Kansai attractions

Beneath the verdant canopy of the eastern mountains, Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion) is among the most visited of Kyoto’s UNESCO-listed temples and renowned for its idyllic gardens. Built in 1482 by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, legend dictates that it was to be covered in silver in homage to Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)—a feat that was never realized.

Founded in 1236, Tofuku-ji is a large Zen Buddhist temple in southeastern Kyoto. It’s one of the most important Zen temples in Kyoto (and the entirety of Japan) and it's the head temple of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. It’s an especially popular place to see the vibrant colors of the trees in fall.

Located in the Arashiyama area of Kyoto, Tenryu-ji Temple is one of the five great temples of Kyoto. Make a stop at this sprawling Zen temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates from the 14th century, to experience its traditional Japanese landscape garden.

The Japanese royal family lived in Kyoto Imperial Palace(Kyoto Gosho) until 1868, when the capital moved to Tokyo. It’s located within the Kyoto Imperial Park, which also houses other palaces and shrines. This must-visit attraction allows visitors to gain a greater understanding of Japan’s rich history and culture while enjoying landscaped gardens.

Founded in 1319, Daitoku-ji Temple is a large walled temple complex in northern Kyoto that encompasses Zen gardens and more than 20 sub-temples. It’s the head temple of the Rinzai sect’s Daitoku-ji school of Zen Buddhism and the spiritual center of the Japanese tea ceremony. The complex is a great place to experience and learn about Buddhism in Japan.

Built in the 17th century by Prince Hachijo Toshihito, Katsura Imperial Villa (Katsura Rikyu) is regarded as one of the cornerstones of Japanese architecture and garden design. With its landscaped gardens, bamboo forests, and traditional teahouses dotted around a central lake; it’s an idyllic spot for strolling.

The narrow, neon-lit streets of Den Den Town (Nipponbashi) are a magnet for shoppers on the hunt for electronics and comics. Multitudes of shops selling anime, manga, video games, action figures, tools, electronic equipment, and even furniture compete for business among young Osakans and visitors alike.

With its central shinbashira (pillar towering 180 feet (55 meters over downtown Kyoto, To-ji Temple is Japan’s tallest wooden structure. Built in 796, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Buddhist temple is also one of the oldest in the city and among Kyoto’s most beloved landmarks. It also hosts a popular flea market.

Founded in 888, Ninna-ji Temple maintained a centuries-long status as a royal temple. Members of the Imperial Family served as the temple’s head priest, bringing prestige that lasts to this day. Today, it’s the center of the Omuro sect of Shingon Buddhism and houses structures relocated from Kyoto’s former Imperial Palace.

Kitschy and cute Tsutenkaku, Osaka’s answer to the Eiffel Tower, rises 338 feet (103 meters) above the streets of Shin Sekai. The neon-outlined building was the tallest in town when it was first built in 1912. An observation deck offers stellar nighttime views and the chance to see beloved Billiken, god of “things as they ought to be.”

Located in the heart of Nara City, Nara Park (Nara Koen) is famous for the 1,300 semi-wild sika deer that have roamed its grounds for centuries. Spanning 1,360 acres (550 hectares), the scenic public park is also home to several popular attractions, including the Todai-ji Temple, home to the sacred Daibutu (Great Buddha), and the vermillion Kasugataisha Shrine, shrouded by a primeval forest of cedars and Chinese black pines.

On the outskirts of Kyoto, the tranquil area of Sagano encompasses some of the city’s most stunning landscapes. This rural residential area boasts views of the mountains dotting the horizon, colorful fields, and, most famously, a dense bamboo forest that may just be one of Japan’s prettiest spots.

Yasaka Shrine–called Yasaka Jinja in Japanese and sometimes still referred to by its old name, Gion Shrine–is a popular and important Shinto shrine in Kyoto’s Gion neighborhood. Thought to have been founded in the 7th century, the shrine has patronized local arts for centuries and is home to the lively Gion Matsuri (festival) in July.

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Built in 1164, Sanjusangen-do Hall impresses with its 1,001 golden Buddhist statues flanking the giant seated Kannon (goddess of mercy). It’s considered one of the world’s top collections of wooden statuary. The 400-foot (122-meter) hall gets its name from the 33 spaces between its columns.

Situated near the famous Geisha district of Gion, Kennin-ji Temple attracts Buddhist monks on pilgrimage as well as religious locals, tourists, and curious explorers. Dating to 1202, it’s one of the most important Zen temples in Kyoto, with rooftops that curve upwards toward the sky, as if in prayer.

Jojakko-ji Temple is a small Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s popular Arashiyama District, west of the central city. Dating from the late-16th century, the temple is set on the side of Mt. Kokura and offers sweeping views across the city. While the Arashiyama district is very popular with tourists, this small temple is usually tranquil.

Located in Nara Park, Todai-Ji (Great Eastern Temple is one of the most famous and historically significant temples in Japan. Dating back to the eighth century, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is known for its Great Buddha Hall, one of the largest wooden structures in the world, which houses a massive bronze Buddha statue.

The narrow alleys, paper lanterns, and traditional tea houses of Hozenji Yokocho are a far cry from the neon lights and pulsing atmosphere of Dotonbori. The historic alley’s most famous attraction is the 17th-century Hozenji Temple, where devotees come to splash water over a moss-covered statue of the Buddha.

Among Kyoto’s collection of UNESCO-listed temples, Ryoan-ji Temple stands out for its mysterious 15th-century zen rock garden. No matter where you stand gazing out over the rock garden, at least one rock is hidden from sight, and the meditative spot is said to represent ‘infinity’ or an ‘endless sea.’

Best known for its riot of colorful foliage each autumn, this celebrated Buddhist temple—part of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism—is considered an indispensable stop on any Kyoto itinerary. With roots dating back to the 8th century, here you’ll find a variety of traditional buildings and a tranquil garden with a tree-lined pond, all open to visitors year-round.

Kyoto’s main waterway, the Kamogawa River (Kamo River) runs from the north to the south of the city. As well as being a favorite local haunt for riverside walks, bike rides, picnics, and people-watching, the banks are also buzzing with restaurants and nightlife options—most notably, around the geisha districts of Pontocho and Gion.

When Sapporo residents want to relax, play, or soak up nature, they head for Maruyama Park (Maruyama Koen). On the western side of the city, the park’s sprawling grounds include the Maruyama Wild Forest, a designated natural treasure, and several attractions including the Hokkaido Shrine, the Maruyama Zoo, and the Maruyama Baseball Stadium.

Built to protect fisherman and sailors, the 3rd-century Sumiyoshi-taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine) is Osaka’s most famous shrine. Renowned for its classic Japanese architecture and vivid red-and-white colour, the shrine

Minami, which translates as south, is the go-to Osaka district for a taste of the city’s entertainment scene. With shopping, dining, and nightlife venues stretching from Semba to Namba Station, Minami is ever-popular with visitors and locals.

Named after a renowned Japanese philosopher who was said to have walked this path for his daily meditation, the Philosopher’s Path (Tesugaku-no-michi) is a scenic, stone-paved walkway along a tree-lined canal. Popular with locals and visitors alike, it’s one of the best places in the city to view cherry blossoms.

At 984 feet (300 meters) tall, Abeno Harukas (Osaka Harukas) takes the coveted superlative of Japan's highest skyscraper, narrowly rising above the former title holder, the Yokohama Landmark Tower. Part of the sprawling Abenobashi Terminal Building, it stands atop the Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi Station and houses a department store, art museum, five-star hotel, and observation deck.

If you only have time for one day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, make it Himeji Castle (Himeji-Jo), renowned as Japan’s most beautiful historic citadel. Also known as White Heron Castle, the UNESCO-listed hilltop structure was built in 1580 and features a five-story central tower with surrounding moats, walls, and pagodas.

America-Mura (American Village) is the go-to Osaka district if you want to get a taste of the city’s street culture. The area earned its name in the 1970s when it began filling up with shops selling imported goods from the United States. Today it’s an enclave of youth-focused and offbeat stores, as well as cafes, bars, and nightclubs.

Visiting the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is like stepping back in time to the streets of mid-19th-century Osaka to see how they might have looked during the Edo Period. The museum is laid out in a series of recreated houses—each depicting an element of daily life—including merchant houses, a bathhouse, and a town hall.