Nara
Kōfuku-ji was founded in Kyoto in 669 and relocated here in 710. The original Nara temple complex had 175 buildings, though much has been lost over the…
Must-see attractions in Japan
Kanazawa
Between Kanazawa Station and Katamachi you'll find this market, reminiscent of Tokyo's old Tsukiji market. A bustling warren of fishmongers, buyers and…
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
Kanazawa
A low-slung glass cylinder, 113m in diameter, forms the perimeter of this contemporary gallery, which celebrated its 10th birthday in 2014. Museum entry…
Nagasaki
A must-see for anyone coming to Nagasaki for its historic significance, this park houses a smooth, black-stone column that marks the point above which the…
Takayama
On display here are over 300 shishi (lion) masks, instruments and drums related to festival dances. The main draw is the twice-hourly puppet show where…
Yaeyama Islands
If you're looking to do a bit of snorkelling, head to this beach on the northwestern tip of the island. The beach is named after its star sand, which…
Nara
Tōshōdai-ji was established in 759 by influential Chinese priest Ganjin (Jian Zhen), recruited by Emperor Shōmu to reform Buddhism in Japan. The main…
Nikkō
Rinnō-ji's grand main hall, Sanbutsu-dō ('Hall of Three Buddhas'), was first built in 848; the current structure dates to 1645 and, with restoration work…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
In 1244 the great Zen master Dōgen (1200–53), founder of the Sōtō sect of Zen Buddhism, established Eihei-ji, the 'Temple of Eternal Peace', in a forest…
Sapporo
This ski-jump slope was built on the side of Ōkura-yama for the Sapporo 1972 Winter Games. At 133.6m it's just slightly shorter than Sapporo TV Tower,…
Central Honshū
This ancient shrine on a lovely hillside is dedicated to female Shintō deity Izanami and attracts women seeking marriage or fertility. See if you can find…
Kansai
Established in 672, over a century before the founding of Kyoto, Mii-dera gets its name for its three springs ('mi' means 'three' and 'i' means 'spring')…
Kyūshū
Reached via a coastal path, this brightly painted Shintō shrine occupies an open cavern overlooking unusual rock formations in the cove below. In 2017 the…
Kyūshū
The first thing you'll notice as you cross the Yayoibashi bridge (120m) to the island of Aoshima is the unique geological feature surrounding it. Called…
Southern Higashiyama
This exquisite temple was founded in 1605 by Kita-no-Mandokoro in memory of her late husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The extensive grounds include gardens…
Hiroshima
The Children's Peace Monument was inspired by Sadako Sasaki, who was just two years old at the time of the atomic bomb. At age 11 she developed leukaemia,…
Nikkō
Futarasan-jinja was founded over 1200 years ago as a place to worship the mountain Nantai-san (2484m), his mountain consort, Nyohō-san (2483m), and their…
Kyūshū
This gorgeous hilltop shrine and 'power spot' was pretty much left alone until it became the model for the set of the popular 2011 anime film Hotarubi no…
Kyūshū
The sprawling, wooded and water-crossed Usa-jingū, the original of which dates back some 1200 years, is the chief shrine among some 40,000 in Japan…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
This beautiful temple was established in 1321 as the head of the Sōtō school of Zen but now functions as a branch temple. The site's buildings were…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Tōhoku’s finest Zen temple, Zuigan-ji was established in AD 828. The present buildings were constructed in 1606 by Date Masamune to serve as a family…
Izu Peninsula
Resembling a parasol of cyprus and glass perched on a cliff above the ocean, this remarkable cafe space is the work of superstar architect Kengo Kuma …
Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum of Art
Harajuku & Aoyama
This small museum (where you swap your shoes for slippers) is the best place in Tokyo to see ukiyo-e. Each month it presents a seasonal, thematic…
Kyūshū
This colourful, photogenic shrine on the island of Aoshima is a favourite of visitors seeking luck in love. To the right of the main shrine, a path lined…
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Tracing its history back to AD 730, this splendid Shintō shrine boasts vermilion-lacquered halls surrounding a stately courtyard. Its present location…
Nagoya
See up to 20 shiny examples of the latest automotive technology hot off the production line and witness firsthand how they're made here at Toyota's global…
Hakone
The 'Great Boiling Valley' was created 3000 years ago when Kami-yama erupted and collapsed, also forming Ashino-ko. Hydrogen sulphide steams from the…
Central Honshū
Between Suganuma and Ainokura, in the hamlet of Kaminashi, you'll find Murakami-ke, one of the oldest gasshō houses in the region (dating from 1578). It's…
Central Honshū
Izanagi, the male counterpart of female deity Izanami, is commemorated at this shrine, with countless wooden and stone phalluses to celebrate. You can buy…
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry & Technology
Nagoya
The world's largest car manufacturer had humble beginnings in the weaving industry. This interesting museum occupies the site of Toyota's original weaving…
Nagano Region
Here's your chance to get up close and personal with Asama-yama – so close, you could almost touch it. Formed in 1783 by Asama's last violent eruption,…
Hakone
The Hakone Ropeway is a 30-minute, 4km gondola ride, taking travellers to Tōgendai from Sōun-zan. It glides over the steaming crater of Ōwakudani, one of…
Shikoku
At Godaisan in the east of the city, you'll find Chikurin-ji, Temple 31 of the 88. The extensive grounds feature a five-storey pagoda and thousands of…
Kansai
Ise-jingū's outer shrine dates from the 5th century and enshrines the god of food, clothing and housing, Toyo'uke-no-Ōmikami. Daily offerings of rice are…
Nagoya
This delightful Japanese garden adjacent to the Tokugawa Art Museum was donated by the Tokugawa family to Nagoya city in 1931 but destroyed by bombing in…
Kōfuku-ji National Treasure Museum
Nara
Reopened in 2018, this compact museum houses Kōfuku-ji's most important works of art, many of which date to the 8th century (and have managed to survive…
Kyūshū
Karatsu-yaki is defined by the work of 14 generations of the Nakazato family. Walk through the shop, which feels like a museum unto itself, and cross the…
Shimane Prefectural Art Museum
Western Honshū
With its white undulating roof and huge glass windows facing the lake, the museum building itself is an impressive sight. Inside, it displays rotating…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
On the southwest coast, beautiful Yonaha-Maehama is a 6km stretch of white sand that attracts a lot of families and young folk due to its shallow waters…
Nagasaki
West of the harbour, the Nagasaki Ropeway cable car ascends every 15 to 20 minutes to the top of 333m-high Inasa-yama, offering superb views over Nagasaki…
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