Kansai

Highly photogenic Dōtombori is the city's liveliest night spot and the centre of the southern part of town. Its name comes from the 400-year-old canal, Dōtombori-gawa, now lined with pedestrian walkways and with a riot of illuminated billboards glittering off its waters. Don't miss the famous Glico running man sign. South of the canal is a pedestrianised street that has dozens of restaurants vying for attention with the flashiest of signage.

Nara's star attraction is its Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the largest bronze statues in the world. It was unveiled in 752, upon the completion of the Daibutsu-den (大仏殿, Great Buddha Hall), built to house it. Both have been damaged over the years; the present statue was recast in the Edo period. The Daibutsu-den is the largest wooden building in the world; incredibly, the present structure, rebuilt in 1709, is a mere two-thirds of the size of the original.

The Kumano Kodō (熊野古道) is an ancient network of roads – dating back more than 1000 years – running through the mountainous interior of the Kii Peninsula. These are pilgrim trails, connecting historic shrines and temples with deep spiritual significance. The most accessible and most popular route is the Nakahechi, also known as the Imperial Route (several emperors of old travelled along it), which crosses the width of the peninsula from Tanabe, a town on the western coast, to the towns of Shingū and Nachi-Katsuura on the eastern coast. There are hikes for all levels, quiet mountain hamlets and some excellent onsen in the villages around Hongū: Yunomine, Watarase and Kawa-yu.

Most travellers start in Tanabe and use a combination of buses – to skip the parts of the trails that have become major roads – and legwork to get around; there's also the option of finishing the pilgrimage by way of a traditional boat ride.

Oku-no-in, whose name means 'inner sanctuary', is perhaps the most intensely spiritual place in Japan. At its farthest reaches is the Gobyō, the crypt that Shingon Buddhism founder Kōbō Daishi entered to began his eternal meditation. Spread out before it are some 200,000 tombs, creating Japan's largest cemetery, built during various historical eras by people, prominent and otherwise, who wanted their remains (or at least a lock of hair) interred close to the legendary monk.

Himeji-jō is Japan's most magnificent castle, built in 1580 by general Toyotomi Hideyoshi and one of only a few original castles from that era (most are modern concrete reconstructions). Its white-plaster facade (and its elegant presence) earned it the nickname Shirasagi-jō (White Egret Castle). There's a five-storey main keep and three smaller keeps, all surrounded by moats and defensive walls. It takes about 1½ hours to follow the arrow-marked route around the castle. Last entry is an hour before closing.

Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉), on the Japan Sea coast, is the Kansai region's signature onsen resort. A willow-lined canal runs through the town centre, and many of the ryokan and restaurants here retain their traditional charm. Best of all about Kinosaki, however, is its public bathhouse culture; you can splash out on the full ryokan experience or just hop between baths – both, ideally. Though most inns have their own onsen baths, overnight guests clip-clop around the canal to the public ones, in yukata (light cotton kimonos) and geta (wooden sandals).

The most popular time of year to visit is winter (specifically November to March), when matsuba-gani (snow crab), a local speciality, is in season; this is Kinosaki's high season and many accommodations will be pricier.

Believed to have been founded in the 3rd century, Ise-jingū is Japan's most venerated Shintō shrine. It’s in two parts – Gekū, the outer shrine, and Naikū, the more important inner shrine, several kilometres away – both set in sprawling, deeply forested precincts. According to tradition, the shrines are rebuilt every 20 years, with exact imitations on adjacent sites according to ancient techniques – no nails; only wooden dowels and interlocking joints. The present buildings were rebuilt in 2013.