Kansai Travel Guide

This is a shrine with a lion-headed shrine pavilion that has a great impact, and is a shrine for improving one's luck in the game.

A museum in a forest where various "sounds" and rich nature heal you.

An urban park along the riverbank with 4,800 cherry trees.

An urban park where visitors can enjoy abundant greenery, seasonal flowers, and a full range of leisure activities on a vast site.

Enjoy the seasonal flowers, trees, animals, and other natural features in this park in the mountains overlooking the Osaka Plain.

A popular cherry blossom viewing spot with 1,000 cherry trees lining the riverbed.

The head temple of the Shinshu Otani sect.

A spectacular spot on Mt. Rokko where you can see the city & night view of Kobe.

A participatory, hands-on museum that expands the world of Anpanman, the hero of love and courage.

An interactive aquarium where you can see live creatures in action.

A vast theme park where you can enjoy flowers and gourmet food.

Observe animals living freely and up close!

An all-day dining restaurant from Sydney that is popular for its health conscious menu.

The popular established grill in Tsuruhashi serves only quality domestic beef.

Enjoy Nara's rustic cuisine, tea rice porridge, in a 200-year-old townhouse building.

A little eatery run by Miwa Yamamoto, the veteran brand with over 300 years of history in the origin place of somen.

A representative Kyoto-style restaurant offering a more casual style.

Located near the world heritage Horyuji temple. Serving high-quality lunch and cafe menus.

With a unique Japanese shichirin (small charcoal grill), this popular cafe serves Japanese-Sweets with hand-grilled dumplings.

The bargain set of Nara’s famous specialty, sushi on the persimmon leaf, numbers limited.

Popular izakaya near the station that boasts locally produced ingredients.

The best omelet rice with a rich "dobi sauce" that is the key to its flavor!

Enjoy lunch and sweets made with the finest ingredients in a tasteful old thatched-roof house.

Located in the precincts of the main temple Bukkoji Temple, this cafeteria and select store offers a variety of Kyoto's attractions.

Outlet mall inside one of Japan’s largest resort multiplexes.

Paper stationery and sundries with modern designs that utilize traditional woodblock printing techniques are popular.

Western Japan’s largest seaside outlet where you can enjoy shopping, gourmet food, and glamping.

A long-established company that expands the traditional Japanese craft of tea caddies to the world.

Long-standing Japanese confectionery shop in the famous cherry blossom site on Mt. Yoshino.

Bright and colorful Kyo-ame candies, made by crossing traditional Kyoto candy-making magic with European color extraction techniques.

A shop selling a fusion of Ise Momen and Mie handicrafts, dyed in pops of gorgeous color.

Enrich your life with books and art at this new culture spot in Okazaki, Kyoto.

A newly revived giant shopping mall next to Lake Biwa.

A commercial facility, offering gourmet dining and shopping, with a beautiful rooftop view of The Nara Palace Site and Mt. Kasuga.

The largest shopping mall in Wakayama with 160 shops.

The 9-story commercial complex with a city park, connected to Nankai Namba Station.

A spacious 30m squared room and quality-service hotel.

A Marriott-style welcome with emphasis on lifestyles.

Innovative “shotengai” hotel operated by Jiyujin, founder of the Satoyama Jujo hotel.

A relaxing space surrounded by artwork depicting Kyoto’s beauty.

A celebrated ryokan in Yunomine Onsen, an ancient hot spring town in Kumano, loved by many writers and artists.

Access by boat from the port! Enormous onsen ryokan with large cave baths.

A small-scale decentralized hotel revitalizing a community by renovating Kominka.

A boutique hotel with the "world's best breakfast" that reflects Bernard Loiseau’s culinary arts.

A closed school’s teacher’s residence was renovated into a lodging designed by the Oriental culture researcher Alex Kerr.

A modern hotel opened inside Takashimaya Higashi Annex, a nationally designated important cultural property.

An exquisite luxury hotel offering splendid views of Nijo Castle all year around.

A comfortable hotel with a spectacular view which served as the venue for the G7 Ise-Shima Summit.

This is a traditional event that heralds spring in Osaka, where visitors can enjoy cherry blossoms of many varieties.

Requiescats and lights to pray for world’s peace decorating Kobe in winter.

The new festival to gather Japan’s famous shops and dedicate shaved ice to the god of ice.

Tanabata Festival held fantastically around the Heijo Palace remains in the summer evening.

One of the three Major festivals in Kyoto, featuring the “Roto no Gi” ceremony that reminds us of Heian Period’s paintings.

Spiritual and ghastly fires illuminate the ancient city at night. A traditional event where spirits depart to the afterlife.

A summer event in the historical town Nara where more than 10,000 candles add a mystic ambience to the town.

A fall festival in Kishiwada with 300-years of history. People pull a 4-ton Danjiri and turn a corner in Yarimawashi, 90-degrees with great force!

The highlight of this Great Festival at Heian Shrine is a procession of people dressed in costumes of various periods of time.

The ritual held at Osaka Tenmangu with more than 1000-year history, regarded as one of Japan’s Three Major Festivals.

One of Japan's most famous festivals held in Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto with more than 1150 years of history.

One of the three major float festivals registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Don't miss the children's kabuki!