By Air in Osaka

International carriers flying into Osaka include Air Canada and Northwest Airlines from North America, and Japan Airlines from the United Kingdom. Flights from Tokyo operate throughout the day and take 65 minutes. Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have domestic flights to major cities.

Carriers

Air Canada (0120/048-048). All Nippon Airways (0120/02-9222). Japan Airlines (0120/255-931 international; 0120/25-5971 domestic). Northwest Airlines (0120/120-747).

Airports & Transfers

All international flights arrive at Kansai International Airport (KIX), which also handles connecting domestic flights to major Japanese cities. The airport, constructed on reclaimed land in Osaka Bay, is laid out vertically—the buildings that is, not the runways. The first floor is for international arrivals, the second floor is for domestic departures and arrivals, the third floor has shops and restaurants, and the fourth floor is for international departures.

About 60% of domestic flights still use Osaka's old airport, confusingly called Osaka International Airport; it's more commonly known as Itami Airport, as it is situated in the city of Itami, a half hour or so northwest of Osaka.

KIX was designed to serve the entire Kansai region (Kobe, Kyoto, and Nara), not just Osaka, so there's good train service out of the airport. There are four main access routes to Osaka: to Shin-Osaka take the JR Kansai Airport Express Haruka for the 45-minute run (¥3,180); to Tenno-ji Station, the same JR train will take about 29 minutes (¥2,470); to JR Kyo-bashi Station take the Kansai Airport Rapid train for a 70-minute run (¥1,160); and, to Nankai Namba Station take the private Nankai Rapid Limited Express for a 29-minute trip (¥1,390). There's no English-language hotline for JR schedules, but tourist information offices and hotel staff should be able to help.

The airport is not large: as soon as you exit customs you are in the arrivals lobby, where you'll find English-language tourist information and direct access to limousine buses. An airport bus limousine service runs between KIX and many of Osaka's downtown hotels. The very comfortable bus takes about 60 minutes and costs ¥1,300-¥1,800.

Buses from Itami Airport operate at intervals of 15 minutes to one hour (depending on your destination), daily 6 AM-9 PM, and take passengers to seven locations in Osaka: Shin-Osaka Station, Umeda, Namba (near the Nikko and Holiday Inn hotels), Ue-hon-machi, Abeno, Sakai-higashi, and Osaka Business Park (near the New Otani Hotel). Buses take 25-50 minutes, depending on the destination, and cost ¥490-¥620. Schedules, with exact times and fares, are available at the information counter at the airport.

Taxis to the city from Kansai International Airport are expensive; between Itami Airport and hotels in central Osaka, taxis cost approximately ¥7,500 and take about 40 minutes.