Living in Chikusei

A quiet provincial city in western Ibaraki that began as an old castle town. Rents and initial costs are clearly lower than in the Tokyo region, but there is no direct line to Tokyo, so you have to change at Oyama, and public transit service is infrequent. You also have to go to a neighboring city for a large shopping mall, so life is difficult without a car, and it suits families and retirees who want country living rather than a daily commute.

Chikusei is a city in western Ibaraki centered on Shimodate Station, served by the JR Mito Line and the Moka Railway. The Shimodate Gion Festival, famous for one of the largest portable shrines in Japan, and a festival of a million sunflowers are held here. With no direct service to Tokyo, it takes 1 hour 20 minutes each way, and dependence on a car is among the highest. It suits families and retirees with a car who want quiet country living.