Things to Do in Kansai, Japan
Japan's cultural heart: Kyoto, Nara and Osaka, plus the pilgrim trails and islands of the Kii Peninsula.
239 destinations across 7 prefectures
Festivals in Kansai
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Nada Kenka Matsuri
14 to 15 October 2026
Hyogo · Float procession
Jidai Matsuri
22 October 2026
Kyoto · Float procession
Awaji Island Festival Fireworks
8 November 2026
Hyogo · Fireworks festival
Wakakusa Yamayaki
23 January 2027
Nara · Fire festival
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Omizutori
1 to 14 March 2027
Nara · Fire festival
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Aoi Matsuri
15 May 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
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Gion Matsuri
1 to 31 July 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
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Tenjin Matsuri
24 to 25 July 2027
Osaka · Boat festival
Photo: Idushin at Japanese Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri
18 to 19 September 2027
Osaka · Float procession
Suggested Itineraries
Places to Visit in Kansai
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
One of World's Largest Aquariums
One of the world's largest aquariums featuring a massive Pacific Ocean tank with whale sharks and...
Jinrui Mina Menrui
One of Osaka's Most Famous and Best Ramen Restaurants
A legendary Osaka ramen shop offering multiple dashi-based ramen styles, crowned with thick-cut c...
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Horyu-ji
The World's Oldest Wooden Buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important temples in Japan, Horyu-ji contains th...
© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Kamigamo Shrine
Kyoto's Oldest Shrine with Sacred Sand Cone Mounds
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Kyoto's oldest Shinto shrines, founded in 678 AD, known f...
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Shrine of Ten Thousand Torii Gates
Thousands of vermilion torii gates wind up the forested slopes of Mount Inari, creating one of Ja...
Universal Studios Japan
Hollywood Movie Theme Park
Major theme park featuring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Super Nintendo World, and movie-t...
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Namba Parks
Terraced Rooftop Garden Shopping Complex
A striking shopping complex built on a former baseball stadium site, featuring a terraced rooftop...
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Katsura Imperial Villa
Japan's Finest Traditional Garden and Architectural Masterpiece
Widely regarded as Japan's supreme example of traditional garden design and architecture, built i...
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Spa World
World-Themed Hot Spring Complex in Shinsekai
A massive multi-story themed bath complex in Shinsekai featuring hot springs inspired by bathing ...
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Ohama Beach
Sumoto's White Sand Beach, One of Japan's 100 Best
A 750-meter white sand beach in Sumoto, recognized as one of Japan's top beaches by the Ministry ...
LaLaport EXPOCITY
Japan's Largest Shopping and Entertainment Complex Next to Expo Park
Japan's largest entertainment complex, combining over 300 shops with NIFREL aquarium, Japan's tal...
Okishima
Okishima, Japan's Only Inhabited Lake Island
A small fishing island in Lake Biwa with no cars, narrow alleys, old shrines, and around 250 resi...
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Isonokami Shrine
One of Japan's Oldest Shrines with Legendary Sacred Sword
One of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, mentioned in the nation's earliest chronicles, said to hous...
© Kakidai / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
To-ji
Japan's Tallest Wooden Pagoda and Ancient Capital Landmark
A World Heritage Site founded in 796, home to Japan's tallest wooden pagoda at 55 meters and a be...
Togetsukyo Bridge
Wooden Bridge Over the Katsura River
A bridge has crossed here since 836, when a monk of Horin-ji built the first one a little upstrea...