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torontogirl88
Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 38
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject: Tokyo vs. Osaka/Kyoto |
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What do you think is better for someone who is going for their first time in Japan?
Do you think Tokyo may be a little overwhelming for a first-timer and perhaps Osaka or Kyoto is better?
At first I ONLY wanted to go to Tokyo - but now I'm thinking maybe Osaka or Kyoto may be nicer. I have no idea though because I have never seen any of these cities! |
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Mr_Monkey
Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 661 Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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Why limit yourself?
There's a whole country here! I love Kyushu, especially Fukuoka. |
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mstoffer
Joined: 17 Feb 2011 Posts: 27
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I went to Japan with some friends for the first time a little under a year ago. We started in Tokyo, and then made our way to Kyoto and then Osaka. A trip like that is really easy and quick if you get a JR pass before you leave for Japan (~ 300 USD for unlimited train travel for a week).
They are all unique! Tokyo is a great starter point for Japan because it is so easy to travel, there is a lot to see and it is very foreigner friendly. There are also really only a couple cities of the same scale in the world (New York, London), so I would recommend starting in Tokyo. We spent by far the majority of our trip in the Tokyo area. Kyoto has a small city feel to it and is bigger on nature, temples and castles. Osaka is a big city but feels a lot more laid-back than Tokyo. I think it�s fun but less exciting than Tokyo for sure. Remember that Osaka and Kyoto are only about an hour apart by train so you could make a fun Osaka / Kyoto trip for sure.
So it really depends what you are looking for. I don�t think you can really go wrong though! |
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Asher
Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 47
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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I prefer to choose one location rather than multiple stops because it's a lot cheaper and I can spend more time exploring the city instead of losing a couple of days traveling between destinations.
I've been to Tokyo twice and spent at least a week there each time. And both of my trips were very different experiences.
If it's your first time, you'll find plenty to do in Tokyo (and Kamakura, I'd suggest). If you want to see something a little more like Kyoto, take a 30 minute train to Kawagoe.
It's really a question of time and money in the end. |
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Glenski

Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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You are not here for sightseeing. To ask your question is a lot like asking where you should go for enjoyment, and it does not take into account the main problem in Japan at the moment: more teachers than jobs.
Kyoto has far fewer jobs than one might imagine, if my sources who live in that area are right.
You might want to consider a different question: Which is better, big city or rural environment? Or even, which is better, places to the north like Hokkaido (where the winters are fairly harsh), or places further south like Kyushu (hotter, more humid, more prone to typhoons)?
In today's economic doldrums, Mr. Monkey said it best: why limit yourself? |
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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Tokyo and Osaka are likely to be quite similar experiences for someone who has just arrived in Japan- both big, crowded cities. Kyoto is a lot smaller, but as above, a very popular city for people to want to be placed in with relatively few openings available.
Don't rule out cities like Fukuoka and Nagoya if you want to be in a big city, also Yokohama which is basically part of the greater Tokyo area.
When I first came to Japan I asked for a placement in a smaller city and was sent to Saitama (the prefecture directly north of Tokyo prefecture)- technically I was in a "smaller city" of about 300,000 people, but what I didn't realise until I got here was that it was actually a commuter suburb only 30 minutes from central Tokyo- there is a lot of that kind of placement around Tokyo and Osaka.
I now live in Tokyo and love it (most of the time), but it does take some getting used to. |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 5:01 am Post subject: |
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Do you mean, you're coming here for a trip? Or are you intending to work here?
If you have no specific reasons to be in Tokyo or Osaka (family connections or a specific cultural reason) and you want to work here, I would recommend you consider other cities in Japan.
Besides Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe appear on some lists of the world's top 50 cities with high quality of life. You can read on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_quality_of_living
I'd add to that list Hiroshima and Matsuyama, cities I haven't lived in, but spent a lot of time hanging out in. Air and water quality are good, transportation is good, there are lots of cultural and community things going on, and the city services support newcomers.
In another thread on this forum, Hiroshima job openings were mentioned. I have noticed a lot of job ads for Hiroshima and places in Shikoku. |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 488 Location: Beijing
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Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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I chose the Kansai area (meaning Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe) because I wanted to visit different areas, and I felt Tokyo would be too crowded.
I don't regret it, it was definitely the right choice. I lived in Kyoto and worked part-time jobs. I had to travel between Kyoto and Osaka as well as go north a bit to Shiga.
I did visit Tokushima and it was a very different experience. Great for a visit, but I am not a southern person. Same thing happened in China. I went to Shanghai and had a nice visit, but after 2 weeks, I had to move up north.
Find out if you want to live north or south. This will help you because the shape of Japan stretches quite a bit. Next, decide if you want to live closer to water or closer within the country. |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 778 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: Tokyo vs. Osaka/Kyoto |
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torontogirl88 wrote: |
What do you think is better for someone who is going for their first time in Japan?
Do you think Tokyo may be a little overwhelming for a first-timer and perhaps Osaka or Kyoto is better?
At first I ONLY wanted to go to Tokyo - but now I'm thinking maybe Osaka or Kyoto may be nicer. I have no idea though because I have never seen any of these cities! |
If it's your first time in Japan, it doesn't really matter where you go. You'll have your Japan experience in either place.
I wouldn't worry about Tokyo being too overwhelming. I mean, if it's your first time to Asia, than probably anywhere might be equally overwhelming on any overwhelming factor scale.
Regarding Osaka/Kyoto being 'nicer'. Ahmm..Tokyo is REAL nice. Osaka is a bit more grungier and lived in. I love the feel of Osaka more than Tokyo. But for 'nicer' category, Tokyo wins that one.
But, if you are just asking should you be open to Osaka/Kyoto just as much as Tokyo. Then I'd definitely say 'YES'! |
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torontogirl88
Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 38
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Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you!!!!! That makes me feel a lot better if I get a placement in Osaka - some of my friends were saying that Osaka isn't that nice.
Pretty sure I"ll be grateful anywhere though!!! Apparently it only takes 2 hour to go from Osaka to Tokyo on that fast train - so I can do day trips!
You're right though, I'll have a good Japanese experience in whatever city I'm placed in  |
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Tiger Beer

Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 778 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:46 am Post subject: |
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torontogirl88 wrote: |
Thank you!!!!! That makes me feel a lot better if I get a placement in Osaka - some of my friends were saying that Osaka isn't that nice.
Pretty sure I"ll be grateful anywhere though!!! Apparently it only takes 2 hour to go from Osaka to Tokyo on that fast train - so I can do day trips!
You're right though, I'll have a good Japanese experience in whatever city I'm placed in  |
They're both good.
Tokyo is more polished, shiny, large metropolis, etc.
Osaka, in my opinion, has much better people and a lot more fun. So much easier to get around in Osaka. Yet, Osaka is still big city #2, so offers a lot. Well, the region offers a lot. Between Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe, you have a region that easily matches Tokyo.
In short, you can't go wrong in either place.
Yeah, you can visit Tokyo easy enough, time-wise. The trains up and back aren't that cheap though. But, logistically, easy enough to do nontheless. |
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the4th2001
Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 130 Location: Tokyo
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Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:21 am Post subject: |
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Tiger Beer wrote: |
Yeah, you can visit Tokyo easy enough, time-wise. The trains up and back aren't that cheap though. But, logistically, easy enough to do nontheless. |
To add to that, if you don't mind night buses (typically from 23:00ish to 7:00ish) you can travel round trip for about 8,000 JPY. Or you can fly Skymark Airlines from Kobe to Tokyo (Haneda) for 9~11,800 JPY/one way. The flight should take about 90 minutes or so. Also, JAL and ANA typically have 70 minute Osaka/Tokyo (Haneda) flights for about 9~13,000 JPY/one way.
Even though shinkansen are a 2.5 hour option, tickets typically cost 12~14,000 JPY/one way. |
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