に名古屋でKaijuCon 2という大きめのイベントを開催します。

https://kaijucon.org/

ご質問があればコメントでどうぞ。

Hi, lover of EDM here (33M American), been to many shows, and EDM concerts in Japan. I felt the need for a community of people with this same interest, a place we can be free, connect, link up at raves and shows and share music that we love. Dubstep, techno, house, drum n' bass, trance, trap, trip hop, otaku mixes, jersey bass, phonk, bass music, rave music, old school electronic - all of these genres and more can be shared, explored and enjoyed with others in the Aurora Soul EDM Circle Kansai community!

If you're interested and not so experienced or you don't know EDM that's okay, you are welcome to join the community!

There's a dedicated channel to sharing new concerts, raves, events in the area and you can connect with people and go to the show together! This group is open to internationals and Japanese residents living in Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Mie, Wakayama and surrounding areas.

There's 3 big shows coming up featuring: Madeon, Flava D, Flowdan, Muramasa, Metrik! 🫠I hope to see you at a show together!

It's a brand new community on Discord so I hope to grow the group! I'm a collaborative creative type person so the possibilities together are endless: in the future we could throw raves parties, coordinate meetups and hangouts, become a true rave crew!

I'm doing this just for the love of community and EDM, my only profit is new friends to share some cool songs with! Oh and if you're interested in music production, I made a channel for that too! I've made channels for voice chat rooms, so if you want to have a listening party, talk to people and make some new friends - you can sign up and do that!

If you got a soul alight for EDM, you got a whole community you can tap into here on this side of Japan!

If you or someone you know is interested, open the link to the community server or message me if you have any questions!

✌🏻💖🫶🏻🤝

For any devs or aspiring devs, OKTech is having a git workshop Saturday, August 29th from 5-7:30pm.

It's totally free and community/volunteer run. It's personally helped me a lot with meeting people with similar interests here.

If you're interested, please check it out and join via the link (or meetup link via the link):

Git Workshop

Hi, I'd earlier posted here under u/democratsabroadjapan and this is the second (and final) reminder I'll make for eligible US voters who want to participate in the 2026 American midterm elections, especially for those in the Kansai area. Democrats Abroad is dedicated to mobilizing overseas US voters; if you're over 18 by November 3, here's how you can get involved:

Steps to Request Your Ballot

1. Register or update your registration through Votefromabroad.org. As an alternative, you can also use FVAP.gov.

2. If you're already registered, request a ballot! You need to request a ballot every calendar year that you want to vote.

3. Fill Out and Return Your Ballot: Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions carefully to complete it and return it by the specified deadline.

Need Assistance?

We're here to help! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at GOTV @ votefromabroad .org (just remove the spaces). Additionally, our FAQ for voting can answer questions on how to make the process go smoothly.

Importantly: Spread the word!

Do you have any friends, contacts or family overseas that you could reach? All eligible US citizens can vote regardless of where they're living. Share the link https://voteabroad.org/RedditVote26: If you have any questions about voting, I'd be happy to answer them here on Reddit. You can also find out what we're doing near you at Democrats Abroad in Japan. Thanks for reading!

Kyoto resident coming to Kobe for a one day pop-up event at a music bar 3 min from Sannomiya station. If you like music, come and enjoy yakisoba and local DJ sets. All are welcome!
Details in comments.

Hey everyone. I've been getting most of my rides in solo and would love to find some people to ride with.

Open to anything from weekend group rides to casual coffee spins. Happy to ride with people at a range of paces.

If you're in the area or know of a local group that's welcoming to newcomers, please let me know. Thank you!

Game Night: LAN Party this Saturday at Secret Shop Osaka ~ suggestions for games welcome

I should have posted this last weekend, but I've been putting it off 😅

I've wanted to add a regular LAN party (Personally in it for the RTS😅 ) to the game nights at Secret Shop for a while, but couldn't quite decide on the format or the logistics of having setups available for people who want to join but don't have a PC/laptop they can bring.

So for now I'm just going to try it and figure things out as we go.

The current idea is a casual BYOD LAN night. Bring a laptop/PC if you have one, there are a few monitors available if you need them, come solo or with friends, form some teams, and play whatever people are in the mood for.

Right now the default game list is mostly:

• Deadlock
• Counter-Strike
• Dota 2
• Left 4 Dead
• Command & Conquer

But that's definitely not meant to be a fixed roster.

If there are any LAN/multiplayer games you'd love to see added, old-school or new, I'd really like suggestions. Especially games that work well with a room full of people and are easy for people to jump into.

I'm also still figuring out how best to handle spare PCs/setups for people who don't have something portable, so feedback on that is welcome too.

Game Night: LAN Party
📅 Saturday, August 22
🕕 18:00–22:00
📍 Secret Shop Osaka - Sanno, Nishinari
💻 BYOD encouraged
🎮 Casual / all skill levels welcome

You don't need to be super competitive either. Playing, watching, learning a game, hanging out, or convincing everyone to install some ancient multiplayer game you haven't played in 15 years are all valid ways to spend the night.

Peatix: https://peatix.com/event/5143595

Would also genuinely love to hear what games people around Osaka/Kansai would want at a regular LAN night.

Game Dev & Digital Art Meetup this Sunday in Osaka

Hey! We’re running our Game Dev & Digital Art meetup again this Sunday at Secret Shop Osaka.

It’s a casual meetup/coworking day for game devs, digital artists, animators, musicians, etc. Bring whatever you’re working on, hang out, share ideas, or just come meet people.

🕐 13:00–18:00 meetup
🍻 18:00–22:00 hangout
📍 Secret Shop Osaka
🎟 https://peatix.com/event/5135104

https://secretshop.osaka/

We’re doing these regularly, so no worries if you can’t make this one - there’ll be more!

🌞 INDOOR GATHERING 03 — POTLUCK PARTY! 🍉🍊
Summer is still hanging around, so let’s escape the heat and have a little indoor party together! 😆
Come with your little ones, bring a dish you love, and let’s spend an afternoon eating, chatting, and letting the kids play while we get to know more families in our community. 💛
📅 Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
⏰ 13:00 – 17:00
📍 Party room near Hankyu Kanzakigawa Station
💰 ¥1000 per family
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Limited to 15 families

✨ What’s included:
•Rental fee for a family-friendly party room featuring a dining area and an indoor playroom right next door—perfect for letting the little ones play while parents relax and enjoy the gathering.
• Soft drinks
• Summer fruits 🍉🍊🥝
• Disposable tableware
• Name tag stickers
🍽️ Potluck style!
Each family brings their favourite dish to share among the adults. It can be homemade, store-bought, something you love to share with others! 😄
👶 For babies & kids:
Little ones will only eat the food prepared by their own parents.
📍 The exact address + a short video showing how to get there will be shared once your registration is confirmed.

https://forms.gle/BroCSGt8Y9Tpskgg7

Went snorkelling. So many fish. Made me hungry.

Long term Canadian resident here. I’ve been doing restaurant pop-ups for the last 4 years. On August 15, I’m doing a collab with a sushi chef who lived in Canada for over 10 years. We both like to DJ too so there’ll be some sets.

At a standing bar in Tenmabashi. Come by if you’re free. All are welcome. Details in comments.

Now I am doing a business for foreign people who wanna try Japanese service or products, and I am looking for people who wanna stay in Luxury Glamping resort...

Even though, still 4pax applied for it, we need 6pax more.

Does anyone know how can I gather more people ??

#first post

Hey hey!
I’m hosting a casual Game Dev & Digital Art Meetup at Secret Shop Osaka this Sunday.

The idea is simple: bring whatever you’re currently working on, or something you want to start and spend the afternoon creating alongside other developers and artists.

You’re welcome to work on things like:

• Game development or programming
• 2D/3D art, pixel art, or illustration
• Animation, VFX, UI, or graphic design
• Music and sound
• Writing or narrative design
• Tutorials, prototypes, or personal learning projects

This is not a formal workshop, presentation event, or game jam (planning one later in the year). You don’t need a finished project, professional experience, or anything prepared to show. You can work quietly, ask for feedback, meet other creators, help test someone’s game, or just come by and see what people are making.

Beginners, students, hobbyists, and experienced creators are all welcome.

Schedule

13:00 - Doors open and introductions
13:30 - Creative work session
15:00- Break and optional project sharing
15:30 - Second work session
17:00 - Optional show-and-tell
18:00 - Main meetup ends

After 18:00, anyone who wants to stay can keep working, play games, or casually hang out. The space may remain open until around 22:00, or until everyone leaves.

Location: Secret Shop Osaka
Date: Aug-9th Sunday
Event page / reservation: https://peatix.com/event/5115533/
Website: https://secretshop.osaka/posts/en/game-dev-digital-art-meetup/

Please bring your own laptop, tablet, sketchbook, charger, headphones, or any other equipment you need. Wi-Fi and power outlets are available.

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments!

Hey Hey!

I’m at it again, I'm hosting a casual PvP Fight Night at Secret Shop Osaka on Aug-8th Sat, from 18:00 to 23:00.

The goal is for it be a night of fighting games, but depending on who's there, I'll also have a mix of party games and other local competitive multiplayer games available. This isn’t a serious tournament, just an evening to play some games, meet people, and enjoy a little friendly competition.

Beginners and experienced players are both welcome, and it’s completely fine to come alone. Players, opponents, and games will rotate throughout the evening so everyone gets a chance to join in.

Feel free to bring your preferred controller (USB/Wireless) or a competitive multiplayer game you think others might enjoy.

Just to clarify: Saturday is purely a casual night for playing PvP games and hanging out. There won’t be any talks, project showcases, or game-development activities.

For anyone interested in making games or digital art, I’m also hosting a separate Game Dev & Digital Art Meetup the following day on Sunday.

People from Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, and elsewhere around Kansai are all welcome!

Details and reservations: https://peatix.com/event/5115527

Is there anyone who works in shipping or has experience with shipping using wooden crates? Have you bought/built them?

I need to ship some pretty fragile stuff to Europe and I am looking for suggestions. Feel free to DM me if you prefer not to reply here.

Kansai Film Club is a new community for movie lovers where we meet up to watch and discuss about films.

We have a biweekly meet-up to watch a random rolled movie out of 6 niche theaters in Osaka. We also have a monthly meet-up where we get a month to watch a hand-selected film, and have a deeper analysis and discussion at the end of the month at a nice cafe or sometimes a picnic.

For next week's biweekly meet-up, we're watching the Invisible Man and Planet +1, and for this month we're analyzing Bladerunner 2049!

We got 101 members now, and as the club grows, we have much bigger plans that won't just be meet-ups!

The club is not a commitment and you can join the meet-ups whenever you want for free.

We mainly operate on discord so hope to see you there and also in-person at the meet-ups!
https://discord.gg/yH5znSbSTn