Thoughts on Kobe and Osaka
 

We're planning our 2nd trip to Japan for Oct/Nov 2021. I'm looking for opinions on Kobe and Osaka. We will be flying home from Osaka airport and trying to decide which city to stay in. thanks!

Kyoto. Easy to get from there to KIX.

We will be in Kyoto for a few nights this trip (we spent 8 nights there last trip.) We want to visit a different city and be closer to the airport esp since we could have an early am flight.

Not knowing what your interests are, it is hard to suggest one over the other. But if you could have an early morning flight from Osaka, then that will be the tipping point; if it were me I'd stay in Osaka.

I have been to Kobe for only part of a day - we visited a sake brewery and ate Kobe beef for dinner. However, I have spent 2 nights in Osaka, and got to see the Namba area and the Osaka castle. The castle is a rebuilt, although not much inside but the castle ground is surrounded by wide moats and an impressive park. It is worthwhile to walk around and admire the castle from this surrounding. We were there in October and saw many Japanese school groups visiting the castle too.

thank you! It’s the end of a month in Japan so we’re open to most anything. Your post is helpful.

A two part response. You don't need to stay in a city in order to visit it. Both Kobe and Osaka are easy day trips from Kyoto (as is, for example, Hiroshima). As for an early flight, it obviously depends how early - the first Limited Express Haruka from Kyoto is currently at 5.45 am and will have you at KIX at 7.10. Unless that isn't early enough, I wouldn't bother changing hotels just for a couple of day trips to Osaka and Kobe. Obviously, YMMV.

Thanks for your response and the info on the Limited Express Haruka. I'm hoping I can snag a FF tix with a later departure, but don't know yet. I would like to avoid any crack of dawn risings. In general I prefer overnights to day trips. I don't mind changing hotels. I find I experience a city much differently when I stay at least overnight.

I prefer Kobe. Stay at the Crowne Plaza adjacent to Shin-Kobe station. You can still make it to Kansai airport by 7:41AM.

Visit Harborland, spend time in Sannomiya, Kobe Ropeway, walk Kitano street...

October better than November.

Thanks! I think we will be departing from ITM. Does staying at the Crowne Plaza work for that too? It will be Nov by the time we are in Kobe.

Ah, you didn't say that .... :)

If you're leaving from ITM, then Osaka would be more convenient. See directions to Itami here.

Now that I look at it again, your other thread says you're flying home from Haneda. I would think about taking the train - it's about 2 1/2 hours from Kyoto to Haneda .... Shinkansen to Shinagawa and then 15 minutes on the Keikyu line from there to Haneda. Obviously slightly longer from Shin-Osaka or Shin-Kobe. For me, taking the train is (generally) far preferable to flying, particularly so if you have a JR Pass.

imhave nit yet booked my return flt. Earlier i thought Haneda had the best options, but i have found othersvua Narita. At this point i am scoping out options.

Google "Itami airport limousine bus" to see the routes/timetable of these airport bus,
https://www.okkbus.co.jp/en/route/itm/
Besides leaving from many spots in Osaka, they leave from Kobe Sannomiya station too.

You may also inquire at your hotel at least 24 hours prior, they usually can book shuttle vans for you to one of the two airports.

If your Osaka hotel were in the north downtown area, then Itami airport is about a 20-min taxi ride.

Thank you! That is helpful.

Yes. As Reading54 pointed out, you can take a bus from Sannomiya station to Itami airport. Travel time is 40-45 minutes and its a 5 minute taxi from the Crowne Plaza to Sannomiya station. First departure from Sannomiya is 5:50AM.
Bus ticket cost Y1,070 per adult.

Thank you! Once I can book my FF return tix I will know better what time and hopefully it will be from ITM.

I finally booked my return FF tix--We leave ITM at 2pm on a Saturday. So that means we can leave from either town without having to leave at the crack of dawn. I'm thinking Kobe might be good for 2 nights. I can stay at the Crowne Plaza as mentioned and taxi to the train station and go directly to ITM. is this correct? Thank you

There isn't a train to Itami Airport. The destination to use in hyperdia.com for ITM is "Osaka Airport". There is a JR Itami station but it would be a 13 minute drive from there to the airport, according to google.

There is a monorail to ITM, according to hyperdia. You would take a Hankyu train from Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya station then you change to another train and then change to the monorail.

You could go from Shin-Kobe to Shin-Osaka on the shinkansen and get a bus from there. This is probably the best way. You can walk to the Shin-Kobe shinkansen station from the hotel. I think that makes it worth it.

it would be possible to get a less expensive JR rapid train that goes from JR Sannomiya via Osaka (no change of trains) to Shin Osaka. Or other local lines with change of train.

Oh yeah, there is a bus from the airport to "Kobe Sannomiya Station" which I assume is the Hanku station, not JR. Here: https://www.okkbus.co.jp/en/timetable/B/#go

Just noticed that the bus was mentioned earlier. I would probably stay in Osaka. Saw a comment above about Osaka-jo. I thought was interesting inside, as a local/regional museum.

Thanks for the info. Mind telling me what appeals to you besides the museum in Osaka?

Osakajo and the park that surrounds it. It is a reconstruction, yes, but still impressive. The destruction of the castle, the siege and battle, were major events in Japanese history. There is a work of art (woodblock print, I think) that gives a sense of the day that the castle was overrun. Not pretty. Understanding the history that led to that, what happened there, and the events that followed made visiting the site meaningful to me.
More later

My only experience with Kobe is the ropeway. It is right at Shin-Kobe station. I took the ropeway up, nice views, walk down, and then back on the shinkansen,

Osaka is famous for food. The saying is that Kyoto-jin spend all their money on fashion and Osaka people spend it on food. Okonomiyaki and takoyaki, also found a nice kaiten sushi place at the station, and Kobe beef, There is a national bunraku theater, short program with English headsets, but I was too jetlagged to enjoy it. My second visit to Osaka was for cherry blossoms at Osakajo Koen and another location. I used Osakajokoen station to access the park, but that is sort of the rear entrance, so I recommend the main entrance (Otemon Gate) to the southwest so that you see the front of the castle as you approach. Go on through to Osakajokoen station on the JR loop line. Actually, arriving at Osakajokoen station worked for me because it was pouring rain and there was an event hall / arena nearby. I didn't was going on inside but I bought a ticket to get out of the rain. It was a cheerleading competition which was fun to watch.

Also, Spa World is great.

On second thought, I think it was a marching band competition, not chearleaders.
(i think this post might appear before my last post which is in limbo)

thank you!

Saying in Kobe puts you closer to Himeji Castle, which I prefer over Osaka Castle. Himeji is original while Osaka is rebuilt.

Osaka Aquarium
 

Has anyone been to the aquarium? I love aquariums (my favorites so far are Lisbon and Monte Carlo), and wondered whether the one in Osaka is worth visiting.

Osakajo is not even that. It's a modern museum with a castle facade. Himeji though is the real thing. The Kokoen Garden nearby is also beautiful. Hikone also has a charming castle (and one of the originals) that is gorgeous during cherry blossom season.
The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is one of the best in the country.