Living in Toride

The southernmost city in Ibaraki, where the Joban Line local trains start, so you have a good chance of commuting seated. With a Tokyo University of the Arts campus, it calls itself an "art town" and has active local art projects. However, it is an old satellite city whose aging and decline have continued since its population peak in 1995, so it suits people who prioritize calm living over the vitality of a new town.

Toride is at the southernmost tip of Ibaraki Prefecture, where the JR Joban Line and the Kanto Railway Joso Line meet, bordering Chiba across the Tone River. With a Tokyo University of the Arts Toride campus, it is called an "art town," and it is famous for the Tone River fireworks festival in summer. Since its peak in the 1990s, population decline and aging mean the commercial area is less lively than before. It is about 40 minutes by rapid service to Ueno and housing prices are cheap, which suits commuting office workers and families who want a riverside life.