Where's the best place to live in japan?

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Shelby

tokyo. durr.

Japan_is_home

My home in Gose, Nara-ken,

Tastevin

Depends on if you like life in a big city, a very traditional city, or something more in nature, etc.

Allow me to make a bold statement: Tokyo is by far the world's best big city to live in. It is safe (you can let your 5-yr old kid hop on a train and go anywhere in the city by his/her-self and have no concerns whatsoever), very clean, very orderly, modern (while still retaining traditional pockets.) Great entertainment and arts: where else on the planet can you see diverse rock bands (like Stones, Blondie, Fiona Apple, etc.) great opera, classical music, Chinese opera, great jazz, trance, alternative music, ballet, and obviously the traditional Japanese arts of kabuki and Noh, on a regular basis? And ocean and mountains are only 1-2 hours away by car.

However, Tokyo is very expensive and very crowded. No rational person actually enjoys the sardine experience of morning commute into Tokyo (though you can work around this by living inside the city [very very expensive] or going to work early).

I would love to live in Kyoto (or Nara!), which is also a big city but has a lot more history (Tokyo was just a small village only 400 years ago) and traditional architecture and feel.

An alternative is Kamakura, about 1.5 hours south of Tokyo. It is right on the beach (near a popular surfing area) is very traditional and very old.

The country side is nice too - much cheaper, more traditional, and obviously closer to nature, but fewer job opportunities, especially for foreigners (unless you want to teach English.)

blued79

Yokohama

monicha

Depends on the place you like.

princessblacklung

Your question is very broad.

Will you be working? Do you speak Japanese? Do you want to live around other non-Japanese? All of these will drastically affect the answer.

Warning: personal opinion
Osaka, Kobe, Nara, and Kyoto are all close together, have large foreign communities, and are a wealth of cultural treasures. Tokyo is ok to visit, but I can't imagine living there - especially if you're a people person.

(PS - the correct answer is Osaka)

eatmyworld

Try out Tokyo first.
Then see what else is out there.
Tokyo is the center so learning Japanese and finding a job is much easier than doing so in the rural areas.

Tripwire

It depends on what you like. I personally hate Tokyo and all the other big cities, and avoid going there as much as possible.
You can find some really great places to live in the countryside within an hours train ride from central Tokyo.
Rice fields and greenery are more relaxing for me. The train system is very extensive, so you can travel into the city fairly easily from anywhere. But if you want a concrete sprawl of mind boggling proportions, then Tokyo is the place. I think the novelty wears off pretty quickly though.

TokyoJeff

Tokyo.

It is all things to all people. The frequently heard complaints of crowding and expensiveness are easily avoided with the smallest use of initiative. Tokyo itself has many different districts appealing to the widest range of different groups of people so that you can choose whether to live in the height of modernity or the backwaters of tradition and all shades in between. Plus Tokyo is the most international place in Japan meaning that as a foreigner, you would find adjusting todaily life here easier.

Have a great time if/when you decide to come here.

dr521

I would start with Tokyo, especially at your age. Compared to big cities in other countries, Tokyo has a disproportionate concentration of culture, job opportunities, and fun. Sure, Tokyo is expensive, but it's not outrageous compared to comparable cities such as London, Paris or NYC. After living in Tokyo for a while, you can decide whether you want to move, for example, to Sapporo to be closer to great ski areas, Kyoto to live the ancient culture, or another country.

Your MOM

Yokohama is best. It's a happening place and cheaper that Tokyo. Tokyo is a great place to. Somewhere near Roppongi which is a big clubbin strip in Tokyo.

slim baller

tokyo...most job oppurtunities

michinoku2001

Depends on what you like. I used to live in Sendai, and I liked it a lot. I lke to ski so Sendai was good for me. Other folks say Sendai is only about a million people, so it's a hick town. If avant-garde art is your thing, go to Tokyo. If you like the beach, go to Miyazaki. Different strokes for different folks.

DAYNE G

Kyoto..hands down!

matatabe

If you plan to teach English then you will make more money if you teach in the countryside, because the minimum salary is fixed around 250,000 yen per month, and the cost of living is much less than in the city. You will probably learn more Japanese too because there will be less English speakers.

If you want to experience the city, then Tokyo is the way to go in my opinion. There are countless excellent restaurants, museums, stores, and parks as well as plenty of cool Japanese and foreign folks. I would recommend living in a central location so your commute will be short.

wuzaracer

the above statement by Tastevin is a good one. Let me add and expand. As a single person you will probably have large dreams and ideas, keep working and don't loose focus. Just some things to think about:

1. Where will you work in Japan? You need a working visa, eikawa is probably the fastest route. Any route is not simple or easily handed to you.

2. If you go through the Japan Exchange Teaching program, you will have a good chance of being assigned to a small town or city.

Tokyo is expensive, you will hear this from people who know and people who think they know about Japan. If you do not have the language ability, you will have a tougher time. More language ability means less of a tough adjustment. Of course your honeymoon perioid will be brighter and happier than the sun itself. reality will knock you back into your place.

Benjamin F

If i was living in Japan, i would stay close to the american bases. Okinawa for example.
There its plenty of beer, pusssy, green bucks, english speaking people, and im sure they will never drop another Big Boy or a Fat Man there.

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