Things to Do in Kansai, Japan
Japan's cultural heart: Kyoto, Nara and Osaka, plus the pilgrim trails and islands of the Kii Peninsula.
372 destinations across 7 prefectures
Festivals in Kansai
Awaji Island Festival Fireworks
8 November 2026
Hyogo · Fireworks festival
Kasuga Wakamiya On-matsuri
15 to 18 December 2026
Nara · Float procession
Toka Ebisu at Imamiya Ebisu Shrine
9 to 11 January 2027
Osaka · Festival
Wakakusa Yamayaki
23 January 2027
Nara · Fire festival
Kobe Luminarie
29 January 2027 to 7 February 2027
Hyogo · Lantern 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
Kyoto Gozan Okuribi
16 August 2027
Kyoto · Fire festival
Photo: Idushin at Japanese Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri
18 to 19 September 2027
Osaka · Float procession
© sailko / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Nada Kenka Matsuri
14 to 15 October 2027
Hyogo · Float procession
Jidai Matsuri
22 October 2027
Kyoto · Float procession
Suggested Itineraries
Places to Visit in Kansai
© PlusMinus / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Eikan-do
The Temple of Autumn Leaves with a Looking-Back Buddha
A Higashiyama temple known as Momiji no Eikan-do for its roughly 3,000 maples, with an Amida Budd...
Photo: ほっきー / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Nijo Castle
UNESCO World Heritage flatland castle. The floors squeak when you walk, designed as a security al...
Photo: Lombroso / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Chion-in
Monumental Head Temple of Pure Land Buddhism
The head temple of Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism, featuring Japan's largest temple gate at 24 meters ...
Photo: Mont Blank rich / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Todai-ji
Todai-ji Temple
A UNESCO World Heritage temple housing the world's largest bronze Buddha statue inside the larges...
© Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kyoto
Japan's Ancient Capital
Japan's cultural heart and ancient capital for over a millennium, home to 17 UNESCO World Heritag...
© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Meriken Park
Kobe's Main Waterfront Park
Kobe's main waterfront park with the red Kobe Port Tower, BE KOBE monument, and Kobe Maritime Mus...
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 ...
© Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Hikone Castle
A National Treasure castle near Lake Biwa, one of only five castles with an original keep designa...
© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)
Osaka Castle
Symbol of Osaka
One of Japan's most famous landmarks, a reconstructed castle housing a museum about the unificati...
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...
Katsuoji Temple
Victory Temple Famous for Daruma Dolls and Minoo Mountain Views
Set in the forested mountains above Minoo, this 1,300-year-old Shingon temple has drawn seekers o...
© Yasumichi Morita (designer) Basile Morin (photographer) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kimono Forest
An Art Installation of 600 Illuminated Kimono Pillars
600 pillars wrapped in Kyo-Yuzen fabric at Randen Arashiyama Station. Glows at night. Free, open ...
Byodo-in
Byodo-in Temple
A UNESCO World Heritage temple famous for its Phoenix Hall, depicted on the Japanese 10-yen coin.
Photo: Saigen Jiro / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Heian Shrine
Meiji-Era Shrine with Large Torii and Strolling Garden
A striking Meiji-era shrine featuring one of Japan's largest vermilion torii gates and a celebrat...
© Kakidai / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kinkaku-ji
Golden Pavilion Temple
Kyoto's golden icon, where a pavilion sheathed in real gold leaf floats above its mirror-still po...