StickShift 0 Posted April 21, 2002 Share Posted April 21, 2002 I will be coming to Japan next September, and I have a choice to live in Karuizawa or a place in Tokyo. I am a snowboarding nut, but the Tokyo job seems like more fun (and more cash, tho not much more). I have never been to Japan before, so am just thinking about this - will it be worth it being so close to the slopes in winter do you reckon. (Not really interested in anything else apart from the boarding aspect of stuff). Thanks for any help. Cheers SS Link to post Share on other sites
oo 1 Posted April 21, 2002 Share Posted April 21, 2002 If you like the countryside and being near resorts is important - and a more relaxing lifestyle, no doubt - go for Karuizawa. If nightlife, hectic lifestyle is your thing - Tokyo. I'd go for the non-Tokyo option Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 21, 2002 Share Posted April 21, 2002 I'd say go for Karuizawa but there are a number of other factors besides boarding to consider. Karuizawa is a cold place, with not much else to do besides outdoor stuff. Will you have a car? Fast Internet? Warm house? What sort of place are you used to living? Another thing to consider (and you have plenty of time) is whether you couldn't find the same sort of job in a more ideal spot (nearer better resorts, warmer, more interesting to live). What sort of jobs are you looking at? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 21, 2002 Share Posted April 21, 2002 StickShift Living in Tokyo is a bind yes fun at times, but expensive, noisy, tiring, dirty and pretty much less of a life than if you are out in Gunma there. Unless you are just a party animal and wanna spend your time just in rowdy clubs etc etc. Easy one.... Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Karuizawa is just inside Nagano, I believe. Not that it makes much difference. For you other people, it struck me as a countryside town for city people who don't like the ordinary countryside, if you catch my drift. It has a very large shopping centre with lots of outlets for foreign brands, other pretty shops selling bagels, expensive cheeses and sausages, a kebab shop (yeah! (never been tho)), a big bowling alley, an Imax cinema, a 72-hole golf course etc. all with clean air, an upbeat European kind of feel, a pretty backdrop of some mountains, and great access for city types. I think there are some great mountain biking courses in the area, but I would imagine most people who go there just go around the sights (a viewpoint on the border with Gunma, a pretty pond in a wooded area where many folk have weekend homes, an old bridge just out of town etc) and take a few pictures. I live near the slopes and think it's really worthwhile, but the main reason for that is that I'm NOT a real "snowboarding nut". I wouldn't put up with the travelling and time and expense to board anything like as much if I still lived in Kansai, for example. From my limited knowledge of South Nagano, Karuizawa is not going to put you "so close" to the places snowboarding nuts usually go. Well, Tenjindaira and its BC runs maybe, but that's not so far from Tokyo anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 0 Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Unless you find somewhere closer to the slopes in Nagano, I'd go for Karuizawa. It'd be a lot more chilled than living in Tokyo, cheaper (offsetting the extra pay in Tokyo) and you can still be in Tokyo in less than an hour for about 4000yen on the Nagano Shinkansen if you want to party. Otherwise if you're rreally into snowboarding, find a place nearer to Hakuba or Nozawa Link to post Share on other sites
wellin' 0 Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Tokyo sucks, choose the countryside. Link to post Share on other sites
StickShift 0 Posted April 22, 2002 Author Share Posted April 22, 2002 Hey, thanks for the responses people! I have 2 options available to me, one in Karuizawa and the other in Tokyo - so there are no real alternatives to that unfortunately. Will think it through. If anyone else has any thoughts, please let me know! Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Go for it Stickshift man! If I had the choice I would be jumping at the Karuizawa option. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Tough call! I'd start off in Tokyo. Check it out,especially if you're here over summer, then look for work in Nagers or Niigers as winter approaches. Link to post Share on other sites
NumB 0 Posted April 22, 2002 Share Posted April 22, 2002 Looks like not many people sticking up for Tokyo here. Well, here goes. Tokyo is: - fun - sexy - expensive - noisy - did I say FUN! - dirty sometimes - tiring - fun Link to post Share on other sites
montoya 0 Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 like someone else remarked, it kinda depends on your job/industry. with stuff like securities, marketing, advertising, for example, it's actually better being in the Tokyo rat-race, since most of the big clients/contacts are here. Anyway, kinda depends whether you prefer fast-paced, info-overload blur or not. Link to post Share on other sites
referee 0 Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 I would go for Karuizawa, just for the living environment. Link to post Share on other sites
Wizz 11 Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Looks like the votes are coming in for Karuizawa more than Tokyo. I would say the same, on the basis of lifestyle. But hey, we don't know the details, so it's hard to say. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Okinawa's nice... Link to post Share on other sites
Wizz 11 Posted April 23, 2002 Share Posted April 23, 2002 Okinawa? Maybe nice, but silly hot. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 24, 2002 Share Posted April 24, 2002 I too would go with Karuizawa. Link to post Share on other sites
StickShift 0 Posted May 13, 2002 Author Share Posted May 13, 2002 Thanks for all the advice everyone. I have decided on the option that was open for me to be in Karuizawa, for a number of reasons. Looking forward to it. Link to post Share on other sites
oo 1 Posted May 16, 2002 Share Posted May 16, 2002 Good on ya, ShiftStick. Is it all arranged now? Maybe you could put us up for a night when we are in the area Link to post Share on other sites
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