I'm a 30yr old professional who's considering a short-term position based out of Musashino. I need to be in office 1-2 times a week, but can work from home/elsewhere otherwise. I'm a US foreigner and currently don't know any Japanese, but will be spending a bit of time to try and learn the essentials before this role begins.
I'm looking for a neighborhood that's reasonably priced and commutable to interesting/fun things. On one hand, since I'll be working from home a majority of the time, I'd like to be able to afford an apartment of a reasonable size and comfort level in a quiet area. At the same time, I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, where I have really good access to clubs, bars, restaurants, and other night life opportunities via the train. It would be nice to have access without being in the midst of a very busy/noisy neighborhood. My other primary hobby is road cycling, which I'm pretty sure will be limited if at all available in Japan.
Can you offer any suggestions on neighborhoods to consider with these things in mind? Also, is there a work-from-cafe culture in Japan, or is that only a US/EU thing?
by Chris_the_Ick