Moving and Living in Japan

Japan is a wonderful place to live and is well known for its clean cities, efficient public transport system and low crime rate. Japan boasts a beautiful natural landscape with an abundance of valleys, waterfalls and lakes, visited for their quiet surroundings and meditation. From the lavender fields of Furano in Hokkaido down to the clear waters of Okinawa, Japan is filled with both beautiful natural and man-made sites, including contemporary museums, mountainside temples and busy city centres.

Traditional seasonal festivals and celebrations are held across Japan all throughout the year, including Setsubun, which takes place in February. Setsubun is an annual event that celebrates the arrival of spring, celebrating with soybeans that residents throw onto temples and around homes to mark the occasion.

The famous Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival, known as ‘Sakura’, also highlights the beginning of Spring. By welcoming the season, the festival, which is more commonly known as ‘hanami’, translates to the ‘viewing of flowers’ and is a tradition dating back thousands of years.

Japan’s crown jewel and most iconic landscape is Mount Fuji, a must for any visitor or resident. Views from Arakurayama Sengen Park best capture the volcano’s beauty. Hosting 25 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 20 natural and 4 man-made, the country has many culturally important sites to visit and explore. One of these includes Shirakawa-go, which lies deep in Gifu prefecture and is a perfectly preserved Japanese village filled with traditional gassho-zukuri style farmhouses known for their triangular thatched roofs that resemble praying hands. Especially picturesque in winter covered in snow, most of the farmhouses now have been converted into museums, restaurants and even hotels for visitors to enjoy.