Friendliest cities and towns in Japan?

[TokyoJoeblow]

Ok, so I have traveled to many places all around Japan and to me, the friendliest people were found in these places (not in order of friendliness level):

Shimoda
Shimizu
Ito
Dogashima
Yaizu
Kanazawa
Nara
Aomori
Kamakura
Himeji
Takayama
Shirakawago

I will add more to this list later, but these are all the ones that popped into my head first.

Unfriendliest people (in my experience)
Kawasaki
Nagoya

 

[Lukes]

Does Okinawa count? That would be the place I found the people to be the friendliest. Very different from Tokyo.

 

[MikeH]

Does Okinawa count? That would be the place I found the people to be the friendliest. Very different from Tokyo.

Well, nobody is working. Much easier to be friendly that way.

 

[Lukes]

Well, nobody is working. Much easier to be friendly that way.

Well, when I'm down there I'm not working either so I guess it all evens out, lol. As long as I can somehow obtain beer and food it'll be good times.

Better than what happens in America when people aren't working. That's called Detroit.

 

[warubuta]

Kamakura is not a friendly place. It is populated by two types of generally unfriendly people: 1) Old rich arrogant farts who have wealth going back generations. They have land and usually own businesses in Tokyo or Yokohama. They are uptight closed minded racist assholes for the most part who think their shit doesnt stink. 2) Young Hipsters who moved to the area to be outdoorsy. They think they are (pick one or a combo): Surfers, Trail Runners, Sailors, Vagan-Granola-Birkinstock-wearing Neo Hippies who shower everyday and have never smoked weed. Fucking Poseurs. They generally suck at whatever outdoor sport they do. One in ten is really good, but he was born there no doubt. The other cities along the coast are actually much friendlier: anyplace down the road from Hayama, and in the other direction, Chigasaki and Hiratsuka people are OK.

 

[namae]

Kamakura is not a friendly place. It is populated by two types of generally unfriendly people: 1) Old rich arrogant farts who have wealth going back generations. They have land and usually own businesses in Tokyo or Yokohama. They are uptight closed minded racist assholes for the most part who think their shit doesnt stink. 2) Young Hipsters who moved to the area to be outdoorsy. They think they are (pick one or a combo): Surfers, Trail Runners, Sailors, Vagan-Granola-Birkinstock-wearing Neo Hippies who shower everyday and have never smoked weed. Fucking Poseurs. They generally suck at whatever outdoor sport they do. One in ten is really good, but he was born there no doubt. The other cities along the coast are actually much friendlier: anyplace down the road from Hayama, and in the other direction, Chigasaki and Hiratsuka people are OK.

Partly due to over tourism for decades ... makes locals grumpy.

 

[MikeH]

Chigasaki and Hiratsuka people are OK.

My very first Japanese girlfriend lived in Chigasaki. So I have very warm feelings about the place.

Like the longest time I wanted to burn that shithole of the city to the ground.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Does Okinawa count? That would be the place I found the people to be the friendliest. Very different from Tokyo.

Have you been all around the island?

I have heard from others that half the locals like foreigners and the other half thinks all foreigners are criminal soldier types.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Kamakura is not a friendly place. It is populated by two types of generally unfriendly people: 1) Old rich arrogant farts who have wealth going back generations. They have land and usually own businesses in Tokyo or Yokohama. They are uptight closed minded racist assholes for the most part who think their shit doesnt stink. 2) Young Hipsters who moved to the area to be outdoorsy. They think they are (pick one or a combo): Surfers, Trail Runners, Sailors, Vagan-Granola-Birkinstock-wearing Neo Hippies who shower everyday and have never smoked weed. Fucking Poseurs. They generally suck at whatever outdoor sport they do. One in ten is really good, but he was born there no doubt. The other cities along the coast are actually much friendlier: anyplace down the road from Hayama, and in the other direction, Chigasaki and Hiratsuka people are OK.

Well, maybe I wasn't there long enough. I feel the rich, pretentious cunts in Karuizawa are way worse than anyone I crossed paths with in Kamakura.

Everyone seems to have this mindset or delusion that they are Hollywood actors/actresses towering above everyone else.

 

[DireWolf98]

Shimoda! I love that town.

Based on my experiences, it would be difficult for me to find an unfriendly Japanese person in Hokkaido. I’ve to numerous cities and onsen towns there and they were all great.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Shimoda! I love that town.

Based on my experiences, it would be difficult for me to find an unfriendly Japanese person in Hokkaido. I’ve to numerous cities and onsen towns there and they were all great.

Shimoda might be the chillest place in Japan.

I had locals smiling and sometimes even waving and saying hello lol...shit never happens for me anywhere else.

Yes, people in the Hokkaido countryside seemed friendlier than most places for sure.

The idiot at the onsen I went to might not have been a local, but some uppity rich man from Karuizawa.

 

[Lukes]

Have you been all around the island?

I have heard from others that half the locals like foreigners and the other half thinks all foreigners are criminal soldier types.

Last time I went I stayed for a week and ended up traveling up and down the whole island several times to see all the sights and visit some people I know. I was even out in the sticks up north where they actually have some rice fields and stuff, lol.

The people I was hanging out with (they are locals) over there aren't afraid of the military and most of them are super interested in American stuff. For them it's kind of just another fact of life that the troops and bases are there. Nothing they can do about it so they don't waste time worrying I guess.

Even if you run into someone that doesn't like you, I kind of doubt they'd be mean to you anyways.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Last time I went I stayed for a week and ended up traveling up and down the whole island several times to see all the sights and visit some people I know. I was even out in the sticks up north where they actually have some rice fields and stuff, lol.

The people I was hanging out with (they are locals) over there aren't afraid of the military and most of them are super interested in American stuff. For them it's kind of just another fact of life that the troops and bases are there. Nothing they can do about it so they don't waste time worrying I guess.

Even if you run into someone that doesn't like you, I kind of doubt they'd be mean to you anyways.

I'm planning to visit Okinawa and check out most of the island within the next few years. Since I was able to see a lot of the winter environment in Hokkaido this year, it will be nice to check out a tropical environment for the next trip.

Good to know that most of the locals were friendly...but did you run into any US soldiers that were assholes? Were they all over the island or just in the areas around the bases?

I even thought about possibly working and living in Naha someday, but I don't want to have to cross paths with these soldier dipshits all the time.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Oh damn, is this thread dead already?

I was hoping people were going to share more about what cities and towns they consider the most friendly (aside from Tokyo and Osaka).

 

[Sudsy]

Always found remote villages to be totally cool if you can speak Japanese. Heavily tourists places like Kamakura are polite to your face, but hate anyone who isn’t local.

Nagoya just has zero tolerance for anyone that’s even slightly up themselves. If they think you’re down to earth they’re generally cool. Lived there for a bit, learned the hard way.

 

[Lukes]

I'm planning to visit Okinawa and check out most of the island within the next few years. Since I was able to see a lot of the winter environment in Hokkaido this year, it will be nice to check out a tropical environment for the next trip.

Good to know that most of the locals were friendly...but did you run into any US soldiers that were assholes? Were they all over the island or just in the areas around the bases?

I even thought about possibly working and living in Naha someday, but I don't want to have to cross paths with these soldier dipshits all the time.

Honestly, even though I was hanging out at some places that were nearby the bases, I never actually crossed paths with a single soldier. I saw plenty of them at burger joints and even saw a few at the mall. But I never came within 15 feet of one. And if you don't go near the bases you don't see any of them at all.

Now, if you went in to the strip clubs I bet you'd see them and have to rub shoulders with them.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Always found remote villages to be totally cool if you can speak Japanese. Heavily tourists places like Kamakura are polite to your face, but hate anyone who isn’t local.

Nagoya just has zero tolerance for anyone that’s even slightly up themselves. If they think you’re down to earth they’re generally cool. Lived there for a bit, learned the hard way.

Well, I never lived in Nagoya but when I visited a Japanese friend there a number of times, the social atmosphere felt like the locals were the ones up themselves lol. While I was there, I kept thinking...man this would be a shitty place to work and live.

Overall, it wasn't as bad a Kawasaki. Holy shit that city is full of crime. I actually read about a stabbing that happened literally the night I was visiting...a few blocks away from where I was visiting friends. Another guy at an internet cafe was trying to refuse me service because he assumed I couldn't understand the process (probably because I'm a foreigner), but I have been to internet cafes a million times. I don't recommend this city to foreigners.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Honestly, even though I was hanging out at some places that were nearby the bases, I never actually crossed paths with a single soldier. I saw plenty of them at burger joints and even saw a few at the mall. But I never came within 15 feet of one. And if you don't go near the bases you don't see any of them at all.

Now, if you went in to the strip clubs I bet you'd see them and have to rub shoulders with them.

I never go to strip clubs...but I love burger joints. Of course, they would always be at those...well I can always order the food to go haha.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Some other cities:

Fujinomiya - Actually one of my favorite little towns in Japan. Not only is it a beautiful place, the people were super nice to me everywhere...which was strange because it is a touristy area.

Odawara - The people were OK, but seemed quiet and reserved.

Atami - I love this city. I like how it sits on the edge of the coast with all its steep hills (not the place to live for people that ride bicycles), the onsen and the overall vibe of the city. The friendliest people I noticed are during the daytime, but there are some asshole types I ran into at night...but I guess you can say that about everywhere.

Hamamatsu - Unfriendly vibe, like Kawasaki but more mild in unfriendliness.

Obihiro - People were really friendly and helpful here.

Yokohama - Touristy and even many of the staff at the Chinese restaurants in the Chinatown were annoying. Had a "this place seems overrated" feeling the entire time I was there.

Matsumoto - Amazing castle, most of the locals seemed quiet and to themselves but met a handful of super friendly locals.

Nagano City - A little dirty, grimy looking in the downtown area....hard to explain...maybe some of the buildings just need more window washes. Aside from that, the people seemed OK and not to be remembered for friendliness.

Hirakata - People seemed a lot friendlier overall than most of the Osaka City locals. Some locals I met really got a kick out of the few Osakaben phrases I had learned from my first Japanese gf, whom was born in Hirakata.

Kawagoe - Same "this place is overrated" feeling the entire time I was there, but the bell tower in "Little Edo" was cool and some of the local snacks were good. Touristy, but the locals were friendlier than the huge crowds of Chinese tourists stomping around town.

There are still many prefectures I haven't been to yet, so there is still much to experience. The two places I want to visit most are Okinawa island and Kyushu prefecture. I have heard that people are friendly all around Kyushu (mainly outside of Fukuoka).

 

[MikeH]

I have heard that people are friendly all around Kyushu (mainly outside of Fukuoka).

If you spend enough time with them to start to understand what they are saying in their dialect then it is cool. Fukuoka is nice, wide roads, lots of space and busses so it has a kind of European vibe in to it.

Also it is the most criminal city in the whole Japan because of the crime syndicates historically controlling the docks for bribery and smuggling.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

If you spend enough time with them to start to understand what they are saying in their dialect then it is cool. Fukuoka is nice, wide roads, lots of space and busses so it has a kind of European vibe in to it.

Also it is the most criminal city in the whole Japan because of the crime syndicates historically controlling the docks for bribery and smuggling.

Yep, I have a friend that used to live there for many years. He mentioned about the constant crime, crossing paths with rude, criminal types of people in public day to day (even if they weren't committing crimes at the time), tons of prostitutes and escorts that seemed less friendly than the ones in the rest of Japan...probably because they are always treated like shit by the criminals living there.

He also mentioned that since Fukuoka is close to South Korea and China, there are large communities of Koreans and Chinese and that they are often hating on each other and on Japanese and vice versa. He described Fukuoka as a really entertaining and beautiful city with great food but that the people in general were not friendly, possibly dangerous and definitely not the type you would want to get close to or put your trust in.

He met some cool people there, but he mentioned never really feeling relaxed while living in that city. He always had this uneasy feeling of uncertainty no matter where he was lol. Sounds like a place I would want to visit but not live.

 

[MikeH]

Sounds like a place I would want to visit but not live.

Yeah, I have only visited and never lived there but the description sounds very true even with the little experience I have. Though during the daytime and in the centre of the city people were very friendly and I saw no signs of that unlawful side of the city.

 

[Lukes]

I never go to strip clubs...but I love burger joints. Of course, they would always be at those...well I can always order the food to go haha.

Don't worry. Unless it's a food place right near the base, you don't really need to worry about that. I went to MOS burger in another part of naha and there were none.

 

[TokyoJoeblow]

Don't worry. Unless it's a food place right near the base, you don't really need to worry about that. I went to MOS burger in another part of naha and there were none.

It seems like you know Okinawa decently well. How many times have you been there and how long do you usually stay each time?

Would you ever consider working and living in Naha or on the island in general?

 

[DireWolf98]

Oh damn, is this thread dead already?

I was hoping people were going to share more about what cities and towns they consider the most friendly (aside from Tokyo and Osaka).

Hakodate
Noboribetsu
Furano
Asahikawa
Doyako