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Japan
Japan is truly timeless, a place where ancient traditions fuse with modern life, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
Fuji Five Lakes
Fuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks. Hundreds of…
Ueno & Yanesen
If you visit only one museum in Tokyo, make it the Tokyo National Museum. Here you'll find the world's largest collection of Japanese art, including…
Nagasaki
A still, serene and deeply moving place, Nagasaki's Peace Park commemorates the atomic bombing of the city on August 9, 1945, which reduced the…
Downtown Kyoto
The covered Nishiki Market (Nishiki-kōji Ichiba) is one of Kyoto’s real highlights, especially if you have an interest in cooking and dining. Commonly…
Tokyo
This museum is the heart of the Studio Ghibli world, a beloved (even 'adored') film studio responsible for classic, critically-acclaimed animated titles…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Golden Gai – a Shinjuku institution for over half a century – is a collection of tiny bars, often literally no bigger than a closet and seating maybe a…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
Digital-art collective teamLab has created 60 artworks for this museum, open in 2018, that tests the border between art and the viewer: many are…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Rumoured to be the busiest intersection in the world (and definitely in Japan), Shibuya Crossing is like a giant beating heart, sending people in all…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
Kii Peninsula
Shirahama's main beach is famous for its white sand – though what's there now was imported from Perth in the '90s, as the original sand was lost to…
Southern Higashiyama
Michelin-starred chef Murata serves some of the finest kaiseki in the city. Located in a hidden nook near Maruyama-kōen, this restaurant has everything…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
This is one of Tokyo's better kaiten-sushi (conveyor-belt sushi restaurants), with fish sourced daily from the fish market in Numazu (south of Tokyo on…
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
In 2018, Tokyo's central wholesale market moved from its iconic Tsukiji location to this new facility in Toyosu, a structure clearly dreamed up by…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Circus, the Tokyo offshoot of an Osaka club, is aggressively underground: small, out of the way, in a basement (of course), with no decor to speak of and…
Hiroshima Region
A Shintō shrine dedicated to the god of sake. Sake is brewed here every year in the lead-up to Saijō Sake Matsuri. It's a five-minute walk north of Saijo…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Tokyo's main wholesale market may have moved to Toyosu, but there are many reasons to visit its old home. The tightly packed rows of vendors (which once…
Western Honshū
Izumo Taisha, also known as Izumo Ōyashiro, is perhaps the oldest Shintō shrine in Japan. This shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, god of marriage and…
Kyoto Station & South Kyoto
With seemingly endless arcades of vermilion torii (shrine gates) spread across a thickly wooded mountain, this vast shrine complex is a world unto its own…
Osaka
One of Osaka's most famous okonomiyaki (savoury pancake) restaurants, Chibō almost always has a queue, but it moves fast because there's seating on…
Nagano Region
Pleasant in winter when shrouded in snow but less appealing when seasonally bare, Jigokudani Monkey Park is wildly popular. Made famous by the 1992 film…
Naoshima
In Honmura, half a dozen traditional buildings have been turned over to contemporary artists to use as the setting for creative installations, often…
Tokyo
From Doraemon to Hello Kitty and Pikachu, Japan knows kawaii (cute) and how to merchandise it. In the basement on the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station, some 15…
Around Tokyo
One of the three most celebrated landscape gardens in Japan, Kairaku-en was created in 1842 by the daimyō (domain lord) of the Mito han (domain), a member…
Northwest Kyoto
You’ve probably seen a picture of the rock garden here – it’s one of the symbols of Kyoto and one of Japan’s better-known sights. Ryōan-ji belongs to the…
Kyūshū
Among the countless visitors to the grand, sprawling Tenman-gū – shrine and burial place of poet-scholar Tenman Tenjin – are students making offerings and…
Northwest Kyoto
Kyoto's famed 'Golden Pavilion', Kinkaku-ji is one of Japan's best-known sights. The main hall, covered in brilliant gold leaf, shining above its…
Southern Higashiyama
Gion is the famous entertainment and geisha quarter on the eastern bank of the Kamo-gawa. While Gion’s true origins were in teahouses catering to weary…
Tokyo
This museum is the heart of the Studio Ghibli world, a beloved (even 'adored') film studio responsible for classic, critically-acclaimed animated titles…
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Hiroshima
The main building of Hiroshima's premier museum houses a collection of items salvaged from the aftermath of the atomic bomb. The displays are confronting…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
A long-time (in club years, at least) club-scene fixture, Womb is a reliable good night out on a Friday or Saturday if you want to lose yourself in the…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Narukiyo is many people's favourite 'secret' izakaya, serving all the classics (sashimi, charcoal grilled chicken, etc) with a low-key attitude that…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Check in here is supervised by humanoid robots. The compact rooms are more pedestrian but do feature one colourfully painted wall, a huge TV, a closet…
Harajuku & Aoyama
Tokyo’s grandest Shintō shrine is dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, whose reign (1868–1912) coincided with Japan's transformation from…
Tokyo
Pokémon fans will find it hard to pass on this chance to sample Pikachu-themed food and drink, made with classic kyara-ben (character bentō) techniques …
Naoshima
This yellow pumpkin sculpture, by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, has become a symbol of Naoshima. It's perched on the end of a small jetty. Pumpkins are…
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Best Things to Do
Whether you are visiting Japan for the first or fiftieth time, these top experiences showcase the best it has to offer, both modern and traditional.
Read articleThings to Know
With our guide to all you need to know before your trip to Japan, you’ll be able to enjoy every minute of your visit.
Read articleTransportation
From JR Passes for bullet trains to taking the slow but cheap long-distance bus services, here's how to travel around in Japan.
Read articleVisa Requirements
From mystic mountains to mighty megacities, Japan is awash with iconic travel experiences. Here's what you need to know about visa and vaccination requirements.
Read articleBest Road Trips
Excellent roads, incredible scenery, towering mountains and vibrant cities – Japan is ideal for exploring on four wheels. These are our favorite road trips.
Read articleArticles
Latest stories from Japan
Filter by interest:
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