.jpg){kind=link}
07
2 hours
Harajuku
原宿
Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo, internationally recognised for its youth culture, street fashion, and distinctive subcultural expressions.
- Must see
- Activity
- Tokyo
Country guide
Places to visit in Japan — page 2
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.
-
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
-
-
08 1 hourHeian Shrine
Heian Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan. It was established in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto as the imperial capital.
- Must see
- Place of worship
- Kyoto
-
09 2 hoursRyōgoku Kokugikan
両国国技館
Ryōgoku Kokugikan is the principal indoor arena for professional sumo wrestling in Tokyo, located in the Ryōgoku district. The facility serves as headquarters for the Japan Sumo Association and hosts three of the six annual honbasho tournaments.
- Must see
- Activity
- Tokyo
-
10 3 hoursExpo ’70 Commemorative Park
Expo '70 Commemorative Park is a large public park in Osaka that preserves the site of the 1970 World Exposition.
- Must see
- Nature site
- Osaka
-
11 1 hr 30 minCup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda is an interactive museum dedicated to the history of instant noodles and the legacy of Momofuku Ando, inventor of Chicken Ramen and Cup Noodles.
- Must see
- Museum
- Osaka
-
12 3 hoursMinoh Park
Minoh Park is a forested recreational area in northern Osaka Prefecture, centered on the Minoh Waterfall. The site forms part of Meiji no Mori Minoh Quasi-National Park, one of Japan's earliest quasi-national park designations.
- Must see
- Nature site
- Osaka
-
13 2 hoursTokyo Station
東京駅
Tokyo Station is a major railway station in the Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace. It serves as the primary terminal for multiple Shinkansen lines and regional rail services.
- Must see
- Activity
- Tokyo
-
14 2 hoursPontocho Alley
Pontocho Alley is a narrow pedestrian street in central Kyoto, running parallel to the Kamo River between Sanjo and Shijo streets. It is one of Kyoto's most atmospheric dining and entertainment districts, characterized by its tightly packed traditional wooden buildings.
- Must see
- Activity
- Kyoto
-
15 1 hr 30 minKiyomizu-dera Temple
清水寺
Kiyomizu-dera stands on the wooded slope of Mount Otowa at the eastern edge of Kyoto, above the Higashiyama district and roughly a kilometre uphill from the nearest bus stop.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
16 45 minTokyo Tower
東京タワー
Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower located in the Minato ward of Tokyo. The structure serves as a broadcasting antenna for television and radio signals.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Tokyo
-
17 45 minKinkaku-ji Temple
金閣寺
The temple everyone calls Kinkaku-ji is officially Rokuon-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple of the Shokoku-ji branch in the north-western corner of Kyoto.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
18 2 hoursKyoto Station Building
Kyoto Station Building is the main railway station and a prominent landmark in Kyoto, Japan. It serves as a major transportation hub for the city and wider region, handling both local and long-distance services including Shinkansen bullet trains.
- Must see
- Activity
- Kyoto
-
19 1 hr 30 minTokyo National Museum
東京国立博物館
Tokyo National Museum stands as Japan's oldest and largest museum. Established in 1872, it occupies grounds within Ueno Park in the Taito ward.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
-
20 45 minGinkaku-ji Temple
銀閣寺
Ginkaku-ji is the popular name for Jisho-ji, a Zen temple on the eastern hills of Kyoto and, in its own words, one of the affiliate temples of Shokoku-ji, the head temple of the Rinzai Shokoku-ji branch that still runs it.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
21 40 minRyōan-ji Temple
龍安寺
Ryōanji is a Rinzai Zen temple in the north-west of Kyoto, in Ukyo ward, and its full name is Daiunzan Ryōanji.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
22 45 minTō-ji Temple
東寺
To-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in the eighth century and stands as one of the city's most historically significant religious sites.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
23 2 hoursNijō Castle
二条城
Nijo-jo Castle is the Kyoto seat of the Tokugawa shoguns, completed in 1603 on the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu in the year he was appointed Shogun, and it bracketed the whole of the regime it was built for.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
24 45 minKamigamo Shrine
上賀茂神社
Kamigamo Shrine is one of Kyoto's most significant Shinto shrines, formally known as Kamo-wakeikazuchi-jinja.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
25 2 hoursOmotesandō
表参道
Omotesandō is a tree-lined avenue in Tokyo, stretching from Harajuku to Aoyama. The local name is 表参道.
- Must see
- Activity
- Tokyo
-
26 45 minTokyo Skytree
東京スカイツリー
Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo. It serves as the primary structure for digital terrestrial television broadcasting in the Kantō region.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Tokyo
-
27 45 minNinna-ji Temple
仁和寺
Ninna-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It serves as the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon sect. The temple was founded in 888 CE by Emperor Uda.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
28 45 minShimogamo Shrine
下鴨神社
Shimogamo Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan, situated at the confluence of the Kamo and Takano rivers.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- Kyoto
-
29 1 hourTsūtenkaku
通天閣
Tsutenkaku is an observation tower in Shinsekai, in Osaka's Naniwa ward, and it is the second tower to stand on the spot.
- Must see
- Viewpoint
- Osaka
-
30 1 hr 30 minNational Museum of Nature and Science
国立科学博物館
The National Museum of Nature and Science is a major museum in Tokyo dedicated to natural history and scientific research. Its local name is 国立科学博物館.
- Must see
- Museum
- Tokyo
-
31 45 minNishi Hongan-ji Temple
西本願寺
Nishi Hongan-ji is a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in central Kyoto and the headquarters of one branch of the Hongan-ji tradition. The large complex represents an important religious and architectural landmark close to Kyoto Station.
- Must see
- Historic monument
- 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.