Discover Japan's Hidden Gems

Explore temples, shrines, castles, parks, and more

Garden
Hyogo

Sorakuen Garden

Japanese Garden with the Historic Hassam House

A municipal Japanese garden in central Kobe, home to the relocated Hassam House and known for its...

Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
Garden
Kumamoto

Suizenji Garden

Miniature Tokaido Landscape Garden

Exquisite Edo-period strolling garden featuring a miniature reproduction of the 53 stations of th...

Kumamoto, Japan
Shrine
Nagano

Suwa Taisha

Suwa Taisha - One of Japan's Oldest and Most Revered Shrines

One of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan, spread across four buildings around Lake Suwa and famo...

Suwa, Nagano, Japan
Zoo
Ehime

Tobe Zoo

One of Western Japan's Larger Zoos

A large prefectural zoo in Tobe, near Matsuyama, that lays out its animal areas along the natural...

Tobe, Ehime, Japan
Castle
Wakayama

Wakayama Castle

Hilltop Castle with Panoramic City Views

A reconstructed hilltop castle originally built in 1585, offering panoramic views over Wakayama c...

Wakayama, Japan
Shrine
Yamagata

Dewa Sanzan

Dewa Sanzan (Three Sacred Mountains)

The three sacred mountains of Dewa -- Haguro, Gassan, and Yudono -- have been a center for yamabu...

Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
Shrine
Tottori

Hakuto Shrine

Overlooking an unspoiled stretch of San'in coastline, Hakuto Shrine enshrines the mythological Wh...

Tottori, Japan
Shrine
Saitama

Hikawa Shrine

Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine

Hikawa Shrine in Saitama claims over 2,400 years of history, making it one of Japan's oldest Shin...

Saitama, Japan
Attraction
Hyogo

Himeji Central Park

Safari Park and Amusement Park

A large entertainment complex combining a drive-through safari park with African wildlife and an ...

Himeji, Hyogo, Japan
Castle
Fukui

Maruoka Castle

One of Japan's 12 original castles, Maruoka has the oldest surviving castle tower in the country.

Sakai, Fukui, Japan
Attraction
Fukushima

Miharu Takizakura

A Thousand-Year-Old Weeping Cherry Tree

One of Japan's three great cherry trees, this magnificent weeping cherry is over 1,000 years old ...

Miharu, Fukushima, Japan
Mountain
Nara

Mount Wakakusa

Grassy Hill Above Nara Park with City Views

A 342-metre grass-covered hill at the eastern edge of Nara Park, known for its wide views over th...

Nara, Japan
Attraction
Kochi

Ryugado Cave

Large Limestone Cave with Stalactite Formations

A limestone cave in Kami city with stalactites, stalagmites and an underground stream, designated...

Kami, Kochi, Japan
Attraction
Kochi

Shimanto River

Called the 'last clear stream of Japan', the Shimanto River flows undammed for 196 kilometers thr...

Shimanto, Kochi, Japan
Onsen
Gunma

Takaragawa Onsen

Japan's Largest Open-Air Baths Along a Mountain River

Famous for having some of Japan's largest mixed-gender open-air baths set along the Takara River ...

Minakami, Gunma, Japan