Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [241]
Other prefectures in Kansai include Mie-ken, which is home to Ise-jingū, Japan’s most sacred Shintō shrine, and Wakayama-ken, which offers onsen (hot springs), a rugged coastline and the temple complex of Kōya-san, Japan’s most important Buddhist centre. Finally, the northern coast of Kansai has some fabulous scenery, several good beaches and the lovely Tango-hantō (Tango Peninsula).
Kyoto is the logical base for an exploration of Kansai, but you could also base yourself in Osaka or Nara. Wherever you stay, you will find that Kansai is the perfect place to sample both modern and traditional Japan without spending too much time moving from place to place.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Immerse yourself in Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital, with more than 2000 temples and shrines
Delve into the roots of Japanese culture in Nara, the country’s ancient capital
Be dazzled by the incredible nightscapes of Osaka, Kansai’s down-to-earth urban heart
Feel the spiritual power emanating from Japan’s most sacred shrine: Ise-jingū
Ascend to the Buddhist sanctuary of Kōya-san
Soak in a riverside onsen in the heart of the Kii-hantō
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Climate
For information on the climate of Kansai, Click here.
Getting There & Away
Travel between Kansai and other parts of Japan is a breeze. Kansai is served by the Tōkaidō and San-yō shinkansen (bullet train) lines, several JR main lines and a few private rail lines. It is also possible to travel to/from Kansai and other parts of Honshū, Shikoku and Kyūshū by long-distance highway buses. Ferries sail between Kōbe/Osaka and other parts of Honshū, Kyūshū, Shikoku and Okinawa. In addition, ferries run between Higashi-Maizuru, on the Sea of Japan coast in northern Kyoto-fu, and Otaru, in Hokkaidō. Finally, Kansai has several airports, most notably Osaka’s Itami Airport (ITM), which has flights to/from many of Japan’s major cities, and Kansai International Airport (KIX), which has flights to dozens of foreign cities (as well as some domestic destinations). For more information, Click here.
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KYOTO
075 / pop 1.47 million
Kyoto is the storehouse of Japan’s traditional culture and the stage on which much of Japanese history was played out. With 17 Unesco World Heritage Sites (see the boxed text), more than 1600 Buddhist temples and over 400 Shintō shrines, Kyoto is also one of the world’s most culturally rich cities. Indeed, it is fair to say that Kyoto ranks with Paris, London and Rome as one of those cities that everyone should see at least once in their lives. And, needless to say, it should rank at the top of any Japan itinerary.
Kyoto is where you will find the Japan of your imagination: raked pebble gardens, poets’ huts hidden amid bamboo groves, arcades of vermilion shrine gates, geisha disappearing into the doorways of traditional restaurants, golden temples floating above tranquil waters. Indeed, most of the sites that make up the popular image of Japan probably originated in Kyoto.
That said, first impressions can be something of an anticlimax. Stepping out of Kyoto Station for the first time and gazing around at the neon and concrete that awaits you, you are likely to feel that all you’ve heard and read about Kyoto is just so much tourist-literature hype. We can only advise you to be patient, for the beauty of Kyoto is largely hidden from casual view: it lies behind walls, doors, curtains and facades. But if you take a little time to explore, you will discover that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of pockets of incredible beauty scattered across the city. And, the closer you look, the more there is to see.
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HISTORY
The Kyoto basin was first settled in the 7th century, and by 794 it had become Heian-kyō, the capital of Japan. Like Nara, a previous capital, the city was laid out in a grid pattern modelled on the Chinese Tang-dynasty