Kyoto Day Trip from Osaka:
Getting Back for a Late Drink
Coming back from a Kyoto, Nara or Kobe day trip: which line, which station, and where to drink after? All three cities are linked to Osaka by more than one railway line, and each line ends at a different station on the Osaka side. If your hotel is in Osaka, the easy move is to ride back to Osaka first and do your drinking there, so the train home is no longer something you have to keep an eye on. Our three Korean bars in Higashi-Shinsaibashi are open every day from 21:00 until 05:00.
I am Korean and run three Korean bars in Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Osaka. Below you will find each return line, the Osaka station it pulls into, and the next step from there to our part of town.
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Return lines from Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, and where they arrive in Osaka
Line names and end stations are taken from the route guides on each railway company's official site, checked on 3 November 2026. Journey times, ticket details and timetables are left out on purpose, because they depend on the train and the day.
| Day trip to | Line back to Osaka | Osaka station you arrive at | Next step towards Higashi-Shinsaibashi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | JR Kyoto Line (from Kyoto Station) | Osaka Station (Umeda) | Osaka Metro Midosuji Line from Umeda Station to Shinsaibashi |
| Kyoto | Hankyu Kyoto Line (from Kyoto-kawaramachi) | Osaka-umeda Station | Midosuji Line from Umeda Station to Shinsaibashi |
| Kyoto | Keihan Main Line (from Gion-shijo and other stations) | Yodoyabashi Station | Midosuji Line from Yodoyabashi Station to Shinsaibashi |
| Nara | Kintetsu Nara Line (from Kintetsu-Nara) | Osaka Namba Station | You are in the Namba area; walk to Higashi-Shinsaibashi |
| Nara | JR Yamatoji Line (from Nara Station) | JR Namba Station | Also in the Namba area; continue on foot |
| Kobe | Hanshin Main Line and Hanshin Namba Line (from Kobe-sannomiya) | Osaka Namba Station | Namba area; walk to Higashi-Shinsaibashi |
| Kobe | JR Kobe Line (from Sannomiya) | Osaka Station (Umeda) | Midosuji Line from Umeda Station to Shinsaibashi |
| Kobe | Hankyu Kobe Line (from Kobe-sannomiya) | Osaka-umeda Station | Midosuji Line from Umeda Station to Shinsaibashi |
A note on the Hanshin Namba Line: according to Hanshin Electric Railway's official announcement, it opened on 20 March 2009, and since then Kobe-sannomiya, Osaka Namba and Kintetsu-Nara have been connected without a change of train. That is why both Kobe and Nara can deliver you straight to Osaka Namba.
From your arrival station to Higashi-Shinsaibashi
Which way you go depends only on where your train stops. There are three cases.
- Umeda side: Osaka Station or Osaka-umeda Station. Change to the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line at Umeda Station and ride south to Shinsaibashi Station. Higashi-Shinsaibashi lies to the east of that station, within walking distance.
- Yodoyabashi. Coming in on the Keihan Main Line, transfer to the Midosuji Line at its Yodoyabashi Station and head south to Shinsaibashi in the same way.
- Namba side: Osaka Namba Station or JR Namba Station. You have already arrived in the Namba area, so you can go on foot to Higashi-Shinsaibashi.
Our bars can be reached on foot from both Shinsaibashi Station and Namba Station. For street-level directions, see our guide to getting to Higashi-Shinsaibashi.
If you land in Umeda during illumination season, there is another option. The Midosuji Illumination 2026 runs from 3 November to 31 December, lit from around 17:00 until 25:00, so instead of taking the subway you could follow Midosuji itself southwards on foot under the lit trees. Dates and the route are in our Midosuji Illumination 2026 guide.
Two sample evenings after a day trip
Early November sunsets in Osaka come at about 17:00 (the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan gives 17:05 on 1 November and 16:59 on 8 November). Here are two ways to plan your evening around that. Treat them as outlines and set your own pace.
Evening A: back in Osaka around dusk, dinner in town, a drink at 21:00
- Leave your day-trip city around sunset and ride one of the lines in the table back to Osaka.
- Drop your bags at the hotel if it is on the way, and freshen up.
- Eat dinner in Namba or Shinsaibashi.
- Walk over to Higashi-Shinsaibashi for 21:00, when our three bars open their doors.
Evening B: dinner where you spent the day, then straight to a bar
- Stay on in Kyoto, Nara or Kobe after dark and have dinner there.
- Take the train back to Osaka once you have eaten.
- Head from your arrival station to Higashi-Shinsaibashi using the steps above.
- Settle in for a drink. We stay open until 05:00, so there is no rush once you are back.
Why it pays to ride back to Osaka before you drink
If you stay out in Kyoto, Nara or Kobe for drinks, part of your mind stays on the last train to Osaka. Return to Osaka first, and the journey home becomes a walk or a short subway ride to your hotel.
Last trains depend on the line and the day, so on the day you travel, check the official timetables and route search of each railway company. We do not list times here because they change.
After the train: our three bars in Higashi-Shinsaibashi
You will find all three bars on upper floors of buildings in Higashi-Shinsaibashi 2-chome, each a short walk from the others and reachable on foot from Shinsaibashi and Namba stations. Korean staff look after you, K-POP plays throughout, and the drinks list centres on Korean favourites: soju, makgeolli and somaek.
We do not serve food, so have dinner on your day trip or in Namba or Shinsaibashi first, then come to us for drinks. We open from 21:00 to 05:00 every day, with no closing days, and no booking is needed; you are also welcome to phone us or message us on Instagram to reserve or ask a question. Cards and cash are both accepted. You need to be 20 or over to come in, and if you have been drinking, please leave the car behind. Google Maps gives each of the three a 4.9 rating; the review counts, checked in September 2026, stand at 2,844 on HEAVEN's page, 678 on SARANG's page and 380 on the page of 韓国バーMOON.
| Your plan for the night | Bar | What you will find there |
|---|---|---|
| Talking quietly as a pair, or coming alone | SARANG | A quiet room to wind down after a long day out: fully non-smoking, mainly counter seating, and no karaoke |
| Relaxing over shisha | 韓国バーMOON | Shisha and lounge seating, karaoke on hand, smoking permitted inside |
| Singing with your travel group | HEAVEN | Karaoke and darts at no charge to play, smoking permitted inside |
Not sure which one fits your evening? Let our bar chooser help: it suggests a bar after a few quick questions.
HEAVEN
Karaoke, free darts and smoking allowed inside; a lively finish for friends back from a day out.
5F Galaxy Building No.3, 2-4-19 Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Open in Google MapsMOON
Shisha in lounge seats, karaoke available and smoking allowed inside; for an unhurried night.
3F LUXE Building Naka Room, 2-8-6 Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Open in Google MapsSARANG
Quiet and fully non-smoking, with counter seats and no karaoke; good for two, or alone.
Room 206, Gold Center Building, 2-8-12 Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Open in Google Maps
Day trips from Osaka and getting back: questions travellers ask
Q. Which line goes from Kyoto back to Osaka?
There are three: the JR Kyoto Line from Kyoto Station to Osaka Station, the Hankyu Kyoto Line from Kyoto-kawaramachi to Osaka-umeda, and the Keihan Main Line from Gion-shijo and other stations to Yodoyabashi.
Q. How do I get from Nara to Namba?
The Kintetsu Nara Line runs from Kintetsu-Nara Station to Osaka Namba Station, and the JR Yamatoji Line runs from Nara Station to JR Namba Station. Both leave you in the Namba area.
Q. How do I get from Kobe to Shinsaibashi?
The Hanshin lines take you from Kobe-sannomiya to Osaka Namba, from where you can walk. The JR Kobe Line (to Osaka Station) and the Hankyu Kobe Line (to Osaka-umeda) arrive in Umeda, where you change to the Midosuji Line for Shinsaibashi.
Q. What time is the last train back to Osaka?
It varies by line and by day, so we do not give a time here. Check the official timetable or route search of the railway company on the day you travel.
Q. What time can I start drinking after a day trip?
Our three bars open at 21:00 and close at 05:00, every day of the year. Coming back to Osaka a little before 21:00 leaves time for dinner first.
Q. Can I come straight from the station without a reservation?
Yes, walk-ins are fine. If you would like to book or check something, call us or send an Instagram DM.
Q. Which bar suits someone travelling alone?
SARANG, a quiet, fully non-smoking bar built around the counter, suits a solo traveller or two people who want to talk.
Lines and stations are from the route guides on the official sites of each railway company (JR West, Hankyu, Keihan, Kintetsu, Hanshin and Osaka Metro), checked on 3 November 2026. Timetables and tickets can change, so check the official sites on the day you travel. Sunset times are from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Osaka). Bar information is from Google Maps (as of September 2026).