I’ll be going to Japan as a foreign exchange student for a year from August to June. I’m debating if I wan’t to live in Osaka or Chiyoda-ku in Tokyo (Chiyoda because it’s just a few minutes from Shibuya Asakusa and Yanaka while being one of the less populous ward). What are some pros and cons of each city? I’m interested in Osaka because it’s the food capital of Japan, and it’s near Kyoto, Universal Studios, and Iga, but Tokyo has a lot of different things and is in the middle of the action. Thoughts?
I’ve also heard that Kansai people are less reserved. But Tokyo seems better for all around food and culture and stuff.
edit: I see a lot of people advocating for osaka, what are some reasons tokyo is better, I’m kinda biased since I’ve only seen the famous stuff on the internet, and I like Akihabara & Kantaro the sweet tooth salaryman.
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Either place is amazing. What are you studying and plans after college? That might factor into your decision.
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Osaka is Japanese California, Tokyo is Japanese New York
you pick your poison
Having lived in both Kyoto and Tokyo, I will say that I much preferred Kansai to Kanto. If you are just going for food then both have more than enough to offer you and you won’t go hungry. Osaka and Kansai people in general seemed quite proud of their food and food culture. Osaka is cheaper but Tokyo has far more access to English speaking doctors etc.
Osaka is better for walking/biking. The whole city is built on a swamp, so it’s very flat. I see way more people biking in Osaka than Tokyo. You see girls in OTK boots and mini-skirts biking in the rain with an umbrella in one hand and probably a cigarette in the other.
Not saying Tokyo folks don’t bike, but I’ve rarely seen mamachari in Osaka.
Anything that Tokyo has, Osaka has similar. Tokyo has Shibuya, Osaka has Namba; Tokyo with two Disneylands, Osaka has USJ; Tokyo with Akihabara, Osaka with Den-Den Town; etc.
To be honest, unless you’re visiting tourist places, you will most likely be visiting the same type places anyways. Coco Curry House, Sukiya, Donki, AEON, LIFE, etc.
Lived in Kanto first (Tokyo, Yokohama, chiba, Saitama). Now live in osaka and I wanna go back. Can’t because my so doesn’t wanna move 🙂 Osaka has dirt cheap accommodation compared to Tokyo. Also if you plan to find a job Tokyo is the way to go.
Osaka feels more “Japanese”, Tokyo is a pretty forgettable sprawl. The people are friendlier in Osaka, and it’s closer for more day trips to Kyoto, Kobe, Nara etc…
Tokyo is just like NYC, people always want to live there but after 5 years tire out from the pace/density. Tokyo is a big city (with everything in once place), so the “action” is just that bubble with (arguably) not a ton of variety to explore outside of the city limits within easy reach.
Osaka is way more chill, flat, spread out, and central to a lot more places you can explore on weekend trips. Gorgeous islands not too far, mountains, Kyoto, Biwako, skiing in Gifu. Kind of like LA without the fad diets. Perhaps better long term. Locals in Osaka get bored of living there though, but it’s good and cheaper for families.
Osaka is the boring version of Tokyo. Tokyo is where the real fun is at and also lots of opportunities because it is the center of everything. If you are going to Japan, go all the way and live in Tokyo.
You edited what are some pros to living in Tokyo. I think the biggest one would be access to everything and the nightlife. There is definitely a ton of nightlife in Osaka but Tokyo really doesn’t sleep. I lived not in Osaka proper but in Takatsuki, Senri, and up near Minoo which are similar to suburbia. Things closed early and the streets were very quiet when it became dark. But the benefit is you are always a train away from something. I would 100% pick Osaka, I loved the people, the food, and the scenery. However I don’t think you would necessarily regret going to Tokyo. People in Osaka are sarcastic (by Japanese standards) and have a great sense of humor. They have Osaka aunties which really do try to give you candy (especially if you’re a foreigner). There is also beautiful mountains and a beautiful countryside surrounding Osaka which is so cool. It’s also close enough to take trips to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. This post definitely went in favor of Osaka, but I just really vibed there being from Los Angeles. This is all my experience though. I am pretty outgoing and was always excited to talk to people, so my experience may be unique!
Have lived in both Kansai and Kanto, and I’ve always preferred Kanto. Nothing wrong with Kansai, certainly wouldn’t mind living there again, but there’s an energy to Tokyo in particular that I have never felt anywhere else. Will probably live here permanently.
I do agree that people in Kansai are more outgoing, and will go out of their way to strike up conversations with strangers. If that’s your thing, Osaka may be better for you. I eventually found it tiring, but that’s a personal thing.
You should absolutely go for Osaka. It has everything that you could possibly want and more. I cannot imagine something where Tokyo excels in it’s offering from Osaka. The city has everything: great fashion scene with all the big department stores but also great niche stores, a fantastic selection of food, great scenery, lots of things to do, I can go on forever. For people coming from Tokyo, they might think that Osaka is a small city but do not be fooled. Osaka is still a massive city and you will notice that once you return to Osaka from a weekend trip to Hiroshima or Kobe, which really are smaller cities. And one MAJOR benefit of Osaka is ofcourse the location. Being able to get on a train and arrive in Kyoto, Kobe or Nara in less than one hour is fantastic. As an exchange student, this would be as good as it gets. Speaking from my personal experience, being able to go sightseeing in Kyoto after a short day at uni in Osaka never gets old. I am sure that you can leave the urban jungle of Tokyo as well, but the drastic change of scenery that you can easily get in Osaka by just visiting other cities like Kyoto or Kobe is a great benefit of living in Kansai. So just go for Osaka and you will not regret it. For the rare chance that some activity / store is only located in Tokyo, you can still always get on a bullet train and visit Tokyo in 2 hours but honestly, I rarely doubt that you need to.
Osaka is called japans kitchen for a reason.
Osaka… the people are friendlier and the girls are prettier.
So much nore things in kansai. Kanto is mainly tokyo
I’ll take both
Absolutely love Osaka with all my heart. I guess it would depend a lot on your personal preference and what you expect from a city
As a person who studied in Japan, Osaka in a heartbeat. I improved my Japanese way more than my friends in Tokyo as I found myself in way more situations where English wasn’t an option, whereas Tokyo was so international they didn’t end up in situations like that and came back with basically the same level of Japanese.
Of course, it’s all about the level of effort you put in, but I also found Kansai people easier to interact with too, and establish close friendships with.
I’ve been in Tokyo for close to 3 years. If you grew up in a large city and are used to how life is there, I think you’re more likely to like Tokyo. The people I know whose top place to live in Japan is Tokyo, myself included, are all from a large city (Singapore). Incidentally, NYC is also my favorite city in the US, since someone else made the comparison.
It has the usual downsides of a large city, like people being less friendly than elsewhere, crowded and long queues for stuff, more expensive etc. But the upside is that there is an infinite number of things to do. I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface of the place. Any subculture you’re interested in, you can find it in Tokyo. It’s easy to meet people. I like the variety of shopping and food, international imports included. It’s easy to get away from the city for the weekend. And if you value peace and quiet, you can live in a quiet residential neighborhood which still has a good commute. It’s also easy to get away from tourists if you go to the quiet side-street venues that tourists don’t know about.
Something you should take into account : if the university where you can go in Tokyo is Tokyo university, and if you plan to work in japan after, then defintly it is a big plus for Tokyo. But you did not mentioned if you want to work in Japan after studying so if not it is probably not relevant.
Tokyo is nice, but it’s a sprawl and it’s becoming more western with each year, or at least foreigner-friendly. Osaka is foreigner-friendly, but it has a distinct personality, eg: Osaka is known for it’s food and its people being more friendly or outspoken. Tokyo is known for being… Tokyo.
For your first time living in Japan, Tokyo will just make it too easy. Go to Osaka, you’ll love it.
(Disclaimer: I’m biased, I lived in Osaka for just over 3 years.)
If you want to stay in Japan after your study, go to Tokyo. The chances to find a job is more higher, I guess.