I'm currently undertaking the preparatory year of the MEXT undergraduate scholarship at Osaka University. At the beginning of next month we have to hand up a list of our university preferences for next year. This will decide where we spend the next four years of our lives, so it's a fairly important decision. I'm the only one for my major (history), which means I have no rivals and will likely get my first preference. With that in mind, I'm having a difficult time deciding where I'd like to go.

Really, there are only two places I'm considering: Todai and Kyodai. Up until recently I'd always thought that Tokyo was more fun than Kansai, and also being the most elite university, Todai seemed like the easy choice. However, after thinking about it for a while I'm unable to come up with any satisfying reasons why I prefer Tokyo to Kansai. From what I hear, Kyodai is well known for having a light workload (at least for humanities undergrads) meaning lots of free time. Also, with Kyoto being centrally located, it would be possible to take short trips by bus to anywhere from Kyushu to Tokyo. On the other hand, Todai is well known for having a heavy workload, and with the free time I do get I imagine it would be pretty hard to get much further than Osaka or Kyoto by bus (barring the summer holidays).

So pretty much the way I'm thinking about it at the moment is that if I want to lead an interesting 4 years, I should go with Kyodai. If I'm looking for prestige, I should choose Todai.

Which do you think I should choose? Thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

You talk about workload like it's a chore you have to endure. If that's the case, go to Kyoto. Yes, Tokyo is more prestigious, but they're roughly equal in terms of opportunities upon graduating.

On the other hand, Tokyo is your destination if you want academic rigor. Strange as it may sound, I long to relive the days when I spent almost all my waking hours reading and discussing philosophy. I've never felt so alive ever since.

Thanks for the response. It's more about having the freedom to choose what, and how much I study, which it seems I'd have at Kyoto. At Tokyo, it doesn't sound like there'd be much freedom at all, it's either study lots or fail and get sent home.

That being said, I agree with you that being forced to learn isn't necessarily a bad thing if you enjoy what you're learning. We had a MEXT undergrad who's now in his fourth year at Tokyo come and chat to us a few weeks ago, and although he was a very studious guy, I don't think he mentioned a single positive thing about the university and lifestyle. It just sounded busy and difficult. That being said, I'm still undecided.

At the moment, the biggest attractions of Todai for me are its prestige (perhaps the only Japanese university known all throughout Asia), and my perhaps somewhat foolish notion of a bustling, exciting 'Tokyo life'.

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Thanks for your response, dizmox.
I've taken night buses to Tokyo a few times and I think it's more than bearable considering the price. Take a Monday and/or Friday off once in a while and I could spend a pleasant long weekend in Tokyo.
Tohoku is the area I'm least interested in, so I'm not really concerned about that (maybe as a summer holiday destination).

I'm interested in modern Japanese history, and both Tokyo and Kyoto have good professors specialising in that, so I don't think there'd be much difference. Tokyo and Kyoto are both commonly regarded as the best universities for history. You make some good points about the livability of Kyoto, and when I think about it there isn't really anywhere in Tokyo that I find to be particularly amazing.

Yep, go with Kyoto. Tokyo is cold (as in not friendly), overcrowded, overpriced, cramped. I guess to each his own, but I lived in Shinjuku for a year and there is really very little good about actually living in Tokyo (fun to visit from time to time but the "bustling, exciting Tokyo life" grows real old real quick.)

What do you want to do after you graduate?

thecite Wrote:At the moment, the biggest attractions of Todai for me are its prestige (perhaps the only Japanese university known all throughout Asia), and my perhaps somewhat foolish notion of a bustling, exciting 'Tokyo life'.

Is that prestige worth spending years at a place you'd rather not be?

Another thing to consider is in terms of the quality of education you will receive. If Kyodai is not academically rigorous, is it a wise investment of your time? Do you need this degree to further your career or is this just a way to kill a couple years in Japan?

What are your long-term goals? Is grad school in the cards?

thistime Wrote:Yep, go with Kyoto. Tokyo is cold (as in not friendly), overcrowded, overpriced, cramped. I guess to each his own, but I lived in Shinjuku for a year and there is really very little good about actually living in Tokyo (fun to visit from time to time but the "bustling, exciting Tokyo life" grows real old real quick.)

Thanks for the insight.

kitakitsune Wrote:What do you want to do after you graduate?

Not sure, but currently I don't have any intention of remaining in Japan (have no desire to work like a slave). I've entertained the idea of going to work in China for a bit; I suppose Tokyo would look better on a resume in that case, but Kyoto would probably suffice. Neither Tokyo nor Kyoto Uni are famous in Australia, so it doesn't really matter which one I choose if I go home. I suppose the prestige of Tokyo and all that is just a matter of pride.

bluemarigolds Wrote:Another thing to consider is in terms of the quality of education you will receive. If Kyodai is not academically rigorous, is it a wise investment of your time? Do you need this degree to further your career or is this just a way to kill a couple years in Japan?
What are your long-term goals? Is grad school in the cards?

Grad school isn't in the cards at the moment. History is a subject you can study by yourself to begin with, so the lesser the workload the better is what I'm thinking. Frankly, we've been given practically no holidays this year, and that isn't something I want continuing for another four. I want to be able to enjoy myself (i.e. slack off) if that's what I choose, so I guess I'm leaning towards Kyoto.