April 2017 Trip.

[Sascha]

Well its again that time to go visit Japan. I will be staying 7 days in Tokyo, and 6 days in Kyoto/Osaka.I will be arriving in Kyoto/Osaka early morning on the 8th, and will be leaving early morning on the 14th towards Narita. Is it better to stay in Osaka with trips to Kyoto, or Kyoto with trips to Osaka?Or should I stay 3 days in Kyoto, and 3 days in Osaka?Or should I skip Osaka (Kyoto is my main goal) It is my first time in that region. I also plan a day trip to Hiroshima. I will be getting the 7day Railpass, so it shouldn't be a problem to travel between these Cities. Any suggestions, or maybe a different itinerary (Nara instead of Osaka?) are greatly appreciated.

[westfalen]

As Osaka and Kyoto are only about 18 minutes apart by Shinkansen or 28 minutes by special rapid train, and Nara is only 44 minutes from Kyoto or 50 from Osaka I'd just stay in one place for the duration of the stay in the area rather than changing hotels halfway through as it is fairly easy to visit all of the three from any one.  It would depend on which one you wanted to spend most time in or where you could get the best hotel deals, I've always found the hotels in Kyoto a bit more expensive (I think they can smell the tourist's money).

 

If you are mainly going for railfanning and not travelling with wife/girlfriend/non-railfan friends who wouldn't appreciate staying at Toyoko Inns in towns that are not much more than a busy railway junction Maibara might be worth considering for a stay in the area like my friends and I did on our recent trip.  You are only 20 minutes from Kyoto, 35 from Shin-Osaka, 60 from Nara and if you go the other direction 27 from Nagoya.

Edited October 11, 2016 by westfalen

[railsquid]

Yup, Kansai area can be done easily from a single location. Nara is definitely worth a day trip, it's pretty compact compared to Kyoto.

[Sascha]

I'll stay in Kyoto and make trips from there. Thanks guys!!