Enjoy the castle town closest to the airport! Let’s experience Japanese culture in style

Without a doubt the one thing Kishiwada city is famous for is that it is the stage for the unique Kishiwada Danjiri Festival with over a 300 years long history. The quaint town of Kishiwada is tightly packed with history and culture, from the aforementioned Kishiwada Danjiri Festival to beautiful Japanese garden of Gofuso or the Sugie Noh Theater where you can experience the atmosphere of Japanese performing arts, and this tour is an excellent way to experience them all.

The town itself is conveniently located half-way between Kansai International Airport and downtown Osaka. Its ease of access makes it very popular among tourists.

▲Kishiwada townscape seen from the rickshaw

Your elegant day at Kishiwada castle town begins with a rickshaw ride.
The rickshaw experience provided by Murakami International (Stay & Rickshaw) offers you an opportunity to change into authentic Japanese clothing and enjoy a ride through the area around the castle and the old Kishu Kaido road.
The rickshaw offers a unique point of view from the top, which you would not be able to experience by merely walking around. The picturesque background created by the townscape nicely complements the special occasion.
This experience comes with a discount for those who wish to stay overnight, so you might want to consider spending more than just a day here.

▲Kishiwada Castle the historic symbol of Kishiwada

To fully grasp the appeal of Kishiwada, you absolutely must visit the castle. With its over 600 years long history, it is the symbol of the area.

▲Enjoy authentic kaiseki dining at Gofuso

The stunning gardens of Gofuso are often referred to as its treasure chest. Including the gardens, Gofuso was built as a villa over a decade starting in 1929 by one of the most prominent and wealthy families. It is located close to the Kishiwada castle and with its vibrant garden is hailed as a national tangible cultural asset.

▲Danjiri Museum - experience the festival even off-season

Kishiwada's Danjiri Festival, renowned as the hottest festival in Japan, is a traditional festival with a history of over 300-year-long history. With its origins in the mid-Edo period, it has become a focal point of the local culture. The sight of the floats called danjiri being pulled through the streets is a sight to behold and has made national headlines on multiple occasions.

▲Sugie Noh Theater has been closed to the public for 105 years since its construction


The Noh stage is a dedicated stage on which Noh and Kyogen, traditional Japanese performing arts, are performed. Its simple yet sophisticated design is a perfect example of the Japanese aesthetic.

▲Traditional hand-made Japanese sweets


Four hundred years ago, during the Edo period (1603-1868), castle towns all over Japan gave birth to wagashi Japanese sweets that were unique to each region. In Kishiwada, wagashi are also made in a way that makes the most of the local climate, and are still made using the same methods as in the past.

For this article we have selected three traditional sweets shops located close to one of the oldest roads of Japan, namely Mikasaya, Koyama Baikado and Kishiwada Fugetsudo.

▲Gardens of Gofuso

So, what do you think?
Located a mere 16 minutes by train from the Kansai International Airport, Kishiwada city is a great spot to enjoy Japanese culture and traditions.
It is easy to reach and offers many interesting spots that you can cover in a relatively short time.

We highly recommend adding the five spots we brought to you in this article to your bucket list when visiting Osaka. If you wish to uncover more of what Kishiwada has to offer, please feel free to watch the video below that excellently captures the essence of the city.

As usual, thank you for reading!