In June 2025, Borderless House Kyoto Uji hosted its very first community event: “Let’s Connect Through Food from Around the World!”
The event was designed to foster交流 between our residents and local families through one universal language — cooking.
Around 30 local parents and children joined hands with 11 international Borderless House residents from across the globe. They cooked together, ate together, played together — and most importantly, shared smiles beyond the boundaries of language and culture.
A Day of Cultural Exchange Through Food, with Global Members from All Over the World
At 10 a.m., the living room of the Kyoto Uji House buzzed with excitement as local families and Borderless House residents gathered — hailing from Germany, China, Armenia, Indonesia, the UK, Taiwan, and the US.
At first, some of the children seemed a little shy facing so many international guests. But once they began cooking authentic Mexican dishes designed by Emilio from Mexico, the atmosphere quickly warmed up.
A total of 30 local parents and children, along with 11 residents from 5 different Borderless Houses (8 of them from overseas), took part in the event — a truly international lineup!
The day’s menu featured flavorful Mexican cuisine, with everyone joining in to make fresh tortillas and chop up ingredients side by side. Local junior high and elementary students stepped into the kitchen, working together with residents as if they were old friends.
One funny moment: while chopping onions with a resident, a child’s eyes started to water — and both burst out laughing, despite the language gap. It was a moment that needed no words, only smiles.
One of the most touching scenes came when a resident from Armenia gently guided a young boy who was unfamiliar with using a kitchen knife.
Even without perfect language skills, the message was clear:
“Let’s try this together.”
Their shared smiles said it all — a real connection beyond words.
“Itadakimasu!” – Discovering New Cultures Through Shared Meals
With freshly made dishes in hand, everyone headed to the nearby community center — it was finally time for the much-anticipated lunch party!
The main dish? A DIY taco plate where each person could choose their favorite toppings. It looked absolutely delicious!
The kids especially loved it — assembling their own tacos on tortillas turned lunchtime into an exciting adventure.
As they asked questions like “Which one tastes the best?” or “What kind of veggie is that?”, conversations naturally sparked between the children and our international residents.
One Mexican family who joined the event said with a smile,
“It tastes just like home — so authentic and delicious!”
And for many local families, this was their first time ever sharing a meal with people from other countries.
Interestingly, most participants said they signed up not just for the food, but because they were genuinely excited about the opportunity for cross-cultural exchange.
Within just 2–3 days of opening registration, spots filled quickly — a clear sign that many locals were eager to connect with people from around the world.
“How Do You Read This?” – Kids Take On Mexican Bingo!
After lunch, it was time for a fun cultural game — Lotería, a traditional Mexican version of bingo!
As Spanish words were called out, the children listened intently, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Each card featured colorful illustrations and Spanish words.
“How do you read this? What does it mean?” the kids asked excitedly.
Taking turns as callers were Emilio from Mexico and a visiting Mexican family.
“El Sol! (The Sun!)” “La Estrella! (The Star!)” they announced cheerfully, as children eagerly marked their cards.
Residents sitting beside the kids whispered explanations, showed meanings through gestures, and helped them sound out unfamiliar words.
Through this simple game, a beautiful moment of cross-cultural exchange unfolded naturally.
Age and Nationality Don’t Matter — Connecting as People
What stood out most from the day was how effortlessly connections formed between the residents and local participants.
Lively conversations popped up at each table, and even the shyest children found the courage to speak up.
One memorable moment:
A child bravely asked, “How old are you?”
A resident replied, “I’m 25.”
The child responded with a cheerful, “You’re so young!”
Everyone burst out laughing, and the room filled with warmth.
One parent later shared:
“My child is usually very shy, but today they held hands with someone from abroad. While cooking and sharing a meal together, you could really feel the emotional distance melt away.”
Resident Voices – What Our Housemates Had to Say
Emilio (Chef of the Day / From Mexico)
“I had lots of fun, when I arrived i was glad and surprised everyone was enjoying the recipes I made and people were having fun while making the food. When we shared the food with the kids I was also very happy they enjoyed it, it was definitely a nice experience being able to share a part of my culture with others as well as talk to people from the community in Uji.”
Sandro (Resident / From Germany)
“What I liked about the event was that a lot of people from the local area came, which made it really easy to meet new people and make connections. We cooked together and shared a meal, which made the social exchange even more natural. There were also group games like picture bingo to help break the ice and encourage interaction. Everything was organized by Borderless, so it was super easy to join. I really hope there will be more events like this in the future.”
A Word from Our Community Creator
I had my very first international exchange experience when I was in elementary school. We shared dishes at a potluck and talked about each other’s home countries.
Even now, I still remember the excitement of hearing different languages and the joy I felt when I was able to talk to someone new.
Meeting people with diverse identities at a young age has a big impact — it really shapes how you see the world.
That’s why I believe these kinds of hands-on experiences — seeing with your own eyes, listening with your own ears, and trying to speak with others — are so important.
It made me truly happy to see the kids at this event biting into tacos with a big “It’s so good!”, and shyly asking questions to our residents.
Going forward, I want to keep creating international and community exchange events that people of all ages can enjoy.
We’d love for you to join us!
Maybe You Are Next to Connect
“International exchange sounds a bit intimidating…”
If that’s how you feel, this kind of event might be just what you need.
What really matters isn’t your language skills — it’s your curiosity and willingness to say hello.
With a shared activity like food or games, connections can happen naturally, even without words.
At Borderless House, we’ll continue to host local events centered around shared experiences like cooking and play.
Why not start your international exchange journey with us?
Borderless House is an international share house that brings together young people from over 120 countries and regions under one roof to live and grow together.
By sharing daily life with housemates from different backgrounds, residents gain mutual understanding and experience the beauty of diverse perspectives.
Since 2008, we’ve built a global community through over 50 share houses in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Sendai.
Check out our share houses:
▶ Share Houses in Tokyo
▶ Share Houses in Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe
▶ Share Houses in Sendai
Each house page features the nationalities, genders, age ranges, and self-introduction comments of the current residents — take a look and find your perfect match!
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