ESSENTIALS

Getting there & around

British Airways and Japan Airlines fly nonstop from London to Osaka’s Kansai International Airport, while airlines including All Nippon Airways, KLM, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic all offer one-stop services from the UK. ba.com jal.com ana.co.jp klm.com koreanair.com virginatlantic.com Average flight time: 12h.

High-speed trains connect Kansai International Airport with the city’s Osaka, Shin-Osaka, Tennoji and Nankai Namba Stations. The Airport Limousine Bus and taxis also connect to the city centre.

When to go

Osaka is best visited in spring and autumn, when temperatures range from 10-25C. Winter is chilly but not freezing, while summer is hot, often humid with highs of around 33C.

Places mentioned

Ravitaillement. facebook.com/ravitaillement

Beer Belly. beerbelly.jp/tosabori Asahiya. facebook.com/beerasahiya

Where to stay

Hotel the Flag, in Shinsaibashi, has doubles from 12,000 yen (£83) a night. en.hoteltheflag.jp

Cross Hotel, near the Dotonbori Canal, has doubles from 13,000 yen (£91) a night. crosshotel.com

More info

Japan Tourism. japan.travel/en Osaka Tourism. osaka-info.jp/en

How to do it

INSIDE JAPAN TOURS’ seven-night Kansai Culture trip includes four nights B&B in Osaka and a street food tour, plus three nights’ self-catering in a machiya townhouse in Kyoto, transport in Japan, airport transfers, and international return flights with British Airways from London, from £2,065 per person. Insidejapantours.com