Explore Japan
Attractions in Japan
Discover places to see across Japan by destination, prefecture, region, interest, and the practical details that shape a day out.
197 attractions
Kanazawa · Hirosaka, Kanazawa
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art
A circular glass museum designed by SANAA, home to Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool installation and one of Japan's most visited contemporary art spaces, directly across from Kenroku-en.
Osaka · Abeno, Osaka
Abeno Harukas
Japan's tallest skyscraper with an observation deck offering panoramic Osaka views stretching to Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto.
Nikko · Nikko
Akechidaira Ropeway
A scenic cable car ride to an observation deck with panoramic views over Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls.
Tokyo · Akihabara / Chiyoda
Akihabara Electric Town
Akihabara is Tokyo's legendary hub for electronics, anime, manga, and gaming culture, packed with multi-story shops and themed cafes. It is a pilgrimage destination for pop culture fans worldwide.
Kyoto · Arashiyama
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is one of Kyoto's most iconic natural sights, a narrow path through towering bamboo that creates a cathedral-like atmosphere of light and shadow. It is free to enter and located in the scenic Arashiyama district.
Hiroshima · Naka, Hiroshima
Atomic Bomb Dome
The preserved ruins of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, the only structure near the atomic bomb hypocenter left standing. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most powerful symbol of peace in Hiroshima.
Nagoya · Atsuta-ku, Nagoya
Atsuta Jingu
One of Japan's most revered Shinto shrines, traditionally said to enshrine the sacred sword Kusanagi no Tsurugi, set within a wooded precinct in southern Nagoya.
Fukuoka · Fukuoka
Canal City Hakata
A massive shopping, dining, and entertainment complex built around an indoor canal, with a famous fountain show and theater.
Mount Fuji · Fujiyoshida
Chureito Pagoda
A five-story pagoda offering one of Japan's most iconic views, framing Mount Fuji perfectly alongside cherry blossoms in spring.
Yokohama · Minato Mirai, Yokohama
Cup Noodles Museum
The birthplace of instant noodles, an interactive museum where visitors learn the history of Cup Noodles and create their own custom cup.
Kyoto · Fushimi / Daigo
Daigo-ji Temple
Daigo-ji Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site in southeastern Kyoto famous for its five-story pagoda, one of the oldest wooden structures in Kyoto, spectacular cherry blossom scenery, and a vast temple complex spread across multiple levels of Mount Daigo.
Matsumoto · 3640 Hotaka, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture
Daio Wasabi Farm
Japan's largest wasabi farm, located in Azumino City, not Matsumoto, reached by a JR Pass-covered train from Matsumoto Station plus a short onward leg. Free grounds admission, famous for its three watermills and Akira Kurosawa film connection.
Osaka · Namba, Osaka
Dotonbori
Osaka's most iconic entertainment district, famous for neon lights, canal views, giant 3D signboards, and street food culture.
Nagasaki · Higashiyamate, Nagasaki
Dutch Slope
A steep stone-paved street through Nagasaki's former Higashiyamate foreign settlement, lined with surviving Western-style houses and free to walk at any hour.
Kobe · HAT Kobe, Chuo-ku, Kobe
Earthquake Memorial Museum
The official memorial and museum to the January 17, 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, combining an immersive disaster theater, survivor testimony, and a detailed record of Kobe's recovery.
Kamakura · Kita-Kamakura, Kamakura
Engaku-ji Temple
One of Kamakura's most important Zen temples, founded in 1282, with sprawling wooded grounds, a bell tower, and serene meditation halls.
Kamakura · Fujisawa, Kanagawa
Enoshima Island
A small island connected to the Shonan coast by a causeway, known for sea caves, a hilltop lighthouse, Benzaiten shrines, and fresh seafood.
Sapporo · Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Former Hokkaido Government Office
A striking red-brick Neo-Baroque building from 1888, once the seat of Hokkaido's government and reopened in July 2025 as a museum on the island's history.