location location location (Isesaki)

[jhough37]

Well folks, I have found out where I will be living when I move to japan in a few weeks.....Isesaki-Shi in the Gunma-Ken !!!

Now here is where the tough questions begin, has anyone lived in, visited, heard stories about this city? I have been trying to look it up on the internet and have really not found a wealth of information available. Although from what I have found it seems to be the type of area I would enjoy. If anyone has any knowledge of Isesaki or the surrounding area, or knows where I could find some more in-depth description or pictures it would be much appriciated.

Also, I am curious as to how I should write my new address for people to send me mail while I am in Japan. Is it in western style:
Name
Street Address, Apt #
City, State
zipcode

The information I recieved was my apartment name and number, a locality, the city, the prefecture, and the postcode. And I am a bit confused as to the order they would be put onto an address.

As usual, any help will be greatly appriciated!

[Pachipro]

Congratulations on your new job assignment! First trip to Japan?

The correct address in Japanese is just the opposite of that in the US. In Japan:

1. Postal Code (zip Code)
2. Prefecture and then city
3. Numerical address incl. Apt# and Apt Name
4. Name of recepient

However, if anyone from back home mails you a letter or package with the American style of address it will still get to you with no problem. When writing in English it is not necessary to do it the Japanese way. Hope this helps.

[misa.j]

jhough37,

Congratulations!
I was born and raised in Gumma prefecture, lived in Kiryu and I drove through Isesaki many times on the way to Maebashi which is capital, or other cities.
You would need a car or a bike to get around the city, I don't know if there are any buses running.

Gumma has a lot to see and do; it's surrounded by the mountains, three good onsen(hot spring) spots are in Gumma if you like that type of thing, ski resorts in the mountain area, lakes to paddle around.
It is not a big city like Tokyo that has everything, but it's only 2 1/2 hours away from it, so if you get bored of Isesaki, you can take a day trip to Tokyo.

You're right about there isn't much information about the city available, but I found one that has broad information about Gumma.
http://www.pref.gunma.jp/english/industry/

[jhough37]

Thanks for the replies so far, I am hoping more people will continue to add their wisdom to this thread!

I can say that I am very excited to see that they have excellent local Udon, as I LOOOVE Udon, and the Yaki Manju also looks very good.

[Mike Cash]

I live in Kiryu (Hi Misa!), a couple of towns over from Isesaki. My work takes me to the Sanden factory in Isesaki several times a week. I hope you speak Portuguese.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Isesaki wa drum.
The wa drum classroom is performed for nothing.
date: -- June and Saturday, July
time: -- 5:00p.m. -7:00
place: -- the second floor of a citizen hall
http://www.geocities.jp/isesakiwadaiko/

[misa.j]

Hi Mike! How's your life in Kiryu?

There started to be a lot of Brazilians in Gunma right before I left; I thought it was cool to have a street with full of Brazilian restaurants on both sides, which was actually in Ota(next to Kiryu.)

jhough37,
I really hope you have a good time there. Let me know if your have more questions. I'll try to answer as much as I can.

[Bucko]

I have a friend who was placed in the Isesaki Nova branch. She said the town was pretty small and a bit boring, typical small town feel I guess. I also remember her saying that out in public she spoke more Spanish than English because there were a heap of South Americans living there. If you're working for Nova aparently the branch is also really small with not many teachers, and the teachers room only has room to stand, but the teachers themselves are all really cool, but this was well over a year ago though so the people might have changed.

[jhough37]

I don't know if I am going to be placed in Isesaki, I heard from multiple people that they are not teaching in the branch in the town they lived in. But hopefully no matter where I teach I will be finding some of those cool teachers.

[Bucko]

[QUOTE=jhough37]I heard from multiple people that they are not teaching in the branch in the town they lived in.QUOTE]

This is usually only the case in built up areas where there are branches at every train station. From what I heard with a place like Isesaki if you're going to be living there you're going to be working there also, because it's sort of remote. I could be wrong. Nevertheless you should have lots of fun. Gunma seems like a pretty good prefecture - mountains, clean, not so busy etc.

[Mike Cash]

Ain't no mountains in Isesaki; take my word on that. Flat as the proverbial pancake. There are plenty of mountains close enough to easily reach and enjoy on a day trip from Isesaki, though.

[jhough37]

Odd, most of the pictures I see show the mountains in the background, they must be farther off than I think. Or else I am just having a hard time trying to get used to the distance between things in Japan. I used to work as a park ranger at a historic site here on the West Coast, and we would frequently get foreign visitors and when I would ask if they were going somewhere else on vacation they would say they were going to Yellowstone, or Disneyland, and they were very suprised to find out that both those drives were 10+ hours, even though they were 1 state or so away.....of course the same can be said for the east coasters, I drive 6 hours to get across my state, and that would take me through 4 or 5 East Coast states. hehe

[Mike Cash]

Oh, you can see them in the background. And they're as near as they look. But you have to understand that lots of Japanese mountains are weird, just sort of rising up from the edge of a plain without an intervening section of foothills or particularly rolling terrain.

Isesaki is sort of on the bleeding edge of the Kanto Plain.

[Dutch Baka]

Congratulations! with finding your location!!!! Hope ya enjoy!!! and we are looking forward to see pictures from your house!!!!!!!!!

[jhough37]

Well after scouring the web, I finally managed to track down a picture of Isesaki, I have no idea if it is up to date at all, but here it is for everyone's enjoyment.

[Pachipro]

And that's the school in the lower left foreground where you'll be teaching! Only kidding!

[misa.j]

Originally Posted by mikecash

But you have to understand that lots of Japanese mountains are weird, just sort of rising up from the edge of a plain without an intervening section of foothills or particularly rolling terrain.

Yeah, that's something I noticed since I have been climbing some high peak mountains like an animal this summer here in the US; many Japanese mountains seem to have trails that start up on the steep side as opposed to 1 or 2 mile long mild contoured trails or herd path they have over here.

Originally Posted by jhough37

Odd, most of the pictures I see show the mountains in the background, they must be farther off than I think.

I would say those mountains you can see are 1 or 2 hours drive from Isesaki at most.

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

The famous mountains of Gumma Prefecture are "Haruna-san" and "Akagi-san." It is the distance of about 1 hour from Isesaki.
Moreover, "Karuizawa" of a summer resort famous for Japan is about 1 hour.
A drive can be enjoyed in Gumma Prefecture.

"Haruna-san" and "Akagi-san" appear in the "initial D" of MANGA.
http://www.geocities.com/go2initiald/

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

I went to sunlight through the Watarase ravine from Oma well.
It is a route good for driving.

[Mike Cash]

You mean you went to Nikko from Omama, I guess. That's Highway 122. It can be a very nice drive if you go on days when the road isn't crowded. It's also a very popular route for motorcycle riders.