Amazing Places to Visit in Japan [2022]

Japan has a ‘backpack full of surprises for every visitor’ because of its many shrines and temples, beautiful gardens and castles, stunning mountains, and other key attractions. In addition to the country’s technical marvels, Japan’s best-known tourist destinations have also helped put the country on the world map. And we can assure you that it is well worth your time and money to explore each of them.

Mind-Blowing Place in Japan

For those who’ve never been to Japan, now is the moment since five must-see destinations give a unique perspective on the country that you won’t find anywhere else. Prepare to be awed by one of the world’s most beautiful locations. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn about Japan’s history and culture while you’re there.

1. Mount Fuji

Majestic Mount Fuji (Fuji-san), Japan’s highest mountain peak, is without a doubt the country’s most recognisable landmark. More than 100 kilometres distant, Tokyo can see this spectacular and famous peak, which towers 3,776 metres over an otherwise flat region in the south and east.

Mount Fuji has been the subject of several works of art and literature for centuries, and in 2013 UNESCO designated it a World Cultural Heritage Site. As a pilgrimage, more than a million people climb Mount Fuji each summer, culminating with a view of the dawn from the mountain’s peak.

2. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

However, much more can be said about the remarkable efforts made by this lively city to remember the numerous victims of this world’s first nuclear strike than the horrors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. Aside from the fact that Hiroshima has become a symbol of permanent peace, it is also vital to note.

Peace Memorial Park in the heart of Hiroshima’s former thriving district, Hiroshima Heiwa Kinen Ken, attracts over a million visitors each year, many of whom come from other countries. There are several monuments, memorials, and museums in this area dedicated to September 11, 2001.

3. The Island Shrine of Itsukushima

The island of Miyajima, known as Japan’s Shrine Island, is only a short boat journey from Hiroshima’s mainland. The Itsukushima Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the Princesses of the Wind God Susanoo, is located on Miyajima, a 30-square-kilometre island in Hiroshima Bay.

The bulk of the shrine’s structures, which date back to the 8th century, is supported solely by piles in a narrow bay. A striking phenomenon occurs during high tide, making these monuments seem to float on water, notably the famed Great Floating Gate (O-Torii).

4. Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle (Osaka-j), built-in 1586 by legendary Japanese warrior and statesman Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was the country’s biggest and most important castle at the time it was built. Compared to its predecessor, the current building dates back to 1931 and has undergone several reconstructions since then.

The 42-metre-tall main tower, which has five stories, is a must-see. Displays on the castle’s and city’s history are housed in the tower, which is 14 metres high. The best views of Osaka may be had from the top-level, particularly as the sunsets.

5. The Atsuta Shrine, Nagoya

More than five million people visit the Atsuta Shrine, Japan’s most significant Shinto shrine, near Nagoya each year. An Imperial symbol called the “grass-mowing sword” (Kusanagi-no-tsurugi), one of only three now intact in Japan, may be found at this sacred monument dating back to the first century AD.

The treasury, which houses countless art items, including antique and contemporary paintings, pottery, jewellery, and traditional masks, is well worth a look. Make sure to visit Nagoya Castle while you’re in the city.

With its 48-metre-high main tower and two gilded dolphins, this magnificent moated complex dates back to 1612. (Chachi). The museum, which has artefacts from the palace, and the breathtaking views over the city and the Nobi Plain make it a popular tourist destination.

6. Sapporo, Hokkaido

Sapporo, Japan’s northernmost city, has a lot to offer visitors, including many attractions. There are many cultural events and festivals taking place in the island’s capital, Honolulu. Culinary and theatrical traditions are well-established, and there are several galleries, museums, and parks to explore.

The city’s lovely central area focuses here, and Odori Park, a sprawling green space, is in its heart. The Sapporo TV Tower and the city’s famed aerial tramway are only a short walk away from this location. In the end, you’ll reach the summit’s Upper Station, where you’ll be able to take in stunning cityscape views, especially in the evening.

7. Imperial Tokyo

It’s a must-see while in Tokyo to see the Imperial Palace and its gorgeous 17th-century gardens enclosed by walls and moats. Even though most of the palace is off-limits to visitors (it is still in use by the Imperial family), a trip around the grounds will nevertheless reveal a lot of the palace’s history.

As well as having access to the grounds around the palace, tourists are allowed inside the East Higashi-Gyoen Garden and other public areas as part of an arranged tour. Nijubashi Bridge, known as the “double bridge” because of its aquatic reflection, offers one of the city’s most stunning vistas.

8. Historic Kyoto

More than 10 million people visit Kyoto each year, one of the few towns in Japan that were spared the ravages of World War II. Most of them are in town to take in Kyoto’s historic streets and buildings, many of which have remained mostly untouched since the Imperial family first settled here more than a thousand years ago.

Even back then, Tokyo was the country’s cultural capital. This heritage lives on today in the various museums and art galleries that house priceless works of art, including sculptures and paintings.

In addition to its 30 still operational temples, Kyoto’s Buddhist architecture includes notable landmarks, such as the 14th-century Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-Ji), known for its magnificent gold-leaf-clad front.

9. Temple City: Historic Nara

Nara has been Japan’s cultural epicentre for centuries, and the picturesque, untouched city is home to several ancient structures and key national treasures and pieces of art.

Additionally, the city is home to several historical temples. These include the beautiful seventh-century Kofuku-Ji Temple, possibly the best known of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, and the superb eighth-century Todai-Ji (Great East Temple), notable for its colossal bronze statue of the Great Buddha (Daibutsu), cast here in AD 749.

JOHN