Japan’s Most Expensive Overnight Bus | Tokyo to Osaka Trip Vlog (Honest Review)

Japan’s Most Expensive Overnight Bus | Tokyo to Osaka Trip Vlog (Honest Review)

Today, we’re boarding most expensive overnight bus in Japan. Luxurious on-board facilities. Are the zero-gravity seats really that comfortable? From Shinjuku to Osaka. Please enjoy the trip! Our journey begins at Busta Shinjuku. 10:30 PM. We’re currently at the south exit of Shinjuku Station. That’s JR Shinjuku Station. Next to it is Busta Shinjuku. The bus terminal is on the fourth floor of Busta Shinjuku. Move to the fourth floor. This is the bus terminal entrance. There’s a souvenir shop on the right and a convenience store on the left. Before boarding the bus, we can shop at the convenience store. Daily necessities like toothpaste. Drinks and foods. I bought some drinks and foods. The bus terminal is quite crowded. There’s an automatic bus ticket machine. Check the gate on the electronic bulletin board. Today, we’re boarding from Gate C8. Night buses depart from Shinjuku to various destinations throughout Japan. Today’s bus departs at 11:15 PM. On this day, the bus arrived at around 11:03 PM, 12 minutes before departure. The bus is called the DREAM SLEEPER. Its white body is beautiful. However, the bus left… The reason was that the previous bus was delayed and hadn’t arrived yet. After the previous bus departed, the Dream Sleeper arrived again. Let’s check today’s route. The bus departs Tokyo/Shinjuku at 11:15 PM and is scheduled to arrive in Osaka at 6:35 AM. The fare is 20,000 JPY (130.1 USD) one way. I booked the bus online in advance (reservations can be made up to one month in advance). When we board the bus, we take off our shoes and put on slippers. The bus had 11 seats, all fully private. The interior had a luxurious feel, with a black theme. My seat is B4. The private room is 85cm (2.78ft) wide and 160cm (5.24ft) long. It felt luxurious. The wall in front of the seat is made of wood. After departure, we’ll take a closer look at the seats. When we close the door, it becomes a completely private room. The bus departed five minutes late, around 11:20 PM. Today’s seat, B4, was a bit of a disappointment, as it was where the writing was on the window. There’s plenty of space in front of the seat (other buses are narrower). We can put our luggage here and fully stretch our legs. The floor is carpeted. The foldable table is spacious enough. Amenities are placed to the right of the seat. A piece of paper with a welcome message written in Japanese. Headphone cover. Wet towel. Toothbrush, toothpaste. Mask Steam eye mask. Mineral water. This is the lighting dimmer switch. This is the seat control panel. It reclines and the footrest angle is adjustable. An air purifier from the Japanese manufacturer Panasonic. Headphones from the Japanese manufacturer Sony. We can place small items in this space. A USB Type-A port. A power outlet. Audio equipment. We can play music for sleep. A padded, adjustable headrest. The seat is of average firmness for a bus. A blanket. Made in Japan. Seat belt. One hanger. A trash bag. Information on the bus. Seat description. Facilities on the bus. Free Wi-Fi available. Ceiling lighting. Adjustable air conditioning. Ceiling lighting in the rear. Dimmable lighting. Emergency SOS button. Overhead luggage rack. Relaxation wear. I’ll put that on later. The windows have curtains. Black, light-blocking curtains. There is space behind the seat. I was getting a little carsick, so I’ll take some motion sickness medicine. It’s nice that there is mineral water on the bus. The outlet works perfectly. Let’s try out the free Wi-Fi. Follow the instructions and connect to the Wi-Fi. Check the Wi-Fi speed. Unfortunately, it’s slow. It’s 11:46 PM. The bus has departed Shinjuku, Tokyo, and is heading west. It should be entering the highway soon. Time for a midnight snack. Crab stick. Cheese. Rice balls with roast pork and mayonnaise. Sparkling wine. The water I bought at the convenience store is the same, coincidentally. There’s only one drink holder. Two drink holders would be even more convenient. The crab stick is incredibly delicious. The bus entered the highway. The highway we entered is called the Tomei Expressway. The bus is traveling at approximately 85 km/h (52.8 mph). It’s late at night, but there are a lot of cars on the road. We were overtaken by another night bus… Cheers! The rice balls are delicious. They are generally tasty, no matter what the filling. The good thing about the amenities is that they provide wet towels. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten string cheese. This cheese can be easily shredded by hand. 12:04 AM. It’s time to turn off the lights, but let’s go check out the restroom. The restroom is located between seats B2 and B3. The restroom entrance. Go inside. It’s quite small. Lock the door and use the restroom. I wonder if people really stand on the toilet? There is a note above. The toilet has a bidet. Of course, toilet paper is provided. This toilet is made by the Japanese manufacturer LIXIL. There is toilet paper left in the toilet by the previous user… I flushed it. Wet wipes and deodorizer. Washbasin. 12:18 AM. I noticed I could turn off the rear lights myself. Let’s take a look at the loungewear. It’s a one-piece, poncho-style loungewear. At the very back of the bus, there is a powder room. It’s also quite small. Paper cups, trash can. Wet wipes. No water? Hand soap. Paper. Here’s a chair. When we put out this chair, water will come out of the faucet. Drainpipe. Toothbrush. Toothpaste. After pulling out the chair, the water started coming out. I brush my teeth and get ready for sleep. Let’s try out the zero-gravity seat. Simply press one switch to turn it into a zero gravity seat. The Zero Gravity seat is inspired by NASA and is said to reduce fatigue. The zero-gravity seat is complete. It reclines to about 140 degrees, far from fully flat. The Sunrise sleeper train, with its fully flat-bed seats, feels more comfortable. The full-flat seats in business class on an airplane are more comfortable. The difference between fully flat and not, is significant. The Dream Sleeper seats feel more like sleeping while sitting than lying down. I was planning to go to sleep, but the bus was parked. Where are we? I got off the bus. This is the EXPASA Ashigara parking area. There are vending machine and restrooms. We will take a 20-minute break here. Inside is a shopping center. While it’s short, we can eat, drink, and shop. Floor map. There are various restaurants and shops. If I hurry, I might be able to eat at Yoshinoya (Beef bowl restaurant). There’s also a Coco Ichibanya (Curry restaurant), but it’s closed late at night. There’s a large souvenir shop. They also sell drinks and foods. Convenient. There’s a food court in the back. Rice bowl restaurant. Ashigara ramen restaurant. There is a convenience store, Family Mart. We can also buy cup noodles. I didn’t have much time, so I only bought rice ball and a cafe latte. The bus will depart here at 1:10 AM. The rear of the bus. The bus is manned by two people who take turns driving. I returned to the bus. Departure. I was the only one to get off at Ashigara Parking Area. The other passengers seemed to have fallen asleep after leaving Shinjuku. It seems that earplugs are no longer provided, so I use the ones I brought with me. The bus is traveling at 86 km/h (53.4 mph). It’s finally time to go to sleep. Two hours later, the bus stopped somewhere just after 3:00 AM. Where are we? Nagashino Shitarahara Parking Area in Aichi Prefecture. The bus stopped again just after 5:00 AM. We are in Shiga Prefecture, near Lake Biwa. I didn’t fall asleep very well and only managed to sleep for about two hours. This is my second time riding this bus, and both times I struggled to fall asleep. The seats are not fully flat, and the bus sways and makes noise as it moves, making it difficult to sleep. Today’s breakfast: beef sukiyaki rice ball. Try headphones and sleep music. There are four types of music, including the sounds of birdsong and waves. I probably should have put on headphones and listened to the relaxing music while I slept. The bus exited the highway. We are already in Osaka Prefecture. The bus announcements began around 6:00 AM. Announcements are only made after departure and before arrival. We will soon arrive at our destination, Nankai Namba Expressway Bus Terminal. The announcements are in both Japanese and English. All the passengers that day were Japanese.passengers The age group was a little older, with most people in their 30s to 50s. The seats are better photographed during daylight hours. I take a video of the seats before arriving. I got a good video. Namba 3-chome, Osaka. There are buildings with impressive exteriors. There’s a karaoke bar, a McDonald’s, and ramen shops. We arrive at the Nankai Namba Expressway Bus Terminal at 6:35 AM. The journey took 7 hours and 20 minutes. Be careful, there are no announcements upon arrival. I get off the bus. The bus then goes to Osaka Station, Yamatosaidaiji Station, and Nara Station. It’s scheduled to arrive at Nara Station at 8:10 AM. There’s a Swissotel Nankai Osaka. I’m not sure where I am. It seems I’m on the 5th floor of Namba City. It seems like I should just go downstairs. Next, we head for the Kaikatsu Club (Internet cafe). I got off on the 1st floor of Namba City. It’s rush hour. Nankai Namba Station. There are several stations in Osaka with the Namba name, so it can be confusing. Walking north, we see the Kaikatsu Club sign. Kaikatsu Club is Japan’s largest internet cafe chain. The entrance is in a different location. It’s great that they’re open 24 hours a day. This is the entrance. A three-hour fee is 1,300 JPY (8.4 USD) for a booth and 2,180 JPY (14.2 USD) for a private room. The food menu is extensive. It feels like a familiar place; I seem to have been here once, about two years ago. The floors span the 2nd through 6th floors. Reception. I have a membership card from when I used it before. To apply for a membership card, you need ID. There are various types of spaces available, including cafes, booths, and private rooms with locks. Get the card key. There is a drink bar. There is a comic area. Go upstairs. Blankets and slippers are available for free use. The private rooms with keys are fully booked, so I’ll be using the booth today. It’s a semi-private booth. While not fully private, it still offered privacy. There is a reclining chair. Lighting. The floor is covered in black leather. Two hangers. A safety deposit box. Blanket and tissue box. Desktop computer. Headphones. A USB port and power outlets. Food menu. Turkish rice. Takoyaki. I can use this desktop computer freely. Mouse and keyboard. Trash can. Free Wi-Fi is provided. Kaikatsu Club is more comfortable than the luxury overnight bus. This may be a truth we shouldn’t touch. Let’s go check out the drink bar. All-you-can-drink drinks. Cocoa, cafe latte, coffee. Soft drinks. Various teas. Soup. I’ll have an Aquarius. Melon soda flavor. All-you-can-eat soft serve ice cream. It’s hard to pour into a paper cup. Good service. There are free shower rooms on another floor. Phone booth. Smoking room. Coin lockers. Printer. Smartphone charger. These are food lockers. USB cable. Razor, toothbrush. 100 JPY (0.65 USD) breakfast set. In the sales section, snacks shirts and pants, toothbrushes, socks, umbrellas, etc. are sold here. The latest comics section. Chainsaw Man Volume 22. Magazine section. Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 30 (complete). One Piece Volume 112. It’s been going on for too long. Let’s take a look at the shower room. No reservation needed, just use it if it’s available. Shampoo. Body soap. Washing machine. Hair dryer. Kaikatsu Club was really comfortable. From here, we’ll do a little sightseeing in Osaka. There’s a shopping street. Botejyu (Okonomiyaki restaurant) Main Branch. The okonomiyaki looks delicious. There are various shops and restaurants. Walking north from here, we can reach the Dotonbori area. From Nankai Namba Expressway Bus Terminal, Dotonbori is within walking distance. There’s a Pop Mart. Is it true that Labubu has lost its popularity? We arrive in Dotonbori. It’s after 10:00 AM, but there are a lot of people. There is a Pikachu mascot. It’s crowded. Takoyaki is popular among foreigners. Let’s go see the Dotonbori River. There’s the famous Glico sign. It’s a nice spot. Lots of people taking photos. On the opposite side from before. Kani Doraku (Crab restaurant) Main Branch. I’m craving crab dishes. There are various restaurants and shops. I think it’s about time to eat some takoyaki. A six-piece takoyaki set for 630 JPY (4.1 USD). Freshly made takoyaki. It looked delicious. I bought a six-piece set. The taste was average. Gindaco (the most popular Takoyaki brand in Japan) might be better. For lunch, I will have okonomiyaki. A famous okonomiyaki restaurant called Chibo. Dotonbori-yaki for 2,200 JPY (14.3 USD). Tonpeiyaki for 730 JPY (4.75 USD). I ordered Tonpeiyaki. It’s pork grilled on a hot plate, wrapped in egg. It’s like an omelet. It tastes amazing. I ordered the most popular dish in this restaurant, Dotonboriyaki. It’s okonomiyaki topped with mayonnaise, green laver, and bonito flakes. It’s filled with chicken, shrimp, squid, cheese, konjac, and more. From Dotonbori, we head to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. We take the underground passage to the nearest station. This is the Nihonbashi Station. From there, we take the subway to Awaza Station. We transfer at Awaza Station and go to Osakako Station. It takes about 30 minutes from Dotonbori to Osakako Station From Osakako Station, we walk to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Along the way, we see the Tempozan Passenger Ship Terminal, and the giant Ferris wheel. Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is said to be one of the largest aquariums in the world. An underwater tunnel. Seals. King penguins (the second largest penguin in the world). Gentoo penguins (the third largest penguin in the world). Feeding time. Manta rays. The main attraction is the whale sharks. The world’s largest fish. Kaiyukan is quite large, and it took about four hours to explore everything. When I left Kaiyukan, it was already night. I will not be staying in Osaka and will be returning to Tokyo today. It took about 30 minutes to travel to Shin-Osaka Station. I buy a Shinkansen ticket at Shin-Osaka Station. Got the tickets. To the platform at Shin-Osaka Station. Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi No. 50, departing at 7:06 PM for Tokyo. This Shinkansen is the new N700S series. Green (Business Class) seats in car 9. The seating arrangement is 2-2. The seats are new and clean. We departed Shin-Osaka at 7:06 PM, right on schedule. This time we will be traveling from Osaka to Tokyo by Shinkansen… Maybe it would have been better to take a different night bus on the way back. The seats are not particularly interesting. Reading light and leg warmer. The reading light. All seats have power outlets. A hook. The table is great. In-car magazine for Green Cars. Footrest. Carpeted floors. Blind. Small side table. A unique feature is the mobile ordering service. Enter the train number, seat number, and destination station. Coffee, alcoholic drinks, tea, water, mandarin orange juice, ice cream, and snacks. Wet towels are provided. The great thing about the Shinkansen is that it takes about 2.5 hours from Osaka to Tokyo. The fare for a Green Seat is 19,590 JPY (127.5 USD), roughly the same as the luxury overnight bus. If we choose a reserved seat, the fare is about 15,000 JPY (97.6 USD). Kyoto Station. Using the mobile ordering service, I ordered the Tokaido Shinkansen-exclusive Chip Star for 220 JPY (1.43 USD), iced coffee for 400 JPY (2.61 USD), and a selection of snacks for 500 JPY (3.26 USD). The Tokaido Shinkansen-exclusive Chip Star is salty. The selection of snacks is nice. Smoked cheese and coarsely ground smoked salami. The Shinkansen’s speed is more than three times faster than the night bus. The Shinkansen’s speed is measured at 282 km/h (175 mph). Next stop: Nagoya. It’s so fast from Shin-Osaka to Nagoya. Japanese Shinkansen trains are known for their clean and comfortable restrooms. They’re much larger than those on the overnight bus. After about an hour and 15 minutes from Nagoya, we arrive at Shin-Yokohama. After Yokohama, we head to Shinagawa. The LED lights on the ceiling light up before arrival, but it’s hard to see in the video. After Shinagawa, we will arrive at our final destination, Tokyo Station. The night bus took 7 hours and 20 minutes from Tokyo to Osaka, but the Shinkansen took 2 hours and 30 minutes. Planes are even faster, taking just 1 hour and 5 minutes from Osaka to Tokyo. Alternatively, we can travel from Osaka to Tokyo by the Sunrise sleeper train or helicopter. There are many different transportation options, and it’s fun to compare them. The maximum reclining angle of the Green seats is approximately 129 degrees. The Dream Sleeper night bus had a better reclining angle. We arrived at Tokyo Station. Although I struggled to sleep on the luxury overnight bus from Tokyo to Osaka, it was a fun and enjoyable experience. Thank you for watching.

Today, we’ll be traveling from Tokyo to Osaka aboard Japan’s most luxurious, fully private overnight bus, the DREAM SLEEPER.

■Bus Information
Name: DREAM SLEEPER Tokyo-Osaka Nara
Operators: Kanto Bus, Nara Kotsu
Seats: 11 (arranged 2 seats across, 6 rows)
Travel Date: November 2025
Seat Number: B4
Fare: ¥20,000 JPY ($130 USD)
Departure: Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, 11:15 PM
Arrival: Nankai Namba Highway Bus Terminal, 6:35 AM
Travel time: 7 hours and 20 minutes
Official Website: https://www.kanto-bus.co.jp/english/nightway/dream-sleeper/

Route (Tokyo → Osaka): Busta Shinjuku (11:15 PM), Ashigara SA, Nankai Namba Highway Bus Terminal (6:35 AM), Osaka Station (7:00 AM), Yamatosaidaiji Station (7:50 AM), JR Nara Station (8:10 AM)

Route (Osaka → Tokyo): JR Nara Station (9:35 PM), Yamatosaidaiji Station (10:00 PM), Nankai Namba Highway Bus Terminal (10:50 PM), Osaka Station (11:15 PM), Kusatsu PA, Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (6:35 AM)

Notes: Two drivers, unlimited third-party liability insurance, rest stops may change depending on operating conditions.

■Table of Contents
00:00 Intro
00:26 Busta Shinjuku
01:59 Boarding (Route & Fare)
03:56 Seat Introduction
10:32 Restroom & Powder Room
13:21 Are Zero Gravity Seats Really Comfortable?
14:23 Break at Ashigara Parking Area
16:40 Can I sleep?
17:41 Good morning
18:42 Arrival in Osaka
21:32 Break at Kaikatsu Club (more comfortable than an overnight bus)
28:15 Eat takoyaki and okonomiyaki in Dotonbori
32:05 Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
34:40 Take the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Tokyo
40:11 Thank you for watching

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