Daytrips out of Osaka?

Suggested daytrips out of Osaka:

Kyoto

(My visits to Kyoto here)

1 of the most popular destinations of Japan. 

Actually, it would be even better to stay overnight at Kyoto and spend at least 2 days there. 

But if you don't have much time to spend in Japan, and you happen to stay in Osaka, then I would strongly recommend a visit to Kyoto for at least a daytrip.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Kiyomizudera during autumn

Old street at Higashiyama district near Kiyomizudera.

Nishiki Market

More info on Kyoto:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2158.html & http://www.kyoto.travel/

Suggested itinerary:

0800-0830 Osaka to Kyoto

0830-0845 Go to Tourist info office at Kyoto station to collect maps of Kyoto and bus routes.

0845-0900 Kyoto to Inari

0900-1030 Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine

1030-1100 Inari to Kiyomizu-gojo station 

1130-1300 Visit Kiyomizudera

1300-1430 Have lunch at Higashiyama district, and explore the old shopping street at Higashiyama.

1500-1530 Walk through Hanami-koji street in Gion district.

1530-1600 Walk from Gion to Nishiki market.

1600-1700 Visit Nishiki Market.

How to go Kyoto from Osaka?

(If you have the nationwide JR Pass)

Shin-Osaka station to Kyoto station via Shinkansen (14mins)

(If you don't have any railpass, or if you are using either JR West Kansai Area Pass or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass)

Osaka station to Kyoto station via JR Special Rapid Service on Kyoto line (30mins, 540yen)

(If you are using Kansai Thru Pass)

From Osaka station, walk to nearby Umeda (Hankyu) station.

Umeda (Hankyu) station to Karasuma station via Hankyu Kyoto Line Ltd Exp (45mins, 390yen)

From Karasuma station, walk over to nearby Shijo station.

Shijo station to Kyoto station via Kyoto City Subway Karasuma line (4mins, 210yen)

Nara

(My visits to Nara here)

In some parts of Nara, you can see deers roaming about freely. 

More info on Nara:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2165.html

Suggested Itinerary:

0900-1000 Osaka to Nara

1030-1130 Visit Kofukuji

1130-1200 Walk to Todaiji. Along the way you can see deers roaming around. You can consider buying deer biscuits to feed them if you want. 

1200-1300 Visit Todaiji

1300-1430 Have lunch and then go to Kasuga Taisha

1430-1600 Visit Kasuga Taisha

1600 onwards, return back to Osaka.

How to go Nara from Osaka:

(If you have the nationwide JR Pass, JR West Kansai Area Pass, or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass)

Osaka to JR Nara station via JR Yamatoji Rapid Service (55mins, 780yen).

(This is a slightly cheaper method, and also for those with Kintetsu Railpass or Kansai Thru Pass)

Osaka Station to Tsuruhashi station via JR Osaka Loop line (16mins, 170yen)

Tsuruhashi station to KintetsuNara station via Kintetsu Nara Line Rapid Exp or Semi Exp
(32mins for Rapid Exp, 45mins for Semi Exp, 480yen)

Kobe
(My visit to Kobe here)

Kobe Chinatown

Kobe Harborland

More info on Kobe:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2159.html

http://feel-kobe.jp/_en/

http://www.rokkosan.com/en/

Suggested Itinerary:

0900-1100 Visit Kitano area

1130-1230 Lunch at Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)

1300-1500 Visit Kobe Harborland

1500-1600 Kobe Harborland to Mt Rokko

1600 onwards (until sun sets) Visit Mt Rokko Observation deck (Mid Jan-End Mar closes at 1700hr, Rest of the year at 2100hr)

Return back to Osaka after viewing the evening view of Kobe from Mt Rokko.

How to go Kobe from Osaka?

(If you have nationwide JR Pass or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass, or JR West Sanyo Area Pass)

Shin-Osaka station to Shin-Kobe station via Shinkansen
(13mins, 1450yen for unreserved seat, or 2810yen for reserved seat)

(If you don't have any railpass, or have the JR West Kansai Area Pass)

Osaka station to JR Sannomiya station via JR Special Rapid Service train (22mins, 390yen)

(If you have Kansai Thru pass)

Umeda (Hankyu) station to Kobe-Sannomiya station via Hankyu Kobe Line
(29mins for Ltd Exp train, 45mins for Local trains, 310yen)

Kurashiki + Okayama

(My visit to Okayama here, and Kurashiki here)

If you have the nationwide JR Pass, or JR Kansai Area Wide Pass, or JR West Sanyo Area Pass, you can consider making a daytrip to Kurashiki and Okayama. 

If you don't have any of the railpasses mentioned above, it would be pretty expensive to visit this area from Osaka due to the transport costs.

Kurashiki's Canal Area

Okayama castle

Korakuen

More info on Okayama:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5700.html, http://www.okayama-japan.jp/en/

More info on Kurashiki:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5750.html, http://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/

Suggested Itinerary:
0730-0900 Travel to Kurashiki

0900-1200 Explore Kurashiki Canal Area

1200-1300 Kurashiki to Okayama, then go to Okayama castle

1300-1400 Visit Okayama Castle

1430-1600 Visit Korakuen Garden

How to go Kurashiki from Osaka?
If you don't have any railpass, yet would like to visit Kurashiki/Okayama, I would strongly recommend that you get the JR Kansai Area Wide Pass. That railpass costs 7000yen and it covers the journey between Shin-Osaka to Kurashiki.
Considering that a 1 way journey without any railpass would already cost 5670yen (5350yen + 320yen), thus a return trip would cost 11,340yen. Therefore just spending 7000yen on that railpass is worth it.

(For those with nationwide JR Pass, JR West Sanyo Area Pass, or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass, this journey is covered)

Shin-Osaka station to Okayama station via Shinkansen
(50mins for Shinkansen Sakura, 60-80mins for Shinkansen Hikari, 5350yen for unreserved seat, 5860yen for reserved seat)
Okayama station to Kurashiki station via JR Sanyo line or JR Hakubi line (17mins, 320yen).

Ise
(My visit to Ise here)

Okage Yokocho

Oharaimachi

Ise Inner Shrine

More info on Ise:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4310.html & http://www.city.shima.mie.jp/kanko-e/index.html
More info on Oharaimachi:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4302.html & http://www.ise-kanko.jp/oise/oharai.html
More info on Okage Yokocho:
http://www.okageyokocho.co.jp/

Suggested itinerary:

0800-1000 Osaka to Ise

1030-1400 Visit Okage Yokocho, Oharaimachi and lunch

1400-1530 Visit Ise Inner Shrine

1600-1800 Ise to Osaka.

How to go Tsuruhashi station from Osaka station?
Osaka station to Tsuruhashi station via JR Osaka Loop line (15mins, 170yen)

How to go Okage Yokocho/Oharaimachi/Inner Shrine?
(If you have Kintetsu Rail Pass or Kintetsu Rail Pass Wide)
Tsuruhashi station to Isuzugawa station via Kintetsu Ltd Exp train
(110mins, 3040yen for reserved seat, 1 Ltd Exp train departure every 40mins-hourly)
Ideally, take the 0813hr Kintetsu Ltd Exp train from Tsuruhashi, and arrive Isuzugawa at 1001hr.
(train timing correct as of 7/3/14, pls check hyperdia website to double check train timing for your visit)

Remember to go the the Ltd Exp counter at the train platform at Tsuruhashi to get your Ltd Exp Reserved seat tickets using your Kintetsu Rail Pass before you take the train. Remember, you can only use the Kintetsu Rail Pass to take up to 3 Ltd Exp train journeys within the 5 day period.

(If you don't have Kintetsu Rail Pass nor Kintetsu Rail Pass Wide)
Tsuruhashi station to Isuzugawa station via Kintetsu Exp train
(135mins, 1760yen, 1 train departure every hourly)
Ideally, take the 0818hr Kintetsu Exp direct train from Tsuruhashi, and arrive Isuzugawa at 1032hr.
(train timing correct as of 7/3/14, pls check hyperdia website to double check train timing for your visit)

How to go Okage Yokocho/Oharaimachi/Inner Shrine from Isuzugawa station? 
(Choose 1 of these 3 methods)
1) By bus (about 15mins bus ride)
2) By taxi (about 10 mins journey, it cost me about 1000yen for the taxi ride during my visit there)
3) Walk (about 30mins walk to reach Okage Yokocho and Oharaimachi from Isuzugawa station)


- Map of Okage Yokocho. Oharaimachi is located just next to Okage Yokocho.
And Ise Inner Shrine is located at the end of Oharaimachi.

Hikone + Nagahama

(My visit to Nagahama here)

Kurokabe square at Nagahama

More info on Hikone:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7000.html
More info on Nagahama:
http://kitabiwako.jp/nagahama/

Suggested Itinerary:
0815-1000 Osaka to Nagahama
1000-1200 Visit Nagahama
1200-1230 Nagahama to Hikone
1230-1600 Visit Hikone (Castle Road and Hikone castle)
1600 onwards, Hikone back to Osaka.

How to go Nagahama from Osaka? 
*Only covered by nationwide JR Pass or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass
Osaka station to Nagahama station via JR Special Rapid Service Kyoto/Biwako line train
(100mins, 1890yen, about 1 train departure every 30mins for the direct train)

How to go Hikone from Osaka?
*Only covered by nationwide JR Pass or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass
Osaka station to Hikone station via JR Special Rapid Service Kyoto/Biwako line train
(80mins, 1890yen)

How to go Hikone from Nagahama?
*Only covered by nationwide JR Pass or JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass
Nagahama station to Hikone station via JR Special Rapid Service train
(18-25mins, 230yen, about 1 train departure every 30mins)

Ski areas in Kansai region
(during winter season, usually from end dec to early march)

Hakodateyama ski area (no overnight accommodation)

(My visit to Hakodateyama ski area here)

How to go Hakodateyama ski area from Osaka?

Osaka station to Omiimazu station via JR Special Rapid Service Kyoto/Kosei line train 

(75-85mins, 1890yen, about 1 direct train departure every hourly)

Alternatively, you can go to Kyoto station and transfer to JR Kosei line local train (more trains per hour, but train journey duration will increase by additional 20mins) to reach Omiimazu station.

Omiimazu station to Hakodateyama's gondola station by bus 

(about 35mins bus journey, 220yen, you can find bus timings from Hakodateyama ski area's website)

Take gondola (cable car) ride up to Hakodateyama ski area 

(about 8mins, 1800yen for return trip on gondola)

Biwako Valley Ski area (no overnight accommodation)

How to go Biwako Valley ski area from Osaka?

Osaka station to Kyoto station via JR Special Rapid Service Kyoto line train (30mins)

Kyoto station to Shiga station via JR Kosei Line train (45mins)

Overall train fare from Osaka station to Shiga station is 1280yen.

From Shiga station, take a short 10mins bus ride to Biwako Valley ski area's gondola station. (320yen)

Take gondola (cable car) ride up to Biwako Valley ski area (1800yen for a return trip on gondola I think)

---information correct as of 7/3/2014