Why would you live in Tokyo?

[Nyororin]

I don`t live in Tokyo, don`t plan to, and don`t ever want to.

A lot of things people use as examples of why they want to live in Tokyo applies to all of Japan - not just Tokyo.

[jasonbvr]

Although the reasons I wouldn't live there probably outweigh the handful of others, I will list them anyways.

1. Tokyo attracts a lot of art. The museums and galleries there are always filled with some interesting exhibitions.

2. Bands and other musicians from around the world come to play in Tokyo (but it is going to cost you am arm and a leg).

3. There are tons of clubs if clubbing is your scene. Some of them are fairly unique but again, go ahead and plan on losing a limb.

4. You can get lost in the crowd. With so many people busy doing there own thing, you do not feel like people are watching you as much as in some other small town in Japan.

5. Public transportation is a wonderful thing to have. It may seem a little complicated at first, but you can move around a lot easier within Tokyo compared to where I live.

Now for some negatives....

1. People are everywhere you go. Riding the subways and trains gets a bit annoying because of the crowds. Sometimes you may feel like there isn't even enough oxygen to go share.

2. Price. Japan is expensive enough as it is. Tokyo is even more expensive and with so many cool shops, you can find way too much stuff to buy.

3. You can live just outside of Tokyo and experience all the wonder it has to offer then go home for some peace and quiet. You don't actually have to live in Tokyo to spend a lot of time there. I can get there in two hours on local trains or one hour if I am in a hurry. You can live even closer to Tokyo too. I know a few who live on the beach and are only twenty minutes or so from Tokyo.

[HappyIchigo]

I'd want to live in Tokyo because it's the only place in Japan I could currently imagine me living in. I lived there for a year, so I've family and friends living there. Of course Tokyo is very crowded, but then again so is every big city.
What I loved about Tokyo is that it's a city of superlatives. Whatever you want, you can find it. You never get bored as there are always new things to discover. And what jasonbvr said about public transportation is absolutely true: once you've learned how to read the plans, maps etc. you can go everywhere you want.
Due to the fact that I've so far only been living one Japanese city (Tokyo) I can only just assume that you can have a great time in other towns as well (especially if you look foreign and like to get attention ^_^)

[Abasio]

Why live in Tokyo?

1. You can get any kind of food in the best restaurants
2. It so easy to get anywhere
3. You have 10 years of weekends on your doorstep without repeating something
4. Sooooo many shops catering for everything you can imagine
5. Thousands of bars & restaurants & clubs
6. Many jobs even for foreigners
7. People are used to foreigners so stare less
8. It's near the airport.
9. Night view
10. The girls

Why not to live in Tokyo

1. It's damn humid in summer
2. It's expensive to rent a place
3. The people are use to foreigners so might not be as curiously friendly

[samokan]

why live in Tokyo area? because there is a free hug in harajuku

MeemaX OS Journey through Bugs

** anybody wants some free hug?? ***

[SgtBeavis]

I honestly don't think I would ever want to live in Tokyo. I've lived in Washington, DC and now the Dallas area but I've always stayed out in the suburbs. The city itself is a great place to work and visit, but living is a different matter.

I think I prefer smaller towns like my Inlaws town of Hadano. It is quiet, the people are nice, and even during rush hour, things run fairly smooth. It is just too easy to make the train commute to Tokyo to actually want to live there.

Oh, and things are A LOT cheaper outside of Tokyo. The price of an apartment in Hadano isn't much different than one in the Dallas area. Of course, in my case, I'd just rent from my In Laws. Most of their bottom floor is unused.

[Sanchome]

Originally Posted by samokan

why live in Tokyo area? because there is a free hug in harajuku

MeemaX OS Journey through Bugs

** anybody wants some free hug?? ***

How cute! You are one of the free hug people in Harajuku? My friends and I sometimes laugh because there will be a huge group of free hug people on the bridge but only the girls will get most of the hugs.

As far as the reasons to live in Tokyo, I think jasonbvr stated many of them. I especially agree with #4. You can be around so many people and interact with them if you want, but you can also disappear in the crowd if you want to. Also, Abasio said the number one negative of living in Tokyo - the summer weather!

If you get a chance to live in Tokyo sometime, you should try it. Maybe you won't want to stay too long, but I doubt you will ever regret the time you spent.

[elgostine]

welli live in sydney australia,and am of greek descent, but i absolutely LOVE!!! asian culture, especially japanese, and a for living i have always told myself, i i had to live anywhere apart from australia, i'd either live im a world city e.g. new york, london, paris tokyo. id choose eithe london or tokyo, but tokyo especially. as i said before, i love and Very deeply admire japaneseculture, and history in particular,
to sum up my reasons, their pretty much thesame as all the others, although i think you left out a major drawback, pollution, tokyo has one of the highest levels of air pollution although its not NEARLY as bad as mexico city, and on theother han if ure gonna live in aworld city anyway, you midas well not make air pollution as part of your judgement as they all are, and as most of you have said, the girl are a deinate bonus, to me one of a asian/japanese girl's most appealing traits is that no matter how old they get, up until they get to their late 40's/50's and star growing wrinkles, they always seem like at least 5 years younger, and the younger girls look soooo cute in a sailor fuki

(ps im trying to say it without sounding like some ignorant fool.)
as for other aspects of tokyo life, hmmm... the public transport systems really good, (its kinda stuffed down her in aualmost unlimited access to anime is a definate bonus
ive always wanted to learn another language and since in japan, english seems to bea compulsory subject, that would no doubt help smoothen the transition from home to tokyo.

and last but certainly not least are two thinks about tokyo that have become my favorite parts of tokyo, 1, the ancient castles 2, mount fuji and finally

3, the great work o materful natural beauty is the famous cherry blossom. it has officially become my favorite flower, and would give more than Al from FMA did to be able to have one in my backyard.

[cocoluvnihon]

Tokyo would be such a great place to go clubbing, but I prefer to get to know the "real" japan by going to the rural areas or towns! Where you get that foreigner treatment !

[Abasio]

Originally Posted by SgtBeavis

Of course, in my case, I'd just rent from my In Laws. Most of their bottom floor is unused.

How very Japanese

I would never want to live with the in-laws, or my parents