Kyoto & Osaka from Los Angeles, 3 – 8 Dec: £1,642 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- £122 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo, rated 8.8 by 4,321 guests
- Free cancellation at Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo
The catch: Not nonstop: a stop on the way, 43h 30m in all.
Worth it if museums and old streets are your thing; skip it if you want a pool.
A round trip from Los Angeles to Kyoto & Osaka is $853 per person ($1,705 for two) for Dec 3–8, 2026, 5 nights, on ZG + GK with 1 stop, so it isn't nonstop. Expect cool, mostly overcast days with highs of 51–55°F and lows near 36°F. The best-value hotel, Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo, is $474 for the stay, or $95 a night.
The total, before you go
£1,642 for two · 5 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £1,285 |
| Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo, 5 nights, two guests, taxes in | £357 |
| The total, before you go | £1,642 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
£122 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £30 each way per bag, £121 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£643 per person, return
£1,285 for two, taxes and fees included · ZG + GK · 1 stop · 43h 30m
Out Thu, Dec 3, 9:30 AM – Fri, Dec 4, 6:40 PM · back Tue, Dec 8, 9:10 PM – Wed, Dec 9, 7:30 AM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZG + GK | £643 | 1 stop | 43h 30m |
| Asiana Airlines | £719 | 1 stop | 16h 30m |
| ZG + GK | £688 | 1 stop | 33h 15m |
Prices checked 12 Oct 2026, 17:20 GMT-7. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
Tweak this trip
Why now
At $853 per person, the fare is $162 below the typical fare on this route. That typical fare is $1,015, based on our earlier checks, and the gap earns this trip our 15% below typical badge. We saw 12 offers for these dates, ranging from $853 to $1,047, and this one sat at the bottom of that range. Add $474 for five nights at a hotel rated 8.8 and our budget for two comes to $3,480, spending money included. In early December, Kyoto has highs of 51–55°F and lows near 36°F under mostly gray skies. That's jacket weather for temple walks, warm market snacks and a night out among the street food stalls in Osaka. Prices are all-in, including taxes and fees, as of when we checked, and they can change.
The kind of trip this is
This is a culture-and-food city trip at a steady pace: temples and gardens in the morning, markets and small counters at night, and Osaka's neon a short train ride away. It suits couples and friends who like walking, eating well and getting up early, and who don't mind cool, gray weather. The flight is long, so plan an easy first day and keep one day free for Nara.
Weather in Kyoto & Osaka, 3 – 8 Dec
Typical highs 51–55°F, lows near 36°F this time of year
| Day | Typical high | Typical low | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 3 Dec | 55 °F | 35 °F | Partly cloudy |
| Fri 4 Dec | 52 °F | 35 °F | Overcast |
| Sat 5 Dec | 51 °F | 36 °F | Overcast |
| Sun 6 Dec | 54 °F | 35 °F | Overcast |
| Mon 7 Dec | 54 °F | 38 °F | Overcast |
| Tue 8 Dec | 55 °F | 37 °F | Drizzle |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · averages, not a forecast
Where to stay in Kyoto & Osaka
All three picks are in the Kyoto Station area, which is handy for the shinkansen and day trips, including the express train to Osaka Namba and Dotonbori for street food and nightlife. Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo is the best value: $474 for 5 nights, or $95 a night, rated 8.8 from 4,321 reviews, with free cancellation. Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Toji is the budget pick at $484, or $97 a night, rated 9.0 from 3,921 reviews, also with free cancellation. 22 PIECES is the top rated at 9.3 from 1,081 reviews: a 4-star studio with a living area for $1,691, or $338 a night. Heads-up: that rate can't be cancelled for free. All three rates are room only. For geisha streets and wooden teahouses, head to Gion and Higashiyama in the evening.
Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo
£357 for 5 nights, two guests · £72 a night
See rooms22 PIECES
£1,275 for 5 nights, two guests · £255 a night
See roomsComfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Toji
£365 for 5 nights, two guests · £73 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Kyoto & Osaka for these dates
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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 the torii-gate tunnels at Fushimi Inari before 8 AM on your first morning.
- Wander the Arashiyama bamboo grove, then the gardens of Tenryu-ji.
- Book a kaiseki dinner at a Gion ryotei for one slow evening.
- Eat your way through Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto.
- Get takoyaki and okonomiyaki on Dotonbori in Osaka, 15 minutes from Kyoto by express train.
- Take a day trip to Nara for the deer park and the Great Buddha of Todai-ji.
Also worth it
- Fushimi Inari's torii-gate tunnels before 8am
- Arashiyama bamboo grove and the gardens of Tenryu-ji
- Nishiki Market food crawl
- Day trip to Nara's deer park and the Great Buddha of Todai-ji
Tours and tickets in Kyoto & Osaka
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Los Angeles | Los Angeles International (LAX), Hollywood Burbank (BUR), John Wayne Orange County (SNA), Ontario International (ONT), Long Beach (LGB) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Kyoto & Osaka | Kansai International (KIX), Osaka Itami (ITM) |
| Flight time | 43h 30m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 5,685 miles each way |
| Time difference | +17 hours |
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
What 5 nights in Kyoto & Osaka costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £1,286 |
| Hotel, 5 nights (Comfort Hotel ERA Kyoto Horikawagojo) | £357 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 5 days for two | £980 |
| Total for two | £2,623 |
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: Los Angeles to Kyoto & Osaka
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £643 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £642 (13 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £765 |
| Price checks | 6 |
Good to know
- Passport: passport needed: travellers from the United States need a valid passport for Kyoto & Osaka; check the expiry rule of the country before you book.
- Currency: Japanese yen (JPY).
- You'll need a passport for Japan. The currency is the Japanese yen (JPY).
- Japan is 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles. On this fare you land at Kansai International (KIX) on Friday, Dec 4 at 6:40 PM.
- The $853 outbound takes 43h 30m with 1 stop and covers 5,685 miles.
- Hotel rates are room only. Both Comfort Hotel ERA picks have free cancellation, and 22 PIECES doesn't.
- Typical weather for Dec 8 shows drizzle, so pack a light rain layer for the last day.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
It's $853 per person round trip, or $1,705 for two, all-in with taxes and fees when we checked. It flies on ZG + GK with 1 stop, from LAX to Kansai International (KIX). Asiana Airlines was $954 per person with 1 stop and takes 16h 30m.
Why is the cheaper flight so long?
The $853 fare takes 43h 30m on the way out. You leave LAX on Thursday, Dec 3 at 9:30 AM and land on Friday, Dec 4 at 6:40 PM. Another ZG + GK option at $913 per person takes 33h 15m. The flight home leaves Tuesday, Dec 8 at 9:10 PM.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. You need a passport to enter Japan. You'll be paying in Japanese yen (JPY).
What is the weather like?
These are typical temperatures for the dates, not a forecast: highs of 51–55°F and lows near 36°F. Most days are overcast, Dec 3 is partly cloudy and Dec 8 shows drizzle.
Is 5 nights enough?
You arrive Friday evening and fly home Tuesday night, so you have Saturday through Tuesday on the ground. At a steady pace that covers Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, a Nara day trip and an evening on Dotonbori.
What does the whole trip cost for two?
Our budget is $3,480 for two. That covers flights, $474 for the best-value hotel and $1,300 in spending money, which works out to $130 per person a day.
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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
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- Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels, Pexels License
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