Hey luismsifuentes, I am technically in Tanabe and technically not. I live in a small village in the mountains north east of Tanabe. Tanabe has about 35,000 people. That said, living in Tanabe, you will not need to own a car, you will have a train station, and lots of convenient places to eat and shop. Tanabe is not a huge city, but it is the central hub of the local towns, so there is at least things to do. One thing that is good for you is that your predecessor isn't leaving Japan. So if you have any questions about the schools you are in or anything, I am sure he will be more than willing to help you out. If you haven't heard from him already I am sure he is preparing an information packet for you. If you have any specific questions about Tanabe City feel free to ask me. I will be more than happy to answer them for you, but can't tell you much about your actual working environment.