Japan attractions

Around 30 miles (50 kilometers) outside of central Tokyo, the Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba is dedicated to the natural and human history of Chiba province. The museum has a large collection of geological finds from the region as well as dioramas showing the flora and fauna of the area.

Shizuoka Municipal Nihondaira Zoo, covering an expansive space with natural surroundings, is a popular tourist attraction that also runs successful red panda and giant anteater breeding programs. Visiting is a good opportunity to see these animals, as well as many others that are difficult to spot in the wild.

Aomori Contemporary Art Centre, part of Aomori Public University, is an architecturally innovative space for making and appreciating art. Designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Tadao Ando and opened in 2001, the center is set within woodland and follows the concept of unseen architecture, blending into the environment. Art and architecture-loving travelers will enjoy visiting this serene place.

The regal Mount Nesugata (Nesugatayama) sits—or lies, some would say—on the Izu Peninsula, a popular vacation spot southwest of Tokyo. Take the ropeway up to the observatory on a clear, sunny day, and savor the sweeping views.

In 1986, Suntory Hall opened as Tokyo’s first venue for live classical music. Since then, it has earned the reputation for being one of the finest concert halls in Japan, thanks in part to its unrivaled acoustics. Located in the central Akasaka district, it regularly hosts classical music concerts by both local and international musicians and orchestras.

Nicolas G. Hayek Center is the 14-storey headquarters and flagship store of the Swatch Group Japan, where you can browse and buy its stylish watches. The building is an architectural wonder in itself, but also has plenty to explore inside, including boutiques dedicated to the group’s luxury watch brands—Omega, Longines, and Swatch. There’s also an exhibition hall and magnificent views from the top floor.

Also known as the Kakazu Takadai Park or Peace Park, this park in Ginowan marks the site of Kakazu Ridge, in memory of one of the bloodiest sieges of the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. Visitors today will find a peaceful park and picnic spot, with views of the nearby airbase from an observatory on the hill.

Across the bay from Kansai Airport, Rinku Park is a lovely waterfront park in the city of Izumisano. It’s a popular place to watch the sunset and see planes taking off and landing, and also offers a marble beach, seaside gardens, flower paths, a traditional arched wooden bridge, an inner sea area, and several sculptures.

The 28-mile (47-kilometer) Aso Milk Road follows the northern edge of the Aso Caldera, a large volcanic depression in the middle of Kyushu. It’s a very scenic route, with mountains and grasslands to admire. You can drive it in one go or stop at strategically located parking lots along the way to take in the views.

Tokyo’s Unko Museum has pulled off the near-impossible: it’s made poop cute. Kawaii culture is a big deal in Japan, and the Unko Museum is a whole space dedicated to the more delightful aspects of poop. Less an educational museum and more an Instagrammable delight, you’ll find photogenic spaces, interactive and arcade games, and more, all in inoffensive pastel hues.

Located on Mt. Hokusei in Nakafurano, this small flower farm offers a hillside of lavender, marigold, sunflower, and salvia in the summer. The farm also features a chairlift—since it serves as a ski slope in the winter—that visitors can take to the top of the hill for views of the flower fields and the nearby mountains.

The Hakodate Jomon Culture Center offers a fascinating window into Japan’s prehistoric Jomon period, which lasted from 14,000 to 300 BC. The center houses a rich collection of ancient artifacts unearthed during archaeological excavations around Hokkaido, which bring Japan’s ancient history to life. Here, you can learn about the daily lives of some of Japan's earliest inhabitants and their legacy.

At the Nasu Stained Glass Museum, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had left Japan and entered the English Cotswolds. Designed to look like an English manor, the building is home to antique works of stained glass art, as well as a pipe organ. Art and antiques enthusiasts will enjoy visiting the museum on a day trip from Tokyo.

Tokonyan is a giant beckoning cat statue that overlooks Tokoname, an ancient kiln town. Standing at over 12 feet (3.8 meters), this impressive figure symbolizes good luck and fortune. Perched on a hillside, it can be seen from the train and is a popular photo spot for travelers visiting the area, especially if exploring the city’s Pottery Footpath.

The Norn Minakami Ski Resort is a ski field in the mountains of northern Gunma Prefecture. It’s suitable for skiers and snowboarders of all levels, and there’s a separate play area for families. It’s the closest ski resort to Tokyo, so it is a convenient place to experience snow sports close to the capital in the winter.

Kitami once accounted for 70% of the worldwide mint production. Housed on the grounds of a former mint factory, the Kitami Mint Memorial Museum showcases the history of the mint industry in Hokkaido through videos and old equipment and includes a mint distillery hall where demonstrations and workshops are held.

Located in a ravine formed by the Katashina, Hiragawa, and Kurihara Rivers, Fukiware Falls forms a dramatic V-shape—it's among the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. From afar, the falls look like water is draining down a large plug hole because it seems to disappear from the river’s surface.

Hakkoda Ropeway is a year-round attraction that transports visitors to ski slopes and mountain hiking trails atop Mt. Hakkoda. The ski season lasts a long time in this northern part of Honshu, while short and longer hiking trails provide lovely mountain views from the top of the ropeway throughout summer. Indoor and outdoor viewing decks provide season-appropriate lookouts.

Utou-jinja, Aomori City’s guardian Shinto shrine, is believed to be around 1,200 years old, predating the city itself. Visitors can stroll through the peaceful grounds, which feature traditional gardens, a red torii gate, a pond, historical artifacts, and stones inscribed with Japanese poetry. Utou-jinja is associated with 20th-century woodblock artist Shiko Munakata; you can see some of his works.

Facing the Seto Inland Sea, Imabari Castle (Imabari-jō) was the center of the Imabari Domain during Japan’s feudal Edo era. Unlike most Japanese castles, Imabari Castle was not built on top of a hill and is, therefore, classed as a flatland castle. While much of the castle is undergoing reconstruction, it retains its original walls and wide moat fed by the sea.

Just east of Tokyo you’ll find Mother Farm, an animal- and flower-focused amusement park. Get to know the animals in the petting zoo, or spend the day sheepshearing and horseback riding while enjoying the slower pace and fresh air of the countryside.

Odaiba’s Immersive Fort Tokyo is a theme park with a difference: the 10 attractions in one put visitors in the center of the action. Rather than theme park staples like roller coasters and bumper boats, Immersive Fort Tokyo offers visitors the chance to be at the center of a mafia versus spy agent showdown, dodge enemies in an escape room scenario, and more.

Lazona Kawasaki Plaza is a large, modern shopping center connected to the JR Kawasaki train station. It houses more than 300 retail outlets selling Japanese and international brands, plus food options, indoor and outdoor seating, a cinema, a gym, and a grassy outdoor performance plaza.

The annual Tachineputa Matsuri Festival in Goshogawara City is one of Tohoku’s largest summer festivals, held in early August. If you’re traveling to the region at any other time of year, check out the Tachineputa no Yakata (Tachineputa Museum) instead. The enormous paper tachineputa floats are an impressive sight and an off-the-beaten-path highlight of travel to the Aomori Prefecture.

On Iriomote Island in Okinawa Prefecture, the 3-tier Maryudo Falls drop 52 feet (16 meters) into the upper Urauchi River. While many of Iriomote’s waterfalls are difficult to reach, Maryudo Falls are easily accessible by boat and on foot. Set in the Iriomote Ishigaki National Park, visiting the falls is a must-do for nature lovers.

Yuki Atae is a renowned Japanese doll maker who creates incredibly lifelike dolls of children, mythical creatures such as fairies, and people in traditional Japanese clothing. At this small museum devoted to his work, children and artistic grown-ups alike will enjoy browsing the collection of about 100 of Atae’s dolls.

Located in Japan’s Tohoku region, Bandai-Asahi National Park is a vast expanse of natural beauty and cultural significance. Known for the Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa (Dewa Sanzan) and volcanic landscapes shaped by Mount Bandai's eruption in 1888, it offers hiking, kayaking, and seasonal snow sports, such as skiing and sledding. You can also explore the area’s rich cultural heritage via hot springs, shrines, and temples.

Located in Okinawa, a semi-tropical island off the coast of Japan, Yara Castle was built between the 13th and 15th centuries. The former estate is a remnant from the days of the Ryukyu, a powerful kingdom that once ruled over an independent Okinawa. Today, this rugged park features castle ruins, gravesites of Ryukyuan royals, and hiking trails along the Hija River.

Lovers of quirky contemporary art shouldn’t miss the Towada Art Center, devised in the 2000s to revitalize the small, often-overlooked city of Towada in northern Honshu’s Aomori Prefecture. Now, alongside Towada’s mountains, lake, and autumn leaves, the Art Center is one of the provincial city’s star attractions and worth a detour while traveling through Aomori.

Dover Street Market Ginza, the Japanese outpost of the iconic London store, feels more like an art gallery than a retail space. Curated by fashion visionary Rei Kawakubo, it features high-end clothing, urban streetwear, jewelry, accessories, books, and more, spread over seven floors, creating a unique shopping space that blends art and style.