Kansai Region (Japan)
Feb. 12 - 16, 2016 & Feb. 13 - 17, 2026 (5D4N): The Kansai Region, including Osaka, Kobe, Nara, and Kyoto, is truly the cultural heart of Japan. Whether you’re here for the endless rows of temples, the world-class food scene (think everything from smoky yakitori and adventurous blowfish to buttery Kobe beef and Michelin-starred meals), or a morning spent with the 1,000+ friendly (and hungry!) deer in Nara, this region offers the ultimate must-see experience in Japan.
While my first trip in 2016 covered the essentials, I recently returned to dive deeper into the outskirts. This updated itinerary now includes a must-visit day trip to Uji, the matcha capital of the world. It’s the perfect, slower-paced addition to the "big city" energy of Osaka or the historic hustle of Kyoto. As always, this trip is easy to combine with Tokyo via the Shinkansen, making it a seamless addition to your Japan adventure.
*Highly Recommended
Day 1 (Osaka)
Morning arrival at Osaka (KIX)
Check-in @ St. Regis Osaka (luxury) or Hiyori Hotel Osaka Namba* (upscale)
Lunch @ Kuromon Market:
Try your luck at grabbing the limited grilled eels @ Uotoyo (stop by before 8 am)
Fugu (puffer fish) sashimi @ Minami* (cash only)
Irkura @ Funasada*
Toro @ Maguroya Kurogin Kuromon*
Shop for Royce chocolate @ Royce Chocolate or 北海道物産Tax-freeShop*
Osaka Castle (suggested duration:1 hr or skip the indoor tour if you plan on visiting Himeji Castle)
Umeda Sky Building* (visit 39F for free)
Shop @ Yodobashi-Umeda & Uniqlo
Happy Hour @ Hiyori Hotel
Dinner @ 焼き鶏 いく乃* (chicken yakitori) or Namba Okonomiyaki Ajinoya Honten (okonomiyaki) at Dontobori
Massage @ Zuboraya
Day 2 (Kobe & Himeji)
Coffee @ hotel
Train to Kobe Sannomiya Station:
Kobe beef lunch @ Kobe Beef KOJYU* or Kobe Beef Steak Ishida head office (lunch set will offer the same high-quality A5 wagyu for 40-50% less than the dinner price)
Kobe City Hall observation deck (closes at 10 pm; 24th floor; free)
Ikuta Shrine & garden in the back
Shop @ Kobe Sannomiya Center Gai Shopping St, Don Quijote Sannomiya, 切味乃家 (bought the sashimi knife here)
Return to Osaka or JR to Himeji Station (40 mins) to visit Himeji Castle if the Kansai region is your final destination
Dinner @ agnel d’or (one Michelin star)
Day 3 (Nara & Uji)
Train to Kintetsu-Nara Station (~50 mins):
Check-in @ Super Hotel Lohas* if you plan on staying one night here
Nara Park* (feed crackers to the hungry wild deer)
Todai-ji Temple (home to the 15-meter-tall Great Buddha; cash only)
Yoshikien Garden* (a hidden gem; free)
Lunch @ Maguro Koya* or 華鹿 -KAROKU-
Walk through @ Higashimuki Shopping St. (very touristy)
Dessert @ Daibutsu Ichigo
Train to Uji (~27 mins via Rapid Miyakoji, arriving at JR Uji Station):
Walk through Byodo-in Omotesando
Byodo-in Temple* (suggested duration 1 hr; accepts credit cards; it’s the temple on the back of the 10 yen coin)
Fukujuen Uji* (has a small free museum in the back and is great for souvenirs)
Asahiyaki Shop & Gallery (beautiful pottery)
Matcha dessert @ Tsuen Main branch (minimum spending required per person)
Return to Osaka:
Dinner @ Shinsekai (skip if short on time)
Day 4 (Kyoto)
JR to Kyoto:
Check-in @ THE GATE HOTEL Kyoto Takasegawa by HULIC (upscale hotel) or Seikoro (upscale ryokan)
Take the Kyoto City Bus or walk to:
Sanjusangendo/1000 Statues (suggested duration 45 mins; cash only)
Take the train to Fushimi Inari-taisha伏見稲荷/Thousand Gates* (turn back by the pond)
Lunch @ Nishiki Market (try the baby octopus with the quail egg)
Kinkaku-ji Temple金閣寺/Golden Temple*
Ryoanji龍安寺/Rock garden
Dinner @ Sobanomi Yoshimura*
Day 5 (Kyoto)
Eikan-do Zenrinji-temple永觀堂 (cash only)
Gion祇園:
Learn about samurai swords @ Tozando Gion-Yasaka Store*
Shop @ Kuroshiku* and Miffy's Oyatsu-do by Miffy's Kitchen Gion
Lunch @ Oryori Mashita (one Michelin star)
Walk down Hanami-koji Street
Kenninji Temple (look for the twin dragon painting on the ceiling; cash only)
Walk down Ishibe Alley
Walk down Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka (be ready for all the crowds & tourists):
Affogato @ The Unir Coffee Sense*
Make your ring @ glänta Kyoto Ninenzaka
Kiyomizu-dera Temple清水寺* (great view of Kyoto; free):
Otowa-no-taki Falls 音羽の滝
Dinner @ Pontocho Alley*
Other points of interest & food:
Kobe:
Kobe beef @ Kobe Beef Steak Restaurant Mouriya Honten, 神戸ビーフ焼肉お加虎 はなれ
Coffee @ 神戸北野焙煎所
Uji:
Matcha Soba or matcha soft serve @ Nakamura Tokichi (right by the JR Uji train station)
Tips:
Reserve your Kansai Regional Pass online to skip the airport lines and use the green kiosks, but do the math first. With recent price hikes, the full Japan Rail (JR) Pass is rarely worth it; run your route through a JR Pass Calculator or AI to see if a regional pass or a simple pay-as-you-go is a better deal. You can add the various Transit Cards (Suica, ICOCA, PASMO, TOICA) to your Apple Wallet for instant top-ups.
Late March to mid-April is the Sakura Season (cherry blossom) in Japan; hotel rates are generally higher during this period.
Most of the 1,000+ deer in Nara are friendly, but they will mob you if they see (or hear) a cracker wrapper. Keep your snacks tucked away until you're ready to commit!
Take your time in Kyoto and don't try to see 10 temples in one day, as you’ll get "temple-ed out." Pick the ones that speak to you and spend the rest of your time exploring the side streets and Gion.
Always carry a small plastic bag in your daypack, as Japan is notoriously short on public trash cans.
