Discover Japan's Hidden Gems

Explore temples, shrines, castles, parks, and more

Landmark
Wakayama

Doro-kyo Gorge

River Gorge with Sheer Cliffs on the Kitayama River

A steep-walled gorge on the Kitayama River in Yoshino-Kumano National Park, spanning the borders ...

Shingu, Wakayama, Japan
Landmark
Yamaguchi

Kintaikyo Bridge

Arching across the Nishiki River in five wooden spans, Kintaikyo Bridge stands as a feat of Japan...

Yamaguchi, Japan
Mountain
Nagano

Senjojiki Cirque

Glacial Cirque in the Central Alps by Ropeway

A glacial cirque at about 2,600 metres in the Central Alps above Komagane, reached by the Komagat...

Komagane, Nagano, Japan
Attraction
Kochi

Shimanto River

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

Shimanto, Kochi, Japan
Temple
Tokushima

Tairyuji Temple

Mountain Pilgrimage Temple Reached by a Long Ropeway

Temple 21 of the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage, set on a wooded mountain in Anan and usually reach...

Anan, Tokushima, Japan
Temple
Kagawa

Zentsuji

Head Temple Marking the Birthplace of Kobo Daishi

The head temple of the Zentsuji branch of Shingon Buddhism and the 75th temple on the Shikoku pil...

Zentsuji, Kagawa, Japan
Historic Site
Kagoshima

Chiran Samurai District

Preserved Samurai Residences with Exquisite Gardens

A beautifully preserved Edo-period samurai district featuring seven exquisite gardens and a 700-m...

Minamikyushu, Kagoshima, Japan
Park
Toyama

Fugan Unga Kansui Park

Canal Park with a Waterside Starbucks

A canal park north of Toyama Station built around the Fugan Canal, with walking paths, a footbrid...

Toyama, Japan
Attraction
Fukuoka

Fukuoka Tower

Japan's Tallest Seaside Tower

234-meter seaside tower with panoramic views over Fukuoka city, Hakata Bay, and the surrounding m...

Fukuoka, Japan
Attraction
Ibaraki

Fukuroda Falls

Fukuroda Falls is considered one of Japan's three great waterfalls, its 120 meters of cascading w...

Ibaraki, Japan
Historic Site
Shiga

Hachiman-bori

Historic Merchant Canal District in Omihachiman

A preserved canal in Omihachiman lined with white-walled storehouses and old merchant homes from ...

Omihachiman, Shiga, Japan
Garden
Kochi

Kitagawa Monet's Garden Marmottan

Garden Modeled on Monet's Giverny

A garden in Kitagawa village designed after Claude Monet's garden at Giverny, and the only place ...

Kitagawa, Kochi, Japan
Park
Nagano

Utsukushigahara

Highland Plateau with an Open-Air Sculpture Museum

A highland plateau at about 2,000 metres straddling Matsumoto and Ueda, home to an open-air sculp...

Ueda, Nagano, Japan
Shrine
Kumamoto

Aso Shrine

Historic Shrine with a Rebuilt Tower Gate

One of the oldest and most important shrines in the Aso region, known for a two-story romon gate ...

Aso, Kumamoto, Japan
Attraction
Miyazaki

Takachiho Gorge

Mythical Volcanic Gorge with Towering Cliffs

A dramatic volcanic gorge with columnar basalt cliffs, a tall waterfall, and rowing boats for a u...

Takachiho, Miyazaki, Japan