Visiting Osaka in Nov 2016

[SGRBL]

Hello Everyone

Visiting Osaka in Nov for 5N. Planning to stay in Airbnb.

1) Anyone has good suggestions for Airbnb in the Namba area?

2) Any advice for a one-day tour of Kyoto?

3) Is there an app for the trains/metro/subway? Couldn't find a HyperDia app version in Apple Store.

Thanks so much in advance for the advice.

[yflyer]

Hi SGRBL!

Sample Osaka and Kyoto itinerary in this Trip Report...

Google Maps has very good coverage of trains / subways in Osaka and Kyoto. We went everywhere with it.

[SGRBL]

Hi yflyer

Thanks for the feedback re TR and Google maps.

1) I zoomed in to your accommodation in Osaka and realised you also stayed with Airbnb in Dotobori. Any suggestions?

I have been looking through Airbnb but getting confused due to unfamiliarity with the various locations.

Thanks.

[CarbonMan]

2) Any advice for a one-day tour of Kyoto?

Kyoto in one day is challenging. November will probably be still fairly good for autumn leaves, so aim to visit Tofukuji, Kodaiji and Kiyomizudera temples. It will be crowded but the gardens are beautiful. Depending on how much time you take, there are other parts of town you can visit.

If you're still able to walk at sunset, go for the Gion walking tour - it's very informative and if lucky you'll spot some geishas - maiko and geiko. http://www.waraido.com/walking/gion.html

Take the Shinkansen if possible to Kyoto, it'll save you sometime and I recommend that you start early and come back to Osaka after dinner. There's a very well equipped tourism office with English-speaking staff at the Kyoto train station. They'll be able to provide info on buses and maps to get you to the main tourist sites. Just don't ask them where to eat, they tend to be very neutral in their replies so as not to be seen to be bias towards certain restaurants.

We love Japan very much ourselves and it's our annual autumn destination.

Enjoy!

[SGRBL]

Thanks CarbonMan for the very useful travel tips.

[yflyer]

Hi yflyer

Thanks for the feedback re TR and Google maps.

1) I zoomed in to your accommodation in Osaka and realised you also stayed with Airbnb in Dotobori. Any suggestions?

I have been looking through Airbnb but getting confused due to unfamiliarity with the various locations.

Thanks.

Hi SGRBL, yes we stayed at an Airbnb apartment in Dotonburi, and it was great. That said, it was Mrs yflyer who did the booking, so I'm not familiary with the process or how the place was selected. The rules about Airbnb in Japan may have changed since then, so best to check with someone who has done it recently, but for our stay, we were very happy with the location, the apartment and the overall experience.

[9V-SIA]

While I concur with yflyer on most of his recommendations,


I would not take the Shinkansen.

Express trains take an hour

I took the Shinkansen between Kyoto and Osaka

More expensive and you've arrived before you sit down!

[SQ218]

Have this handy to plan you travel http://www.hyperdia.com/

Unless you have JR pass why not Shink it. Most rapid express from Osaka station itself to Kyoto would be around 30 min. Pretty much around the same time you have to go to Shin-Osaka to catch the shinkansen.

I will need to visit in Autumn sometime. I am off to Japan again end of the year. can't wait. Hope you have a great time. I usually stayed at Swissotel Nankai but their rate has skyrocketed up. Shame

[SGRBL]

Thanks flyer, 9V-SIA and SQ218 for the information.
As we will just spend 5N in Japan and only going out of Osaka to Kyoto, I think it would not be necessary to get the Japan Rail Pass.
I've been checking room rates and so far, Airbnb is most cost-effective. If one is not choosy with location or amenities, you could get a small room for less than (average) SGD80 a night.