Osaka 9-Day Itinerary 2026: Exploring Kyoto, Nara & More

Osaka: An Epic 8-Night, 9-Day Adventure Itinerary

Expenses & Must-Visit Spots

I recently embarked on an incredibly long

8-night, 9-day adventure to Osaka, and let me tell you,

I did almost everything there is to do! This included exciting side trips to nearby Kyoto and Nara.

Most travelers usually opt for a shorter 3-night, 4-day or even 2-night, 3-day trip.

But since I packed so much in, I'm sure you'll find plenty to inspire your own perfect itinerary –

just pick and choose what excites you most!

Kansai Joy Pass

First things first, since my itinerary definitely included a visit to Universal Studios Japan,

I opted for the Kansai Joy Pass Premium.

And guess what? I got all the fantastic benefits listed below completely free!

Since I purchased the Joy Pass Premium for ~ $106,

I actually saved ~ $51 compared to buying all those items separately!

If you're planning a longer Osaka adventure and Universal Studios Japan is on your list,

then the Joy Pass is an absolute must-have!

🔗Book the Klook Joy Pass here!

Premium Kansai Joy Pass (Including Universal Studios Japan) - Klook3ha.in

🔗​Book the Trip.com Joy Pass here!

*Pro Tip: Klook and Trip.com currently offer the best deals for the Joy Pass.

Compare prices and grab the one that saves you more!

Travel Itinerary

Upon arrival at Kansai Airport, we'll whisk you away to the heart of Osaka city via the convenient limousine bus,

all thanks to your Joy Pass!

To kick off Day 1 evening, we'll indulge in some delicious Okonomiyaki! ✨

Then, it's time to hop on the Wonder Cruise, all thanks to our Joy Pass!

This fantastic boat ride takes you on a scenic tour around Osaka city,

and the best part? They even give you time to snap some iconic photos in front of the famous Glico Man sign!

The Pokémon Cafe I wanted to visit so, so much ❤️

The reservation competition is usually fierce, but surprisingly, a lot of cancellations came up the day before, so I was able to book without much difficulty.

The prices are a bit steep, but I got to see a cute Pikachu show, and I had so much fun!

Besides the Pokémon Cafe, there are so many Jump Shops and character stores, so I spent most of Day 2 shopping.

On Day 3, we hopped on a bus early in the morning for our Kyoto tour!

Kyoto's public transport, taxis, and rental cars can be quite expensive, and the roads are complicated, so I absolutely recommend a bus tour.

Osaka Kyoto One-Day Bus Tour Travel Han Geureut Review Day Trip Courseblog.naver.com

*This is a review of the Kyoto bus tour I personally took.

Since staying one night at a Kyoto ryokan was a dream of mine, it took me several days just to choose accommodation.

The place I ended up picking was 'Umekoji Kadensho'.

There's a large public bath, and even 5 private baths! Plus, free ramen, free dango, and free drinks – everything about this ryokan was perfect..!

🔗View Umekoji Kadensho Rooms

Kyoto Umekoji Kadensho Review & Special Deals, Kyoto 2026 | Trip.com3ha.in

On Day 4, we traveled from Kyoto to Nara.

It was truly amazing to see the deer crossing roads and roaming freely!

I even bought some senbei crackers to feed them, but honestly, it was a little scary.. haha

Once you give them one, other deer flock over,

tugging at your skirt and causing a commotion for more.. ㅠㅠ

On this day, we had lunch at 'Effe',

which was previously selected for the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

We had the famous TokyoX sirloin and chateaubriand cuts,

and each one was a whopping ~$36... for two of us, it came out to ~$73.

It was definitely the most delicious tonkatsu I've ever had,

but I don't think I could go there twice.

Next, we took photos at the Umeda Sky Building

and enjoyed the sunset.

With a Joy Pass, entry is free if you go before 5 PM!

After enjoying dinner at Sushisakaba SASHISU,

famous for its great value sushi,

Day 5 was complete! We took it easy that day.

Since it was the day before Universal Studios,

we planned a relaxed itinerary for this day too.

For lunch, we waited an hour and a half to get into Mugito Mensuke!

If Effe was a life-changing tonkatsu restaurant,

this is a life-changing ramen spot.

It's so famous that anyone who knows ramen will know it.

After that, we headed to Osaka Castle to enjoy the cherry blossoms,

rested at the hotel, then explored Hozenji Temple,

had dinner, and that was the end of the day!

On Day 7, we got an early start

to do an 'open run' at Universal Studios Japan.

We arrived around 6:40 AM, and because it was Japan's spring break plus a Monday,

there were already so many people waiting.

(Mondays are the busiest after weekends!)

With the Joy Pass, I got a popcorn bucket worth over ~$36 for free!⭐

When I went, you could choose between a star shape, Mario Kart,

or Minions – three options!

After enjoying Universal Studios to the fullest,

we unwound and soaked away our fatigue at Solaniwa Onsen.

Rikuro Ojisan's Cheesecake, so popular on social media,

I made a reservation and tried it at the 3rd-floor cafe.

It was incredibly soft, but rather than a cheesecake,

it felt more like a soufflé, which wasn't quite my cup of tea personally.

As the last perk of the Joy Pass, I visited the Harukas 300 Observatory,

but the weather was cloudy that day, which was a bit disappointing.

Then, I stopped by Shinsekai to ride the Tsutenkaku Tower Slide,

and for dinner, I indulged in plenty of Kushikatsu.

The Tower Slide wasn't scary at all and was quite fun!

And finally, I wrapped things up with some shopping at Don Quijote!

On Day 9, I had to head to the airport early in the morning,

so there wasn't anything particularly special.

Expenses

Please note that the expenses are per person, and the food costs are quite low because

I participated in many tasting opportunities as an experience group.

Accommodation costs are the same whether it's for 1 person or 2 people!