rural life in Japan - 2014 location rankings

[Melandir]

Blame the Tokugawa Shoguns.  They created the burocracy that made it necessary for Tokyo (then Edo) to grow to over 1 million residents by the early 1700s.

 

Same issue everywhere, ancient Rome had already 1.5-1.7 million people around 200 BC to support the empire

[lurkingknight]

it's funny to read what everyone's definition of rural is. I've been to some places where friends grew up and it's a half hour drive of nothing but trees, or if you're at their house, it's half an hour walk to the nearest neighbor, you can't even see their house. lol. That's the kind of community I grew up in.

 

 

That being said, I found staying in several cities' downtown core to be much quieter than the suburbs of ottawa or toronto.

 

well except for those loudspeaker vans.

Edited April 29, 2015 by lurkingknight

[HantuBlauLOL]

I'm surprised that list didnt include any place in Hokkaido.

[spacecadet]

it's funny to read what everyone's definition of rural is. I've been to some places where friends grew up and it's a half hour drive of nothing but trees, or if you're at their house, it's half an hour walk to the nearest neighbor, you can't even see their house. lol. That's the kind of community I grew up in.

Yeah, part of my family is from Wisconsin and where they're from is like that. My brother now lives in Oregon and to get where he lives, you have to drive over the mountains and through the desert. When I think of "rural" I think of places like that, where you might not see another house for 20 miles. Where cell phones don't work, and you'd better make sure you've got a spare tire in good condition because even so much as a flat can leave you stranded for days otherwise.

 

My wife grew up in what she calls rural Japan, in Ibaraki prefecture. I'd consider it more like a suburb. There's a pretty big town, then you drive five minutes further and there's an even bigger town. They have shopping malls, lots of restaurants, multiple supermarkets, etc. At no point are you ever not in view of some sort of civilization. To me it's not rural at all. Her family's house is literally five feet away from the next door neighbor. (Granted, there is a rice paddy across the street.) Before my first visit, she really built it up and had me thinking her family lived in the middle of nowhere and that I'd be bored out of my skull. But they have better shopping and restaurants than we have on Long Island!

 

I've never been to some of the places mentioned in this thread, but I don't think I've ever really seen a part of Japan I'd think of as really rural. I haven't been to the north, though. Hopefully I'll get there this fall.

[railsquid]

The "problem" with much of "rural" Japan is that it consists of 80~90% steep-sided mountains which are basically useless for anything other than trees. So even though the population density is on average comparatively low, everything is crowded into the narrow valley floors. I imagine Hokkaido is a bit different, but never really been there.

[Kiha_120]

Given virtually unlimited funds,  my choice of permanent abode would be Shimane prefecture - somewhere right away from large towns and definitely cities.

I'm thinking one of those beautiful homes with a garden that literally ajoins the Kisuki line.   Where my dog and I can live out the remainder of our time on this planet being isolated from the mad rush, but still having the ability to catch the train ( no car for me ! ) to do the shopping, and take a visit to more populous places when wanted.

Anywhere along that line would suit, with particular interest in the area east of Shinji onwards - Miinohara, or next station along ( can't remember it's name offhand - it's not much more than bus stop sized platform shelter) or Bingo Orchaii , the end of the Kisuki line but onwards on the Geibi and Sankyo lines.

My dream I know - but we can all do that free of charge. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by Kiha_120

[Sacto1985]

I wouldn't mind living just north of Okayama somewhere close to the JR West Tsuyama Line--just as long as the Asahi River doesn't overflow! I believe there are many trains per day between Okayama and the small town of Tsuyama. 

 

It wouldn't be a bad location because every Shinkansen train stops at Okayama Station--and Okayama Station is also the starting point for trains to Shikoku.