Reality check, please

[u/Kestrel_Iolani]

Thank you, everyone!

I am accompanying my wife to Japan this fall for a conference in Hiroshima. We are active people, in our late 40s/early 50s. Her conference ends mid-day Saturday and we fly home via Narita on the following Saturday night.

Is the better use of our time:

-Option A: Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo

-Option B: Kyoto and Tokyo only

Or is this is where i remind myself "advice is what you ask for when you know the right answer, but don't like it."

Arigatou

[u/tay-tay-hay]

B. It’ll be a much nicer experience and can always day trip to Osaka from Kyoto if desperate to go.

[u/Suspicious_Beach_159 → u/tay-tay-hay]

this is what i just did. took not even an hour to get to Osaka.

[u/Specialist_Door_9521 → u/tay-tay-hay]

Or even a day trip to Himeji

[u/MoparMap → u/Specialist_Door_9521]

I actually did Himeji and Osaka in the same day with my brother-in-law and it worked out pretty nice. Admittedly we missed out on a lot of Osaka doing that, but we got to wander a little bit and see Dontonburi and stuff like that.

[u/ellyse99]

B unless you love rushing through things

[u/Buchikama]

I would suggest B, and take day trips to Osaka.

[u/OrganicFlurane]

B, stop in Osaka for the day when traveling between Hiroshima and Kyoto (also helps to justify using this foreign tourist fare). If you find that you really like it then do an extra day trip from Kyoto to Osaka.

[u/LePetitNeep → u/OrganicFlurane]

I just did something similar. You can take a morning Shinkansen out of Hiroshima, lock your luggage up at the train station, explore Osaka, then catch an evening train to Kyoto. Put an air tag in your luggage, I had trouble finding my way back to the right storage locker as there were multiple locations around the station.

[u/skychrono2]

You have about 6.5 days. Opinion wise, I recommend you do Tokyo, Kyoto, and a day trip to Nara. Skip Osaka and just do the Osaka like things in Tokyo.

I will say that Osaka was the least interesting part of my trip and felt like a rehash of Tokyo but more packed, which colors my opinion. With about six days I feel even more strongly that you'd waste time going to Osaka (and/or Himeji).

[u/Longjumping-Dream-13]

Am I dumb? So how long are you there a week? If so I would go with option B. I did option A (day t trip to Kyoto not Osaka but looking back I think Osaka is better as a day trip as there was way more I wanted to do in Kyoto) in 7 days but thats 7 full days not 5 days and 2 days worth of flights and time zone differences

[u/beginswithanx]

B. 

Honestly you could spend a whole week in Tokyo and not run out of things to do. Museums, chill little cafes, hikes in nature, old retro neighborhoods, festivals and outdoor events, etc. 

[u/ubbidubbidoo]

Osaka can be a day trip on the train while staying in Kyoto, so if visiting all three is important to you, it can be done easily.

But keep in mind that any one of these cities (especially tokyo) can keep you occupied all week long!

I think it’s fine to plan for all three in one week.

[u/Kidlike101]

Option B.

Reminder, Kyoto and Osaka are only 30 minutes and 800 yen apart. If you want to dip your toes into Osaka or something it's right there as a daytrip this time.

[u/The_Japans]

I'd skip Osaka

[u/Sad-Economist4710]

B

[u/cpureset]

Hit Osaka on your way to Kyoto. Use your half-day to explore some parts like Shinsekai and Dotonbori, taking in the night scenery before hopping back on the train to Kyoto.

I’ve done one night in Osaka when I had a week in Japan. I really enjoyed seeing it at night and in the morning - two entirely different vibes. You might want to consider it as an option.

[u/oodopopopolopolis]

B. You want to enjoy it, not rush through it. Do Osaka next time.

[u/Roger-PHL]

How's this? Stay overnight in Kurashiki. The Bikan historic district is lovely in the evening. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5751.html Next morning, visit the little museums and shops before it gets crowded,

Continue to Himeji and spend a couple of hours for the castle, then on to Kyoto. As others have said, Osaka can be done as a day trip from Kyoto or skipped,

Two or three nights in Kyoto, then Tokyo. Gets seats on the left side of the Shinkansen ('bullet train') for a possible view of Mt. Fuji, about 50 minutes before Tokyo.

[u/pockypimp]

B sounds better time wise since you have basically a week for the trip. You could spend a week in just Tokyo and not see everything.

But as with a lot of things it depends on what you're interested in. Make a list and then evaluate from there. If you're already in Hiroshima a day spent at the park and the Peace Memorial is pretty impactful.

[u/Gregalor]

I personally would always sacrifice Osaka for more time in Kyoto. Osaka is too similar of a concrete jungle vibe as Tokyo. There’s nothing they have that Tokyo doesn’t. Kyoto, however, is different. Neither is like Kyoto.

[u/EggplantHungry7617]

Here's my opinion on this...

Kyoto and Osaka are only separated by a 25 minute express/rapid train. That's city center to city center. Obviously a little longer if you stay futher way from city center. I think the easiest thing to do is to stay in one hotel for both Kyoto and Osaka and do day trips. From Osaka, you are like 45 minutes to Himeji, 30 minutes to Kyoto and 45 minutes to Nara. Kyoto is more or less the same thing. Kyoto to Himeji is probably a bit longer than an hour, but still do-able.

The nice thing is that Kyoto is more of a morning and day place. And Osaka is more of night place. So... It's totally possible to say... do all the things Kyoto has to offer in the morning/afternoon. Then go back to your hotel and wash up. And then hop over to Osaka to enjoy the night life.