Name: I moved to Japan!
Item: Japanese Rural Life Adventure
Rating: 9
Author: Raine

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.

Japanese Rural Life Adventure

I moved to Japan!

Player Score

Raine