Japan is one of the best tourist travel destinations in the world, lured by many fascinating and mesmerizing cultures and places.
It is a country that consists of many holy Shinto shrines, magnificent Buddhist temples, remarkable landscape gardens, battery-operated themed pet cafes, eclectic art styles, conserved cultural icons, and gastronomical delights.
Japan lures many people from all around the world with its unique amusements of delights such as fresh sushi, amazing train rides, safe cities, fascinating traditions, and original pop cultures as well as cat and robot cafes which is well connected and comfortable to travel through the means of railways, ferries and bus services.
The country is growing famous nowadays due to advanced skyscrapers to serene bamboo forests and neon galleries to serene temples, like nowhere on the planet.
The food is extremely delicious; people are ultra-polite and has one of the most well-organized public transport systems in the whole world. It is a mixture of comfort, travel, magnificent, bafflement, and entertainment.
Here Are The Top 10 Places To Explore In Japan
Japan has so much to offer, but the main problem is that where should we sightsee for the absolute best places in this wonderful nation. To explore the unique cultural diversity of Japan, one must need Japan Explorer Pass.
Here is a summary of these wonderful places.
1) Kyoto
Kyoto is one of the most traditional and best Japanese destination places to explore. It includes, geisha in luminously colored kimonos emerging form timber teahouses, timberlands of bamboos, temples, and shrines enclosed in gold, silver, and scarlet colors, scraped Zen gravel parks, exquisite feasts served on lacquered dishes, elegant tea ceremonies and markets full of fascinating but remarkable ingredients and equipment.
Kyoto is an enchanted city like nowhere else. As the majestic capital of Japan for over 1000 years (until 1868), it’s the core of traditional Japanese culture.
Heading towards the mountains to the adjoining neighborhoods where attractive narrow stone streets, old timber houses, monks in graceful robes, and the sounds of incantation and decorations from the many temples and shrines exist.
Gion is the dwelling to spot geisha, Higashiyama has many attractive temples to explore, and Arashiyama, up in the western hills, is one of the eldest neighborhoods and home to bamboo groves, peculiar temples, and monkeys.
Northern Higashiyama at Kyoto (©: chrisrowthorn.com)
Don’t miss these while in Kyoto:
- Traveling through the red torii doorways of Fushimi Inari shrine
- Learning to improvise traditional Japanese food cuisine
- Receiving your fortune from a vending mechanism at Kinkaku-Ji (the Golden Shrine)
- Picking the train of the village to Kibune and hiking across the valley to the beautiful Kurama-dera temple
- Withdrawing from the full highways of Gion to the magical Yasaka-jinja at night
- Undergoing Zen Buddhist Cuisine at the Tenryu-Ji temple
Kyoto Recommendations for staying:
There are abundant of lodgings available from budget guesthouses like Guest House Oumi and Kyoto Inn Gion to deluxe ryokans like Yukuya Ryokan and Gion Hatanaka.
2) Tokyo
If Kyoto is the core of outdated Japan, Tokyo is its modernistic counterpart. The skyscrapers, loud arcades, full pedestrian overpasses, wild youth styles, and many incredibly delicious restaurants await for the destination process.
Tokyo is home to some of the strangest activities such as themed cafes (cats, owls, maids, robots, goats) to sensual excess shows and galleries as well as cosplay.
Landscape view of Tokyo (©: nationalgeographic.com)
Don’t miss these while in Tokyo:
- Eating in a small diner on impressive Memory Path
- Looking at the night horizon from the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Structure in Shinjuku
- Hiking across the well-known Shibuya Crossing
- Ogling at the wild fashions of Takeshita Highway in Harajuku
- Visiting the dazzling Disney Sea
- Getting sensually excess look at the strange Robot Restaurant show
Tokyo Recommendations for staying:
Shinjuku is the best region to stopover for a holiday in Tokyo. The available rent for an apartment is the Shinjuku studio, which is excellent if you are on a budget or afford on the deluxe Hotel Park Hyatt, where the movie Lost in Translation was videoed.
3) Takayama
Takayama is an absolutely stunning small town on the edge of the Japan Alps, and one of the finest fewer visited places to go in Japan. Traveling through the significant center full of old wooden houses, vivid shrines, neatly fashioned trees, and optimistic red bridges over the river.
Sanmachi Suji at Takayama Old Town (©: japantravel.navitime.com)
Don’t miss these while in Takayama:
- Traveling the old metropolis in the early morning afore the crowds arrive
- Purchasing delicious fruit from the morning markets
- Snacking on Mitarashi-Dango (rice balls barred in soy) from a highway stall
- Sightseeing the overgenerous floats at the Festival Floats Exhibition Hall
- Visiting the Hida Folk Village to see outdated thatched houses
- Pedaling through the countryside with Satoyama Express
4) Hakone
Mount Fuji is one of the most places to visit in Japan, but this must-see Japanese milestone can be relatively subtle and is often concealed by clouds. Mount Fuji can be seen and be visited through Hakone as well.
Hakone is also amusing to visit because of various loops of the sights that are based on different modes of transport—train, bus, pirate boat, and cable car.
Japan's tallest mountain Mount Fuji is situated at Hakone (©: japan-guide.com)
Don’t miss these while in Hakone:
- Purchasing a Hakone Free Pass so you can journey on and off all the transport choices on the Hakone Loop.
- Eagle-eyed Mount Fuji from the lake or cable car
- Consumption of a black egg boiled in the hot sulfur springs at volcanic Owakudani drenched in an onsen
- Residing in a tatami room in a ryokan (traditional inn) and appreciating an extravagant dinner
- Traveling the out-of-doors sculpture gallery at Hakone Open Air Museum
Hakone Recommendations for staying:
Hotel Musashiya is the best place that is suitable for staying. It’s a current ryokan on the shorelines of Lake Ashi in Moto Hakone. The lodging is famous for comfortable tatami room with lake interpretations, the interior and exterior onsen baths (also with lake views), and the lovely vegetarian banquet that can be served in the room. It is delightfully relaxing if you stayed in this resort.
5) Kanazawa
Kanazawa is one of the finest cities to explore in Japan, but scarce foreign tourists make it here.
As Kyoto cultivates in popularity based on the Modern Busy lifestyle, Kanazawa reflects for a quieter place that is home to various experiences gained, including geisha districts with conserved wooden buildings.
There is also one of the most attractive gardens in the country, a spectacular castle, and many art arts centers to explore.
Japan's Samurai Town, Kanazawa (©: matcha-jp.com)
Don’t miss these while on Kanazawa:
- Traveling through Kenroku-en Garden, one of the top three parks in Japan
- Sightseeing the wooden teahouses of the geisha districts Higashi Chaya and the soundless Kazuemachi and Nishi Chaya
- Go through a traditional tea ritual at the attractive Gyokusen-en Gardens
Kanazawa Recommendations for staying:
The best place to stay in Kanazawa is the Smile Hotel Kanazawa, a typical business hotel that had an inexpensive, suitable room with many services and suitable relaxation and comfortable backgrounds.
6) Nikko
Nikko is based as a temple town and a UNESCO world heritage site in the highlands, which is a few hours north of Tokyo and makes a cool departure who needs breaks from the city.
The temples and sanctuaries with their vermillion entrances and moss enclosed stone lanterns are distributed on the wooded hillside. The main desirability to explore is the Toshogu Shrine, a spectacular compound with more than a dozen extravagantly ornamented with red and gold buildings amongst enormous, antique cedar trees.
Nikko is a day journey from Tokyo, but it’s worth spending a night or two to sightsee one of the most beautiful places in Japan comprising mountaineering trails, lakes, waterfalls, and hot springs.
The area is well-known for its lively autumn colors.
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nikko(©: en.japantravel.com)
Don’t miss these while on Nikko:
- Visiting Toshogu Shrine quickly to sidestep the crowds
- Occupy yourself at games during atmospheric Futarasan-jinja
- Sightseeing Taiyuinbyo
- Trekking up the mountain to the peaceable Takino shrine
- Photo'ing the bright red Shinkyo bridge
- Chewing on Dango (meshed rice balls on a stick) from a street stall
- Consumption of sushi at Komekichi Kozushi.
Nikko Recommendations for staying:
The best place to stay at Nikko is Nikko Park Lodge Tobu Station, a good inexpensive option suitably situated close to the train stations. You can also stay in an out-dated ryokan with beautiful views and outdoor onsen baths. Some highly-rated ryokans comprise Nikko Hoshino Yado, Okunoin Hotel Tokugawa, and Hotel Shikisai.
7) Koya-San
Koya-san (Mount Koya) is one of the motivating places in Japan to get the familiarity of the out-dated side of the country. This sheltered and blessed temple town is situated in the forest-covered elevations of Kansai and is one of the best places to get a palate of life as a monk by residing in a shukubo or temple housing.
After drifting around the otherworldly Okunoin timberland cemetery, we patterned into our simple tatami room at the temple, drenched in the joint onsen bath, and relished an enjoyable shojin ryori vegetarian Buddhist meal.
A temple vacation at Koya-san is a captivating experience and well worth the diversion from Osaka or Kyoto.
Koya-San temple outside Osaka (©: thedailybeast.com)
Koya-San Recommendations for staying:
Haryo-in is the low-priced temple accommodation, but it’s quite basic, and it’s also more suitable for the guests if they can pay more to stay at one of the more out-dated temples like 1000-year-old Eko-in.
8) Tsumago
Tsumago is a picture-perfect out-dated mountain village in the Kiso Valley. It is one of the best-conserved post towns in Japan, which includes the traffic-less streets of gorgeously renovated wooden inns.
Kiso Valley in Tsumago (©: donnykimball.com)
Tsumago Recommendations for staying:
In observance with the Edo-era atmosphere, it's best to stay in an out-dated ryokan or minshuku (a simpler family-run inn) like Minshuku Shimosagaya. Neighboring Magome has more high-quality services and delicious foods, including the budget expenditure hotels such as Chaya Hotel or historic Tajimaya.
9) Nara
Nara was Japan’s first perpetual capital and is full of remarkable resources comprising of many UNESCO world legacy sites. It’s one of the top Japan fascinations and makes a satisfying day journey from Kyoto to visit the temples and wild deer in Nara Park.
Japan’s first perpetual capital, Nara (©: theportablewife.com)
The Daibutsu-den (Gallery of the Great Buddha) at Todaiji is the main spectacle—it’s the biggest wooden structure in the world with its immense sight. Inside are the 15-meter high gold and figurine sculpture of Buddha that dates back to 751.
10) Hiroshima
This place represents to the targets of the atomic bombing at Hiroshima’s touching Peace Memorial Museum and Park and stopover to sightsee the modern city that was nearly completely rebuilt after World War 2.
Tourist attractions also include visiting the Itsukushima shrine at adjacent Miyajima Island and trying the delightful native specialty okonomiyaki, a dense pancake of batter, vegetables, and noodles.
Miyajima Island at Hiroshima (©: tsunagujapan.com)
Hiroshima Recommendations for staying:
K’s House Hostel Hiroshima is a well-run hotel with a perfect communal kitchen and co-operative staff. For more luxury resorts to stay over are the Sheraton Grande Hiroshima and the Rihga Royal Hotel, which has relaxed rooms in central locations.
Additional Japanese Fascinating Destinations
There are still many places to sightsee in Japan. These Japanese tourist fascinations and off the charts for awesome remaining places of japan are additionally included:
·Kinosaki Onsen – Go onsen bouncing in a kimono in this out-dated hot spring resort, a typical Japanese familiarity.
·Osaka – Osaka is a fascinating place to explore more of this up-to-date city known for its food and nightlife.
·Kamakura – Seashores, Buddha’s trekking, and vegetarian-friendly food.
·The Izu Peninsula – Rocky coastline, highlands, and hot springs not far from Tokyo.
·Shirakawa-go – A community of out-dated grass-roofed houses in a picturesque setting.
·Hokkaido – The northernmost landmass of Japan known for its scenic beauty and out-of-doors activities.
·Naoshima Island – A small isle full of recent art and out-of-doors sculptures.
·Takaragawa Onsen – An attractive onsen resort.
·Akihabara – A famous destination for anime lovers and beautiful concepts of maid cafes and overwhelming beauties.