Must-See

Top Picks

Hokkaido Tohoku Hokuriku
Shinetsu Kanto Tokai Kansai Chugoku Shikoku Kyushu Okinawa Islands SAPPORO TOKYO NAGOYA OSAKA FUKUOKA FURANO KUSHIRO AOMORI SENDAI FUKUSHIMA NIKKO HAKONE SADO TAKAYAMA KANAZAWA ISE KYOTO NARA HIROSHIMA NAGASAKI KAGOSHIMA NAHA

Hokkaido

Hokkaido

Japan's great white north offers wild, white winters and bountiful summers—a haven for dedicated foodies, nature lovers and outdoor adventure fans seeking an adrenaline rush Japan's great white north offers wild, white winters and bountiful summers—a haven for dedicated foodies, nature lovers and outdoor adventure fans seeking an adrenaline rush

Tohoku

Aomori
Akita
Iwate
Yamagata
Miyagi
Fukushima

Fearsome festivals, fresh powder snow and vast fruit orchards—the rugged territory of Tohoku offers a new perspective on travel in Japan. Fearsome festivals, fresh powder snow and vast fruit orchards—the rugged territory of Tohoku offers a new perspective on travel in Japan.

Hokuriku Shinetsu

Niigata
Toyama
Ishikawa
Fukui
Nagano

An easily accessible slice of rural Japan offering unrivaled mountainscapes and coastlines, endless outdoor adventure and amazing ocean fare. An easily accessible slice of rural Japan offering unrivaled mountainscapes and coastlines, endless outdoor adventure and amazing ocean fare.

Kanto

Tokyo
Kanagawa
Chiba
Saitama
Ibaraki
Tochigi
Gunma

Jump from the neon glow of Tokyo to Gunma's mountain retreats, Kamakura's cultural heritage and the Ogasawara Islands' exotic wildlife. Jump from the neon glow of Tokyo to Gunma's mountain retreats, Kamakura's cultural heritage and the Ogasawara Islands' exotic wildlife.

Tokai

Yamanashi
Shizuoka
Gifu
Aichi
Mie

Hallmark attractions such as Mt. Fuji and Takayama coexist with major cities and famous heritage in the center of Japan. Hallmark attractions such as Mt. Fuji and Takayama coexist with major cities and famous heritage in the center of Japan.

Kansai

Kyoto
Osaka
Shiga
Hyogo
Nara
Wakayama

The Kansai region is one of contrasts, from the glittering lights of Osaka and Kobe to the cultural treasures of Kyoto and Nara. The Kansai region is one of contrasts, from the glittering lights of Osaka and Kobe to the cultural treasures of Kyoto and Nara.

Chugoku

Tottori
Shimane
Okayama
Hiroshima
Yamaguchi

Welcome to Japan's less-explored western frontier, where the weather is warmer and the pace of life is slower. Welcome to Japan's less-explored western frontier, where the weather is warmer and the pace of life is slower.

Shikoku

Tokushima
Kagawa
Ehime
Kochi

Island-hopping, cycling, soul-warming spiritual strolling and red-hot dancing—the island of Shikoku gets you up and moving. Island-hopping, cycling, soul-warming spiritual strolling and red-hot dancing—the island of Shikoku gets you up and moving.

Kyushu

Fukuoka
Saga
Nagasaki
Oita
Kumamoto
Miyazaki
Kagoshima

The southern island of Kyushu is home to hot springs, rugged geography, undeveloped beaches and volcanoes ranging from sleepy to smoky. The southern island of Kyushu is home to hot springs, rugged geography, undeveloped beaches and volcanoes ranging from sleepy to smoky.

Okinawa

Okinawa

Fly to Okinawa and discover a distinct island culture born of subtropical sun, white sand, coral, mangrove jungles and the age of the Ryukyu Kings Fly to Okinawa and discover a distinct island culture born of subtropical sun, white sand, coral, mangrove jungles and the age of the Ryukyu Kings

Things To Do

Top Picks

Helping You Plan

Useful Resources

Must-See
Places
To Do
Plan

Osaka (KIX)

Kansai International Airport (KIX)

Thought once inconceivable, it is now possible to visit Japan without stepping foot in Tokyo at all. Kansai International Airport (KIX) serves the western area of Japan housing the tourist-magnet city of Kyoto and the urban powerhouse of Osaka, along with the deeply spiritual ground of surrounding prefectures Nara and Wakayama. For more information about the general airport, click here - Kansai International Airport: KIX homepage

Train

The airport is located around 50 minutes from the bullet train hub of Shin-Osaka and 75 minutes away from Kyoto station. JR Limited Express and Rapid Trains run frequently between the airport and central Osaka in just over an hour. For more information about available destinations and the time required, check here - Kansai International Airport: Access by train info

Bus

Buses are another good option for traveling farther into the Kansai region and beyond. The major hotel districts, neighboring prefectures and destinations further afield-including the island of Shikoku-are all covered. Click here for detailed timetables and fares - Kansai International Airport: Access by bus info

Taxi

If the trains or buses don't quite serve your purpose, taxis are on hand to take you wherever you need to go. Take a look at the following link for average times and fares - Kansai International Airport: Access by taxi info

Airport Services

Tourist Information Center

Stop by the Tourist Information Centre staffed by multilingual travel experts who can answer questions and provide free maps and brochures. A stop at the center will save you lots of travel-planning time.

Money Exchange

Japanese public transport, stores and restaurants are legally forbidden to accept foreign currencies, so you will need small amounts of yen currency for your immediate needs. If you have foreign bank notes other than U.S. dollars, it is wise to convert some of them in to yen while at the airport. Traveler's Checks can be cashed quickly at banks, but few stores or restaurants accept them. Unused yen (bank notes only—no coins) can be reconverted at the airport with no limitation, provided the exchange center has sufficient funds for reconversion. For handling currency exchange, there are nine banks at the airport, with one or more open from 6 am to 11 pm.

Japan Rail Pass Order Exchange

Receive your Japan Rail Pass by exchanging your Exchange Order at the Green Window (Midori-no-Madoguchi) Reservations Ticket Office at JR Kansai Airport Station. You can validate your Pass within three months of the issuing date of your Exchange Order. You can use the Pass for most JR train trips.