Job Discussion Forums

ozzy932000 · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Buffalo, NY

Hello everyone. I have just found out today that I will be doing my teaching in Okayama. I was just wondering if anyone is over there now or has any interesting comments on the area.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

are you going to Kurashiki?

maya.the.bee · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Stgo

I`m in Okayama City. So ask away...

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

I used to live in Himeji, which is quite close to Okayama. Okayama is a pretty nice city, not too big and not too small. Its got a really kick-ass garden. I like Okayama prefecture a lot too, there are a lot of nice little places. The prefecture runs a number of restored old buildings as "international villas" across the countryside that are absolutely fantastic places to spend a weekend:

http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/

You are also pretty nicely located between Hiroshima, the inland sea and the Kansai area, so you've got lots of travel options. Enjoy

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

and Shikoku is not far away either.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

I like Okayama, nice city, not too large or small. As stated before, a great park. It's close to Hiroshima, Himeji and not far from Kobe.

johanne · Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 189

I lived there for a year and really enjoyed myself. As others have said it not too big or too small. The other foreigners I met there were very friendly and most were happy in Japan and there wasn't a lot of whining. Here is Yokohama where I live now I find there's a lot more complaining amongst the foreigners.

You're on the shinkansen line which is convenient and those villas are nice, especially if you get a group of 10 people together and you can then rent out the place just for you and your friends. Enjoy

Eva Pilot · Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject:

Okayama is where I go for the big staff meetings of my area etc.

I find that, because I live in a very small city, Okayama seems like the big time every time I roll in there.

It's a decent place.

maya.the.bee · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Stgo

For those who have nothing to do this weekend and Okayama is not too far to travel to...

Sat. Feb 17th is the annual Saidaiji Eyo/Hadaka Matsuri festival

Woofy I Toby · Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Posts: 14

I live in Okayama. It is a nice enough city though if you live in the ken but not the city, getting out of the city late can be a hassle - the latest trains stop just after 11. Same for the buses.

But as has been mentioned by previous posters, it is a great location for exploring Japan - less than an hour by Shinkansen to any of the following: Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. And the Inland Sea is definitely worth exploring too.

Plus lots of sunshine all year long (winter is still cold but at least you see the sun) and, apparently, it suffers less from the natural disasters that the rest of Japan is renowned for.

Great place to live. I`m sure you will enjoy it.