If you’ve got one week in Japan and don’t want to travel much, an Osaka-Kyoto itinerary is a great way to see both modern and traditional Japan. Here’s how to do it.
Osaka and Kyoto 1-Week Itinerary Summary
- A good breakdown is 2 days in Osaka and 4 in Kyoto.
- Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the most convenient airport to Osaka and Kyoto.
- A Japan Rail Pass is not a good idea for this itinerary, but a Kansai Thru Pass may be.
Full Itinerary
- The biggest decision you must make is which city to visit first: Osaka or Kyoto? Here, we’ll suggest visiting Osaka first, but you could easily switch them around.
- Note that the Osaka section of this itinerary is a summary of our Osaka 2-Day Itinerary. Visit our Osaka 2-Day Itinerary page for full details on that itinerary.
- Note that the Kyoto section of this itinerary is a summary of our Kyoto 3-Day Itinerary. Visit our Kyoto 3-Day Itinerary page for full details on that itinerary.
Osaka Holiday Essentials
- Where To Stay In Osaka: See our guide to the best areas and the best hotels to stay in Osaka.
- Things To Do In Osaka: Check this overview of Osaka activities with links to all the key information.
- Flights To Osaka: Find the cheapest flights to Osaka and flight times from scores of airlines with Skyscanner.
- Osaka Packing List: Don’t forget to take any of the essentials with our comprehensive Packing List For Japan.
- Travel Insurance: World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Claim online anywhere in the world.
Day 1: Arrive and travel to Osaka
As noted above, the most convenient airport to Osaka is Kansai International Airport (KIX). See our Osaka Airport Transport page for details on getting from KIX to Osaka.
Day 2: Osaka: Osaka Bay Area and Kita District
- 9:30am: Travel to the Osaka Bay Area
- 10am: Visit Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan)
- 11:30: Eat Lunch at Tempozan Marketplace
- 1pm: Travel from Osaka Bay Area to the Kita District
- 1:30pm: Explore the Kita District
- 3pm: Travel to the Osaka Castle Area
- 3:30pm: Visit Osaka Castle
- 6pm: Dinner in Kita, Minami or Central Osaka.
Recommended Osaka Hotels
Day 3: Osaka: Minami District and Tennoji
- 9:30: Travel to the Minami
- 10am: Explore Minami
- Noon: Dotombori Area and Lunch
- 1:30pm: Visit Hozenji Yokocho
- 2:30pm: Walk through Doguyasuji Arcade
- 3:30pm: Visit Den-Den Town
- 5:30pm: Eat dinner in Minami
- 7:30pm: Check out the evening views from the Abeno Harukas 300 observation decks in Tennoji
Recommended Kyoto Accommodation
Day 4: Kyoto: Travel to Kyoto and Explore Southern Higashiyama and Downtown
- 9am: Travel from Osaka to Kyoto. If necessary, either drop your luggage at your hotel or put it in the lockers or luggage storage office at Kyoto Station.
- 10am: Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
- 11am: Walk down Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka.
- Noon: Enter Shoren-in Temple and enjoy a cup of tea overlooking the garden.
- 1pm: Get on the Tozai Subway Line at Higashiyama Station and get off at Kyoto Shiyakushomae (downtown).
- 1:30pm: Eat lunch downtown and explore Nishiki Market and the food floor at nearby Daimaru Department Store.
- 3pm: Take the Keihan Line to Fushimi-Inari Station and walk to nearby Fushimi-Inari Taisha Shrine.
- Dusk: Return to your hotel and relax and freshen up. (For Kyoto hotel recommendations, see the Kyoto Hotels page).
- Evening: Eat dinner downtown, then walk over to Shimbashi in Gion and keep your eyes peeled for geisha.
Day 5: Kyoto: Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji and Daitoku-ji
- 8:30am: Head west to Arashiyama.
- 9:00am: Enter Tenryu-ji Temple.
- 10:00am: Leave Tenryu-ji Temple by the north gate and explore the Bamboo Forest for about half an hour.
- 10:30am: Leave the Bamboo Forest and enter Okochi-Sanso Villa.
- 11:30am: Leave Okochi-Sanso Villa and return to central Arashiyama. Eat a simple lunch of noodles or rice in one of the shokudo (simple eateries) on the main strip.
- 12:30pm: Take a taxi over to Kinkaku-ji Temple, the famed “Golden Pavilion” in Northwest Kyoto.
- 1:00pm: Explore Kinkaku-ji Temple.
- 2:00pm: Take a taxi down to Daitoku-ji Temple and enjoy the peace and quiet of a small subtemple there. Consider Koto-in Temple.
- 3:00pm: Take the Karasuma Subway Line to Shijo Station and enjoy a bit of shopping or café life.
- 4:00pm: Take a rest at your hotel.
- 6:00pm: Eat dinner downtown and then take an evening stroll on Pontocho Alley or on Kiyamachi-dori south of Shijo-dori.
Day 6: Kyoto: Kurama/Kibune and Northern Higashiyama
- Morning: Take a day trip to Kurama and Kibune (ideally, hike over the mountain from Kurama to Kibune).
- Afternoon: Visit the Northern Higashiyama area: Ginkaku-ji Temple, Honen-in Temple, the Path of Philosophy and Nanzen-ji Temple.
Day 7: Travel Back to Kansai International Airport (KIX)
- Return to Kansai International Airport (KIX). See our Osaka Airport Transport page for details on getting from KIX to Osaka.
Special Ticket Deals
- Since you won’t be riding Japan Rail (JR) trains much on this itinerary, you won’t save money by buying a Japan Rail Pass. However, you might save money by buying a Haruka/Icoca combo ticket, which will cover a roundtrip ticket on the Haruka airport express between KIX and either Kyoto or Osaka (you might have to pay cash for the final Kyoto-Osaka section on the Haruka, but you’d still save money). For details, visit the JR Haruka/Icoca page.
- Another ticket that might save you some money would be the Kansai Railway Pass, which won’t cover JR trains, but will cover all private rail lines in Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka, etc), as well as bus and subway lines in those cities. Visit the Kansai Railway Pass page for more details.
Notes
- It’s important to stay somewhere central and convenient in each city in order to save time and money on transport.
- See our Where to Stay in Osaka page for details on where to stay in Osaka.
- See our Where to Stay in Kyoto page for details on where to stay in Kyoto.
Where Are These Places Located?
See these places on the Inside Osaka Google map:- Open the Osaka map
- You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
- Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
- Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
- If you're using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Osaka Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Osaka guide
- Check Osaka accommodation availability and pricing on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Osaka
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Osaka, Osaka to Kyoto and Osaka to Tokyo
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Tokyo's Narita or Haneda Airports or Kansai International Airport. You can also rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- View my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Compare flight prices and timings to find the best Japan flight deals
- If you're visiting more than one city, you might save money with a Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- Get a prepaid Icoca card to make travelling around Osaka easy – here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
