I’m currently living in Osaka, in eastern Joto around Gamo-4. I’m in Japan for short term, and will be most likely leaving the country in October this year. I have lived in Tokyo before.
I’m pondering moving to Kobe in July, I found a place near Sannomiya.
I would have also loved to try living in Fukuoka, but there’s still things I want to see and experience in and around Kansai, so I think I should stay there. I already did a two weeks trip around Kyushu recently, and planning to fly back to Miyazaki for some surfing in summer.
My reasoning is: I have lived right in a big city before (Tokyo) and now in Osaka, and want to experience something slightly lower-scale. Sannomiya and around seem nice, lots of shops, restaurants, bars… and access to mountains, sea (although beaches in Japan are pretty underwhelming) and still an easy train ride away from Osaka when I want more big city things. Also an easy train ride to Kyoto. The Kobe airport also seems like a great option for my Miyazaki trip, and I also want to fly to Okinawa in September, and also go back to Hokkaido in the summer.
Main drawbacks is having to move again for just 3 months, that the apartment in Kobe is not as nice (old building), and being worried I would get bored or that Osaka/Kyoto would be too far. I suppose, at worst I would only have to endure living 3 months in a place I enjoy less.
Do you have any thoughts on Gamo-4 vs Kobe Sannomiya? How realistic is it to go to Osaka/Kyoto for a day on the weekends? Is there night life in Kobe, as I’ve only been there during the day? I don’t need crazy all-nighter binge-drinking fear and loathing partying night life, but I do enjoy being able to stroll, meet strangers, and pick random bars/restaurants. Kobe is also supposedly “international” from what I’ve read.
by C0ldsideofthepill0ww