Job Discussion Forums

[TABING]

When I was there, there were few apartment blocks, lots of traditional wooden houses, one of which I lived in. What a shame it has changed so much. I've always wanted to return, but maybe not anymore. I'm surprised that the Japanese, who are so tradition bound allowed that to happen, but I guess you can't stop greed and "progress".

[luckyloser700]

[Zzonkmiles]

I've been to all three cities (Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo).

Tokyo is the largest and most gaijin-friendly of the cities, especially in terms of the amount of English support you'll find. I also found the city to be a bit "soulless," perhaps because Tokyo is where people from all over Japan go to live and work. Thus, it has no real "identity." But as for entertainment, bars, and things to do, Tokyo is easily the best of the three cities. It's also the most international city in Japan. Think of it as Japan's version of London or New York. So you'll find a huge variety of restaurants and shops there. Tokyo is also where the most JOBS are, including non-teaching jobs. This is something to consider if you are thinking about quitting your conversation school gig sometime in the future. Tokyo is also close to Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan--which means there are many places you can explore there too, including Chinatown. Also, if you're studying Japanese, the Tokyoites will speak standard Japanese, which will be a great help to you.

The Osaka area is the second largest metropolitan area in Japan, but Osaka City itself is actually fairly small. There have been several instances where I've run into the same people on the trains or walking around outside. Osaka also has bars and clubs and shopping, just like Tokyo, though on a smaller scale. When I hang out with my other Western friends in Osaka on a Saturday night, someone usually interjects "I don't want to go to Sam and Daves AGAIN." So basically, even though Osaka has a nightlife, it can get repetitive. Having said that, Osaka is also close to Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, and the mountains, so there are many places you can visit. (Let it be known that even though I've been living in Kansai for almost three years, I've never gone to Nara, and I only go to Kobe or Kyoto if I'm meeting a friend there.) One big strike against Osaka is that its job market is TERRIBLE. People in the Kansai area also speak Kansai-ben, which can be a bit difficult to understand if you're a beginner since you'll hear people say things that are totally different from what you learn in a Japanese textbook.

Nagoya is basically a large city in the middle of nowhere. For some reason it reminds me of Omaha, Nebraska. Just miles and miles of fields and then all of a sudden, BAM!, you're in a city. The city itself is reasonably large, and you should have no problems getting around. But Nagoya doesn't seem to have anything distinctive about it. Tokyo has the international vibe. Osaka has the trendy vibe. Nagoya is just...Nagoya. Don't get me wrong, if you like living in the city, you'll like Nagoya. (After all, it has 2 million people.) But Osaka and Tokyo offer quite a bit more. One thing that is definitely in Nagoya's favor, however, is its cost of living, which is considerably cheaper than Tokyo and Osaka.