No really.  Both in-game and in real life. 

I started playing this game as I was processing paperwork to move to Japan.  Coincidentally, it also matches the plot in this game.  The character moves to rural Japan and with their handy little guidebook, figures out a quaint, off-the-grid life in rural Japan.

While I did not move to rural Japan, this game proved somewhat helpful into helping me transition to life here.  The game contains little cultural facts about life in Japan -- like a calendar of seasonal (monthly) events/things Japanese people do (that honestly, I too am excited to do IRL), and how to properly worship at Shinto Shrines.

Gameplay-wise, it's like Stardewvalley but not quite so open-ended. You can farm, but only at predetermined places.  You can form relationships with your neighbors -- but you can't marry them.  I think the story too is linear -- there are no choices to be made.  Honestly, I like it this way.  Stardew can be quite overwhelming for me.


There are puzzles to be solved with little to no hand-holding.  The community around this game is quite small as this game is only available through Apple Arcade (fun fact: it can be played on Macs as well, not just iPhones and iPads), so if you get stuck, it can feel like you are on your own.

Still,  I think this is one of the best games to play on Apple Arcade.

I moved to Japan!

Japanese Rural Life Adventure Review

にほんの田舎ぐらし

Japanese Rural Life Adventure

"Live in the Japanese countryside surrounded by nature.

Fix up an old house, make the yard nice, grow your own crops, and become self-sufficient. 

View the cherry blossoms in the spring;
attend the festival in the summer;
eat roasted sweet potatoes in the fall; 
hear the temple bell ring in winter, and then it's time for the first shrine visit of the New Year.

- Build a pond and raise varicolored carp.
- Catch wild fish and bugs and take photos of other wildlife.
- Observe various Japanese customs throughout the year.
- Help the village head revive the community. 
- Buy a mountain and explore your new backyard."

Playscore of Japanese Rural Life Adventure, based on critic and gamer review scores.

Japanese Rural Life Adventure

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Hardcore iOS

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Multiplayer.it

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