Kyoto & Osaka from Tucson, 14 – 23 Nov: £3,407 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Autumn leaves peak mid-to-late November at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama
- $244 per person below the highest fare we saw for these dates
- APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae: 7.9 from 3,276 reviews, free cancellation
The catch: The flight out takes 38h 35m with 2 stops, so you land Monday, Nov 16, and a checked bag is about $140 for two.
Worth it if you want temples in autumn color and Osaka street food and can sit through 38h 35m; skip it if long connections wear you out.
Worth it if you can handle a long trip out: $4,520 for two covers the flights at $2,830 plus APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae at $1,690, taxes and fees included. Checked bags and spending money aren't in that total. It's Nov 14–23, 2026, nine nights, on Alaska + Hainan (operated by SkyWest Airlines as Alaska SkyWest), and it isn't nonstop: 2 stops and 38h 35m on the way out.
The total, before you go
£3,407 for two · 9 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £2,133 |
| APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae, 9 nights, two guests, taxes in | £1,274 |
| The total, before you go | £3,407 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £106 |
£184 per person below the highest fare we saw for these dates.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £26 each way per bag on Alaska, £106 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
£1,067 per person, return
£2,133 for two, taxes and fees included · Alaska + Hainan. Operated by SkyWest Airlines as Alaska SkyWest · 2 stops · 38h 35m
Out Sat, Nov 14, 6:00 AM – Mon, Nov 16, 12:35 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska + Hainan. Operated by SkyWest Airlines as Alaska SkyWest | £1,067 | 2 stops | 38h 35m |
| JX + VZ | £1,128 | 3 stops | 56h 7m |
| JX + VZ | £1,156 | 2 stops | 56h 7m |
Prices checked 12 Oct 2026, 11:33 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
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Why now
$4,520 for two covers round-trip flights at $1,415 per person and nine nights at APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae, taxes and fees included. That fare is $244 below the highest fare we saw for these dates, 15% less, across the 12 offers we checked. The timing is the real draw: 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, good weather for long days walking between temples. Our budget puts spending money at $2,340 for two on top, which brings the whole trip to $6,860. The trade-off is getting there: 2 stops and 38h 35m. If that works for you, Kyoto and Osaka in leaf season is worth it for the two of you.
The kind of trip this is
This is a city trip built around culture and food, with some nature mixed in: temples and gardens in Kyoto, street food in Osaka, half an hour apart. It suits a couple or two friends who like long walking days, early starts and slow dinners. Nine nights gives you room for a steady pace, with Nara as an easy day out.
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 our best-value pick at $1,690 for the stay ($188 a night), rated 7.9 from 3,276 reviews. It's in the Kyoto Station area, which is handy for the shinkansen and day trips. Naganoya, our budget-tier option, is $1,920 for the stay ($213 a night) and scores higher at 8.7 from 271 reviews. It's in Nakagyo Ward near Downtown Kyoto (Kawaramachi and Shijo), close to Nishiki Market and Pontocho alley. The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu - a member of the Leading Hotels of the World- is the top rated at 9.5 from 482 reviews, at $14,248 for the stay ($1,583 a night). It sits in Gion and Higashiyama, right on the temple walk from Kiyomizu-dera to Nanzen-ji. All three are room only with free cancellation.
APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae
£1,274 for 9 nights, two guests · £142 a night
See roomsThe Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu - a member of the Leading Hotels of the World-
£10,740 for 9 nights, two guests · £1,193 a night
See roomsNaganoya
£1,447 for 9 nights, two guests · £161 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 8 AM, before the crowds arrive
- See the Arashiyama bamboo grove, then the gardens of Tenryu-ji
- Book a kaiseki dinner at a Gion ryotei for one slow evening
- Graze your way 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
- 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 Tucson | Tucson International (TUS) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Kyoto & Osaka | Kansai International (KIX), Osaka Itami (ITM) |
| Flight time | 38h 35m (2 stops) |
| Distance | 6,090 miles each way |
| Time difference | +16 hours |
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What 9 nights in Kyoto & Osaka costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £2,133 |
| Hotel, 9 nights (APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae) | £1,274 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 9 days for two | £1,764 |
| Total for two | £5,171 |
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: Tucson to Kyoto & Osaka
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £1,067 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £1,067 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Price checks | 3 |
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 for Japan.
- The currency is the Japanese yen, and Kyoto is 16 hours ahead of Tucson.
- The flight out leaves Tucson International (TUS) at 6:00 AM on Saturday, Nov 14 and lands at Kansai International (KIX) at 12:35 PM on Monday, Nov 16.
- A checked bag is about $140 for two and isn't in the $4,520 total.
- All three hotels are room only with free cancellation, so you can lock in a room and still change plans.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Worth it if you can live with the trip out. You get nine nights in leaf season for $4,520 for two, all in, with a fare $244 per person below the highest we saw. The trade-off is 2 stops and 38h 35m to get there.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$4,520, taxes and fees included: $2,830 for both round-trip fares and $1,690 for nine nights at APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae. A checked bag is about $140 for two on top. Our budget puts spending money at $2,340, so the full trip comes to $6,860.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, Japan requires a passport. Check that yours is valid before you book the $1,415 per person fare.
What is the weather like?
Cool and mostly overcast. Typical highs run 57–64°F with lows near 43°F, and the normals show a couple of drizzly days. Pack layers and a light rain jacket for the temple walks.
When do we actually arrive?
You leave Tucson at 6:00 AM on Saturday, Nov 14 and land at Kansai International at 12:35 PM on Monday, Nov 16, after 2 stops. Check that your hotel check-in date matches when you land.
Where should we stay?
APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae, at $188 a night, rated 7.9, is by Kyoto Station for easy day trips. Naganoya, at $213 a night, rated 8.7, puts you near Nishiki Market. Both offer free cancellation.
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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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