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
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SAN'IN COAST
Tottori / Hyogo / Kyoto
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HARIMA
Hyogo
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WEST LAKE BIWA & FUKUI
Fukui / Shiga / Mie
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KII PENINSULA
Mie / Wakayama
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ISE & NARA
Mie / Nara
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KOBE, AWAJI ISLAND & TOKUSHIMA
Hyogo / Tokushima / Wakayama
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TAMBA
Kyoto / Hyogo
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FUKUI, EAST LAKE BIWA & MIE
Fukui / Shiga / Mie
Kansai in the News
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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.
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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.
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Discover These One-of-a-Kind Marvels in Japan
Travel + Leisure
Follow in the footsteps of centuries of spiritual pilgrims on a journey through lush, primeval forests to Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrines. Located in the Wakayama prefecture of Kansai, this shrine is one of the Kumano Sanzan — a trio of shrines found along an ancient World Heritage-listed walking route, the Kumano Kodo. Deeply steeped in spirituality and mythology, the area is popular for shinrin yoku (or forest bathing) — the Japanese practice of healing the body and mind through immersion among trees.
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
