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The three-storey pagoda of Seiganto-ji in front of Nachi Falls
A stone torii and moss-covered steps among the cedars of the Okunoin cemetery on Koyasan
A forest stretch of the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo between Hosshinmon-oji and Yunomine Onsen
The three great wooden halls of Engyo-ji on Mount Shosha, used as a location in The Last Samurai

Things to do in Kansai: Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Kobe

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Photo: Suikotei, CC BY-SA 4.0

Koyasan, Wakayama Prefecture

Sleep in a temple on Koyasan and walk the Okunoin cemetery

Check dates and prices

Photo: Josep M. Gracia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Kumano Kodo, Wakayama Prefecture

Walk the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo to Kumano Hongu Taisha

Check dates and prices

Photo: Nekosuki, CC BY-SA 4.0

Mount Shosha, Himeji

Ride up Mount Shosha to the forest temple of Engyo-ji above Himeji

Tours in Kansai

Photo: 663highland, CC BY-SA 3.0

Kansai is the region around Osaka Bay, and the part of Japan with the most history per square kilometre: Nara was the capital in the 8th century, Kyoto for a thousand years after it. Four cities sit within an hour of each other by train, so most visitors base themselves in one and day-trip to the rest.

Kyoto is temples, gardens and old streets. Osaka is food, nightlife and Universal Studios. Nara is the deer park and the oldest wooden buildings in the world. Kobe is the port, Kobe beef and the hot springs of Arima. Each has its own page.

This page also covers three trips into the mountains that people plan whole days around: a night in a temple on Koyasan, the pilgrim trail of the Kumano Kodo, and the forest temple of Engyo-ji above Himeji.

Places in this region

3 things to do in Kansai

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A stone torii and moss-covered steps among the cedars of the Okunoin cemetery on Koyasan

Sleep in a temple on Koyasan and walk the Okunoin cemetery

Koyasan, Wakayama Prefecture

A night and a morningBook ahead

A mountain-top monastery town where you sleep in a temple, eat its vegetarian dinner and walk Japan's largest cemetery under giant cedars.

Check dates and pricesSmall-group day trip to Koyasan from Osaka
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A forest stretch of the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo between Hosshinmon-oji and Yunomine Onsen

Walk the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo to Kumano Hongu Taisha

Kumano Kodo, Wakayama Prefecture

2 to 3 days for the NakahechiBook ahead

A thousand-year-old pilgrim trail through cedar forest to the Kumano shrines, the only route twinned with the Camino de Santiago.

Check dates and pricesDay trip from Osaka to the three Kumano shrines
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The three great wooden halls of Engyo-ji on Mount Shosha, used as a location in The Last Samurai

Ride up Mount Shosha to the forest temple of Engyo-ji above Himeji

Mount Shosha, Himeji

3 to 4 hours from HimejiNo booking needed

A mountain-top temple in the forest above Himeji, with a hall on stilts over a cliff and the wooden halls from The Last Samurai.

Tours in Kansai
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Traveller picks

Hidden gems suggested by travellers. We check each one before it goes up; the words are theirs, not ours.

No traveller picks for Kansai yet. Know a place most visitors miss?

Plan your trip

  • Which places for what

    Kyoto for temples, gardens and the geiko districts. Osaka for street food, nightlife and Universal Studios Japan. Nara for the Great Buddha, the deer and Horyu-ji. Kobe for beef, the harbour, Mount Rokko and Arima Onsen. Koyasan and the Kumano Kodo are for walkers and anyone after a night in a temple.

  • Combining them

    In must30's view, base yourself in Kyoto or Osaka. From Kyoto, Nara is under an hour and Osaka about half an hour; from Osaka, Kobe is about 20 to 30 minutes. Koyasan needs a night of its own, the Kumano Kodo two or three, and Himeji fits in a day with Engyo-ji or on the way west to Hiroshima.

  • Getting around

    JR and private railways (Hankyu, Keihan, Kintetsu, Nankai, Hanshin) link every city, and one IC card works on all of them. The Shinkansen stops at Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, Shin-Kobe and Himeji. Kansai International Airport has direct trains to Osaka and Kyoto.

  • When to go

    Late March to early April for the cherry blossom and November for the autumn colour, both busy; book rooms early. Summer is hot and humid but brings the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and the Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka. Winter is cold, quiet and good for hot springs.

Questions travellers ask

Should I stay in Kyoto or Osaka?

Kyoto if temples and quiet evenings come first; Osaka if food, nightlife and cheaper rooms matter more. They are about half an hour apart, so either works as a base for Nara and the other city. Kobe is easiest from Osaka.

How many days do I need for Kansai?

In must30's view, a week covers Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and a day in Kobe. Add a night for Koyasan, two or three for the Kumano Kodo, and a day for Himeji.

Can I visit Koyasan as a day trip?

Yes, trains from Osaka Namba and the cable car take about two hours each way. A night in a temple lodging is better: you see Okunoin at dusk, eat the vegetarian temple dinner and can join the morning service.

Is the Kumano Kodo hard?

The Nakahechi is about 38 km over forested hills, with long climbs and many steps, usually walked in 2 or 3 days. Anyone used to day hikes can do it; book the few inns along the route well ahead.

Other places to go

Things to do in Japan

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