Matilda has received her homestay family assignment in Japan.
I was a little thrown by them residing in Osaka, but it's basically like her taking BART from Oakland to SF then a Muni train to her destination.
The Bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto can be as short as 15 minutes (depending on what time you take).
Homestay: Ota Family
Notes: This homestay family is comprised of a mother, father, and two daughters. The mother works part-time, the father is an office worker, the youngest daughter is a nursery teacher, and the eldest daughter is an office worker. The eldest daughter no longer resides at home. They are friendly and kind family. They are looking forward to meeting you!
Children: 2 daughters: Ota Kiroka (1999) & Ota Kasumi (2002)
Neighborhood Notes: This homestay is located in a residential area. It is conveniently located near multiple convenience stores, a hospital, and park that follows Ai river.
Interests & Hobbies: The mother enjoys Kendo and country guitar. The family enjoys language learning and cultural exchange.
Pets: 1 dog
Mom does Kendo and country guitar! They have a dog! The eldest daughter who is out of the house is a little younger than Emmett. The younger daughter is a four years older than Matilda.
Matilda will be psyched to live with a dog!
From what I can tell her route to the train station is along the Ai river. It's a half hour walk or 11 minutes by bike. After she makes all her connections the Kyoto station she arrives at is two blocks from the language school.
I just looked at a video of the Osaka to Kyoto train and the stations are also marked out in English, and the trains, of course, are very clean and well maintained.