Yet both of them are polite and friendly to foreign tourists. Also I should mention that people usually stand on the left side of escalators in Japan, but they do opposite in Osaka in Kansai Region!
Conclusion: You may find more English speakers in Tokyo, which might ease your trip. Tokyo might be the worst place to drive since the traffic is real heavy especially in the morning and evening. The road in Osaka is wider and slightly less traffic than Tokyo. Tokyo has more frequent public transportation service but even they are fully packed during rush hour.
Conclusion: Both cities provide great public transportation, yet they are two largest cities in Japan so avoid travelling during rush hours! The number of shops can be much bigger and selection is wider in Tokyo. Visitors will never get bored of shopping and find something very interesting and unique only in this city. But Osaka is still the great place to shop. They have several long shopping arcades which allow visitors to enjoy shopping in a rainy day and there are plenty of shop displays decorate the street.
Conclusion: If you wanna get latest, trendy items, Tokyo is the choice. But Osaka can entertain you more while you shop with gigantic shop displays and friendly staff. I also searched for trains and buses out of various European countries — France, Spain, Belgium, Germany — and was not able to find any.
To really make the most of your time in Japan, I recommend travelling to as many other cities as you can. One thing that Osaka and Kyoto have in common is that they are both excellent hubs to explore southwestern Japan.
They are both connected with trains to major cities in this part of Japan, and even to Tokyo. Nara, Kobe, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Okayama and Himeji are all really close to both Osaka and Kyoto, and are amazing cities in Japan that you should definitely explore. Be sure to check out our posts on best day trips from Kyoto and our Osaka itinerary with day trips , to really get a good idea of what cities and attractions you should plan on visiting.
Osaka has two international airports, so you can choose where you want to land. Osaka International Airport is north of city center, and the Kansai International Airport is south of city center. Osaka International Airport is much closer to the city; the train ride from the airport to Osaka Station is only about 20 minutes long.
I would recommend landing there, as you will be much closer to your actual destination. The train ride from Kansai airport can take up to 1 hour and 40 minutes, if you get on the JR train. You also have the option to get a limousine bus ride to Osaka Station from either airport.
Osaka ranked as the third safest city in the world in , which is pretty amazing. The city is generally considered to be very safe for tourists, but there are a couple areas that you should avoid. It was modelled largely after New York, but has been neglected in the past decades.
However, you have to keep in mind that what Japanese people consider dangerous would be thought of as a very safe area in New York or London. And your main concern in Shinsekai would be pickpockets — just pay attention to your belongings and you will be fine. In addition to that, this area has been attracting quite a lot of backpackers in the last few years, due to low accommodation prices and cheap restaurants.
It is also pretty safe to walk around Osaka at night, as long as you remain vigilant. If you plan to do a lot of partying and going out, I would recommend staying in Namba. The neighbourhood is known for loads of East Asian restaurants, izayaka bars and comic book shops. It is close the Midosuji subway line that will get you pretty much anywhere in Osaka, but that line is not covered with the JR pass. Probably the best part of Osaka you can stay in is Kita Ward. And since Osaka is a huge city, being close to train stations is pretty important.
Kita is also close to some of the most popular attractions in the city — Osaka castle, Nakanoshima Rose Garden and Osaka Museum of History. In addition to that, you will have lots of choices when it comes to restaurants and bars.
It is truly an amazing city, full of vibrant neon signs, takoyaki vendors and skyscrapers that offer amazing panoramic views. Dotonbori district is undoubtedly the most popular tourist hub in the city.
With bright neon lights everywhere, giant octopus signs that indicate you can buy takoyaki there and the popular Tombori river walk. This is one of the few places in the city that is actually going to be crawling with tourists. But for very good reasons; the Ebisu bridge is featured in most of Osaka photos, and it is an iconic city sights.
Plus, this district has some of the best restaurants in the city, so it is a great place to sit down and enjoy a meal. Dotonbori is also known for the best theatres in Osaka. The area around the temple is peaceful, quiet and a great representation of traditional Japan. Even though Osaka is a pretty modern city, it is still home to numerous Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Shitennoji is one of the best known Buddhist temples in Japan, famous for its colorful 5-storey pagoda.
Namba Yasaka Shrine is another popular spot in the city. The 3rd century Shinto shrine is popular for the beautiful garden, which includes a pond with a red footbridge. Osaka Castle is a major tourist attraction in the city, so it should definitely be at the top of your list. The castle grounds are absolutely massive, and it will take you several hours to really get to see everything worth seeing there.
There are several gorgeous gardens, shrines and parks worth stopping by here. And there are loads of food stalls in the area, so you can have a quick bite in case you get hungry. The castle is virtually a museum nowadays; it tells the story of how Osaka was built.
The interior is not that remarkable, but the view from the top floor of the castle is absolutely breathtaking. Osaka Castle Park is a place you should definitely stop by. It offers an amazing view of the castle, with a beautiful garden full of cherry trees. With skyscrapers all around the town, going to an observation deck high in the sky is an absolute most. The town of Kyoto is one with great pride in its culture and traditions of old.
In Osaka, people are known to be friendly, seem very close with each other, and to value laughter in their everyday lives. Both places are former locations of the capital of Japan. Osaka was the center of politics back in the year This was moved to Kyoto in After the move, Osaka flourished as a business district, and Kyoto, the new center of politics, flourished with the culture of the aristocrats.
Despite being neighboring towns, their cultural backgrounds are very different. There are plenty of famous Buddhist temples to visit in Kyoto. Many of these prominent temples offer tours and foreign language services, so tourists can enjoy them to their fullest. There are actually more temples in Osaka than Kyoto, however as most of them are small local temples that serve as places of worship for those areas, they are not really suitable for touring, and less extravagant.
Each shrine has its own special meaning and offers its own blessings. However, no matter which you visit, you will feel a certain calm wash over you, and a mysterious power once you walk through the torii gates.
Check which sights and shrines are located near your hotel , and stop by to recharge your spiritual energy. There are many shrines in Osaka as well, however many are smaller than the ones in Kyoto. Both are conveniently located in the middle of the town, so be sure to stop by during your visit to Osaka.
There are many castles in Osaka, including Osaka Castle and the Kishiwada Castle Ruins , which have been restored into their current spectacular state. There is great historical value in their thick stone walls and moats, and both castles offer tours of the gardens and the interior.
Enjoy a leisurely stroll through these castles , which served as the top bases during their own eras. There is also a magnificent castle in Kyoto called Nijo Castle. However, it no longer has its castle tower today. Instead, there is the Ninomaru Palace, built in the Edo Period shoin-zukuri architectural style, as well as Honmaru Palace, where the castle tower was previously located.
Both are beautiful Japanese-style structures different from those in Osaka. For people in Osaka, although expensive often means high quality, there is a deep appreciation for the cheap and delicious in this area. Shops located in commercial facilities and station buildings might be more pricey, however, there are plenty of cheap and tasty spots in the shopping streets of Tenma, Shinsaibashi , and Tennoji. Takoyaki , okonomiyaki , kushikatsu , and ramen dishes may all have a different taste depending on the restaurant, so why not try and compare different ones?
While there are many well-established, fancy places in Kyoto, there are also many universities, so there are also many student-friendly shops that offer large servings at reasonable prices. There are also plenty of ramen shops. If we had to choose Kyoto has its own cuisine called Kyo-ryori, and Osaka has Naniwa Ryori.
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