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!
Are you looking for help with planning your trip? Check out these helpful resources:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.
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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 areas to visit in Japan. It’s a popular tourist destination because you get to experience that charm of historical Japanese architecture and traditional Japanese culture.
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!
We started the day at the popular shopping street leading up to Kiyomizudera Temple, strolled through Gion, and ended on a high note eating at “No Name Ramen.”
- Travel to Kyoto
- 📍Starbucks Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya
- 📍Gion district
- 📍Maccha House
- 📍No name Ramen
- 📍Walk by the canals in Kyoto
If you want to skip the guesswork of where to eat in Kyoto, join this guided foodie night tour. You’ll discover tucked-away spots in Gion and Pontocho that most visitors miss.
Book a Kyoto Night Foodie Tour here
➡️ READ NEXT: 4-Day Japan Travel Itinerary: Kyoto & Nara
DAY 3 – Nara Day Trip
The next day, we took a day trip out to Nara.
The fastest way to Nara is by a 35-minute Limited Rapid Express from Osaka Namba to Kintetsu Nara Station.
This Limited Rapid Express requires an extra reserved ticket to be purchased in addition to the regular base fare (which is typically covered by tapping your IC Card).
The walk to Nara Deer Park from the station is about ten minutes. We fed the deer, saw the Great Buddha at Todaiji, and stumbled into a fantastic pickled food buffet on the way back to the station.
This is an excellent example of not needing to plan where you will eat in Japan. Yes, there are viral food places with fun experiences. However, some of my favorite food experiences were not planned in advance.
- 📍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.
Fun 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.
For a relaxed way to experience both Nara and Osaka in one day, check out this private car tour with a local guide. You’ll see the temples, feed the deer, and learn the stories that make these cities so special.
Book A private 1-day Nara & Osaka tour here
➡️ READ NEXT: Nara Half-Day Itinerary
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
There is so much to see and do in Osaka but by day twelve, I was ready to have a slower day in Japan (especially since I’ve been to Osaka before).
If you’d like to see more things to do in Osaka, I have more videos featuring Osaka on my channel.
On this day, we visited the Umeda Sky Building, shopped, and ate revolving sushi at the Grand Front Osaka.
- 📍Piccolo at Osaka Station (curry)
- 📍Umeda Sky Building
- 📍Hakodate Gourmet-kaitenzushi Kantaro at Grand Front Osaka (revolving sushi)
➡️ READ NEXT: 4 Calm Places to Visit Near Osaka (That Aren’t Kyoto or Nara)
Purchase a JR Rail Pass to potentially save money while traveling in Japan.
Learn more about Japan rail passes.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.
Watch Next
Looking for more things to do in Japan? See more Japan travel vlogs and itineraries here ➡️ Japan Travel Series Playlist
Japan Travel Checklist: Don’t Miss These Essentials! 🇯🇵
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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