Kyoto ranked one of the world's most chill cities

How do you rate the relaxed feel (or lack thereof) of Japan's cities? I lived in Tokyo for several years before moving out to Niigata, and it always felt so busy and hectic. I like smaller cities, like Nagaoka and Niigata City in our prefecture.

A recent study from insurance comparison company Paying Too Much looked into the world's most chilled out cities, and Kyoto came in at 6th on the list. The results were made up of several metrics including the number of parks and walking trails, noise and light pollution, traffic levels, population density, and the happiness scores of residents in each city.

Pic Credit: Erika M via Unsplash

It's always nice seeing Japan perform well on lists like these, but I do think that there are much more chill cities here than Kyoto – especially in light of the city's overtourism issues. While I don't know about them meeting all of the study's metrics, some cities here that I've found to have a lovely, chill atmosphere include Matsue in Shimane (one of my most-loved destinations!) and Hakodate in Hokkaido. Judging from the other cities on the top 10, though, it seems to have focused on more well-known cities rather than under the radar gems. 

Is there a city here that stands out as having a particularly chill atmosphere to you? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!