A friend and i are travelling to japan at the end of september for 10 days and are trying to plan our itinerary. For details on traveling between tokyo and kyoto, see my getting from tokyo to kyoto page. That kyoto is home to incredible 17 unesco world heritage sites really says it. Special rapid trains on the jr kyoto line require about 30 minutes and cost 570 yen between centrally located osaka station and kyoto station.
These two magnificent cities are frequently top of the travel list for those tourists brave enough to venture beyond the old favourites of tokyo and yokohama. I would tour kyoto for 3 days at least 2 days, nara for a morning and osaka in the afternoon and evening. I would suggest a visit to osakajyo castle for sure. Stay in namba and go to dotonbori at night and youll understand why its the food capital of japan. Kyoto as base at the conclusion of a threeweek trip in october, i wish to take four day trips from either kyoto or osaka to the following. The two cities are wellconnected and there are numerous ways of making the journey. What to do in kyoto a 3 day kyoto itinerary nerd nomads. We will have a jr pass and want one or two bases for traveling around. The shinkansen bullet train takes 2 hours and 15 minutes and costs y,080.
There are 3 ways to get from kyoto to osaka by train, taxi or car. Why osaka is a better city to stay than kyoto osaka vs kyoto. Despite having booked 56 days in kyoto i spent 3 nights in osaka lol. It has been the economic powerhouse of the kansai region for many centuries. Asia osaka airport kix to kyoto by train is there any reason to think i wont be able to get a ticket quickly and get a seat on the next train to kyoto after arriving at kix about 5 pm on a. If kyoto was the city of the courtly nobility and tokyo the city of the samurai, then osaka was the city of the merchant class.
Traveling by the jr and midosuji lines will get you to namba station in just 46 minutes for 800 yen, so this is obviously a better route. If it is the traditional side of japan you are interested in temples, shrines etc. In osaka, the shinkansen operate from shin osaka station. At the arrival lobby, purchase a limousine bus ticket bound for kyoto. You have to decide your travel pace perhaps, and how much city culture you wish to experience. Kyoto tours from osaka so if you end up staying in osaka and day tripping to kyoto here are some of the best things you can do in kyoto when there. Dec 18, 2017 thanks to our friends at ana for flying us to japan. There are various ways to get to and from the airport. Tokyo, the host city for the 2020 games, and osaka, a beautiful destination where a number of athletes will train, are both vying to win you over. I chose to stay in kyoto thinking id just make day trips around from there. If you have fewer than 4 days in japan, you should probably visit only tokyo or only kyoto to avoid getting tired. You can also find a wide variety of places to stay at affordable prices.
But, if youve got 4 or more days in japan, you should see both tokyo and kyoto. How to get to the city, the diversity of things to do in osaka plus where to eat, play and stay. With that said, tokyo on an average is usually cooler than osaka, and in the winter, the probability of snowfall is slightly higher in tokyo than it is in osaka. Kyoto to osaka 3 ways to travel via train, taxi, and car. Using your jr pass you can catch a shinkansen bullet train which only takes around 15 minutes to travel a distance of 56. Traveling by the jr and midosuji lines will get you to namba station in just 46. Kyoto is japans cultural capital, and have all the things that the land of the rising sun is all about.
Dont book the jr west pass if youre going to use it for osakakyoto only. Kyoto is the place to head to experience the historic and ancient japan. An osaka travel guide that answers all your questions as a first time visitor. Weve decided on 5 days in the osaka kyoto area with a day trip or two and the rest in tokyo. Be sure you check which airport you will be flying from osaka. Osaka has a great nightlife, love the bars and food there. While osaka is a nice city with its own charms, kyoto offers more for tourists, without doubt.
I would start here and make it your base for trips to kyoto and other places in the area. The most famous of the citys landmarks, osaka castle is a historical symbol dating back to the late 1500s that has faced devastation and rebirth throughout its lifetime. Jun 18, 2016 amongst all the various highlights, the two undoubted gems in the gleaming crown that is kansai are kyoto and osaka. What a hidden treasure this place is, i didnt want to leave. Budget travel in tokyo, kyoto, osaka, nara, hiroshima and surrounding areas super cheap guides sep 22, 2017 by matthew baxter and luis lira. Traveling between osaka and kyoto is easier than ever. The big mac index is published by the economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity ppp between two currencies. Before the nara period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, naniwa was once japan s capital city, the first one ever known. Aug 06, 2019 kyoto is the place to head to experience the historic and ancient japan. Thanks to our friends at ana for flying us to japan. Complete osaka itineraries and coverage of essential attractions in each of osakas fascinating districts.
Use the above information to decide which city is best for you. Its been called kuidaore eat till you drop city for decades with good reason. Jul 20, 2018 tokyo, the host city for the 2020 games, and osaka, a beautiful destination where a number of athletes will train, are both vying to win you over. My wife and i are spending 6 nights in the kyoto osaka area in april. Traveling between kyoto and kansai international airport. Apr 10, 2020 osaka offers a great number of tourist attractions, too, including dotonbori neon lights, osaka castle and kaiyukan aquarium, but the scale is just smaller than in tokyo. Osaka, osaka is japan s second largest metropolitan area after tokyo.
It is possible to travel from kintetsu kyoto station to osaka namba station. Kansai international airport is situated on a manmade island in osaka bay about 40 km from central osaka. If you are traveling from kansai international airport to kyoto, then your first stop may be the travel desk of kansai tourist information center. If you are more interested in modernday japan, stick to osaka and use your rail pass for sightseeing day trips into kyoto. Osaka airport kix to kyoto by train fodors travel talk. Jan 02, 2019 traveling between osaka and kyoto is easier than ever. Summer in osakas neighbouring city kyoto, however, is said to be extremely humid and unpleasant, while the winter season is frigid due to it being in the midst of a mountainous region. Hankyu pass osaka, kyoto, kobe for unlimited train travel in and around osaka, kyoto and kobe using the hankyu train lines. Before the nara period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, naniwa was once japans capital city, the first one ever known. Budget travel in tokyo, kyoto, osaka, nara, hiroshima and surrounding areas super cheap guides book 1 matthew baxter. The fastest way to travel between osaka and kyoto is the shinkansen bullet train. Guides to tokyo, kyoto, osaka, nara, hiroshima, mt fuji, miyajima, himeji castle, kobe, yokohama, kamakura, nikko, hakone, kansai, kanto, as well as great offthebeatentrack places nearby.
From kansai international airport, there are limousine buses that can take you directly to osaka or kyoto. Were looking for traditional rather modern japan both for accommodation and area to stay. Its absurdly easy to travel between tokyo and kyoto. The fastest way to travel from osaka to kyoto is by rail. As a local born in kansai region, i love both cities, but i would recommend kyoto as a place to stay. You can purchase a bus ticket for the airport transfer to osaka and kyoto here. Well share the most popular places that should not be missed alongside some personal favourites you might not find in the guidebooks.
This is a great option for japan rail pass holders. Otherwise, get a cheaper pass for kyoto like hankyu pass or osakakyoto keihan pass. Stopping at a few more stations along the way, rapid trains require about 40 minutes and local trains about 45 minutes, but they are often less crowded. Most flights to new chitose originate from kansai airport, but a few do come from itami. Osakans take pride in shedding the conservatism found elsewhere in japan, and this spirited city japans thirdlargest is a place where people are a bit brasher and interactions are peppered with. Kyoto often posited as the yin to tokyos yang, the city of kyoto is considered by many to be the custodian of japans traditional culture with a beautiful temple, shrine or garden seemingly hidden behind every corner and sliding door. Osaka is easy to get around because of its great public transportation system and friendly people.
Osaka travel guide what to see and do in osaka city. Osaka is also more lively after dark, which makes it a better base than kyoto. This book is perfect for backpackers, budget travelers, families on a tight budget, students and. Weve decided on 5 days in the osakakyoto area with a. Amongst all the various highlights, the two undoubted gems in the gleaming crown that is kansai are kyoto and osaka. In osaka, the shinkansen operate from shinosaka station. Stopping at a few more stations along the way, rapid trains require about 40 minutes and local trains about 45. However, osaka can be a great hub to travel to the area around such as kyoto, nara and hiroshima that are counted as the greatest cities in japan.
Definitely do both if you have time, as they are both quite unique and rewarding cities. Complete osaka itineraries and coverage of essential attractions in each of osaka s fascinating districts. For me, it only makes sense to use it for kyoto if youre airportbound on the same day and youre taking the haruka train. Select an option below to see stepbystep directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in rome2rios travel planner. Summer in osaka s neighbouring city kyoto, however, is said to be extremely humid and unpleasant, while the winter season is frigid due to it being in the midst of a mountainous region. This book is perfect for backpackers, budget travelers, families on a tight budget, students and those who are new to japan. However, at 1450 yen for a journey that takes over 60 minutes this route is very expensive and not recommended.