WONDER AROUNDKANSAI

Guiding your trip to new adventures in Japan

Kansai, a cultural hotspot and home
to Japan's ancient capital

While the city of Kyoto is perhaps the most well-known tourist destination in Kansai,
the nation's former ancient capital is just one of many attractions.
Kansai is renowned across Japan as the place where some of the country's most enduring spiritual,
culinary and cultural traditions were formed, including cuisine, classical performing arts, Japanese tea ceremony, handicrafts and Buddhism.
Incredible encounters await visitors to Kansai on a journey into Japanese culture.

Nature

Learn about Japanese spiritual traditions interwoven with natural beauty

Spirituality found through nature is abundant in Kansai, and visitors to the region can't help but be engulfed by the majesty of the monuments to this rich tradition. In Shiga, Omi tea cleanses the palette and invigorates the mind, and Tongu Grand Tea Garden is the largest green tea plantation in the area. Kumano is home to the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. While in Tokushima, local artisans have built dwellings that co-exist with the area's profound natural landscape.

Culture

Discover antique arts and enduring traditions in Kansai

Kansai's temples and shrines are perhaps its greatest treasure. Yoshino, located in the lush Omine mountain range, is known as the land of the gods, and it's here that you'll discover Kinpusenji Temple, the epicenter of Shugendo. Yet, traditions in Kansai go beyond spirituality. The arts are thriving here too. Discover age-old papermaking techniques in Fukui Prefecture and traditional Noh performances at Osaka's Tenmangu Shrine.

Activity

Must-stop towns and cities on your Kansai itinerary

While the Kansai region is vast, it's truly worth exploring for its food and drink-centric experiences alone. Enjoy culinary delights like local village-style kaiseki (traditional multi-course dinner) in mountainous Tottori in addition to charcoal-grilled seafood straight from Ise-Shima in Mie. As well as fresh local seafood sourced ethically, you can also experience Mie's exquisite Matsuzaka Wagyu beef. And take a sake pilgrimage to Hyogo, home to some of the best breweries in Japan.

Recommended Itineraries
in Kansai

  • Experience Japanese Food Culture on a Kansai Gourmet Tour Through Miketsukuni

    Experience Japanese Food Culture on a Kansai Gourmet Tour Through Miketsukuni

    Hyogo / fukui / Mie / Kyoto

  • Take a Sustainable Tour of Japan’s Kansai Region and Discover a Tapestry of Traditions

    Take a Sustainable Tour of Japan’s Kansai Region and Discover a Tapestry of Traditions

    Wakayama / Nara / Shiga / Tottori / Tokushima

  • SAN'IN COAST

    SAN'IN COAST

    Tottori / Hyogo / Kyoto

  • HARIMA

    HARIMA

    Hyogo

  • WEST LAKE BIWA & FUKUI

    WEST LAKE BIWA & FUKUI

    Fukui / Shiga / Mie

  • KII PENINSULA

    KII PENINSULA

    Mie / Wakayama

  • ISE & NARA

    ISE & NARA

    Mie / Nara

  • KOBE, AWAJI ISLAND & TOKUSHIMA

    KOBE, AWAJI ISLAND & TOKUSHIMA

    Hyogo / Tokushima / Wakayama

  • TAMBA

    TAMBA

    Kyoto / Hyogo

  • FUKUI, EAST LAKE BIWA & MIE

    FUKUI, EAST LAKE BIWA & MIE

    Fukui / Shiga / Mie

Explore Japan
through the Four Seasons

Kansai in the News

  • A tale of three castles

    A tale of three castles

    National Geographic

    The UNESCO World Heritage sites of the former capital Kyoto give unforgettable insights into Japanese history, but across Japan are numerous, less heralded (and less visited) destinations that can transport travelers back in time. Be it the tales unearthed in castle ruins or fortresses that have withstood the tests of time, a journey to Japan’s Kansai region and the islands of Okinawa can offer travelers fresh insights into Japan’s past and the moments that shaped its future.

  • 6 Captivating Weekend Getaways in Japan

    6 Captivating Weekend Getaways in Japan

    Travel + Leisure

    Some of Japan’s most extraordinary natural landscapes and world cultural heritage sites can be found right outside its popular major cities. Thanks to an efficient and tourist-friendly system of bullet trains, known as shinkansen, visitors can access once-distant locations on an unforgettable day trip or weekend getaway. Embarking from Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, explore a deeper side of Japanese culture and immerse yourself in nature with these six captivating weekend getaways.

  • A culinary adventure in Kansai

    A culinary adventure in Kansai

    BBC

    While the Kansai region is well known for the high-octane buzz of Osaka and the Unesco-designated temples, shrines and gardens of Kyoto and Nara, it’s also Japan’s culinary heart, with numerous opportunities for travellers to immerse themselves in Japanese food culture, both on and off the traditional tourist trail. A farm-stay in the Nara countryside, sampling sake in Hyogo, and dining on plant-based Buddhist cuisine at a temple in Wakayama are just a few of the Kansai experiences that await. You could add a seafood lunch with Ama divers in Mie or a trip to Kyoto’s tea fields, plus much more.

  • Discover Japan: Where Art Meets Nature

    Discover Japan: Where Art Meets Nature

    CNN

    The ancient capital of Nara—Kyoto and Tokyo’s predecessor—still flourishes with its curated traditional streetscapes, ancient temples and shrines, and culinary heritage boasting both heirloom vegetables and delectable sake.

Introduction

  • A journey to experience gastronomic culture

    A journey to experience gastronomic culture

    The trip began in the Wakasa region, called one of the "Miketsukuni".

  • Experience a one of a kind SAKE & WINE

    Experience a one of a kind SAKE & WINE

    Miki City in Hyogo Prefecture produces the popular sake rice, ”Yamada-Nishiki.”

  • A journey to learn about the customs and "fermented foods".

    A journey to learn about the customs and "fermented foods".

    The Kii Peninsula offers gastronomic experiences that are influenced by fermented foods.

EXPO + KANSAI Tourism
Wonder aroundJapan

Kansai

While the city of Kyoto is perhaps the most well-known tourist destination in Kansai, the nation's former ancient capital is just one of many attractions. Kansai is renowned across Japan as the place where some of the country's most enduring spiritual, culinary and cultural traditions were formed.

Hokkaido

Tohoku

Greater Tokyo

Central Japan

Kansai

San'in

Setouchi

Shikoku

Kyushu

Okinawa