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If you’re wondering whether to stay in Osaka or Kyoto, this guide will help you choose the city that best aligns with your travel style, interests, and itinerary. Now, we have to be completely honest with you here: having lived in Osaka for several years, we're just a wee bit biased. But we love Kyoto too, so we're being as objective as possible. Here are the pros and cons of staying in Kyoto vs Osaka-

While Hiroshima Castle's main keep closed permanently in March 2026 due to seismic safety concerns, the site remains a must-see. You can no longer enter the tower, but the historic grounds, scarred by the 1945 bombing, remain open. Explore the reconstructed gates, the new Sannomaru cultural facility, and stunning cherry blossoms. Whether you're there for the history or the photos, the "Carp Castle" still anchors Hiroshima’s skyline. Here is everything you need to know for you

Planning an Osaka to Hiroshima day trip? Discover the fastest way to travel via the Shinkansen bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima. This 2026 guide covers journey times for Nozomi and Sakura trains, ticket prices, and how to save money using the JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass. Is Hiroshima for the day worth it? Absolutely! You might not see everything but you can still pack a lot in. For those with plenty of sightseeing stamina, the first trains leave Osaka at 6am; the last l

For some of the best views in Kansai, a pleasant hour or two in meticulously maintained gardens, complete with tropical greenhouse, a forest walk to a hidden waterfall and a gondola ride to boot, set aside an afternoon (or morning) to explore Kobe's Nunobiki Herb Gardens and Ropeway. If you do nothing else in Kobe, do this! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, ♡ at no extra cost to you ♡ *

When you think of Japanese temples, your mind probably whisks you off to Kyoto, but Osaka also has its gems and Katsuoji might well be the jewel in the crown. It's a bit of a hassle to get to but set aside 3-4 hours out of your Kansai itinerary and you'll be very glad you made the effort. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, ♡ at no extra cost to you ♡ *All prices below are as of February

You're a Shinkansen pro and have navigated your way down from Tokyo to Kansai without breaking even a slight sweat. But working out the easiest, cheapest route from Osaka to Kyoto or ( Kyoto to Osaka transit for that matter ) is causing headaches? No wonder, because you're spoiled for choice when travelling between these two cities. Read on to find out what your options are, how to buy tickets and why you shouldn't take the Shinkansen! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate

Just a 16-minute train ride from the shrines, temples and inevitable crowds of Kyoto lies a town where the air smells faintly of toasted grass and the river flows with a thousand years of history. Welcome to Uji , the undisputed "Matcha Capital" of Japan. Most travellers have a bucket-list of attractions that they want to speed through while in Kyoto, but not setting aside time for a day trip – even a half-day trip – to the town of Uji means missing out on UNESCO World Herita

If you're only on a fleeting trip to Japan, nobody's going to blame you for wanting to spend those precious days in a tightly packed itinerary exploring the highlights of Tokyo, the temples of Kyoto, the neon of Osaka. But just 20 minutes from Osaka is a city that is considered in Japan to be one of the country's most beautiful, most cosmopolitan. A popular hotspot for domestic tourism, for gourmets, for romantic dates. Yet most tourists know it only as the home of Kobe beef.

If you've ever more than 2 minutes googling Japan or scrolling through Japan-related social media, you're sure to have come across what must surely be one of the most iconic images of Japan: the "floating" torii gate of Miyajima island, also known as Itsukushima. This little island off Hiroshima is also famous for its serene natural beauty and offers a unique blend of history, culture, and outdoor adventure. This guide will help you plan your trip, explain how to get there, a

It's basically just a hop, skip and a jump on the train from Kyoto to Osaka but the variety of train lines and routes throws many a traveller into a bit of a tizzy. We break your options down for you and tell you why you shouldn't take the Shinkansen between Osaka and Kyoto! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission, ♡ at no extra cost to you ♡. It helps cover the costs of keeping this site alive a

Osaka is famous for its eat-'til-you-fall-down street food and neon-lit nightlife, but it's also the perfect strategic base for unlocking the treasures of the Kansai region. Japan’s highly efficient rail networks mean you can leave Osaka in the morning and be exploring ancient capitals, feeding deer, sampling world-class sake or feeling like John Blackthorne at the feet of a feudal castle before lunch. These eight incredible destinations offer a perfect blend of culture, natu