Red maples over temple roofs, takoyaki straight off the griddle and neon reflected in the Dotonbori canal: this is Japan in late autumn.
China Southern is flying from London to Osaka and Tokyo with one stop in Guangzhou, with return fares from £445. Dates run from November into mid-December 2026, right through the autumn leaf season.
✈️ The deal
- From: London, United Kingdom
- To: Osaka or Tokyo, Japan
- Airline: China Southern
- Stops: 1 stop (Guangzhou)
- Price: £445–£475 return
- When: November–December 2026
London to Osaka:
18/11/2026 - 01/12/2026
18/11/2026 - 03/12/2026
30/11/2026 - 16/12/2026
London to Tokyo:
04/11/2026 - 17/11/2026
01/12/2026 - 15/12/2026
02/12/2026 - 16/12/2026
Flights leave from Gatwick or Heathrow, so check which airport each leg uses before you book.
💰 How far does your money go?
Osaka calls itself Japan's kitchen, and it eats cheaper than Tokyo. Eight pieces of takoyaki cost around ¥700, roughly £3.50, half the price of a pint in a London pub. A bowl of ramen is ¥900 to ¥1,200, about £5, and a can of beer from a konbini is under £2. A full day of street food in Dotonbori, beer included, comes in at around £35.
☀️ The weather
Osaka in November is dry and clear, with highs of 16 to 18°C and evenings around 9°C. The maples turn red from mid-November, peaking in Osaka and nearby Kyoto in the last two weeks of the month. Early December brings crisp, sunny days of 11 to 13°C and nights close to 4°C. Tokyo runs a degree or two cooler on the same dates.
🏨 Where to stay
Namba puts you on top of Dotonbori and one train from Kyoto, Nara and the airport.
Hotel Relief Namba Daikokucho · 8.5/10 · From £58/night A simple, clean base a short walk from Namba Station, for spending your money on food rather than the room.
&Here Osaka Namba · 9.3/10 · From £86/night A newer hotel with smart, compact rooms and some of the best guest reviews in the area.
Conrad Osaka · 9.2/10 · From £420/night Rooms start on the 33rd floor, with floor-to-ceiling views across the city and the Dojima river.
🎯 What to do
Osaka is louder, cheaper and friendlier than Tokyo, and proud of it.
Dotonbori after dark. Neon signs, the Glico running man and stalls frying takoyaki and kushikatsu until late.
Kuromon Market. A covered market of grilled scallops, wagyu skewers and fresh sea urchin, best visited before lunch.
Osaka Castle Park. The castle keep surrounded by moats and stone walls, with the trees turning gold and red in late November.
Shinsekai. Retro streets under the Tsutenkaku tower, full of standing bars and deep-fried kushikatsu at a few hundred yen a stick.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Osaka sits at the centre of Kansai, with half of Japan's classic sights within an hour.
Kyoto. Temples, gardens and the best autumn colours in the country, under 30 minutes by train.
Nara. The giant bronze Buddha at Todai-ji and free-roaming deer in the park, about 45 minutes by train.
Himeji. Japan's finest original castle, around 30 minutes on the bullet train.
Hiroshima. The Peace Memorial and a ferry to the floating torii at Miyajima, 90 minutes by bullet train.
Tokyo. Two and a half hours on the bullet train, so you can fly into Osaka and finish the trip in the capital.
Japan in autumn from £445 return. Fares at this level tend to go once the leaf season fills up.
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