Janvier Suman
Best city in Japan?

Is there any so called Best place or city in Japan? I'm thinking of Staying in Japan for Vacation and study purpose in like a year or two.

I was wondering, is there any specific city that is good for Japanese beginer like me to go?

Im thinking of Osaka, I heard, they have the best food in Japan and since I'm a Traveling Chef, So I think that should be the place for me :D

What you guys think?

Oct 23, 2014 1:40 AM
Comments · 3
1

"Best" often depends on your personal situation and opinion.

 

I've been to all the major islands, and I personally like the island of Kyushu the best. It's very green, and the cities aren't as big and crowded as the mega-cities of Osaka, Nagoya and of course Tokyo. They say there are over 5 million people in the Fukuoka metropolitan area, but it didn't feel like it was over 5 million to me in my experience. (I see Wikipedia advertises the city as being "ranked 12th of the world's most livable cities".) Korea is only a short hop across the strait, and you can even catch a ferry across.

 

If you like a place with less history, there's the fast-growing city of Kitakyushu, then there are the other famous major cities of Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Kagoshima.

 

As a lot of history, culture and overseas contacts in Japan started from Kyushu and spread to the rest of Japan, it is also a "Mecca" for food pilgrimages - which may interest you as a Traveling Chef.

 

Osaka has a really big population and I didn't think it was too beautiful. Kobe next door (really part of the same conurbation) looks a little better to me, and it has a longer history of foreign trade than Osaka, and as a result it has one of Japan's largest Chinatowns. The nearby ancient capital of Kyoto (with a lot of modern conveniences too) is another option.

 

As Japan is an old nation, regional accents/vocabulary have developed in the different parts of the nation. You haven't said how much that matters to you.

 

An idea just occurred to me. How about volunteering for service (you could cook perhaps) in the earthquake devastated regions north of Tokyo...?

 

October 23, 2014

My recommendation is Nagoya. I really liked it there. I was working in the nearby city Toyota for two years and often went to Nagoya on the weekend. The people are relaxed and friendly.

Have a good time in Japan!

October 30, 2014

I see, Thx for the info.

 

That would be really cool if I could volunteer with such thing, I have been cooking for a long time and Japanese cuisine is my favorite. I'm even working in Japanese restaurant atm.

October 23, 2014