Great places in Japan,
hand-picked.
Read in Japanese, written up in English — so you can decide before you walk in.
21,217 places across Japan — and counting.
Ueno FarmHokkaidō
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KYOTO · SHRINE
Hikō Shrine
飛行神社
This shrine, founded by an aviation pioneer, is a place to pray for safe air travel.
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KYOTO · SHRINE
Ōharano Shrine
大原野神社
Ōharano Shrine, known for its deer-themed items, offers beautiful seasonal foliage and traditional sweets.
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FUKUOKA · SHRINE
Munakata Taisha
宗像大社
Nakatsu-miya, a Munakata Taisha shrine on Oshima Island, offers views and a sacred spring.
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NARA · SHRINE
Niukawakami Shrine
丹生川上神社
This ancient shrine, dedicated to a water deity, offers unique water fortunes and bronze horse statues.
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KYOTO · SHRINE
Ōbara Shrine (Fukuchiyama, Kyoto)
大原神社
This Shinto shrine, established in 852, is worth visiting for its rare childbirth hut and votive tablets.
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GIFU · SHRINE
Mori Minashi Hachiman Shrine
森水無八幡神社
This ancient shrine offers cultural treasures, old-growth cedars, and an annual festival celebrating agricultural traditions.
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FUKUOKA · SHRINE
Dazaifu Tenmangū
太宰府天満宮
This important Shinto shrine, dedicated to Tenjin, deity of learning, is worth visiting for its cultural treasures.
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HYōGO · SHRINE
Kashima Shrine
鹿嶋神社
Kashima Shrine grants once-in-a-lifetime wishes, attracting visitors for its unique wish-making rituals.
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OSAKA · SHRINE
Dōmyōji Tenmangū
道明寺天満宮
This shrine is for academic success and viewing plum blossoms, both associated with its deity.
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NARA · SHRINE
Tamaki Shrine
玉置神社
This ancient mountain shrine, a World Heritage Site, offers purification and healing for visitors.
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KYOTO · SHRINE
Heian Jingū
平安神宮
Heian Jingu gardens offer four distinct historical Japanese garden styles with diverse plants and water features.
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AICHI · SHRINE
koromo Shrine
挙母神社
Koromo Shrine is a historic spiritual site, important for local rituals and the annual Koromo Festival.
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AKITA · SHRINE
Subari Shrine
素波里神社
Subari Shrine, a millennium-old site, enshrines a fierce deity and offers a unique waterfall experience.
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NIIGATA · SHRINE
Matsuo Shrine
松苧神社
This ancient Shinto shrine on Mt. Matsuo offers a challenging hike and a unique coming-of-age ceremony.
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OSAKA · TEMPLE
Shitennō-ji Temple
四天王寺
This is Japan's oldest state-sponsored Buddhist temple, offering a spiritual refuge in Osaka.
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KYOTO · TEMPLE
Sanjūsangen-dō Temple
三十三間堂
This temple, built by a retired emperor, is worth visiting for its unique architecture and many Kannon statues.
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IWATE · TEMPLE
Mōtsū-ji Temple
毛越寺
Mōtsū-ji Temple offers a rare look at Heian period culture through its intact foundation stones and original pond.
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NARA · TEMPLE
Kikō-ji Temple
喜光寺
Kikō-ji Temple, founded in 721, offers a lotus garden and sutra copying sessions.
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OSAKA · TEMPLE
Hōzen-ji Temple
法善寺
This quiet alley offers traditional dining and a mossy statue, a retreat from Dotonbori's crowds.
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KYOTO · TEMPLE
Sanko-ji Temple
三鈷寺
This temple offers scenic views of the Kyoto basin and is popular in autumn for its maple trees.
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KANAGAWA · TEMPLE
Hōkoku-ji Temple
報国寺
This Rinzai Zen temple is worth visiting for its bamboo grove and seasonal flowers.
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GIFU · TEMPLE
Onsen-ji Temple
温泉寺
Onsenji Temple, dedicated to the Buddha of healing, offers town views and a hot spring source.
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YAMAGUCHI · TEMPLE
Unrin-ji Temple
雲林寺
Unrin-ji Temple, or "Cat Temple," is worth visiting for its cat-themed art and unique Buddhist services.
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NAGASAKI · TEMPLE
Banshō-in Temple
万松院
Banshō-in Temple is the ancestral temple of the So family, worth visiting for its historical mausoleum.
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YAMAGUCHI · TEMPLE
Ensei-ji Temple
円政寺
This temple, founded in 1254, is worth visiting for its unique blend of Shinto and Buddhist elements.
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SHIGA · TEMPLE
Keisoku-ji Temple
鶏足寺 (長浜市)
Keisokuji Temple is a temple known for its autumn scenery and Buddhist statues.
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TOCHIGI · TEMPLE
Chūzen-ji Temple
中禅寺
This temple, built by Shodo, houses the oldest surviving statue in Nikko, a six-meter Kannon.
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NIIGATA · TEMPLE
Hōfuku-ji Temple (Nagaoka)
法福寺 (長岡市)
This temple honors Nichiren, who stayed here before exile, offering insight into his teachings and journey.
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WAKAYAMA · MUSEUM
Kumano Nachi Taisha Treasure Hall
熊野那智大社宝物殿
This hall displays items representing the shrine's history and religious activities, worth seeing for its unique artifacts.
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SHIMANE · MUSEUM
Wakō Museum
和鋼博物館
This museum explains the traditional Japanese steelmaking process that produces steel for fine swords.
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SHIGA · MUSEUM
Nagahama Railway Square
長浜鉄道スクエア
Nagahama Railway Square showcases Japan's oldest station building and climbable locomotives, detailing early Japanese train travel.
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HIROSHIMA · MUSEUM
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
広島平和記念資料館
This museum details the 1945 atomic bomb event and its effects, offering a harrowing but essential experience.
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MIYAGI · MUSEUM
Mori Butai
伝統芸能伝承館森舞台
This performing arts center offers unique Noh theater experiences in a natural setting designed by Kuma Kengo.
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NAGASAKI · MUSEUM
Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument
日本二十六聖人記念館
This complex commemorates 26 Catholic martyrs executed in 1597, offering historical insight and unique architecture.
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SHIMANE · MUSEUM
Buke Yashiki
武家屋敷
This restored samurai residence offers insight into the modest lifestyle of a mid-ranking samurai family.
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TOKYO · MUSEUM
National Museum of Western Art
国立西洋美術館
This museum houses the Matsukata Collection of Western art, fulfilling a collector's dream to benefit Japan.
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ŌITA · MUSEUM
Taki Rentarō Memorial Museum
瀧廉太郎記念館
This museum recreates the environment that inspired composer Taki Rentaro, offering a glimpse into Meiji-era life.
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TOYAMA · MUSEUM
Tateyama Caldera Sabo Museum
立山カルデラ砂防博物館
This museum explains the Tateyama area's geology, natural disasters, and ongoing erosion-control efforts.
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AICHI · MUSEUM
Seaside Literary Memorial
海辺の文学記念館
This museum explains how Gamagori became a popular resort for writers, displaying artifacts and a reproduction of an inn room.
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NIIGATA · MUSEUM
Nagaoka War Damage Exhibit Hall
長岡戦災資料館
This exhibit details the Nagaoka Air Raid and its impact, showing wartime life and the destruction caused.
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SHIGA · MUSEUM
Vories Memorial Hall
ヴォーリズ記念館
This museum in Omihachiman, designed by William Merrell Vories, showcases his life and work.
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FUKUOKA · MUSEUM
Kankō Historical Museum
菅公歴史館
This museum tells the story of Sugawara Michizane through Hakata dolls and artifacts from Dazaifu Tenmangū.
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KYOTO · GARDEN
Shōsei Garden
渉成園
This garden, designed by Ishikawa Jozan, offers carefully composed views and diverse plant and animal life.
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HOKKAIDō · GARDEN
Shichiku Garden
紫竹ガーデン
Shichiku Garden is a flower garden created by one woman, known for its seasonal blooms and breakfast buffet.
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SHIZUOKA · PARK
Hamamatsu Castle Park
浜松城公園
Hamamatsu Castle Park offers relaxation, history, and a traditional garden in central Hamamatsu.
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NAGANO · PARK
Chūbu-Sangaku National Park
中部山岳国立公園
This park offers hiking, camping, and skiing in the Northern Japanese Alps, known for its mountain climbing history.
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MIYAGI · PARK
Kotodai Park
勾当台公園
Kotodai Park offers statues and art amidst seasonal foliage, hosting city festivals.
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HOKKAIDō · PARK
Akan Mashu National Park
阿寒摩周国立公園
Akan Mashu National Park offers unique volcanic landscapes, rare Marimo algae, and Ainu culture.
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TOCHIGI · GARDEN
Shōyō-en
逍遥園
This historic garden, designed to resemble Lake Biwa, is renowned for its beauty, especially in autumn.
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SHIGA · PARK
Kōka Ninja Village
甲賀の里忍術村
This village recreates a ninja settlement where visitors can learn ninja skills and see historical artifacts.
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HOKKAIDō · PARK
Tokachi Hills
十勝ヒルズ
Tokachi Hills is a compact garden with English country garden aesthetics, offering views of farmland and Obihiro.
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HYōGO · PARK
Kinosaki Marine World
城崎マリンワールド
Kinosaki Marine World is an aquarium with sea life and interactive experiences, offering views of Hiyoriyama Coast.
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AOMORI · PARK
Towada-Hachimantai National Park
十和田八幡平国立公園
This national park offers unspoiled views of volcanic landscapes, serene lakes, and ancient spiritual routes.
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HOKKAIDō · GARDEN
Rokka no Mori
六花の森
Rokka no Mori is a garden and art installation, worth visiting for its unique blend of nature and art.
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KAGAWA · PARK
Seto Ōhashi Commemorative Park
瀬戸大橋記念公園
This park at the Seto Ohashi Bridge foot details the bridge's construction and offers recreation.
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KYOTO · PARK
Kyoto Gyoen National Garden
京都御苑
Visit Kyoto Gyoen National Garden to see imperial palaces and a magnificent garden.
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NAGASAKI · CASTLE
Kaneishi Castle
金石城
Kaneishi Castle, a former So family residence, is worth visiting for its restored garden and historical significance.
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OSAKA · HISTORIC SITE
Minegazuka Kofun
峯ヶ塚古墳
This keyhole-shaped burial mound offers insights into prehistoric Japan through extensive archaeological finds.
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SHIMANE · CASTLE
Yamabuki Castle
山吹城
Yamabuki Castle, a mountaintop fortress, offers historical ruins and coastal views after a challenging climb.
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KōCHI · HISTORIC SITE
Tōjin Daba
唐人駄場
Tōjin Daba is a mountain site with unique, large granite boulders from the prehistoric Jomon period.
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HYōGO · CASTLE
Himeji Castle
姫路城
Himeji Castle is a well-preserved 17th-century fortress with many original buildings, crucial to Tokugawa shoguns.
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NAGASAKI · CASTLE
Shimizuyama Castle
清水山城
Shimizuyama Castle is a historic mountaintop fortress with visible ruins and town views.
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OSAKA · HISTORIC SITE
Furuichi Kofun Cluster
古市古墳群
The Furuichi Kofun Cluster is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with ancient burial mounds, including Japan's second largest.
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MIE · CASTLE
Toba Castle
鳥羽城
Toba Castle, a unique "Floating Castle" with its main gate facing the sea, offers preserved stonework and bay views.
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YAMAGUCHI · HISTORIC SITE
Ohitayama Tatara Iron Works
大板山たたら製鉄遺跡
This UNESCO site shows traditional iron production, crucial for Japan's military modernization.
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HOKKAIDō · HISTORIC SITE
Hokuto Site
北斗遺跡
This site shows 10,000 years of continuous settlement and how prehistoric society developed in the region.
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FUKUOKA · CASTLE
Ōno Castle
大野城
Ōnojō is Japan's oldest mountain fortress, built in 665 to defend against foreign invasion.
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OKINAWA · CASTLE
Katsuren Castle
勝連城
Katsuren Castle is a Ryukyu gusuku offering panoramic ocean views and insight into a united kingdom's history.
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KYOTO · CASTLE
Fushimi Castle
伏見城
This temple features a unique ceiling made from Fushimi Castle floorboards, stained with samurai blood from a 16th-century siege.
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GIFU · CASTLE
Naegi Castle
苗木城
Naegi Castle is worth visiting for its unique integration of natural granite boulders with diverse stone wall techniques.
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