Kansai

Kansai

Stone path to Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine in Wakayama, Japan, with lanterns and forest backdrop. Some hiking
Kansai

Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine: The Perched Sanctuary

Discover the Wakaura Tenmangu Shrine, perched over the bay, between legends, marine beauty and Japanese spirituality.

Some crowds
1–2 hours (allow extra time if you stop for views and photos); half-day if combining with the Wakanoura bay area
Empty corridor in historic Nara Prison cellblock with green cell doors and grated drain
Nara

Behind the Bars of Nara Prison

Red brick, star-shaped wings, tiny cells and a future luxury hotel: at Nara, confinement simply changed its clientele. A visit to the empty prison before its next life.

Stone steps at Hase-dera Temple in Nara, Japan, lined with blooming hydrangeas. Serene
Nara

Hasedera: Peonies and Steps

Hasedera temple in Nara, a spiritual jewel nestled in greenery, famous for its legendary 400 steps and its enchanting peonies.

Peony Bloom
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Iconic red Daruma dolls, symbols of perseverance. Easy walk
Osaka

Katsuō-ji: Temple of the Daruma

Not far from Osaka, in the heart of Mino forest, is a place reputed to grant all wishes. Discover the Temple of the Daruma …

Busy
Half day (about 3–5 hours including travel from central Osaka); allow longer if visiting as part of a Kansai/ Saigoku pilgrimage day
Ine traditional boathouses at night, Japan coast town Easy walk
Kyoto

The Funaya of Ine

Nestled on a strip between land and sea, this picturesque village with its houses on stilts offers a landscape of rare beauty.

Some crowds
Half day for a walk along the bay and photos; Full day if you add the bay sightseeing boat trip and/or stay overnight in a funaya guesthouse.
Rock Ship of Masuda Easy walk
Kansai

The Strange Rock Ship of Masuda

The village of Asuka, in the Takaichi district of Nara prefecture, is famous for its mysterious stones.

Some crowds
2–3 hours (including local transit and the uphill walk); Half day if combining with other Asuka stone sites
Serene Bamboo Pathway in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan Easy walk
Autumn

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Sagano, better known as Arashiyama, is a vast area in Ukyo-ku district, northwest of Kyoto city, encircled by Mounts Ogura and Atago and the Katsura river.

Busy
2–3 hours (half day if also visiting Tenryu-ji, Togetsukyo Bridge, and nearby shrines/temples)
Imposing war memorial tower against sunset skyline. Lively
Kansai

Osaka Great Peace Tower

This oddly designed tower is a cenotaph, in other words a funerary monument that doesn’t contain human remains but was erected in memory of a person, or group of people.

Fireworks Festival
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Aragi Island Rice Fields Luminous
Summer

Aragijima : The Island of Rice Paddies

Winter Illumination
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