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Day trips from Kyoto

Nara, Japan’s old capital, is the classic day trip from Kyoto: about 45 minutes by Kintetsu or JR, with Tōdai-ji’s Great Buddha and the deer of Nara Park. Two castles make easy day trips from Kyoto. Osaka Castle is about 30 minutes away by JR Special Rapid, with Osaka Tenmangu, the city’s great shrine, nearby. Himeji Castle, the finest original castle in Japan, is under an hour away by shinkansen. Each has a free Mappu audio guide with a map.

Where to go

Nara

Japan’s capital from 710. Tōdai-ji, begun in 745 under Emperor Shōmu, houses the colossal Great Buddha, and Nara Park around it is home to more than 1,500 sika deer, revered as messengers of the gods. Kasuga-taisha, with its vermilion corridors and about a thousand lanterns, and Kōfuku-ji, the Fujiwara clan’s temple, are a short walk away.

Getting there
Kintetsu Kyoto Line from Kyoto station to Kintetsu-Nara, about 35 minutes by limited express or 45 by express, or the JR Nara Line rapid to JR Nara, about 45 minutes. Kōfuku-ji is a 5-minute walk from Kintetsu-Nara, Tōdai-ji about 20 minutes through the park.
Time
About 45 minutes each way; most of a day for Tōdai-ji, the park and Kasuga-taisha.
Listen to the free Tōdai-ji guideMap of Tōdai-ji

Also free: Nara Park, Kasuga-taisha, Kōfuku-ji

On foot: Gangō-ji to Kasuga-taisha, Nara

Osaka Castle

Toyotomi Hideyoshi began the castle in 1583, on the site of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji temple. Its huge stone walls survive; the keep is a 1931 reconstruction that now holds a museum. Osaka Tenmangu, the shrine of the scholar Sugawara no Michizane and home of the Tenjin Festival on 24 and 25 July, is a short ride away.

Getting there
JR Special Rapid from Kyoto to Osaka, about 30 minutes, then the JR Loop Line to Osakajokoen, about 10 minutes, and a walk through the park to the keep. For Osaka Tenmangu, go to Osakatemmangu station on the JR Tozai Line or Minami-morimachi on the subway.
Time
About 45 minutes each way; allow 2 to 3 hours for the castle and its park.
Listen to the free Osaka Castle guideMap of Osaka Castle

Also free: Osaka Tenmangu

On foot: Osaka Castle to Nakanoshima, Osaka

Himeji Castle

Japan’s finest original castle, white-plastered and nicknamed the White Heron, with Okiku’s Well inside its walls. In 1993 it became one of Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Beside it, Kōko-en is nine walled gardens built in 1992 in the spirit of the Edo period.

Getting there
Shinkansen from Kyoto to Himeji, about 45 to 55 minutes, or the JR Special Rapid, about 1 hour 30 minutes without a change. The castle is a 15 to 20 minute walk straight up the avenue from the station.
Time
About 1 hour each way by shinkansen; allow half a day for the castle and the gardens.
Listen to the free Himeji Castle guideMap of Himeji Castle

Also free: Kōko-en Garden

How to plan the day

  1. Osaka Castle takes half a day: add Osaka Tenmangu or an evening in the city, and take a late train back to Kyoto.
  2. For Himeji, start early: the castle keep has a queue on busy days, and its steep wooden stairs take time.
  3. Both castles in one day is possible, since Osaka is on the way to Himeji, but you will see each in a hurry.
  4. You take your shoes off inside Himeji’s keep, so wear shoes that are easy to remove.
  5. In Nara, the deer bow for the shika senbei crackers sold in the park, but they also nip and butt: keep food and paper maps out of reach.

Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites before you go:

Tours and tickets

From Mappu’s partners, if you would rather have a guide. The free audio guides above work without them.

Partner links (Airalo, Amazon, Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Klook, Tiqets, Trip.com, Viator, Welcome Pickups): if you book or buy through them, Mappu may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Questions travellers ask

How long is the train from Kyoto to Osaka?

About 30 minutes on the JR Special Rapid from Kyoto station to Osaka station, or about 15 minutes by shinkansen to Shin-Osaka. The private Keihan and Hankyu lines also link the two cities.

Is Himeji worth a day trip from Kyoto?

Yes. It is the finest of Japan’s original castles and under an hour away by shinkansen. Half a day covers the castle and the Kōko-en gardens.

How do I get from Kyoto to Nara?

The Kintetsu Kyoto Line runs from Kyoto station to Kintetsu-Nara in about 35 minutes by limited express, which needs a seat ticket, or about 45 by express. The JR Nara Line rapid takes about 45 minutes to JR Nara, a little further from the sights.

Listen to the free Tōdai-ji guideListen to the free Osaka Castle guideListen to the free Himeji Castle guide

Travel times are typical timetable times from the rail operators; check the day’s timetable. The facts about each site come from Mappu’s guides and the sites’ official websites. JR West, JR Central, Kintetsu Railway. Last checked on .