Kyoto & Osaka from Birmingham, Nov 27–Dec 2: round trip from $1,821
Round-trip flights from Birmingham to Kyoto & Osaka cost $1,821 per person ($3,642 for two) for Nov 27–Dec 2, 2026, a 5-night trip on KE + TW with 3 stops, not nonstop. Expect highs of 55–58°F and lows near 40°F, with some drizzle. The best-value hotel, APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori, is $734 for the stay, or $147 a night.
The flight
$2,503 $1,821 per person, round trip
the highest fare we saw for these dates
$3,642 for two, taxes and fees included · KE + TW · 3 stops · 81h 36m
Out Fri, Nov 27, 9:12 AM – Sat, Nov 28, 11:40 PM · back Wed, Dec 2, 8:40 PM – Fri, Dec 4, 3:48 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| KE + TW | $1,821 | 3 stops | 81h 36m |
| KE + LJ | $1,853 | 3 stops | 80h 21m |
| KE + TW | $1,822 | 3 stops | 81h 6m |
Prices checked Oct 12, 2026, 10:26 AM CDT. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
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Your trip for two
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $3,642 |
| APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori, 5 nights | $734 |
| Trip total for two | $4,376 |
Regular: $5,740 You pay: $4,376 Saved: $1,364
the highest fare we saw for these dates.
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Why go now
$1,821 per person round trip, or $3,642 for two, all-in with taxes and fees when we checked. That's $682 below the highest fare we saw for these dates, a 27% gap across the 12 offers we looked at. Add the best-value hotel at $734 for 5 nights and $130 per person a day for spending, and the whole trip comes to $5,676 for two. The timing is the other draw: autumn leaves at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama peak in mid-to-late November, with evening illuminations, so you land at the tail of the color. Highs run 55–58°F with lows near 40°F and a few drizzly or rainy days, which is good weather for temple walks and market crawls. Heads-up: it's a 3-stop routing, and the outbound lands at 11:40 PM on Saturday, Nov 28. Prices can change before you book.
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, and a day in Nara if you want one. It suits a couple or two friends who like walking all day and eating well at night. Expect a relaxed pace of early starts at the shrines and long dinners, with a long travel day at each end.
Weather in Kyoto & Osaka, Nov 27–Dec 2
Typical highs 55–58°F, lows near 40°F this time of year
| Day | Typical high | Typical low | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 27 | 57 °F | 41 °F | Drizzle |
| Sat, Nov 28 | 58 °F | 41 °F | Drizzle |
| Sun, Nov 29 | 58 °F | 41 °F | Overcast |
| Mon, Nov 30 | 58 °F | 39 °F | Rain |
| Tue, Dec 1 | 55 °F | 39 °F | Overcast |
| Wed, Dec 2 | 55 °F | 36 °F | Overcast |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · averages, not a forecast
Where to stay in Kyoto & Osaka
APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori is the best-value pick at $734 for the 5 nights, or $147 a night. It's rated 8.1 from 5,439 reviews and comes with free cancellation. It sits in the Kyoto Station area, which makes the shinkansen and day trips easy. Sakura Cross Hotel Kyoto Kiyomizu is our budget pick in Gion and Higashiyama at $923 for the stay ($185 a night), rated 8.5 from 1,951 reviews. Note that it doesn't offer free cancellation. For a splurge, The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu - a member of the Leading Hotels of the World- is the top rated of the three at 9.5 from 486 reviews. It costs $7,498 for the stay, or $1,500 a night, with free cancellation. Gion and Higashiyama puts you on the temple walk from Kiyomizu-dera to Nanzen-ji.
APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori
$734 for 5 nights, two guests · $147 a night
See roomsThe Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu - a member of the Leading Hotels of the World-
$7,498 for 5 nights, two guests · $1,500 a night
See roomsSakura Cross Hotel Kyoto Kiyomizu
$923 for 5 nights, two guests · $185 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.
- Pair the Arashiyama bamboo grove with the gardens of Tenryu-ji, one of the late-November leaf spots.
- Set aside one evening for a kaiseki dinner at a Gion ryotei.
- Graze your way through Nishiki Market on a food crawl, with Pontocho alley close by.
- Take the 15-minute express train to Osaka for takoyaki and okonomiyaki on Dotonbori.
- Spend a day in Nara with the 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
- 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 Birmingham | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Kyoto & Osaka | Kansai International (KIX), Osaka Itami (ITM) |
| Flight time | 81h 36m (3 stops) |
| Distance | 6,959 miles each way |
| Time difference | +15 hours |
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What 5 nights in Kyoto & Osaka costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $3,642 |
| Hotel, 5 nights (APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori) | $734 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 5 days for two | $1,300 |
| Total for two | $5,676 |
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: Birmingham to Kyoto & Osaka
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | $1,821 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $1,819 (Oct 12, 2026) |
| Price checks | 2 |
Good to know
- Passport: yes, US citizens need a valid passport for Kyoto & Osaka.
- 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. Japan uses the Japanese yen (JPY).
- Kyoto is 15 hours ahead of Birmingham, and the trip covers 6,959 miles each way.
- The fare flies BHM to Kansai International (KIX) with 3 stops. Total listed travel time for the round trip is 81h 36m.
- The return leaves Wednesday, Dec 2 at 8:40 PM and lands Friday, Dec 4 at 3:48 PM.
- All three hotels are room only. APA and The Hotel Seiryu offer free cancellation, but Sakura Cross doesn't.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
It's $1,821 per person round trip, or $3,642 for two, all-in with taxes and fees when we checked. It flies on KE + TW with 3 stops and leaves BHM Friday, Nov 27 at 9:12 AM. Fares move, so check the live price before you book.
What does the whole trip cost for two?
We found $5,676 for two: $3,642 for flights, $734 for 5 nights at APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori, and $1,300 for spending, which works out to $130 per person a day.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, you need a passport for Japan. Pack for yen too, since the currency is the Japanese yen (JPY).
What is the weather like?
Typical highs are 55–58°F with lows near 40°F. The normals show drizzle on Nov 27 and 28, rain on Monday, Nov 30, and overcast skies on the other days, so bring layers and a rain jacket.
Is 5 nights enough?
The hotel stay is 5 nights, but the outbound lands at 11:40 PM on Saturday, Nov 28, so the first night goes unused unless you change your check-in. That leaves Sunday through Wednesday on the ground before the 8:40 PM flight home. If you keep it tight, that's enough for Kyoto, an evening in Osaka and a day in Nara.
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Kyoto & Osaka in pictures
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Image credits
- Photo: Mike The Fabrica / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Axel Garbet / Pexels, Pexels License