Kyoto is a spectacular city - not too hurried and yet urban enough to feel part of something. I've visited twice, and it seems like a great place for families--the proximity to nature, with rivers running through the city itself as well as all the mountains nearby, make for great wandering. And, as with most of Japan, it's very safe. My good friend who lives there is about to have his first kid, and it seems like an ideal place to raise a child. Housing is also inexpensive compared to the West, and the cuisine is so much healthier than traditional U.S. fare.