Tokyo to Oji (Nara) stopping in Osaka.

I will be traveling to Oji (Nara) from Tokyo and planning to stop in Osaka to visit Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building and finally Nanba. I have JR Pass. However, when I viewed the map Nanba seems to be only accessible by subway. Is it possible to utilise the JR Pass for this whole itinerary?

Also, I decided to do a stop over in Osaka as I need to change train at the Osaka Station anyway even though I don't get out. And since I plan to visit Osaka that same day it is silly to go to Oji to check in then return to Osaka since the train journey is 30 minutes each way. But where can I store my luggages? Feasible to do this? - Tokyo - Osaka (eta 1300) store luggage - Osaka Castle - Umeda sky Building - Nanba - collect luggage from Osaka Station - Oji (before 10pm).

However, when I viewed the map Nanba seems to be only accessible by subway.

This page has a better map, which also shows that there is a JR Line serving JR Namba Station:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4001.html

However, if you come from Umeda, it would be inconvenient to take JR trains to Namba. I recommend to take the subway. It takes 8 minutes and costs only 230 yen.

By JR, it would take you almost half an hour and involve one transfer of trains along the way.

But where can I store my luggages? Feasible to do this? - Tokyo - Osaka (eta 1300) store luggage - Osaka Castle - Umeda sky Building - Nanba - collect luggage from Osaka Station - Oji (before 10pm)

My suggestion:
Osaka - see Umeda - (JR Loop Line) - Osaka Castle - (JR or subway) - Namba - (subway!) - pick up luggage at Osaka Station and take direct train to Oji.

Hi Uji, I tried the Hyperdia site for JR-Nanba but it says 'Destination Was Not Found'. But JR-Nanba appeared as part of the route when I inserted [start point] Tennoji. [destination] Nanba(Nankai) under the 4th Course. Then when I inserted [start point] again as Tennoji but with the [destination] as JR-Nanba - Again 'Destination Was Not Found'.

Mel,

In Hyderpedia, try using the location JR-Namba This should get you the information that you need.

Cheers,

George

Enter "JR-Namba" instead of "JR-Nanba". That should solve your problem.

Hyperdia is very strict on spelling and won't accept minor variations like Jorudan does. However, it is more powerful since you can look up entire timetables and exclude shinkansen (nozomi in particular) and airlines from your searches. Here's a link to Jorudan in case want to compare search sites:

http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/

Argh!!! When it comes to Subway station it is spelt Nanba, not Namba. Now it is JR-Namba rather than JR-Nanba!!

Several of the larger stations in Osaka have lockers you can store luggage.

When it comes to Subway station it is spelt Nanba, not Namba. Now it is JR-Namba rather than JR-Nanba!!

When romanizing station names, JR (at least JR East and JR West) are converting "n"s preceding soft consonants to "m"s, resulting in horrible station names such as "Shin-Nihombashi". Many other railway companies, including the Osaka Subways, more reasonably leave the "n" an "n" even when it precedes a soft consonant.

This difference in romanization results in the existence of some stations with multiple spellings, e.g. "Namba" and "Nanba". It would not be so bad if Hyperdia weren't so inflexible with the spelling of station names.