How to Get to Tokushima from Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and Kansai Airport (Bus, Train or Car)

Quick answer: Take the highway bus. From Osaka (Umeda) it’s about 2.5 hours and ¥4,100; from Kobe (Sannomiya) about 2 hours and ¥3,600; from Kyoto about 3 hours and ¥4,600; from Kansai Airport about 2 hours 45 minutes and ¥5,000 (only four buses a day — book ahead). The train is about an hour slower and around ¥6,000 more. Book in advance on weekends and holidays — buses fill up.

I live in Tokushima, and I travel to and from Kansai all the time, by highway bus and in my own car over the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. Visitors often expect to take the train, but here the bus is the normal way to travel. There’s no railway over the bridges between Kobe and Tokushima, so trains go the long way round via Okayama.

Bus vs train vs car at a glance

By highway bus

Two groups of bus companies run between Kansai and Tokushima: the Tokushima Bus group and the JR group (“Awa Express”). Together, there are around 45 buses a day between Osaka and Tokushima and around 30 from Kobe. All of them cross the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Awaji Island and the Onaruto Bridge.

In my experience, the bus is faster and cheaper than the train, and it’s the obvious choice. Two things to know:

• On weekends and holidays, book ahead. Buses do sell out.
• Traffic can delay you, especially around Kobe and the bridges on busy days. Don’t plan a tight connection on arrival.

From Osaka

• Where: Osaka Station area (Hankyu Sanbangai, Harbis Osaka or JR Osaka Station), Namba, and USJ on some runs.
• Time: about 2.5 hours from Umeda, about 3 hours from Namba.
• Fare: ¥4,100 one way, ¥7,380 return. Early-bird fares (7+ days ahead) are ¥3,280.
• Buses: from early morning to around 22:00 from Osaka.

From Kobe (Sannomiya)

• Time: about 2 hours.
• Fare: ¥3,600 one way.
• Buses also leave from Shin-Kobe and, on the JR line, from Kobe Airport.

From Kyoto

• Where: Kyoto Station (Karasuma/Chuo exit side).
• Time: about 3 hours. Fare: ¥4,600.
• Only 9 buses a day, and they don’t stop in Osaka. Book ahead.

From Kansai Airport (KIX)

• Time: about 2 hours 45 minutes to Tokushima Station. Fare: ¥5,000.
• Only 4 buses a day in each direction (from Terminal 1 at around 10:00, 12:20, 16:20 and 18:20 at the time of writing). Reservations are required.
• If the times don’t work, take the airport bus to Kobe Sannomiya and change to a Tokushima bus (a combined ticket costs ¥5,220). Flying into Shikoku instead? See Shikoku Airports to the City.

How to book

• Japan Bus Online (English) sells some Tokushima lines, including Kobe and Kansai Airport.
• Highway Bus.com (English) lists Osaka–Tokushima buses from both groups.
• The operators’ own Japanese sites also take bookings.

The Japan Rail Pass does not cover these buses, including the JR-operated Awa Express.

Stops on the way

Most buses also stop at Kosoku Naruto (for Naruto) and some at the Otsuka Museum of Art — handy if you’re visiting the Naruto whirlpools. In Tokushima, buses arrive at the highway bus terminal in front of JR Tokushima Station. Check the platform number on your ticket.

By train

Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Okayama, then JR trains over the Seto-Ohashi Bridge to Takamatsu, and the limited express Uzushio to Tokushima.

• Time: about 3 hours 20 minutes, with two changes (at Okayama and Takamatsu). Since March 2025 the Uzushio no longer runs from Okayama.
• Cost: about ¥10,000 one way.
• Worth it if: you have a Japan Rail Pass (it covers this route, except Nozomi trains), or you’re coming from the west, such as Okayama or Hiroshima. For Shikoku passes, see Shikoku Rail Passes.

By car

If you’re planning to explore Naruto, the Iya Valley or the coast, a rental car makes sense. This is the route I drive:

• Route: Osaka → Kobe → Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge → Awaji Island → Onaruto Bridge → Naruto → Tokushima.
• Time: about 2 hours without traffic.
• Tolls: the bridge section alone (Tarumi IC to Naruto IC) costs ¥3,110 with ETC on weekdays, ¥2,570 on weekends, or ¥5,450 in cash. Get an ETC card with your rental car. See Driving to Shikoku: the bridge tolls. Or skip the bridges: the Nankai Ferry from Wakayama carries cars to Tokushima Port (the route is scheduled to end around March 2028).

Where I stop on the way

• Awaji SA — right after the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. On the Tokushima-bound side there’s a big Ferris wheel with views of the bridge (¥800).
• Murotsu PA — a smaller, quieter stop on Awaji, overlooking the Seto Inland Sea.
• Michi-no-eki Uzushio — at the southern tip of Awaji, with a rooftop deck looking at the Onaruto Bridge. Rebuilt in 2025.
• Michi-no-eki Kurukuru Naruto — just after you arrive in Tokushima, near Naruto IC. Sweet-potato treats, local produce and a “food theme park”. See What to Eat in Tokushima.

By plane

There are no flights from Osaka — it’s too close. Tokushima Awaodori Airport has flights from Tokyo Haneda (about 9 a day, 1 hour 10–25 minutes) and Fukuoka. The airport bus to Tokushima Station takes about 30 minutes (¥800).

FAQ

Can I use my JR Pass on the bus?
No. JR highway buses aren’t covered. The pass covers the train route via Okayama.

Do I need to book the bus?
On weekends and holidays, yes. Buses from Kansai Airport always need a reservation.

Is there a direct train from Osaka?
No. Trains go via Okayama and take about an hour longer than the bus.

What about going on to Naruto?
Get off at Kosoku Naruto, or see Naruto Whirlpools for how to get to the boats and the bridge walk.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.