Hi! I’m planning to move to Japan next year, I’ll be 22 by then and I’m planning to stay for about one to two years to study 🙂
Right now I’m trying to decide between Fukuoka, Kobe, and Yokohama. If you have lived in or visited any of these cities, I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
I’ve researched other cities but decided they are not the right fit for me. For example: Tokyo and Osaka feel too overwhelming, Kyoto seems too hot and humid in the summer, and Sapporo does not seem to get enough sunshine for my taste.
Here is why I have narrowed it down to Fukuoka, Kobe, and Yokohama:
I am looking for a big city that does not feel overwhelming like Tokyo or Osaka.
I would like a place with a comfortable climate: not too hot in the summer, not too cold in the winter, and ideally with sunshine throughout the year. Cloudy and gloomy weather tends to bring me down so I hope to avoid that.
I also would like the city to be foreigner-friendly. I want to have an active social life and opportunities to meet people, both locals and other foreigners. To be honest I'm a bit worried about how hard it might be to make friends with locals, so it would be great if there is a welcoming foreign community in the city.
Lastly, I want to be able to explore different places easily and take weekend trips to nearby cities or attractions.
I believe that these three cities pretty much check all those boxes, which is why I'm having a hard time choosing between them. I would really appreaciate any advice.
Thanks so much in advance!
by naornever