Sep 13, 2019
If you were to move to another location in within Japan?
Been thinking about moving out of the Tokyo area for a while now. I've got a few ideas of where I would like to go (although not at all sure if they are actually doable) but just out of curiosity if you could move (or had to move) to another location in Japan (and no, not just down the road), where would it be? Me: Miyazaki, or somewhere on the Izu, or maybe Yokohama
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on Sep 13
Oooh, good question! I'm already good with the country life, and I loved Shimane when I visited. Maybe there if my husband could find stable enough work, that's ultimately what decisions boil down to. I also wouldn't mind somewhere in Tohoku, maybe Sendai or Morioka for a smaller city but still a city!
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on Sep 14
I really want to move to Hokkaido (Sapporo or close by). The chilly weather and a lot of nature there are my main reason. Also Nagano prefecture is one of my choices. I don´t care living in the countryside as long there will be a train station. Nature and a good climate (not hot and humid) are way more important for me. Unfortunately my husband needs to work in Tokyo, that´s why it is hard to get out of the city, but maybe one day my dream of a nice house with a garden in Hokkaido will come true.
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on Sep 14
@genkidesu Yea, it's the work thing that is key, isn't it? I'd like to go a little more rural but still have easy access to a bit of city hustle and bustle.
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on Sep 14
@BlueButterfly I'm certainly looking for a little more in the way of nature but yea, hard to beat Tokyo for work. House and garden is definitely a goal for the future (although I guess if I was back in the U.K. I would have had that by now - at least pretty much all of my friends back home do!).
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on Sep 14
@tomuu it's probably why I'm okay with life in Minamiuonuma. Yes, it's super rural, but we have the shinkansen stop in our town and you can be in Tokyo in an hour and 45 min or Niigata City in 35 (Nagaoka in just 12!). I am curious about what country life would be like here without that ease of access to urban centers.
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on Sep 15
I'm partial to Kyushu - we've talked about Beppu in Oita Prefecture or Ishigaki island in Okinawa Prefecture. The lifestyle here is way more relaxed. Still being in the Kanto region again doesn't sound bad, if only to be closer to family. Close to the ocean is ideal. I try not to think about the potential for earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunami. I really liked Atami which isn't too far from Tokyo.
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on Sep 17
@helloalissa - I also try not to think too much about the potential for earthquakes, typhoons etc, but in recent years I've begun to feel like maybe the Tokyo area is just about the safest place in that regard, although I understand that there are people in some parts of Chiba right now who would, of course, disagree.
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on Sep 18
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on Sep 18
@ReishiiTravels - Seems to be quite a lot of love for Kyushu on here. I hear good things about Fukuoka but have never been myself.
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on Sep 18
So, I really like where I am in Gunma because it is landlocked so no fear of a tsunami. I am close enough to Tokyo for it to not be impossible when I need something there. I am close to the mountains but not living up in them so I have convenience. If I had to, I would look for somewhere like this, but in Hokkaido for the cooler weather. Although I am not sure how I would feel about the snow.
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on Sep 19
I live in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture now, but I sometimes think about relocating, too. I’ve mostly considered places within a 1 hour commute of my work. Do you know Abiko City? It’s an easy shot to get to Tokyo or out to Ibaraki, and it’s right on Teganuma, the marsh between Kashiwa and Abiko. If I could, I’d move there. Another place I considered was Nagareyama City. It’s growing, easily accessible to Tokyo, and has lots of charming rural bits remaining.
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on Sep 19
@TonetoEdo - Actually I used to pass through that way or change trains maybe at Abiko when I was on my way to teach English at a place near Araki Station, if I remember correctly. It was some time ago now. I'm not sure I've ever been to Nagareyama but if I know my history, and I really don't, I think it has some connection to the Shinsengumi?
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on Sep 19
@edthethe - Sounds like you've got a good balance there in Gunma. The snow puts me of Hokkaido, too. Plus I'd like a place where I can surf and I imagine the water to be a little bit chilly up there!
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on Sep 19
@Tomuu You're right. The Shinsengumi used Nagareyama as their base from 1868, and trained there. There are various sites in the city related to their activities. Up in Noda City where I live, there is a preserved house from the Edo Period, Hananoi Residence, moved from Nagareyama and was the home of a family involved in the brigade.
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on Sep 23
So I was actually thinking about this in relation to this question. I know in previous years I've seen cities/towns in Japan actually paying people to move there, whether it's a stipend/cash subsidy or lump sum, free or subsidized housing, etc. I was wondering if anyone knew much about that - or if anyone would be enticed by those kinds of offers. I would definitely be game if there was work available in the locations!
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on Sep 24
@genkidesu - Heard about this. There's a town on the coast in Chiba, Ohara (I think). It's close to some surf breaks and I know they use this feature along with a city-run support program where they offer to pay for your commute into Tokyo in return for you moving to their town, of course. The thing to think about in this case (Well, one of many things) is the length of the commute -- would you be prepared to do, say, 2 hrs or more door-to-door? In Tokyo the Kotsu Kaikan Bldg. in Yurakucho has a center in which you can find out about the kind of support regions across Japan offer to those who might interested in making the move out of the city. The partner and I went to the Miyazaki desk once to have a consultation. Actually, we didn't get much out of it because the "employment specialist" was not there at that time and that is really the crux of the matter for us -- can I get a job?!!!! One thing we did take away from it was the potential benefits of networking and the member of staff did point us to some seminars during which people who had made the move to Miyazaki come to Tokyo to talk about their experiences. Anyway, this is something I continue to look into.
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on Sep 25
@Tomuu thank you for the tip - I had no idea about that office in Tokyo that actually has info about that kind of thing. I think in our situation it would have to come with some kind of longer-term Visa sponsorship too, since neither of us has permanent residency here in Japan, but it's something we would be interested in. The Chiba situation sounds rather enticing, but the two hour commute though - that's tough. I'd do it if it was the shinkansen, since it's an easy enough environment to work on the way there and back. If it was regular trains though? No thanks! Imagine adding four hours to your day crammed up against other people...I'd lose my mind!!
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on Sep 26
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on Oct 17
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on Jan 19
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on Feb 28
@genkidesu May I ask where is the country life you are currently living. Keep it general.
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on Feb 28
@genkidesu Minamiuonuma, thanks for your answer in advance. What is an average house price with a smaller yard, to rent or buy. Would you consider Minamiuonuma small town with daily conveniences? How far out from Shinkansen station becomes very rural with homes in nature setting. How likely can one use computer skill to look for work or telecommute there.
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on Feb 28
@helloalissa I lived in Yokohama while I was growing up many years ago. Now its mega city perhaps not as Tokyo and suburban Yokohama wards stretch out west bordering Sagamihara. Atami is a nice resort town situated along side of hill. A friend works in Tokyo and spends most weekends there. I'm also interested how it would be like to live 24/7. I believe most home with some elevation overlooks out into ocean.
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on Feb 28
@Hammakko Hi! Yes, Minamiuonuma! Our rent is 58,000 yen per month, bills are all on top of that. We have a 6DK, but it's an older house (maybe built in the 70's?) and it's virtually got no insulation. It's expensive to heat and cool. When we were shown other houses in the area, they were all much smaller. Many places don't accept pets, and we have a dog, so we were slightly limited in that respect, too. We don't have a yard on our block, however we're right by open fields and there are community parks and playgrounds close by. We are fortunate that even in a small town, we have a shinkansen stop close by. I can be in the heart of Tokyo in an hour and a half. I can ride my bike or drive to the shinkansen station in five minutes. Best of both worlds, really. If you're in IT/tech/telework, there's the Minamiuonuma Global IT Park. I only know a little about it, but here's their website: http://gitmu.jp/
24 Answers