[kebisan]

I lived near Osaka for a year and also worked there for a couple of summers. It's a great place but definitely different from Tokyo.

MMM did a good job of summing up most of the big differences between Osaka and Tokyo. But to add a little, the first big difference you'll probably notice is the dialect. People from Osaka speak Kansai dialect which is quite different from the standard Japanese you're proabably used to hearing.

In general, I think you'll find that Osaka feels more "alive"...mostly because the culture there is more loud and out-spoken. Some people I've talked to feel that people in Osaka are rude and noisy but once you get used to it you realize that they are much more friendly than people in Tokyo and very fun to hang out with.

I would definitely recommend seeing the main parts of town when you visit. The city is kinda split in two: North/South. The nerve center of North Osaka is Umeda (Umeda station on the subway line and Osaka station on the JR line). I always felt that Umeda was a little like Tokyo. It's more manicured and a more high-end than the South part of Osaka.

The center of activity in South Osaka is in Namba and Shinsaibashi. The Midousuji Subway line is really convenient for going between Umeda and Namba/Shinsaibashi.

I would have to say Shinsaibashi is the party district. Lots of clubs and bars to hang out in and really wild at night. There's also a lot of historic and famous things you've probably seen in pictures.

There's actually a street that connects Namba and Shinsaibashi stations that's awesome. One of my favorite things to do when I lived there was to walk from Namba to Shinsaibashi. It's not that far and there are tons of things to do and see. The street is lined with all sorts of small shops, pachinko parlors, izakaya, and anything else you can think of!

Hope this helps!