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
Places to Visit in Kansai
Genkyu-en
Feudal-Lord Garden Beside Hikone Castle
A Japanese pond garden northeast of Hikone Castle, built for the Ii lords and designated a nation...
Hachiman-bori
Historic Merchant Canal District in Omihachiman
A preserved canal in Omihachiman lined with white-walled storehouses and old merchant homes from ...
Kimii-dera
Hillside Temple Known for Early Cherry Blossoms
A hillside temple founded in 770, the second stop on the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage, reached by 23...
Miidera Temple
Perched on the slopes of Mount Hiei overlooking the blue waters of Lake Biwa, Miidera Temple has ...
Mitarai Valley
River Gorge with Waterfalls and Emerald Pools
A gorge in Tenkawa village with waterfalls, clear green pools and giant boulders, followed by a r...
Doro-kyo Gorge
River Gorge with Sheer Cliffs on the Kitayama River
A steep-walled gorge on the Kitayama River in Yoshino-Kumano National Park, spanning the borders ...
Suzuka Circuit
Motorsport Circuit and Theme Park Hosting the F1 Japanese Grand Prix
A motorsport circuit in Suzuka that hosts the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix, with an attached amu...
Adventure World
Shirahama's Premier Safari Park and Marine World
A sprawling safari park, zoo, and marine park in Shirahama combining wildlife encounters with amu...
Jojakko-ji
A Hillside Temple Famous for Its Fiery Autumn Foliage
Hillside temple in Sagano, best in autumn. The pagoda surrounded by red and orange maples is the ...
Shirasaki Ocean Park
White Limestone Cliffs Above the Sea
A coastal park in Yura built around white limestone cliffs formed from ancient marine rock, with ...
Michi-no-Eki Awaji
Roadside station under the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, with terrace views and raw whitebait
The roadside station closest to the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge on the north tip of Awaji Island, with b...
Dojo-ji
Wakayama's Oldest Temple and Home of the Anchin-Kiyohime Legend
The oldest temple in Wakayama, famed for the tragic Anchin-Kiyohime bell legend and for the livel...
Yunomine Onsen
Ancient Kumano Hot Spring and the World Heritage Tsuboyu Bath
A tiny, steam-wrapped hot-spring hamlet near Kumano Hongu, home to Tsuboyu, a rock-cut riverside ...
Hiyoshi Taisha
Head Shrine of Some 3,800 Hie and Hiyoshi Shrines, Guardian of Mount Hiei
The head of some 3,800 Hie, Hiyoshi and Sanno shrines nationwide, set in the Sakamoto foothills o...
Kawayu Onsen
Riverbed Hot Spring Where You Dig Your Own Bath in the Ōtō River
A riverside hot spring near Kumano Hongu where hot water wells up through the gravel of the Ōtō R...