From skyscrapers to mountains, crowds of people to rice paddies and six lane highways to winding country lanes, Toto... it's extremely apparent that we're not in Osaka City anymore! Perhaps the biggest difference can be summed up in a three letter word: C-A-R.. In Osaka you'd be crazy to have one, here in Matsusaka you'd be stranded without. I moved to Matsusaka-shi (Mie-ken) four days ago and will be living here for the next year. For those of you who have been asking about my snail mail address, it is:
Yoshi Grote
67 - 3 Maeoki
Sotomagari-cho
Matsusaka-shi
Mie-ken
Japan 515 - 0821
The city girl inside of me misses my 24/7 buzz, bright lights and mad rushing crowds, but I am warmly compensated by surf beaches within a few hours' drive away, mountains on my doorstep, swimmable rivers, clean air and messy sunsets (oh, and the knowledge that Osaka is a mere 90mins train journey away of course! ;-) )
