Osaka and Kyoto itinerary for first-timers: 5 days with a Nara day trip

TUREFF• •0

Osaka and Kyoto sit close together, and the classic first trip to the Kansai region combines both. Osaka is the food and nightlife city; Kyoto is temples, gardens and old streets. Five days is enough to see the highlights without rushing, with a day for Nara.

Where to stay

Many people stay in Osaka for the whole trip because it has more hotels and easy train links. Others split the trip, two nights in Osaka and three in Kyoto, to be near the temples early in the morning before the crowds. Either works. In Osaka, Namba is good for food and nightlife, Umeda for train connections.

Day 1: Osaka, Dotonbori and Namba

Arrive and drop your bags.
Walk Dotonbori in the evening, when the neon signs, including the famous running man, are lit.
Eat takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu from the stalls and small restaurants.
Walk on to Shinsaibashi shopping street and Kuromon Market (best earlier in the day).

Day 2: Osaka Castle, Umeda or Universal Studios

Osaka Castle and its park in the morning. The castle tower is a modern reconstruction with a museum inside; the stone walls and moat are the real attraction.
Umeda in the afternoon: department-store food halls, the Umeda Sky Building's observatory and the underground shopping streets.
If you want Universal Studios Japan instead, give it a full day. Buy tickets in advance, and look at the Express Pass if you are going on a weekend or holiday, because queues for popular rides can run very long.

Day 3: Kyoto, south and east

Start very early at Fushimi Inari Taisha, the shrine with thousands of orange torii gates climbing the mountain. The lower gates are crowded by mid-morning; the crowds thin as you climb.
Take the train north to Kiyomizu-dera, the hillside temple with the wooden stage, and walk down through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka.
In the evening, walk around Gion and Hanamikoji. Some private lanes in Gion ban photography, and geiko and maiko are working people on their way to appointments, not attractions. Follow the signs and give them space.

Day 4: Kyoto, west

Arrive early at Arashiyama: the bamboo grove, then Tenryu-ji temple and its garden.
Walk across the Togetsukyo bridge, or take the boat or sightseeing train if the season is right.
On the way back, stop at Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), which is easiest to reach by bus or taxi.

Day 5: Nara day trip

Nara is an easy trip from either city. Todai-ji houses an enormous bronze Buddha in a vast wooden hall, and the surrounding park is full of free-roaming deer. Deer crackers are sold in the park; the deer bow, but they also nudge and bite, so hold the crackers out of reach until you mean to feed them. Add Kasuga Taisha and the old streets of Naramachi if you have time.

Getting between the cities

Osaka to Kyoto: JR special rapid trains run between Osaka Station and Kyoto Station. Private railways also connect them, such as Hankyu from Umeda to central Kyoto and Keihan from Osaka towards Gion. The shinkansen is not worth it for this short trip.
To Nara: JR lines run from both Osaka and Kyoto, and Kintetsu trains go from Osaka Namba and Kyoto stations to Kintetsu-Nara, which is closer to the park.
An IC card (ICOCA, or the Suica or PASMO you may already have) works on trains, buses and in convenience stores. Rail passes for the region exist; compare their price with your actual journeys before buying.

Crowd tips

Go to the famous sights early in the morning, or late afternoon. The difference is huge.
Kyoto's city buses get very crowded; trains and walking are often faster.
Avoid peak cherry blossom season, autumn leaves weekends and Golden Week if you can, or book everything well ahead if you cannot.
Carry a small bag for your rubbish: public bins are rare.
Check opening hours; some temples close earlier than you would expect.

Share your own Kansai route or ask about planning one in the comments below.