Hi all, have scrolled through 60 pages of Japan 2012/13 thread and so just gonna ask now:
-Flying in to Osaka, options to stay for a night? Eats? stuff to do?
-Possibility of getting to Kyoto and doing a night there on way?
-Best way to get up to Nagano; trains, shuttles or cheapest/quickest ways?
Have seen some stuff on here but damned if I can find it!
Plan to stay a night/morning and head up to Noz the next arvo- long enough?(gotta please +1 and get to snow ASAP!!!!!!)

Osaka is just another big city IMO..
Stay: Dotonbori area - the Cross Hotel is a good one
Eat: Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki & Kushikatsu
Do: Shop, go to Spa world..

Kyoto is just up the road and would be my choice.. only 25 min on the Shinkansen

To get to Nagano, catch the Shink to Nagoya (from either Kyoto or Osaka) and then an express train to Nagano. Cheapest option would be a night bus.

Thanks Deskrider, flight gets in about 7, how easy is it to get to Kyoto from Kansai airport, would it be worth just going straight there and doing night and morning there? (romancobrownie points +)

No worries, haven't done it myself but looks like 1 train going off Hyperdia, 76 min.
Train info link

Depending on how the flight goes a night walk around Gion is pretty nice, tie that in with a morning getting around a few temples and you would probably score a few points - Kiyomizu is one of the most famous ones, or the golden temple..

Only my opinion but you are doing Kyoto (and your +1) a disservice by only spending one morning there.

I kind of agree one morning in Kyoto will not be enough... I think there is a high chance that your brownie points would go negative if you pulled that... You can get an express train or express bus from the airport to Kyoto. I think by the time you got there you would not have all that much time to look around at night.

The express train mentioned earlier from Nagoya to Nagano is a great trip, beautiful scenery. I would also recommend sending your luggage from Kyoto or the airport to your accommodation, that way you could travel light, and stop off at Matsumoto to have a look at the castle then travel on. It's a quick trip and seeing as you are going through their anyway will definitely be worth it.

Hey gibblet...we did this trip back in 2011.. get the haruka train from Osaka kansai directly to Kyoto..no need to change to a shink then. Kyoto is easy to navigate...feels kinda like the same size as.....Adelaide i guess. Get a bike while in Kyoto for sure. Kyoto to nagano is easy. Shink to nagoya...change to the shinano upto nagano.

Awesome crew, thanks... plan looks like a straight to Kyoto then... any recommendations on accomodations there? will prob Takkyubin gear straight from Kansai, assuming they have it in the airport like Narita, then travel light, day &nite in Kyoto and then up to Nagano the morning arvo, hopefully for an arvo Slide at Noz to get the legs in.... as a loose plan-

Yeah kansai is a better airport than narita i think for organising takayubin, its very well designed. Ive been through there three times. We stayed in citadines Kyoto. Close to subway...ok priced...new as

takyubin is at kix airport, turn left when you get out the hall.
walk ~ 200 meters.

Another thumbs up for Citadines. Easy to get anywhere from there by subway or bus (or walk to a lot of places.) Large rooms, studios with a small kitchenette.I would recomend at least two days in Kyoto.

Just a warning, the gold pavilion in Kyoto is gold, the silver pavilion is not silver.

We spent a day and a half in Kyoto which was fine for looking around the city, but we did not have the time to see things a little further out, like Nara.

I would recommend the all day bus pass (in Kyoto), the train system is ok, but the busses take you everywhere and are more regular.

If you want to have a look in the palace in Kyoto you need to pre book a tour, you can't just turn up.

Aside from the snow, Kyoto was my favourite place in Japan, enjoy.

Just stayed at the Citadines in Kyoto for 2 nights a few nights ago. Great hotel, great spot. Definitely hire bikes, such a quick and easy way to get around the sites, just hope it doesn't rain!

Is also to the right about 50 metres depending which doors you come out! Very easy process, sent two bags to Niseko for approx 5000 yen.