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
© 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
Tore Tore Market
Western Japan's Largest Seafood Market in Shirahama
One of western Japan's largest seafood markets where visitors can buy fresh fish, dine at seafood...
Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
The Birthplace of Instant Ramen
An interactive museum where Momofuku Ando invented chicken ramen in 1958, featuring hands-on work...
Nara
Ancient Capital with Friendly Deer
Japan's first permanent capital, famous for free-roaming sacred deer and the world's largest bron...
Todai-ji
Todai-ji Temple
A UNESCO World Heritage temple housing the world's largest bronze Buddha statue inside the larges...
Daitoku-ji
Vast Zen Complex of Exquisite Rock Gardens
A vast Rinzai Zen temple complex in northern Kyoto with over 20 sub-temples, many featuring excep...
Hikone Castle
A National Treasure castle near Lake Biwa, one of only five castles with an original keep designa...
Menbakaichidai Fire Ramen
Kyoto's Legendary Fire Ramen Experience
Prepare for dinner and a show at this legendary Kyoto ramen shop where your meal arrives in a tow...
Nijo Castle
UNESCO World Heritage flatland castle. The floors squeak when you walk, designed as a security al...
Tonomine Highlands
A Vast Silver Sea of Pampas Grass and Famous Film Location
An 800-metre-high plateau in inland Hyogo covered by roughly 90 hectares of silver susuki pampas ...
Awaji Hanasajiki
Hillside Flower Park with Panoramic Sea Views
A vast hillside flower park on northern Awaji Island with seasonal displays of canola, lavender, ...
Himeji Castle
Japan's Most Spectacular Castle
Japan's best preserved feudal castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the White Heron Castl...
Okage Yokocho
A charming recreated Edo-to-Meiji period street adjacent to Ise Grand Shrine, packed with traditi...
Atago Shrine
A Mountaintop Fire God Shrine Reached by a Rewarding Hike
Perched atop 924-meter Mt. Atago, this ancient shrine dedicated to the fire deity has protected K...
Daikaku-ji
An Imperial Temple with Japan's Oldest Artificial Lake
A former imperial palace turned Shingon temple, famous for Osawa Pond, Japan's oldest artificial ...
Eikan-do
The Temple of Autumn Leaves with a Looking-Back Buddha
Celebrated as the premier autumn foliage temple in Kyoto, housing a uniquely expressive Amida Bud...