Hiroshima and Miyajima from Osaka
You are based in Osaka and wonder whether Hiroshima is one long day or a night.
Choosing your region
Where to go after the Golden Route
You have done Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and want a second trip that feels new.
If you have done Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the easiest second trips lie along the same Shinkansen line, then reach further for more effort. From Kansai, the order is Okayama, Hiroshima, Koyasan, Fukuoka and Kyushu, then Shikoku and Hokkaido. The effort ranking is ours, based on published travel times.
Which options need the least effort?
Okayama is reached by the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. Its Korakuen is one of Japan’s three greatest landscape gardens, and it is a jump-off point for Naoshima 1. Hiroshima is about 80 minutes from Osaka by the same line 2.
See the Okayama page and the Hiroshima page, and read Hiroshima and Miyajima from Osaka.
What about a mountain night?
Koyasan is a minimum of 90 minutes from Namba on the Nankai Koya Line, followed by a five-minute cable car, and over 50 temples offer lodging 3. It suits travellers who want quiet. Read Koyasan overnight or skip.
How far is Kyushu?
Shin-Osaka to Hakata takes around two hours and 20 minutes by Shinkansen, and Itami to Fukuoka Airport by air takes one hour and 15 minutes 4. Use Fukuoka as a base, then add Nagasaki or Kumamoto. See Fukuoka as a Kyushu base and the Fukuoka page.
What are Shikoku and Hokkaido like?
Shikoku is the smallest of Japan’s four major islands, with Dogo Onsen and the udon of Kagawa, and Kochi Castle is one of only 12 castles in Japan with its original keep 5. It suits travellers who want a quieter, traditional Japan. Read Shikoku for return visitors.
Flights from Tokyo to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport take about 90 minutes, and Hokkaido summers are milder and less humid than the rest of Japan 6. See the Hokkaido page.
How do you choose?
- Count your days. Under five, choose Okayama and Hiroshima.
- Name the season. Cool months suit Kyushu and Hiroshima; summer suits Hokkaido.
- Name what you loved. Gardens and history point to Okayama and Hiroshima; food points to Fukuoka.
- Name who is travelling. Elders favour fewer transfers.
The ringgit budget tool helps with costs once you have a shortlist. January means are 6.9 °C in Fukuoka, 5.4 °C in Tokyo and minus 3.2 °C in Sapporo, which helps with the season question 7.
Tell us what you loved on your first trip and how many days you have, and we rank second-trip regions by effort for your group.
Keep planning
Hiroshima, planned with care
You want to see Hiroshima properly, and not rush it between two other cities.
Kyushu from Fukuoka for first-timers
You want to see Kyushu, and you need one base that keeps the days simple.
Shikoku: is it for a return trip
You have done the main Japan circuit and want somewhere slower, but you worry about getting around.
Hokkaido, planned around your family
You picture cool air and open land, and want it to be easy for everyone.
Fukuoka, planned for first-time visitors
Kyushu's gateway city is easy to reach, and you want to know what to do with it.
Questions travellers ask
What is the easiest second trip from Kansai?
Okayama and Hiroshima, which lie on the same Shinkansen line. Osaka to Hiroshima takes about 80 minutes, and Okayama is on the way. They need little planning and make a good half-week extension. Add Naoshima or Miyajima for a second day.
Is Kyushu practical for a second trip?
Yes. Shin-Osaka to Hakata takes around two hours and 20 minutes by Shinkansen, and Itami to Fukuoka by air one hour and 15 minutes, per JNTO. Use Fukuoka as a base, then add Nagasaki or Kumamoto. It suits five nights or more.
Which second-trip option is best for the cold-averse?
Kyushu, in the cooler months. The Japan Meteorological Agency gives a January mean of 6.9 °C for Fukuoka, against 5.4 °C for Tokyo and minus 3.2 °C for Sapporo. Hokkaido summers are milder and less humid than the rest of Japan, per JNTO. Pick the season first, then the region.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- JNTO, Okayamaaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Hiroshima and Osakaaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Koyasanaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Fukuoka cityaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Shikokuaccessed 2026-10-20
- JNTO, Hokkaidoaccessed 2026-10-20
- Japan Meteorological Agency, Tables of Climatological Normalsaccessed 2026-10-20
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.