Vacation Destination: Tokyo or Osaka?
One of the most common questions asked by people who are thinking of coming to Japan for a visit is: which city is a better place to visit, Tokyo or Osaka? Honestly, the answer to this question depends on what you value as a traveler. If you want to see a lot of famous Japanese attractions where the people are open and friendly to tourists, then Osaka is the hands-down favorite! It’s not even close!
I have lived and worked in the Tokyo/Yokohama area for about six months, (Fall 2001 to Spring 2002). I have been living in Osaka since 2003, so admittedly I’m a little biased. However, facts are facts. When you come to Osaka you are coming to the Kansai area, which includes other famous cities such as Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto for easy day trips and excursions.
Todaiji Temple in Nara is a World Heritage Site and a national treasure of Japan. It is still one of the largest structures made of wood in the entire world. Nara is easy to get to by train and is only about one hour away from Osaka.
The beautiful Kobe Tower and the skyline are beautiful at night. Kobe is an easy day trip from Umeda, Osaka. By train, Kobe is only about 45 minutes making it an easy and wonderful day trip. One of the best places to visit in Kobe is the Mosaic building in Harborland. It has great food, shopping, and views all for a very reasonable price!
And then there’s Kyoto! Kyoto is about an hour’s train ride from Umeda, Osaka making it an amazing day trip. The Golden Temple, (Kinku-ji) is one of several World Heritage Sites in Kyoto and is a beautiful example of traditional Japanese architecture.
Skytree in Tokyo is one of the newest attractions in a city full of amazing places to visit. In Tokyo, be prepared to walk a lot and far! Tokyo is a sprawling metropolis that has great areas to visit, but everything is more spread out with different areas offering different activities. Some of the most famous areas are places like Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ginza.
Shibuya is an exciting area in downtown Tokyo. There are many restaurants and shops for good eating and shopping but be prepared to spend money. Most restaurants in the area charge a seat charge just for sitting down. Most seat charges range from ¥500, ($3.33US) to ¥1000, ($6.67US) but can be as much as ¥3000, ($20.00US). It is not optional and usually they give you a small dish of food, (even when you don’t want it.).
There you go! For better or worse ultimately you are the masters of your vacations! For my money, the Osaka and the Kansai area are cheaper, more convenient, and easier to navigate than Tokyo.
