Japan attractions

Located in Tokyo’s lively Ebisu district, the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum is dedicated to the art of photography and moving images. Spanning four floors, it showcases rotating themed exhibitions rather than permanent displays, which keeps the experience fresh for repeat visitors. With a collection of over 37,000 pieces, the museum showcases both the work of Japanese and international artists, with exhibitions typically running for a few months at a time.

A former fort, Hakodate’s Goryokaku Park is notable for its distinctive star shape and role in Japanese history. The fort was constructed by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1855 and was the site of the last battle of the Japanese Civil War that ended the feudal system.

Utagawa Hiroshige’s (1797–1858) art is among the most recognizable of Japan’s ukiyo-e genre, and even travelers who aren’t au fait with Japanese fine art will have seen some of his images on their travels. Learn more about the influential woodblock artist and the world he inhabited at the Shizuoka City Tokaido Hiroshige Museum of Art.

Learn about World War II’s Battle of Okinawa in the place where it came to a brutal end. The military site, where thousands of Japanese soldiers died by suicide or were killed, was reopened by the Okinawans to show the futility of war and to promote peace. Visitors can walk through some of the pickaxe-dug tunnels, and learn about the site’s history through museum exhibits.

Japan has plenty of fine gardens but Ritsurin Garden (Ritsurin Koen) is considered one of its most beautiful. Created in the Edo period for local feudal lords, the garden features ponds and landscaped hills set against the backdrop of Mt. Shiun. It was designed to be strolled through, so each step reveals a new perspective.

A sprawling seaside park on the coast of north Okinawa’s Motobu Peninsula, the Ocean Expo Park is a legacy site from the Expo ’75 World’s Fair. In keeping with the ocean theme of the fair, the park is best known for its marine attractions such as the Churaumi Aquarium, which for many is the star sight.

In a town jam-packed with ancient temples and shrines, Nara’s 8th-century Toshodaiji Temple stands apart as different in style. It’s also quite far from the very popular Nara Park, so it’s not as inundated with visitors and has a more peaceful atmosphere. It was fully dismantled and renovated in the 2000s, so visitors can now admire the restored buildings and lush grounds.

Kobe is an important port city, and the Kobe Maritime Museum records and celebrates its history. The latticed steel architecture of the museum was designed to invoke the impression of sailing ships. It’s a modern museum with plenty of interactive exhibits, model ships to explore, and information in Japanese and English.

Many Fuji Sengen shrines are located throughout Japan—they’re Shinto shrines dedicated to the deity of Mt. Fuji. The Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine is the oldest of its kind in the Mt. Fuji area. Originally established more than 1,300 years ago, it has been rebuilt over the centuries following Fuji eruptions. The current building dates from the early 17th century.

Many underground caves were created at the foot of Mt. Fuji when the volcano erupted about 1,100 years ago. The Saiko Bat Cave is the largest of these, at over 380 yards (350 meters) long, and while you may not see a bat during your visit, you can admire the lava formations.

In Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood—a traveler favorite for its old temples and traditional charm—you’ll find this pedestrianized street that runs east–west, intersecting with the busier north–south Nakamise Shopping Street. Although this area was badly damaged during World War II, it’s been reconstructed in the loose style of Edo-era Tokyo (spanning the 17th-19th centuries).

For a bird’s-eye view of Goryokaku—Hakodate's unique star-shaped fort-turned-public park—you can’t get much better than the Goryokaku Tower. The 351-foot (107-meter) observation decks command 360-degree views of Goryokaku Park, Mt. Hakodate, Tsugaru Strait, and the Yokotsu mountain range.

The impressive architectural highlight, Irabu Ohashi Bridge, is Japan’s longest toll-free bridge that connects two gorgeous islands, Miyako-jima and Irabu-jima. Its undulating shape is likened to a sea dragon floating over the turquoise water below, and the shape adds to the scenery instead of taking anything away from it. Photographers love to capture the unique combination of nature and manmade beauty.

Mt. Fuji Children’s World is an expansive park below the famous peak, offering a range of activities for kids, mostly themed around nature, sports, and outdoor adventures. Kids can canoe on the lake, play a mini round of golf, meet farm animals on the pasture, fish for trout, and much more. The park provides a wholesome antidote to some of Japan’s more high-tech attractions.

Okinawa’s longest river, this mangrove-lined body of water is located in Iriomote Island. It flows for a full 24 miles (39 kilometers) through the heart of the Okinawan island’s subtropical forest—it’s home to more than 400 fish species and multiple waterfalls, including the famous Kanpiuree and Maryudo cascades. This popular inland attraction proves that there’s much more to the Okinawan archipelago than white-sand beaches.

Lake Kawaguchi’s Maple Corridor (Momoji-kairo) is a row of beautiful maple trees framing either side of a canal. When the weather’s clear, line up the views properly and you can enjoy the sight of Mt. Fuji in the background and picturesque red leaves in the foreground. An annual leaf-viewing festival is held here in October and November.

Get a peek at the Japanese Imperial family’s art collection, including paintings, calligraphy scrolls, ceramics, and lacquerware, at this Tokyo museum. The nearly 10,000-strong collection spans artwork from around the world, but is primarily focused on Japan, with masterpieces from every era of the nation’s history.

Located along the southern coast of Hokkaido, Cape Chikyu is considered one of the most scenic spots on the island. Towering 328-foot (100-meter) cliffs wind around Uchiura Bay, while an observation deck offers panoramic views of the ocean and an expansive sightline that shows the curvature of the Earth.

Japan has a long history and visitors may get accustomed to seeing temples and palaces dating back a few hundred years. But Aomori’s Sannai-Maruyama Site is truly ancient: the archaeological site is a well-preserved village from the Jomon period, 13,000 to 300 BC. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and fascinating for anyone interested in ancient civilizations.

Chionji Temple, also known as Hyakumanben Chionji Temple, is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto. Its peaceful halls and landscaped gardens lined with cherry blossom trees offer a tranquil escape from sightseeing. However, the temple really comes to life during its monthly open-air handicrafts markets. Here, you can pick up handmade goods: from artwork to kids’ toys, jewelry, ceramics, and tasty local snacks.

The neo-Renaissance, red-brick, bronze-domed Osaka City Central Hall, built between 1913 and 1918, rivals Osaka Castle in its architectural beauty. The Iwamoto Memorial Room in the basement of the building commemorates Einosuke Iwamoto, an Osaka stockbroker who funded the construction.

One for the plane spotters, tiny Senaga Island is so close to Naha Airport that its aircraft views have become its biggest draw. Visitors with time to kill before a flight can reach it quickly via a causeway from Naha, and indulge in eating, drinking, shopping, and checking out the planes from Umikaji Terrace—an oceanfront leisure complex with a Mediterranean vibe.

Perched atop the 1,079-foot (329-meter) Mt. Kinka, Gifu Castle’s elevated position made it an excellent defensive fortification during Japan’s turbulent Warring States period. First built in the early 13th century, the castle is now a National Historic Site and offers commanding views of the surrounding area, including the Nagara River and the city of Gifu.

Many rivers near Sapporo on Hokkaido Island are popular for day trips in the summer. While the Barato, a relatively short river on the northern outskirts of Sapporo, offers canoeing, kayaking, and cycling paths along the banks, the best action happens in winter when the river freezes and becomes an ideal spot for a popular local pastime, ice fishing.

Located within the Maison Hermès fashion boutique in Ginza, Maison Hermès Le Forum is a contemporary exhibition space designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. This stylish glass-brick building is flooded with light and hosts rotating art exhibitions that showcase work by both Japanese and international artists. It’s a fascinating place for architecture and art fans alike.

Stretching across a canyon in Japan's lush Iya Valley, the Iya Kazurabashi Bridge is the largest of three remaining suspension bridges woven from hardy mountain vines. Believed to date back around 1,000 years, the bridge invites travelers to steel their nerves and step back in time to ancient Japan.

Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood is beloved for its traditional charm and historic temples and shrines. Adding another element of tradition is the Asakusa Engei Hall, one of only four theaters in Tokyo where rakugo comedy is performed. While the art form was especially popular during the Edo period (17th–19th centuries), rakugo has only been staged at Engei Hall since the 1960s.

The centrally located Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo feels like a step away from the hustle and bustle of city life, primarily because of its traditional Japanese garden. Striking in every season, the garden reveals cherry blossoms in the spring, hydrangeas and fireflies in the summer, migrating birds and colorful foliage in the fall, and camellias in the winter. You need to be staying, dining, or otherwise using the facilities at the hotel to visit the garden.

Yoshikien Garden is a beautiful ornamental garden beside the ever-popular, sprawling Nara Park. Here you’ll find three distinct settings—a pond garden, moss garden, and tea ceremony garden. It’s a lovely place to stroll, especially as entry is free, and travelers with an interest in gardening, especially Japanese gardens, will get the most out of visiting.

On the southern end of Lake Toya in Hokkaido's Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, Mt. Usu is an active stratovolcano that last erupted in the year 2000. Its biggest draw is the Usuzan Ropeway, which takes visitors to an observatory offering fabulous views over the surrounding countryside.