Kansai

Mount Kōya (高野山, Kōya-san) is a large temple settlement in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan to the south of Osaka. In the strictest sense, Mount Kōya is the mountain name (sangō) of Kongōbu-ji Temple, the ecclesiastical headquarters of the Kōyasan sect of Shingon Buddhism.

法隆寺

Hōryū-ji (Japanese: 法隆寺; lit. 'Temple of the Flourishing Dharma') is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Built shortly after Buddhism was introduced to Japan, it is also one of the oldest Buddhist sites in the country. Its full name is Hōryū Gakumonji (法隆学問寺), or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, with the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery. The temple was founded by Prince Shōtoku in 607. According to the Nihon Shoki, in 670 all buildings were burned down by lightning.

淡路島

Awaji Island (淡路島, Awaji-shima) is an island in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, in the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea between the islands of Honshū and Shikoku. The island has an area of 592.17 square kilometres (228.64 square miles). It is the largest island of the Seto Inland Sea. Some scholars, such as Motoori Norinaga, have claimed that the name means "the road to Awa (阿波)", the historic province bordering the Shikoku side of the Naruto Strait (now part of Tokushima Prefecture), although this etymology is disputed. Others, including Tsugita Uruu, have interpreted the historical meaning of awa as 粟 "millet", due to a story where the kami Sukunabikona climbs a millet stalk on the island, as told in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki; in these books, the island is referred to as Awaji no Honosawake no Shima (淡道之穂之狭別嶋（あはぢのほのさわけのしま）) – referencing the Japanese creation myth, where it was the first island created in Japan – and Awaji-shima (淡路洲), respectively.

東大寺

Tōdai-ji (東大寺, 'Eastern Great Temple') is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. The construction of the temple was an attempt to imitate Chinese temples from the much-admired Tang dynasty. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year 752 CE. The temple has undergone several reconstructions, including one initiated by Minamoto Yoritomo in 1181 (entrusted to Chogen, a monk of the Jodo sect) which included the standardization of existing buildings and the strengthening of visible pillars. Since then, one of the most significant reconstruction (that of the Great Buddha Hall) took place in 1709. However, it was on the verge of collapse in the late 19th century due to the weight of its huge roof.

姫路城

Himeji Castle (姫路城, Himeji-jō) is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in Himeji, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

金閣寺

Kinkaku-ji, or Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, once burned down in 1950 when it was destroyed by arson after surviving World War II intact.

大阪国際空港

Osaka Itami Airport (大阪伊丹空港, Ōsaka Itami Kūkō; IATA: ITM, ICAO: RJOO) is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including its major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is the airport closest to Osaka, being 11 km (6.8 mi) north of Osaka Station, as well as Kyoto, being 36 km (22 mi) southwest of Kyoto Station. Itami Airport has a small footprint, covering only 311 hectares (768 acres) of land. Until January 2025, the airport was known as Osaka International Airport (大阪国際空港, Ōsaka Kokusai Kūkō), which remains the airport's official Japanese name. Despite the "international" designation, the airport caters exclusively to domestic flights.

平城京

Heijō-kyō (平城京; also Heizei-kyō, sometimes Nara no miyako) was the Capital of Japan during most of the Nara period, from 710 to 740 and again from 745 to 784. The imperial palace is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site together with other places in the city of Nara (cf. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara). Empress Genmei ordered the Imperial capital moved from Fujiwara-kyō to Heijō-kyō in 708, and the move to Heijō-kyō was complete in 710. Heijō-kyō was modeled after Chang'an, the capital of Tang-dynasty China, although Heijō-kyō lacked walls.

ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン

Japanese theme park

興福寺

Kōfuku-ji (興福寺; Japanese pronunciation: [koꜜː.ɸɯ̥.kɯ.dʑi]) is a Buddhist temple in Japan that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji 'Seven Great Temples' in the city of Nara. The temple is the national headquarters of the East Asian Yogācāra school. It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a World Heritage Site.

薬師寺

Yakushi-ji (薬師寺) is one of the most famous imperial and ancient Buddhist temples in Japan, and was once one of the Seven Great Temples of Nanto, located in Nara. Originally built in the 7th century in the old capital of Fujiwara-kyō, the temple as it stands (built in 730) is said to be a scrupulous copy of the original. The temple is the headquarters of the Hossō school of Japanese Buddhism. Yakushi-ji is one of the sites that are collectively inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name of "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara." The temple's main object of veneration, Yakushi Nyorai, also known as "The Medicine Buddha", was one of the first Buddhist Deities to arrive in Japan from China in 680, and gives the temple its name.

春日大社

Kasuga-taisha (春日大社) is a Shinto shrine in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is the shrine of the Fujiwara family, established in 768 CE and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up to the shrine. The architectural style Kasuga-zukuri takes its name from Kasuga Shrine's honden (sanctuary). The Torii at Kasuga-taisha is one of the oldest in Shinto and helped influence the style of Torii seen across much of Japan.

神戸モスク

mosque in Japan

神戸空港

airport

梅田スカイビル

skyscraper in Osaka

奈良国立博物館

The Nara National Museum (奈良国立博物館, Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) is one of the pre-eminent national art museums in Japan.

新大阪駅

Shin-Ōsaka Station (Japanese: 新大阪駅, Hepburn: Shin-Ōsaka-eki; lit. 'New Osaka Station') is a major interchange railway station in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, Japan. It is the western terminus of the high-speed Tōkaidō Shinkansen from Tokyo, the eastern terminus of the San'yō Shinkansen from Fukuoka, and one of the primary rail hubs in Osaka. The two Shinkansen lines are physically connected, allowing many services to operate through between them. The station opened in 1964 and was built about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the older Ōsaka Station to avoid the engineering challenges of extending the Shinkansen line into the city center. The JR Kyoto Line and the Midōsuji Line subway offer convenient connections to other major destinations throughout central Osaka.

神戸ポートタワー

The Kobe Port Tower (神戸ポートタワー, Kōbe Pōto Tawā) is a landmark in the port city of Kobe, Japan. The sightseeing tower was completed in 1963 and was temporarily closed from late 2009 to 28 April 2010 and again from 27 September 2021 to 26 April 2024 for renovation. It is located in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

平城宮

Heijō Palace (平城宮, Heijō-kyū) was the imperial residence in the Japanese capital city Heijō-kyō (today's Nara), during most of the Nara period. The palace, which served as the imperial residence and the administrative centre for most of the Nara period from 710 to 794 AD, was located at the north-central location of the city in accordance with the Chinese models used for the design of the capital. The palace consisted of a daidairi (大内裏; also pronounced taidairi), a large rectangular walled enclosure which contained several ceremonial and administrative buildings, including the government ministries. Inside this enclosure was the separately walled residential compound of the emperor or the Inner Palace. In addition to the emperor's living quarters, the Inner Palace contained the residences of the imperial consorts as well as certain official and ceremonial buildings more closely linked to the person of the emperor.

藤原京

Fujiwara-kyō (藤原京) was the Imperial capital of Japan for sixteen years, between 694 and 710. It was located in Yamato Province (present-day Kashihara in Nara Prefecture), having been moved from nearby Asuka, and remained the capital until its relocation to Heijō-kyō, present-day Nara. It was the first in Japanese history to have been a planned city based on a square grid pattern modeled after Chang'an, the capital of Tang dynasty China.

奈良公園

Nara Park (Japanese: 奈良公園, Hepburn: Nara Kōen) is a public park located in the city of Nara, Japan, at the foot of Mount Wakakusa. Established in 1880, it is one of the oldest parks in Japan. Administratively, the park is under the control of Nara Prefecture. The park is one of the "Places of Scenic Beauty" designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Over 1,200 wild sika deer (シカ or 鹿 shika) freely roaming around in the park are also under designation of MEXT, classified as natural treasure.

吉野山

mountain in Nara Prefecture, Japan

正倉院

Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan

金剛山

mountain in Osaka and Nara Prefecture, Japan

唐招提寺

Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan

大峰山

Mount Ōmine (大峰山, Ōmine-san), is a sacred mountain in Nara, Japan, famous for its three tests of courage. Officially known as Mount Sanjō (山上ヶ岳, Sanjō-ga-take), it is more popularly known as Mount Ōmine due to its prominence in the Ōmine mountain range. It is located in Yoshino-Kumano National Park in the Kansai region, Honshū, Japan. The temple Ōminesanji, located at the top of the mountain, is the headquarters of the Shugendō sect of Japanese Buddhism and the entire mountain is part of a pilgrimage and training ground for the Yamabushi (山伏, one who prostrates oneself on the mountain).

元興寺

Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan

若草山

Mount Wakakusa (若草山, Wakakusa-yama), also known as Mount Mikasa (三笠山 Mikasa-yama), is a 342-metre-high (1,122 ft) hill located to the east of Nara Park in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The mountain's name literally means "young grass". The mountain is closed from December 12th to March 17th and cannot be accessed. On the fourth Saturday of January each year, the dead grass of Mount Wakakusa is burned in an annual festival known as Yamayaki (山焼き literally "mountain burning").

八尾空港

Yao Airport (八尾空港, Yao Kūkō; ICAO: RJOY) is a general aviation airport in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Located 8.1 NM (15.0 km; 9.3 mi) southeast of Ōsaka Station, it is also a home for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Middle Army Aviation Group, Osaka Prefectural Police Aviation Corps, and Osaka Municipal Fire Department Helicopter Unit. Several small carriers, including Asahi Airlines and Hankyu Airlines, offer sightseeing and charter flights from Yao. Yao is the only Regional/Second Class airport in Japan without scheduled airline services.

金峯山寺

Kinpusen-ji (金峯山寺, Kinpusen-ji) is the head temple of a branch of the Shugendō religion called Kinpusen-Shugendō in Yoshino district, Nara Prefecture, Japan. According to tradition, it was founded by En no Gyōja, who propagated a form of mountain asceticism drawing from Shinto, Taoism and Buddhist beliefs. Along with Ōminesan-ji Temple, it is considered the most important temple in Shugendō. The temple's main building, the "Zaō-Hall" (Zaōdō) dedicated to Zaō gongen (蔵王権現), is the second largest wooden structure in Japan after the Great Buddha Hall at Tōdai-ji in Nara. Kinpusen-ji is a junction in a series of stops on pilgrimage routes.

生駒山

Mount Ikoma (生駒山, Ikoma-yama) is a mountain on the border of Nara Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture in Japan. It is the highest peak in the Ikoma Mountains with a height of 642 meters. Mount Ikoma is a part of Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park. It is one of the most famous picnic spots in the Kansai region. On the top of the mountain, there are many TV towers for broadcasting to the Kansai region and Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park.

大和葛城山

Mount Yamato Katsuragi (大和葛城山, Yamato Katsuragi-san) or simply Mount Katsuragi is a mountain in the Kongō Range straddling the prefectural border of Chihayaakasaka, Osaka and Gose, Nara in Japan. The peak elevation is 959.2 metres (3,147 ft). The mountain is located along the Gose Line of the Kintetsu Railway. The base of the mountain has many different Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The mountain is accessible via the Katsuragisan Ropeway on the east side, as well as several different hiking trails of varying difficulty and length on all sides.

三輪山

Mount Miwa (三輪山, Miwa-yama) or Mount Mimoro (三諸山, Mimoro-yama) is a mountain located in the city of Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It has been an important religious and historical mountain in Japan, especially during its early history, and serves as a holy site in Shinto. The entire mountain is considered sacred, and is home to one of the earliest Shinto shrines, Ōmiwa Shrine. Several burial mounds from the Kofun period can be found around the mountain. The kami (spirit) generally associated with Mount Miwa is Ōmononushi (大物主) (Ōmono-nushi-no-kami), a rain kami.

高松塚古墳

The Takamatsuzuka Tomb (高松塚古墳, Takamatsuzuka Kofun) is an Asuka period circular tomb burial mound, located in the village of Asuka, Nara in the Kansai region of Japan. The tumulus was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1972.

円月島

Engetsu Island (円月島, Engetsu-tō) is the common name for Takashima (高嶋), a small uninhabited islet off the coast of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is noted for having a natural arch created through the effects of erosion by wind and waves, and has been designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty. One of the symbols of the Shirahama area, the islet measures approximately 130 metres (430 ft) north-to-south and 35 metres (115 ft) east-to-west, and has a maximum elevation of 25 metres (82 ft). The circular moon-shaped hole (sea cave) in the center of the island has a diameter of nine meters and is the origin of the popular name "Engetsu" (full moon). During the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sunset can be seen through the hole in the center.

大和文華館

museum in Nara, Nara, Japan

和泉葛城山

Mount Izumi Katsuragi (和泉葛城山, Izumi Katsuragi-san) is a mountain in the Kongō Range straddling the border between Osaka and Wakayama Prefectures in Japan. Its peak elevation is 858 metres (2,815 ft).

トルコ記念館

The Kushimoto Turkish Memorial and Museum (Japanese: トルコ軍艦遭難記念碑), aka Frigate Ertuğrul Memorial and Museum (Turkish: Ertuğrul Anıtı ve Müzesi,), is a monument and a museum to commemorate the sailors of the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul, which sunk in 1890 off Kushimoto, Wakayama in Japan.

紀伊大島

Kii Ōshima (紀伊大島) is an inhabited island lying off the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula and the southernmost point of Honshū, Japan. It has an estimated population of around 2000, and is administratively part of the town of Kushimoto in Wakayama Prefecture. The island is approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) in length from east-to-west by 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north-to-south.

畝傍山

mountain in Kashihara, Nara prefecture, Japan

耳成山

mountain in Japan

天香久山

mountain in Japan