Planning a trip to Japan? This is episode five of my new Japan travel series, and today, we are heading to Osaka! Osaka is in a central location in the Kansai region, making day trips to other popular prefectures very accessible. In today’s episode, we’ll spend time in Osaka and make some day trips out to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe!
This is a jam-packed episode filled with Japan travel tips, things to do, places to eat, and more!
I hope you enjoy it!
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Example Japan Travel Itinerary:
DAY 1 – Osaka
Our time in Osaka felt like a whirlwind. Time flew by! We rode the Shinkansen for about two and a half hours from Hakata Station in Fukuoka to Osaka Station.
Osaka is Japan’s second-largest metropolitan area, with Tokyo being the largest.
It’s known for its incredible food scene and lively areas that are great for going out with friends.
Osaka is the perfect stop to add to your trip since it’s in a central location that allows for easy access to some of Japan’s most popular prefectures.
We didn’t spend too much time in Osaka since we’d been here before–but trust me, there’s a plethora of things you can do that will make staying in Osaka for a few days well worth it.
- Travel to Osaka
- 📍The Moxy Osaka Shin Umeda (see availability)
- 📍Dotonburi & Shinsaibashi
- 📍Hanamaruken Namba Hozenji (ramen near Dotonburi)
- 📍Namba
- 📍Amerika-Mura
- 📍Beard papa from Osaka Station
DAY 2 – DAY TRIP TO KYOTO
Kyoto is one of my favorite prefectures in Japan. It’s a popular tourist area because you still get the old traditional Japanese culture and charm of rural Japan. Kyoto is so easy to get to from Osaka. You can get there in as little as fifteen to forty-five minutes, depending on what train you take!
- Travel to Kyoto
- 📍Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya
- 📍Gion district
- 📍Maccha House
- 📍No name Ramen
- 📍Walk by the canals in Kyoto
DAY 3 – NARA DAY TRIP
The next day trip we took from Osaka was to Nara, a city known for its historical importance, temples, and deer.
The fastest way to get to Nara is by a 35-minute limited rapid express from Osaka Namba to Kintetsu Nara Station. Or you can take the regular express, which takes five minutes longer.
If you’re coming from Kyoto, you can get to Nara in 30 minutes from Kyoto.
Nara Deer Park is a 10-minute walk from Nara Station.
The deer in Nara were once considered sacred animals and the “helpers of gods.” Today, they are still protected and live harmoniously with people in Nara.
In fact, the deer crackers sold all around Nara Park are a registered trademark of the foundation for protecting deer in Nara. This means a portion of deer cracker profits goes towards efforts to protect the deer.
- 📍Nara Deer Park
- 📍Great Buddha Hall at Todaiji.
- 📍月日星 お漬物バイキングと茶粥、炊きたてご飯 (pickled food buffet)
- 📍Shopping area in Nara
- 📍Dinner in Tenma, Osaka
A few tips I have for feeding the deer are:
- One, I recommend purchasing crackers away from the main temples where it’s less crowded and there are less deer to stalk you.
- Two, I always hide the crackers because once they know you have them, they will follow you. Nara deer are tame but they can get aggressive when it comes to food so please don’t tease them.
- Three, try to find deer that are off by themselves and not in big herds. Trust me, it can be overwhelming when you’re surrounded by hungry wild deer..
- And, lastly, the deer feed off of your energy. As with all wild animals, it’s best to approach with caution and in a calm manner. It’s easy to get a bit riled up when you have deer surrounding you but the more amped you become, the deer will proceed to match your energy.
- Overall, hide the food, stay calm, and remember that they are wild animals.
- The deer cannot digest human food by the way. So please do not give it to them and be careful not to leave any trash or plastic bags behind.
Day 4 – Kobe
The last day trip on our list was to a port city located across the bay from Osaka, Kobe.
Kobe is the third largest port in Japan and is known to have some of the best beef in Japan, crisp sake, and one of Japan’s three Chinatowns.
You can get to Kobe in thirty minutes via train from Osaka. Or, it’s an hour train ride from Kyoto.
This was my first time visiting Kobe, and I was looking forward to seeing how its port and chinatowns differed from Nagasaki and Yokohama.
- Travel to Kobe
- 📍Nankinmachi (Kobe’s Chinatown)
- 📍Kobe Port
- 📍ADASTRA
- 📍Mount Rokko
- 📍Tenran Cafe at Mount Rokko Observatory
- 📍Dinner at Osaka Station
Day 5 – Osaka
- 📍Piccolo at Osaka Station (curry)
- 📍Umeda Sky Building
- 📍Hakodate Gourmet-kaitenzushi Kantaro at Grand Front Osaka (revolving sushi)
Purchase a JR Rail Pass to potentially save money while traveling in Japan.
Learn more about Japan rail passes.
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Looking for more things to do in Japan? See more Japan travel vlogs and itineraries here ➡️ Japan Travel Series Playlist
4-Day Japan Travel Itinerary | Kyoto & Nara: unique things to do, places to eat, travel tips
Find the full itinerary details from this ^^^ video here.
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