What is the difference between Osaka and Kyoto? (2023)

What is the difference between Osaka and Kyoto?

However, Kyoto and Osaka are both beautiful places to live in and more authentic than the crazy city life. Kyoto – Laidback, traditional, authentic, less noisy, a lot of things to see and do, and more affordable. Osaka – Big city life, lots of tourists, expensive, great food, and better nightlife, etc.

Osaka is best known for its amazing casual food and outgoing locals. It's arguably Japan's street food capital, and most famous for snacks including takoyaki and okonomiyaki. Osaka is also renowned for its fun, extroverted people who make eating and drinking in the city an unforgettable experience.

Both places are former locations of the capital of Japan. Osaka was the center of politics back in the year 645. This was moved to Kyoto in 794. After the move, Osaka flourished as a business district, and Kyoto, the new center of politics, flourished with the culture of the aristocrats.

While Both cities have many attractions such as shops, museums, parks and temples, Tokyo is much bigger and offers sufficient interest for a three- to five-day visit. Osaka is more famous for its vibrant culture and needs only two to three days for its sights.

Kyoto is considered the cultural capital of Japan and is a major tourist destination. It is home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens, some of which have been designated collectively as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Osaka and Kyoto are prefectures in Kansai Region in south central part of Honshu Island.

It really depends on what you're interested in. If you're looking for culture and history then choose Kyoto. If you're looking for nightlife, clubs & fun, then choose Osaka.

Located in the Kansai region of Southern Honshu, Osaka is home to notable family-friendly attractions like its famous aquarium and Universal Studios Japan, and although it might not be as well-known as Tokyo, locals and frequent travelers know it as a hidden gem where you can find everything that's great about Japanese ...

Osaka is a major financial center of Japan, and it is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp.

The fastest way to travel from Osaka to Kyoto is by rail. Using your JR pass you can catch a Shinkansen bullet train which only takes around 15 minutes to travel a distance of 56.4km.

What kind of city is Kyoto?

Kyōto is mainly a consumer city. It is the national centre of silk and fine textile wholesaling, but its main commercial activity is retail trade. The Gion and Pontocho districts, famed for their geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha), offer a variety of traditional and foreign food and drink.

Before Tokyo existed, Kyoto was officially recognized as Japan's imperial capital. That reign lasted for more than one thousand years. Today, it's referred to as Kyoto City.

Tokyo is the political and economic capital of Japan, so it's much more bustling, modern and new. Kyoto, on the other hand, is the storehouse of Japan's traditional culture. So, if you want to see what modern Japan is all about, visit Tokyo. And, if you want to experience traditional Japan, then visit Kyoto.

The cost of living in Kyoto is 10% less expensive than in Osaka. Cities ranked 4117th and 3202nd ($1163 vs $1295) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 22nd and 8th in Japan.

The best way to travel between Osaka Station and Kyoto Station is by the Special Rapid service on the JR Kyoto Line. The Special Rapid Train will get you to Kyoto Station in 29 minutes for 560 yen. At Osaka Station Special Rapid trains depart from platforms 8, 9 and 10. These trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

What Is So Special About Kyoto? Kyoto is Japan in a nutshell. It's the cultural and historical heart of the country. It's the best place in all Japan to experience traditional temples, shrines, gardens, geisha, shops, restaurants and festivals.

Kyoto has one of the largest collections of Unesco World Heritage Sites on the plant, which includes 12 Buddhist temples, three Shinto shrines and one historic castle. No trip to Kyoto is complete, without visiting at least some of these amazing sites.

Kyoto, considered by many as Japan's most beautiful city, was the Japanese capital until the government was moved to Tokyo in 1868. However, the city is still Japan's religious center with over 1000 Buddhist temples.

From Japanese 京都 (kyōto, “capital city”), from Middle Chinese 京都 (kjæng-tu, “capital (of a country)”).

The split will depend on your interests. Kyoto has more culture, Osaka has more shopping and in March sumo. We think if you did a very full day in Kyoto you will be overwhelmed by it and had enough. But perhaps a second day is suitable for Kyoto if you could manage viewing a geisha experience.

Should I go to Osaka or Kyoto first?

The biggest decision you must make is which city to visit first: Osaka or Kyoto? Here, we'll suggest visiting Osaka first, but you could easily switch them around. Note that the two Osaka days here are a summary version of our Osaka 2-Day Itinerary.

The headline results tell us that between 1990 and 2012 the original Kyoto Protocol parties reduced their CO2 emissions by 12.5%, which is well beyond the 2012 target of 4.7% (CO2 only, rather than greenhouse gases, and including Canada*). The Kyoto Protocol was therefore a huge success.

Everyone knows Kyoto. It's a world-famous tourist hub, steeped in history, often cited as the cultural capital of Japan and packed with UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is definitely a charming one, and has been important for a long time.

Osaka is known for its beautiful skyline, lit nightlife and mouth-watering street food. Just imagine you are getting all the good things at one place, isn't it simply amazing? Well, the fun doesn't end here as there are interesting places to visit in Osaka that will make you fall in love with it even more.

Mt Fuji, Yamanashi

Japan's crown jewel and arguably the most beautiful place in the country, Mt Fuji is a must for any visitor. There are plenty of places to see the grand mountain, but the views from Arakurayama Sengen Park, which boasts the majestic Chureito Pagoda, and from Lake Kawaguchi best capture its beauty.

On the contrary, people in Osaka are said to be bold, helpful and not afraid to speak their mind. Of course, stereotypes are usually not the case and although both cities have very different personalities, the people are usually friendly.

Osaka city was the first capital of Japan because it was the most popular port city of the time; bring new ideas, cultures and politics into the Japanese world. Being a port city, it has been considered the “merchant's capital”, where the merchants have the most political power.

Osaka is a charming, relaxed city best known for its food, fun and nightlife—with some history and culture peeking through. Osaka is only a short shinkansen ride from Tokyo, but has a very different personality to Japan's capital city.

6. Osaka, Japan. On 29 April 2022 Panasonic opened a 'sustainable smart town' in Osaka Prefecture's Suita city, which it aims to run entirely on renewable energy sources.

How long does it take from Osaka to Kyoto?

It takes about 15 minutes from Osaka to Kyoto on the shinkansen and about 30-50 minutes on the train; it takes roughly an hour and a half by bus or taxi. Let's look at the characteristics of each mode of travel.

The travel time from Osaka to Kyoto can vary depending on the mode of transportation you choose. All things considered, the whole journey should take from 1 to 2 hours.

Shinkansen or bullet train

It takes only 14 minutes to run between Kyoto Station and Shin-Osaka Station. If you want to use this option to get from Kyoto to Osaka, you need to buy a one-way ticket that costs 1,420 yen (unreserved seat) or 3,220 yen (reserved seat).

It snows in Kyoto several times each winter, usually between early December and mid-March. Most of the time, the snow doesn't stick at all, but two to four times a winter, it stays on the ground, though it almost always melts within a few hours.

Kyoto has long been a central pillar of Japan's smart city start-up community. It is home to a significant number of innovative technology companies and start-ups whose mission is to improve the many facets of urban life.

Kyoto is Japan's third largest city and also one its oldest. It was originally founded as Heian in 794, and had its golden age during the court's heyday from 794 to 1185.

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997. Owing to a complex ratification process, it entered into force on 16 February 2005. Currently, there are 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

With a rich array of pristinely preserved castles, temples, shrines and tea houses, the ancient city of Kyoto is widely regarded as the cultural heart of Japan. For over a millennium, from 794 until 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan and seat of the Emperor.

The name Tokyo is primarily a gender-neutral name of Japanese origin that means Eastern Capital'.

Is Kyoto a name?

The name Kyoto is both a boy's name and a girl's name of Japanese origin.

From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian-kyō, modern-day Kyoto. After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor's home was moved to Edo, which it renamed Tokyo.

You can easily visit Kyoto from Osaka on a day trip. It's only a 15-minute train ride between the cities via Shinkansen or around 30 minutes via regular train.

Osaka is home to Universal Studios Japan and it's location in the Kansai region makes it a great jumping off point to fascinating destinations like Kyoto and Nara. There's much to love about this city that's become one of our favorites in Japan.

Osaka is just a 30-minute train ride from Kyoto. While there are buses that'll get you there, the fastest, most efficient, and cheapest way is by train. To get to Osaka Station: From Kyoto Station, take the Special Rapid service on the JR Kyoto Line. This is the most efficient way to get there from Kyoto Station.

This 1 day Kyoto itinerary will cover some of the best things to do in Kyoto in 1 day. However, if I must be honest, 24 hours in Kyoto is not sufficient to see all the amazing sights it is known for. It is advised to stay at least 2 days in Kyoto to see all the main attractions.

Tokyo is known for its liveliness and dynamism, while Osaka is oft considered more carefree and relaxed. Do you want to see Japan's most famous landscapes and take in as much as possible, or do you want to take it slow and see where the streets take you?

Verdict: Osaka has more obviously child-friendly attractions and, as they aren't all right in the centre of town from Kyoto, if you're going to do more than one of them, you're probably going to want to base yourself in Osaka.

Distance from Ōsaka to Kyōto is 43 kilometers.

This air travel distance is equal to 27 miles. The air travel (bird fly) shortest distance between Ōsaka and Kyōto is 43 km= 27 miles. If you travel with an airplane (which has average speed of 560 miles) from Osaka to Kyoto, It takes 0.05 hours to arrive.

How many days in Osaka is enough?

How many days do I need to set aside in Osaka? I recommend at least 5 days to see the must-see of the Kansai region, namely Osaka and Kyoto. The best is if you can stay at least 8 days, which will allow you to visit all the best highlights of Kansai: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji, and Hiroshima.

At least two full days are needed to get a taste of Kyoto; however, the city is extremely rich in history and culture, and you could easily spend a week exploring Japan's ancient capital and not run out of first-class attractions to visit.

Osaka 1-Day Itinerary Summary

One day is enough for a good experience of Osaka. Stay in a place like Kita, Central Osaka or Minami to save time. Visit the Osaka Castle, the Kita District and the Minami District.

There is so much to see and experience in this city long regarded as the historical and cultural heart of Japan. If you're visiting Kyoto for the first time, then I hope this travel guide helps you fall in love with this city as much as I have.