Nara
Also known as Sangatsu-dō (三月堂), this is the oldest building in the Tōdai-ji complex, dating to the mid-8th century. Inside are 10 statues from the Nara…
Must-see attractions in Kansai
Kansai
This shrine, halfway up the valley-town of Kibune, is worth a quick look, particularly if you can ignore the unfortunate plastic horse statue at its…
Nara
Kōfuku-ji's southern octagonal hall, first built in 813 (and most recently reconstructed in 1789), enshrines an image of the bodhisattva Kannon.
Kansai
Just south of the castle ruins is a street of original row houses built as residences for the samurai charged with guarding the castle. One (closest to…
Kansai
How are the mighty fallen: this isolated and slightly forlorn temple, about 30 minutes on foot from central Yoshino, is the final resting spot of defeated…
Kansai
This tiny museum in a former kura (storehouse) displays mugiwara-zaiku (barley-straw crafts) practised locally since 1716. Straw is dyed and cut into tiny…
Kansai
Ozu Seizaemon was one of the most successful merchants of the Edo period, and his well-preserved timber-framed home, originally built in the late 17th…
Kansai
Two of the hikiyama (festival floats) used during Nagahama's famous Hikiyama Matsuri are on display here, along with video footage of the festival.
Osaka
This strolling garden in the northeast corner of Shitennō-ji illustrates a Buddhist parable of overcoming earthly hell to arrive at paradise, symbolised…
Kansai
This historic 18th-century home belonged to a wealthy family of sake brewers and silk traders. There are well-preserved architectural details and…
Kansai
Only about 50m north of Sanzen-in, this small temple is often praised for its lovely garden and fudan-zakura cherry tree, which blossoms between October…
Osaka
This narrow two-storey museum is worth a visit for anyone with an interest in ukiyo-e (woodblock prints). It mainly displays prints of famous kabuki…
Kansai
This temple near Sanzen-in is worth a look, even if only through its admission gate, to admire the thatched roof of the main hall. It’s a good option if…
Kansai
Named for the sugi (cryptomeria) trees that surround it, this fine little shrine is a nice place to gather your thoughts after climbing to the summit of…
Himeji
The permanent collection here includes painting, sculpture and crafts by Japanese and international artists, particularly Belgians such as René Magritte…
Osaka
Among the biggest in the world, this 112m-high Ferris wheel offers unbeatable views of Osaka Bay and the seemingly endless Osaka/Kōbe conurbation. Give it…
Kayabuki Art Museum & Folk Museum
Kansai
There are two historic kayabuki-yane (thatched-roof) farmhouses here: one that displays artefacts from traditional life in Miyama and another that serves…
Osaka
This state-of-the art museum inside Abeno Harukas hosts temporary shows that vary wildly, including, so far, Renaissance painting and tantric Buddhist…
Osaka
You can't miss the giant animated crab that marks the entrance to Kani Dōraku Honten, which is, of course, a crab restaurant. The shop sells tasty crab…
Nara
The most recent building on the grounds of Tōdai-ji is the contemporary museum built to display more of the temple's important artwork and relics.
Kōbe
The 24th-floor observatory atop Kōbe's City Hall stays open generously late so you can get a night view of the city, towards the mountains or the bay …
Kii Peninsula
This temple in the middle of Yunomine Onsen is just above Tsubo-yu Onsen, and like many hot springs adjacent to temples, is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai,…
Kii Peninsula
Senjō-jiki is a wildly eroded point with layer after horizontal layer of stratified rock; this explains its name in Japanese, which translates to Thousand…
Kii Peninsula
This bridge marks the halfway point between Ichi-no-hashi and the inner sanctum of Oku-no-in.
Osaka
Home of the most famous statue of Kuidaore Tarō – the drum-banging clown who represents the city's culture of kuidaore ('eat 'til you drop').
Kansai
This atmospheric Shintō shrine is located along the trail up to Kurama-dera. The stairs to the main hall are flanked by two enormous cryptomeria trees.
Kansai
Stop for a dip at this pretty beach, hemmed in by pine-topped hills and with a tiny, naturally forming onsen pool (keep your swimsuit on).
Osaka
Osaka's first public park, created in 1891 at the eastern end of Naka-no-shima, is a good place for an afternoon stroll or picnic lunch.
Kansai
This small subtemple on the descent to Kibune enshrines a figure of Fudō, one of the myōō (Buddhist Kings of Light).
Kii Peninsula
This simple stone bridge marks the entrance to the sacred Oku-no-in complex.
Nara
This traditional-style house is now a community arts centre, with exhibitions and occasional live performances.
Osaka
This classic shopping arcade wends along the path of an old moat (from an earlier, larger incarnation of Osaka-jō), long since filled in. The arcade…
Kii Peninsula
Sandan-beki is a 50m cliff face that drops away vertiginously into the sea – a particularly awesome sight when the big rollers are pounding in from the…
Kansai
Kyōga-misaki is a cape at the northernmost point of the Tango Peninsula. The name means 'cape of sutras' for the shape of the stone formations. A car park…
Kōbe Maritime Museum & Kawasaki Good Times World
Kōbe
This attraction in Meriken Park has two parts: a collection of high-quality model ships from around the world, including some of feudal-era Japanese ships…
Kansai
Matsusaka's grand castle, constructed in 1584, was short-lived: a typhoon destroyed the five-storey donjon (main keep) in 1644, while fire and…
