Kyoto & Osaka from Berlin, 11 – 16 Dec: £2,053 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Breakfast hotel near Gion, rated 8.8 from 2,684 reviews, free cancellation
- Fare is $106 per person below the highest fare we saw
- Fushimi Inari, Nishiki Market and Dotonbori street food in 5 nights
The catch: The outbound flight has one stop and takes 20h 35m, and a checked bag runs about $160 for two that isn't in the total.
Worth it if a long flight is fine for cool-weather temples and street food; skip it if you're set on the November leaves or the April blossoms.
Worth it if one stop doesn't bother you. The total for two is $2,723: Turkish Airlines flights at $2,116 plus 5 nights at Super Hotel Kyoto Shijokawaramachi at $562, with its $45 property fee and all taxes and fees included, but not a checked bag or spending money. You leave Berlin at 2:35 PM on Friday, Dec 11, and land at Kansai at 7:10 PM on Saturday, Dec 12, after 20h 35m with one stop, then fly home Dec 16, 2026.
The total, before you go
£2,053 for two · 5 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £1,595 |
| Super Hotel Kyoto Shijokawaramachi, 5 nights, two guests, taxes in | £424 |
| Resort fee, collected at the desk | £34 |
| The total, before you go | £2,053 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
£80 per person below the highest fare we saw for these dates.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £30 each way per bag, £121 for two return); the resort fee is counted above. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£797 per person, return
£1,595 for two, taxes and fees included · Turkish Airlines · 1 stop · 20h 35m
Out Fri, Dec 11, 2:35 PM – Sat, Dec 12, 7:10 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish Airlines | £797 | 1 stop | 20h 35m |
| FR + MU + ZE | £840 | 3 stops | 50h 55m |
| Turkish Airlines | £802 | 1 stop | 15h 50m |
Prices checked 15 Oct 2026, 15:44 CEST. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
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Tweak this trip
Why now
The whole trip is $2,723 for two, all in. That covers the Turkish Airlines fare at $1,058 per person and 5 nights in Kyoto with breakfast. The fare is $106 below the highest fare we saw for these dates, a 9% difference across the 12 offers we checked, and it's the lowest of the 4 checks we've run on this route. December falls between the November leaves and the April cherry blossoms, so plan on cool days. Normals for these dates show highs of 48–56°F and lows near 36°F, with drizzle on Saturday, Dec 12 and clear skies on Monday, Dec 14. That's good walking weather for the temple path from Kiyomizu-dera to Nanzen-ji and for hot takoyaki on Dotonbori at night. These prices were all-in when we checked, and they can change.
The kind of trip this is
This is a culture-and-food city trip at an easy pace: temple mornings in Kyoto, market lunches and street-food evenings in Osaka. It suits couples or friends who like to walk, eat well and wear layers, and who don't mind a long flight to get there. Five nights gives you time for Kyoto, an evening in Osaka and a day trip to Nara if you plan the days.
Weather in Kyoto & Osaka, 11 – 16 Dec
Typical highs 48–56°F, lows near 36°F this time of year
| Day | Typical high | Typical low | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 11 Dec | 56 °F | 37 °F | Overcast |
| Sat 12 Dec | 52 °F | 38 °F | Drizzle |
| Sun 13 Dec | 51 °F | 37 °F | Overcast |
| Mon 14 Dec | 48 °F | 35 °F | Clear |
| Tue 15 Dec | 49 °F | 33 °F | Overcast |
| Wed 16 Dec | 53 °F | 33 °F | Mostly clear |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · averages, not a forecast
Where to stay in Kyoto & Osaka
Super Hotel Kyoto Shijokawaramachi is the best-value pick and the one in the total: $562 for 5 nights ($112 a night) with breakfast and free cancellation, plus a $45 property fee. It has an 8.8 score from 2,684 reviews. It's in Nakagyo Ward near Gion, close to Downtown Kyoto (Kawaramachi and Shijo), where you have Nishiki Market and Pontocho alley close by. hotel kanra kyoto is the top-rated pick at 9.3 from 839 reviews. It's $1,803 for the stay ($361 a night), room only, with no free cancellation and $129 due at the property. Kyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma is the budget pick at $332 ($66 a night) with half board and free cancellation, plus $30 at the property. It scores 7.3 from 3,518 reviews. The last two are in the Kyoto Station area, which is handy for the shinkansen and day trips.
Super Hotel Kyoto Shijokawaramachi
£424 for 5 nights, two guests · £84 a night
See roomshotel kanra kyoto
£1,359 for 5 nights, two guests · £272 a night
See roomsKyoto Universal Hotel Karasuma
£250 for 5 nights, two guests · £50 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Kyoto & Osaka for these dates
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Where in Kyoto & Osaka
- Gion and Higashiyama: Wooden teahouses, geisha streets and the temple walk from Kiyomizu-dera to Nanzen-ji.
- Downtown Kyoto (Kawaramachi and Shijo): Central shopping and dining with Nishiki Market and Pontocho alley at hand.
- Kyoto Station area: Convenient for the shinkansen and day trips, with large hotels.
- Arashiyama: Quiet riverside ryokan stays by the bamboo grove in the western hills.
- Osaka Namba and Dotonbori: Street-food neon and nightlife, 15 minutes from Kyoto by express train.
What to do in Kyoto & Osaka
- Walk Fushimi Inari's torii-gate tunnels before 8am
- Walk the Arashiyama bamboo grove, then the gardens of Tenryu-ji
- Book a kaiseki dinner at a Gion ryotei
- Graze your way through Nishiki Market
- Eat takoyaki and okonomiyaki on Dotonbori in Osaka
- Take a day trip to Nara's deer park and the Great Buddha of Todai-ji
Also worth it
- Arashiyama bamboo grove and the gardens of Tenryu-ji
- Nishiki Market food crawl
Tours and tickets in Kyoto & Osaka
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Berlin | Berlin Brandenburg (BER) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Kyoto & Osaka | Kansai International (KIX), Osaka Itami (ITM) |
| Flight time | 20h 35m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 5,468 miles each way |
| Time difference | +8 hours |
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What 5 nights in Kyoto & Osaka costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £1,595 |
| Hotel, 5 nights (Super Hotel Kyoto Shijokawaramachi) | £424 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 5 days for two | £980 |
| Total for two | £2,998 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Berlin to Kyoto & Osaka
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £797 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £797 (15 Oct 2026) |
| Price checks | 4 |
Good to know
- Passport: passport needed: travellers from Germany need a valid passport for Kyoto & Osaka; check the expiry rule of the country before you book.
- Currency: Japanese yen (JPY).
- You need a passport for Japan.
- Japan uses the Japanese yen and is 8 hours ahead of Berlin.
- The outbound flight is Berlin Brandenburg (BER) to Kansai International (KIX), one stop, 20h 35m.
- A checked bag runs about $160 for two and isn't in the $2,723 total.
- Super Hotel Kyoto Shijokawaramachi offers free cancellation and includes breakfast.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Yes, if you're fine with one stop. You get $2,723 for two, all in, with a fare $106 per person below the highest fare we saw and a breakfast hotel near Gion rated 8.8. The trade-off is a 20h 35m trip out.
How much is the whole trip for two?
It's $2,723 all in: $2,116 for the flights, $562 for the hotel and its $45 property fee. A checked bag is about $160 for two on top. With $1,300 of spending money, our full budget comes to $3,978.
Is there a shorter flight?
We also saw a Turkish Airlines flight leaving at 7:20 PM on Dec 11 that takes 15h 50m with one stop, at $1,064 per person, or $2,128 for two.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, you need a passport for Japan. The local currency is the Japanese yen, and Japan is 8 hours ahead of Berlin.
What is the weather like?
It's cool. Normals for Dec 11–16 show highs of 48–56°F and lows near 36°F. Saturday, Dec 12 shows drizzle and Monday, Dec 14 shows clear skies. Bring a warm coat.
Is 5 nights enough?
Yes, for Kyoto's temples and markets, an evening in Osaka and a Nara day trip. Osaka Namba is 15 minutes from Kyoto by express train. Keep in mind you land at 7:10 PM on Saturday, Dec 12.
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Kyoto & Osaka in pictures
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: Mike The Fabrica / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Axel Garbet / Pexels, Pexels License