Takoyaki on Dotonbori, deer in Nara and Kyoto's temples 15 minutes away by bullet train.
Air China flies from Stockholm Arlanda to Osaka Kansai from €513 return, with one stop in Beijing each way. A checked bag and meals are included, and the long stop on the way home is a free night in Beijing.
✈️ The Deal
- From: Stockholm Arlanda, Sweden
- To: Osaka Kansai, Japan
- Airline: Air China
- Stops: 1 stop each way (Beijing)
- Price: €513 return
- When: February - March 2027
Example dates:
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You leave Arlanda at 21:30, change in Beijing after 3h35 and land at Kansai at 20:10 the next day. The flight home leaves Osaka at 13:50 and stops for 21h45 in Beijing, so you spend a night there before landing in Stockholm at 16:20. This is the only combination we found under €550: nearby dates cost €575 or more.
💰 How far does your money go?
A coffee in Stockholm costs about €4.50 and a beer in a bar around €8. Osaka is Japan's kitchen, and it is cheap: a bowl of ramen or a set lunch costs about €6, a can of beer from a convenience store under €2 and a plate of takoyaki around €4. A full night of eating down Dotonbori is hard to push past €25.
☀️ The Weather
Late February and early March in Osaka are cold and bright, with highs of 10-12°C, nights around 3°C and little rain. It is the quiet season, with shorter queues at the temples of Kyoto and Nara, and the plum blossoms are out at Osaka Castle.
🏨 Where to Stay
Shinsaibashi and Namba for food and nightlife, Umeda for the trains.
UMEDAHOLIC HOTEL · 8.8/10 · From €75/night
A modern, good-value hotel near Umeda, Osaka's main rail hub.
HOTEL THE FLAG Shinsaibashi · 9.4/10 · From €115/night
A design hotel on Midosuji, a short walk from the neon and street food of Dotonbori.
Imperial Hotel Osaka · 9.2/10 · From €150/night
A classic grand hotel on the Okawa River, with big rooms and views over the city.
⏱️ Making the most of your layover in Beijing
On the way home you land in Beijing Capital in the late afternoon and fly on to Stockholm the next day, after 21h45. Swedish passport holders can currently enter China visa-free for short stays, but check the rules before you fly, and be back at the airport at least 3 hours before your next flight. That is enough time for a night in a hotel and a morning trip to the Great Wall.
Great Wall layover tour from Beijing Capital: A guided trip from the airport to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, with the cable car and transfers both ways.
Hutong layover tour: A private tour from the airport to the old lanes and courtyard houses of central Beijing.
If you'd rather rest:
Jinjiang Inn Beijing Capital Airport · 8.8/10 · From €35/night
A simple, clean hotel about 1 km from Beijing Capital airport, for a proper night's sleep between flights.
🎯 What to Do
Osaka is street food, neon and the easiest base for the rest of Kansai.
Shinsekai street food tour: Fifteen tastings, from kushikatsu to takoyaki, in Osaka's most retro neighbourhood.
Dotonbori river cruise: The canal under the Glico Running Man sign and the neon of Osaka's busiest street.
Nara, Uji and Kyoto day trip: The bowing deer and Great Buddha of Nara, matcha in Uji and the shrines of Kyoto in one day.
Hiroshima and Miyajima by bullet train: The Peace Memorial Park and the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine.
🗺️ Where to Go From Here
Osaka is the base for the whole Kansai region, and for the rest of Japan.
Kyoto: Temples, gardens and Gion, 15 minutes by Shinkansen.
Kobe: The harbour, the hills and the beef, 25 minutes by rapid train.
Okinawa: Subtropical beaches and 20°C in late February, about 2h15 by air. Search flights
Sapporo: Powder snow and the ski slopes of Hokkaido, about 2 hours by air. Search flights
€513 return from Stockholm to Osaka, with a bag included and a free night in Beijing. One date only, so book it soon.
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