Discover Japan's Hidden Gems

Explore temples, shrines, castles, parks, and more

Museum
Tokyo

Ghibli Museum

Studio Ghibli Animation Museum

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

Tokyo, Japan
City
Hokkaido

Hakodate

Hakodate - Hokkaido's Sparkling Port City

Port city famous for its night view from Mount Hakodate, bustling morning market, and historic We...

Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
Historic Site
Nara

Heijo Palace Site

UNESCO Imperial Palace Ruins with Reconstructed Gate and Hall

The ruins of the imperial palace of the Nara-period capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a ...

Nara, Japan
Onsen
Kumamoto

Kurokawa Onsen

Kurokawa Onsen - Atmospheric Mountain Hot Spring Village

A mountain onsen village in a wooded valley near Mount Aso, loved for its traditional atmosphere ...

Minamioguni, Kumamoto, Japan
City
Ehime

Matsuyama

Matsuyama - Shikoku's Largest City with Ancient Hot Springs

The largest city in Shikoku, home to the Dogo Onsen bathhouse and one of Japan's twelve original ...

Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan
Museum
Mie

Mikimoto Pearl Island

Island Where Cultured Pearls Were First Produced

A small island in Toba Bay where Kokichi Mikimoto first produced a cultured pearl in 1893, now a ...

Toba, Mie, Japan
Attraction
Shizuoka

Oigawa Railway

Steam Locomotive Line with Thomas Trains and a Mountain Branch

A private railway in central Shizuoka that runs regular steam locomotive trains, seasonal Thomas ...

Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan
Castle
Ehime

Ozu Castle

Authentically Reconstructed Wooden Castle Above the Hiji River

A beautifully reconstructed castle built using traditional Edo-period wooden construction methods...

Ozu, Ehime, Japan
Temple
Tokyo

Senso-ji

Tokyo's Oldest Buddhist Temple

Tokyo's oldest and most visited temple, where a 700-kilogram red lantern marks the entrance to ce...

Tokyo, Japan
Attraction
Yamanashi

Shosenkyo Gorge

Shosenkyo Gorge is a scenic 5-kilometer granite ravine along the Arakawa River that has been desi...

Yamanashi, Japan
Historic Site
Gifu

Takayama Old Town

Beautifully Preserved Edo-Period Streets

Beautifully preserved Edo-period merchant streets with sake breweries, traditional shops, and mor...

Takayama, Gifu, Japan
Castle
Tokushima

Tokushima Castle

Castle Ruins and Garden in Tokushima Central Park

The ruins of the Hachisuka clan's castle on Shiroyama hill in central Tokushima, now a park with ...

Tokushima, Japan
Garden
Tottori

Tottori Hanakairo Flower Park

Spread across 50 hectares at the foot of sacred Mount Daisen, Tottori Hanakairo ranks as Japan's ...

Tottori, Japan
Shrine
Miyazaki

Udo Shrine

A Sacred Shrine in a Sea Cave

Built inside a natural cave overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Udo Shrine is one of Japan's most dram...

Nichinan, Miyazaki, Japan
Mountain
Kagawa

Yashima

Flat-Topped Plateau with Views and Genpei Battle History

A flat-topped lava plateau northeast of Takamatsu offering views over the Seto Inland Sea, home t...

Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan