Job Discussion Forums

[esglumac]

hey... excuse my ingorance to what might be the most obvious questionon on this forum? but, where is the best part of japan.to live. iam comming september and under the impreession that Toyko was the best as far as resources go. I guess everyone has thier own ideas, but what is the best cost of living combined with able-to-find resources.

[seanmcginty]

I'm not sure what you mean by "resources", but the best part of Japan to live in depends on the person.

Tokyo is the biggest city so its got the most stuff (I guess thats what you mean by resources). That doesn't make it the best place to live though. Its the most expensive (meaning you'll get smaller, poorer accomodation for your money), its overcrowded and its not a particularly attractive city. Tokyo is a good place to live if you have some specific thing that draws you there (one guy I know of stays because of the music scene for example). If you are a young bar hopping type Tokyo might be the place for you. Or maybe there is a professional reason (more jobs there). Otherwise I wouldn't recomend it.

Small to medium sized cities are more enjoyable places to live IMHO. They've got restaurants, shopping and a social life so you aren't cut off like you would feel in a small village somewhere. But at the same time you can afford to live in a nicer apartment in a more convenient location than in Tokyo. Plus you aren't entirely boxed in by endless miles of concrete. Smaller Japanese cities are generally just as ugly as the big ones, but have the advantage of being small and thus it is easy to escape to the surrounding countryside to enjoy some greenery whenever you feel like it.

Plus with Japan's rail system it is pretty easy to travel from a small city to a big one whenever you want.

[Glenski]

I thought the title of this thread was going to lead us to a vague subjective description of cultural or social parts of Japan that appealed to us.

Instead, the question seems to be just as subjective, but about location.

[wolfman]

I think the OP wanted an answer like "Kansai."

[Apsara]

Most of the time I think Tokyo rocks, but having just battled my way through mind-blowingly crowded Sunday afternoon Harajuku and Shinjuku, I feel the opposite at the moment, and I remember why I usually avoid those areas on the weekend.

Every area has its good points and bad points.

[japanman]

To the OP, what are you into? Once you say that an area can be recommended. Also, what kind of place are you used to in your life?

[AndyH]

It all depends on you, and what you want out of your "Japan Experience". I have considered myself to have been lucky, in that I spent my first year in a remote city in rural Hokkaido, with few foreigners. Afterwards, I moved to the Tokyo area, where I could have more access to traditional culture, as well as most of the comforts of home. I'm not a big fan of Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Roppongi, but I really like Ueno, Asakusa, and Yanaka (the Shitamachi area), where it's more down to earth. One thing positive I can say about Tokyo, is that it has something for nearly everyone.
If I were going to live anywhere else in Japan, I'd probably choose Kansai or Nagano or Gifu Prefectures.

[fat_chris]

Agree with glenski, a highly subjective one this is.

[User N. Ame]

Best place in Japan is this little family-run izakaya on the outskirts of Oita City. 7.346 out of 12 foreigners surveyed agree.