General Chair

Contact Alberto Gallegos Ramonet for any specific questions about local information.

Location of the meeting

The meeting will be held at the Ritsumeikan University, Osaka Ibaraki Campus, Japan.

The reception and coffee breaks will be held at the “Event Hall 1”, located in front of the campus Starbucks. The presentations will take place at the “Conference hall” located near Event Hall 1.

Link to campus map.

Visa information

Please look at the list of countries that have a visa exemption agreement with Japan. If your country is included in the list, you usually do not need to apply for an entry visa to Japan.

If your country is not included in the list, you need to obtain a short-term stay visa (“tanki-shouyou visa” in Japanese) from the embassy of Japan in your country. Read carefully the Japanese visa guide provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For entry into Japan, a visa may be required for attendees from some countries.

Please make sure whether you need to apply for a visa or not on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan at: http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html.

Visa Invitation Letter

Important information regarding invitation letters (please read):

Your name must be listed exactly as it appears on your passport. Any differences between the name on your passport and the name on your invitation letter or other documentation could lead to a delay and/or denial of your visa.

Please note ICNS3 organizing committee of the conference is not authorized to assist with the visa process beyond providing the Notification of Invitation Letter issued by ICNS3 committee board. Should your application be denied, ICNS3 organizing committee of the conference cannot change the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nor will ICNS3 organizing committee of the conference engage in discussion or correspondence with the MOFA or the Embassy on behalf of the applicant. The registration fee cannot be refunded when the visa application of an individual is denied.

It takes time for the Embassy to process the visa application, please register as early as you can to make sure you have enough time.

Local hotels and transportation

Our conference will take Place at Ritsumeikan University, Ibaraki Campus, located near the JR Ibaraki station (5 minutes on foot).

The recommended means of transportation is by train (JR Tokaido-Sanyo Line). Many available hotel options exist in the surrounding areas of both the JR Osaka Station and the JR Shin-Osaka Station.

Reservation in advance is recommended as the week of August 13th to 17th is the National holidays in Japan known as “Obon”.

Normal (futsu) or Rapid service (kaisoku) trains can be used to reach the JR Ibaraki station.

Important: Please be aware that Express trains (shin-kaisoku) do not stop at the JR Ibaraki station.

  • JR Shin-Osaka station to JR Ibaraki station: 9 minutes, Rapid service train (240 yen 1 way ride).

  • JR Osaka station to JR Ibaraki station: 11 minutes, Rapid service train (240 yen 1 way ride).

Note: Times are slightly more when using the Normal (futsu) trains.

The following is a list of Hotels near the Shin-Osaka station:

This is just an example of hotels in the surrounding area of the JR Shin-Osaka station. Please be aware that there are many other hotels available in nearby places, ranging from 7,000 yen to 20,000 yen per night. These hotels are easily searchable using popular website such as booking.com and expedia.com.

Osaka is currently the host of the World Fair (Osaka Expo 2025), which can attract many tourists. We recommend you do your hotel booking in advance.

General information

Prepaid SIM cards are widely available in Japan, with prices starting as low as 2,000 yen. However, prices may vary depending on the company, data speed, and intended usage duration. The easiest way to obtain a prepaid SIM card is at the airport, where you can find many booths selling them. If you prefer alternatives, large electronic stores like Big Camera and Yodobashi Camera have dedicated sections for prepaid SIM cards. Some staff members can communicate in English, identifiable by their distinctive vests. Both stores are conveniently located near Osaka-Umeda Station, (approximately 15-18 minutes away from the conference venue using the JR line).

While free Wi-Fi is not as common in Japan as in some other countries, the number of available spots is increasing daily due to tourism. You can find free Wi-Fi at airports, some subway stations, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and similar coffee shops. However, most restaurants do not offer free Wi-Fi.

It’s advisable to bring some cash or exchange money at the airport. All convenience stores and chain restaurants accept credit cards, but smaller establishments, like ramen and yakitori restaurants, typically require cash. You can also use 7-Eleven ATMs to do international cash withdrawals

Emergency phone numbers:

  • Ambulance – Dial 119.
  • Fire – Dial 119.
  • Police – Dial 110.

There are also police booths known as “koban”. Typically distributed at least one every few blocks, or in densely populated places, even more than one.