Osaka and Beyond: Exploring the diverse Kansai region

Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, and Namba and Shinsaibashi shopping meccas: Osaka is certainly not short of tourist destinations. There’s plenty of places to let your imagination run wild, starting with Universal Studios Japan. Here, you can meet many of the famous characters you’ve seen on screen, from Spiderman to Hello Kitty. The latest attraction is the biggest yet, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Surrounded by dense forest, the park welcomes you with a replica of the Hogwarts Express locomotive. Then it’s off to the snowy, Christmas-themed Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley where you’ll find many of the famous shops from the books, such as The Ollivanders magic wand shop and The Three Broomsticks tavern serving Butter Beer, the non-alcoholic drink enjoyed by our heroes. Diagon Alley leads you to Hogwarts Castle, home to Professor Albus Dumbledore’s speaking paintings. Don’t miss Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a thrilling ride that simulates flying on a broomstick. If you can still stand afterwards, The Flight of the Hippogriff offers more easy-going thrills. The one-day studio pass gets you unlimited rides at 6,980 yen.

 

Inspired by Harry Potter and want to get acquainted with your own Hedwig? At The Lucky Owls café (1-3-12 Dotombori, Chuo-ku, Namba, open daily noon-8pm, bit.ly/1z3orjW), you can sip drinks surrounded by 10 real-life owls. Lovers of video games, anime and Manga may well know Akihabara, the electronics district in Tokyo. But Osaka has its own version of a Manga city, too, called Nipponbashi, a shopping area stretching from Namba ward to Ebisuhigashi, where the famous Tsutenkaku Tower (“Tower Reaching Heaven”) stands. The area is full of bookstores, gaming venues and colorful otaku (anime fans). There are also numerous maid cafés, where waitresses dress in cute cosplay outfits and tend to you as a master.

 

A 30-minute train ride from Osaka (560 yen/$6.60), Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and best known for its many temples. Once here, the easiest form of transportation is bus. Check all the routes with the easy-to-understand Bus Navi map (available at most hotels). We recommend getting a one-day pass for 500 yen ($6) (from ticket machines at Kyoto Station), as a one-way ticket already sets you back 260 yen ($3). Head towards Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion), then hop on another bus to the celebrated Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which offers stunning views of Kyoto, especially during fall, and Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its vivid red torii (wooden entry gates). Spend your evening at Gion, the famous geisha district, admiring the charming old houses or seeing shows from maiko, trainee geishas. Don’t miss Yasaka Shrine, where hundreds of lamps brighten up the night. If you do a day trip from Osaka, trains run from 5am -midnight.

 

After a few days of shopping and sightseeing, what better way to unwind than with an onsen trip. Just a 50-minute Hankyu Bus ride (1,370 yen/$16) from Hankyu Umeda Station is Arima Onsen, one of the most famous hot spring town in the Kansai region. Here, there are two types of hot spring water: Kinsen (gold water) is believed to heal skin ailments and muscle pain, while Ginsen (silver water) is recommended for muscle relaxation and joint ailments. There are two public bathhouses, but if you want hotel service, head to Taiko-no-yu Hotel (bit.ly/1w5Wc0x) which offers open-air onsen for non-staying visitors at 5,100 yen ($60) (5,600/$66 on weekends) with a traditional meal. Bear in mind the last bus from Arima to Osaka leaves at 6:40pm. 

 

Nara in the Kansai region has a rich history dating back to 710 AD. It was the country’s first permanent capital, as well as home to one of the most powerful monasteries in Japan, before that honor was bestowed on Nagaoka in 784. Nowadays, visitors flock here to visit Todaiji Temple (aka the Great Eastern Temple), one of the most famous in the country. It’s also home to Daibutsuden Hall, previously the world’s largest wooden building, which houses one of Japan’s biggest bronze statues of Buddha, standing 15 meters tall. You can reach Nara by train via the JR Yamatoji Line Local (800 yen/$9.50) and then buy a one-day bus pass (500 yen/$6) to get around. Trains between Osaka and Nara run from 5am-11pm.  

 

New arrival Osaka Marriott Miyako occupies floors 38-57 of the Abeno Hurakas Building. , which became Japan’s tallest at 300m when it opened in March of this year. Views are, unsurprisingly, spectacular. Floor 58 is an open-air outdoor plaza atrium and there’s a 360-degree, glassed-in observation deck on the 60^th. Rates start from JPY24,900 ($298) per night. Hilton Osaka Hotel starts at 22,525 ($266) yen per night while Hotel Granvia Osaka is from around 17,205 yen ($203) per night.