Country guide
Around three quarters of Japan is mountain and forest, which pushes almost everyone onto the eastern coastal plains and makes the country far narrower in practi...
Photograph · Midori · CC BY 3.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Around three quarters of Japan is mountain and forest, which pushes almost everyone onto the eastern coastal plains and makes the country far narrower in practice than 377,975 km2 suggests. Forty-seven prefectures, eight traditional regions and more than 14,000 smaller islands, and yet a first visit usually runs along a single rail corridor with Tokyo at one end and Kyoto and Osaka at the other. Tokyo is the capital and largest city of a country of almost 123 million people. Hokkaido in the north and Okinawa in the south are different climates rather than day trips, and both need their own week.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
212 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
修学院離宮
Shugakuin Imperial Villa is an imperial property in northeastern Kyoto, Japan. It was established in the seventeenth century as a retreat for retired emperors. The site comprises multiple garden areas set against the foothills of Mount Hiei.
浅草神社
Asakusa Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan. Its local name is 浅草神社. The shrine stands near the famous Senso-ji Temple, forming part of a significant religious and cultural complex in this historic area.
平野神社
Hirano Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan. It holds historical significance as an ancient religious site with traditional architectural elements characteristic of Japanese shrine design.
松尾大社
Matsunoo Taisha is an ancient Shinto shrine in western Kyoto, near the Arashiyama area. Its origins predate the establishment of Heian-kyo, and its history is closely connected with the Hata clan, an important force in the early development of Kyoto.
青蓮院
Shoren-in is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district and belongs to the Tendai sect.
天王寺公園
Tennōji Park is a public park in Osaka, Japan, bearing the local name 天王寺公園. It occupies a position within the urban fabric of the city, situated in proximity to Tennōji Station and the broader Tennōji area.
神田明神
Kanda Shrine, also called Kanda Myojin, is an active Shinto shrine in Tokyo. The shrine has served as an important religious site for generations and is associated with protecting Edo, the former name for Tokyo.
愛宕念仏寺
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is a Buddhist temple located in the Arashiyama district of western Kyoto. The temple sits in the foothills of Mount Ogura and is known for its collection of rakan statues, the disciples of Buddha.
泉涌寺
Sennyu-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s eastern Higashiyama area, known for its long connection with the imperial household.
ABCホール
Asahi Broadcasting Group Holdings is a media facility associated with Asahi Broadcasting Corporation in Osaka. The organisation operates within the Kansai media landscape and connects television and radio broadcasting with wider media activities.
歌舞伎座
Kabuki-za is the principal kabuki theatre in Tokyo and the most important venue for this classical Japanese performing art form. Located in the Ginza district, it has served as the cultural heart of kabuki since its original construction in 1889.
大阪城 ホール
Osaka-jō Hall is a large indoor arena set within Osaka Castle Park, where the setting is part of the experience even though the building itself is devoted to events.
芝川ビルディング
Shibakawa Building is an Osaka urban structure known locally as 芝川ビルディング. The building is a useful stop for travellers interested in the city’s streetscape, architecture, and the way notable structures sit within a modern metropolitan environment.
国立劇場
The National Theatre of Japan is a major performing arts venue in Tokyo dedicated to traditional Japanese theatre forms.
隅田公園
Sumida Park is a riverside public park along the Sumida River in Tokyo. The park stretches along both banks of the river, with sections in Taito Ward and Sumida Ward.
曼殊院
Manshu-in is a Tendai Buddhist sub-temple in northeastern Kyoto, valued for its quiet setting, traditional architecture, and dry landscape garden.
新宿ゴールデン街
Golden Gai is a historic nightlife district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, comprising approximately six narrow alleys and over 200 tiny bars. The area developed from a black market district in post-war Japan and retains its Showa-era architectural character.
壬生寺
Mibu-dera is a Buddhist temple in central Kyoto and the headquarters of the Yōgyō school, a branch of the Risshū tradition.
仲見世商店街
Nakamise Shopping Street is one of Tokyo's oldest and most visited shopping thoroughfares, stretching approximately 250 meters from Kaminarimon Gate to the second gate of Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.
日枝神社
Hie Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Nagatacho district of central Tokyo, near the National Diet Building.
広隆寺
Koryu-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward and a fitting stop for travellers interested in the city’s long religious and artistic tradition.
大阪天満宮
Osaka Tenmangu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Osaka, Japan. It ranks among the city's principal historic shrines and serves as the focus of the Tenjin Matsuri, one of Japan's major summer festivals.
二年坂
Ninenzaka is a historic stone-paved street in Kyoto’s Higashiyama district, close to Kiyomizu-dera. The lane is one of the clearest places in Kyoto to experience a preserved traditional streetscape while still seeing an active commercial neighbourhood.
豊洲市場
Toyosu Market is Tokyo's principal wholesale fish and seafood market, successor to the historic Tsukiji Market. The facility relocated to the artificial island of Toyosu in October 2018.
皇居東御苑
The Imperial Palace East Gardens form part of the grounds surrounding the Tokyo Imperial Palace, the primary residence of Japan's Imperial Family.
Ten to fourteen days supports four or five days in Tokyo, three or four in Kyoto, and two or three in Osaka. Add Nara or Himeji only after those bases have enough time, and avoid turning every rail stop into a hotel change.
Japan's visa exemption or visa requirement depends on passport and travel purpose. Confirm the current rule through Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the embassy responsible for the traveller's residence.
The Tokaido Shinkansen links Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, while local rail and buses cover city travel. An IC card simplifies many local journeys but does not replace every reserved long-distance ticket, and luggage forwarding can reduce friction between bases.
March to May and October to November are broad options for the main-island route, with blossom and autumn periods creating concentrated demand. Confirm regional weather and reservations for the exact cities rather than assuming one national season behaves uniformly.
Japan uses the yen (JPY). Electronic payment is common but not universal, so carry some yen for smaller businesses, ticket machines, or rural transport without assuming that one stored-value card works for every purchase.
Japan's emergency numbers are 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance. Type A sockets operate at 100 V, which is lower than in the other wave-A countries, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.
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