6 best day trips from Osaka

Day trips compared

The day trips

45 km · About 15–45 minutes by train

1.Kyoto

Japan's former imperial capital has Fushimi Inari's torii gates, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji and the geisha district of Gion. It deserves more than a day, but a well-planned day covers the east side.

Getting there

Shinkansen, JR special rapid, or Hankyu and Keihan lines

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Couples

35 km · About 40 minutes by train

2.Nara

Todai-ji's giant bronze Buddha, Kasuga Taisha's lanterns and the free-roaming deer of Nara Park are all within walking distance of Kintetsu Nara Station.

Getting there

Kintetsu line from Osaka-Namba or JR Yamatoji line

Best for

Families, First-timers, Culture

30 km · About 25 minutes by train

3.Kobe

A port city between the sea and Mount Rokko, Kobe has a lively Chinatown, the Kitano district of 19th-century foreign merchants' houses, a harbourfront and, of course, Kobe beef.

Getting there

JR special rapid from Osaka Station to Sannomiya, or Hankyu and Hanshin lines

Best for

Food lovers, Couples

90 km · About 30–60 minutes by train

4.Himeji Castle

Japan's finest original castle, a white UNESCO-listed keep from the early 1600s, rises a 15-minute walk from Himeji Station, beside the Koko-en gardens.

Getting there

Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka or JR special rapid from Osaka

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Families

70 km · About 2 hours by train and cable car

5.Koyasan

A mountaintop centre of Shingon Buddhism with more than 100 temples, Koyasan is known for Okunoin's forest cemetery of moss-covered tombs. Many visitors stay overnight in a temple lodging with vegetarian meals and morning prayers.

Getting there

Nankai Koya line from Namba, then cable car and bus

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

35 km · About 1 hour by bus

6.Arima Onsen

One of Japan's oldest hot-spring towns, on the north side of Mount Rokko, Arima has iron-rich 'gold' and clear 'silver' springs, public bathhouses and ryokan for day bathing.

Getting there

Highway bus from Osaka (Umeda) or train via Kobe

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• JR lines serve Osaka Station, the Loop Line, Universal City and Shin-Osaka for the shinkansen; private lines run from Umeda and Namba to Kyoto, Kobe and Nara.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask