Things to Do in Kansai, Japan

Japan's cultural heart: Kyoto, Nara and Osaka, plus the pilgrim trails and islands of the Kii Peninsula.

233 destinations across 7 prefectures

Suggested Itineraries

Awaji Island and Nushima: An Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary (2026)

Awaji Island and Nushima: An Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary (2026) Awaji Island sits in the sea between Kobe and Shikoku, crossed by most people at 100km/h on the highway bus and seen by almost n...

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Hyogo's Hidden North: A San'in-Side Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary (2026)

Hyogo's Hidden North: A San'in-Side Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary (2026) Almost everyone who comes to Hyogo sees Himeji Castle and Kobe and goes no further. Head north from Himeji, though, and t...

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Lake Biwa and Hidden Shiga: An Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary (2026)

Lake Biwa and Hidden Shiga: An Off-the-Beaten-Path Itinerary (2026) Shiga sits right next to Kyoto, barely fifteen minutes by train, yet almost no visitors stop. That is their loss. Wrapped arou...

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Off the Beaten Path in the Kii Peninsula: A Kumano Kodo Itinerary (2026)

Off the Beaten Path in the Kii Peninsula: A Kumano Kodo Itinerary (2026) Most first trips to Kansai never leave the Kyoto to Osaka to Nara triangle. The Kii Peninsula, the big forested block of ...

The Weirdest and Most Exciting Soft Serves in Kansai

The Weirdest and Most Exciting Soft Serves in Kansai Soft serve is a road-trip institution in Japan, and the best place to find it is a michi-no-eki, the roadside stations that double as farm ma...

When Do Japan's Beaches Open in 2026? Swimming Season Dates by Region

When Do Japan's Beaches Open in 2026? Swimming Season Dates by Region Most Japanese beaches are only open for swimming during a fixed season. A beach holds an "umibiraki" (海開き), the official ope...

How to Get from Kansai Airport to Umeda (Osaka) by Train – 2026 Guide

Traveling from Kansai International Airport to the Umeda area of Osaka is simple and convenient. One of the easiest options is to take the Haruka Limited Express and get off at Osaka Station. The ...

The Easiest Way to Travel from KIX to Kobe, Sannomiya (2026 Guide)

Traveling from Kansai International Airport to Sannomiya Station in Kobe is easy and comfortable using the Airport Limousine Bus that is operated by Hankyu. The bus goes directly from the airport t...

The Fastest and Easiest Way to Kyoto From Kansai International Airport (2026 Guide)

Traveling from Kansai International Airport to Kyoto is simple and convenient. The most direct option is the Haruka Limited Express, which connects the airport directly to Kyoto Station in about 75...

Places to Visit in Kansai

Park

Osaka

Minoo Falls

33-Metre Waterfall in Meiji-no-Mori Minoo Quasi-National Park

A 33-metre waterfall reached by a forested riverside trail, known for autumn foliage and deep-fri...

Minoo, Osaka, Japan

City

Shiga

Shigaraki

Shigaraki Pottery Town

Playful tanuki statues with their oversized bellies and sake flasks greet visitors throughout thi...

Shiga, Japan

Landmark

Wakayama

Hashigui-iwa

Mysterious Row of Rock Pillars Stretching Into the Sea

A striking natural monument of roughly 40 rock pillars stretching 850 meters into the sea near Ku...

Kushimoto, Wakayama, Japan

Shrine

Wakayama

Kumano Hayatama Taisha

Vermilion Grand Shrine at the Mouth of the Kumano River

The third of the three Kumano Grand Shrines, known for its striking vermilion buildings and an 80...

Shingu, Wakayama, Japan

Temple

Nara

Muroji

Women's Koya and Japan's Smallest Outdoor Pagoda

Known as Women's Koya for welcoming female worshippers when Mount Koya banned them, this mountain...

Uda, Nara, Japan

Castle

Osaka

Osaka Castle

Symbol of Osaka

One of Japan's most famous landmarks, a reconstructed castle housing a museum about the unificati...

Osaka, Japan

Garden

Mie

Nabana no Sato

Lit up each winter, Nabana no Sato hosts Japan's largest illumination festival with millions of L...

Mie, Japan

Shrine

Nara

Omiwa Shrine

Ancient Shrine that Worships Mount Miwa Itself

One of Japan's oldest shrines, which has no main sanctuary because Mount Miwa behind it is worshi...

Sakurai, Nara, Japan

Onsen

Wakayama

Ryujin Onsen

Hot Spring Town Among Japan's Three Beauty Waters

A mountain hot spring town in the former Ryujin village of Tanabe, counted among Japan's three be...

Tanabe, Wakayama, Japan

Castle

Wakayama

Wakayama Castle

Hilltop Castle with Panoramic City Views

A reconstructed hilltop castle originally built in 1585, offering panoramic views over Wakayama c...

Wakayama, Japan

Island

Shiga

Chikubushima

Sacred Island in Lake Biwa with a Temple and Shrine

A small sacred island in the north of Lake Biwa, reached by boat and home to Hogonji Temple and T...

Nagahama, Shiga, Japan

Landmark

Shiga

Kaizu-Osaki

Cherry-Blossom Coastline on Northern Lake Biwa

A rocky cape at the northern end of Lake Biwa where about 800 cherry trees line roughly 4 km of s...

Takashima, Shiga, Japan

Attraction

Shiga

La Collina Omihachiman

Architecture melts into nature at this confectionery village where grass-covered rooftops and org...

Shiga, Japan

Landmark

Mie

Yokoyama Observatory

Viewpoint Over the Ria Coastline of Ago Bay

A hillside viewpoint in Shima overlooking the ria coastline of Ago Bay, with viewing terraces and...

Shima, Mie, Japan

Trail

Mie

Akame 48 Waterfalls

Series of Waterfalls Along a Gorge Hiking Trail

A series of waterfalls along a roughly four-kilometre walking trail through the Takigawa Gorge in...

Nabari, Mie, Japan

Prefectures in Kansai

Hyogo Kyoto Mie Nara Osaka Shiga Wakayama

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