 Reason why you should teach English in rural Japan, fewer people, fewer crowds. During my last spring vacation, my mom and I made plans to experience cherry blossom viewing. This is one of the most lively times of the year in Japan, and as we discovered, one's experience of it can be completely different depending on where you spend it. Since this was my mom's first time in Japan, we made a stop in Kyoto. The cherry blossoms were close to their peak bloom, and seeing them against the backdrop of one of Japan's old capitals was spectacular. Once you ignored the crowds of course. Everywhere we went in Kyoto we constantly brushed shoulders with strangers. In the worst cases trying to move felt like wading through a river. This didn't stop us from having a good time, but the crowds were a constant nagging. A few days later my mom and I found ourselves on the other side of the country in Shimane Prefecture. For cherry blossom viewing in western Japan, we stopped at Matsue Castle. Matsue City's most iconic tourist spot. Many people gathered to see the flowers in Matsue, but the environment was completely different from Kyoto. Several families had picnics on the castle lawns, but there was enough space for kids to run around and play. People bustled around the walkways, but each of us had our own bubble of personal space. My mom and I could walk wherever we wanted without fighting a crowd, and the atmosphere was noticeably quieter. In short Matsue Castle was a stunning and popular spot, but the crowds there were nothing close to the mad gatherings in Kyoto. Outside of annual events it isn't likely you'll encounter overwhelming crowds in rural Japan. This makes daily life and weekend travel a whole lot calmer. If you liked this video, please subscribe by clicking the button down here and click on any of the videos here on the left for more interesting teaching tips for getting certified to teach English abroad and online.