Visiting Kyoto and Osaka for the first time

Hi there!

Spending 2 days in 1 day in Osaka sounds like a good idea to me. I would recommend finding an accommodation in the middle of Kyoto to minimize travel.

In Kyoto there are different things you can visit, some of the best attractions include Kyomizu-dera, Kinkakuji and the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Also I would recommend walking the streets of Kawaramachi and Going to really get a feel for Kyoto city. There are numerous small shops selling all kinds of things, from traditional wood cutting to the latest fashion.

For your arrival at Kansai Airport, consider buying a Haruka + Icoca package and for travel within Kyoto buy a bus day pass which is just 500yen and covers travel for all over the city. A normal bus ride costs a flat fee of 220 yen so its very easy to make savings.

I hope this helps!
Daniel