Kansai Gaidai University

The internet connections at Kansai Gaidai itself were surprisingly slow, but my host family had very fast broadband access. Textbooks are easy to acquire at Kansai Gaidai, since most of them consist of packets of material photocopied from other sources (probably violating copyright laws, but whatever). Homestays and dormitories are well-equipped with furnishings... the few apartments near campus were either exorbitantly expensive or gross, so few people chose that path. Getting money is easy, international ATMs are at every post office in Japan. Prepaid cellphones are available at reasonable rates, and for international communication Skype is the way to go. Health care/bank trips seemed to entail some confusion and bureaucratic wrangling with the university office, but if you absolutely need such services they are accessible.

Go for it, stay at least 2 semesters as time goes by too fast and if I had stayed only one semester, which is basically just the time to get used to your surroundings, my experience would have been very different. Find an apartment as soon as possible as the dorms are a prison. Make sure your will have lots of money as you need it to travel, party, basically enjoy yourself. Do not take university too serious as the level is poor, even compared to Japanese standards, it is basically seen as a university for rich stupid people as the fees are really expensive but the level low. Just concentrate in improving your Japanese, so spend your time with Japanese, not with other foreigners. Also, be respectful of Japanese culture and manners..do not be the annoying stupid foreigner talking too loud in the train, throwing your trash everywhere, etc.. I hate them when I see that. Anyway, enough said, be ready to be mind blown ;)

So basically Hirakata is boring as hell.. it is considered like country side in Japan and for a reason. There is not much to do in the town except eating out a bit and going to karaoke to get wasted. It is scary silent and dead after sunset... a bit depressing to be honest. So, the solution is to go to Osaka or Kyoto by train (at least 30 minutes each), and there you can have lot of fun, especially Osaka for the nightlife, although there are a few clubs in Kyoto too but way quieter. Kyoto is better for day trips, Osaka for the nightlife. In Osaka you can get drunk really cheap at Pure which always has an all you can drink on weekends for pretty cheap. But the place itself is small and not really good. After you can head out to some better clubs, like Onzieme, Grand Cafe, Giraffe, etc. Onzieme used to be amazing (before the law that closed all clubs so early), among the top clubs in the world, few foreigners, amazing music and set up, expensive as all good japanese clubs, like 4000 Yen just to enter no drink included or 1 drink included. Japan can be really really fun, but you need money basically. Hopefully you have a good scholarship.. ;)

Overall a great university. Tons of fun. Easy classes. Japan is a really cool country. Meet new and interesting people. Try and visit Tokyo if you can. It's a bit expensive though, I never got to do that. Probably my only regret about the whole trip.