Japan attractions

The 19th-century Tokyo Daijingu Shrine is one of the city’s most significant Shinto shrines. Dedicated to sun goddesses and deities of creation who are believed to oversee matchmaking, it attracts worshippers who come to pray for love and marriage, draw fortunes, and purchase love charms. The shrine is also notable as the first place to host a traditional Shinto wedding ceremony, and it remains a popular wedding spot today.

Spanning the tranquil Uji River, Uji-bashi Bridge occupies a legendary site. Few Japanese landmarks have played such a starring role in Japanese literature and art as the Heian-period version of this structure, which was featured in The Tale of Genji—a masterpiece of Japanese prose that’s considered by many historians to be the world’s first novel. It was originally built in 646, and was most recently rebuilt in 1996.

At Tobu World Square, see some of the world’s most famous sights without leaving Japan. Just outside Nikko, the park displays more than 100 miniatures of architectural landmarks, about half of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Travelers of all ages enjoy spotting icons such as the Pyramids of Giza and the Eiffel Tower.

Located at the base of Shiga Kogen, Yudanaka Onsen is a popular hot springs resort with a history dating back more than 1,300 years. Visitors come to this charming, traditional town to soak in a variety of hot spring baths, or onsens. Yudanaka Onsen also offers easy access to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park.

Savor fresh seafood and get close to nature at Tomakomai, an industrial port city located on the south-central coast of Hokkaido. Famed for its surf clam, Tomakomai also offers close proximity to natural attractions like Lake Shikotsu, Mt. Tarumae, Tarumae Garo Gorge, Ikoro-no-Mori, and Lake Utonai Wildlife Reserve.

Japan is famed for its onsen (hot springs), but there are few naturally occurring in the Osaka area. Luckily, visitors looking for a little relaxation of the soaking variety can find it at Spa World, one of the world’s largest hot springs complexes, where you’ll find kitschy decorated onsen and saunas from around the world.

A unique educational museum where kids can learn through play, Kids Plaza Osaka features three levels of interactive and immersive exhibits, activities, games, and play areas that encourage creativity and personal development. Enjoy a fun day of learning at this popular, family-friendly attraction.

Get up close to an active stratovolcano with an unstable lava dome at Mt. Tarumae (Tarumae-zan), located on the shores of Lake Shikotsu inside Shikotsu-Toya National Park. The trail up Mt. Tarumae is one of the most spectacular and accessible hikes on Hokkaido and offers dramatic, otherworldly scenery and stunning panoramic views.

Soaking in an onsen—a bathhouse fed by natural hot springs—is an unmissable experience while in Japan. Travelers to the Lake Yamanaka area near Mt. Fuji should check out the Beni Fuji no Yu Onsen. In the winter there are beautiful views of the mountain, and it’s a great place to revive tired muscles after a hike in the warmer months. The onsen is a cultural experience no matter the season.

At around 4am, Osaka Central Fish Market springs to life. Bidding begins with the refrigerated tuna seller—a bell is rung, giant tuna fish are placed on display, and the fish sells out within the hour. Then, bidders move on throughout the one million-square-foot (320,000-square-meter venue to try their luck at winning other coveted food items.

Asahiyama Memorial Park dates back to 1970 when it opened to celebrate Sapporo’s 100th anniversary. Loved for its panoramic views, the park sits on a hilltop that boasts vistas of Sapporo, the Ishikari Plain, and on a clear day—the Sea of Japan. Visitors come here for hiking trails, idyllic gardens, and, at night, an illuminated fountain.

Tokyo Dome City is a massive entertainment complex in central Tokyo. It’s home to a baseball stadium, an amusement park, an arena for boxing and martial arts, a hotel with more than 1,000 guest rooms, a bowling alley, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and a spa complex. As well as being the home stadium of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, the Tokyo Dome—which can seat up to 55,000 people—regularly hosts touring musicians.

If the sky-high buildings and flashing neon of Tokyo’s central Shinjuku neighborhood weren’t intimidating enough, wait until you encounter giant lizard-monster Godzilla peering down at you from eight floors up. OK, no need to panic—this isn’t the “real” Godzilla from the 1954 classic Japanese horror movie, but this model was installed atop the Toho building in 2015.

Travelers flock to Kawachi Wisteria Garden to see tunnels sculpted from wisteria trees, some of which are more than 120 years old. Located in the scenic hills just south of Yamaguchi, the garden is especially beautiful in spring, when blooming wisteria flowers along the tunnel walls create dreamy pathways of pastel-colored petals.

For unobstructed views of the perfect snow-capped cone of Mt. Fuji, ride the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway from the eastern shore of Lake Fujikawaguchiko. It ascends 1,312 feet (400 meters) to an observation deck atop Mt. Tenjo at around 3,280 feet (1,000 meters). You can choose either a return ticket, or buy a one-way ticket up and walk the hiking trails down.

Experience the thrills of one of Japan’s largest indoor theme parks at Tokyo Joypolis, on Odaiba island in Tokyo Bay. Spanning three floors, this SEGA-themed amusement center offers many games and attractions, including virtual reality experiences, 3D attractions, amusement rides, simulators, arcade games, opportunities to win or grab prizes, print sticker machines, and even an indoor roller coaster. It’s a fun destination for all ages.

The only pilgrimage route besides the Camino de Santiago to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kumano Kodo is a network of trails through Kansai. In use for more than 1,000 years, the pilgrimage routes developed as a way to travel between sacred areas, a practice that tourists and pilgrims alike continue today.

In a city with many high buildings and observation decks, the Tokyo City View Observation Deck (Tokyo Sky Deck) is one of the best. Its perch is the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, a sleek mixed-use skyscraper in the Roppongi neighborhood, famous for its nightlife. There are three galleries with views toward different landmarks, and the renowned Mori Art Museum on the 53rd floor is worth visiting at the same time.

The second-largest and most populated island of the Yaeyama Island group in the East China Sea, Ishigaki Island (Ishigaki-jima is also the hub of the archipelago. The island appeals to visitors with its beautiful beaches, excellent snorkel and dive sites, and opportunities for kayaking along rivers and hiking through the hilly interior.

Towering over DiverCity Tokyo Plaza shopping mall in Odaiba, the Unicorn Gundam Statue is a must-see for anime and manga fans. Standing nearly 65 feet (25 meters) tall, this giant figure replaced the original RX-78-2 Gundam in 2017. The new statue is a big draw because of its ability to transform between “Unicorn” and “Destroy” modes—complete with special evening light shows.

Better known to travelers as the “cat temple,” Gotoku-ji is a Buddhist temple in western Tokyo that is thought to be the birthplace of the maneki-neko (beckoning cat), a good luck charm believed to bring fortune and success to its owner, commonly seen in shops throughout Japan. The temple is home to thousands of maneki-neko figurines in various sizes, colors, and materials, which create a spectacular display.

Tokyo's underground trains are a major part of the city's enormous and efficient rail network. The two companies operating here—Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway—connect to above-ground lines. Getting around this huge city by underground train is easy, even if you don’t read Japanese. It’s important to know which service you need to use to get where you want to go—the metro or the subway—so you enter and exit the right stations.

Learn about how one of Japan’s most ubiquitous beers is made with a visit to Asahi Beer Suita Factory, the company's first brewery, built in 1891. Asahi offers daily tours, during which guests see, smell, and touch the hops and barley, along with other ingredients that go into brewing one of Japan’s best-known beers.

The embodiment of tropical Japan, Kabira Bay on Ishigaki Island could easily be the most beautiful beach in the Okinawan archipelago. Sugar-white sand lapped by turquoise water draws photographers, social media moguls, and those who want to check off a scenic spot. Beauty aside, it’s also famous for its cultivation of black pearls, which you can buy in the bay.

The Kyoto National Museum, established in 1897, houses 12,000-plus artifacts—including art, archeological relics, ceramics, kimonos, pottery, and swords. As one of Japan's four national museums and a major art museum, it’s the perfect place for visitors to deepen their appreciation and understanding of pre-modern Japanese and Asian art.

Tokyo Sea Life Park is one of the largest aquariums in the city. Housed in a glass dome in Kasai Rinkai Park, it sits across the bay from Tokyo Disneyland® and DisneySea®. As it’s government-run, the exhibits lean toward educational rather than “flashy” or trendy, but it's an affordable, family-friendly attraction in the busy, often expensive Japanese capital, which is not far from the central city.

The Miho Museum is an art museum east of Kyoto City in the mountains of Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture. Based on the vision and collections of founder Mihoko Koyama, the Miho Museum displays a variety of Japanese art, as well as ancient art from North Africa, the Middle East, Southern Europe, South Asia, and China.

Step back in time to the Edo period in Japan at Toei Kyoto Studio Park (Toei Uzumasa Eigamura), the only theme park in Japan that’s also an open-air film set for period drama (jidaigeki) films. Visitors can watch exciting performances, dress up in period costume, learn fun skills, and enjoy a number of other entertaining attractions.

Located in Hino City, a suburb of Tokyo, Tama Zoological Park is not your typical zoo. Spanning over 129 acres (52 hectares), the park is renowned for its open, spacious, and naturalistic habitats, where animals roam freely in their habitats. Visitors come here for the Lion Bus, which rides through the lion enclosure, as well as the bird dome, butterfly house, and many more surprises.

Always buzzing with energy, Takeshita Street is a popular shopping street in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku district. Famed for its fashion, anime, and cosplay shops, the street attracts a fun and youthful crowd who flock to its fashion boutiques, purikura photo booths, gashapon capsule toy machines, and stores selling kawaii (cute) items. The area is also known for its sweet treats, including candy floss and crepes.