Hey folks. I’m moving to Matsumoto-shi soon for a new job, and I’m curious if anyone has any local knowledge they feel like sharing about day to day life; how’s public transport, any little local festivals, opinions in good places to head out for food and drink, sentos, etc?
Basically just looking to hear from anyone with their finger a bit more on the pulse and with some experience.
I’ve lived in Osaka before, and I expect both in terms of climate and culture, Matsumoto will feel rather different; but a little context on my experience in Japan can always help.
2 comments
I haven’t lived there but I’ve visited a lot and since noone else has commented yet I’ll chime in 🙂
I like it there. Obviously much quieter than Osaka and with much fewer expats. You’ll survive without a car but I’d consider getting one (or at least a small motorbike) as public transport is decent but not as good as the bigger cities, depending on where you live.
There’s enough going on locally (a few small musuems, hiking spots, restaurants) to keep you entertained but worse case scenario, it’s easy get the express train to Tokyo in about 2.5 hours if you need some excitement on weekends.
It’s another small city in Nagano. I don’t have any direct experience, except being there a few dozen times. There’s a lake, some temples, and one of the most beautiful castles I’ve ever seen in Japan. A real one – not renovated with AC and elevators.
They have a good hospital, and umm… did I mention a lake?