15 Day Trips From Osaka

Osaka is a fun city with more than enough to keep you occupied for a few days without leaving the city limits, but it’s also a great base for day trips. You could easily stay in Osaka for a fortnight and not run out of places to visit. Here are our top 15 suggestions.

Amazing temples, cute animals, iconic castles and scary monsters are all among the things you can see on a day trip from Osaka.

Many of the destinations on this list can be reached via multiple routes from Osaka. The prices and times listed are a rough guide, as the exact cost will depend on the route chosen.

Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

All local train routes are priced and timed from the Osaka-Umeda Station area (unless otherwise mentioned). Shinkansen trains depart from Shin-Osaka Station and are timed from there to the destination’s Shinkansen station. Prices are for an unreserved seat.

I’ve organised them by time taken from Osaka. Kyoto is your closest spot; Okunoshima (Bunny Island) takes the longest, but there are bunnies, so, worth it!

1. Kyoto

Cost: From ¥410. Time to Get There: 15-60 minutes depending on route

Highlights

• Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Gion or Higashiyama
• Arashiyama

I will start this with the caveat that one day is nowhere near enough to do Kyoto justice (I think four days is the perfect amount of time to see the main sights), but if one day is all you have, Kyoto is a very easy day trip from Osaka.

There are two ways to approach Kyoto in a day: pick one area like Gion, Higashiyama, Arashiyama or around Fushimi Inari and cover it in depth, or, if you really want to tick off the big sites, we have a one-day plan that takes three of the most popular – Fushimi Inari Tasha, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Kiyomizu-dera.

How to Get There

It can take as little as 15 minutes to get there by Shinkansen, but many local trains cost a lot less and might bring you closer to what you want to see. This guide explains your options.

Prefer a Tour?

Try this option from Osaka. It takes in all the most popular sights.

2. Nara

Cost: From ¥680. Time to Get There: 40-60 minutes depending on route

Highlights

• Deer in the deer park
• Todai-ji temple
• Kasuga Taisha

Nara is one of the most popular day trips from Osaka, and it ticks a lot of boxes – easy to get to, easy to get around, and with plenty of sites within a short distance of each other.

The deer are the big draw for many, but Nara’s temples are outstanding – Kasuga Taisha in the morning is one of the prettiest places I’ve been to in Japan. The town is also worth a wander around as it has some cute shops to investigate.

Our upcoming guide on how to spend one day in Nara will help you plan your time.

How to Get There

You can take two routes in Nara from Osaka: the Osaka Loop departs from Osaka Station and Tennoji and will bring you to JR Nara Station, where the super-convenient Loop bus can take you to the main sights.

Or you can take the Kintetsu Line from Namba Station to Kintetsu Nara – this station is a bit nearer the main sights.

Prefer a Tour?

This tour combines the top Nara sights with a trip to Uji

3. Kobe

Cost: ¥460. Time to Get There: 30 minutes

Highlights

• Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway
• Try Kobe Beef
• Nakinmachi

This is one of only two destinations on this list that I haven’t yet been to myself, but if you do visit, you’ll be greeted by a modern harbourfront city that’s also home to Japan’s second-biggest Chinatown.

As for where to try the famous beef, the experts at ByFood have a few suggestions in this piece (and they can make bookings for you so you don’t miss out).

How to Get There

Getting to Kobe is simple by train; three direct lines will take you to Kobe Station, which is close to the harbour area and Nakinmachi, although the Tokaido Sanyo Line is the quickest.

Note: If you want to start your day at the ropeway, Shin Kobe Station is nearer.

Prefer a Tour?

This tour takes in sights in Kobe town, as well as some nearby highlights including the Cup Noodles Museum.

4. Okayama

Cost: ¥6340. Time to Get There: 45 minutes

Highlights

• Korakeun Garden
• Okayama Castle
• Kibitsu-jinja Shrine

I have stayed here a couple of times as it’s a great jumping-off point for day trips, but it also makes a great half-day trip in its own right.

The highlights include the beautiful Korakuen garden, which I personally thought was prettier than the one in Kanazawa and which is not nearly as crowded.

There’s also a castle and the Kibitsu-jinja shrine complex, a short train ride out of town. This is famous for its 400-metre wooden walkway, but the rest of the complex is huge and also worthy of a few hours of exploration.

How to Get There

If you take the Shinkansen, Okayama is just a 45-minute train ride away from Shin-Osaka. You can catch the tram from opposite the station to the garden and castle.

Prefer a Tour?

I can’t find an escorted tour from Osaka, but this tour can meet you at Okayama Station and take you to the castle and garden.

4. Katsuo-ji

Cost: ¥1280. Time to Get There: 60 minutes

Highlights

• Thousands of Daruma dolls
• Fun stamp-making challenge
• Beautiful temple buildings in pretty grounds – amazing autumn colours

The Buddhist temple Katsuo-ji is located about 22 kilometres outside Osaka.

The sight of the thousands of daruma left all over the shrine is mind-blowing, especially toward the end of the year, as a whole 12 months’ worth of dolls that have been returned to the temple after they granted their owner’s wishes have collected at the shrine.

These dolls are burned on the 28th of December each year, ready to be replaced with new ones, so just bear in mind if you go in January, you might not see quite so many.

How to Get There

To get there, take a train to Minoh Kayano Station, then catch a bus. This journey used to be tricky, but is now very simple, and everything is clearly signposted for tourists.

For full details on making the most of your day at Katsuo-ji, and detailed travel directions, see our Katsuo-ji guide.

Prefer a Tour?

This tour visits Katsuo-ji, but also Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, my favourite temple in Kyoto.

6. Uji

Cost: ¥960. Time to Get There: 60-70 minutes

Highlights

• Drinking Japan’s best matcha
• Byodoin temple
• Kosho-ji

Home to much of Japan’s matcha production, Uji is the best place to drink the green stuff – but also try all sorts of other dishes containing it.

But Uji is also home to some amazing shrines and temples, including Byodo-in, the one that appears on the 10 yen coin.

My favourite spot, though, was Kosho-ji. Situated on the other side of Uji’s surprisingly raging river, it has a beautiful garden, amazing squeaky nightingale floors and a ceiling marked with bloody handprints.

See more about it and how to organise your day in this guide to one day in Uji.

How to Get There

Uji is more commonly suggested as a day trip from Kyoto, and it’s clear to see why when you find out that the quickest way to Uji from Osaka is via Kyoto Station! Take the Tokaido-Sanyo line for 29 minutes to get here, then change to the JR Nara line to get to Uji. It will take about 24 minutes.

Prefer a Tour?

This tour combines the top Nara sights with a trip to Uji

7. Himeji

Cost: ¥1460. Time to Get There: 67 minutes

Highlights

• One of Japan’s 12 original Castles
• Exploring Koko-en Garden

There are only 12 original castles left in Japan – and Himeji is said to be the best. Known as Shirasagi-jo (White Heron Castle) because of its brilliant white exterior, it is the largest and most spectacular.

An important thing to note is that Himeji is one of the first places in Japan to launch dual pricing for locals versus tourists – we pay 2500 yen, but this does go toward the upkeep of this historic place.

How to Get There

The easiest way to get to Himeji is to take the Tokaido Sanyo Line from Osaka Umeda Station. You can also take the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station, which takes just 34 minutes.

The castle is a 20-minute walk from the station, and Koko-en is right next door. A combined ticket for the two costs 2600 yen. Make sure you also try some Himeji beef and local sake while you are here.

Prefer a Tour?

This whole-day tour will take you to the Castle and garden, but also a pretty onsen town nearby.

8. Kurashiki

Cost: ¥6990. Time to Get There: 71 minutes

Highlights

• Pretty canals and historic wooden buildings
• Lots of shops
• Moneybox Museum

This pretty canalside town is a very popular day trip destination. You can spend time wandering around the many gift shops, cafes and restaurants of the Bikan Historical Quarter, eat blue ice cream on Denim Street and visit some fun museums like the Moneybox Museum, which is crammed to the gills with old toys, old money boxes and other assorted tat – some of which is for sale.

How to Get There

Take the Shinkansen to Okayama (46 minutes) and then take the local Hakubi Line to Kurashiki (17 minutes). The Bikan Historical Quarter is a short walk from the station.

Prefer a Tour?

This tour visits the pretty historical quarter of Kurashiki.

9. Hiroshima

Cost: ¥11,150. Time to Get There: 85 minutes

Highlights

• Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Park
• Itsukushima Shrine and the floating torii gate on Miyajima
• Daishoin Temple on Miyajima

Probably rivals Nara as the most popular day trip from Osaka. At over 300 kilometres from Osaka, it’s the furthest point from Osaka on this list, but the speedy Shinkansen service and compact size of the city still make it a viable day trip.

You can easily see the sights of Hiroshima City in a day, and, if you plan it well, also make it over to the island of Miyajima.

Our walking tour of the Atomic Bomb Sights is a great guide if you just want to see the city of Hiroshima, and is easily carried out in one day (although it might be a bit emotionally overwhelming) or, if you want to hit up both spots, our one-day Hiroshima and Miyajima guide has all the important details.

How to Get There

To get there, simply catch the Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka. From Hiroshima, the handy tram system will take you into town or down to Miyajima port. You can also catch a ferry to Miyajima from the city.

Prefer a Tour?

This one leaves from Osaka as an option and goes to both Hiroshima and Miyajima.

10. Onomichi

Cost: ¥9170. Time to Get There: 90 minutes

Highlights

• Senkoji Temple with its beautiful view
• Cat Alley
• The Onomichi Hondori shopping arcade

Onomichi is a step back in time and not really on the tourist track. Arrive, and you’ll be greeted by a charming port town winding its way up into the hillside – and a retro shopping street that will make you wonder what year it is, but that still manages to hide cute modern cafes and artworks behind its Showa-era facades.

The top sights here include the Temple Walk, a trail connecting 25 historic temples, including the hilltop Senkoji Temple. Sensible people will take the ropeway up to this and then walk back down – I wasn’t sensible, and my knees hated me after about 20 minutes of climbing upwards!

How to Get There

Take the Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka for 65 minutes to Fukuyama (maybe popping in to see the small castle near the station on the way) and then backtrack 20 minutes to Onomichi on the local train.

Prefer a Tour?

You’ll need to make your own way to Onomichi, but once you are there, this tour takes in city sites and a trip to Setoda (see below).

11. Fukusaki

Cost: ¥1980. Time to Get There: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Highlights

• 22 yokai-themed benches dotted around town
• Moving yokai models

What’s a yokai? Yokai are Japanese monsters, and there are hundreds of them in local folk stories – each with their own special scary quirks. Rokurokubi, for example, are humans with the ability to stretch their necks to great lengths, while Kappa are water-dwelling creatures. These can be friendly, or they can lure people into dangerous waters. They also like eating cucumbers!

Some yokai are known across Japan; others are specific to local areas – often talked about to stop local kids from doing something silly or dangerous!

If you love yokai already, or are interested now that you’ve heard about them, you’ll love Fukusaki. The town was the home of the folklore writer Kunio Yanagita, and the aim of the benches is to keep the legends alive.

How to Get There

If you can depart before 9 am, the Hamakaze is a direct train from Osaka to Fukusaki; otherwise, you can take the Tokaido Sanyo Line and change at Himeji to the Bantan Line. This means you can combine Himeji Castle and Fukusaki into a one-day trip.

Prefer a Tour?

Fukusaki is a bit off the normal tourist track, so I can’t find any tours departing from Osaka to Fukusaki. The Tourist Information Office near the station can provide maps of the benches, though.

12. Kishi Station

Cost: ¥1780. Time to Get There: 2 hours, 17 minutes

Highlights

• Cat-shaped trains
• Cat stationmasters
• Pretty scenery on the journey

Do we have any cat lovers in the house? Then this will go straight to the top of your list of day trips.

Kishi Station is famous for its cat stationmaster (who has single-pawedly changed the fortunes of this small train line), and the line also runs cat-themed trains that you can take to see them.

Back in 2006, the line was on the verge of closing; now, around 2.3 million people a year ride the railway to see the cats that run the station. Right now, the stationmaster is Yontama. She took over the job when Nitama (pictured above) died in 2025. Before this, she’d been ‘running’ Idakiso Station on the same line – that station now has a new feline overlord!

How to Get There

The simplest way to get there is via the Osaka Loop Line south (which changes to the Hanwa Line). Get off at Wakayama and then catch one of the themed trains on the Wakayama Electric Railway.

You can get there a bit more quickly on some other train lines, but it more than doubles the price, and I don’t think the time saving is always worth the cost – but check alternative options from your hotel and see what comes up.

Prefer a Tour?

This one takes you to the station and a few other spots in Wakayama.

13. Naoshima (Art Island)

Cost: ¥10,700. Time to Get There: 2 hours 20 minutes

Highlights

• Yayoi Kusama’s Yellow Pumpkin
• The Amazing Art House Project
• Surprise artworks dotted around the towns

Naoshima is a must-visit for art lovers, known for its contemporary art installations and museums. There’s a lot to see here, including the Benesse House Museum, the Chichu Art Museum, the amazing Art House projects, and the island’s most recognisable sight – Yayoi Kusama’s Pumpkin Sculptures.

The towns themselves are also nice to walk around to see island life.

See more about how to schedule your day – and how to buy tickets to the various art exhibits in our guide to visiting Naoshima.

How to Get There

From Shin-Osaka, take the Shinkansen to Okayama Station (45 minutes).

From here, the suggested journey will vary by the time of day. You can transfer to a local train to Uno Port (50 minutes). Then, take a ferry to Naoshima (20 minutes). You can find the ferry times here.

Or go to Takamatsu (1 hour) and get a ferry to Naoshima (50 minutes) from there. Find the timetable here.

Prefer a Tour?

This tour will escort you from Osaka – just see the important note about booking the Chuchi Museum if that’s a must-see for you.

14. Setoda (Ikuchijima)

Cost: ¥10,420. Time to Get There: 2 hours, 50 minutes

Highlights

• The unbelievable Kosan-ji temple
• Eating lemon ramen
• The pretty local town

Located on the island of Ikuchijima, this town and the fantastically over-the-top Kosan-ji shrine within it turned out to be one of my favourite places on one of my recent trips. You can wander the quiet main street, spotting all the goods made from lemons (the island’s specialty fruit) as you head to the ornate temple complex that’s the main attraction around here.

An Osaka businessman built Kosan-ji for his mother, and it’s just a bit over the top!

See more pictures and find more tips on what to see and, especially, what to eat, in Setoda in our longer post on the town.

How to Get There

Getting to Setoda involves train and ferry journeys. From Osaka, take the Shinkansen to Fukuyama Station, then change to the local San-yo line to Mihara and catch the ferry from there (30 minutes).

Find the official ferry timetable here or, if you prefer to try and check it in English, Navitime have a version here, just make sure you compare it to the official one to ensure it’s up to date.

You can also travel to Setoda from Onomichi, which is slightly cheaper, but takes a little longer.

Prefer a Tour?

You’ll need to make your own way to Onomichi, but once you are there, this tour visits both Setoda and some sights in Onomichi.

15. Okunoshima (Rabbit Island)

Cost: ¥9300. Time to Get There: Around 3 hours

Highlights

• Cute bunnies
• More bunnies
• Even more bunnies with some beautiful views in the background

Why would you not want to take a day trip to an island full of friendly rabbits on your holiday? Okunoshima, famously known as Rabbit Island, has a dark history from its time as a place to create and test poison gas during the war, but now it’s overrun with cute, twitchy-nosed furballs who are desperate for a pat or treat.

You can find more details on how to spend a day on Okunoshima in our longer post about visiting Bunny Island.

How to Get To Bunny Island

Take the Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Mihara Station (2 hours), then take the local train to Tadanoumi Station (25 minutes). From there, it’s a 15-minute ferry ride to Okunoshima. Just check the train timings carefully to make sure your Shinkansen meets the local train without a big gap.

When planning your return, also check the local train times from Tadanoumi. While the ferries to the island go regularly, the trains are not so regular. Try to get a ferry and train that connect smoothly.

Prefer a Tour?

I can’t find any tours departing Osaka to Okunoshima. The island itself is small and easy to walk around on your own, though.

Places I’m Still To Visit

That’s a pretty big list that can easily keep you busy, but there are a few other places reachable from Osaka, like the Buddhist temples of Koyasan, Awaji Island and the famous Naruto Whirlpools, and the stunningly beautiful Amanohashidate and Ine that aren’t on the list yet.

I haven’t included them for two reasons: I haven’t visited them personally, but, more importantly, I have my suspicions that at least two of those, perhaps, deserve more than one day to explore properly.

Until I’ve experienced them personally and worked out if they are good day trips or better for longer stays, I don’t want to include them here. The links above do take you to tour companies offering day trips, though.

My next planned Japan trip will cover all of the above, so I’ll update this post with more in-depth suggestions once I’ve checked them out.

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