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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

Sub-zero temperatures and the greatest of outdoor environments, complemented by sizzling soul food and warm-hearted welcomes. 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

Sleek apple-red and electric-green shinkansen whisk you up to a haven of fresh powder snow, fresh fruit and fearsome folk legends Fearsome festivals, fresh powder and vast fruit orchards—the rugged northern territory of Tohoku offers a fresh perspective on travel in Japan

Hokuriku Shinetsu

Niigata
Toyama
Ishikawa
Fukui
Nagano

Mountains and sea meet in one of Japan's wildest regions, and the result is sheer beauty. Once largely inaccessible, Hokuriku is now reachable by shinkansen from Tokyo in a matter of hours 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

Characterized by the constant buzz of the world's most populous metropolitan area, the Kanto region is surprisingly green with an array of escapes that include mountainous getaways and subtropical islands Experience diversity at its fullest, from the neon of Tokyo to the ski slopes of Gunma, exotic wildlife of the Ogasawara Islands and cultural heritage of Kamakura

Tokai

Yamanashi
Shizuoka
Gifu
Aichi
Mie

Served by the shinkansen line that connects Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the Tokai region provides plenty of interesting diversions and easy excursions Tokai means "eastern sea," and this region stretches east from Tokyo to Kyoto and includes blockbuster attractions such as Mt. Fuji and Takayama

Kansai

Kyoto
Osaka
Shiga
Hyogo
Nara
Wakayama

From raucous nights out to outdoor thrills to peaceful reverie, trying to categorize the Kansai region is a futile task The Kansai region is one of extreme contrasts—the neon lights of Osaka and glittering Kobe nightscape, the peaceful realms of Shiga, Wakayama and Nara, and the cultured refinement of Kyoto

Chugoku

Tottori
Shimane
Okayama
Hiroshima
Yamaguchi

Less-traveled and delightfully inaccessible at times, the Chugoku region is a reminder that the journey is sometimes more important than the destination Welcome to Japan's warm and friendly western frontier, where the weather is warmer and the pace of life is slower

Shikoku

Tokushima
Kagawa
Ehime
Kochi

Providing the stage for literary classics, fevered dancing and natural wonders 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

Easily reached by land, sea and air, the dynamic Kyushu prefectures are bubbling with energy, culture and activity The southern island of Kyushu is home to volcanoes ranging from sleepy to smoky, succulent seafood, steaming hot springs and the country's hottest entrepreneurial town

Okinawa

Okinawa

Ruins and recreated castles of the Ryukyu kings nestle amid magnificent beaches in Okinawa, a diver's paradise teeming with an amazing array of coral and undersea life 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

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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

You can obtain your Japan Rail Pass by exchanging your Exchange Order at the JR Information Counter in the International Arrivals Lobby, the TiS-Travel Service Center, or the Green Window (Midori-no-Madoguchi) Reservations Ticket Office at JR Kansai Airport Station. The date of validation of your Pass can be any day within 3 months of the issuing date of your Exchange Order. You can use the Pass for the JR train trip.