Ever since I was a little girl my dream was to one day pack my bags and move to Tokyo. I would look up photos of the bright lights, the huge crowds, the unique street fashions and become more and more obsessed. No other city, not even in Japan, was deemed worthy. I would get there no matter what and once I did, my life would be fabulous. But the universe had different plans for me. Instead I found myself accepted to study abroad at a university in the Kansai region. I was okay with this. I had friends at this university and viewed it as a stepping stone to the mecca that is Tokyo. What I didn't expect was that I would soon find myself completely and utterly in love with the area, and all its unique quirks and traits.
Kansai? Kanto?
Kansai, also known as the Kinki region, is the southern central part of the main island of Japan. It includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo and Shiga. The cities of Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto make up the second largest population after Tokyo. Kanto is made up mostly of Tokyo and its outlining cities. I won't bore you with too much of the details. That's what Wikipedia is for!
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| image from google |
Many people I have spoken to tell me of their dream of visiting and/or moving to Tokyo. I think thats great! Tokyo is a beautiful, vibrant city. However sometimes I feel other parts of Japan become lost in it's shadow. There are so many other gorgeous and exciting places in this country! One of these places is Kansai! Kansai is definitely different from the rest of Japan, especially Tokyo and the Kanto region. So why should you consider Kansai as your travel destination or potential Japanese home? Oh I am so glad you asked...
Size and Travel
Tokyo boasts a population of 30-35 million people. The Kansai block (which consist of Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe and the surrounding cities) on the other hand is made up of a cool 17 million. You still get that big city feeling (especially in Osaka city) but it is slightly less intimidating and isolating than how Tokyo can often be. Like the rest of Japan, these cities are all connected by railway. So traveling across the region is easy! It is also less expensive than Tokyo. When you come to Kansai you can see the Golden Pavillion in Kyoto, the deer in Nara, the Glico Running Man in Osaka, and Chinatown in Kobe - all in one weekend!
Food
One thing the Kansai region does right is their food. Sure you can find takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kitsune udon and kushikatsu in Tokyo but believe me when I say it just isn't the same! Kansai people use special sauces for their cooking. For example, their soy sauce is a little different. And the broth they use in their soba and udon is lighter than what is found in Tokyo. It isn't unusual to see people lined up down the street in downtown Osaka, waiting to get a bite of the city's famous takoyaki. If you're a green tea addict, you will feel right at home in Kyoto! You can find matcha tea and matcha flavour desserts everywhere, along with traditional Japanese cuisine. And don't forget that world famous Kobe beef! I have had it, and even the cheaper cuts are mouthwateringly delicious!
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| Okonomiyaki! |
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| Kushikatsu & Takoyaki! images from google |
If you find yourself looking for your foreign food fix, never fear! You can find common fast food chains such as Starbucks, Burger King and McDonalds across the region. If hamburgers aren't your thing, Osaka alone is home to countless Indian restaurants, Thai places, Mexican restaurants, British and Irish style pubs, Italian pasta places, and all you can eat pizza!
It is a common saying that Osakans are ruined by overspending on food. In a region that is home to such yummy dishes it is no wonder! Nothing beats the authentic Kansai flavour not to mention the authentic Kansai atmosphere!
Kansai People
That brings me to my next and probably most important comparison. The people! Of course this is just speaking in generalities. There are good people everywhere, and there are bad people everywhere. To think about it in black and white and not take it with a grain of salt is definitely problematic. But there are a few differences between Kansai and Kanto that ring true. Kansai represents the focus of subculture in Japan. The people in Kansai tend to go against the grain in comparison to the rest of the country. In fact there are some who joke that Kansai, and Osaka in particular, is like a whole other country within Japan!
The unique characteristics of the Kansai people comes from Osaka's merchant culture. During the Edo period the majority of the city's population were merchants, less than 1% of the population were samurai. The people of Kansai are known to be pragmatic, entrepreneurial, down to earth, and having a strong sense of humor. In contrast Kanto people are seen to be more sophisticated, reserved, quiet and formal. I would compare it to how the North is viewed in comparison to the South in the United States. Or the country versus the city, or the Maritimes versus the rest in Canada. It is a different vibe and energy in Kansai than in Kanto. Not to say it is better, just different!
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| image from google |
Kansai people are known to be gregarious, talkative, loud and funny. Many famous comedians hail from Osaka! They are known to drive like maniacs and to stand on the right side of the escalator, the opposite of Kanto. They love, love, love their baseball! There is nothing like a Hanshin Tigers fan. Hanshin Tigers is a baseball team from Osaka and their fans are some of the most loyal and outrageous fans out there! On a game day fans will be decked out head to toe in yellow and black tiger stripes! I once saw some fans rocking a tiger head shaped hat! People say that in Kansai people ignore the red traffic light when crossing the road but to be honest, it is nothing compared to back home in Canada!
Another key feature of Kansai people is their dialect, or Kansai ben. The most famous of these dialects is Osaka ben. Osaka ben includes the dropping of particles, dropping entire syllables, shortening grammar, changing the emphasis on certain syllables, changing the tone, and overusing repetitious slang or onomatopoeic words. To me, as a non-native Japanese speaker, Osaka ben sounds a lot more relaxed when compared to standard Japanese. But don't upset an Osakan! There is not much scarier or intimidating than being scolded and yelled at in Osaka ben! I personally love Osaka ben! It sounds a little rougher, but there is a lightheartedness behind it that is so unique and simply doesn't exist in standard Japanese.
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| A famous comedy duo from Osaka! image from google |
One of my favourite features of Kansai is the famous Osaka bachan! The Osaka bachan, or Osaka grandma, is known for her dyed hair, loud animal print shirts and her trademark fearlessness. Believe me when I say they exist! The Osaka bachan will make sure you're well fed, have a beer with you but also won't take any back talk or messing around! You do not mess with Osaka bachans!
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| image from en.rocketnews24.com |
As I said, this is just speaking in general terms. There are loud and outgoing people in Tokyo too! But ask anyone in Japan and they will agree that Kansai people are special. So if you're a fan of good natured but loud people who won't shy away from spontaneous jokes and make their drinks strong, Kansai (and Osaka) might be the better fit for you! I often hear of fellow expats in Tokyo who, after the initial honeymoon phase wears off, find Tokyo rigid, less friendly and strict. Of course, there are expats who come to feel isolated in Kansai as well. Every person's experience in Japan is unique. Tokyo is welcoming and warm in it's own way. But Kansai people are famous for their friendly demeanor, wit and volume for a reason!
Things to Do
Some expats also say there is a wider variety of activities offered in the Kanto region, especially activities geared to foreigners. While this is true in some sense, (Osaka doesn't have a St.Patrick's parade, for example) Kansai has a strong expat community. In Osaka alone there is the JET community, the Interac community, and the NET and CNET community. These groups often interact. The JET community alone regularly plans events such as hanami, pub quizzes, karaoke nights and bar crawls that are open to anyone who wishes to join. There are countless clubs, groups and sports team in the region that will gladly accept any foreigner interested to join! All you need to do is look into it, reach out, and there will be endless smiling faces ready to welcome you!
Kansai includes six out of the seven top prefectures home to national treasures in Japan. There are so many places to visit! Chinatown and the harbourfront in Kobe, the deer and giant Buddha in Nara Park, the geisha and old temples in Kyoto, the beach and Lake Biwa in Shiga, and Osaka Castle in Osaka! Also in Osaka there is the Tennoji zoo, the famous Kaiyukan aquarium, Dotonbori and it's restaurants, Universal Studios Japan, baseball in Koshien stadium where professional baseball as well as the nationwide high school baseball tournament is held, sumo tournaments, Amemura (or Amerikamura) and it's amazing street fashion and Nipponbashi aka DenDen Town, Osaka's version of Akihabara. I have been here for a year an a half and haven't even come close to seeing everything this region has to offer!
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| image from google |
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| image from google |
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| image from google |
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| image from google |
Not Just Kansai...
I am the first person to admit I may be slightly biased in my love for Kansai and Osaka! But I am in no way trying to say it is Number One out of all of Japan. There are beautiful regions across the country. Do you love snow and seafood? Hokkaido is waiting! Do you love pork and prefer quieter island life, home to people who may just be even more friendly than the citizens of Kansai? Then check out Kyushu! It's famous volcano Sakurajima is breathtaking! I hope to do reviews on these areas later on because they deserve their own entries. I just wanted to share the place I have come to call home and what makes it so special! If I managed to get you excited about the Kansai region and you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I would love to share more about this beautiful part of Japan! Who knows, one day some of you might be calling it home too!
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