Sights of Japan: what to see and what places to visit | Guide Club

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Japan is a mysterious country capable of combining centuries—old traditions with the latest technologies. Everything is nearby here: one minute you were surrounded by the bustle of the metropolis, and now you are immersed in the silence of an ancient temple with a landscaped garden. In terms of the number of impressions, a trip to Japan is comparable to a trip around the world. You just need to know exactly where to go and what to see. Read about the best attractions in Japan with photos, names and descriptions to plan your vacation and see all the most interesting things.

Tokyo Attractions

Tokyo is one of the largest megacities in the world. It is home to 14 million people with different interests and habits. Therefore, in Tokyo, everyone will find where to go and what to do. You can go to a trendy nightclub or enjoy a tea ceremony, visit a Michelin-starred restaurant or try unusual street food, shop in boutiques or study endless volumes of manga for a long time. It is in Tokyo that many of the things worth seeing in Japan are located.

Ginza Quarter and Kabukidze Theatre

There are many high-end shopping malls, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and nightclubs in this prestigious shopping area. The name of the quarter translates as “Silver Yard” — in the XVII and XVIII centuries there was a mint here, where silver coins were minted. Ginza is now home to the most expensive Japanese real estate.

The list of things worth seeing in Japan includes the traditional Kabuki theater, and the Ginza quarter is the best place to explore it. The main Kabuki theater in the country is located here, it is called Kabukidze. Although the building was built very recently, it retains the style of an older structure from 1889. The beautiful architecture resembles medieval castles and temples. Performances take place almost every day in the afternoon and evening.

Shibuya District

Shibuya is one of the most colorful and lively areas of Tokyo, it is a center of youth culture. Fashion and entertainment trends are emerging on its streets. There are many shopping malls, cafes and clubs, as well as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. We are talking about the Shibuya intersection, which looks like a giant beating heart. The diagonal pedestrian crossing is considered the largest in the world, with up to 3,000 people passing through it at a time. Up to half a million people can cross this place in a day.

The best view of the intersection opens from the department stores located here, which have observation decks. The intersection looks especially impressive on Friday and Saturday after sunset, when bright neon signs and huge screens illuminate the crowded streams. But after the last train leaves the station, the intersection becomes unusually empty.

Shinjuku District

Shinjuku is an important transportation hub, as well as the entertainment, business and shopping district of Tokyo. In fact, it is a city within a city, formed in the second half of the 20th century around the Shinjuku railway station. Now it serves up to two million people a day and is considered the busiest in the world. Metro lines depart from the railway station, and a large bus terminal is located on its roof. The station is surrounded on all sides by department stores, trendy restaurants, and underground shopping malls. Shinjuku is home to many of Tokyo’s tallest skyscrapers. Some of them have first-class hotels and observation decks.

If you get tired of the city noise, you can go to Shinjuku Geen Park, one of the most popular in Tokyo. It is a short walk from the station. Here you will find vast green spaces, flower arrangements winding along the paths, well-groomed shrubs and quiet ponds. In different parts of the park, you can see gardens in traditional Japanese, landscape English and regular French style. In addition to walking, picnics can be arranged on the territory, and in spring you can admire the cherry blossoms. In November, a two-week chrysanthemum viewing festival is held here.

Harajuku Quarter

Harajuku Station is located between Shinjuku and Shibuya. This is a good place for fashion shopping. There are many boutiques of famous brands, some designed by famous architects. Harajuku is one of the top tourist destinations in Japan because it has many famous attractions. The most famous is the Meiji Shinto Temple, one of Tokyo’s main shrines. The temple is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. They ruled in the second half of the XIX and the beginning of the XX century. Under their rule, Japan turned from a traditional feudal state into one of the world’s largest powers.

A walking garden is available to visitors of the Meiji Shrine. It looks especially impressive in June, when numerous irises bloom. The temple garden is adjacent to the much more extensive Yeogi Park. Together they form a large green oasis in the middle of a densely built-up city. People come to it to play sports, walk with dogs, have picnics and listen to music. There is a grove of ginkgo trees in the park, which turn bright golden in autumn.

The Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace with parks of the XVII century is one of the top attractions in Japan. It is a functioning residence that is still used by the Imperial family. Only a part of it is open to the public, but this is a fairly large area of the Eastern Garden with canals, bridges and powerful walls of a multi-tiered palace.

In the XV century, the castle of the local ruler appeared on the site of the palace. At that time, the city was still called Edo, and the capital was located in Kyoto. After the transfer of the capital, the castle was rebuilt into the imperial palace, the reconstruction was completed in 1888. The wooden structure suffered from fires more than once and was rebuilt. Most of the complex had to be rebuilt after World War II. The palace has mostly retained the traditional Japanese style, but some buildings have acquired European features, and the wood has been replaced with durable concrete.

Ueno Park

There is another park in Tokyo worth visiting. It is located in the central part of the city next to Ueno Station. During the Edo period, a large and rich city temple stood on the territory of this park. During the civil war in the 19th century, it was destroyed, and in 1873 a park with plants brought from all over the country was opened instead. More than 1,000 sakura trees have been planted along the central path, which blooms at the end of March and in April.

It is worth coming to Ueno Park for the whole day, as there are many attractions here. There are four temples on its territory. It is also home to Japan’s oldest zoo, home to giant pandas and about 2,600 other animals. Four museums are also worth visiting:

• Tokyo National Museum. The oldest museum in the country occupies five buildings. They exhibit countless archaeological finds, examples of sculpture, weapons, ceramics, calligraphy and other works of art and applied art.
• The Museum of Western Art. Asia’s largest museum dedicated to the art of European countries and North America from the Middle Ages to the present. The collection of about 2,000 exhibits is housed in a two-storey building designed by the famous architect Le Corbusier.
• Museum of Nature and Science. The composition of this museum tells about the laws of nature, about the development of life on earth, about dinosaurs and the modern diversity of animals. There is a gallery that tells about the geology, nature and history of the settlement of the Japanese archipelago.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art. The building of this museum is one of the most famous projects of the modernist architect Kunio Maekawa, a student of Le Corbusier. The permanent collection of the museum is small, but large traveling exhibitions of world-famous artists and sculptors are regularly held here.

Odaiba Island

The history of the artificial island of Odaiba began at the end of the Edo period, when a chain of small fortified islets was built in Tokyo Bay to protect against naval attacks. By the 20th century, a lot of garbage had accumulated near the islands, and it turned into a giant landfill. Then the city authorities developed an impressive development project for this area, and in the late 90s the island turned into a popular tourist destination with an abundance of shops, restaurants and attractions. In memory of the military past, only the name, which means “Fort”, remains.

It is better to get to Odaiba by rail to admire the panoramic view of Tokyo Bay and drive over the two-story Rainbow Bridge. There are many things worth visiting in Japan on the island:

• One of the world’s tallest Ferris wheels with a diameter of 115 m. From it you can see Mount Fuji.
• The residence of Fuji Television with a bizarre architecture that includes a huge ball with an observation deck and an observatory.
• The Diver City Tokyo Plaza Shopping Center is a futuristic building with a huge robot at the entrance, which periodically moves, and after sunset begins to glow.
• The country’s largest exhibition center Tokyo Big Sight with a unique 58 m high glass panel tower.

There are many green and pedestrian areas on the island. You can spend the whole day here with pleasure. We recommend taking the Hotaluna water tram back. It looks like it was created for the filming of a fantasy movie.

Miraikan Museum of Advanced Science and Technology

The name of the museum means “The Hall of the Future”. There are many exhibits representing modern technologies and scientific achievements in physics, robotics, astronautics, IT, genetics and other areas that are constantly changing our lives. Everything in the museum looks so unusual that it seems as if the future has already come here. The exhibits are mostly interactive: you can touch them, turn them on, twist them, and so on.

You can spend a couple of days in the museum if you want to explore everything without haste. And even a cursory examination will take at least three hours. Especially interesting are the domed planetarium theater, where you need to book seats in advance, and the android robot ASIMO.

Tokyo Skytree TV Tower

Among the most interesting places in Japan for tourists is the world’s tallest TV tower, whose name means “Tokyo Sky Tree”. Its height is 634 m, and this is not accidental. The numbers 6, 3 and 4 sound like Musashi in old Japanese. This is what the province where modern Tokyo is located was called in the past. The TV tower offers a magnificent panoramic view of the city, it looks especially impressive during sunset. Admission is by tickets, which are better purchased in advance to avoid queues.

There are two observation platforms on the TV tower. The first one is located at an altitude of 350 m, it occupies three tiers and provides a 360-degree view. On the middle of the three floors there is a gift shop and a restaurant, on the lower floor there is a cafe and even the floor is partially transparent. The second observation deck, the highest in the world, is located at an altitude of 450 m. In addition to the traditional recreation area and huge windows, it also includes a spiral ramp that wraps around the tower. Visitors move along a huge glass tube and look down from a dizzying height. .

There is a shopping and entertainment center at the foot of the tower, which has more than 300 shops, cafes and restaurants. There is also a planetarium and an aquarium. Even if you don’t want to go inside, this structure is worth looking at from the outside. At night, the delicate design shimmers with bright colors of illumination.

Kyoto Attractions

The list of attractions in Japan cannot be imagined without the temples and castles of Kyoto. This city escaped destruction in the Second World War, so many ancient streets and historical monuments have been preserved here. It’s hard to find a better place to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of traditional Japan. Millions of guests come here every year. If you want to visit Kyoto during the cherry blossom season, you need to book places several months in advance.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Temple

Inari in Shinto mythology is the deity of rice and harvest, and now it is believed that it also brings prosperity to business. There are many thousands of temples dedicated to him all over Japan, but the most famous and popular is Fushimi-Inari in the south of Kyoto. This complex is located on the slope of a densely forested mountain. It is famous for thousands of red thorias built along the paths and forming peculiar tunnels. The bright sacred gate looks amazing against the blue sky.

The walk to the top of the mountain and back takes two to three hours. It is quite light and pleasant, but you still need to wear comfortable shoes. In addition to the torii, the complex includes several large and many small sanctuaries. Stone figurines of a fox, which is considered the messenger of Inari, are often found. Foxes hold the key to the rice barn in their mouths. Delicious street food is sold near the shrines.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple Complex

One of the main attractions of Japan is another temple complex in Kyoto, its name means “Temple of pure Water”. It is located in the eastern part of the city, in a picturesque place near a waterfall. The Buddhists chose it to build their sanctuary in the 8th century. Those structures that can be seen today are a reconstruction of the XVII century. The complex occupies a vast territory, where in addition to the central temple there are also pavilions, bell towers, pagodas, gates and other structures. A steeply rising street leads to the temple, where handmade products, souvenirs and snacks are sold. The hill offers a beautiful view of the roofs and gardens of Kyoto.

Nijo Castle

In the northwestern part of Kyoto there is a castle built in 1603 and became the official residence of the Tokugawa shoguns. The magnificent Ninomaru Palace, preserved in its original form, is hidden behind impressive stone walls. With his luxury, he was supposed to emphasize the prestige of the founder of the Tokugawa Ieyasu dynasty. The palace has finely painted walls and sliding doors. And also walk along the famous “nightingale floors”. They are specially designed to make a creaking sound — so an attacker could not sneak through them unnoticed. Traditional landscaped gardens with a large pond, pines, maples, plums, various varieties of sakura and decorative stones are spread around the palace.

At the end of the 19th century, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace. Then it opened to the public and became one of the main attractions of Japan. It is a fine example of feudal era architecture in Japan.

Kinkaku-ji Temple

The name of this Buddhist temple, located in the northern part of Kyoto, means “Golden Pavilion”. Its two upper floors are indeed covered with gold leaf. They sparkle in the sun and are reflected in the large Anmintaku pond. The temple is surrounded by extensive gardens, which have preserved their original appearance since the 14th century. It was then that the Golden Pavilion was built. For a while it served as the residence of Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. When the shogun died, the complex was turned into a monastery according to his will.

Over the past centuries, the building has repeatedly suffered from fires. The last time one of Kyoto’s most famous temples burned down was in 1950, when it was set on fire by a fanatical monk. This event shocked many Japanese. Writer Yukio Mishima published the book “The Golden Temple” a few years later, and later it was translated into Russian by Boris Akunin. But the temple had already been restored by that time, the reconstruction was completed in 1955. Now it is a crowded tourist place, so it is better to come here on a weekday morning or evening.

Tenryu-ji Temple

One of the main centers of Zen Buddhism in Japan was founded in 1339. They decided to build a temple to calm the spirit of the recently deceased emperor. The existing structures of the complex date mainly from the Meiji period, that is, they were built 100-150 years ago. But Tenryu-ji Temple is famous not so much for its shrines as for its garden, which has survived centuries in its original form. This garden is considered one of the most beautiful in Kyoto, especially during the spring flowering and autumn. In the center there is a Seguin pond, it is surrounded by a walking path. The borrowed landscape of the forested Arashiyama Mountains gives special beauty to this place.

Bamboo Grove and Monkey Park in Arashiyama

If you want to take extraordinary photos in Kyoto, you don’t have to come during the cherry blossom season. At any time of the year, head to the bamboo grove in Arashiyama, it starts right outside the north gate of the Tenryu-ji Temple. Walking up the path among the emerald thickets of tall bamboo, you will find yourself in a monkey park where about 120 Japanese macaques live. They can be fed with treats that are sold nearby. The park has an observation deck with a beautiful view of Kyoto on one side and the mountain peaks on the other.

Famous castles of Japan

During the period of feudal fragmentation, large and beautiful castles were built all over Japan. Unfortunately, they were built of wood and destroyed during wars or accidental fires. Not many of these magnificent structures have survived to this day, and for the most part they are modern reconstructions. Nevertheless, they look great and are suitable for exploring traditional Japanese architecture. Let’s talk about several castles that are located outside Tokyo or Kyoto, but are among the main tourist destinations in Japan.

The Castle of the White Heron

The feudal castle in Himeji is considered the most beautiful in Japan. Its outlines seem perfect, it is recognized as a national treasure and is protected by UNESCO. It is an elegant and at the same time majestic white building. A local variety of gypsum was used for its decoration. The castle is built on a hill and is visible from afar. It has never been destroyed, so we can see the original complex, which was built from the XV to the beginning of the XVII century. It is noteworthy that during the Second World War, the city of Himeji was completely destroyed, but the castle towering over it remained intact. There are more than 80 facilities on its territory, connected by a network of paths and gates.

There is a beautiful labyrinth garden next to the castle. It was designed as another line of defense: it was assumed that the attackers would wander into the dead ends of the maze while they were fired from the towers. In practice, this never happened, because internecine wars had come to naught by that time. But the garden has retained its aesthetic significance, it is especially beautiful during the cherry blossom period.

Himeji Castle is one of the most attractive places to visit in Japan. If you find yourself here during the Hanami period, during the Golden Week in spring or during the summer holidays, you will probably encounter an excess of visitors. Sometimes you have to wait a long time before going inside and buy numbered tickets. It is better to come at another time, because the castle is beautiful in any season. Inside the main structure, you can climb the main tower and admire the view of the surrounding area. The castle complex often became a place for filming. Akira Kurosawa worked here, Sean Connery played 007, and Tom Cruise mastered martial arts.

Matsumoto Castle

One of the oldest surviving castles in Japan is located in the city of Nagano. This complex was built from 1592 to 1614. Unlike the castle of the White Heron, Matsumoto is black in color, which is why it is called the Raven Castle. By visiting it, you will be able to look into the past. The original wooden decoration has been preserved inside, and a museum with a collection of firearms and swords operates in the former chambers of the ruling family.

Matsumoto Castle is a powerful military fortress with holes for archers and for dropping stones on invaders, with a triple moat and three secret passages. But its creators did not forget about the beauty. There are hundreds of sakura trees growing here, and in the castle itself there is an entire tower built for contemplation of the Moon. Defensive ditches have now turned into a decorative pond and canals where colored carp with swans swim. Medieval castles were more often built on hills or mountain slopes, but Matsumoto was built on a plain. Mountain peaks rise behind, making the complex even more photogenic.

Nagoya Castle

This castle is also called Inuyama, or the castle of the White Emperor. It was founded in the XV century, and the appearance that can be seen today was formed by the beginning of the XVII century. Nagoya Castle was not as lucky as the previous ones. During the Second World War, it was destroyed and partially rebuilt in the post-war years. In 2018, a larger-scale reconstruction was completed.

After its construction, Nagoya Castle was one of the largest in the country. It served as the residence of one of the branches of the ruling Tokugawa family. The town around the castle was also growing rapidly. It is now the fourth largest city in Japan in terms of population. The Museum of the History of the city of Nagoya is located in the castle tower. There are many interesting exhibitions on a variety of topics from contemporary art to the history of ramen. There is a garden on the territory of the castle complex — another good place for hanami. Although the castle complex continues to be restored, it is already one of the main attractions of Japan.

Osaka Castle

Osaka is located near Kyoto and presents a striking contrast with this quiet and preserved ancient traditions of the city. Osaka is associated with neon signs, slot machines, bars and music pouring from everywhere. But even here you can see a large feudal castle, restored in the 1990s according to the original design of 1583.

It’s worth spending a few hours on this complex. After its foundation, Osaka Castle was one of the largest and most important in the country. Its 42-meter tower is built on a powerful stone base with a height of 14 m. There is a museum in the tower that introduces the history of the castle and the city of Osaka. There is an observation deck with a beautiful view on the top. The castle is also interesting because the background for it is not gardens and mountain peaks, but glass panels of skyscrapers. There is a large stadium nearby, where concerts are held. It is a visual symbol of the connection of the old and the new in Japan.

What else can a tourist see in Japan?

There are many more interesting cities, parks, temples and natural attractions in the Land of the Rising Sun. Almost all of them are easily accessible due to the small size of the state and the developed transport network. We tell you what other places are considered the best in Japan.

Kawagoe City

What can you see in Japan to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the past centuries? A half—hour drive from Tokyo is the city of Kawagoe, a good destination for a day trip. The name Kawagoe means “river crossing city”, but this city is also called Little Edo. Its central streets with traditional buildings look as if you have been transported back to the XVII century.

The city stands on the Singasi River in a place where in the past there was a crossroads of transport routes. The river served as the most important artery through which goods were delivered to the capital. Merchants built large warehouses in Kawagoe, and an impregnable fortress appeared to protect them. The city grew and developed rapidly, adopting the culture of Edo. Although Kawagoe has now lost its former commercial importance, it remains an important transport hub and a popular tourist destination. And its river channels are a great route for boat trips.

Fujiyama

Mount Fuji cannot be omitted from the list of must-see places in Japan. It is one of the symbols of the country. Fujiyama is the highest point in Japan, it can be seen even from Tokyo at a distance of about 100 km. Not surprisingly, it has been celebrated in art for centuries. It is not so difficult to climb to a height of 3,776 m, hundreds of thousands of people do it every year. Organized ascents take place only in summer, because at other times the weather is too unpredictable.

If you already have climbing experience, it is unlikely that you will find Fuji the most picturesque peak. The landscape on it is quite lifeless, and clouds cover the views almost all the time. There is even a saying that one who ascends Fuji once is a sage, and the second time is a fool. But the symbolic significance of this campaign is so great that the flow of those who want to make it does not run out. Now it is easier to climb to the top than in the past, since climbing usually begins not from the base, but from about the middle of the mountain peak. A road has been laid to the beginning of this trail, tourists are brought by buses. It takes 5-6 hours to climb, and half as much to descend. Since Fuji is a volcano, there is a crater on the top. It will take about 1.5 more hours to get around it. You can spend the night in one of the huts to meet the dawn at the top of Fujiyama.

Nara Park

When we want to enjoy nature and see wild animals, we rarely go to the city center. But if you come to Nara, then you should do exactly that. Nara Park was founded in 1880, and now it is one of the most interesting places in Japan. On an area of about 500 hectares there is a large lake with carp and ancient temples surrounded by greenery. There is also the National Museum of Nara with a collection of beautiful works of art.

But the free-roaming Nara deer are especially famous, of which there are hundreds here. These are adorable animals that can be fed with special reindeer crackers. They are sold all over the park.

Todai-ji Temple in Nara

In addition to the beautiful park, Nara is home to one of the main Buddhist temples in the country, its name means “Great Oriental Temple”. It was founded in 752, and the last reconstruction was completed at the beginning of the XVIII century. When Todai-ji was built, its influence was so great that it was decided to move the capital from Nara so that Buddhist monks would interfere less in state affairs.

The main hall of Todai-ji is considered to be the largest wooden structure in the world. Inside there is a huge bronze statue of a seated Buddha, 15 m high and weighing about 500 tons. The vast territory adjacent to the temple merges with the northern part of Nara Park. Deer also walk here and crackers are sold for them. The complex also includes a large gate with statues guarding the entrance, numerous pavilions and pagodas.

Miyajima Island

Although the official name of one of the most beautiful places in Japan is Itsukushima Island, it is better known as Miyajima. It means “Temple Island”. There are many shrines and temples here. The most famous of them is the Itsukushima Shrine, dedicated to the daughters of the wind god Susanoo. A red torii gate has been built in the coastal strip of the island. At high tide, their base is hidden by water, and they seem to float on the waves. The main halls of the sanctuary, built on stilts, look the same.

The island attracts many tourists, but if you stay here overnight, you can enjoy the silence and charm of this place. In addition to temples and torii, Miyajima attracts wildlife. Since the island is considered sacred, trees are not cut down here. Everything blooms in spring, and in autumn the famous Miyazama maples paint the landscape in bright red shades. One of the popular souvenirs here is sweet pies with the image of a maple leaf. There is a botanical garden on the island and funiculars that ascend Mount Misen with a height of 535 m. There are many deer on Miyajima that are not afraid of humans. But they can’t be fed like in Nara Park.

Senmaid Rice Fields

What other places should a lover of beautiful natural landscapes visit in Japan? Along the coast of the Sea of Japan are the Senmaida Hills, which means “A thousand rice fields”. The hills are really covered with terraces of rice fields, of which there are about two thousand. The appearance of these terraces varies depending on the season. In winter they are covered with white snow, in spring and early summer they are flooded with light-reflecting water, then juicy greens appear, which by autumn is replaced by gold. And the background for this beauty remains the almost unchanging blue of the sea. The magnificent landscapes of the rice fields attract photographers from all over the world. Traditional wedding ceremonies are also held here.

We talked about the most interesting sights of Japan, but this list can be continued for a long time. You can come to Japan again and again, you will never get tired of it. Every time there is something new, and already familiar places are transformed if you see them in another season. The most convenient way to discover the Land of the Rising Sun is a trip accompanied by an experienced guide who knows all the routes. Such offers are collected on our website. Choose a suitable tour on the Guide Club, book it online and spend a wonderful vacation in Japan.

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