If you enjoy peaceful nature, and your friend’s Instagram pictures of clubs and flashy nightlife don’t give you FOMO, or simply, if your schedule matches with the sun, then life in the Japanese countryside is waiting for you.
Welcome to the Japanese Countryside
Credits: Clicks by Pramo
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people.”- Sylvia Plath
It’s 6 am in the morning, the sun has risen, and you’ve woken up by chirping birds instead of a noisy alarm. You open your window and feel a fresh breeze on your face with a view of cherry blossoms and beautiful mountains in the background. You take a deep breath and feel grateful for everything while sipping tea and enjoying a plate of fresh fruit you’ve grown in your own garden.
Now close your eyes and imagine the scenario for a few seconds. A peaceful life in the lap of nature, far from the city’s hustle and bustle, and the only noise is the notification of your cellphone, a message from your best friend asking if you’re up and ready for a morning walk? You picked up the phone and replied, how about cycling to the nearby site to pick some edible wild plants to make tempura as a side dish for lunch today?
What if I tell you this isn’t a dream but a regular morning routine of people living in the Japanese countryside? And the good part is this is just the start of the day. Living in the countryside will help you appreciate the little things in life. For example, the simplest things like eating in Mcdonalds, seeing a tall mirrored building, or even a crowded food stall will make you excited. I can’t even describe the joy of visiting an amusement park once in a while. Maybe you don’t get access to Starbucks to escape life with your laptop and airpods in the countryside, but you should also not underestimate the feeling of reading a book under a tree and having a barbeque party with your friends in the rural area.
Inaka, Inaka, Glorious Inaka!
Credit: Clicks by Pramo
Inaka is a Japanese word used for the countryside, and it sure is a whole different experience to live in the Japanese countryside compared to Tokyo, a super crowded area with more than 30% of the Japanese population living there, making this vast metropolitan city one of the busiest in the world.
The countryside on the other hand, has much free space with a population of a few hundred thousand people or less, living peacefully surrounded by rice farms and mountains. If you are lucky, maybe your house will be a few minutes away from a beach that you can enjoy during summers and relax under the cool shade. If you live in the northern area, then you can practice snowboarding and skiing during winter – starting new and falling in love with winter sports by the end of the season.
Credit: Clicks by Pramo
If you are bitten by an explore bug, the countryside also has so much to offer, from camping and hiking to wild swimming and even farming. The time you save on commuting and standing in lines everywhere in big cities, you can use that for learning the things you always wanted, like archery or calligraphy or maybe piano. If you are a foreign resident, then the countryside gives you the added advantage of pushing yourself to use Japanese while talking to locals and understanding Japanese culture directly and in the purest form.
Wait, have I told you about the super low living cost in the countryside? Imagine living in one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world in a big and beautiful house without losing a major chunk of your income on rent and food. Things are significantly cheaper in rural areas compared to big cities, but the good news is due to the vast spread of Shinkansen and the express train network, you can easily get connected with the city in no time while living in the countryside at a minimal cost.
Never a Dull Moment in Japanese Countryside
From cheap accommodation to a wonderful lifestyle, the Japanese countryside has everything you could ask for to live a happy, healthy, and modern life. Even if you are not convinced to live in the countryside, I hope this post helped you to appreciate rural life slightly more. Please read more such articles suggested below to get more insights into life in the Japanese countryside, and don’t forget to drop us a message on Instagram, as it will motivate us to bring more such information for you.
- Life in the Big City versus Life in the Countryside
- Trip to Sado Island: A Travel Guide to Sado
- Japan Countryside: How to Live in Rural Japan
Feature image credits: Clicks by Pramo
