Studying in Tokyo or Osaka?

[renini]

Hi all!
I've recently applied for a study abroad program in Japan through my university for 4 months. I was asked to put three preferences (first preference being the main one) from the institutions the university offers. From past students, I have found out that almost everytime you will get your first preference. FOr the time being, I have put down: Sophia University (Tokyo), Kansai Gaisai (Osaka) and Oita University (Kyushu).At the moment though, I'm not sure whether I should put down Sophia University first or Kansai Gaidai.
I have heard pros and cons about studying Japanese in Tokyo and Osaka. My main concern about TOkyo is that people I've asked seem to say that people in Tokyo are more reserved and not as approachable as they are in smaller cities. But in Osaka, I'm worried about the Kansai dialect and the slangs which they use everyday and how it would limit me improving my Japanese, the same goes for Oita in Kyushu.
So if anyone have any previous experiences or suggestions, please help me!

[Dehitay]

Would it make it easier if I said Tokyo isn't the only one there that's not one of those smaller cities. Osaka is definitely not a small city. I'm not sure about Oita. If you're worried about both dialect and the hustle and bustle of a big city, Osaka (and possibly Oita) has both.

[renini]

I'm not really worried about the hustle and bustle. It's just that the different attitudes people have in different places. I know Osaka isnt a small city, but compared to Tokyo, it is quite smaller. Given that, generally people say the population of Osaka is supposedly more approachable, but I don't know as I've never been to Japan. I'm just wondering which place would be best suited for international students.

[Harisenbon]

I studied at Kansai Gaisai (not actually in Osaka, but rather in one of the suburbs).
It's nice, an easy place to live in and filled with warm people. The teachers are great, and they just got a new campus a few years ago which apparently is really nice.

The best way to describe Osaka vs Tokyo (in my opinion) is that Tokyo is a large, metropolitan city. It's the same as london, LA, sydney, etc. It's of course Japanese, but at some point most big cities start to all seem the same.

Osaka, on the other hand, is like a small town that at some point got 18 million people in it.
It's a very friendly, and more importantly JAPANESE, town and I think would give you a better experience than tokyo.

Although I've also heard good things about Oita, and Kyushu is apparently really nice (althoguh I've never been).

[becki_kanou]

I'm probably biased because I live here, but I'd definitely recommend Osaka over Tokyo. It's a cliche that Osaka people are more friendly and outgoing, but one that I think has at least some truth to it.

I wouldn't worry about the dialect too much though, in a university language class they are usually pretty scrupulous about using the standard dialect, even if that's not what the professor would normally use at home.

[two_heads_talking]

I'm probably biased because I live here, but I'd definitely recommend Osaka over Tokyo. It's a cliche that Osaka people are more friendly and outgoing, but one that I think has at least some truth to it.

I wouldn't worry about the dialect too much though, in a university language class they are usually pretty scrupulous about using the standard dialect, even if that's not what the professor would normally use at home.

I'd agree and the Okanomiaki is much better in Osaka too. Messier, but better.

[8werner8]

.. But in Osaka, I'm worried about the Kansai dialect and the slangs which they use everyday and how it would limit me improving my Japanese, the same goes for Oita in Kyushu.

Now.. if you want to learn "proper" Japanese then I would definitely recommend Tokyo at least for the first couple of months. Once you get used to some local dialect it can be very hard to correct that afterwards.

[NocturnalOcean]

I'm probably biased because I live here, but I'd definitely recommend Osaka over Tokyo. It's a cliche that Osaka people are more friendly and outgoing, but one that I think has at least some truth to it.

I wouldn't worry about the dialect too much though, in a university language class they are usually pretty scrupulous about using the standard dialect, even if that's not what the professor would normally use at home.

I'd agree and the Okanomiaki is much better in Osaka too. Messier, but better.

Nothing beats the okonomiyaki of Hiroshima!

[two_heads_talking]

I'd agree and the Okanomiaki is much better in Osaka too. Messier, but better.

Nothing beats the okonomiyaki of Hiroshima!

The Osakajin will fight you tooth and nail on that.. Personally my favorite style is the Tohoku way.. It looks more like a pancake and less like a freeway accident..