Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Optimum location

Just looking over locales in Japan (not that I'd ever do so at work! -- pfft), Osaka is a bit too big. 8.8 million people. However... Nara, just 45 minutes by train from Osaka (and 40 minutes from Kyoto and Kobe) seems damn perfect at 365,000 people. Avg temp of 4 C in the winter months, and 24 C in the summer months. Smaller population, less of a tourist location, very historic compared to Osaka which is very "mercantile" and urbane. The prefecture has tonnes of amazing temples, including the very first 3-storey pagoda.

There's also a huge deer park there, sacred because it was believed that the founder of the city/area arrived on the back of a white deer. Deer are considered the messengers of the gods there. Long story short... it's freakin' beautiful, and less of a concrete jungle.

Did you know that the average movement speed for Osakans is 1.6 km/h, whereas it is only 1.56 km/h in Tokyo, making it the most busy city in Japan? Oh the things you can find out with wikipedia...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sounds sort of like Canberra when compared with Sydney or Melbourne. Sounds good anyway!

What are you going to do with Pele?

Wayward Mind said...

I was going to sublet my apartment to Pele and let her run the place. As if she doesn't already. ;)

Actually, she will likely go to live with Aaron again, though my mom would like to have her. We shall see!

Anonymous said...

I can totally see her interviewing prospective tenants. :)

I'm so excited that you've found something to be excited about! Good for you!