Kansai has two international airports. Kansai International Airport (KIX), built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, is the main gateway for international arrivals. The Haruka express train connects KIX to Kyoto Station in about 75 minutes; the Nankai Limited Express to Osaka Namba takes 38 minutes. Itami Airport (ITM), closer to Osaka city, handles mainly domestic routes.
From Tokyo, the Shinkansen (bullet train) is the practical choice — the Nozomi reaches Kyoto in 2 hours 15 minutes, Osaka in 2 hours 30 minutes. The Shinkansen is covered by the JR Pass, which travellers planning to use heavily should buy before arriving in Japan. The overnight bus from Tokyo is cheaper if considerably less comfortable.
JR Pass consideration: The JR Pass covers the Shinkansen and most JR lines throughout Kansai, making it efficient if you are making multiple longer journeys. Within Osaka and Kyoto city, private rail companies (Hankyu, Kintetsu, Keihan) and subways run routes not covered by the JR Pass, so a pass is not necessarily the most economical choice for a stay concentrated in one city.