Hello! My name is Nicolas and I’m currently a student at KICL, having just moved from Beginner to Intermediate for the upcoming Spring 2026 semester. This blog post will speak about some activities that you can do outside of school. One of my hobbies is photography, and as I am a big fan of taking in Kyoto’s natural beauty and more niche Japanese culture, so as a result I do two things abundantly. One is going to be nature walks for bird photography and the other is attending Japanese Racing Association (JRA) horse races at the local Kyoto track. The school hours and location have enabled me to be able to travel around the city and explore, finding new birds and locations.
A great example is the Kyoto National Garden as well. With these new found hobbies it’s been incredible interacting with local Japanese people at these different places as well, giving me loads of opportunities to practice what we’ve learned in class as well as just learn new vocabulary or things that may not be learned in a classroom setting. Especially when you have a common conversation topic (i.e camera lens specifications). It’s enabled me to not only learn a ton with regard to the people here in Kyoto but also integrate myself into some of Japan’s most beloved past times. For example, since arriving last September I am yet to miss a single race weekend here at the JRA Yodo Horse Racing track. It’s an incredible atmosphere with people cheering on their favorite horses and jockey, standing so close that you can physically feel the ground beneath you rumbling as the horses turn for the final stretch and eternal glory. A great example of this was the 2025 Mile Championship when I was able to watch a horse I had been rooting for since I first got to Japan race in his last Japanese-based race before retirement. It was incredible watching Soul Rush fight for victory in a much younger field. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to win, finishing 4th, but it was still surreal to watch, the synchronicity of the jockey and horse pushing with their all to victory.
On the bird-watching and bird-photography side the most incredible moment so far was going to Kiyomizudera, a Kyoto-based shrine right at the start of cherry blossom season. On a low branch, just above the water was a common kingfisher, a bird I had never seen before waiting quietly over the water. Despite it being a popular tourist attraction the kingfisher was totally calm and sat gorgeously for photos. Japan is one of the countries in the world that has some of the most beautiful birds, and diverse wildlife. Everyday, only minutes by train are some of the most aesthetically beautiful locations in all of Japan. You can go from Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in the west to Fushimi Inari shrine in the South East. The ability to go explore this beautiful, historical, naturally beautiful area is one that I don’t think I’d have gotten anywhere else.
My time in this city in the last 6 months has been nothing less than magical. Everyday a new adventure awaits, as long as you’re willing to look for it. I hope the photos I’ve provided bring you as much joy looking at them as they’ve given me in taking them.
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