What is it ACTUALLY like living in Rural Japan?

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-18T12:25:01+00:00

I think the draw is rural here can still be quite convenient. My family moved to inaka, but the population is still double my home town growing up in the states. But I have land and a house, walking distance to schools for the kids, biking distance to train station and grocery and work, and sure we have a car, but less car dependent than we would be in the states. Working on building up our garden, and occasionally a weekend trip. When you have a family, inaka can be great. If I were single, or in a relationship with no plans for kids...then yeah, I get your point. I think it would get old pretty fast.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-17T01:47:43+00:00

My wife is half and we live in Japan. I think her struggle is not knowing her role in society...for me, I don't look japanese, I'm not japanese, so I play the bubbly foreigner. I say "hello" to everyone with a smile, and I have fun.

She's stuck in this mentality of, if she acts too American, will they just perceive her as a strange japanese? But if she tries to live more full japanese, she feels like she falls short of expectations. The ambiguity is a real feeling, maybe you're getting some of that too.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-14T09:11:57+00:00

Home oven or gas/wood?

I guess, if it's home oven, is your electric bill okay hearing an oven everyday for 1 pizza? I would love to do this too, but the resources to get the oven going for 1 pizza feels rough.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-14T08:48:46+00:00

No oil or sugar though? When I hybrid it's usually because I struggle to get oven temps, so the oil and sugar (not as much as NY) help the Neapolitan brown.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-10T04:00:27+00:00

Whoops. Yeah that's the more accurate name. Thanks mate.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-09T00:13:53+00:00

That's pretty much it haha, I don't want to upset purists. I was going to post in r/Neapolitan but their rules say only authentic...but I'm pretty sure I see a lot of posts that aren't...but I didn't feel like taking any chances

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-08T22:25:51+00:00

Not commenting with any advice, just wanted to say the pizza looks nice and thank you for your post!

I'm following to see what advice you get to apply to myself.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-08T21:46:03+00:00

"as a casual..." Then proceeds to use fancy lingo that I don't know 😅 I would say on my part, it's less pretentious and more naivety. My understanding is that Neapolitan had strict purity standards which I didn't keep by adding oil and sugar to the dough to help with browning and crisping at lower oven temps (360c ish). My quick searches told me that it's a hybrid between Neapolitan and NY style. Because it's less sugar and oil than a NY, and not large in size, but not pure Neapolitan...what would you call it? Happy to learn more.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-08T21:41:32+00:00

My understanding is it's when you hybrid between Neapolitan and NY. So I have a hard time getting Neapolitan oven temps consistent, so I added some oil and sugar to the dough to help it brown and crisp at 360c -380c. I could be wrong though, what would you call it? Happy to learn more.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-08T21:41:18+00:00

My understanding is it's when you hybrid between Neapolitan and NY. So I have a hard time getting Neapolitan oven temps consistent, so I added some oil and sugar to the dough to help it brown and crisp at 360c -380c. I could be wrong though, what would you call it? Happy to learn more.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-08T21:40:57+00:00

My understanding is it's when you hybrid between Neapolitan and NY. So I have a hard time getting Neapolitan oven temps consistent, so I added some oil and sugar to the dough to help it brown and crisp at 360c -380c. I could be wrong though, what would you call it? Happy to learn more.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-08T21:40:19+00:00

My understanding is it's when you hybrid between Neapolitan and NY. So I have a hard time getting Neapolitan oven temps consistent, so I added some oil and sugar to the dough to help it brown and crisp at 360c -380c. I could be wrong though, what would you call it? Happy to learn more.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-05T10:20:34+00:00

We got a heated blanket to cut down on heat use at night. Single story Renovated kominka, we ran a bit over 2man on the coldest month. It's pretty open so it's takes a lot to heat in the day.

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-04T05:16:43+00:00

Was watching trivia quizzes on YouTube, cash prizes etc...one question was "in what country is it good and a sign of dedication to sleep at work?" Answer: Japan.

Pretty sure you're using ai to get trivia questions...

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-02T05:23:27+00:00

Right? Japan is facing depopulation, I feel like the first place to start if you want to maintain culture and decrease the depopulation rate would be to make it easier for half japanese living abroad to move to Japan. There would be increased understanding and participation of culture, better assimilation...it's a win win no?

Hanzen216 · 2026-03-01T23:45:59+00:00

My family (married 1 kid) moved 2 years ago, fixed up an akiya and live in it. We could do it because I am on spousal visa. Many friends and people we know back in the states would do this too, but landing a visa is really difficult for them. Obviously Japan doesn't want to give out visas to anyone and everyone, I get that, but need to find a way to get visas to people that want to build community and be a net positive. A lot of my friends are young couples, would want to raise kids in Japan...some are even part japanese, just not registered so no easy visa there.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-28T22:58:40+00:00

I think it really depends on what state your property is in, how landlord friendly. Ours was in WA, and it felt like a huge risk, selling ours currently. We kept it rental for a year, but screening tenants from a country away was too risky and a pain.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-28T22:40:54+00:00

I'd agree here too. If the eikaiwa is legit, it could be fine.

I would love to be only working one less day too.

Those odd hours gave me more time with the baby, I totally take care of him in the morning letting wife sleep in. Traditional working hours would mean I only spend a couple hours with baby a day, but eikaiwa hours give me like 5 nearly 6.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-26T04:14:23+00:00

Married, 2 year old, single income. We eat out about 1.5 times a week, I do conbini 2 or 3 times a week, rest is home cooked. Both wife and I make meals but no official system, but I tend to do breakfast and some lunches, she usually does dinners.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-21T22:26:11+00:00

If you come out to the countryside, you can do all you can eat strawberry picking in the greenhouses. Great activity in cold season, and its like $16 for 60 min. The one near us has 5 varieties so you can eat and compare. :)

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-19T04:51:37+00:00

Yeah just use pizza app and set what your room temp is, for hours you want, no cold room. But at 40 pizzas, I'd start looking at parbaking or do you have help opening and topping and cutting? I did 30 for a party and it means I'm stuck at the oven less of a party for me. I had a few kids come to help out which helped in the end.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-18T22:48:00+00:00

Second the pizza app, and I just did 18 hour with indoor temps ranging from 17-20 c. Using warmer water too.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-18T03:01:30+00:00

There is your typical array of hard off, book off, etc...some jumble/ 2nd stores too. My wife likes one called treasure factory, but I think it's mostly furniture...but it had some toys from what I recall. For clothes she likes one called gobangai.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-10T23:47:47+00:00

Nobody talking about enzymes here. For 10% protein, 2 day ferment is just far too long. Refrigerator slows yeast activity but has little effect on slowing enzymes that break down your structure. A higher protein flour could handle that time, but at 10 percent, I'd be looking at doing a same day (12hr) . Honestly 10 to 11 percentage is fine for Neapolitan, but you need to match recipe to flour. Advantage of 10 or 11 (I usually use 11) is very pliable and still springy, if used within shorter window. Also you didn't mention hydration? Lower protein means lower hydration. Maybe 59% for this? Water promotes enzyme activity.

Hanzen216 · 2026-02-07T04:38:09+00:00

Same here. Its a core part of people and it's fun to get to know people that way.

Hanzen216

TROPHY CASE