Things to Do in Kansai, Japan

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...

Iga-ryu Ninja Museum

Ninja Museum with a Trick House and Demonstrations

A museum in Iga devoted to the ninja tradition, featuring a trick residence, tool exhibits, and d...

Jison-in

Kukai's Mother's Temple at the Foot of Koyasan, Where the Choishi-michi Begins

A small Shingon temple by the Kinokawa river where, by tradition, Kukai's mother lived out her li...

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...

Asuka Palace Site

The Field in Asuka Where Soga no Iruka Was Killed in 645, with a Restored Stone Pavement and Well from Emperor Tenmu's Palace

The spot in the middle of Asuka where several 7th-century rulers built their palaces one on top o...

Biwako Valley

Ropeway to the Biwako Terrace and Sweeping Lake Views Above Otsu

A mountaintop resort above the western shore reached by a fast ropeway, whose Biwako Terrace deck...

Osaka Tenmangu Shrine

Shrine to the God of Learning and Host of the Tenjin Matsuri

A shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of learning, and the site of the Tenjin Ma...

Yoshino Mikumari Shrine

Hideyori's 1604 Shrine to the Water God and Guardian of Children, High on Mount Yoshino

A shrine to the god who shares out the water, in the upper reaches of Mount Yoshino and part of t...

Metasequoia Namiki

Tree-Lined Avenue of About 500 Metasequoias in Makino

A roughly 2.4 km avenue lined with about 500 metasequoia trees leading toward Makino Highland.

Nabana no Sato

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

Nagahama

This lakeside town on the shores of Lake Biwa blends Edo-period charm with contemporary artistry ...

Sorakuen Garden

Japanese Garden with the Historic Hassam House

A municipal Japanese garden in central Kobe, home to the relocated Hassam House and known for its...

Miidera Temple

Perched on the slopes of Mount Hiei overlooking the blue waters of Lake Biwa, Miidera Temple has ...

Takamatsuzuka Tomb

The Asuka Tomb Whose Painted Women Started an Archaeology Boom in 1972, with a Mural Museum Next Door

A small round tomb from the late 7th or early 8th century where painted murals of court women and...

Mount Gozaisho (Gozaisho Ropeway)

Suzuka-Range Mountain Reached by Ropeway from Yunoyama Onsen

A 1,212-metre mountain in the Suzuka range, reached by the Gozaisho Ropeway from Yunoyama Onsen.