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-   -   Osaka/Kyoto (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/osaka-kyoto-1673514/)

tt7 Nov 13th, 2019 10:24 AM


Originally Posted by anjun (Post 17015251)
The train has to go through Osaka anyway, I think from Kyoto to Nara or Hiroshima.

To/from Hiroshima is via Shin-Osaka, which is to the north of Osaka. To/from Nara, the train doesn’t go anywhere near Osaka.

mrwunrfl Nov 13th, 2019 08:16 PM

There is a JR rapid train from Osaka to Nara. It takes 50 minutes about 5 min longer than the rapid train from Kyoto to Nara.

Moving to Osaka for two nights makes sense to me especially at that point in the Kyoto part is over and Osaka is being used as a base for Nara and Hiroshima. You have dinner and maybe a few drinks a stroll in Osaka with no time pressure. You just taxi or short subway or whatever to your Osaka lodging. That is better, imo, than going to Osaka station, getting the Kyoto train, and then whatever transport to the Kyoto lodging and head out on another day trip the next day. OP's party gets to dine twice in Osaka, an interest of theirs, at leisure. And probably a break in lodging costs. Not much point in staying in Kyoto if you are visiting sites in other cities.

anjun, how are you going to do it? The problem with relocating is that you will have to move your luggage. So, going Kyoto- Hiroshima- Osaka for your first night in Osaka won't work. I suppose you could take your luggage to Osaka and then visit Nara, and then return to Osaka for the first night. Hiroshima the next day and returning to the Osaka lodging. Or just go from Kyoto to Osaka and stay there. Then Hiroshima / Nara on the next two days.

You could choose to drop Hiroshima or Nara. Traveling with a group of 12 to Hiroshima is more of a production. Nara is one train, straight shot.

And then, after two nights in Osaka where will you be spending the next night?

I will be on SQ11 tomorrow bound for NRT arriving Friday. Nine nights in six places.

lcuy Nov 14th, 2019 01:10 PM

Have a great trip, mrwunrfl! Let us know if you discover any special hotels or towns!
I miss getting trip reports!

yestravel Nov 14th, 2019 01:12 PM

"I will be on SQ11 tomorrow bound for NRT arriving Friday. Nine nights in six places."
Have a great trip, Mrwunrfl.

lcuy Nov 14th, 2019 02:04 PM

If you do go from Kyoto-Nara-Osaka, you could use the luggage delivery service (Takuhaibin) to send your bags ahead. It's about $15 or $20/bag, and is normally next day delivery. You might be able to get same day from kyoto to Osaka. Your hotel can help with this. It's not quite as simple if you are not staying in hotels.

Or you can take your bags with you to Nara and store them in the lockers at the train station for about $5 per locker:

https://www.narastation.com/lockers-...nara-stations/

Most train stations have lockers in Japan. However, they are first come, first serve, so getting there early in the day is a good idea, especially with your big crowd.

One important note if you are going to arrive in Osaka in the evening:
many hotels near the river are on streets where the pedestrians rule the road. We had to hail about 4 taxis before we got one to agree to get us close to, but not at our hotel. Ask your hotel when you book it.

anjun Nov 16th, 2019 09:54 AM

Mrrunfl, have a great trip, thank you for all the advise. We are planing to go to Tokyo for 4 days then return to US. I think we may skip Hiroshima and stick with Nara. I will have to ask our lodging if we can keep our luggage there. So then we would have to go to Osaka first, drop luggage and then head out to Nara. If not, then would the train station in Osaka have a larger luggage storage area then Nara?

kja Nov 16th, 2019 10:18 AM

For information on luggage forwarding and luggage storage (including both manned desks at train stations and lockers), see
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2274.html

anjun Nov 17th, 2019 06:51 AM

Thank you I really appreciate all the wonderful information and advise.

anjun Dec 8th, 2019 09:46 AM

Thank you for that like to the Nara Station. That is good information.

LeslieC Dec 8th, 2019 12:45 PM

Not an expert and never been to Osaka or Hiroshima, but have gone to Kyoto with a day trip to Nara. We stayed 4 nights in Kyoto one day to visit Nara and this was not enough time for Kyoto! I am longing to go back to see all that we missed in Kyoto. The day trip to Nara was very easy (only 1/2 hour on the train) and worth it. But, the sights of Kyoto are a bit spread out so time consuming to get around (underground is limited). So, I too vote for maximum time based in Kyoto. You could even split your stay between two types of accomdations and/or locations within the city.


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