A
suburb In Japan, approximately 40 minutes outside of
Tokyo by Route 1. Home of some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. The setting is reminiscent to that of the "
boondocks" with
rice paddies literally in the front yards of some homes.
One-lane roads provide the only transportation from house to house, but the local
train station is within walking distance. Like most American suburbs, there is an industrial area, featuring
strip malls and
Mos Burgers.
The general ambiance of the area is very laid back, nothing is rushed, despite the busy schedules of the resident's lives. They seem to have their life down to a
science; every hour is filled with activity. The local
high school was very receptive of my American colleagues and I, showing us around and basically treating us like
celebrities. In general, the town is the embodiment of the meeting between old and new culture. Classic house styles give way to satellite
TV receptors and old women talk on their super-small
digital phones while pedaling their bikes down the dirt road. I highly recommend stopping in if you have the chance, and get away from the urban hustle for a day or two.