Kyoto & Osaka from Cincinnati, Nov 14–23: $4,003 for two, all in
The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Autumn leaves peak mid-to-late November at Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama
- APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori: 8.1 from 5,410 reviews, free cancellation
- Fare is $1,227 per person, $3 above the $1,224 typical
The catch: The cheapest fare has 3 stops and takes 77h 46m out, landing Monday, Nov 16 at 5:40 PM, and a checked bag is about $240 for two.
Worth it if a long, multi-stop flight is a fair trade for peak autumn color; skip it if travel days wipe you out.
Worth it if you can handle a long trip there: $4,003 for two covers the flights at $2,453 plus 9 nights at APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori at $1,550, with taxes and fees included. The trip runs Nov 14–23, 2026 on F9 + AC with 3 stops each way, not nonstop. A checked bag ($240 for two) and spending money are extra.
The total, before you go
$4,003 for two · 9 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, round trip | $2,453 |
| APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori, 9 nights, two guests, taxes in | $1,550 |
| The total, before you go | $4,003 |
| A checked bag each, round trip (not in the total) | about $240 |
Not in it: seat picks on basic fares and a checked bag (about $60 each way per bag on Frontier, $240 for two round trip); 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
$1,227 per person, round trip
$2,453 for two, taxes and fees included · F9 + AC · 3 stops · 77h 46m
Out Sat, Nov 14, 4:32 PM – Mon, Nov 16, 5:40 PM · back Mon, Nov 23, 7:25 AM – Tue, Nov 24, 12:03 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| F9 + AC | $1,227 | 3 stops | 77h 46m |
| United | $1,246 | 1 stop | 19h 45m |
| F9 + AC | $1,230 | 3 stops | 76h 32m |
Prices checked Oct 14, 2026, 7:42 AM EDT. 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
The total is $4,003 for two, all in, and the fare is right where this route usually sits. You'd pay $1,227 per person, which is $3 above the $1,224 median from our earlier checks, so 0% in practice. The lowest we saw in the last month was $1,212. The dates are the reason to go. 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, which is good weather for walking temples and markets. Nine nights gives you room for Kyoto, an Osaka food night and a day in Nara. Plan around the flight, though: the outbound eats Saturday through Monday afternoon. Spending money isn't in the total. We budget $130 per person a day, or $6,344 for the whole trip.
The kind of trip this is
This is a culture-and-food city trip for two at an unhurried pace. Your days go to temple walks, gardens and the bamboo grove in Kyoto, and your evenings to market snacks and Osaka's neon street food. It suits couples or friends who like an early start for quiet shrines and a long dinner after. With nine nights you can repeat a favorite neighborhood without feeling rushed.
Weather in Kyoto & Osaka, Nov 14–23
Typical highs 57–64°F, lows near 43°F this time of year
| Day | Typical high | Typical low | Typical weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Nov 14 | 62 °F | 44 °F | Overcast |
| Sun, Nov 15 | 64 °F | 44 °F | Overcast |
| Mon, Nov 16 | 63 °F | 43 °F | Drizzle |
| Tue, Nov 17 | 64 °F | 45 °F | Overcast |
| Wed, Nov 18 | 57 °F | 42 °F | Drizzle |
| Thu, Nov 19 | 58 °F | 41 °F | Overcast |
| Fri, Nov 20 | 60 °F | 42 °F | Overcast |
| Sat, Nov 21 | 62 °F | 41 °F | Overcast |
| Sun, Nov 22 | 62 °F | 44 °F | Overcast |
| Mon, Nov 23 | 58 °F | 43 °F | Overcast |
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com · averages, not a forecast
Where to stay in Kyoto & Osaka
APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori is our best-value pick and the hotel in the total: $1,550 for the stay ($172 a night), rated 8.1 from 5,410 reviews, with free cancellation. It sits in the Kyoto Station area, which works well for the shinkansen and day trips to Nara and Osaka. The top-rated choice is hotel anddoggy Kyoto Nijo at $2,042 ($227 a night), rated 9.5 from 385 reviews. Its room is dog friendly, but there's no free cancellation. It's in Nakagyo Ward, near Downtown Kyoto (Kawaramachi and Shijo), so Nishiki Market and Pontocho alley are close. APA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae is a second station-area option at $1,691 ($188 a night), rated 7.9 from 3,277 reviews, and it also has free cancellation.
APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori
$1,550 for 9 nights, two guests · $172 a night
See roomshotel anddoggy Kyoto Nijo
$2,042 for 9 nights, two guests · $227 a night
See roomsAPA Hotel Kyoto Ekimae
$1,691 for 9 nights, two guests · $188 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, ahead of the crowds
- See the Arashiyama bamboo grove, then the gardens of Tenryu-ji in autumn color
- Do a food crawl through Nishiki Market downtown
- Book a kaiseki dinner at a Gion ryotei for one special night
- 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 Cincinnati | Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Kyoto & Osaka | Kansai International (KIX), Osaka Itami (ITM) |
| Flight time | 77h 46m (3 stops) |
| Distance | 6,707 miles each way |
| Time difference | +14 hours |
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What 9 nights in Kyoto & Osaka costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $2,454 |
| Hotel, 9 nights (APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori) | $1,550 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 9 days for two | $2,340 |
| Total for two | $6,344 |
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: Cincinnati to Kyoto & Osaka
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | $1,227 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $1,212 (Oct 13, 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | $1,224 |
| Price checks | 6 |
Good to know
- Passport: passport needed: travelers 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 14 hours ahead of Cincinnati.
- Flights land at Kansai International (KIX); Osaka Itami (ITM) also serves the area.
- The return leaves Monday, Nov 23 at 7:25 AM and arrives Tuesday, Nov 24 at 12:03 PM.
- Prices are all-in as we found them and can change; the total doesn't include a checked bag.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Yes, if you can handle the flight. The fare is $3 above the $1,224 typical, and the dates land on peak autumn leaves. But the cheapest routing has 3 stops and takes 77h 46m on the way out.
How much is the whole trip for two?
It's $4,003 all in: $2,453 for the flights and $1,550 for 9 nights at APA Hotel Kyoto Eki Horikawadori, with taxes and fees included. A checked bag runs about $240 for two. With spending money at $130 per person a day, we put the full trip at $6,344.
Is there a faster flight?
Yes. We also found United with 1 stop: it leaves Saturday, Nov 14 at 7:00 AM, takes 19h 45m and costs $1,246 per person, or $2,492 for two.
What is the weather like?
Typical highs run 57–64°F with lows near 43°F. Expect mostly overcast days, with drizzle likely on Nov 16 and Nov 18, so pack a light rain layer.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, you need a passport for Japan. Plan on paying in Japanese yen, and remember Kyoto is 14 hours ahead of Cincinnati.
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Kyoto & Osaka in pictures
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