Nagoya

Designated city in Chūbu, Japan

Mount Fuji

mountain in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, Japan

Tottori

city in Japan

Shiretoko National Park

unspoiled wilderness at Hokkaido's northeasternmost tip

Tokyo

special municipality that builds up the center of Tokyo. occupying the site of historical Edo and the former city of Tokyo. For each ward, see Q5327704

Yaeyama Islands

island group

Kyoto

city in Japan

Yakushima

island in Kagoshima, Japan

Nara

city in Japan

Wakkanai

Wakkanai is the northernmost city in Japan. It has a population of about 37,000, and is in the subdistrict of Soya in northern Hokkaido. It is Japan's gateway to Russia's Sakhalin Island.

Sapporo

city on Hokkaido, Japan

Miyajima

island in Hiroshima, Japan

Matsuyama

city in Japan

Takamatsu

city in Japan

Ōkunoshima

island

Kanazawa

capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan

Hiroshima

city in Japan

Sendai

city in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Osaka

city in Japan

Nagasaki

capital of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan

Sado Island

city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Fukuoka

capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Okayama

city in Japan

Kamakura

city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Hokkaido

one of the main islands of Japan

Ōtsu

city in Japan

Hokkaido University

Mazda

automotive brand manufacturer

Matsue

city in Japan

Shinjuku

one of 23 special wards of Tokyo

Kyushu

third largest island of Japan

Uji

city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Shibuya

special ward of Tokyo

Shikoku

smallest of the four main islands of Japan

Numazu

city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Sado, Niigata

city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Tama, Tokyo

city in Tokyo, Japan

Funabashi

City in Chiba Prefecture, Japan

Hakone

town of Japan

Niseko, Hokkaido

town in Hokkaidō, Japan

Tokyo Tower

observation tower

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

This heart-wrenching museum documents the atomic bomb and its aftermath, from scale models of the city "before" and "after" to melted tricycles and other displays and artifacts related to the blast. Some are extremely graphic, evocative, and quite disturbing. The rest of the museum describes the post-war struggles of the hibakusha and an appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons in the world today. Be warned: a visit here, while absolutely worthwhile, will ruin your day. Allow plenty of time afterward to decompress.

Himeji Castle

Japanese castle complex

Kamigamo Shrine

Shinto shrines in Kyoto, Japan

Mount Aso

mountain in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Meiji Shrine

Shinto shrine in Tokyo, Japan

Mori Art Museum

Kongōbu-ji

Buddhist temple in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Nagoya Castle

Japanese castle located in Nagoya, central Japan

Taketomi Island

island in Okinawa, Japan

Tōshōdai-ji

Buddhist temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan

Tokyo Disney Resort

Disney resort in Tokyo

Shimogamo Shrine

Shinto shrines in Kyoto, Japan

Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Its skeletal remains of the are the most recognizable symbol of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. In another lifetime, the building was one of the city's best-known sights for an entirely different reason; designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel in 1915, the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall (and its fanciful green dome) had a bold European style in a grimy, crowded city with few modern flourishes. Because the explosion took place almost directly above the building, the walls remained largely intact, even as the dome shattered and the people inside were killed by the heat of the blast. Initially, as the city rebuilt, it was left alone simply because it was more difficult to demolish than other remains in the area; gradually, the A-Bomb Dome became the symbol it is today. The "Hiroshima Peace Memorial" was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996 amid some controversy — the United States and China both voted against the nomination for reasons related to the war. Today, the benches around the Dome are a favorite spot for Hiroshima natives to read, eat lunch, or simply relax.

Shari, Hokkaido

Umeda Sky Building

Skyscraper in Osaka

Basilica of the Twenty-Six Holy Martyrs of Japan (Nagasaki)

Built soon after the end of the Japanese government's Seclusion Policy in 1853. It was built in honor of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan, nine European priests and seventeen Japanese Christians who were crucified in 1597 by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Matsue Castle

castle

Tokyo Disneyland

theme park in Japan, owned by The Oriental Land Company

Yonaguni

island in Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa, Japan

Katsura Imperial Villa

building in Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Hatoma

island

Ginza

district of Chūō-ku, Tokyo

National Bunraku Theatre

theater

Ishikawa Prefectural History Museum

Entry ¥250 (more when special exhibitions are held). 09:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30). Housed in three long brick buildings, restored armouries from the time when the area was used by the Imperial Japanese Army, it features a chronological display of local history in a modern and well-laid-out setting. There is also an area for hands-on history, where you can try on various outfits, including samurai armour. As with most tourist sites in Kanazawa, an English-language pamphlet is available.

Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park

Inuyama Castle

one of the 12 Japanese castles still in existence which were built before the Edo period

Odaiba

town located in Minato-ku, Tokyo

Mount Hiei

mountain in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Osaka Museum of History

Hiroshima Castle

The original Carp Castle (Rijō) was built in the 1590s by Hideyoshi's warlord Terumoto Mōri, predating the city itself. It was destroyed by the atomic bomb, by which time it was serving as a military headquarters, and reconstructed in 1958. Some of the original stone foundations can still be seen. Today, the castle grounds are a nice place for a walk, and definitely Hiroshima's favorite place for hanami (cherry blossom parties), with more than 350 sakura trees. The five-story castle museum is an attractive reconstruction of the 16th century donjon, with interesting relics and armor to see (and try on), as well as some informative displays about the history of the castle and the city. The view from the top is worth the entrance fee all by itself. No elevators are available - visitors will be walking the five stories by stairs.

Hikone Castle

castle

Sapporo JR Tower

The newly redeveloped building near JR Sapporo Station marks the center of the city. It is higher than the TV tower observatory is. Affording panoramic views. As a bonus for men, the observation level has a men's room with a view!

Tokyo DisneySea

theme park in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan

Tsūtenkaku

observation tower

Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine

Located on the castle grounds, this concrete shrine has great significance to locals, having been rebuilt after the atomic blast and now the center for most annual Shinto traditions in the city. But other than a historical marker, there's not much to see for travelers, other than festivals (especially New Year's Eve).

Japan Alps

series of high snow-topped mountains in the center of Honshu

Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Nagasaki

Rebuilt after its destruction in the atomic bombing, Urakami Cathedral was once the largest church in Asia.

Asakusa

town located in Taitō-ku, Tokyo

Mount Koya

mountains in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Kenroku-en

The most famous sight in Kanazawa, the Garden of Six Attributes is considered one of Japan's Top 3 gardens. Once the outer pleasure gardens of the Maeda Lords, it gradually expanded to take over the entire block. While not completed in its final form until the waning years of the Edo Shogunate, it still represents one of the peaks of Japanese strolling garden design. The way in which water is piped from many kilometres upstream to fill its streams and ponds before going on to fill the castle moats is one of the great engineering feats of the Edo period. In part of the grounds, and with a steep separate ¥700 entrance fee, is the Seisonkaku Villa, built by a Maeda lord for his mother. Only part of it remains today, but is a rare example of existing daimyo palace architecture. The upper floor, with its bright blues and reds, is in distinct contrast to the muted earth tones of Kyoto style. During cherry blossom season, entry to the park is free and it's open and lit up until 21:00. There will be many guides yelling from their electronically amplified megaphones: "These gardens are particularly famed for their tranquility, appreciate the peace and stillness"!

Akihabara

town located in Chiyoda, Tokyo

Sumida River

Japanese river which flows through Tokyo

Matsumoto Castle

building in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Fuji Five Lakes

lake

Kanazawa Castle

At the center of Kanazawa is the former site of Kanazawa Castle. It has been vacated by the national university, which took over the site once used by the Ninth Division of the Imperial Army, the castle is public space now for the first time in its 400-plus years of history. The imposing Ishikawa Gate (石川門), so named as it faced the Ishikawa district, was once a side entrance to the castle grounds, but after several fires and man-made destruction, it is one of the few original buildings left on the site, the other being the Sanjikken Nagaya (三十間長屋) storehouse near the top. However the long Gojikken Nagaya (五十間長屋) that once guarded the castle palace has been rebuilt according to traditional methods, and is open to the public for ¥300.

Tokyo Racecourse

horse racing venue

Nakanoshima

Sandbank in Osaka, Japan

Osaka Science Museum

science museum

Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Shizutani School

Roppongi

neighborhood in Minato-ku, Tokyo

Marugame Castle

park

Gion

neighborhood in Kyoto city, Japan

Izu Peninsula

peninsula

Nara Park

park

Inokashira Park

park

Uwajima Castle

building in Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, Japan

Ueno

town located in Taitō-ku, Tokyo

Bunkyo Civic Center

building in Tokyo, Japan

Mount Hōei

mountain in Japan

Children's Peace Monument

Lerennially draped in thousands of origami paper cranes folded by schoolchildren across Japan in the memory of the young bomb victim Sadako Sasaki (see Literature).

Sanrio Puroland

amusement park

Mount Misen

mountain in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

Harajuku

District in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

Shukkei-en

While it's not one of Japan's Top 3, this compact and beautifully landscaped Japanese garden is well worth a visit, and an ideal place to decompress from the atomic bomb sites. Despite more and more high-rises peeping over the trees recently, Shukkeien can feel like an entirely different world, with little paths crossing ponds on bridges and winding their way around graceful teahouses and waterfalls. Visitors can feed the fish and turtles occasionally swimming near the paths. It's directly behind the Prefectural Art Museum, and combined admission tickets are available.

Dōgo Onsen

hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan

Fuji Rock Festival

in Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining

World Heritage Site in Japan

Fukusai-ji

Buddhist temple in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

Oyama Shrine (Ishikawa)

Built in the early Meiji period to honor the founding father of the Kaga Domain, Maeda Toshiie. It is notable for a unique gate with stained-glass windows that is a fusion of Japanese and Western architecture. The back gate to the shrine is also one of the few remaining parts of the original castle: a gate from the palace compound that escaped destruction when it was moved to the shrine. "Oyama" was the original name for the hill on which Kanazawa Castle was built.

Cape Sōya

Aioi Bridge

bridge in Hiroshima, Japan

Zuihōden

Shinto shrines in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

Kanamara Matsuri

annual festival in Kawasaki, Japan

Ritsurin Garden

park

Maruoka Castle

castle

Namba

human settlement in Japan

Watanabe Art Museum

museum in Tottori, Japan

Hanshin Racecourse

Iya Valley

Nakayama Racecourse

horse racing venue

Wakkanai Park

Arashiyama

human settlement in Japan

Ube shrine

Shinto shrine in Tottori Prefecture, Japan

Honkawa Elementary School Peace Museum

Of the more than 400 students and teachers who were in the school when the bomb exploded, only one student and one teacher survived. After a new school was built, this section of the original structure was kept as a museum, housing a small collection of photos and artifacts.

Sentō Imperial Palace

garden

Myōryū-ji

The tour guides insist there is no connection between the 'Ninja Temple' and actual ninja assassins. But with 23 rooms and 29 staircases, an impressive array of trapdoors and hidden rooms, and a sepukku (ritual suicide) chamber, it is easy to see why people would make that assumption. Visitors cannot enter the temple except through the tours, so call ahead to book a tour. The tour is conducted in Japanese, but they give travellers a folder with English translations. Local lore has it that there was an underground tunnel from the castle to the temple, to allow the Maeda lords an escape route in case of attack. However, no documentary proof of this has been found, and, like the ninjas, it merely adds to the myths of the place. Unfortunately, the staff have a well-deserved reputation (amongst Japanese and foreigners) for being rude and unhelpful. ¥1,000 for adults and ¥700 for primary school pupils, and you're supposed to make a reservation in advance, although they can usually squeeze you in if there's space and you don't mind waiting for your tour to begin. The hour-long tour is well worth the price.

Fukuromachi Elementary School Peace Museum

Like Honkawa, part of the original school building that remained standing after the atomic bomb has been converted into a museum. In the days after the explosion, survivors used the school's chalk to leave messages for lost friends and family members on its blackened walls.

Ōkunoshima poison gases museum

Manufacturing poison gases in Hiroshima Prefecture from 1929 to 1944/1945 by the Imperial Japanese Army

Kyoto Racecourse

Yoshiki-en

Really nice garden that is worth a visit because it is free. Can be coupled with the Isui-en Garden as the entrances are right beside each other.

Utoro Fishing Port

Kamuiwakka Falls

Shikano Castle

castle ruins in Tottori, Japan

Toyosu Market

fish market in Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Shinsekai

Shiretokogoko

lake in Shari, Japan

Iōjima, Nagasaki

human settlement in Japan

Noshappu Cold Water Aquarium

building in Wakkanai, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan

Shiretoko Pass

Shunkō-in

Motoe Hiraku Centennial Memorial Tower, Northern Memorial Hall

Momijidani Park

Suzakumon

South and Main Gate of palaces, at the northern end of the main streets of a few ancient capitals of Japan

Yanesen