Hi everyone! First trip to Japan and could really use some advice!
Husband and I will be flying into Osaka and taking the Shinkansen to Hiroshima for the first part of the trip. The itinerary while there is pretty much set, but I’m driving myself crazy trying to figure out the best way to spend our days in Osaka.
Initial plans are:
2/24
Train from Hiroshima back to Osaka
Shinsaibashi & Dotonbori
2/25
Pokémon Cafe, Jump Shop, HMV & other shopping, Kuromon Market, Nipponbashi, Shinsekai
2/26
USJ
I know USJ is going to be extra busy over the weekend, so do you guys think it would be worth it to go 2/24 instead? Though my concern is that we won’t be able to get to the park until probably 12-1pm so idk how much we’ll actually benefit from moving it up since we’ll be losing time. We’re planning to buy express passes regardless of the day we go though. Also, would it be alright to drop off our bags at the hotel and tell them we won’t be checking in until later that night after we get back from USJ??
Also had questions about getting around. Would we need to pre-book our trains? Like the train from KIX to Shin-Osaka station or will we be okay buying the day of? We’ll likely have backpacks, 1 carryon sized luggage, and one medium sized luggage. Did the math, and the JR pass wouldn’t be cost effective for our trip.
Thank you in advance!
1 comment
If you leave Hiroshima around 8am (eg. Sakura 540 at 08:11), you will get to USJ around 10:30am. There are large and extra large coin lockers at USJ, so unless your hotel is right at the top of Osaka station – it makes really no sense to drop off the bags.
You should probably pre-book shinkansen. Limited Express Haruka (KIX to Shin-Osaka) is almost never full.
> Did the math, and the JR pass wouldn’t be cost effective for our trip.
JR West’s Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass would be cost effective provided you are making round trip from Osaka to Hiroshima.