Job Discussion Forums

k8ie · Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Okay, guys.. this is my first post here. I was recently offered a job with ECC, and I will be heading to Japan sometime in February. I'm sure this question has been posed here before, and I know it's all a matter of personal preference.. but I was just wondering what everyone feels about both Tokyo and Osaka.

I'm pretty sure that they want to send me to Osaka, but they also know that my first choice was Tokyo. I'm not sure if I want to push that, or maybe I'd just end up liking Osaka more.

I guess what I'm concerned with is.. I just wanted to get a general idea of both of these areas. From your experiences there.. how do they compare with scenery, people, entertainment/nightlife, ease of transportation, etc etc etc.

Once again, sorry if this has been posted here already! I'm just a newbie.

Mahik · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 89

I've never been to Osaka, but I've spoken with many people who have and they all seem to have a generally more favorable impression of Osaka than Tokyo.

They may have just told me this since I am going to Osaka with ECC, but I hope it's true.

I think it also depends on why you want to go to Japan. If you're more into the fashion scene then you'd probably enjoy Tokyo more. If you're there for the culture you'd probably enjoy Osaka since it's so close to Kyoto and Nara. And if you just want to go to Japan then it doesn't really matter where you are does it?

Let us know in the Accepted ECC teacher thread if you're coming to Osaka. I'll let you know how I feel about it when I get there in two weeks.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

To my regret, I never did visit Osaka during my four years in Japan, so I don't feel qualified to make a comparison of that city vs. Tokyo. However, I have visited Kyoto a couple of times, as well as Nara.
While Kyoto and Nara are great places to visit, and are definitely on the "must see" list, you can still get your fill of traditional culture in other places as well.
In the Tokyo area, Kamakura is a great historical city, and Nikko is an easy day trip to the north. Even in Tokyo, places like Yanaka and Asakusa offer a lot to the person who is interested in Japanese history.
So, while I can't dissuade anyone from wanting to go to Kansai, don't think that Tokyo is all Shibuya, Akihabara, and Roppongi!

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

I think they're both big cities and not all that different from each other.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

One good thing about Japan, is that unless you live in a remote part of the country, most places are within a day's reach. And, it seems like most metropolitan areas have quaint and somewhat-traditional small towns that are just an hour or two away. In Chiba Prefecture, where I lived my last three years, Narita was just 20 minutes away, and Sawara was about double that, and both were nice towns to visit, with lots of history.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 778 Location: Hong Kong

I found that Japan is pretty good just about anywhere you are at.

As opposed to South Korea, where you'd really want to be in Seoul.

I've been to about 6-7 different cities in Japan, and Osaka measures up well with Tokyo. Personally I think it's even a little better as its still the big urban city, but not as extensive with having to use costly subways absolutely everywhere as in Tokyo.

In other words, you definetely wouldn't make a mistake with either city you'd end up in, and I'm sure you wouldn't regret arriving in one wishing you'd have gone to the other.

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

the urban legend is that people in the kansai region (kyoto, nara, osaka) are more outgoing and less shy and serious than kanto (tokyo, narita, yokohama) people. i found that sorta true when i visited osaka but i wasnt really impressed with the city itself. i thought it was kinda dirty and ugly. at least the music scene in osaka is really intense

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

Osaka isn't as crowded so it is easier to get a seat on a train.
People aren't as stressed out and are friendlier.

Yes Osaka has ugly parts but I wouldn't say Tokyo is attractive.
Tokyo is the concrete jungle.

Osaka is near Kobe, Nara and Kyoto. There is stuff to see and do in these places.

Tokyo is just a place to make money. People are in a hurry, and people either work a lot or spend too much time at work.

Yona Yona · Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 26

I live in Osaka, but visit my girlfriend in Yokohama
twice a month or so.
I would say Osaka has Tokyo or Yokohama beat in just about every department.

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

If it's just a comparison of life in two big cities, I'll take Tokyo. I live just south of Shibuya and about 25 mins from Yokohama, and more than anywhere else I've lived, I feel connected to everything I need.

There may be more pr*@ks here (Tokyo) on average, but still plenty of decent folks, IMO.

I do love Osaka, though and could easily live there or in Kobe.

Yona Yona · Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Posts: 26

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

That's a nice area, along the Toyoko line there. When I came back to Japan I was planning to look for somewhere there but circumstances meant I ended up a bit further north.

The Tokyo vs. Osaka thing is personal I think. I'm a big fan of Tokyo, but haven't spent enough time in Osaka to be able to make a real comparison. It would be nice to live so near Kyoto and Nara and be able to make day trips there.

Zzonkmiles · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 309

I lived in Osaka for four years and generally enjoyed it.

People often say that one of the benefits of Osaka is that it is "close to Kobe, Kyoto, and Nara." I personally think this benefit is overrated. In my four years of living in Osaka, I only went to Nara once. I went to Kyoto many times, but that was usually to hang out with friends there, instead of visit temples/shrines/etc. And of course, you can make friends anywhere.

I've been to Tokyo before. Tokyo seems like the Japanese equivalent of New York or London. It's totally different from the rest of Japan. It's more international, has more English-language support, and is pretty convenient for international travel. But it is much larger than Osaka. Osaka is a big city, but not overwhelmingly big.

I don't think you can go wrong with either city. But citing Kyoto and Nara as a good reason to choose Osaka is a bit overrated, in my opinion. I'm sure there's more to do in Yokohama than in Kyoto and Nara combined, but that's just my personal opinion.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I used to live in Yokohama, and you run out of things to do there pretty quickly, believe me! Chinatown, the Japanese garden and the Minato Mirai complex and that's about it. We used to go into Tokyo a lot on our days off.

Kyoto I've been to half a dozen times and I don't think I've even scratched the surface.