RetireJapan

Is that you Naruhito-sama? Your palace does seem to have all that.

Gareth wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:39 am I would love to live in Hokkaido for a while. Somehow an exceptionally snowy winter appeals to me. However, my partner prefers Okinawa.

Tokyo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:44 am Here’s my checklist:
- ready access to public transport (far too many accidents are already being caused by older drivers)
- supermarkets & konbini within 5-10 minutes of walking from home
- good doctors, dentists & hospitals within 5-10 minutes walking
- a single level home in a non-hilly neighborhood
- an elevator, good security & not being on a high floor if home is a manshon
- a small, cheap and easy to maintain home (and maybe garden)
- an IH cooking range
- an area not prone to earthquake, flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity, etc.
- far away (80km+ but preferably much farther) from the nearest nuclear plant
- near parks and facilities such as pools, gyms, libraries, ATMs/banks, hairdressers, post offices, department stores
- although not really necessary a view of a body of water, mountains, parks, sunset, etc is highly recommended as retirees have the time to sit back with their wine or herbal tea and enjoy the changing of the seasons. It’s cheap but fascinating entertainment and a lot healthier than staring at a screen.
And specifically for retired gaijins
- being near ethnic restaurants & imported food stores
- accessible to transport hubs, especially international flights.

Tokyo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:44 am I have been thinking a bit more about my previous answer since most respondents, like me, appear to nominate where they live. Here’s my do-over but now strictly based on retirement since the needs of a 40 year old and and an 80 year old are very different. Surely it has to be the practical features of a location that matter most for a retired person.

Here’s my checklist:
- ready access to public transport (far too many accidents are already being caused by older drivers)
- supermarkets & konbini within 5-10 minutes of walking from home
- good doctors, dentists & hospitals within 5-10 minutes walking
- a single level home in a non-hilly neighborhood
- an elevator, good security & not being on a high floor if home is a manshon
- a small, cheap and easy to maintain home (and maybe garden)
- an IH cooking range
- an area not prone to earthquake, flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity, etc.
- far away (80km+ but preferably much farther) from the nearest nuclear plant
- near parks and facilities such as pools, gyms, libraries, ATMs/banks, hairdressers, post offices, department stores
- although not really necessary a view of a body of water, mountains, parks, sunset, etc is highly recommended as retirees have the time to sit back with their wine or herbal tea and enjoy the changing of the seasons. It’s cheap but fascinating entertainment and a lot healthier than staring at a screen.
And specifically for retired gaijins
- being near ethnic restaurants & imported food stores
- accessible to transport hubs, especially international flights.

That’s a solid start. Feel free to add more.

Gareth wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:39 am The missus and I are currently discussing this. We are thinking about buying a place but we can't agree on where.

We currently live in Tokyo, deep in the western suburbs, about 2/3 of the way to the mountains from central Tokyo. It's pretty quiet and we live next to a farm. The only noise is the odd day of tractor work and the insects. But we both long to be further into the countryside. I would love to live in Hokkaido for a while. Somehow an exceptionally snowy winter appeals to me. However, my partner prefers Okinawa. The discussion continues...

nagoyayagona wrote: ↑Mon Jul 19, 2021 6:48 am But even if my home survives e.g. an earthquake, a long time without electricity in Japanese summer would probably finish me off!