Best Day Trips from Osaka in Japan That You Shouldn’t Miss

Best day trips from Osaka in Japan That You Shouldn’t Miss – All in One Place

  Travelling to Osaka in Japan? Be sure that the vibrant city of Osaka won’t disappoint you in the slightest. Quite the contrary, it is going to keep you entertained for at least few days. With that in mind, you shouldn’t get carried away too much as there are so many beautiful places around Osaka which is why we’ve created this article to help you find the best day trips from Osaka, Japan.  
  How many days are you staying in Osaka for? Depending on the duration of your stay in Osaka, you can pick anything from a couple of places which are ideal for an easy squeeze within one afternoon, to even a week’s worth of travel. Even better if you have a JR Pass. Here are some of the best day trips from Osaka, Japan. You’ll regret not visiting our website sooner!  

1.   Day Trip from Osaka to Kyoto

  I think a trip to Kyoto doesn’t need a further introduction. Kyoto, the former imperial capital of Japan for over one thousand years is home to hundreds of temples and many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Whether you’re there for a few hours or days, visiting Kyoto is by far one of the best day trips from Osaka, Japan!  
 

What to see in Kyoto

In a nutshell, Kyoto’s ancient side. By this, I refer to some of the most visited places in Japan like world famous Arashiyama forest or Sagano Bamboo forest, Kinkakuji temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera temple, Geisha district Gion, Nishiki Market, Japanese traditional teahouses, tea plantations and many, many more. Although we had best intentions to see all of Kyoto’s attractions, it proved to be impossible to do it so make sure you limit yourself only to the best places to see in Kyoto. To find out more, read our full article Kyoto guide with amazing places to visit in Kyoto, Japan here.   
   

2.   Day Trip from Osaka To Nara

  In case you didn’t know, Nara was the first official capital of Japan and as you can imagine, this is why Nara is so spiritual! Whether you’re staying in Osaka or Kyoto, Nara is going to be one of the best day trips from Osaka and Kyoto because of its proximity to both cities. Make sure to add Nara to your bucket list for the following reasons.  
   

What to see in Nara

    What is there to see in Nara? Plenty. Enough to keep you going for a couple of days but if you don’t have much time, you can equally spend a couple of hours. Transport from both Osaka and Kyoto is very affordable and you can easily combine your trip with another destination if you’re pushed for time but want to make the most of your day trips from Osaka. Start with Nara Park (奈良公園 Nara-koen), also referred to as Nara Deer Park. The greenery area is home to hundreds of deer roaming freely in Nara Park. Legend has it that deer were the messengers of the god hence why they are under protection. Yes, this belief has hugely contributed to the reason why there are so many of them!     That’s not the end of it, make a trip to Todai-ji temple featuring the second largest Buddha statue in Japan. For hungry souls who want to make the most of their best day trips from Osaka to nearby areas, check out our article about the best places to see in Nara, Japan here.  In case you needed any further encouragement why you should visit Nara, check out our video from our day trip to Nara below:  
     

3.   Day Trip from Osaka To Himeji

 
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  Himeji is a great destination whether for day trip from Osaka and Kyoto. If you want to make the most of the cultural side of Japan, visit Himeji Castle (姫路城), one of the most recognisable spots in Japan.  

What to see in Himeji

  In fact, this brilliant white castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan so it would be a shame not to allocate enough time for a day trip from Osaka to Himeji! Making a day trip from Osaka to Himeji Castle is going to be enjoyable, There’s also a beautiful Japanese garden nearby called Koko-en Garden (好古園). Since you only need a few hours in Himeji, you can effortlessly combine it with a nearby location like Kobe so you can make the most of the best day trips from Osaka, Japan.        

4.   Day Trip from Osaka To Kobe

 
    You might have heard of Kobe beef. It’s practically a synonym to the most expensive beef in the world. Well, let me put it this way. If you want to make the most of your stay in the Kansai region and experience some of the best day trips from Osaka, then add Kobe to your bucket list.  

What to see in Kobe

You can conveniently combine your trip to Kobe with visiting Himeji as they are fairly close from each other. Kobe is one of the most developed cities in Japan and has a lot to offer, such as futuristic waterfront with beautifully illuminated Kobe Port Tower and Kobe Harborland and world’s longest suspension bridge Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Not to mention the most obvious highlights of Kobe, the bustling Chinatown often referred as Nankinmachi Kobe (南京町) similar in size to Yokohama Chinatown and succulent, top quality Wagyu beef or Kobe beef.     There’s a lot more to it like spectacular Kobe Luminarie or Christmas Lights in Japan’s port city held annually in December. If you’re in a rush and can allocate only a couple of hours, stick to the baste taste best of Kobe, Kobe beef. It’s a perfect stopover for a memorable, delicious lunch or dinner. Looks like you’re spoilt for choice with the selection of best day trips from Osaka! Why not add Kobe beef to it?      

5.   Day Trip from Osaka To Mino

 
    If you’re after some of the best day trips from Osaka and don’t want to spend much time or money on it, then you should visit Mino in Osaka, a city located about 15 km from Osaka centre! You might come across different spellings, like Minoh, Minō or Minoo, that’s due to the Romanised spelling (箕面市).  

What to see in Mino

Mino features an amazing Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National Park (明治の森箕面国定公園), an ideal city escape at any time of the year but autumn months make it stand out most! One of the best places to see autumn foliage in Osaka. In fact, it’s one of the oldest national parks in Japan. Expect a phenomenal and totally jaw-dropping waterfall, bright red Momiji leaves forming maple tree alleys and crispy Momiji tempura and wild Macaque monkeys! Yes, you’re reading it right. You should check out Ryuanji Temple and 1200-year old Katsuo-ji temple with thousands of Daruma dolls.       I really don’t know why most guides don’t mention it! Well, now you know it! You can read more about Meiji no Mori Minō Quasi-National in the article on best things to do in Osaka, Japan here as I’ve included Mino Park in the guide.    

Ready for Some of the Best Day Trips from Osaka, Japan?

  So there you have it, a new bucket list with best day trips from Osaka, Japan! I hope you enjoyed it and you’ve started jotting down the names already. Trust me, it would be a shame not to see them when staying in Osaka! Remember to check out our must-read Osaka guide with some of the most amazing places here. If you happen to be a visual person, you might prefer to watch our video featuring top 10 things to do in Osaka here. It will save you tons of time and tell cover places that you’ll fall in love with. Happy travels!  

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