Koga, Japan

Life in this small Japanese town is hardly the glamorous overseas experience many Americans imagine. Tōko Koga, the 20-year-old defender for the Japanese national team, was born in Toyonaka and joined the JFA Academy Fukushima as a child, leaving her Osaka home to live in a dormitory over 300 miles away. Bureaucracy and long commutes are persistent headaches, as the town's population of just 20,000 lacks the infrastructure of larger cities. While Koga has found success playing professionally for Feyenoord and Tottenham Hotspur, the reality is that Koga, like most residents, had to leave her hometown to pursue her dreams. This sleepy suburb is best suited for those seeking a quiet, traditional Japanese lifestyle, not globe-trotting adventure.