How to mix Nara Kyoto Osaka in 4 days?

Hi, My wife and I will be arriving Narita at 7 pm. on Mar 13, and leaving Narita at 7 pm on Mar 17. I am considering 3 options :

1. take a bus to Nara and stay one night ( Mar 13 ). Tour Nara on Mar 14, then go to Kyoto that evening. Tour Kyoto on Mar 15, and go to Osaka on Mar 16 ( stay one night );

2. Go to Kyoto that night, stay until Mar 16, and go to Osaka on 16th ( stay one night ) ;

3. Go to Kyoto that night, stay until Mar 16, and go to Nara on 16th ( stay one night );

We have never been to Kyoto or Nara. Any advice please !

Thank you , Raymond

All 3 cities are relatively close to each other and well linked by public transport. Thus I would not move hotels as you will loose time in that. In my eyes your best option is to stay close to Kyoto station.
Then you can decide each day where you want to go.
I personally would also give Osaka a miss, but that is me. Living in Tokyo I do not necessarily need to visit yet an other big modern city and enjoy much more the rural parts of Nara prefecture.

Enjoy your trip to Japan!

I agree, all locations are with 25-40 minutes of each other. Pick one place to stay and, and day trip everywhere.

My wife and I will be arriving Narita at 7 pm. on Mar 13, and leaving Narita at 7 pm on Mar 17. I am considering 3 options :

1. take a bus to Nara and stay one night ( Mar 13 ).

Do you mean you will get on the overnight bus somewhere around Tokyo to Nara? Narita to Nara is very far and there is no direct bus, as far as I know. Could you check the name of your arriving/departing airport?

You could fly to Osaka from Narita airport on the same day. Peach has flight departing
20:45, or Jetstar 21:15. Still, it would be easier if you could fly directly to KIX instead of NRT.

Thanks for all of your answers ! I made a typing mistake...... I arrived at Kansai Airport ( not Narita Airport ) at 7 p.m. I have just decided to stay all four nights in Kyoto, visit Nara on a day trip, and may just skip Osaka. Due to some hotel points I have, I did reserve first 2 nights at ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, and then last 2 nights at Hyatt Regency Kyoto. I hope they are nice hotels, even though not right next to Kyoto station. Thank you, Raymond

I arrived at Kansai Airport ( not Narita Airport ) at 7 p.m.

OK, I understand.

I have just decided to stay all four nights in Kyoto, visit Nara on a day trip, and may just skip Osaka. Due to some hotel points I have, I did reserve first 2 nights at ANA Crowne Plaza Kyoto, and then last 2 nights at Hyatt Regency Kyoto.

They are nice hotels. You may want to forward your baggage using this service, hotel to hotel in Kyoto, 800 yen per piece.

http://carry-s.com/wp/?page_id=71

On 13rd Mar, take Haruka express train to Kyoto station and then take taxi to ANA Crowne Plaza. Buy round-trip version of Icoca & Haruka ticket.

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/icoca-haruka/

On 14th, you want to go to Nara, which will require one full day. You may use JR or Kintetsu. Kintetsu seems to be slightly convenient.

On 15th, send your baggage using �gcarry service�h. The hotel staff will know how to handle your baggage.

ANA Crowne Plaza is slightly off-center toward northeast where Kinkakuji is the main attraction. Take taxi to Kinkakuji, explore around and then you may want to go to Arashiyama area. Again taxi is your best bet. From Arashiyama, take JR to JR Kyoto station. Hyatt Regency is 1.7 km away from JR Kyoto, so take taxi or you can even walk.

On 16th, take Keihan line to Demachiyanagi, and then taxi to Ginkakuji. Then again taxi to Eikando. See Eikando, Nanzenji, Heian shrine, Murin-an etc. Take subway from Keage to Sanjo. You may want to explore Gion at night.

On 17th, the last day, leave your baggage at hotel and explore around. There are Sanju-sangen-do, Kiyomizudera, Kodaiji and more. Go back to the hotel, pick-up baggage and taxi to JR Kyoto station. Take Haruka to KIX.

Hi Frog 1954,

Thank you so much for your information !

ANA Crowne Plaza is slightly off-center toward northeast where Kinkakuji is the main attraction.

Sorry, not northeast but northwest. If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask here. Have a nice trip!