Things to Do in Kansai, Japan
Japan's cultural heart: Kyoto, Nara and Osaka, plus the pilgrim trails and islands of the Kii Peninsula.
233 destinations across 7 prefectures
Suggested Itineraries
Places to Visit in Kansai
Sandanbeki
Dramatic Sea Cliffs with a Hidden Pirate Cave
Towering 50-meter sea cliffs along the Shirahama coast with an elevator descending to a cave once...
Mikimoto Pearl Island
Island Where Cultured Pearls Were First Produced
A small island in Toba Bay where Kokichi Mikimoto first produced a cultured pearl in 1893, now a ...
Koko-en Garden
Edo-Style Garden Next to Himeji Castle
A beautifully designed traditional Japanese garden featuring nine separate walled gardens, built ...
Okage Yokocho
A charming recreated Edo-to-Meiji period street adjacent to Ise Grand Shrine, packed with traditi...
Kumano Kodo Iseji Route
Walking the ancient Iseji pilgrimage route connects you to over a thousand years of spiritual jou...
Nachi Falls
Japan's Tallest Single-Drop Waterfall
Japan's tallest single-drop waterfall at 133 meters, a sacred site of the Kumano pilgrimage for o...
Shirahama Beach
White Sand Beach in Wakayama
One of Japan's most famous beaches, known for its pristine white sand and crystal clear waters on...
Tomogashima
The 'Castle in the Sky' Island of Jungle-Swallowed WWII Fort Ruins
A cluster of uninhabited islands in the Kitan Strait off Wakayama, where overgrown Meiji-era gun ...
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...
Wakayama Marina City
Mediterranean-Themed Resort Island with Markets and Onsen
An artificial island resort featuring the Mediterranean-themed Porto Europa park, Kuroshio Market...
Nijo Castle
UNESCO World Heritage flatland castle. The floors squeak when you walk, designed as a security al...
Kobe Port Tower
Red Lattice Tower with a Rooftop Deck at Kobe Port
A red steel observation tower on a Kobe Port pier, first opened in 1963 and reopened in 2024 with...
Kasuga Taisha
Kasuga Grand Shrine
Ancient Shinto shrine set in a primeval forest, famous for thousands of stone and bronze lanterns.
Kurama-dera
A Mountain Temple of Mystical Energy and Ancient Forests
A powerful mountain temple said to be where Yoshitsune trained as a child. The forested trail con...
Meoto Iwa
The Sacred Wedded Rocks of Futami
Two sacred rocks connected by a massive shimenawa rope in the sea at Futami, Meoto Iwa symbolizes...