The Kyoto City International Foundation will host a free counseling session for foreign residents from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on June 21.

Participants can ask experts about various issues such as laws, mental health, social insurance, taxes and visas. Translation services in Chinese, English, Korean and Spanish will be available.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling 075-752-3511. The venue is Kyoto International Community House, known as "kokoka," a six-minute walk from Keage Station on the Tozai subway line.

For more information, check www.kcif.or.jp/HP/event/top/en/img/EventCalendar201406.pdf (in English).

Australia is theme at Wakayama cafe event

The Wakayama International Exchange Center in the city of Wakayama is inviting people from all over the world to its "International Cafe" from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday to learn about Australia through games and quizzes.

Participation is free, but participants need to bring something to eat or drink to share with other people. No reservations are required.

The center is about a 12-minute walk from Miyamae Station on the JR Kinokuni Line.

More details are available at www.wak-kokusai.jp/upload/entries/108/aussie_cafe_original.pdf (in English). The contact number is 073-435-5240.

Torin-in Temple to open garden for sal tree fans

Legend has it that Buddha was born under a sal tree. Torin-in Temple in the Myoshinji Temple complex in Kyoto has more than 10 sal trees and will open its garden to the public between Sunday and June 30 so visitors can enjoy sal tree flowers.

The fee to enter the garden and attend a tea ceremony is ¥1,600. The temple is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The temple is an eight-minute walk from Hanazono Station on the JR Sagano Line.

Fore more details, visit kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/detail.php?InforKindCode=1&ManageCode=1000180 (in Japanese) or call 075-463-1334.

Artists exhibiting, selling at Nagoya market

More than 3,000 professional and amateur artists will display and sell their handmade items at The Creators Market in Nagoya on June 21 and 22.

The market will be open between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day and admission is ¥900.

The venue, Port Messe Nagoya, is a five-minute walk from Kinjo Futo Station on the Aonami Line.

To learn more, go to www.creatorsmarket.com (in Japanese) or call 052-221-0036.

Cooking session at Nagoya culture center

The International Cross-Culture Promotion Center in Nagoya will invite foreigners and Japanese to join a cooking session from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on June 28 at which participants will be able to learn how to make beef bowls together.

The participation fee is ¥2,000 for Japanese and ¥1,000 for foreigners. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 080-1559-9744 or by sending an email to [email protected].

The venue is Will Aichi, a 10-minute walk from Shiyakusho Station on the Meijo subway line. To learn more about the event, check www.kokusai1.org/event/?p=711#more-711 (in Japanese).