Kyoto & Osaka from Madison, 14 – 23 Nov: £4,386 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Not worth it this week
- Autumn leaves peak mid-to-late November at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama
- APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae scores 7.9 from 3,276 reviews, free cancellation
- Highs of 57–64°F, easy walking weather for temples and Nara
The catch: The fare is $2,065 per person against a $1,814 median on earlier checks, and the flight out has three stops and lands two days later.
Worth it if fall leaves in Kyoto are the whole point and the dates are fixed; skip it if you can wait for the fare to come down.
Not worth it this week: the whole trip is $5,819 for two, the flights at $4,129 plus the hotel at $1,690, taxes and fees included, with checked bags and spending money extra. It runs Nov 14–23, 2026, nine nights, on MX + B6 + NH with three stops, not nonstop. The fare is $2,065 per person against a $1,814 median on earlier checks of this route.
The total, before you go
£4,386 for two · 9 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £3,112 |
| APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae, 9 nights, two guests, taxes in | £1,274 |
| The total, before you go | £4,386 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £30 each way per bag on Breeze, £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
£1,557 per person, return
£3,112 for two, taxes and fees included · MX + B6 + NH · 3 stops · 64h 49m
Out Sat, Nov 14, 4:58 PM – Mon, Nov 16, 9:50 PM · back Mon, Nov 23, 9:20 AM – Mon, Nov 23, 9:17 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX + B6 + NH | £1,557 | 3 stops | 64h 49m |
| KE + TW | £1,575 | 3 stops | 62h 43m |
| AS + NH | £1,584 | 3 stops | 60h 51m |
Prices checked 12 Oct 2026, 14:13 GMT-5. 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
The numbers first: $5,819 for two, all in, for flights and nine nights at the APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae, Nov 14–23, 2026. The timing is right for the season, since autumn leaves at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama peak in mid-to-late November, with evening illuminations. Typical highs run 57–64°F with lows near 43°F, mostly overcast with a couple of drizzly days, so it's good weather for long temple walks. The price is the problem. We found the fare at $2,065 per person, while the median of earlier checks on this route is $1,814, and the lowest we saw was $1,460 per person on Oct 12. That's why we'd hold off this week. If the fare drops back toward the median, this becomes a strong pick for a culture and food trip.
The kind of trip this is
A culture and food trip at a steady pace: early mornings at shrines and gardens, afternoons in markets, evenings on Osaka's neon canals. It suits a couple or two friends who like to walk all day and eat well, with day trips to Nara and Arashiyama. Nine nights gives room to slow down after a long trip over, and the fall color sets the mood.
Weather in Kyoto & Osaka, 14 – 23 Nov
Typical highs 57–64°F, lows near 43°F this time of year
| Day | Typical high | Typical low | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 14 Nov | 62 °F | 44 °F | Overcast |
| Sun 15 Nov | 64 °F | 44 °F | Overcast |
| Mon 16 Nov | 63 °F | 43 °F | Drizzle |
| Tue 17 Nov | 64 °F | 45 °F | Overcast |
| Wed 18 Nov | 57 °F | 42 °F | Drizzle |
| Thu 19 Nov | 58 °F | 41 °F | Overcast |
| Fri 20 Nov | 60 °F | 42 °F | Overcast |
| Sat 21 Nov | 62 °F | 41 °F | Overcast |
| Sun 22 Nov | 62 °F | 44 °F | Overcast |
| Mon 23 Nov | 58 °F | 43 °F | Overcast |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · averages, not a forecast
Where to stay in Kyoto & Osaka
APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae is the best-value pick and the one in the total: $1,690 for the stay, about $188 a night, rated 7.9 from 3,276 reviews, with free cancellation. It sits in the Kyoto Station area, handy for the shinkansen and day trips to Nara and Osaka. Hotel anddoggy Kyoto Nijo is the top rated at 9.5 from 385 reviews, $2,042 for the stay or $227 a night, but it has no free cancellation. Naganoya scores 8.7 from 271 reviews at $1,920 for the stay, $213 a night, with free cancellation and a triple studio. Both of those are in Nakagyo Ward, closer to Downtown Kyoto (Kawaramachi and Shijo), where Nishiki Market and Pontocho alley are at hand.
APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae
£1,274 for 9 nights, two guests · £142 a night
See roomshotel anddoggy Kyoto Nijo
£1,539 for 9 nights, two guests · £171 a night
See roomsNaganoya
£1,447 for 9 nights, two guests · £161 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 Fushimi Inari's torii-gate tunnels before 8am, ahead of the crowds
- See the Arashiyama bamboo grove and the gardens of Tenryu-ji during leaf season
- Book a kaiseki dinner at a Gion ryotei for one big night
- Graze through Nishiki Market on a food crawl
- 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
- Nishiki Market food crawl
Tours and tickets in Kyoto & Osaka
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Madison | Dane County Regional (MSN) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Kyoto & Osaka | Kansai International (KIX), Osaka Itami (ITM) |
| Flight time | 64h 49m (3 stops) |
| Distance | 6,337 miles each way |
| Time difference | +15 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 9 nights in Kyoto & Osaka costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £3,113 |
| Hotel, 9 nights (APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae) | £1,274 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 9 days for two | £1,764 |
| Total for two | £6,151 |
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: Madison to Kyoto & Osaka
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £1,557 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £1,101 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £1,367 |
| Price checks | 5 |
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).
- Autumn leaves at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama peak in mid-to-late November, with evening illuminations.
- You need a passport; the currency is the Japanese yen.
- Japan is 15 hours ahead of Madison, and it's 6,337 miles from Dane County Regional (MSN) to Kansai International (KIX).
- The $5,819 total doesn't include checked bags, about $160 for two, or spending money.
- Our spending estimate is $2,340 for two over 9 days, which puts the full budget at $8,160.
- Prices are all-in as found when we checked and can change before you book.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Not this week. The season is right for fall leaves, but the fare is $2,065 per person against a $1,814 median on earlier checks, and every flight we found has three stops. We'd wait for the fare to come down.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$5,819 for two, all in: flights at $4,129 plus nine nights at APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae at $1,690, taxes and fees included. Checked bags, about $160 for two, and spending money are extra.
How long is the flight?
Long. The flight on MX + B6 + NH has three stops, leaves Madison on Saturday, Nov 14 and lands at Kansai International on Monday, Nov 16. The return leaves and lands on Nov 23.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, you need a passport for Japan. The currency is the Japanese yen, and Japan is 15 hours ahead of Madison.
What is the weather like?
Cool and mostly overcast, with typical highs of 57–64°F and lows near 43°F for these dates, and a couple of drizzly days. Bring layers for early starts at Fushimi Inari.
Is 9 nights enough?
Yes for Kyoto and Osaka. Osaka Namba and Dotonbori is 15 minutes from Kyoto by express train, so nine nights covers the temples, Arashiyama, Nara and a few Osaka evenings without rushing.
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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: Axel Garbet / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Mike The Fabrica / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels, Pexels License