I need a change from small-town life!

[xerxes99]

Howdy! I've been living in Izumo, a small town in western Japan for about a year now, and I think it's time for a change. I want to move to a bigger city, but not Tokyo or Osaka. Any suggestions? what are some of the great cities that I should consider? I work for one of the big English schools, so I can transfer easily. Work isn't a big consideration. I'm looking for somewhere with some actual nightlife, and a place where there are actually things to do! Izumo is nice, but the Shrine is pretty much all there is. Thanks in advance for humoring me!

 

[Mike Cash]

How about Yokohama?

 

[RockLee]

Yokohama sounds nice to me ! There's nightlife and it's not Tokyo-big

 

[xerxes99]

thanks for the advice.I'll add yokohama to the list! I've heard good things about Nagoya too. how is Nagoya?

 

[Mike Cash]

The only thing I can think to point out about Nagoya, and which is painfully obvious, I suppose, is that it is centrally located for shinkansen jaunts to either Tokyo/Yokohama or Osaka/Kyoto .

 

[RockLee]

I heard Nagoya people are a bit...well...selfcentered :? If you're not from Nagoya then...

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

I hear that Kobe is livable.

Water bus is convenient from Kobe to Kansai Airport.
http://www.kobe-access.co.jp/index.php

 

[xerxes99]

I heard Nagoya people are a bit...well...selfcentered :? If you're not from Nagoya then...

self centered? how so?☝

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I'm Predudiced....

I would go with Fukuoka. My memory of it 35 years ago would draw me back, LOL. From there, you can travel to a lot of great places on Kyushu .

Uncle Frank

 

[yukio_michael]

I thought Chiba was a nice place--- in my limited experience, it's close enough to the airport, Tokyo etc, and close to the National Museum of Japanese history which is probably my favourite place in Japan.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Nagoya is kind of a world onto its own. I live outside Nagoya in the Mikawa area, and things are a little different here, but when I did live in Nagoya proper, I liked it quite a bit!

I think Fukuoka is a good place, too. Kobe seems like a nice place to live or even Hiroshima. I like Hiroshima, too, and I had thought about moving there once when I had a lot of friends in the area.

Chiba seemed like a nice place when I visited, but it might be a little smaller than you're looking for. Of course, it's not that far from Tokyo...

Personally, I am a bit biased, though. I would recommend anywhere in Kansai or Aichi if put to it. Good luck. I know how things are in Izumo. I used to live in a small town in Yamaguchi that made Izumo look like a metropolis in comparison, so I totally feel for you! Good luck!

 

[epigene]

My vote in declining order of preference for a younger person who wants some nightlife:

1. Kobe (stylish & cultured image, cosmopolitan atmosphere)
2. Kyoto (stylish & cultured with beautiful mixture of traditional Japanese life)
3. Nagoya (former hick town --therefore the strong sense of hometown loyalty--now a big city)
4. Fukuoka (a city that is in the process of sophistication and cultural growth, with famous local cuisines and nightlife)
5. Sapporo (Hokkaido city with Susukino night life and natural beauty at very accessible distance--but probably dreadful winters for those not used to it)
6. Yokohama (a big city that is now an extension of greater Tokyo culture--I know, I'm from here)

At my age, I'd love to live where you live!

PS Chiba Prefecture is considered suburbia for Tokyo proper, although it depends on how far away from Tokyo you decide to live in Chiba. Western Chiba is "virtual Tokyo."

 

[xerxes99]

Wow! great suggestions! thanks everybody. my list is growing.

 

[Davey]

Water bus is convenient from Kobe to Kansai Airport.
http://www.kobe-access.co.jp/index.php

Lol not really! the Limousine bus is faster and cheaper...

Waterbus is only nice for when you take a national flight from Kobe airport after a international flight to kansai ( or the other way around) otherwise it is a waste of money.

But Kobe is indeed a great city to live in. not to big, neither to small.

You have Kyoto, Osaka, and Himeji on less than 1 hour with the train. plus a large international comunity, and great people

 

[DoctorP]

I enjoyed Kyoto while I was there, but I didn't live there. I can not comment on the night life. It is truly a beautiful place though.

I am more partial to the smaller areas though. I would love to live in Higashi someday.

 

[ArmandV]

I thought Sendai was nice when I was there in April. It is a big enough city to have everything you need and things to do. But, it has also wide open areas where you can go "out in the country" and close to the ocean and Matsushima. I would prefer a northern location like Sendai as it would be cooler during the summer than the southern cities.

 

[epigene]

I thought Sendai was nice when I was there in April. It is a big enough city to have everything you need and things to do. But, it has also wide open areas where you can go "out in the country" and close to the ocean and Matsushima. I would prefer a northern location like Sendai as it would be cooler during the summer than the southern cities.

Oh yes!! Forgot Sendai!!

I'd rank it as equal to or after Fukuoka.

 

[xerxes99]

Howdy everyone! I just thought I'd update this thread for anyone who is interested. I decided on Kobe. I've filed for my transfer and Hope to be in Kobe by February. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

 

[senseiman]

Kobe, cool.

I lived in Akashi and Himeji for about five years, right next to Kobe. Kobe has that nice balance - a big city with all the conveniences that go along with it, but not big enough that you are totally swallowed up by the neverending urban dreariness. You've got both nice mountains and lots of shopping within walking distance just about wherever you live. Enjoy!

 

[xerxes99]

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[Fluwten McGunch]

I haven't heard a good thing about Nagoya but I haven't been there myself. Fukuoka is excellent and I can say the same for Sapporo.

 

[Kyoko_desu]

I heard Nagoya people are a bit...well...selfcentered :? If you're not from Nagoya then...

I don't know how many people from Nagoya you actually know personally or how many people have told you that they are selfcentered, but I don't think it's very clever to believe such kind of stereotypical thing blindly and even assert it irresponsibly to other people.

People from Tokyo are cold, the one from Osaka are aggressive, the one from Touhoku area are dorky ... and ..hmmm ... Italian guys are nanpa, Polish are stupid, Americans are fat, Russians steal cars, blond women are baka ....in my opinion, all those stereotypes shouldﾂ only be permissible in jokes.

 

[ArmandV]

blond women are baka ....in my opinion, all those stereotypes should only be permissible in jokes.

Do Japanese people tell "dumb blonde jokes?"

 

[alchow]

Don't they have Osakan jokes?

 

[Amos]

I have some friends teaching English in Okayama. I went out a few nights on the tiles with them and had a great time. It's not too big a city but seems to have a fairly lively nightlife from my limited experience (but I think it can get a little cliquey from some of the stories I hear). Nice garden to go to too.
I'd also put in a word for Sendai. It seemed to me a very fresh and refresing place. As ArmandV says, it's going to be a bit cooler than the southern places in summer (something my Okayaman friends complain about!). It's also well connected to places and has the baseball team with the best uniform!