Where in Japan would I find this... and how much would it cost?

Question

I asked a question earlier about how much it costs to live in Japan compared to the US because im intent upon moving there.
I got that the price varies depending on where you want to live -
What i want to be is beautiful, not really near a city, more in the country somewhere.
any recommendations of a region or place, how much it would cost, etc?
Thanks :)

Answer 1

I would recommend Kagoshima prefecture. That is where I am, and it is great. The cost of living is relatively low and work can readily be found.

It does get VERY hot during the summer, and if you live in the city ash from the active volcano does fall during the summer. It is a bit far from central Japan so you would miss things like western food that can be had easily there. But the people are not as on edge as they seem to be in the bigger cities.

If you still want to be near a more populated area but not crushed when you cross the street, I would recommend Fukuoka. It is a bigger city than Kagoshima, but with all the advantages of a huge city like Tokyo. Jobs are a little harder to get, but if you can, you would be in a great city. You also have a lot of good pro teams if you are into stuff like that. Cost of living is close, but not at high as Tokyo.

I could also recommend Yamagata. It is in the northern part of Japan, but it is beautiful there. Very cold in the winter, but if you are into winter sports, that is a great place to be. Like Kagoshima, the people are really nice. Cost of living is not as high as Tokyo or Osaka and if youare okay with teaching kids 3 and up, you can find a job quite easily.

Hope that helps with your decision.

Answer 2

If it really is your dream then do it. It can be done. I did it. If you are willing to be patient then you can work toward your dream.
Getting a job in Japan is not too difficult, as long as you have a college degree. It may be a crappy job, but you can work there for a year, live in the apartment they provide, and then find another job and another place to live that is more to your liking. Your work visa is good for 3 years. Just sign a contract for one year, and you'll be free to work where you want afterwards. Once you are there it is much easier to find other jobs.
However, almost ALL those jobs are English-teaching jobs. Some people think teaching is easy; something that anyone can do. It isn't. If you aren't suited to the work you will hate it, and therefore pretty much hate your life. BUT if you are well-educated, like people, and think you'd be a good teacher, go for it. Just don't be too picky in the beginning.
If you get a job for a nationwide English conversation school like Geos, Nova, etc you can request an area--i.e. the countryside. They'd probably like that since most people ask for Tokyo or Osaka. But even "the countryside" is not as rural as you might think. Truly remote areas are inhabited mostly by old folks--not too many people studying English there. But one great thing about Japan is that it's not that big--you can go almost anywhere by train. You can jump on a train on your day off and go find something beautiful.

Answer 3

You, I, and a zillion other people would like to move to Japan. But for 99% of us, it isn't going to happen. Prices are costly, and more costly...And if you don't want to be near a city, you better learn Japanese as well as a Japanese. Outside the major cities less and less people will know English. Many will know no English at all. You don't say your age or job status. Away from the cities you're not going to find any work. Unless you want to work on a small farm.But then your time maybe limited to one year.Farm work won't pay you in cash either.It's mainly room and board. Sorry, but it's just not that easy.

Answer 4

All other answers already good answers. You just want to stay in Japan not as a tourist. It will be tough to make your way through. Prices not low.In fact you can not work without proper visa. The society in rural area are not what you think it to be. It is very exclusive or traditional ,if you ask. Not accepting toward foreign subject.

Answer 5

Living in Japan can be expensive. Tokyo and Osaka are two of the most expensive places you can live, actually. It sounds like you want to live in a little inaka somewhere...

I think you need to put more thought into this. You can't just say, "I want to move to Japan!" and go from there. What's your profession? What kind of climate do you like? I mean, what if you hate the cold, but everyone told you that you should live in Aomori? You need to add more details.

Answer 6

It's very costly to live in Japan anywhere you go...And you just can't move there. You're going to need a very large amount of money. You'll need a job, and few jobs are available to Americans unless they have a special skill. It takes a BA / BS degree just to teach English.

Answer 7

i reccomend the kanazawa area.