There are numerous day trip tourist spots in the Kansai region.
This time, we will introduce recommended hidden tourist spots by prefecture, so please use it as a reference for your day trip planning!
Recommended day trip tourist spots in Hyogo prefecture.
Although there are many tourist spots in Hyogo prefecture, this article will introduce day trip tourist spots in “Sayo Town,” “Awaji Island,” and “Himeji City”.
Hirafuku, a post town in Sayo Town, Hyogo prefecture.
Hirafuku in Sayo Town, located about an hour’s drive from Osaka, is a spot where the vestiges of its heyday as a post town on the Inaba Highway still remain strong.
In recent years, the NIPPONIA group, which runs traditional Japanese-style hotels and restaurants, has also expanded into the area, attracting a large number of tourists from both within and outside the prefecture.
Other attractions include the view from Rishin Castle overlooking the streets of Hirafuku and stargazing at the Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory, which boasts the largest telescope in Japan. This is a day trip tourist spot that can be enjoyed both day and night.
Name:
Hirafuku, a post town
Phone:
0790-82-0670 (Sayo Town Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division)
Address:
679-5331 Hyogo Prefecture, Sayo Town, Hirafuku
Access:
1 minute walk from Hirafuku Station on the Chizu Express Line,
5 minutes by car from Sayo IC on the Chugoku Expressway,
1 minute by car from Sayo-Hirafuku IC on the Tottori Expressway
Website:
https://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/road/michi_no_eki/contents/hyogo/syukubamatihirafuku.html
Yumebutai on Awaji Island, Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, Yumebutai on Awaji Island is a day-trip tourist spot with a vast area of approximately 280,000 square meters, featuring a conference hall, a church, a botanical garden, restaurants, hotels, and many other photogenic buildings designed by Tadao Ando.
This is a recommended spot for those who love nature and Tadao Ando’s architecture, as well as those who want to take Instagram-worthy photos.
Name:
Awaji Yumebutai
Phone:
0799-74-1000
Address:
2 Yumebutai, Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture 656-2306
Access:
About 45 minutes by bus from JR Kobe Station,
approximately 10 minutes by car from Awaji Interchange on the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway
Website:
https://www.yumebutai.co.jp/en/
Ieshima Island, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Located in the Seto Inland Sea, Ieshima is a remote island that can be accessed from Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture in about 30 minutes.
It is an archipelago consisting of 44 small and large islands, and no matter which tourist spot you visit in Ieshima, you can enjoy the sea, which is a unique attraction that cannot be experienced on the mainland.
You might find interesting discoveries by renting a bicycle and exploring the island.
Name:
Ieshima Islands
Phone:
079-325-8777 (Ieshima Tourism Business Association)
Address:
Ieshima Town, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture
Access:
About 30 minutes by bus or ferry from JR “Himeji” Station
About 15 minutes by car or 30 minutes by ferry from Himeji Bypass “Nakachi” IC
Website:
https://h-ieshima.jp/mhi/
Recommended day trip tourist spots in Kyoto prefecture.
From Kyoto Prefecture, we would like to introduce recommended day trip destinations from “Ine Town” and “Miyama Town”.
Ine no Funaya (Ine Boat Houses) , Ine Town, Kyoto.
Located about 2 hours away by car from Kyoto city is Ine Town at the northern tip of Kyoto Prefecture.
The nostalgic sight of buildings with boat garages on the first floor and houses on the second floor is a unique architectural style that can only be found here.
Ine Town is also adjacent to Miyazu City in Kyoto Prefecture, which is famous for Amanohashidate, so it’s recommended to enjoy both the sightseeing spots of Amanohashidate and the boat houses of Ine together.
Name:
Ine no Funaya
Phone:
0772-32-0277 (Ine Tourist Association)
Address:
491 Hirata, Ine Town, Yoza-gun, Kyoto Prefecture 626-0423
Access:
About 1 hour by bus from “Amanohashidate” station on Kyoto Tango Railway
About 30 minutes by car from “Yoasa-Amanohashidate” IC on Kyoto Jukan Expressway
Website:
https://www.ine-kankou.jp/funaya/en/
Kayabuki no Sato Miyama, Miyama Town, Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture.
About an hour and a half from Kyoto city lies Miyama town, where the Japanese countryside scenery remains strong.
This day trip spot attracts many tourists from both Japan and abroad.
If you want to experience the traditional Japan that can rival the Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, be sure to visit Miyama town.
It is a “thatched-roof village” that can rival Shirakawa-go in Gifu prefecture, so if you want to feel the old-fashioned Japan, be sure to visit Miyama town.
Name:
Kayabuki-no-Sato Miyama
Phone:
0771-75-9030 (Kyoto Miyama Navigation)
Address:
Anakake-shita, Miyama Town, Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture 601-0722
Access:
About 35 minutes by bus from JR Sanin Main Line “Hiyoshi” Station
About 30 minutes by car from Kyoto Jukan Expressway “Sonobe” IC
Website:
https://miyamanavi.com
Recommended day trip tourist spots in Osaka prefecture.
From Osaka, we recommend day-trip destinations in “Shimamoto-cho” and “Ikeda-shi”.
the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Shimamoto Town, Osaka Prefecture.
A day trip spot that whiskey lovers cannot resist is the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery located in Shimamoto Town, Osaka.
It is easily accessible by train from both Osaka and Kyoto, taking around 30 minutes.
You can enjoy Suntory’s history since its founding, and at the tasting counter, you can find the perfect whiskey that suits your taste.
Name:
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
Phone: 075-962-1423
Address:
5-2-1 Yamazaki, Shimamoto Town, Mishima-gun, Osaka Prefecture 618-0001
Access:
10-minute walk from JR Yamazaki Station, or Hankyu Oyamazaki Station
Website:
https://www.suntory.co.jp/factory/yamazaki/
Cup Noodles Museum, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture.
Located just a 10-minute walk from Ikeda Station in Osaka, the Cup Noodle Museum Ikeda is a must-visit spot with excellent accessibility.
Visitors can enjoy learning about the history of Cup Noodle and also have the opportunity to create their own Cup Noodle with custom designs.
With its convenient location accessible by both car and train, it’s a great option to consider for those planning a day trip in the Kansai region.
Name:
Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
Phone:
072-752-3484
Address:
8-25 Manjumi-cho, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture 563-0041
Access:
10-minute walk from Hankyu Ikeda Station
10 minutes by car from the “Toyonaka” and “Ikeda” interchanges on the Chugoku Expressway
Website:
https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka_ikeda/
Recommended day trip tourist spots in Nara prefecture.
From Nara Prefecture, we will introduce recommended day-trip sightseeing spots from “Asuka Village” and “Totsukawa Village”.
Ishibutai Kofun in Asuka Historical Park, Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture.
The Ishibutai Kofun in Asuka Historical Park (Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture) is a tourist spot located in Asuka Historical Park in Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture, according to the official website of Asuka Historical Park, the source of this information.
It is relatively easily accessible from the Keihanshin area, and with a short drive, you can also visit other representative tourist spots in Japan such as Kashihara Shrine and Nara Park.
If you are interested in visiting off-the-beaten-path tourist spots in Nara Prefecture, please do visit.
Name:
Ishibutai Kofun
Phone:
0747-54-4577
Address:
254 Shimojo, Asuka Village, Takaichi-gun, Nara Prefecture 634-0112
Access:
About 10 minutes by taxi from Kintetsu Kashiharajingu-mae Station
About 1 hour by car from Kinokawa IC on the Keinawa Expressway
Website:
https://asukamura.com/sightseeing/499/
Tarui Suspension Bridge, Totsukawa Village, Nara Prefecture.
You could say that Tenkawa village is a hidden gem of the Kansai region, and one of its tourist attractions is the Tanise no Tsurihashi Bridge.
The roads near Tenkawa village are also popular among motorcycle enthusiasts, so it’s recommended to combine sightseeing with a motorcycle ride.
Name:
Tanise no Tsuribashi (Suspension Bridge in Tani)
Phone:
0746-63-0200
Address:
65-2 Uenoji, Totsukawa Village, Yoshino-gun, Nara Prefecture 637-1103
Access:
About 4 hours by bus from Kintetsu Yamato-Yagi Station
about 2 hours by car from the Koriyama Interchange on the Meishin Expressway.
Website:
http://totsukawa.info/joho/kanko/
Recommended day trip tourist spots in Shiga prefecture.
From Shiga prefecture, we recommend day trip tourist spots in Nagahama City and Koka City.
Kurokabe Square, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture.
A tourist spot in Nagahama City with many experience workshops such as glassblowing and stained glass is the Kurokabe Square.
In addition to the Kurokabe (black wall) glass, there are also Japanese-style buildings built during the Edo to Meiji periods, allowing visitors to enjoy the entire townscape.
It is accessible by car from Osaka in about an hour, and it seems that nearly two million tourists visit annually.
Name:
Kurokabe Square
Phone:
0749-65-2330
Address:
12-38 Motonamicho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture 526-0059
Access:
About a 5-minute walk from JR Tokaido Main Line “Nagahama” Station
About a 10-minute drive from “Nagahama” IC on the Hokuriku Expressway
Website:
https://www.kurokabe.co.jp/en/
Koka Ninja Village in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture.
For those who want to visit a unique tourist spot, we recommend “Ninja Village” in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture.
Koka’s Ninja Village is the birthplace of Koka Ninjas and has become a theme park where you can experience “Ninjutsu” with attractions such as a trick house and shuriken dojo.
Name:
Koka no Sato Ninjutsu Village
Phone:
0748-88-5000
Address:
394 Koka-cho Ogi, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture 520-3405
Access:
About 10 minutes by bus from JR Kusatsu Line “Koka” Station
about 10 minutes by car from Shin-Meishin Expressway “Koka” or “Koka-Tsuchiyama” IC
Website:
https://koka.ninpou.jp/en/
Recommended day trip tourist spots in Wakayama prefecture.
From Wakayama Prefecture, we recommend day trip destinations in Shirahama Town and Nachikatsuura Town.
Nanki Shirahama Onsen Rotenburo Tour, Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture.
Nanki Shirahama Onsen (Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture) is one of Japan’s three oldest hot spring resorts, along with Arima Onsen and Dogo Onsen.
At Nanki Shirahama Onsen, you can purchase a “yume-guri fuda” pass and enjoy soaking in the hot springs at any of the 14 participating facilities.
It’s a great day trip destination for those who want to spend a relaxing time.
Name:
Nanki Shirahama Onsen Yumeguri (Nanki Shirahama Hot Spring Bathhouse Tour)
Phone:
0739-43-3201
Address:
925-7 Shirahama Town, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
Access:
About 2 hours by limited express “Kuroshio” from “Shin-Osaka” station
about 10 minutes by car from Nanki Shirahama IC on the prefectural road Flower Line.
Website:
http://www.nankishirahama.jp/course/detail.php?course_id=6
Nachi Falls, Nachikatsuura Town, Wakayama Prefecture.
One of Japan’s three famous waterfalls, Nachi Falls, is a secluded area with the highest drop in Japan.
The breathtaking view is sure to overwhelm anyone who sees it.
The area around Nachi Falls is also popular as a hiking trail, so it’s a great opportunity to move your body while enjoying the negative ions of nature.
Name:
Nachi Falls (Nachi-no-Otaki) at Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine
Phone:
0735-55-0321
Address:
1 Nachisan, Nachikatsuura Town, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama prefecture 649-5301
Access:
Approximately 30 minutes by bus from Kii-Katsuura Station on the JR Kisei Main Line
about 4 hours by car from the Susami-Minami Interchange on the Kisei Expressway.
Website:
https://kumanonachitaisha.or.jp/pavilion/waterfall.html
There are numerous day trip destinations in Kansai!
There are many day trip destinations in the Kansai region.
Please refer to this article and enjoy traveling in Japan’s Kansai region!
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