Studying in Sakai: Top Universities and Student Life (According to a Disillusioned Consultant)

okay, so. sakai. right. i ended up here because… well, let’s just say my last “synergy-focused restructuring initiative” didn’t exactly land. needed a place to recalibrate, and a friend of a friend said sakai was cheap and… quiet. quiet is good.

it’s currently that kind of damp, grey day where the air feels like it’s actively trying to cling to your clothes. not rainy rainy, just… persistently moist. like a sad sponge. and you can hop on a bullet train and be in kyoto, which is, like, a whole different vibe, in under an hour. or osaka, which is just… louder.

so, universities. there’s *Sakai City University, which, honestly, sounds like it’s trying too hard. i walked past it. it’s… a building. then you’ve got kindai university’s sakai campus. that one’s bigger, more sprawling. apparently, they’re pretty big on marine science, which, okay, cool. i guess. i mostly saw students looking stressed about exams. which, relatable.

student life? it’s… practical. sakai isn’t exactly a party town. it’s more of a “quietly contemplate your life choices while eating ramen” kind of town. which, honestly, is fine by me. i’ve had enough parties to last a lifetime. i overheard someone at a tachinomi (standing bar - seriously, look it up: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2291.html) saying the local yakuza mostly leave students alone, as long as you don’t get involved in anything stupid. which feels… reassuring? maybe?

rent is… surprisingly reasonable. i’m paying around ¥60,000 a month for a tiny apartment, which is basically a glorified closet, but it has a working toilet and a fridge. that’s all i need. i saw a post on https://www.reddit.com/r/Japan/ saying sakai is one of the safest cities in the kansai region, which is good. i’m not looking for drama. i’ve had enough of that in my professional life, thank you very much.

jobs… that’s trickier. unless you speak japanese fluently, your options are limited to teaching english or working at a tourist trap. i’ve been looking into freelance consulting, but the market is saturated. everyone and their mother is a “digital transformation expert” these days. it’s depressing.

Dotonbori is a short train ride away, and that’s where things get… interesting. it’s basically times square on steroids. bright lights, loud music, questionable food choices. i went there once. it was overwhelming. i needed a nap afterwards. i also found this review of a local izakaya on https://www.yelp.com/ that said the owner will try to set you up with his niece. drunk advice: politely decline.


here’s a little “data dump” as the kids say:

blockquotes are apparently “in” now, so here’s one:

> "don’t bother trying to find a decent western-style breakfast. just accept your fate and eat rice porridge. it’s… fine."

and another:

> "the local onsen (hot spring) is amazing, but be prepared for some serious staring. they’re not used to seeing foreigners."


and one more, because why not:

> "avoid the area around the train station* late at night. it’s not dangerous, per se, but it’s…sketchy."


look, sakai isn’t glamorous. it’s not exciting. it’s just… a place. a perfectly adequate place to study, recalibrate, and avoid making eye contact with your past mistakes. and honestly? sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. you can find more info on the city's official tourism site: https://www.sakai-city.jp/en/.

---

You might also be interested in:

• https://topiclo.com/post/dusty-alleys-stolen-sarees-chennais-underground-vintage-scene-even-your-grandma-missed
• https://topiclo.com/post/afterschool-chaos-in-ad-dammm-what-actually-works-and-what-doesnt
• https://topiclo.com/post/the-local-food-scene-in-belo-horizonte-what-the-residents-actually-eat
• https://topiclo.com/post/bleakwater-smells-like-wet-newspaper-and-poor-decisions-today
• https://topiclo.com/post/kyoto-whispers-581049-1643797198