Kansai

Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara get all the attention, and for good reason. But Kansai is bigger than its three most-photographed cities. This section covers both: the essential city guides you’d expect, and the boat-house villages, mountain towns, and quiet coastlines most English-language guides never mention.

Start with a city below, or jump straight to a hidden-gem route like Ine’s boat houses if you’ve already done the temple circuit once.

• Osaka – Japan’s kitchen, and a lot more than Dotonbori.
• Kyoto – Not just temples. Also home to Ine, two hours north of the crowds.
• Nara – More than the deer park, once you know where to look.
• Hyogo – Kobe, Himeji, and the castle towns most itineraries skip.