10 Free Things to do in Kinki That You Shouldn't Miss

February 11, 2022 Sheron Bogner

The Kansai region (関西地方, Kansai-chihō) or the Kinki region (近畿地方, Kinki-chihō) lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. While the use of the terms "Kansai" and "Kinki" have changed over history, in most modern contexts the use of the two terms is interchangeable. The urban region of Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto (Keihanshin region) is the second-most populated in Japan after the Greater Tokyo Area.
Restaurants in Kinki

1. Koyasan Okunoin

550 Koyasan, Koya-cho, Ito-gun 648-0211 Wakayama Prefecture +81 736-56-2011 http://www.koyasan.or.jp/tazuneru/sights/okunoin.html
Excellent
79%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1,261 reviews

Koyasan Okunoin

Reviewed By ggm96822 - Honolulu, United States

A place to let your soul re-awaken. Having last stayed in a monastery here 19 years ago, before it was added to the World Heritage list, I was apprehensive about returning, having heard of busloads of noisy tourists overunning everything, but it defies defilement; one of the world's truly sacred spaces. Early morning and dusk are the best time to visit, early there are monks chanting, at dusk as the shadows fall the 200,000 tombs of the cedar forest begin to stir quietly.

2. Nara Park

469 Zoshicho, Nara 630-8501 Nara Prefecture +81 742-27-8028 http://nara-park.com/en/
Excellent
57%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 5,669 reviews

Nara Park

Reviewed By 901aditia - Hyderabad, India

In early April, when there are cherry blossoms everywhere, the weather is great, there are wild (but friendly) deer all around you and eating deer crackers from your hand, some lovely gardens with waterfalls- there is no better place than Nara. In my view it is best covered individually or with family

3. Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-0882 Kyoto Prefecture +81 75-641-7331 http://inari.jp/
Excellent
67%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 24,494 reviews

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

This shrine is one of many located throughout Japan that was built to honor Inari, the Shinto god of rice.

Reviewed By Cholo_Juan - Nathalia, Australia

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine is a must do for visitors to Kyoto to walk upward ever upward via the winding path through hundreds of Tori gates is an amazing experience, stopping along the way to take in the prayer stations some with dozens if not hundreds of small tori placed as votive offerings. We arrived late in the afternoon and had to almost sprint up the hill as the evening darkness closed in on us, but then the lights come on giving the pathway a surreal air as the light casts its shadows through the Tori Gates. It is an arduous walk so make sure you are fit and have good walking shoes but well worth the effort

4. Minoo Park

1-18 Minokoen, Mino 562-0002 Osaka Prefecture +81 72-721-3014 http://www.mino-park.jp/
Excellent
49%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 330 reviews

Minoo Park

Reviewed By edithssalazar - Baguio, Philippines

We visited Minoo Park after a morning rain so it was a cold overcast afternoon. The autumn colors were stunning we couldn’t stop taking pictures along the 2.8 km uphill path going to the Minoo waterfalls. It was my 5th time in the Kansai area so we decided to go “off the beaten path” and it was all worth it. If you stay in Northern Osaka this is just a 15 minute train ride to the outskirts. It was so easy to find, we saw the signs as soon as we got off the train. It was a serene and pretty place with crisp clean air. I would love to go back on a sunny day though.

5. Amanohashidate

Monju Amanohashidate Park, Miyazu 629-2244 Kyoto Prefecture +81 772-22-8030 http://www.amanohashidate.jp/spot/amanohashidate/
Excellent
43%
Good
44%
Satisfactory
11%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 727 reviews

Amanohashidate

Reviewed By Adaying - Singapore, Singapore

Went on a cloudy day with light drizzle. Spent about an hour walking around the area. There is a chair lift and monorail to bring passengers up the mountain to see the view. You need to bend between your leg for an unique view.. a small amusement park at the top of the mountain. Would like to have spent more time rent a bicycle to ride along the pine trees...

6. Itami Sky Park

7-1-1 Morimoto, Itami 664-8503 Hyogo Prefecture +81 72-772-3447 http://www.city.itami.lg.jp/skypark/index.html
Excellent
47%
Good
45%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 252 reviews

Itami Sky Park

7. Awajihanasajiki

2805-7 Kusumoto, Awaji 656-2301 Hyogo Prefecture +81 799-74-6426 http://www.hyogo-park.or.jp/hanasajiki
Excellent
41%
Good
44%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 320 reviews

Awajihanasajiki

A flower field that gently spreads out toward Osaka Bay in the hilly area of northern Awaji Island. A flower sightseeing spot where you can enjoy a large panorama of a vast flower of about 15 hectares (entrance: free parking lot:Standard-sized car ¥200,Bus ¥ 1600) Opening hours 9:00 to 17:00 (last admission time 16:30)

8. Street of Kinosaki Onsen

Kinosakicho Yushima, Toyooka 669-6101 Hyogo Prefecture http://matinami.o.oo7.jp/kinki2/kinosaki.htm
Excellent
51%
Good
41%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 649 reviews

Street of Kinosaki Onsen

Reviewed By seanv0

Great onsen town with lots to do that truely captures what's so great about Japan. Managed to do many of the quintessential 'When in Japan' activities during our stay here.

9. Kumano Kodo

Nakahechicho / Hongucho /Nachikatsuuracho, 646-0000 http://www.tb-kumano.jp
Excellent
62%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 149 reviews

Kumano Kodo

Reviewed By SullyDean - Sydney, Australia

We took this tour a year ago for my 50th b’day (April 2019) - apologies for late review, however I really want to share our experience as we had an amazing time and feel the reason was that we booked through Walk Japan. From the moment we met up with our tour group, 7 in all, at a snug hotel in Osaka we were able to sit back and focus on the culture, history, religion, scenery & relevance of the Kumano Kodo, and leave the complexities of logistics and language barrier to our competent guide Josh. While some travelers thrive on conquering the difficulties of traveling in a foreign land, we would rather spend our well earned holidays enjoying ourselves without stressing over are we on the correct train line and are we heading in the right direction, or the like. And for us if any country has engendered those feelings its Japan. So for 9 days we walked parts of this pilgrimage and had an absolutely amazing experience - as accommodation and meals were all organized and we had our trusty guide at no point did we stress - and we stayed in some unique accommodation from a monastery (participating in the morning fire ceremony with monks), repurposed high schools (declining population), some huge 80’s hotel built into the side of a cliff like something out of a James Bond movie. We visited all the main temples on the pilgrimage and had our stamp book attended to (make sure you do this right from the start), all relevant historic and cultural points of importance and interest were pointed out and if possible we had time to wonder around (seriously if we had done this pilgrimage as an independent walk we would have missed so much and understood even less) - and to top it all off we were walking smack bang in the middle of the cherry blossom bloom - early April is the time to go it was just gorgeous : ) All in all we had the most brilliant time and Walk Japan took care of everything and at no time did we feel out of our depth - best 50th b’day you could wish for. Thanks Japan, and thanks Walk Japan XXX

10. Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine

Hongucho Hongu, Tanabe 647-1731 Wakayama Prefecture +81 735-42-0009 http://www.hongutaisha.jp
Excellent
52%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 545 reviews

Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine

Reviewed By Maya762015 - Le Havre, France

This shrine is very nice and even 3 of 5 parts are from origin (saved by the flood) , this worth it to come. You can smell the tree odor in this shrine. Roof are amazing

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