Things to do in Kinokawa

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Universal Studios Japan

Here you'll find not only heart-pounding attractions themed around Hollywood blockbuster movies, but also live shows featuring popular cartoon characters—fun for everyone from kids to adults! This is home to the world's first Nintendo theme park, where you can immerse yourself in the world of Super Mario! Here we have holiday-exclusive parades and float tours! Everyone here is the star—join the passionate parade, ignite your excitement together, and feel full of energy! Located in OsakaUniversal Studios Japan("Universal Studios Japan") is one of the Universal Studios theme parks. It opened in 2001 and is a classic and wonderful world of fun in the hearts of many visitors. Its design is similar to Universal Studios Orlando in the United States, and it features popular areas such as "Jurassic Park," "Hollywood," and "Waterworld." With more than 60 fun attractions, you can keep playing and exploring all day long. Universal Studios JapanThere are also much-loved themed IP areas such as "Super Nintendo World (Mario/Super Mario)", "Minions", and "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter". Whether you're having fun interacting with the Minions, racing through the Mario Kart adventure, or weaving through the magical world of Hogwarts, these are all wonderfully unforgettable experiences. △The Nintendo area is a collaboration between Nintendo andUniversal Studios JapanThe world's first Nintendo theme park, jointly built, features the globally popular Super Mario as its main character. It offers a 1:1 ultra-realistic recreation of Bowser's Castle, Princess Peach's Castle, and the Mushroom Kingdom from the game, allowing you to immerse yourself in the world of Super Mario! △"Despicable Me Minion Mayhem" and "Freeze Ray Sliders" pull you into the Minions' gigantic chaos and whip up a heatwave! A huge swarm of Minions is running wild and turning everything upside down in every street, alley, and corner! In the joyful and boisterous Minion Park, every visitor can't help but join in the mischievous mayhem! △Welcome to the magnificent area—The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, which faithfully recreates the world of the Harry Potter™ stories with overwhelming scale and meticulous attention to every detail. The towering Hogwarts™ castle stands tall, and in front of it lies the vast Hogsmeade™ where wizards live, along with many ride attractions and various shops. Here, you can step into "that world" from the films, as if everything is happening right before your eyes.

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Izumisano

Rinku Town

Rinku Town is located on the coast of Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, adjacent to Kansai International Airport. It is a comprehensive area integrating shopping, leisure, and natural landscape. As the gateway to the airport, it has convenient transportation. JR and Nankai Electric Railway intersect here, and you can quickly travel between the airport and downtown Osaka. In terms of shopping and entertainment, Rinku Town is centered on Rinku Premium Outlets, which brings together more than 200 international brand discount stores and is a paradise for shopping enthusiasts. In addition, AEON MALL Rinku Izuminan and Rinku Amusement Park Seacle offer a wealth of dining and entertainment options, including Ferris wheels and hot spring facilities; in terms of natural landscape, Rinku Park is famous for its "Marble Beach", which is a good place to watch the takeoff and landing of planes at Kansai Airport and the sunset. Whether it is the first or last stop of a trip, Rinku Town can meet the multiple needs of tourists for shopping, leisure and sightseeing, and is a destination not to be missed in the Kansai area.

2026 Global 100 - Family-friendly Attractions

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is a large aquarium themed around the Pacific Ocean, with a visitor route designed as a journey of "diving from land to the seabed": upon entering, you first pass through the tunnel-shaped tank "Water Gate" and watch tropical fish swim overhead; then take a long escalator directly to the top floor, starting from the sunlit "Japan Forest" tank, searching for stream creatures amid the sound of waterfalls and the greenery of streams; then descend floor by floor along a spiral ramp, circling the central "Pacific Ocean" giant tank and passing in sequence through exhibition areas such as the Tasman Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Japan Trench. The same tank reappears repeatedly as you move between floors, offering different views from above, at eye level, and from below, so that walking the whole route feels like diving a full circle around the Pacific Ocean. The aquarium is home to over 600 species and tens of thousands of marine creatures. The core "Pacific Ocean" tank is approx. 9 m deep and holds over 5,000 tons of water, where the iconic whale shark swims leisurely, accompanied by large manta rays flapping their "wings" and schools of silver fish circling in the current; in the "Tasman Sea" tank, bottlenose dolphins swim with agile, dynamic grace; the "Arctic Circle" exhibition area uses two levels to recreate the ice surface and the seawater beneath it, with ringed seals darting near the ice edge; in the dimly lit "Sea Moon Galaxy," jellyfish glow and fade slowly like suspended star clusters, making it a popular photo spot in the aquarium. It is recommended to set aside at least half a day for your visit. Crowds tend to gather around the central large tank, so as you walk down the ramp, pay attention to the small and medium-sized tanks on both sides. Exhibits such as the penguins and sea lions are scattered along the route, and it is easy to miss them if you rush through.

Kokawa-dera Temple

Negoroji

Negoroji is located in Iwade-cho, Naga-gun, Wakayama Prefecture. It is the head temple of the Shingi Shingon sect, and its founder was Kōgyō Daishi Kakuban. An old and precious Important Cultural Property within the temple is the Daishido, said to have been built in 1391. Among medieval temple buildings, it is a very precious structure as a relic of the Nanboku-cho period. Inside the hall, a statue of Kobo Daishi Kukai, the founder of the Shingon sect, is enshrined; it, along with the Shumi-dan, is an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Next to the Daishido is the Konpon Daito (Great Pagoda), a National Treasure of Japan. It is a wooden Tahoto pagoda that is 40m high and five bays wide, making it one of the largest wooden pagodas in Japan. On the outer walls of the pagoda, you can still see bullet holes from the matchlocks left behind when Hideyoshi attacked Negoro. Buildings in the temple other than the Great Pagoda and the Daishido were built during the Edo period (1603–1867), such as the Jokomyo Shingon-den.

2026 Global 50 - Spring Outings

Osaka Castle Park

Located in central Osaka, Osaka Castle Park is a historical park centered around the ruins of Osaka Castle. The park's most striking structure is the Osaka Castle Main Tower, and from its top floor you can take in a panoramic view of the Osaka Plain and the surrounding cityscape. The park is also a well-known flower-viewing spot in Osaka. Nishinomaru Garden is famous for its cherry blossoms and offers evening cherry blossom viewing in spring; the plum grove is planted with many varieties of plum trees that often bloom first in early spring; the northern area also has a peach grove and the densely wooded Forest of Remembrance. Flowers bloom in turn throughout the four seasons, so visitors at different times can enjoy different scenery. The park also has performance venues such as the Osaka Castle Hall and the Music Hall, as well as sports facilities including a softball field, a rugby and soccer field, an archery range, and the Shudokan. Residents often come here to exercise and relax on ordinary days, and visitors can also feel the everyday life of this historical park. The walkway beside the moat's stone wall offers a wide open view, making it a great spot to capture the castle keep and flowers in the same frame. Around the main keep, many stone walls built of massive boulders remain, and the stone walls on both sides of the moat rise steeply, majestic and imposing, making them important remains of the Osaka Castle defensive system from the Tokugawa period.

2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory

Located on the 58th to 60th floors of the Abeno Harukas Building in Osaka, Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory is a 360-degree observation platform standing 300 m above ground. Take the high-speed elevator from the 16th floor directly to the top, where starlight projections flow along the elevator walls as it ascends, adding a sense of ceremony to the journey to the summit. The "Sky Corridor" on the 60th floor is the centerpiece of the observation deck, encircled entirely by floor-to-ceiling glass that offers a 360-degree view over the whole of Osaka. On clear days, the view stretches to distant mountains and the Kansai Plain; by day you can watch the city's texture unfold, and at night the lights merge into a sea of illumination—each face has its own appeal. The 58th floor houses the semi-outdoor Sky Garden 300, where tables and chairs are set on a wooden terrace with coffee and desserts available, letting you rest and take in the scenery in the open air; the 59th floor is a souvenir shop selling merchandise from the Abeno Bear series. What is rather unusual is that the walls of the observation deck's restrooms are also fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, which many visitors jokingly call the "sky-view toilet," making it an unexpected photo spot. The observation deck also features an outdoor skywalk, where visitors can experience the thrill of walking high above the building's exterior. There is also a helipad tour experience, suitable for visitors seeking high-altitude views. The building's name "Harukas" comes from the ancient Japanese word "harukasu," meaning "clear and bright," which perfectly echoes the feeling of looking down from the observation deck with its expansive, open view. Abeno Harukas is a 300m-tall super high-rise complex located near JR Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi Station Directly connected to Tennoji Station on the Osaka subway. There are various shops, the Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory, art museums, and hotels here, so you can enjoy the area all day long. A variety of exquisite cuisines are also available, including lunch and desserts, which you can enjoy while taking in the magnificent views of Osaka.

No. 3 of Hot Springs Attractions in Wakayama Prefecture

Katsuragionsen Happunoyu

Katsuragionsen Happunoyu is nestled at the foot of Mount Koya, surrounded by lush natural scenery and serene landscapes—a healing retreat where body and mind can fully unwind. With cherry blossoms in spring and vibrant autumn leaves, the seasons shift gracefully here; the crisp, pure mountain air seems to wash away the fatigue of travel the moment you arrive. What sets Katsuragionsen Happunoyu apart is its prized "fossil seawater" hot spring. This rare natural source is composed of ancient seawater formed tens of thousands of years ago, with an exceptionally high salt content. As it touches your skin, the water feels warm and silky, as if gently enveloped by history itself. In addition to the communal bathhouse, almost every guest room features a private open-air hot spring bath, allowing visitors to indulge in intimate soaking moments—gazing at the stars or listening to birdsong amidst the misty vapors. Whether you're planning a deep rejuvenating onsen retreat or seeking a comfortable stopover after exploring Mount Koya, Katsuragionsen Happunoyu is an ideal choice for a peaceful getaway. The meticulous and attentive service, combined with the tranquil environment, complements each other perfectly, ensuring every guest finds inner calm and satisfaction during their stay.

Roadside Station Kushigakinosato

Gokuraku Onsen SACHINOYU Hot Spring

Sachinoyu is a hot spring located along the national highway, where visitors can enjoy carbonated springs, various jet baths, saunas, reclining baths, pot baths, open-air baths, and more.