Flying to from Tokyo or to Tokyo from Osaka?

Trying to plan a 14 day trip to Japan and was looking at the suggested itineraries. Was thinking if it would save me some time and transportation costs if I would book flights to Tokyo and back from Osaka? Are there any suggested itineraries or does anyone have ideas on what stops would be good to make on a trip like this? Should be noted that the budget is category "low" and a single traveler. All insights are welcome. Thanks a lot!

Depending on where you are going to and from. It may not save time. It is probably cheaper than train.

Osaka to KIX = 45-60 minutes (maybe more depending on start location)
Arrive 30-60 minutes before flight to check in
90 minute flight
Await 20-30 minutes to collect bag
Spend XX minutes getting to location in Tokyo

So decide on the above factors as to whether it works for you or not.

IF you have a rail pass, might as well use the shinkansen.

I believe the OP is asking about open jaw flights against flying in and out of the same airport.

It simply depends on your itinerary. Note that open jaw tickets (flying into Narita and departing from Kansai for example) usually costs a bit more compared to flying in and out of a single airport.

But it is true it could save you some time on an itinerary like flying into Narita, spending one week based on Tokyo, the second week mostly in the western part of Japan then departing from Kansai.

I've done that before, though it was flying into Kansaii and out of Narita. It is harder to book and it could be easier to do through an agent, maybe, because with the carrier I was dealing with I was getting the Japanese prices for the outbound leg.

But it saved a lot of time, I thought, because in that trip from memory we started in Nara for a couple of nights (from Kansai) then went to Hikone, then through the Kiso Valley and up to Matsumoto, then back to Tokyo from there.

If you are doing the basic Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka trip, it means that you dont lose a half a day on the travel back, which can be a bit boring if you've already done it once.

If I was travelling on a small budget and wanted to see Tokyo and Kyoto, I'd start at Narita, stay at Tokyo a couple of nights, have at least a day (preferably a night) at Kamukura/Enoshima, then go out to Bessho Onsen to see what an onsen town is like (very cheap accomodation there) then go on to Matsumoto or Nagano then back to Hikone via the Kiso Valley (maybe stay the night at Tsumago). I'd base myself at Hikone and do daytrips to Kyoto from there. Hikone is a fun town and is much cheaper than Kyoto. Then I'd move on to Nara for a couple of nights before leaving from Kansai.

But that's me, whatever you choose should be fun.

Simple answer is yes, it could save money and time.

However almost no one can answer the question but you. As we don't know which country you are from and which airlines.

I have done open jaw before from Canada and at that time, open jaw to Osaka out Tokyo was the same price as going Tokyo out of Tokyo.

But I have also seen where open jaw is more expensive. So you will need to search and either Google flight or travel agency.

Hope this helps!!!

I totally miss understood the question, sorry.

As above, flying in one airport and flying out another can save you time and money. OR is can do the opposite. All you can do is check when you are booking flight online if and how it can benefit you. As each airline has different rules and regulations.

Hi ALL,

and sorry for a bit unclear question. I was asking about the itinerary, thank you Lazy Pious.

The prices for the flights with Finnair going to/from Tokyo or to Tokyo and back from Osaka (Copenhagen) cost almost the same, I am not concerned with the flight prices but how I should plan my travel through the country! Any more itinerary ideas? Thanks once again.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_tokyo_12.html

You could arrive at Narita and depart from KIX with the above sample itinerary.

Any itinerary ideas is a largely vague question. Other than a start and finish point. There is no other info to go on. I would just browse this website and find the locations/attractions you wanna see.

I would allow 5 days for Tokyo + surrounds and 5 days for Kyoto/Osaka + surrounds, the 4 unused days are up to you to decide.

Ohhh... in that case...

I recommend starting in Tokyo and ending in Osaka.

Tokyo 3 days
Tokyo side trips like Lake Kawaguchi, Hakone or Yokohama 2 days
Countryside like Takayama or Kanazawa 2 days
Kyoto 2 days
Hiroshima & Miyajima 2 days
Osaka 2 days
Osaka side trips like Kobe or Nara 1 day

Feel free to change it up as it really depends what you want to see.

Hope this helps!

This is what we're doing in May. Flying in to Haneda and out from Kansai. It was no more expensive to do an open jaw with Qantas.

Besides saving money, it's the extra travel time. Previously, we've caught the Shinkansen back from Kyoto/Osaka to Tokyo then flown from there. It can be quite fatiguing to have a 3.5 train journey and then have to check in, go through security etc.