inspo & info

Choosing the best area to stay in Osaka depends on your goals. For nightlife and street food, Namba is unbeatable. If you prefer high-end shopping and easy transport, Umeda is the best place to stay in Osaka for planners. When deciding where to stay in Osaka for a mix of tradition and value, Tennoji is a rising favorite. Each district offers a unique logistical advantage, ensuring your base is perfectly suited to exploring the Kansai region's incredible sights and flavours.

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.

Situated on an artificial island just off the coast of Kobe, Kobe Airport opened in 2006 and has since become an efficient and compact alternative to the larger regional hub. The airport lies about 8 km south of central Kobe (Sannomiya), making it a very convenient option for travellers staying in or around Kobe. 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 ♡. Jump to: (1) Ko

I've you've already read our post on KIX and our guide to Kansai's three hubs (if you haven't, you can find them here and here ), you'll already know that Osaka has not one but two airports. This is our guide to Itami Airport (airport code ITM), Osaka's smaller gateway for domestic flights. Find out why Itami might be a good option for you and why it's essential that you check your tickets in good time before you fly! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you cl

Are you ready to explore cities like Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara? Then you might well decide to fly into or out of the Kansai region. Unlike many other regions, Kansai is served by three major airports that operate under a single management group: Kansai International Airport (KIX), Osaka Itami Airport (ITM), and Kobe Airport (UKB). Choosing the right one depends entirely on your itinerary: are you arriving internationally? Traveling domestically? Headed straight to Kyoto or

Especially with the jump in the price of the Japan Rail Pass in the last years, more and more visitors to Japan are catching on to the idea of flying into Tokyo and leaving again from Osaka, or the other way around, therefore saving one trip between the two regions on the Shinkansen. Many are unfamiliar with Kansai's airports, however, and you might have seen stories of travellers showing up at Osaka Itami to check in for their international flight, only to be told that they

Travelling between Kyoto and Osaka by train is a total breeze- they are right next door to each other! But because there are three different train companies running between the two cities, it's easy for first-timers to get a bit overwhelmed.Here is the ultimate, no-nonsense breakdown of your options (and why you definitely shouldn't waste your money on the Shinkansen bullet train!).

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