2 years back, I went to Osaka for 5D/4N trip just enough to cover some of the tourism places and no time to step my feet on Umeda at all.

I will be going to Osaka-Kyoto in this December too. Will be spending 2N in Kyoto and 6N in Osaka (a daytrip to Kobe).

Do check out the tourism website for each of the city you intend to go, and think through how much you can cover or your purpose is just "touch n go" the city will do?

Kyoto, staying Nagomi Ryukan (purposely wanna to try Ryukan feel -- sleep on tatami).
Osaka, we r staying at Hillarys Hotel (in Namba). Stayed this hotel 2 years back.

But the Hillarys Hotel in Osaka running out of room. I can't book 6nite straight. So end up booked 4 nites non-smoking room, 1 nite smoking, and final nite bk to non-smoking. Imagining I gotta carry my bag down check-out and check-in again, for 2 more rounds. hahaha.

Have you secure your hotels?

I`m never ever bring RM to exchange in Japan because not worth it in terms of value of money. Conclusion for the trips ,make sure you change your money in Malaysia before fly to Japan .