Job Discussion Forums

[MattElz]

Two of my friends were placed in (Nova) Nagoya despite having requested locations nowhere near it. I am waiting to hear where they're going to put me and I'm hoping it's not there. But just in case - is it really that bad (boring, ugly, depressing)?

[Smooth Operator]

I haven't been there but I hear it's OK - central (close to both Kansai and Tokyo), has an international airport, nice countryside not far away, and Gary Lineker once lived there

To be honest though, every Japanese city I have visited is ugly (yes that includes Kyoto) so don't get your hopes up. Go elsewhere for beautiful cities...

[Xerius]

I'm curious what exactly you've heard that was so horrible about Nagoya. It's really just another big Japanese city. Sure, it's certainly not as exciting as Osaka or Tokyo, but it isn't as congested, expensive or stressful either. Cultural highlights aren't extremely numerous overall, really. The wind is biting in the winter and it's stiflingly muggy in the summer. Still, it's quite a comfortable city to live in and has all the amenities one would really need. It's centrally located between Kansai and Tokyo (Kyoto's a mere 45-minute shinkansen away) and very convenient for reaching the Japan Alps. If you want to escape, all you have to do is hop a train out for 30 minutes or a bit more.

Don't expect beauty - Nagoya's a sprawling sea of concrete that appears endless at times. But if you're wanting scenic cities, perhaps you're coming to the wrong country.

[Shaman]

Xerius is right on the money. In regards to money, in Nagoya you have the big city amenities with a lower cost of living than either Osaka or Tokyo. For example, my studio (can't remember the DK system) ran me 53,000 yen/month circa 2000. Nagoya may not be the best city in Japan, but by no means is it the worst.

Shaman

[BenJ]

ditto to the others - Nagoya is comfortable and easy to live in but somewhat flat and unexciting atmosphere-wise... but it's a small big city so the jobs and opportunities are here but less of the overcrowding than Osaka and Tokyo. Maybe your friends had unrelated bad experiences colour their perception of Nagoya.

[shmooj]

I like Nagoya.... as big Japanese cities go it was on a smaller more accessible scale than the other bigger three.

And it is a great base location for exploring other places in Japan because it is centrally located - especially for exploring the beauty of Nagano and Gifu.

[Yaten]

I had my training in Nagoya and stay there before for a month before moving to Sapporo, Hokkaido. While I do agree that Nagoya isn't the worst place in Japan to be, I found it too concrete with very little personality. It's very industrial compared to other places I visted and as everyone else said, it is a concrete jungle. All I can say is pray for a city with more to it than big buildings and pachinko parlors. ^_^

[kiracle]

I like Nagoya..it's not so bad and better than a lot of other places.

[icollin]

I think it sucks. The only good thing about Nagoya is the station! Everything is so spread out, it's impossible to shop there without walking the whole city. Sakae is meant to be good, but it's so small, and it sucks. It doesn't compare to America-Mura or Shinjuku. Oh, one good thing about Nagoya is the mini mexican place Los Tacos in Sakae. They have the best chicken tacos ever.

[shmooj]

[shmooj]

You wanna know what Nagoya is all about? Watch this...

http://members.at.infoseek.co.jp/gokuraku47/nagoya.swf

if you can speak Japanese you will laugh your pants off

if you can't, you will look like this

[icollin]

cheers for the correction, I did find 2 good things about Nagoya. I don't hate the place, but I wouldn't live by choice...it's boring!
I know you can't compare it to America-Mura, but what I am trying to say is that the energy is totally different from Nagoya. You have to admit that the city is so spread out, it makes it impossible to find something just by wondering about.

[shmooj]