If you’je planning a trip to Japan, you absolutely have to visit Osaka. A vibrant and exciting city filled with ancient temples, bustling shopping districts, delicious street food, and more, there’s an abundance of things to do in Osaka. But, my absolute favorite thing about the city is the plethora of incredible day trips from Osaka itself.
I consider myself to be quite the expert on Osaka. Not only is my mother a born-and-raised Osakan, but I’ve visited the city countless times as a child. Furthermore, when I lived abroad in Japan for a year, I spent most of my time in Osaka working as a digital nomad.
And regardless of the number of times I visit the city, I never get bored. Not only is Osaka surrounded by historic cities filled with cultural sites, like Kyoto and Himeji, but it’s also encompassed by stunning natural destinations, like Mount Koya and Takedao. So today, I’ve listed the 15 best day trips from Osaka that you have to check out during your trip to Japan.
Best Day Trips from Osaka
Before I start listing the most incredible day trips from Osaka, I just want to clarify that I totally recommend visiting most of these destinations for more than one day.
However, if you’re on a time crunch and you’re looking for the best places to visit near Osaka, then it is still possible to see all of these spectacular spots in a single day from Osaka. With that being said, let’s begin.
☞ Don’t miss our post on where to stay in Osaka, which includes the best areas and accommodations.
1. Kyoto
First up, one of the most popular, historic, and beautiful cities in all of Japan is Kyoto. Like Osaka, Kyoto is located in the Kansai region of Japan. As it takes less than an hour to get to Kyoto from Osaka by train, it’s no surprise that Kyoto is one of the most common day trips from Osaka.
Filled with spectacular historic and natural sites, from the Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavillion) Temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, it’s easy to spend days exploring all of Kyoto’s sights. I, myself, have visited Kyoto countless times, and yet I still find new places to visit each and every time.
Needless to say, it’s a great city to check out regardless of whether you’re traveling with family, friends, a significant other, or alone; Kyoto is filled with great things to do. Thanks to its popularity, it can become quite busy, especially during cherry blossom season.
