Awaji Island is the long, narrow island in the Seto Inland Sea that the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge — the suspension bridge with the world’s longest central span — connects to Kobe. For travelers looking for day trips from Osaka or Kobe, it’s one of the easiest excursions in Kansai and one of the most misunderstood. … Read more
If you are searching for the best day trips from Osaka, here is the short answer: Osaka works extremely well as a base for Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, Uji, and several smaller Kansai side trips because you can return to the same hotel each night instead of moving luggage every few days. Kyoto — … Read more
When planning a trip to Japan’s Kansai region, many travelers face the same question: should you stay in Osaka or Kyoto? The best answer depends less on the 30-minute train ride between the two cities and more on how you want your mornings and evenings to work. Osaka is usually the better base for food, … Read more