Discover Japan's Hidden Gems

Explore temples, shrines, castles, parks, and more

Historic Site
Nagano

Narai-juku

Narai-juku - The Best-Preserved Nakasendo Post Town

The best-preserved of the Nakasendo's eleven post towns in the Kiso Valley, with a kilometer-long...

Nagano, Japan
Historic Site
Kumamoto

Reigando

Cave Where Musashi Wrote The Book of Five Rings

A natural cave on Mount Kinpo where swordsman Miyamoto Musashi wrote The Book of Five Rings, on t...

Kumamoto, Japan
Shrine
Yamanashi

Takeda Shrine

Takeda Shrine is dedicated to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen, one of Japan's most famous sa...

Yamanashi, Japan
Attraction
Oita

Beppu Hells

Spectacular Geothermal Hot Spring Hells Tour

Seven spectacular natural hot springs too hot for bathing, each with unique colors and features, ...

Beppu, Oita, Japan
Temple
Fukui

Eiheiji Temple

Eiheiji Zen Temple

One of two head temples of Soto Zen Buddhism, Eiheiji is an active monastery where over 100 monks...

Eiheiji, Fukui, Japan
Neighborhood
Ishikawa

Kazuemachi Chaya District

Riverside Teahouse District on the Asano River

A former geisha quarter of latticed teahouses along the Asano River, quieter than the nearby Higa...

Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Shrine
Wakayama

Kumano Hayatama Taisha

Vermilion Grand Shrine at the Mouth of the Kumano River

The third of the three Kumano Grand Shrines, known for its striking vermilion buildings and an 80...

Shingu, Wakayama, Japan
Landmark
Shiga

Metasequoia Namiki

Tree-Lined Avenue of About 500 Metasequoias in Makino

A roughly 2.4 km avenue lined with about 500 metasequoia trees leading toward Makino Highland.

Takashima, Shiga, Japan
Neighborhood
Ishikawa

Nishi Chaya District

Kanazawa's Smaller Western Teahouse District

The smallest of Kanazawa's three former geisha teahouse districts, in the Nomachi area west of th...

Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Shrine
Nara

Omiwa Shrine

Ancient Shrine that Worships Mount Miwa Itself

One of Japan's oldest shrines, which has no main sanctuary because Mount Miwa behind it is worshi...

Sakurai, Nara, 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
Zoo
Oita

Takasakiyama Monkey Park

Hillside Home to Wild Japanese Macaque Troops

A natural park on a hillside between Oita and Beppu where wild troops of Japanese macaques gather...

Oita, Japan
Landmark
Saitama

Toki no Kane Bell Tower

The Toki no Kane bell tower has been marking time in Kawagoe for over 350 years, its wooden tower...

Saitama, Japan
Theme Park
Wakayama

Adventure World

Shirahama's Premier Safari Park and Marine World

A sprawling safari park, zoo, and marine park in Shirahama combining wildlife encounters with amu...

Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan
Attraction
Tochigi

Chuzenji Lake

A Serene Mountain Lake at the Foot of a Sacred Volcano

A scenic mountain lake at 1,269 meters elevation, formed by the eruption of Mount Nantai. Surroun...

Nikko, Tochigi, Japan