Originally Posted by richarddd
Alas, we are already locked into hotel stays. Would it make sense to arrive very early (or to stay late)? Do trains run at those times?
You could do the mountaintop Kurama-tera ( northern Kyoto ) instead of Koya. Get an early Keihan train from Osaka directly to Demachi-Yanagi station from where the Eizan trains to Kurama depart.
From Kurama station you can get a cab or hitchhike to the village. Spend the morning hiking to the buddhist temple, don't take the easy way by cablecar. The views are spectacular and you would never think of being in the middle of 15+ million people Kansai.
After coming back to the village, get a few sake bottles from the local store and head to the outside "rotenburo" pools. It's great to just lie there and sip a bit of rice wine heated in the pool while watching the scenery.
You can then either have a late lunch at the main building of the spa or return to the city for endless choices. With some shopping added you'll be back in Osaka by dinnertime.