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
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...
Nara Park
Historic park home to over 1,000 freely roaming sacred deer and several UNESCO World Heritage tem...
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
1,200 Whimsical Stone Buddhas Hidden in the Arashiyama Hills
At the far end of Arashiyama's tourist trail, this temple surprises visitors with over 1,200 whim...
Engetsuto
Small Island with a Hole the Sunset Shines Through
A small island in Shirahama Bay with a wave-carved hole through its center. During equinoxes, the...
Sumiyoshi Taisha
Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine
One of Japan's oldest shrines, dating to the 3rd century. The Sumiyoshi-zukuri buildings predate ...
Toshodai-ji
Ganjin's Legacy and the Finest Nara-Period Architecture
A World Heritage temple founded in 759 by the Chinese monk Ganjin, whose Golden Hall is widely re...
Dotonbori
Osaka's Neon-Lit Food Street
Osaka's neon-drenched heart, where the Glico Running Man has watched over the Dotonbori canal sin...
Mount Rokko
Kobe's Main Mountain with Million-Dollar Night Views
Kobe's main mountain, 931m high. Famous for its night view of the city and Osaka Bay, which local...
Tsutenkaku
Retro Observation Tower in the Shinsekai District
A 103-metre observation tower that has been the symbol of the Shinsekai district since the curren...
Kinkaku-ji
Golden Pavilion Temple
Kyoto's golden icon, where a pavilion sheathed in real gold leaf floats above its mirror-still po...
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 ...
Nagashima Spa Land
Large Amusement Park with the Steel Dragon 2000 Coaster
A large amusement park in Kuwana, part of the Nagashima Resort, home to the Steel Dragon 2000 rol...
Umeda Sky Building
Floating Garden Observatory
Two 40-story towers connected by an open-air rooftop deck at 173 meters. The glass-tube escalator...
Arima Onsen
One of Japan's Oldest and Most Famous Hot Springs
One of Japan's three oldest hot spring towns, renowned for its iron-rich golden waters and radium...
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...