Discover Japan's Hidden Gems

Explore temples, shrines, castles, parks, and more

Harajuku

© Brandon Daniel from Sunnyvale, CA, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Neighborhood
Tokyo

Harajuku

Tokyo's epicenter of youth fashion, street culture, and creative expression centered around Takes...

Tokyo, Japan
Meriken Park

© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)

Landmark
Hyogo

Meriken Park

Kobe's Main Waterfront Park

Kobe's main waterfront park with the red Kobe Port Tower, BE KOBE monument, and Kobe Maritime Mus...

Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
Todai-ji

Photo: Mont Blank rich / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Temple World Heritage
Nara

Todai-ji

Todai-ji Temple

A UNESCO World Heritage temple housing the world's largest bronze Buddha statue inside the larges...

Nara, Japan
Tenryu-ji photo
Temple World Heritage
Kyoto

Tenryu-ji

Arashiyama's World Heritage Zen Masterpiece

World Heritage Site, head temple of the Tenryu branch of Rinzai Zen. The Sogenchi garden uses the...

Kyoto, Japan
Chion-in

Photo: Lombroso / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Temple
Kyoto

Chion-in

Monumental Head Temple of Pure Land Buddhism

The head temple of Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism, featuring Japan's largest temple gate at 24 meters ...

Kyoto, Japan
Expo '70 Commemorative Park photo
Park
Osaka

Expo '70 Commemorative Park

Expo '70 Park with Okamoto's Tower of the Sun

The legacy of Japan's first World's Fair lives on in this 260-hectare park, where Taro Okamoto's ...

Suita, Osaka, Japan
Kyoto

© Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

City
Kyoto

Kyoto

Japan's Ancient Capital

Japan's cultural heart and ancient capital for over a millennium, home to 17 UNESCO World Heritag...

Kyoto, Japan
Atami

© Suicasmo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Onsen
Shizuoka

Atami

Atami - Tokyo's Seaside Hot Spring Escape, Reborn

A classic seaside onsen city 45 minutes from Tokyo by shinkansen, experiencing a vibrant renaissa...

Shizuoka, Japan
Osu Shopping District

© Tomio344456 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Neighborhood
Aichi

Osu Shopping District

Nagoya's Vibrant Retro Shopping Arcade

A lively covered shopping district with over 1,200 shops spanning electronics, vintage clothing, ...

Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Hikone Castle

© Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Castle
Shiga

Hikone Castle

A National Treasure castle near Lake Biwa, one of only five castles with an original keep designa...

Hikone, Shiga, Japan
Kamakura Daibutsu (Kotoku-in) photo
Temple
Kanagawa

Kamakura Daibutsu (Kotoku-in)

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

The Great Buddha of Kamakura. 13.35 meters tall, 121 tons, cast in 1252. The original temple hall...

Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan
Katsuoji Temple photo
Temple
Osaka

Katsuoji Temple

Victory Temple Famous for Daruma Dolls and Minoo Mountain Views

Set in the forested mountains above Minoo, this 1,300-year-old Shingon temple has drawn seekers o...

Minoo, Osaka, Japan
Zenko-ji

© 快速踊り子 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Temple
Nagano

Zenko-ji

Zenko-ji Temple

One of Japan's most important and popular temples, home to the first Buddhist statue ever brought...

Nagano, Japan
Ghibli Museum

© Wei-Te Wong from Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Museum
Tokyo

Ghibli Museum

Studio Ghibli Animation Museum

Whimsical museum dedicated to Studio Ghibli's animated films, featuring exclusive short films and...

Tokyo, Japan
Osaka Castle

© 663highland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5)

Castle
Osaka

Osaka Castle

Symbol of Osaka

One of Japan's most famous landmarks, a reconstructed castle housing a museum about the unificati...

Osaka, Japan