Osaka-Kyoto on the JR Pass

Hello!

We are based in Osaka for 4 nights and we plan to do day trips to Kyoto-Nara-Arashiyama-Gion and other areas within Kyoto and Osaka. We are JR Passholders (7-day pass); can we use the JR line to travel within these areas? Thanks.

You can travel to Kyoto and Nara using JR lines. Once in Kyoto, you can access Gion and Arashiyama through non-JR transportation (although Arashiyama can be reached by JR rail from Kyoto Station). You can use an IC card for any non-JR transportation in Kyoto.

We are based in Osaka for 4 nights

Are you now in Japan?
In which area of Osaka City are you staying?
(Umeda, Namba, Shin-Osaka, or else?)

we plan to do day trips to Kyoto-Nara-Arashiyama-Gion and other areas within Kyoto and Osaka.

Nara City is in Nara Prefecture, neither Kyoto nor Osaka.
Arashiyama and Gion are parts of Kyoto City in Kyoto Prefecture.

[Nara]

JR Yamatoji Rapid trains are available from morning to evening
for the section Osaka -- Nara (-- Kamo).

A one-way Rapid train ride between Osaka and Nara
takes about 50 minutes.

Trains departing at Track 1 of Osaka Station
run in five directions;
Yamatoji Rapid trains are bound for Nara or Kamo.

Major sightseeing spots in Nara City
are accessible from Nara Station on foot or by bus.

A Nara Kotsu 1-day bus pass for Nara Park and Nishinokyo  
pays off for three or more bus rides inside the usage area.
http://www.narakotsu.co.jp/language/en/pass.html

(When you plan to visit some sites
also in Ikaruga Town (e.g. Horyuji Temple)
or in Asuka Village (e.g. Takamatsuzuka Tomb),
it would be better to add one day.)

[Kyoto]

I recommend that first-time Kyoto visitors have at least two days to explore the city.

JR Special Rapid trains are available from morning to night,
which make stops at major stations
including Osaka, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto.

A one-way Special Rapid train ride
between Osaka / Shin-Osaka and Kyoto
takes about 30 minutes / 25 minutes.
Please pay attention to morning and evening commuters' rush on weekdays.

A Kyoto City Bus & Kyoto Bus One-day Pass
pays off for three or more bus rides inside the usage area.
https://www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/webguide/en/ticket/regular_1day_ca...
(The road traffic may be congested during busy tourist seasons.)

While non-JR railway (including subway) and bus lines
are convenient for visiting many sightseeing spots in Kyoto City,
Arashiyama can be accessed also by JR Sagano Line.

A one-way Local train ride
between Kyoto and Saga-Arashiyama
takes about 15 minutes;
Rapid trains go a little faster.

Sagano Line trains depart at Tracks 31 to 33
near the Central Gate,
around the north end [Karasuma end] of Kyoto Station.

From Kyoto Station,
you can travel by (JR) Nara Line
to Inari Station (close to Fushimi Inari Taisha)
and to Uji Station (in Uji City, close to Byodoin).

Takao in Kyoto City is accessible by West JR Bus Takao-Keihoku Line,
which is covered by Japan Rail Pass.

- Gion
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3902.html
- Arashiyama
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3912.html
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html
- Byodoin
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3923.html
- Takao
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3940.html

If you read the travel guides on this site regarding those areas, they is usually an "access" section that will mention how to travel there. A JR pass option is mentioned if possible, as a lot of travelers utilize those. I would advise doing to reading here on japan-guide to answer your questions.

If you look at google maps. It shows JR and non-JR lines. Very easy to see your locations.

@by / guest...

....you can use an IC card for any non-JR transportation in Kyoto...
Is it true that I can use a Suica card? I will be in Tokyo prior to Osaka and will be purchase a Suica card while in Tokyo.

Thank you.

@omotenashi,

Thank you so much for these valuable info. Being a first-timer in Japan, there's so much to digest and get familiar with especially transportation matters.

We will be in Japan in April (just about the end of first week) and hopefully we are able to see the cherry blossoms. We are staying in Nakatsu, hotel is just 3 mins walk from Nakatsu Station.

I found this schedule on Hyperdia; we're not early risers so I think this schedule will suit us:
Route3
Take time: 56 Minutes Transfer: 0 Times Distance: 48.5 km
Time Route Fare Seat Fee UsefulLink
09:38 begin OSAKA
[ Departure track No.1 ]
[56 Min] through JR Yamatoji Rapid Service for NARA
10:34 end NARA

Which exit in Nara Station should we take to go to Kofuku-ji Temple? From there, we would like to go to Nara Park then to Isuien Garden and have lunch before we return to the train station and head back to Kyoto. Are these places explorable (my own words) by foot? And yes, it's a short visit as we would like to spend the afternoon in Arashiyama on our way back to Kyoto for dinner or back to our hotel in Osaka for dinner. I'm not really so sure yet at this point.

Thanks again!

@ hakata14,

thank you!

@ Me2(guest), Thank you for your suggestion.

Yes, you should be able to use a Suica card.

Hi 2Travelsome,

It depends on how much you like walking and what you consider "walkable" I walked from JR Nara Station to Todaiji Temple last Summer with my 6 year old, it took us about 20-30 minutes, but we also spent a lot of time feeding deer. So to me it is eminently walkable, however depending on your age and condition it might not be,

It will take you around 15-20 minutes to walk from JR Nara station to Kofukuji. The station is not that big and there are maps and signs pointing in the direction of Nara Park. Or you can use Google Maps on your smartphone. It's not that hard to reach and JR Nara Station is a small pleasant station

I would estimate you're going to be spending at least 40 minutes probably longer walking between Kofukuji, Isuien Garden and back to JR Nara Station. How long and how much you want to walk around Nara Park is up to you.

It takes around 90 minutes to get from JR Nara Station to JR Saga Arashiyama Station. It's then an additional 10-15 minute walk to the river, the temples, and the touristy areas. If you were to leave at 12:53, you wouldn't get to Saga Arashiyama until 14:13 so would not be at the river/Tenryuji until closer to 14:30.

While it will cost you 400 yen, if you're staying near Hankyuu Nakatsu Station, it might be worthwhile to take the train back from Hankyuu Arashiyama Station. It will take about 55 minutes and is likely to be faster than taking JR from Saga Arashiyama to Kyoto to Osaka and then walking to your hotel. Even with a JR Pass, I've used the Keihan line going back and forth to Osaka because it was faster to my hotel and the trains were less crowded, so paying 500 yen was worth it.

Good luck!

Nara is walkable and pretty easy.
I normally go from JR Nara, through town (brief stop at Kiyoshigyo Temple), to Sarusawa pond to check the turtles. Then up the steps past the small shrine/jinzo and 3-storied pagoda to the Octagonal hall, past the Kōfukuji 5-storied pagoda and then across some of the park and past the Nara national Museum. Across the street is the entrance to Todaiji (but in cherry blossom I might also stop at Himuro Shrine).
After Todaiji, I head up the hill (lunch/Todai-ji Bell) and up to the temple on the hill (東大寺 二月堂) for hill for the view across Nara and the valley. Tamukeyama Hachiman-gū Shrine is on the way to Kasuga-taisha and then it is down-hill back to the train station.
There is a lot of history and information that goes with the various sites, including the history, politics and artifacts stored in various places. For instance, one of the cool things at Tamukeyama Hachiman-gū is an unprotected mural that has faded over centuries - there is still part of a picture and my last trip had to explain to some passing Japanese tourists what we were looking at.

If I am with people that don't walk so well I might taxi to the start of Kasuga-taisha and do the reverse, or get the loop bus (or taxi) back to the train station. Depends on the people.

by / (guest), thanks! Suica card- that's good to know.

Hello, rkold!

My adult son and I are walkers; but not so much my husband. He will need a break in between a half hour walk. :(

I'm sure we will have an enjoyable time at Nara Park feeding deer so we might spend sometime there as well.

I guess, we'll do Arashiyama the next morning direct from Osaka since there will be little time left after we visit Nara. I was hoping we can do both the same day.

Thanks for the info--sure is a big help!

JapanCustomTours...

That's a lot of temple and shrine to see along the way. Are there signage to these interesting temples & shrine?

I think it's a good idea to taxi it back to the train station. We might be a bit exhausted after we've done this walk. It's also faster if we're press with time.

Thank you for chiming in. I do appreciate your input.

Cheers!