Osaka with One Day in Kyoto

We arrived at Kansai Airport in the evening, after a 5-hr flight from Manila. Hassle-free arrival in Japan. I’d highly recommend getting the QR in advance through the Visit Japan Web for smooth immigration and customs processing. SIM cards and pocket wifi kits are available for rent at the arrival area. There’s also a currency exchange counter. From here, we took the train on the Nankai Line going to the city center. The train ticket costs around $10. The last stop is Namba and from here we took the subway going to our hotel’s location.

Excellent hotel option with 24/7 reception, which was good because we arrived late in the evening. The room and ensuite bathroom were very clean. Our room had a fridge, water heater, hairdryer, and complete bathroom amenities. They cleaned our room and changed towels daily. Service was good overall. Plus the daily buffet breakfast was really good with lots of options.

First on our trip is Universal Studios Japan. Highly recommended when going to Osaka! But due to the huge volume of crowds, expect to wait in line for up to an hour. We got the Express Pass to skip the line on some popular rides. It was pricey but worth it. As a Harry Potter fan, going to the Wizarding World was a dream come true. We spent the whole day here until 7pm.

We spent one day in Kyoto by joining a group tour for more convenience. This tour covered the highlights of Kyoto, with ample time for each destination. The meetup was in Namba and the bus ride is a little bit over an hour going to the first attraction. First stop is Fushimi Inari Shrine. This is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto and is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings.

This Buddhist Temple is one of the signature World Heritage sites in Kyoto. Adjacent to it is a busy street with lots of restaurants, food stalls, and souvenir shops.

Kinkakuji is a Zen temple located in northern Kyoto. Its top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, this temple was the retirement home of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408

Arashiyama's Sagano Bamboo Forest, or Bamboo Grove, is both locally famous and world-renowned. From here, we were dropped off at the meetup point in Namba.

After a couple of busy days, we decided to take it slow on our 3rd day. Osaka Castle is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. There are usually long queues to enter the castle but the lines move fast. There’s an elevator to take you to the top, but I’d recommend going up the stairs so you can also check out the museum and displays on each level. Then you’d be rewarded with nice views at the top.

We had lunch at Katsuma which is a 10-minute walk from Osaka Castle. It was a Saturday so it was busy, and we had to wait in line for about 30 minutes. The food was really good so it was worth it.

Next up is Osaka Tenmangū Shrine, which is a Shinto shrine and one of Tenmangū founded in AD 949 in Osaka. The Tenjin Festival is held here annually from 24 July to 25 July.

Enjoy overlooking views of the city from Umeda Sky Building. If you get the 1-day Osaka E-Pass, you get free entry to this building and many other attractions in Osaka.

Dotonbori is famous for its eye-catching signage and billboards with a giant pufferfish, an octopus, a clown, the Kani Douraku crab all vying for your attention and creating an amusement park-like atmosphere. Of all these signs however, the most famous is that of the Glico running man above Ebisubashi Bridge. Here you can also find a branch of Ichiran - which is a famous ramen shop in Japan.

Enjoy a different view of Dotonbori by cruising along the river on a boat. This is also included in the Osaka E-Pass.

This is one of the most famous shopping streets in Osaka - from clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup, food, and souvenir items.

There was a bit of waiting but this ramen was sooo worth it. It was one of the best ramen I’ve tried and now I get the hype around it.

Tsūtenkaku, owned by Tsūtenkaku Kanko Co., Ltd., is a tower and well-known landmark of Osaka, Japan and advertises Hitachi. It is located in the Shinsekai district. Entrance to this tower and the tower slide next to it is also included in the Osaka E-Pass.

Before our flight, we went to Daimaru mall in Umeda for some last minute shopping. On its top floor you will find the Nintendo Official Store and Pokemon Center.