Kansai

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People walking through Fushimi-Inari Taisha 'torii tunnels'.

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Overview

Kansai (関西) is the heart of Japan, where much of modern-day Japanese culture originated. Its highlights read like a greatest-hits list. Looking for a vibrant dining and drinking scene and the vivid color that Japanese cities are famous for? Head to Osaka. Want to get out into remote mountains and hike for days? Follow the ancient trails of the Kumano Kodō. Famous works of art? See the Buddhist sculptures in Nara. Onsen? There's a whole town for that in Kinosaki. Castles? Check. There's enough to fill a whole itinerary here, and it's all easy to access by public transport. Kansai is a great place to explore if this is your first time in Japan, and it's also a good choice if you're a repeat visitor: there's much to discover beyond the highlights, including fascinating temples, shrines and archaeological sites that resonate through the ages.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Abeno Harukas

Osaka

This César Pelli–designed tower, which opened in March 2014, is Japan's tallest building (300m, 60 storeys). The observatory on the 16th floor is free,…

Oku-no-in

Kii Peninsula

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…

Hōryū-ji

Nara

Hōryū-ji was founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku, considered by many to be the patron saint of Japanese Buddhism. It's renowned not only as one of the oldest…

Kurama-dera

Kansai

Located high on a thickly wooded mountain, Kurama-dera is one of the few temples in modern Japan that manages to retain an air of real spirituality. This…

Tōdai-ji

Nara

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…

Osaka-jō

Osaka

After unifying Japan in the late 16th century, General Toyotomi Hideyoshi built this castle (1583) as a display of power, using, it's said, the labour of…

Sanzen-in

Kansai

Famed for its autumn foliage, hydrangea garden and stunning Buddha statues, this temple is deservedly popular with foreign and domestic tourists alike…

Dōtombori

Osaka

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,…

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