Living in Tokyo vs Kyoto or Hyogo

23 comments

1. In my experience Osaka and Kobe/Kyoto aren’t that different in terms of rent & living costs. Maybe you can compromise and relocate to Osaka? Or perhaps live in Osaka and he can open his restaurant in Hyogo or Kyoto and commute.

2. I mean Tokyo is one of the largest metros in the world, everything in Japan is smaller. Kobe is smaller than Kyoto. You won’t get big city vibes from either except for central areas. But Osaka is nearby to both so I think you’d be fine depending on location. That would be my compromise if indeed I was willing to move, under a hour to central Osaka so I could give my partner an easily accessible way to enjoy the city.

   That being said Tokyo people can look down on Kansai people, kind of the way some people from New York think other parts of US are too slow / boring. If you fall into that category and always compare where you are to Tokyo it might be tough.

   If you do decided to move, I’d intentionally start calling where ever you move home immediately. However I have a feeling husband is mainly home sick, as a compassionate partner I’d talk to him about that. If it was just about money moving to outskirts of Tokyo would probably work best, but I have a feeling he’s miserable here in Tokyo. Good luck

3. Tokyo proper is not all that different from central Osaka or central Nagoya or central Yokohama etc, with the same nondescript buildings and shops. Obv each city has slight geographical variations, but otherwise I’d say is that your husband is merely homesick for the *period* he was living there, not the city itself.

   In any event, Kyoto or Osaka etc are not any ‘slower’ or ‘faster’ paced than Tokyo, as the pace you live at depends on -you-. You can live a very leisurely life
   in Shinjuku – as I do – or a frenetic life in Kichijoji or Chiba – as my family friends do.

   Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe are all close by and would give you access to just about anything you’d want.

4. Kyoto is hell with over tourism. Kobe is cool but just for a visit. Definitely doesn’t have big city feel. Nothing beats Tokyo. Osaka and Yokohama come close.

5. Kobe is a lovely city. You can go to Osaka and enjoy it all you want.

   Don’t open a restaurant in Tokyo, business success statistics are mad low.

6. I have relatives in Osaka and Kyoto, I live in Tokyo and I understand your husband lol Kansai people are more outgoing and friendly, but it might just be a big city thing with Tokyo.

   Just one thing about Kyoto is, that Kyoto people are more reserved to outsiders. This is a very hard decision, I love Kyoto since my mother is from there and I have fond memories from my childhood, but it doesn’t have the big city feeling at all to me. I do think there is lots to do in Kyoto, Kobe and Osaka and even further. I explored so many areas there, but again I did feel a little bit unlwecomed. I don’t know if it was because of Covid or if that is the norm. I also think if you have friends and family there it changes the whole experience.

   If you decide to move, I would seriously consider it. Also your husband opening a restaurant, means he will be super busy and the beginning with any business is not easy at all. Best of luck!

7. Kyoto and Kobe do not have a big city feel. That said, neither are bumfuck inaka.

   Kyoto- Grew up there. The summer is hell, you need to live and have a routine that keeps you away from all of the tourists. (This is not so easy; especially now—and it was never a concern for me when I was a kid. As an adult, I go there for work every few months, it is fucking Disneyland for gaijin), and old-school Kyoto people are not known for their friendliness to outsiders who move there. The latter point seems to be more of an issue for Japanese than non-Japanese.

   Kobe- You have the sea and mountains and not the crazy influx of live-streaming asshole tourists.

8. I lived in Kyoto for 5 years and I’ve lived in Tokyo for just 2.

   They’re very different in my experience.

   I like both fast and slow living so neither have really bothered me but I would personally say that Kyoto (city proper) is slow compared to Tokyo (city proper) .

   I often went to Osaka if I wanted something to do.

   The amount of tourists in Kyoto is insane and travel is more expensive compared to Tokyo.

9. >Is Kyoto boring to someone who loves Tokyo and city life?

   Kyoto is the cultural center of Japan and is nothing like Tokyo. No tall buildings and nothing flashy or gaudy allowed so as to keep the 和 of the city intact. I’m not sure what constitutes “boring” to you but people from Tokyo hop on the Shinkansen and go to Kyoto on the weekends to get away from the hustle and bustle of big city life. I love Kyoto but it’s crowded with tourists again post-COVID and I avoid it on weekends and holidays as much as possible.

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   >Does Kyoto or Kobe still have the big city feeling to you?

   Yes, Kyoto and Kobe have a big city feeling but it’s definitely not the same feeling as being in Tokyo. Just as New York and Seattle are both big cities but they don’t feel the same.

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   >Is there still a lot to do and places to go or is it easy to do/see everything and get boring quickly?

   I’ve noticed you use the word “boring” three times you in your post. What is boring to you? Do you actively participate in your environment to make your life interesting (not boring), or are you just a passive actor hoping that the bright lights and shiny buildings distract you long enough to make you forget you’re bored?

   There are plenty of places to go to and lots of things to do and see in Kansai.

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   >Other thoughts..?

   I used to live in Yokohama but moved to Kansai for a beautiful property. The company I work for is in Tokyo so I still commute once or twice a month but I wouldn’t trade where I live now to move back to the Kanto area. Less crowding, less hustle and bustle, more relaxed and more nature closer to home. If there’s a shop or restaurant I just have visit, Tokyo is just 2.5 hours away by Shinkansen and it’s easy to make a day trip or even stay a night or two.

   住めば都 (Sumeba miyako). This is a Japanese saying which meaning is similar to “Wherever I lay my hat, that’s my home” and this was way before Paul Young. Don’t let where you live dictate how bored you are. Do the interesting life you want to live.

10. I lived in Kobe for a year and loved it personally. Found a lot of good places to eat, shopping was fine, and there are events that happen if you go towards the shotengai.

    I lived downtown so everything I needed was within walking distance. I only went out to go to Osaka or Nara for events. (iirc a lot of expat meetups were in Osaka). Osaka is probably closer to the big city experience you are looking for, but for me Kobe had the city life without the stress of crowds and expensive rent.

    I also like theme parks, and I was a bus away from USJ which was great.

    The people in Kansai imo were FAR nicer and chiller than Tokyo, even in my short experience living there.

    The only con really to that city was all my friends were in Tokyo, and coming back here that was a important part to my mental health than I thought. I don’t doubt you could make friends there, and I did tried, but I didn’t have a support group like I do now.

11. I’d answer yes to all your questions.

    Kyoto is surely slower, much slower than Tokyo. It doesn’t have the same variety and is nowhere close when it comes to going out.

    Kobe has more of a city feeling, but it’s fairly small and outside of a couple of central streets not that pretty either. Still you’re closer to the mountains there so it may appeal to some.

    Osaka has an unmistakable big city feeling, it’s also quite unique in its ambience; some people are clinging to it finding it especially comforting.

    On the other hand living in a small city isn’t that bad, however if you are after that metropolis vibe there isn’t any place in Japan which could compete with Tokyo. For just big cities Yokohama, Osaka, Fukuoka and even Nagoya will do.

12. Tokyo is a nightmare, Kyoto is way too hot in the summer, Hyogo has a pretty good countryside-city balance and it’s also very close to big cities like Osaka. I’ve lived in Kobe and now I’m living in Tokyo, loved living in Kobe and would go back anytime.

13. I have lived in all 3 cities. They are all interesting with a big city feeling if you are in the middle of town and there’s plenty to do and see.

    Does Kyoto or Kobe offer the wealth of art, culture, food and entertainment available in Tokyo? No, and it’s not even close. I’m a compulsive traveler and no great city – Rome, London, Paris, NYC – compares to Tokyo, overall at least.

    The real question is: could you be happy living in Kyoto or Kobe? That’s something you’ll only find out by doing it. And you are not talking about moving to some remote village in Iwate or Saga. They are both vibrant cities. Just don’t expect Tokyo.

14. I live in Tokyo, but used to live in west Japan.

    If I was going to move somewhere else, it would be Kobe or Sapporo.

    Kobe isn’t physically anywhere near as big as Tokyo, but there are tons and tons of good resteraunts (more than Tokyo imo), bars, etc., and lots of stuff to do. I’ve stayed there for months on assignment and never gotten bored.

    Kyoto, not sure how it is to live.

15. I lived in Kyoto for years and watched as it became more and more unbearable with every season. Overtourism is absolutely out of control. It’s impossible to go out to eat without a place becoming bogged down with wide-eyed tourists, sooner or later. If you’re starting a restaurant yourself you’d better be ready for this.

    The sheer volume of crowds make just walking around downtown an absolutely maddening experience.

    Also Kyoto people have this weird relationship with tourists where they absolutely depend of them for their livelihoods but also kind of hate them at the same time. Places that were once kind of niche and popular only among locals mostly end up just getting caught in the tourism whirlpool, they stop doing the things that made them popular in the first place because they know they will have a steady stream of ignorant customers, and service and quality take a nosedive.

    TLDR I absolutely cannot endorse living in Kyoto.

16. After 6 months, everywhere feels the same. You settle into your daily rhythm and you won’t feel any difference.

17. I think Osaka in general has best of what you’re wanting, it’s very easy to escape to Kyoto, Kobe or Nara on a whim under an hour or so via local trains.
    That in itself makes it worth living there, the locals being the most outgoing and friendly in Japan is a nice bonus ontop of that.

18. I love Kobe but doesn’t have the same big city feel as Tokyo. It’s a nice, bustling mid sized city. Good size downtown that isn’t overcrowded, but gets suburban quickly. It works for me, but sounds like it might not be what you’re looking for.

19. I know some people from abroad who mainly love Tokyo and barely visit Kyoto. They like Kyoto as well, but they don’t find it fun to live there. These people I know usually have geeky hobbies.

    If you enjoy a very typical city life, especially luxury and hipster things, or if you have niche genre hobbies, Tokyo is much better than Kyoto or any other cities in Japan. I can say Osaka has a similar vibe to Tokyo, but it’s just smaller, as you already noticed.

    Kyoto and Kobe, both cities, are really big in Japan. Population-wise, they are ranked in the top 10.

    Both Kobe and Kyoto are very close to Osaka, so you can still enjoy something similar to what you did in Tokyo. However, it’s hard to fully enjoy anything as you did, in case you are into niche genre hobbies and foods.

20. >Is there still a lot to do and places to go or is it easy to do/see everything and get boring quickly?

    I think absolutely, but not all in the one city like Tokyo.

    West Japan in general I think has a lot to offer. Holidays in Hiroshima and Kyushu are far more appealing that going to Tohoku, so I think you’ll be winning in that respect.

    I have lived in Kobe, Osaka and Tokyo. Kobe I found ok, but small. I wanted to love it but I found that I spent most of my time commuting to Osaka for shopping, for bands, for work and then I just moved there. Osaka was super fun but as that’s not on the table, I won’t go into that. The good news is it’s easy to get to from Hyogo so if there’s something on, or you want to shop on the weekend, you can.

    For what’s it worth I disliked Tokyo and only stayed there a few months. For me it feels like the same stuff over and over again and although it’s easy to get around, it takes forever to get anywhere.

    Some cities are more fun that you would expect so I would track down a JET forum, and try find some ‘I’m being sent to Hyogo what’s it like’ threads. You might get an insight into how Amagasaki is the most fun exciting city ever, or if it’s a complete dud. They get sent to all the small cities all over so if you find out which one they think is the party city, you might have some guidance to which area might not be so boring. Plus being able to get to Osaka easily will make you happiest I think. Honestly between Kobe and Osaka is feels like one big city anyway. The city names change but there’s no actual gap between them.

    ‘Somewhere in Kyoto or Hyogo prefecture’ is pretty vague, get a better idea of if husband is imagining a major city or a small town first before you stress too much. I think people can have fun and excitement anywhere if you seek it.

21. Kyoto transportation is consider not good compare to Tokyo. Buses always delay, route keep changing, and buses number in google maps keep appear and disappear, maybe because of the delay the apps became uncertain. A lot more foreigners than Tokyo, I think most people I met in the city were foreigners. it’s easier in social life, but I’m kinda missed the Japan vibes when there is too many foreigners. The tourists is over crowded in the city, I can’t enjoy commuting. Positive side, you’re closer to nature like Kurama area which can reach there in about an hour, get there in the very morning before tourists come, walking the trails is good for healing.

    Tokyo is a very modern city. It’s big. Never sleeps. Some area moving in a fast pace some are good for picnic and chilling, some area good for night life, there are areas for sub-culture, the thing you can get is so diverse! Very easy to commute. A lot of place to explore. Down side is locals may be not so welcome and social depending on the place, it’s hard to make a very close friends, not so fast, if you have it you’re lucky enough. more living cost, and if you want nature traveling it will cost you more, too.

    I think you know it already what I’m saying.

    To answer your questions in short:
    If what I’m looking for was easier life and have fun, I’d prefer Tokyo. Definitely Tokyo coz you don’t want chill life yet.
    Kyoto is definitely boring unless you love to make crafts like pottery, which is part of chill life and healing too for me lol.

22. I’ve lived in Tokyo and now I’m living in Kyoto.

    It’s undeniable that Kyoto doesn’t pass the same big city vibes as Tokyo, but there are some neighborhoods that are big city-ish.

    However, what I would like to say is that your actions will define how fast or slow your life is gonna be. You can be chill in Tokyo and live fast in Kyoto. There are a lot of things to do and Osaka is just one hour away.

    If you are deciding because of business, then you should choose where you will probably get the best results – based on data, not feelings or gut.

23. Others have mentioned the features of the places you asked so instead I’d ask to you what will be your family plan? Children in the picture?

    I grew up in the capital of my home country and also thought Tokyo convenient life suit me more, but as I got older and have children, I’m so glad I move back from Tokyo to Osaka. All the things you seek, the lights, buildings, even oshare places to eat and the entertainment, everything you have in Tokyo you can have in Osaka with less overpriced rate.

    When your family grows, I think you won’t appreciate the busy streets in Ginza, crowd and nightlife in Shibuya or shop variations in Shinjuku etc as much as now, but rather prefer peaceful neighborhood with more parks, wider supermarkets (imo most supa in tokyo sucks coz its crammed and small) and access to places you can go with your kids by cars that have cheap or free parking, and more affordable rent or house with more space.. all of these without completely giving up benri city life. These criteria of 程々の生活, I found easier in Kansai rather than Tokyo and its suburbs. And there are so many lesser known 穴場 spots in Kansai that’s not crowded by tourists so you wont be bored, especially if you have car.

    Now, Hyogo and Kyoto maybe not as spectacular as Osaka but they have their own “class” for living, and they are just 1-2 densha lines away from Osaka’s busy places like Umeda or Namba. You mention Kobe, imo it’s a city with beautiful night lights and stylish dinings, there are lots more to explore in Hyogo.

    Like others I also assume your husband doesn’t mean deep inaka e.g. Maizuru in Kyoto fu, but closer to the cities. Even if thats not the case you can negotiate, for example, live in Amagasaki (its already in Hyogo but very close to the heart of Osaka city and the area itself is convenient with Costco etc)

    Lastly, i also understand why your husband wants to get closer to family. When children is in the picture, having family members nearby when you do kosodate is totally different than when there’s only 2 of you. My husband’s parents are in Wakayama, 1 hour drive from my place and I can’t imagine doing childcare esp postpartum without them. Not to mention, your husband will be opening his own restaurant, then he wont be able to take normal yasumi or papa-kyuu, just like normal salaryman, thus he can’t be always there when you need him for house or children errands.