Sapporo
Dating back to 1869, this is one of the oldest shrines in Hokkaidō and is known for its spectacular cherry and plum blossoms in spring. It's inside…
Must-see attractions in Japan
Osaka
You can't miss the giant animated crab that marks the entrance to Kani Dōraku Honten, which is, of course, a crab restaurant. The shop sells tasty crab…
Fukuoka
This stately shrine to Japan's war dead sits just south of Ōhori-kōen, surrounded by woods. Its 13m-tall torii (gate) is one of Japan's tallest.
Western Honshū
Buddhist temple with interesting wooden carvings of animal spirits in the eaves, near Kurashiki's Bikan quarter. Enter from the side street off Honmachi…
Ueno & Yanesen
One of Yanaka's many ambient temples, this is home to an ancient chinquapin tree that's been designated a national monument. Ask someone from the temple…
Old Sapporo Court of Appeals Building
Sapporo
This impressive building at the western end of Ōdōri-kōen was built in 1926, of tuff stone, to serve as Sapporo's High Court. Inside are a few galleries…
Ueno & Yanesen
This Nichiren-sect temple, on the edge of Yanaka-reien, is noteworthy for its minimalist, modern gate and its centuries-old big bronze Buddha statue.
Nagasaki
Walker House in Glover Garden is filled with artefacts donated by the Glover and Walker families. Look for both Japanese and Western design touches.
Ōsanbashi International Passenger Terminal
Yokohama
This strikingly modern pier is used by international cruise liners, and has an attractive roof deck where you can sit on the lawn or benches to take in…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
Best visited around sunset, the 99m-high viewing deck in this landmark arch-shaped building allows views of both the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower…
Kyūshū
This is a unique opportunity to see contemporary potters working in a large studio crafting stunning examples of Arita ware, in a building from the early…
Naoshima
One of the sites in the Art House Project collection, this is Hiroshi Sugimoto's play on the traditional Go'o Shrine, with a glass staircase and a very…
Nagasaki
Built in 1865, this is the largest of the several historic houses in the hillside Glover Garden and one of the few still in its original location.
Nara
The most recent building on the grounds of Tōdai-ji is the contemporary museum built to display more of the temple's important artwork and relics.
Kyūshū
This cable car gets you close to a shrine and the summit of Myōken-dake (1333m), from where the hike via Kunimi-wakare takes just under two hours to…
Beppu
One of the Kannawa group's hells, Shira-ike has blue-white water and a Japanese garden. It tends to be the quietest of the neighbourhood's jigoku (hells;…
Kyūshū
Hirado-jō presides over the town. The castle has an enormous number of rebuilt structures, and inside you'll see traditional armour and clothing, and…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
There's a lot of hype about this interesting, though relatively unexciting sea cave carved into the cliff by the force of the waves. Nearby are souvenir…
Hokkaidō
Fans of kitsch will want to walk a few minutes north of the ferry terminal to see Wakkanai's breakwater, built in 1936 to look like a straightened version…
Kōbe
The 24th-floor observatory atop Kōbe's City Hall stays open generously late so you can get a night view of the city, towards the mountains or the bay …
Beppu
Umi is a steamy blue due to iron oxide in its 98°C water. It's said to be about 200m down to the source. One of the Kannawa group's jigoku (hells; boiling…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Hidden away in downtown Hirara, a district of Miyakojima city, Miyako-jinja is a recently reconstructed shrine that, over time, merged two disparate…
Kyūshū
At this temple near the entrance to the Kumano Magaibutsu, monks will give you stickers to put on the statue of your Chinese birth year.
Miyajima
Momiji means 'maple', and their leaves come alive during autumn in this pretty park along the river.
Kumamoto
Exhibits in this museum include the crown and other personal items of daimyō Katō Kiyomasa. The museum was closed at the time of writing due to earthquake…
Kii Peninsula
Senjō-jiki is a wildly eroded point with layer after horizontal layer of stratified rock; this explains its name in Japanese, which translates to Thousand…
Kii Peninsula
This temple in the middle of Yunomine Onsen is just above Tsubo-yu Onsen, and like many hot springs adjacent to temples, is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai,…
Kii Peninsula
This bridge marks the halfway point between Ichi-no-hashi and the inner sanctum of Oku-no-in.
Ueno & Yanesen
Within the grounds of the Tokyo National Museum, this grand 1909 Western-style hall is only used for special exhibitions and events.
Western Honshū
The Iwami Ginzan Museum contains various documents, tools and silver-related items. It's inside the Ōmori Daikansho Ato (council offices), near the…
Around Tokyo
Halfway down Omote-sandō, this museum has local-history exhibits, as well as some of the floats used in the Narita Gion Matsuri (the town's major…
Central Honshū
Gifu's castle is most easily reached by this cable car within Gifu-kōen, whisking you 329m to the summit in under five minutes.
Kyūshū
Across the middle of the island, this remote, small museum displays items including a Maria-Kannon statue that the hidden Christians used in place of the…
Hiroshima Region
This hilltop museum has changing exhibitions of local and Western art. The building, which was remodelled by architect Tadao Ando, has fine views and a…
Miyajima History & Folklore Museum
Miyajima
Set in a fine garden, this museum combines a 19th-century merchant house with exhibitions on trade in the Edo period, as well as displays connected with…
Western Honshū
This simple building next to the novelist's former residence displays signed manuscripts and relics from his life as a writer and physician. One for…
Beppu
So named because it was once used for cooking (kamado means stove in Japanese). One of the Kannawa group's jigoku (hells; boiling hot springs).
Kamakura
This shrine was built in 1869 on the order of Emperor Meiji to enshrine the spirit of Prince Morinaga, who was imprisoned and executed at this location in…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
This massive dam, completed in 1963, is central to the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route.
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
In the centre of Matsugasaki-kōen, surrounded by a koi-filled moat, this shrine sits on the land previously occupied by the inner castle during feudal…
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