Osaka to Todai-ji & Iga-Ueno in 1 day?

Is it doable to do a day trip from Osaka and visit both the Todai-ji temple and Iga-Ueno ninja museum in one day? Otherwise, from what other cities can the ninja museum be done as a day trip fairly easily? I am travelling with a JR pass, if that helps.

Fortunately, it is possible on condition that:

-You must start early in the morning. 8AM is a bit late but ok. 9AM is too late.
-You must check the train timetable in advance. Train service between Nara station and Iga-Ueno station is very infrequent(once an hour).

What trains should I take to do this in one day? Also, what should I do first, Todai-ji or Iga-Ueno? Thanks!

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4353.html

Which first to visit doesn't matter so much.

How to travel between Iga Ueno and Osaka
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4353.html?aFROM=2157_4350

At which station in Osaka will you board a train?
If I were in your shoes, I would visit Nara City in the morning and Iga City in the afternoon.

Logically you can use your rail pass on JR-West until Iga-Ueno Station.
However, the time to make a transfer will be less than three minutes, which may well be not enough for showing your rail pass and buying your Iga Tetsudo ticket around the transfer gate.
So, I suppose you had better not to stick to your rail pass; the one-way fare from Nara is only 650 yen. Maybe you can purchase in Nara Station a transfer ticket at 900 yen.
Note that trains are available only once per hour around noon from Nara via Iga-Ueno to Ueno-Shi.
- http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=NARA&arv_node=U...
On the way back you can have enough time in Iga-Ueno Station.
- http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=UENOSHI&arv_nod...

Todaiji Daibutsuden Hall is open from either 7:30 or 8:00 depending on seasons.
- http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4100.html
: You can catch a Line No. 2 bus from Pole No. 1 of the terminal in front of Nara Station. In about five minutes you will get to Daibutsuden-Kasugataisha-mae bus stop around an intersection near Nandaimon Gate.
: It may take about 10 to 20 minutes on foot from the bus stop to Daibutsuden Hall.
: Line No. 2 is a loop line. After visiting Todaiji you can catch a Line No. 2 bus from the same bus stop, but it will take about 15 to 20 minutes to Nara Station.
: Buses for Nara Station are also available from a nearby bus stop on Line No. 1, which is also a loop line.
: The bus fares (200 yen per ride) are not covered by your rail pass.

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum is open until 17:00, so you can get back to Osaka City by the midnight.
- http://iganinja.jp/en/museum/index.html

P. S.
I recommend you leave Todaiji by 11:15 to reach Ueno-shi Station at 13:28.

omotenashi

I think you forget that the fare for Iga railway section(250yen) can be paid at Uenoshi station.

There is no "transfer gate" at JR Iga-Ueno station.

JR and Iga Railway share the station facility. JR use platform 2, 3 and 4. Iga Railway use platform 1.

You will probably get off at platform 3 and just need to walk to platform 1 by the bridge.

Dear cc:
Thank much for your correction!
I thought of possibility of paying for Iga Testudo at arrival, but I was not sure.
And, right, "gate" was not the word. I understand there is a transfer bridge between JR-West and Igatetsu. (It is regrettable that neither is offering a station map on the web, though.)

I think the ninja exhibitions close quite early, like 3 or 4, so I would recommend it being the early visit....

http://iganinja.jp/en/museum/index.html