Quote:
Originally Posted by GregX999
Hi all,
So, I'm starting to transition from "thinking about going to Japan to teach English" to "planning on going to Japan to teach English".
I'm trying to figure out what cities I should look into, but I'm having a hard time finding the information I'm looking for. There are basically two different things:
1. Practical: The pros/cons of a city when it comes to a foreigner teaching English there.
2. Personal: A) How conducive the immediate surroundings are to outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking, trail running, etc. B) How close to parks, beaches and/or other areas of nature. C) But also, still having a dense(r) urban core with many shops, restaurants, cafes, "urban things to do", etc. that would have a sizable population of people looking to learn English.
From what I know now, Tokyo wins for 1, but looses for 2. And Kyoto wins for 2, but looses for 1 (due to over-competition of English teachers). But I hardly know anything about any other cities in Japan.
Ultimately, I guess my plan would be to get a list of 3 or 4 cities to eventually visit. Does anyone know of any websites that provide any of this type of information? Or perhaps you have some experience yourself? My Google-fu is failing me in this endeavor. I have a feeling most of the info I'm looking for in number 2 is written in Japanese.
Thanks,
Greg
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Congratulations on your transition!
I don't think Tokyo wins for 1, it's bloody expensive to live there lol, unless you're on the outskirts but then why bother, just go somewhere else.
With respect to 2, there are dozens of large cities in Japan that are cradled between mountains and the ocean, Kobe for instance, where I live, is like that. I live at the foot of Mount Rokko, which is known for it's hiking, and I am a 5 minute walk from the city center, which is a 20 minute train ride to Osaka, if you wanna go big city. The Kobe-Osaka commute is incredibly common also.
Kyoto is hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than Kobe, and has a surplus of foreigners, I'm not a fan of the place aside for the temple-visits.
If you like it cooler, Sendai is great, if you like it warmer, Fukuoka sounds like it fits your bill. Kobe is in the middle but has big-city proximity that is nice. Yokohama has Tokyo-proximity and has some nice parks with less concrete-jungle feeling.
There are few places you need to worry about competition for English teaching, I opened a school with about 30 competing schools in my immediate vicinity, and am doing quite well. The demand is just so much higher than most think, I wouldn't factor that into your decision.
Kobe is what I settled on, I loved living in Ashiya actually, that was a nice place, right in the middle between Osaka and Sannomiya, and peaceful.
edit; there are so many places that are great to live, you have the luxury of getting picky on other factors, consider weather, local food, cost of living etc.