Category Kyoto Day Trips from Osaka

Osaka · KYOTO DAY TRIPS FROM OSAKA

The 15 Best Kyoto Day Trips from Osaka, Compared

75 reviewed

Kyoto is forty minutes from Osaka, and the tour you pick shapes the whole day. Below are the best Kyoto day trips from Osaka: which ones start early enough to reach Fushimi Inari before the coaches, which cover Arashiyama and Gion versus a single temple done slowly, what each seat costs, and which one to book for a first visit.

Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket

Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park: seeing the Atomic Bomb Dome up close

1.Osaka/Kyoto: Hiroshima Miyajima Bus Tour & Shinkansen Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 919 reviews · 12 hours · from $277Our pick

Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Miyajima Shrine in one long day from Osaka or Kyoto, with shinkansen, ferry, museum, and okonomiyaki.

“Big thanks for our wonderful guides Azusa-san and Yuki-san and your most wonderful driver! Start to end, the tour was smooth and fun filled. Transport was good with no hiccups and no delays etc. The tours in Hiroshima and Miyajima were excellent despite the big crowds in both places - guides were calm and reassuring throughout. Really enjoyed the day trip and has seeded the next ones to Hiroshima and Miyajima!”

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From Kyoto/Osaka: Kyoto Top Highlights 1-Day Guided Bus Tour

From Kyoto/Osaka: Kyoto Top Highlights 1-Day Guided Bus Tour - The Coach Ride: A/C, Wi‑Fi, and enough power to recharge

Ancient Capital Tour: Kyoto and Nara Highlights from Kyoto/Osaka

Ancient Capital Tour: Kyoto and Nara Highlights from Kyoto/Osaka - Price and What You Really Get for $90.75

Osaka/Kyoto: Amanohashidate & Miyama Tour with Boat & Lunch

Osaka/Kyoto: Amanohashidate & Miyama Tour with Boat & Lunch - Chion-ji Temple in Miyazu: A Quiet Start With a Clever Twist

4.Osaka/Kyoto: Amanohashidate & Miyama Tour with Boat & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 207 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $71

Boat cruise, cable car views, and a thatched-roof village day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, with lunch included for a good-value Japan reset.

“SUCH AN AMAZING DAY TRIP! could not have been happier with it! The guide and driver were the absolute sweetest making sure we were always comfortable! Such a new experience too trying local cuisine!! Recommend this 100%!!!”

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Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Osaka

Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Osaka - Kyoto morning highlights: Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, and the Imperial Palace reality

5.Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Osaka

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 175 reviews · from $198

Osaka day trip to Kyoto and Nara by shinkansen: Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji, Imperial Palace, Todai-ji, Kasuga Shrine.

“I have always loved Kyoto and Nara! This tour is really something that I will take over and over again everytime I travel to Osaka.”

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Sagano Romantic Train & Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha Day Tour

Sagano Romantic Train & Arashiyama, Kiyomizudera, Fushimi Inari Taisha Day Tour - Arashiyama (Sagano area): bamboo cooling, river views, and Togetsukyo in stride

Full Day Guided Tour to Kyoto and Nara from Osaka by Van

Full Day Guided Tour to Kyoto and Nara from Osaka by Van - Fushimi Inari Taisha: Torii Gates, Inari, and Photo Timing

Volleyball in Osaka, Kobe & Kyoto with locals!

Volleyball in Osaka, Kobe & Kyoto with locals! - The 2–3 Hours: Outdoor Coordination, Indoor Court Skills

Full Day Tour of Kyoto with Private Transportation

Full Day Tour of Kyoto with Private Transportation - Stop 1: Kiyomizu-dera’s stage views (and the ticket is included)

9.Full Day Tour of Kyoto with Private Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 130 reviews · from $247

Private Kyoto highlights by car with an English guide, hotel pickup, and key temple tickets included plus Arashiyama bamboo and Fushimi Inari.

“We went on the private tour of Kyoto and we had a fantastic time with our guide Somei! He was very knowledgeable about everything in Kyoto and customized our itinerary to make sure we get to see everything that interests us. He saved us a lot of time by planning when to visit which site and we were able to avoid crowds. He took amazing quality pictures of us from his new phone and we were so happy with these photos which look professional! Additionally, we wanted to go to a halal restaurant and he made sure we went to one for our dietary restrictions. We recommend this tour for…”

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Kyoto & Nara Private customized tour with English speaking Guide

Kyoto & Nara Private customized tour with English speaking Guide - Start Time and Where You Meet: Making the Morning Smooth

10.Kyoto & Nara Private customized tour with English speaking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 99 reviews · from $549

Private Kyoto & Nara day with English guide, flexible stops, and easy pickup from Osaka area, plus deer, temples, and torii gates.

“We are a family of 4, visiting in Osaka for a few days and wanted a day trip to Kyoto and Nara. Booked a private van with Viator and we are just so glad we did. Overall our trip was really great and it wouldn’t have been possible if not for our tour guide, Hamza. He speaks 7 languages and is super informative. Our gratitude to him for taking good care of us throughout our trip. We met him at our hotel at 8:30am and headed to Nara. It was such a smooth ride up Kasugawa where we fed the deer without the crowd. We proceeded to Todai-ji temple where…”

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Full Day Kyoto Tour : Bamboo Forest, Golden Temple, Fushimi Inari


11.Full Day Kyoto Tour : Bamboo Forest, Golden Temple, Fushimi Inari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · from $105

Kyoto day trip from Osaka hitting Arashiyama bamboo, Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion, and Fushimi Inari with tickets and guides included.

“Taka-san was an amazing and gracious guide. We had a wonderful 9 hour day full of information and laughter. Kyoto is a very crowded area, but Taka helped us navigate with ease. We felt very safe with both Taka and our driver Tom. I would highly recommend this tour.”

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Pickleball in Osaka, Kobe & Kyoto with Locals!

Pickleball in Osaka, Kobe & Kyoto with Locals! - Why pickleball with locals in Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto is such a smart idea

Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya Sightseeing Full Day Trip from Kyoto

Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya Sightseeing Full Day Trip from Kyoto - Getting to the coast: the bus ride is long, but it’s part of the plan

13.Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya Sightseeing Full Day Trip from Kyoto

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 62 reviews · from $64

A guided day trip from Kyoto or Osaka to Ine’s Funaya boat houses and Amanohashidate’s pine sandbar, with scenic stops and free time.

“Had a great day in Ine and Amanohashidate. Very quaint towns surrounded by natural beauty. Very well organized tour. Lee provides very clear instructions and keeps the mode light with jokes. Note that seats on bus are assigned. Let trip leader know if you have a seating preference.”

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Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide

Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide - What an 8-hour private day actually looks like

14.Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $201

Private, government-licensed Kyoto day trip from Osaka with an English guide. Pick 3–4 sites from 35 options for a smart, fast day.

“We signed up for several tours in Japan, however, this was the most interesting one. Our tour guide Ichiro met us at our hotel in Osaka and he had made train travel arrangements for us to get to Kyoto and back. He was extremely knowledgeRead more”

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Kyoto 1 Day Tour from Osaka

Kyoto 1 Day Tour from Osaka - Nijo Castle: the fortress stops you, then the interiors impress

15.Kyoto 1 Day Tour from Osaka

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 54 reviews · from $183

One day from Osaka to Kyoto by JR and coach with UNESCO temples, 1,001 statues, Fushimi Inari torii, lunch, and a set schedule.

“Wonderful experience, from service at pick up point, to train ride from Osaka to Kyoto, to beginning of tour at bus terminal to the beautiful sights of Kyoto. Our guide had a good knowledge of the history of the temples and castle visited plus her sense of humor made her presentations less dry and more interesting.”

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