Living in Amagasaki

Its greatest weapon is that you can pick between the JR and Hanshin lines as the situation calls. North of the JR station, the redevelopment of the old Kirin Beer factory site into Q's Mall and tower condominiums has made it unrecognizably clean, while around the Hanshin station to the south, the roughly 2 km Chuo Shotengai arcade keeps the old charm. It is clearly cheaper than downtown Osaka and Kobe, but it ranks near the top in Hyogo Prefecture for crime encounter rates, so public safety should be kept in mind.

This is a working-class commuter town directly adjoining Osaka, served by the JR Tokaido Line and the Hanshin and Hankyu lines. JR gives good access to Osaka and Hanshin to Kobe, rents are low so the initial burden of settling in is light, and the commercial facilities around the stations are lively. The image of a former industrial city lingers, and the atmosphere differs by area, which you should keep in mind. It suits people living alone for the first time or settling in who want access to two major cities along with low living costs.