Osaka or Gunma Maebashi

Hello japan-guide, this is my first time posting here. Nice to meet you all!

I decided to make an account because I really need some quick opinion about this matter. I'll go for Japan in this October for a Language School and there are two city I have an eye on. But I can't decide it yet and really need your help.

What's the pros and cons from Osaka and Gunma? What do you like from Osaka or Gunma?

Any opinion is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!

I live near Maebashi. Assuming you will are deciding between Osaka City (not prefecture), and Maebashi City, it depends on what you are looking for.

Osaka is a large urban city with LOTS to do. It is also a good base to explore the Kansai region in your free time, and has many different transportation options including a close airport. If you enjoy city living and having lots to do, want to travel a lot and want lots of options for that, Osaka will be your better option.

Maebashi is a much smaller city. Although there is access to Tokyo, more than likely you will have to transfer trains at least once (at Takasaki). Access to Narita or Haneda takes 2-3 hours depending on the airport and transportation mode. Gunma is not an easy area to access by public transportation... a lot of the nicest places in the prefecture are difficult to get to without a car. But because it is a bit more "countryside", some of the annoyances of big city living doesn't apply. Also, you can probably see a more rural side of Japan that students studying in Tokyo/Osaka don't get to see. Gunma has great nature, skiing/snowboarding opportunities, and lots of outdoor-sy nature-y stuff to do.

Although I like Tokyo (and Osaka), I dislike big city living and find more than a few days in each tiring. For me, I would go with Maebashi. But for some people, big city living is exhilarating, and they find smaller places like Maebashi get boring. So it really depends on what you're looking for and what you'd like out of your surroundings. Maebashi will probably be cheaper, if that's a consideration.

Many thanks for the post, it very detailed and really intriguing.

Yes, the school is in the Osaka City. I also think city area offer more than the rural area. I want to know more about the social and cultural aspect in both of the area. Whether they are more like a family, friendly, and helpful so that we feel more welcome to stay in there.