Study abroad university.

[Shelp]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking the site for a while now, but this is the first time I have had a question. I have the opportunity to take a study abroad through my college, this is great and all, but I'm not sure where I should study. My options are Kansai Gaidai, Josai international and the university of Morioka. I've been to Tokyo before and love the city and with Josai being in Chiba that's a bit of a bonous. However Kansai is smack dab in the middle of Kyoto and Osaka. The main issue I see with Kansai is the accent everyone seems to bash. This makes me wary of learning the language there, as I don't want an accent on top of sounding like a gaijin trying to speak. Am I worrying over nothing? Also, for anyone living in either of the three areas any pros and cons to the location would be a great help.
Thanks guys for any and all input.

[Coligny]

However Kansai is smack dab in the middle of Kyoto and Osaka.

That sound like a definition of hell...

A Hell without indoor plumbing or electricity... lots of ricefields... and more cows than humans (which can be a big plus in most case... unless you try to learn the language)

On a side note... aren't the japs like totally in love with foreigners speaking their pidgin with some sort of local countryside-ish -ben/accent ?

[yanpa]

A smattering of Kansai-ben helps break the ice at parties if Kinki people are there...

I wouldn't worry about acquiring a strong accent, won't happen unless you're in an immersion environment with 100% dialect speakers.

Kansai Gaidai... I had that as one of my options once, checked where it was ("inconveniently far from Osaka proper" IIRC) and put it at the bottom of my list.

However while Josai is JIU is conveniently located near Narita International Airport, gateway to the world, it's also convenient for the Chiba coast which is quite a nice area, but a bit of a haul into Tokyo proper.

Morioka, dunno really.

Also, are you more of a hot or cold climate person? Morioka will be frickin' cold in winter, Kansai sticky and hot in the summer. The climate on the Chiba coast should be comparatively temperate.

[Shelp]

The part of Canada I'm from gets to a good -40+ in winter and to 35ish in summer, so I'm fine with either. Growing up on the coast as a kid was great and I'm loving that since moving back. I'm not to concerned with the distance from Tokyo if it's near Narita, as it would just be a weekend thing. Chiba is sounding better now. The access I'm glad to hear shouldn't be a big issue. That was more of a minor concern. The part about Kansai being kinda rural is off putting, the move to a small city from a mojor one seemed a bit inconvenient a year back.

[Coligny]

Summer in jland are +40 with 90% humidity...

Pretty sure canada don't have this variation of hell on earth... My first summer I needed diving gear to go out...

[Shelp]

Ya not that hot, 30 in summer on the prairies, but that's about it. The heat isn't a problem, plus I doubt I would have to deal with the brunt of summer as I would be in school late Aug early Sept.

[yanpa]

The further east/north you go the less extreme the summers.

The east coast of Chiba is, well, on the Pacfic coast and much better "ventilated" than the dual armpits of Japan, the Osaka-Kyoto area and Nagoya.

I'm not sure exactly where Josai is, but the whole eastern coast of Chiba (at least from Choshi on southwards) is comparatively nice, pleasantly rural and the surfing's good if you're into that.

[Shelp]

Togane, Chiba Prefecture. Never been surfing sadly.

[wagyl]

However Kansai is smack dab in the middle of Kyoto and Osaka.

That sound like a definition of hell...

A Hell without indoor plumbing or electricity... lots of ricefields... and more cows than humans (which can be a big plus in most case... unless you try to learn the language)

I think Coligny may be overstating the rural nature of the Osaka-Kyoto corridor

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=%E9%96% ... 37e1a5a4,0

Not a lot of green to see, just a continuous strip of suburb between the two.

Much greener (and bluer) around Josai...
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=1+Gumyo ... 10378&z=13
and as expected, greenfields in Morioka...
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=morioka ... 15000&z=12

[Shelp]

@wagyl thanks for that. It seems like a decent town/city in the corridor. Well guys thanks for the input. Now I just have to deside where abouts I want to be situated, as both universities are partners with mine for the degree I'm taking.