Discover Japan's Hidden Gems

Explore temples, shrines, castles, parks, and more

Temple
Kyoto

Gio-ji

A Tiny Moss-Carpeted Temple Steeped in Tragic Romance

A small thatched-roof temple blanketed in luminous green moss, linked to a tragic love story from...

Kyoto, Japan
Garden
Nara

Isuien Garden

Exquisite Borrowed Scenery Garden beside Todai-ji

An exquisite Meiji-era strolling garden next to Todai-ji, celebrated for its masterful borrowed s...

Nara, Japan
Historic Site
Akita

Kakunodate

Known as the 'Little Kyoto of Tohoku', this beautifully preserved samurai district features centu...

Senboku, Akita, Japan
Attraction
Hokkaido

Lake Akan

A volcanic lake cradled by forested mountains, famous for its rare spherical marimo moss balls an...

Hokkaido, Japan
Restaurant
Tokyo

Menya Musashi Shinjuku Main Store

Samurai-Themed Ramen Pioneer of the Tokyo Ramen Scene

Since 1998, this Tokyo ramen institution has served its pioneering double-soup style that masterf...

Tokyo, Japan
Landmark
Shizuoka

Miho no Matsubara

Sacred Pine Grove with Mount Fuji Views

A seven-kilometer pine-lined beach with views of Mount Fuji across Suruga Bay, registered as a UN...

Shizuoka, Japan
Onsen
Akita

Nyuto Onsen

A secluded collection of seven rustic hot spring inns deep in the mountains near Lake Tazawa, Nyu...

Senboku, Akita, Japan
Attraction
Akita

Oga Peninsula

The Oga Peninsula juts dramatically into the Sea of Japan, famous as the home of the Namahage, fe...

Akita, Japan
Garden
Kagawa

Ritsurin Garden

Japan's Largest Cultural Property Garden

Japan's largest cultural property garden with six ponds, thirteen hills, and over a thousand scul...

Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan
Temple
Kanagawa

Kencho-ji

Japan's First Zen Training Monastery

The first Zen training monastery in Japan, founded in 1253, and ranked first among Kamakura's Fiv...

Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan
Historic Site
Oita

Kitsuki Castle Town

A Beautifully Preserved Samurai Town on a Peninsula

Kitsuki is a remarkably well-preserved castle town perched on a small peninsula between two river...

Kitsuki, Oita, Japan
Attraction
Hokkaido

Lake Toya

A beautiful caldera lake with a forested island at its center and the active volcano Usu-zan near...

Hokkaido, Japan
Castle
Kagawa

Marugame Castle

One of Japan's 12 original castles, famous for having the tallest stone walls of any castle in th...

Marugame, Kagawa, Japan
Neighborhood
Kanagawa

Minato Mirai

Yokohama's modern waterfront district with famous landmarks, shopping, and seaside promenades.

Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Attraction
Nara

Mount Yoshino

Japan's most celebrated cherry blossom viewing site, with approximately 30,000 cherry trees cover...

Yoshino, Nara, Japan