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
© ignis / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Omizutori
1 to 14 March 2027
Nara · Fire festival
© J o / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Aoi Matsuri
15 May 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
© 江戸村のとくぞう / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Gion Matsuri
1 to 31 July 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
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
Hoshida Myoken-gu Shrine
North Star Shrine and the Star-Fall Legend
Hoshida Myoken-gu, also called Komatsu Shrine, is a hillside shrine in Katano, Osaka, counted amo...
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
Walk Through a Full-Scale Edo-Period Osaka Townscape
A full-scale, walk-through reconstruction of a 19th-century Osaka townscape on the 9th floor, com...
Sumaura Sanjo Yuen Park
Retro Ropeway and Sea Views Above Suma, Kobe
A nostalgic hilltop park above Suma reached by ropeway, a quirky 1966 'Karreta' inclined people-m...
Kiyomizu-dera
Pure Water Temple
A hillside temple where a vast wooden stage, supported by 139 pillars without a single nail, offe...
Byodo-in
Byodo-in Temple
A UNESCO World Heritage temple famous for its Phoenix Hall, depicted on the Japanese 10-yen coin.
Ise Grand Shrine
Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Jingu)
Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, rebuilt every 20 years ...
JR Fukuchiyama Line Disused Railway Trail
Walk an Abandoned Railway Through Gorge Tunnels and Spring Sakura
A flat 4.7 km hiking trail along the original Fukuchiyama Line route through the Mukogawa Gorge, ...
Ippudo Umeda
World-Famous Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen
Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen chain with unlimited free spicy moyashi (bean sprouts) at every table.
Yasaka Shrine
Heart of Gion and Home of the Gion Matsuri
A Shinto shrine at the heart of Gion, center of the Gion Matsuri festival every July, one of Japa...
Expo '70 Commemorative Park
Expo '70 Park with Okamoto's Tower of the Sun
The legacy of Japan's first World's Fair lives on in this 260-hectare park, where Taro Okamoto's ...
Tenryu-ji
Arashiyama's World Heritage Zen Masterpiece
World Heritage Site, head temple of the Tenryu branch of Rinzai Zen. The Sogenchi garden uses the...
Amanohashidate
One of Japan's three most scenic views, a pine-covered sandbar spanning Miyazu Bay on the Sea of ...
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
World's Longest Suspension Bridge
Suspension bridge with world's longest main span (1,991m), total length 3,911m, connecting Kobe t...
Kobe Kaientai Monument (The Kobe Moai)
Five Moai-Like Statues Honouring Kobe's Naval Cadets
A row of five moai-like stone statues facing Kobe's harbor in Meriken Park, dedicated to the youn...
Enryakuji Temple
Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei (Hieizan)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and headquarters of Tendai Buddhism, Enryakuji Temple sprawls across...