Kyoto vs Osaka: which to choose?
Side by side for the month you pick: real weather, how good a time it is, holidays and festivals, rough costs and getting there.
KyotoPhoto: Masaaki Komori / Unsplash
OsakaPhoto: note thanun / UnsplashThat month: November
Kyoto
Goodcool and less crowdedOsaka
Goodcool and dryWeather
Kyoto
16° / 7° · 72 mm rainOsaka
17° / 9° · 77 mm rainHolidays & festivals
Kyoto
- Culture Day Nov 3
- Labor Thanksgiving Day Nov 23
Osaka
- Culture Day Nov 3
- Labor Thanksgiving Day Nov 23
Getting there
Kyoto
Pick where you fly fromOsaka
Pick where you fly fromRough daily cost
Kyoto
$60 budget · $150 mid-rangeOsaka
$70 budget · $150 mid-rangeOur homestays
Kyoto
None here yetOsaka
1 from $300/nightBest time to visit
Kyoto
Visit in April and November for mild weather and beautiful cherry blossoms or autumn leaves. Summers are hot and rainy; winters are cold but less crowded.Osaka
March to May offers pleasant temperatures and cherry blossoms; autumn (September to November) has mild weather and colorful foliage. Summers are hot and rainy; winters are cool and dry.Top things to do
Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Shrine · Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) · Arashiyama Bamboo GroveOsaka
Osaka Castle · Dotonbori · Universal Studios JapanFood to try
Kyoto
Kaiseki Ryori · Yudofu · Nishiki MarketOsaka
Takoyaki · Okonomiyaki · KushikatsuRough daily costs are AI estimates per person, in US dollars, for a place to stay, food and getting around. Flight times are rough: worked out from the straight-line distance, for a non-stop flight. Average daily high and monthly rain over the last ten years, from weather records by Open-Meteo