Where to stay in Kansai?

Going to stay in Osaka area for 4-5 days, and plan to visit Kyoto, Himeji, & Kobe for 1 day each.

Is it better to stay in Osaka and take day trip to these sites, or is it better to hop hotels for each (or some) destination to save time?

Is it better to stay in Osaka and take day trip to these sites, or is it better to hop hotels for each (or some) destination to save time?

All these cities are in easy "commuting reach" of Osaka. Whether to have a single base or change hotels depends on the personal preferences. My guess is that the large majority of tourists will prefer having a single base. It means you have always a hotel room to retire to and do not need to manage your luggage when moving between hotels.

But some people prefer to stay in each city for various reasons: to better experience the city, to better enjoy the evenings/nightlife, to try out various interesting hotels, to decrease commuting times, etc.

I think it simply comes down to personal preference.