ejg930

Hi all,

My fiancee and I will be going on a vacation to Japan next year. We're doing several days in Tokyo, and then a train to the Kansai region where we'll be staying for 4 nights, one of which will be in a ryokan.

For the other three nights, should we plan on staying in Kyoto and doing a day trip to Osaka, or should we stay in Osaka and do trips to Kyoto? Kyoto would be more convenient, but if Osaka has much nicer options we'd be willing to make that our base. I'll be SPG Gold, so if there are hotels that are good about upgrades for Golds then I'd be interested to hear about that. I'll take recommendations from any program, though.

abmj-jr

I don't do hotel programs so can't help you there. Having said that, I always recommend Kyoto which is one of my favorite cities on the planet. There are, however, some considerations based on your interests, likes and dislikes.

Osaka tends to be more upscale and "happenin'." Lots of glitter and nightlife, great dining and similar options. Those are all things that also describe Tokyo so many folks like a change. Kyoto tends to be quieter at night, more sedate and more "historic" in scenic sites at any time. The cuisine is traditional and a bit more refined. I like that I can get up near sunrise and be at great photo spots with the early light. I also like the quieter nights for sleeping.

The two cities are less than an hour apart by rail, less if you have a Japan Rail Pass and can use the shinkansen. Both are convenient for visits out of town, say to the ancient capitol of Nara.

One thing that might impact your options would be the time of your visit. During the prime sakura (cherry blossom) season, Kyoto tends to book up solid quite early. Likewise for the fall-color leaves viewing times. If you will be there in late March/early April or early November, book well in advance.

jxjan

Osaka - Kyoto about 40ish minutes by regular train. If you are using a JR pass, I do not recommend wasting a day on it.

If you are very limited for time, which you are. Focus on Kyoto/Osaka. Try to get Nara in. Google goodwill guides Nara, and if you book ahead you may even get a volunteer tour guide to take you around Nara.

If somehow you end up with an extra few days, I would like to suggest Kobe for the food, and the proximity to Arima Onsen, and Himeji, for the castle.

If you are using the JR Pass, I would also recommend a day trip to Hiroshima to visit the Bomb Dome memorial park, and to visit Miyajima island. The ferry to the island is covered by the JR pass.

ksandness

For the first-time visitor, Osaka is too similar to Tokyo (I know Osaka residents will disagree, but I'm not talking about people who know Japan well) to be of much interest. Kyoto offers more of "Old Japan," although be forewarned that it does NOT look like the set of a samurai movie in most places and has plenty of modern buildings.

Hubbabridge

As others have said if you want a contrast to Tokyo then definitely Kyoto. It has plenty of "Sights" and is more refined, quiet and easier to negotiate than Tokyo or Osaka. If you have no interest in historical "Sights" but do want the gritty, lively full on Japanese Megalopolis experience then Osaka it has to be. I would think that the demand for reward beds would be lower in Osaka but I am no expert on this.

mkjr

and if you do end up going to Kyoto for a day and you must really, at least one day...and you have a rail pass....

DO NOT take the rapid trains between the cities.

They are jammed. Take the train to osaka station and the shinkansen to Kyoto station...your body will thank you for it....

I have been to kyoto 4 times and this time, thinking about the IC near Osaka station.

I was blown away at all the stuff around Osaka station.

I decided that I am in there in March for 3 nights and may go to the outskirts of kyoto for a day but decided to stay in Osaka since I may to to Kobe/Himeji since my wife has not seen either....

I do get a smoking cheap corporate rate at the IC....

abmj-jr

Fixed that for you. :-)

beep88

There are Limited Express runs between Osaka and Kyoto that is as fast (if not faster) as shinkansen that requires a connection, are never full because they cost more. They run 2-4 times per hour.

Visited Kyoto a few times, never stayed overnight. Nothing worth doing late at night for me. One time I did take the last train out, when everyone was trying to catch the last train.

These days, Kyoto is overrun by tourist from the neighbouring country, so good luck finding hotel room during peak seasons (and there are many).

evergrn

I presume OP's more interested in Kyoto than Osaka, and I agree with ksandness said above with regards to Osaka being more or less like Tokyo from a first-time Jpn visitor perspective. That said, hotels in Osaka offer much better cost performance than Kyoto in general and, to me, the 30-40min trip from Umeda area to Kyoto is no big deal if I can stay in a nicer hotel for much less. It's all about how the hotels price out on your dates of travel and how much more you're willing to spend to spare yourself the trouble of that short trip btwn Osaka-Kyoto. If you do stay in Osaka, just make sure you stay in Umeda area for the easiest access to Kyoto. Well, Shin-Osaka has the best access if you want to take the bullet train. But no good hotels in Shin-Osaka.

mkjr

is this the thunderbird? i guess an extra 970Y will weed out the riff raff....and without a transfer, yes, this is a good alternative. i guess you make sure to make a seat reservation...

mkjr

thanks.

ksandness

The other thing about Shin-Osaka is that, like a lot of the Shinkansen stations (Shin-Kobe, Shin-Kurashiki, Shin-Yamaguchi, and Shin-Yokohama, to name just a few), it's located away from the center of the city.

Umeda is not only convenient for commuting to Kyoto by regular train but also for the more interesting parts of Osaka.

Mickidon

For a first trip to Japan, I wouldn't even bother with Osaka. Tokyo is a more interesting big city for a visitor and Kyoto is distinctive and easy to navigate.

kevincrumbs

I had a recent trip to Osaka in which we stayed at the Remm Hotel directly above Shin-Osaka. The area surrounding the station was definitely quiet and we ended up having dinner in the station's shopping centre once or twice. I agree with the sentiment of favouring the Umeda area over the Shin-Osaka Station area. I found myself taking the subway down to Umeda a few times for shopping/dining needs.

beep88

That's right. The unreserved car was empty the few times I used it. I would imagine only the very early runs (and/or on weekends) would be full.