OSAKA · JAPAN
Osaka’s best days out.
The 15 most popular kyoto & nara day trips in Osaka. The ones worth building a day around, with what they cost, how long they run and who you book through.
Hit Kyoto’s top temples in one day by air-conditioned coach. Torii at Fushimi Inari, Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizudera views, Arashiyama bamboo.
Most Popular“Don't look anywhere else for a Kyoto trip. Everything from the beginning works as charm, Maki (the guide) and our bus driver (forgot the name) were fabulous. Bus is very comfy, plenty of valued information.”
Kyoto-Nara highlights from Osaka: Arashiyama bamboo, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, Nara deer, and Todaiji Great Buddha with a guided bus.
“Nara deer's in a semi wildlife environment were great to watch and interface. Also the tour was well organised apart from the meeting point. They should be more specific about the pick up point, that is which side of in front of the Avanti building ie right or left as it is a wide building.…”
Amanohashidate boat ride, rotating-bridge temple, cable car sky views, and Miyama’s thatched village with lunch from Osaka or Kyoto.
“Great tour guide and coach captain. Your guide - Harry too the effort to share with us the history of Kyoto. The coach captain drove us around safely too.”
Kyoto and Nara day trip from Osaka with an English guide, Shinkansen transport, Golden Pavilion, Nijō Castle, Todai-ji and Kasuga Shrine.
“The deer in Nara are very friendly and will bow before you give them a cracker which you can buy onsite. You must be firm though or they will overtake you with their aggression. I saw several folks just throw the crackers in the air out of fear when the deer descended on them. Conversely,…”
Osaka to Kyoto in one easy day: Fushimi Inari, Sagano bamboo forest and Romantic Train, Kiyomizu-dera. English guide, mobile tickets.
“Mr. Akira was a wealth of information and did a good job of keeping everyone on schedule. Time at each location was limited but that’s the compromise of fitting in so many sites.”
One-day bus tour from Kyoto or Namba to Kinkaku-ji, Todai-ji, Fushimi Inari and Arashiyama, with live English/Chinese guidance.
“We had a very full day - despite quite heavy rain at Miyajima. The history of Hiroshima was very interesting and painful .Our guide Masa was perfect and gave us a lot of insights in Japanese culture.”
Play volleyball with Japanese locals across Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, get coached, meet new friends, and enjoy 2–3 hours for $6.
“amazing, friendly and fun to meet everyone that came from around the world”
Private Kyoto day tour with pickup, English guide, and smart timing to hit Kiyomizu-dera, Golden Pavilion, Arashiyama, and Fushimi Inari.
“Great day. Exceptional guide. Christine was well versed with local culture. Her English was perfect and she superseded our expectations. A must tour and guide if visiting Kyoto area. Book this one!”
One day to see Himeji Castle, Kobe’s Chinatown, and Nara deer with guided transport from Osaka. Himeji entry included.
“The tour ddn’t feel like a “tour”. It felt like we were just dropped off at the places we wanted to see. How I wish the guides could tell us more about the history of these places. Telling the background of the places and what made it significant makes the tour interesting.”
Private Kyoto and Nara day from Osaka with an English-speaking guide, flexible stops, deer and torii, and key UNESCO sights.
“Today we had very nice day tour for Kyoto and Nara with our lovely guide and driver Ali , really such a nice guy with good super polished English and respectful attitude, he bring us the famous places in Nara and Kyoto even he bring us the places where we not even expected because of…”
Small-group Kyoto day trip from Osaka: Arashiyama bamboo, Golden Pavilion, and Fushimi Inari. Tickets, guide, and WiFi included.
“Taka-san was an amazing and gracious guide. We had a wonderful 9 hour day full of information and laughter. Kyoto is a very crowded area, but Taka helped us navigate with ease. We felt very safe with both Taka and our driver Tom. I would highly recommend this tour.”
Play pickleball with friendly locals in Osaka for 2–3 hours. Small groups, easy doubles, gear guidance, and a relaxed vibe.
“Made some incredible memories playing pickleball with a tight-knit group of strangers(now friends!) Everyone was incredibly welcoming and supportive, and really helped bring me closer to the Osaka community, beyond the sport. Would recommend this experience to everyone.”
Kyoto and Nara day trip from Osaka or Kyoto with Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Nara deer and Todai-ji, plus Fushimi Inari torii and optional Kobe lunch.
“Tour guide smoked and his smelled like cigarettes. Tour was rushed and we missed many of our stops. Was nothing like itinerary”
A full-day coastal change of pace from Kyoto, linking Ine’s Funaya boathouses with Amanohashidate’s pine sandbar and views.
“The experience was really awesome and our guide Lee was organized and on it! The town of Ine is very charming and beautiful, I only wish we could have spent more time there as it felt a bit rushed. Amanohasidate is stunning as well but we were there on a Saturday and it was incredibly…”
Private Kyoto day from Osaka with a government-licensed guide. Pick 3–4 stops from 35+ sights like Fushimi Inari, Nijo, Gion and more.
“We were very fortunate to have Rie as our guide. She is so knowledgeable about the Japanese culture and history. We were able to see a lot more than if we had visited by ourselves as our guide was very organized and new Kyoto and Osaka quite well.”
The whole city and the Kansai day trips, by neighbourhood and by craving.
