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107
30 min
Sennyū-ji Temple
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.
- High
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
Country guide
Places to visit in Japan — page 6
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
47,395
Places
3Cities
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
Cities
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
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Tokyo
Photograph · Morio · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tokyo 22,518 places -
Kyoto
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kyoto 13,290 places -
Osaka
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Osaka 11,587 places
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Japanese
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +81
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A · 100 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Safe from the mains
- JNTO states that tap water is safe to drink
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
288 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
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108 1 hourAsahi Broadcasting Group Holdings
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.
- High
- Art and culture venue
- Osaka
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109 1 hourKabuki-za
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.
- High
- Art and culture venue
- Tokyo
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110 1 hourOsaka-jō Hall
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.
- High
- Art and culture venue
- Osaka
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111 45 minShibakawa Building
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.
- High
- Historic monument
- Osaka
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112 1 hourNational Theatre of Japan
国立劇場
The National Theatre of Japan is a major performing arts venue in Tokyo dedicated to traditional Japanese theatre forms.
- High
- Art and culture venue
- Tokyo
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113 1 hourSumida Park
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.
- High
- Nature site
- Tokyo
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114 1 hr 30 minteamLab Planets TOKYO DMM.com
チームラボ プラネッツ
teamLab Planets TOKYO is a digital art museum operated by the art collective teamLab in the Toyosu district of Tokyo. The immersive installation invites visitors to walk barefoot through various spaces where digital artworks respond to human presence.
- High
- Museum
- Tokyo
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115 30 minManshu-in Temple
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.
- High
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
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116 10 hoursUniversal Studios Japan
ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン
Universal Studios Japan is a film-themed amusement park on the north side of Osaka Bay, in Konohana ward, about fifteen minutes by train from central Osaka.
- High
- Entertainment venue
- Osaka
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117 2 hoursNakano Broadway
中野ブロードウェイ
Nakano Broadway is a covered shopping complex in Nakano, Tokyo. It opened in 1966 and has become widely known as a destination for subculture enthusiasts, particularly those interested in anime, manga, and collectibles.
- High
- Activity
- Tokyo
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118 45 minShinjuku Golden Gai
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.
- High
- Historic monument
- Tokyo
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119 30 minMibu-dera
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.
- High
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
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120 45 minNakamise Street
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.
- High
- Historic monument
- Tokyo
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121 1 hr 30 minKyoto Railway Museum
京都鉄道博物館
The Kyoto Railway Museum is a railway museum located in Kyoto, Japan. It is dedicated to the history and technology of Japanese railways.
- High
- Museum
- Kyoto
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122 2 hoursOsaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
海遊館
Kaiyukan stands on the Tempozan waterfront in Minato-ku, on the north shore of Osaka Bay, and it is built around one idea rather than a collection of tanks.
- High
- Family attraction
- Osaka
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123 30 minHie Shrine
日枝神社
Hie Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the Nagatacho district of central Tokyo, near the National Diet Building.
- High
- Place of worship
- Tokyo
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124 30 minKōryū-ji Temple
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.
- High
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
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125 30 minŌsaka Tenmangū
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.
- High
- Place of worship
- Osaka
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126 45 minNinenzaka
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.
- High
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
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127 45 minToyosu Market
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.
- High
- Market
- Tokyo
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128 1 hourImperial Palace East Gardens
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.
- High
- Nature site
- Tokyo
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129 30 minSanzen-in Temple
三千院
Sanzen-in is a Tendai Buddhist temple located in Ohara, a rural district northeast of central Kyoto. It serves as the head temple of the Tendai sect's monzeki tradition, where imperial family members historically served as abbots.
- High
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
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130 30 minShisen-dō Temple
詩仙堂丈山寺
Shisen-do is a Soto Zen temple in Kyoto’s Sakyo Ward, founded during the Edo period and shaped by the sensibilities of its scholar-founder.
- High
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
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131 1 hourUmekōji Park
梅小路公園
Umekoji Park is a public park in Kyoto, Japan. The park occupies a significant riverside plot near the confluence of the Kamo and Katsura rivers in the western part of the city.
- High
- Nature site
- Kyoto
Common questions
How long should a first trip to Japan be?
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.
What entry documents are needed for Japan?
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.
What is the best way to travel around Japan?
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.
When is a practical time to visit Japan?
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.
What money and payment basics apply in Japan?
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.
What practical safety details should I save for Japan?
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.