I lived in Japan for two years. 1.5 years in the Tokyo area, and ½ year in Osaka. Both are amazing places to live and visit.
In Osaka, I lived near Osaka Castle. I often went jogging around the castle. I was not able to learn much Japanese living in Tokyo with a bunch of English speakers. So when I moved to Osaka, I found a Japanese family to live with. I was able to learn a lot more Japanese language and culture.