I've lived here for three years and have enjoyed the calm pace of the city. I'm from Chicago, so in my opinion, there isn't much to do. If you are coming to a party, head to Tokyo or Osaka. It's a city where families and retirees come to settle down. If you have a car, nature, shopping, and sightseeing activities are more easily accessible but not impossible to get to but bus, train, and walking. There is also a main shinkansen station here if you want to easily travel to other cities.