Jul 1, 2026
Overrated cities in Japan?
I saw an article today via a newspaper back home, which had a clickbaity title of 10 overrated cities the author had visited around the world. Of course, I had to go into it and find out what those were, out of curiosity as to whether any Japanese spots made the list.
Osaka was featured on it, with the author stating that even though it's meant to be Japan's food capital, they've never found anything there that rivaled other Japanese cities. They also said it's not a visually spectacular spot, and that Dotonbori is super tourist heavy in a way that other areas of the country aren't.
It got me thinking as to whether anyone else has cities here they felt were overrated. My husband and I felt a bit that way about Fukuoka. It was nice enough, but we visited other cities as part of a Kyushu trip that we liked more.
Would you have any pics for "overrated" cities in Japan? Any reason why they feel that way for you?
3 Comments
TonetoEdo
on Jul 1
I beg to differ! I find Osaka refreshing every time I visit. However, I think this is because I have a contrasting experience, having worked for years in Tokyo and living next door. The vibe, the lingo, the food, and the sights are refreshing. The grittiness of spots like Dotonbori and the attitudes of Osakans hit different. Periodically, a group of Osakan martial artists from our school visits our Kanto region hombu dojo. They're frank, funny, and chill people. They bring a different energy to our training and socializing.
BigfamJapan
on Jul 9
Thanks for sharing. I totally agree with that author about Osaka, so I wrote a post about it! Haha! https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/BigfamJapan/z1Ky4-living_osaka
helloalissa
on Jul 12
I agree that other cities in Kyushu are well worth visiting and Fukuoka is just more popular because it's big and accessable. I also agree that Osaka's food is nothing to write home about! Very sauce and mayo heavy which is not for everyone. The culture is different, so I can understand it being kind of weird for those coming from Kanto. It was not expected the first time I visited, when random people started talking to me. I've grown to really like the dialect and funny stereotype, but that isn't obvious as a tourist either.