What to see in Japan: 9 must-sees
Discover what to see in Japan: 9 must-see destinations, from Kyoto (temples) to Tokyo. Predominantly UNESCO heritage and city; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
UNESCO Heritage(4)
Walk through Kyoto's vermilion torii and explore its 2,000 temples, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Stroll among zen gardens of raked gravel, golden pavilions and the wooden alleys of the Gion district. This city in Kansai, imperial capital for more than a millennium, has inspired artists for 1,200 years with its pagodas, its tea ceremonies and its cherry blossoms every spring.
Immerse yourself in Hiroshima Peace Park, the ground where the atomic bomb of 1945 flattened the city and where a monument to world peace now stands. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, the grounds gather the Genbaku Dome, the Peace Memorial Museum and the Flame of Peace, kept burning until nuclear weapons disappear. Walk its quiet gardens, offer a paper crane before the statue of Sadako Sasaki, and understand why this corner of Chugoku speaks of memory and reconciliation.
Walk among the 1,200 deer roaming freely through the streets and temples of Nara, regarded as sacred messengers in the local Shinto tradition. The city's Buddhist monuments were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. In the central park you can buy special crackers to feed the deer, which even bow to ask for them. Japan's former capital, in the Kansai region, keeps century-old wooden temples among cared-for gardens and stone lanterns.
Explore the temples of Nikko, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, where the gilded ornaments of Toshogu Shrine contrast with the century-old cedars surrounding the grounds. Cross the sacred Shinkyo bridge, study the polychrome carvings of the sleeping cat and the three wise monkeys, and climb the steps between stone lanterns up to the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, deep in the Kanto region.
City(2)
Visit Tokyo, the world's most populous capital, where 37 million people share space between ancient shrines and skyscrapers. Explore Tsukiji market in the morning, cross the famous Shibuya crossing and wander the alleys of Asakusa beside Senso-ji Temple. With 3,000 years of history, the city mixes tea ceremonies with robot cafés and quiet gardens hidden behind noisy stations. Ride the metro, try ramen at a tiny counter and watch how every district has its own rhythm and character.
Explore Osaka, Japan's kitchen, and try the takoyaki and okonomiyaki that the Dotonbori stalls serve well into the night. Head up to Osaka Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century, then drop to Kuromon Ichiba market, with some 150 stalls of fish, fruit and seafood. Walk from the retro district of Shinsekai, beneath Tsutenkaku Tower, to Namba's neon mosque and the Buddhist temples of Sumiyoshi. Here diners speak loudly, laugh hard and eat standing up: the famous kuidaore culture — eat until you drop.
Natural(2)
Descend the volcanic paths of Mount Fuji after summiting its 3,776 meters — Japan's highest peak, snow-capped much of the year. Follow the Yoshida Trail between mountain huts, watch dawn from the crater and cross the Aokigahara forest, grown over old lava flows. At the base come the five lakes, hot springs and views of the symmetrical cone that pilgrims have climbed for centuries. The official climbing season opens in July and August.
Immerse yourself in Hokkaido, Japan's second-largest island with 83,424 km2 of volcanic, forested territory. Walk Daisetsuzan National Park in summer, when trails open among alpine flowers, or wait for winter to ski Niseko's powder snow and see the swans on Lake Kussharo. Watch sea eagles over the ice of the Notsuke Strait, red-crowned cranes in Kushiro and red foxes by the road. End the day in an outdoor onsen at Noboribetsu while the snow falls.
Religious(1)
Explore Miyajima, the sacred island facing Hiroshima, where the great vermilion torii of Itsukushima seems to float on the sea at high tide. Walk among the pillars of the Shinto shrine, built over the water in the 12th century, and watch the landscape change as the tide falls and you can walk out to the base of the gate. Climb Mount Misen, visit the thousand-mat hall of Senjokaku and its five-storey pagoda, and let the deer that roam the village freely keep you company among oyster stalls and momiji manju stands.
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